Sports Picks & Predictions

At 7:15 pm, our selection is on the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners 'under' the total.  When the Red Sox traded reliever Andrew Miller to the Orioles at the deadline in 2014 for Eduardo Rodriguez, hardly anyone outside of the two cities really noticed.  And if they did, it was because Miller was considered one of the top set-up men and potential closers in the Majors.  But almost nobody gave a second thought to the 21-year-old southpaw dealt to Boston who had yet to appear in an MLB game.  Miller turned out to be nothing more than a two-month rental for Baltimore, while Rodriguez made his big league debut the next season.  But now it looks like the O's traded yet another star pitcher in the making and got virtually nothing in return.  Now 25, Rodriguez is breaking out in a big way this season.  After winning 10 games combined the last two seasons, the Venezuelan southpaw is 9-1 with a 3.59 ERA and 10.4 strikeout rate through his first 14 starts of 2018. He's also gone 'under' the total in 37 of 57 starts. Take the Under.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Under.  Analysis to follow.

At 8:10 pm, in Game 2 of the Double-Header, our selection is on the Under in the White Sox/Twins game with Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell starting.  Giolito has pitched better on the road (six starts) than at home (five starts) this season, as his ERA is more than 8 runs per game better away from home.  Not surprisingly, a majority of his home starts have gone 'over' the total this season, while none of his six road starts have gone 'over' (4 'unders'; 2 'pushes').  And, in the last two seasons, none of his eight road starts have gone 'over' (6 'unders'; 2 'pushes').  Giolito will face Zack Littell tonight, and Littell has been tearing it up in AAA-Rochester this season, with a 2.57 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 28 innings pitched.  Take the 'under.'

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins 'under' the total.  If you want to see some unbelievable minor league pitching stats, look up Cleveland RH prospect Shane Bieber.  At every level of the minors, Bieber has averaged about a strikeout per inning and walked around 0.5 per nine.  Bieber will make his MLB debut tonight in Minnesota.  The rub against him is that he is a command and control pitcher with a fastball that sits in the low-90s and we've seen guys like this with crazy Minor League numbers come up and get hit hard.  But the fact that Bieber gets his first start against the light-hitting Twins should help.  And while he may suffer later on if he sticks with the Tribe, look for him to excel in his debut tonight.  Despite Cleveland's 9-1 victory on Wednesday, the runs have been hard to come by in this series, as the under is 20-8 in the last 28 between the Tribe and Twins.  The under is also 8-2 in Minnesota's last 10 overall.  Take the 'under.'  MLB Total of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Under.  (Analysis to follow.)

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Under in Game 6 between Golden State and Houston.  We have won each of the first five games of this series, including a play on the Under in Game 5.  That game went Under by a whopping 28 points, as Houston won, 98-94, to take a 3-2 series lead.  The bad news for the Rockets is that PG Chris Paul (24.39 PER this season) suffered an injury, so he won't play tonight.  This season, Paul missed 24 games.  And while the Rockets were 15-9 straight-up in those games, they were 9-15 ATS, including 0-4 SU/ATS as an underdog.  Even worse, the Rockets averaged just 107.7 ppg without Paul in the line-up (compared to 112.7 ppg with him on the court).  Certainly, his 18.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game were missed.  Not surprisingly, the Rockets have gone 15-9 Under the total without Paul in the line-up this season, including 9-2 Under on the Road, and 8-0 Under when not favored by more than 5 points!  I look for a relatively low-scoring game tonight.  Take the Under.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Under in the Cleveland/Boston game, as it falls into an 82-42 Totals system of mine.  These two teams have played four of their first five games in this year's Playoffs Under the total.  And that has continued a long-term trend in this series, as 18 of the last 27 games have gone Under.  Additionally, Boston's 17-6 Under on the road in the Playoffs.  And teams, like Cleveland, that scored less than 85 points in their previous game, and now trail in a Playoff series, and face elimination, have gone Under the total 58.41% the past 25 years.  Take the Under.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Golden State/Houston game to go 'under' the total.  This series has seen three of its first four games go 'under' the total.  And Game 4 went under by a whopping 40 points.  I look for this trend to continue on Thursday, as the 'under' falls into an 195-139 totals system of mine.  Additionally, Playoff games have gone 'under' the total 68.1% of the time the past 25 years if the previous playoff game went 'under' by more than 36 points.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm (please note the early start), our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics to go 'under' the total.  We played on the under in Saturday's Game 3, and easily got the $$$, even though the game did go into overtime.  One of the reasons we played on that Game 3 to go 'under' was that the Celtics have been a strong 'under' team on the road (now 37-26-4 'under') and especially in the playoffs (now 15-5 'under' their last 20 road playoff games).   Boston won that Game 3, as a 9.5-point underdog, and now leads this series 3 games to none.  And that leads us to another reason why I love tonight's game to go 'under.'  In the NBA playoffs, teams (like Philly) trailing in a series, and facing elimination have gone 'under' the total much more often than not over the past 28 years.  This season, we've seen 7 of 10 such elimination games go 'under' the total, and I look for that trend to continue tonight.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavs Under the total.  The Raptors were upset at home, 128-110, by the Cavaliers on Thursday.  Teams off home upset losses in the Playoffs tend to bounce back with better defensive games on the road the next time out, and such games have gone 'Under' the total 58% since 1991.  The Under also falls into a 97-55 Totals system of mine.  Take the Under.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Under in the Philly/Boston game.  The Celtics are 36-26-4 Under the total on the road their last 66 games, and are 14-5 Under their last 19 Playoff games.  The Under also falls into an 86-48 Totals system of mine.  Take the Under.

At 8:05 pm, on Friday, our selection is on the 'under' in the Golden State/New Orleans game.  The Warriors scored more than 120 points in each of the first two games of this series.  The knee-jerk reaction might be to look for another high-scoring game on Friday in Game 3.  But consider that NBA Playoff games have gone 'under' the total 63.2% since 1992 in games where one (or both) of the teams had scored more than 116 points in each of its two previous Playoff games in that season.  Take the Warriors/Pelicans 'under' the total.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Boston/Milwaukee game.  Over the last 28 years, in the NBA, whenever a Playoff series has gone the full seven games, it's been profitable to play on the 'under' in Game 7.  And that's going to be our selection here.  Indeed, the scores have declined in four of the last five games.  Game 2 produced 226 points; Game 3 was 208; Game 4 generated 206; Game 5 had 179; and Game 6 ticked up slightly to 183.  But even though the scores have been getting substantially less, the over/under line has not caught up to just how much the scoring has declined.  Take the 'under.'  NBA Elite Info Play.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 2:15 pm, our selection is on the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals 'under' the total.  This weekend's scheduled four-game series between the White Sox and Royals turned into a five-game series as the make-up for the April 1 game will be played this afternoon as the first of a double-header.  The Royals are promoting RHP Trevor Oaks from AAA today to make his MLB debut in this game one.  Oaks was acquired from the Dodgers in January, and he had thrown three straight quality starts for his Triple-A club already in 2018.  The Sox will go with RHP Carson Fulmer who had a quality start last time out on Monday against the Mariners.  Fulmer has never pitched at Kauffman Stadium or faced the Royals before in his career.  The Sox hitters came out for 10 runs in Fulmer's last start, but that was at home and they haven't always been showing up for his road outings.  They plated 11 runs in Fulmer's last road start (in Oakland) but only 11 total in his previous four away from Chicago (and all four of those games went under the total.  The under is also 5-2-1 in the Royals last eight home games.  Take the 'under.'  MLB Total of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the OKC/Utah game.  Utah has another chance to close out this series after failing to do so in Game 5.  The good news for the Jazz is that they are back at home.  I look for a low-scoring game tonight, as the last eight meetings between these two teams in Utah have gone 'under' the total when the line was less than 208 points.  Also, road teams facing elimination, down 3-games-to-2 in a 7-game series, have gone 'under' the total 71% since 1991 when the line was greater than 200 points.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Pacers/Cavaliers game.  All five games of this playoff series have gone 'under' the total.  And, dating back to the regular season, these two teams have gone 7-0-1 'under' in their last eight meetings.  I certainly won't buck this trend.  Take Game 6 to go 'under' the total.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Washington/Toronto game.  This series started out as a very high-scoring one.  The first three games averaged 231.3 ppg.  But the last two games have seen a huge shift in the offensive efficiency, and have averaged just 205 ppg.  I look for this trend to continue in Game 6.  Take the 'under.'

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Celtics and Bucks Game 6 to go 'under' the total.  These two teams have played a very competitive series, as it was tied at 2 games apiece before Boston won Game 5.  In the NBA playoffs, competitive series have gone 'under' 70-49 in Game 6 (that were tied at 2 games apiece).  The 'under' also falls into a 72-33 Totals system of mine.  Take the 'under.'  1st Round Total of the Year. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks 'under' the total.  This series has been ultra-competitive, as the two teams are tied at 2 games apiece heading into this pivotal game 5.  Typically, such games are low-scoring affairs.  Indeed, when teams are tied at 1, 2 or 3 games apiece, and the game is also competitively-priced with a point spread of 5 points or less, the 'under' is 130-94-1 since 1990.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto/Washington game 'under' the total.  The Raptors are up 2-games-to-1 in this series after dropping Game 3 by 19 points.  I expect the Raptors to play much better defense this evening, and look for a lower-scoring game.  Indeed, over the last 25 seasons, Game 4s have gone 'under' the total 64% when the higher-seeded team was blown out by double-digits in Game 3 (after winning Games 1 + 2), and the O/U line was greater than 190 points.  Take the 'under.'

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Boston/Milwaukee game.  The Celtics are 13-4 'under' the total in their last 17 road playoff games, while the Bucks have gone 'over' the total in just two of their last 10 home playoff games.  And the 'under' also falls into a Totals system of mine which is 93-54 since 1991.  Take the 'under.'

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Milwaukee/Boston game.  These two teams sailed 'over' the total by wide margins in Games 1 and 2.  Game 1 generated 220 points (against an O/U line of 199.5), while Game 2 produced 226 points (against a line of 200).  I look for a much lower scoring game tonight, as teams generally go 'under' the total when they've gone over by 20+ points in each of their previous two meetings in a season, when the O/U line is more than 194 points.  Also, Boston's gone 'under' in 13 of 16 road playoff games, while Milwaukee's last five home playoff games have gone 'under' (and Milwaukee's 7-1-1 'under' at home its last nine playoff games).  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Raptors and Wizards 'under' the total.  The Raptors went 'over' the total in both home playoff games vs. Washington.  And that's been par for the course for the Raptors, at home in the post-season, as they've gone 'over' in 15 of 23 games.  On the road, though, it's been a different story, as the Raptors have only gone 'over' in six of their last 18 road games.  Just 16 of the last 42 meetings between these two teams have gone 'over,' and just 44 of 118 matchups of #8 seeds playing at home vs. #1 seeds have gone 'over.'  Take the UNDER.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the San Antonio/Golden State game.  The San Antonio Spurs have a severe home/road bias this season.  At home, the Spurs are 33-8 straight-up and 25-14-2 ATS.  And they've won their last 11 home games in a row (9-2 ATS; 8-3 'under' the total).  But on the road, San Antone is a miserable 14-29 SU and 17-25-1 ATS, including 0-10 SU its last seven (and 1-14 SU its last 15).  A key reason for this is that San Antonio's defense has not traveled with it on the road, of late, but is ever-present at home.  Indeed, since the All-Star break, the Spurs' defensive rating at home was 2nd in the NBA, while it was in the bottom 10 on the road.  I look for the Spurs to once again play great defense in front of their home faithful tonight.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers and Arizona Coyotes 'under' the total.  Both of these teams enter tonight's game off relatively-high scoring games on offense.  The Flyers tallied 5 goals on Thursday vs. Montreal, while Arizona scored four times in its upset win at Minnesota.  But I look for a much more low-scoring game tonight, as the Flyers have gone 'under' 157-122 after scoring 5+ goals in their previous game, while Arizona has gone 'under' in 19 of 26 games after scoring 4+ goals, and 29 of 42 games off a road win.  Take the 'under.'  NHL Total of the Week. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:30 pm, our selection is on the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles to go OVER the total.  The Over falls into several of my best Totals systems, with records of 49-15, 90-62 and 98-58 since 1980.  Also, over the past six Playoff seasons, Bill Belichick's Patriots have gone 'over' the total 9-4-1, including a perfect 5-0 'over' if New England didn't go 'over' in its previous game.  Meanwhile, the Eagles have gone 'over' the total in 16 of their last 20 games away from home, including 10-0 'over' if the Eagles were an underdog of +6 points or less.  Finally, the Patriots have generally gone 'over' the total when Belichick has had two weeks to prepare, as they've gone 'over' 12-2 the past six seasons in this situation, including 6-0 'over' the past three seasons.  Take the 'over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:40 pm, our selection is on the Over in the Philadelphia/Minnesota game.  The Eagles have played three extremely low-scoring games in a row.  Last week, they defeated Atlanta, 15-10.  Prior to that, they were shut out by Dallas, 6-0, and won 19-10 vs. Oakland.  Those three games went 'under' their respective totals by 15, 35 and 17 points.  The knee-jerk reaction might be to play on the 'under' in this game, but the Over falls into a 65.3% Totals system of mine which plays on certain teams off Unders to reverse course and play a high-scoring game.  Also, the Eagles have gone 'Over' 81% since 1999 off 3 or more Unders, while Playoff favorites (like Minnesota) off a high-scoring playoff game in which more than 51 points were scored, have gone 'Over' the total 64% since 1997.  Take the Over.  NFL Total of the Week.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Over in the New England/Jacksonville game.  We played on the Over last week in both the New England/Tennessee game, and the Jacksonville/Pittsburgh game, and got the cash in each.  And we'll come right back with the Over for this game.  The Patriots have now gone 8-0-1 Over in their last nine Playoff games at home or on a neutral field!  And the Jaguars are currently riding a 4-2 Over streak.  Also, since 1988, NFL Playoff teams have gone 'Over' the total 70% of the time after scoring 44+ points in their previous playoff game (and 79% if the Over/Under line was 45+ points).  Take the 'Over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 4:40 pm, on Sunday, our selection is on the 'over' in the Minnesota/New Orleans game, as it falls into 46-19, 47-15 and 96-57 Totals systems of mine.  The Saints are averaging over 28 points per game this season.  And in the NFL playoffs, teams that average more than 27.45 ppg have gone 'Over' the total 62.26% of the time when the over/under line is more than 43 points.  Additionally, New Orleans is 9-2 'Over' its last 11 when the line was between 42 and 49 points.  And Playoff games where at least one team is rested have gone 'over' the total 57% since 1980.  This will be a high-scoring game.  Take the 'over.'  NFL Total of the Year!  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the 'Over' in the Pittsburgh/Jacksonville game.  In the Jaguars' last game, they managed to score just 10 points, in a 10-3 win.  That game's combined point total of 13 points will keep many bettors off the 'Over' here, but that knee-jerk reaction will more than likely be the wrong move.  Indeed, NFL games have gone 'Over' in 46 of 70 games, with Over/Under lines less than 43 points, if one of the teams played a game the previous week which didn't total 14+ points.  Moreover, the Steelers are 26-8 'Over' the total in the Playoffs when the line was less than 47 points, including 13-0 'Over' since Jan. 11, 1998 when they played at home, or on a neutral field.  And the Jags have gone 'Over' the total 44 of 71 when the Over/Under line was 44 or less, and the Jags went 'Under' the total in their previous game.  Finally, the Over falls into a 51-24 Playoff Totals system of mine.  Take the 'Over.'  NFL Elite Info Totals Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:15 pm, our selection is on the 'Over' in the New England/Tennessee game.  The Patriots have played 15 home playoff games over the last 11 seasons.  And just three of those 15 games have gone 'Under' the total!  That bodes well for this being a high-scoring game.  Additionally, the 'Over' falls into a 61-29 Totals system of mine.  Take the 'Over.'  Good luck, as always…Al McMordie.

At 4:35 pm, our selection is on the 'Over' in the Atlanta/Philadelphia game.  The Falcons have gone 'Under' in six straight games.  But this should be a relatively high-scoring game, as NFL teams have gone 'Over' in 141 of 250 games off 5+ 'Unders' when the line was 42 or less points.  Take the 'Over.'

At 4:25 pm, our selection is on the Rams and 49ers to go 'under' the total.  These two teams met earlier this season in San Francisco, and the Rams came away with a 41-39 victory.  I look for a much lower scoring game on Sunday, as rematches of games where each team scored 28+ points have gone 'under' the total 61.4% since 1980 when the line was greater than 41 points.  Take the 'under.'  NFL Total of the Month!  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:30 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Bucs and Atlanta Falcons to go 'under' the total.  This play is purely technical in nature, and based on the season stats of Tampa and Atlanta.  It falls into 116-60 and 169-111 Totals systems of mine (both of which supported our play last Monday on the 'under' in the Miami/New England game).  Interestingly, these two teams have combined for 54, 71 and 55 points in their three previous meetings.  The knee-jerk reaction, then, might be to look for another high-scoring game tonight.  But consider that division games that have combined for 54+ points in each of the three previous meetings have gone 'under' the total 67.6% of the time over the past 27 years.  Finally, Tampa Bay is a solid 19-9 'under' the total its last 28 division games at home (including 8-2 'under' its last 10), while Atlanta is 8-3-2 'under' its last 13 division road games.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:30 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Chicago/Detroit game.  Both of these teams went 'under' the total last week.  Chicago defeated Cincy, 33-7, and that game went under the posted total of 40.5 by a half-point.  Meanwhile, Detroit and Tampa Bay combined for 45 points, which stayed under that game's total of 48.  The Bears are 9-4 'under' this season, and have also gone 'under' in 31 of 54 division games.  And this game also falls into a 157-94 Totals system of mine.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:25 pm, our selection is on the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts Over the total.  The Colts lost in overtime to Buffalo last week, 13-7.  And that was the fifth straight 'Under' played by the Colts.  The knee-jerk reaction might be to play this game 'Under' the total as well, especially since Denver was also involved in a very low-scoring game (23-0) last week vs. the Jets.  But consider that NFL teams off 4 straight 'Unders' have gone 'OVER' THE TOTAL 133-86-6 (60.7%) if they scored less than 13 points in their previous game, including 92-46-3 'OVER' if the line was 37+ points!  Take the 'Over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 8:30 pm, on Monday, our selection is on the 'under' in the Miami/New England game, as it falls into a 90-55 Totals System of mine.  Additionally, both of these teams come into Monday's game off stellar defensive performances.  The Dolphins held Denver to just 9 points last week, while New England surrendered just 3 points to Buffalo.  And NFL match-ups, between two teams that each held their respective previous opponent to less than 10 points, have gone 'Under' 77% of the time since 1980 when the Over/Under line was 45+ points!  Moreover, New England is currently on an 8-game win streak keyed by its defense.  The Patriots' stop unit hasn't allowed any opponent to score more than 17 points throughout this stretch, and has gone 'Under' in six of the eight games.  Take the 'Under.'  Monday Night Football Total of the Year!  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Kansas City/Oakland game.  Both of these teams have been playing relatively low-scoring games, of late.  The Raiders have gone 'under' in three straight, while the Chiefs have gone 'under' in three of their last four.  The Chiefs have gone 'under' in 9 of 13 division games at home with Over/Under lines greater than 42, while the Raiders have gone 'under' in 24 of 31 division games on the road with Over/Under lines greater than 42 (including the last 5 in a row).  Take the 'under.'

At 8:25 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Atlanta/New Orleans game, as it falls into 113-60 and 165-110 Totals systems of mine.  Additionally, the Saints have gone 'under' in 30 of 44 division road games since Nov. 17, 2002, including 19-4 'under' when priced as a single-digit underdog (or PK).  And the Falcons have gone 'under' in 16 of 19 games (84.2%) after scoring 21 or less points in their previous game.  Finally, seven of the last nine meetings between these two clubs in Atlanta have gone 'under' (as have 11 of the last 15 when the O/U line was greater than 45 points).  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers to go 'under' the total.  The Flyers snapped their 10-game losing streak with 5-2 win at Calgary on Monday.  The Oilers are also off a high-scoring win, as they beat Calgary, as well, 7-5, on Saturday.  Tonight, I look for a low-scoring game, as Philly is 156-118 'under' after scoring 5+ goals in its previous game.  And the Oilers have gone 'under' in 22 of 31 at home off a win by 2+ goals, and 26 of 42 off back-to-back 'overs.'  Take the 'UNDER.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:25 pm, our selection is on the 'over' in the Dallas/Washington game.  These two teams met earlier this season and scored 52 combined points in a Cowboys 33-19 victory.  That game continued the trend in this series where the game has gone 'over' the posted total (now 4-0 'over' since 2016).  Indeed, the last two games here at AT & T Stadium each generated 57 points.  And Washington's currently 7-0 'over' the total on the road vs. division rivals.  Of course, it's true that the Cowboys have played four straight 'unders' since that 33-19 game vs. Washington, and have scored just 50 points combined over those four games (including a 28-6 loss on Thanksgiving to the Chargers).  But NFL teams off 4+ unders, that scored less than 13 points in their previous game, have gone 'over' the total 59% since 1980.  Take the 'over.'  NFC East Total of the Year!  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:30 pm, our selection is on the 'Over' in the San Diego/Dallas game.  The Chargers erupted for 54 points last week, in a 54-24 blowout of the Buffalo Bills.  They'll now travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys, and I foresee another relatively high-scoring game on Thursday.  Dallas is giving up over 24 points per game, and the Chargers have gone 'over' in 30 of 46 road games vs. foes that surrender at least 24 ppg.  The last nine Dallas Cowboys games have also AVERAGED 51.33 points.  Take the 'Over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the 'Over' in the Los Angeles Chargers/Jacksonville Jaguars game.  The Jaguars have the league's best defense, and have held five of their eight opponents this season to less than 10 points (including Indy and Cincy in their last two games).   And, yes, it's true that neither of the Jaguars' last two games totaled more than 30 points.  But NFL teams have gone 'over' the total more often than not after playing two straight games that didn't total more than 30 points.  Interestingly, this will be the fourth meeting in the last four seasons between these two teams.  And each of the previous three meetings sailed 'over' the total, with an average of 51.67 ppg.  Moreover, the Chargers haven't scored less than 10 points in any of their last 27 games.  And they've averaged 23.33 ppg over this 27-game span.  So, I believe Philip Rivers & Co. will be able to put up some points on the Jags' #1-rated defense.  The OVER also falls into 82-53 and 99-68 systems of mine.  This will be a relatively high-scoring game.  Take the 'over.'  NFL Total of the Month!  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Indianapolis Colts/Houston Texans game, as it falls into an 89-54 Totals system of mine.  The Texans started the year with QB Tom Savage under center, and lost on Opening Day, 29-7, to the Jaguars.  Savage lasted just 30 minutes before being replaced by Deshaun Watson, and the Texans were shut out in his 30 minutes of football.  With Watson as quarterback, the Texans' offense had hummed, as it scored 33, 57, 34, 33 and 38 points in Houston's last five games.  Unfortunately, he's out of the season, after sustaining an ACL injury in practice on Thursday.  So, the Texans will once again turn to Savage to lead the offense.  I look for a low-scoring game, as Indianapolis is offensively-challenged this season with its QB, Andrew Luck, sidelined, as it ranks just 25th in points scored (142).  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers 'under' the total.  They're calling it basically the wildest World Series game ever.  And with leads being lost on five different occasions before the Astros finally walked it off in the bottom of the 10th, it's hard to argue with that assessment.  But even with 25 men crossing the plate, one thing that Sunday's game wasn't was the highest scoring in the Fall Classic.  Back in 1993, the Phillies and Blue Jays played a 15-14 donnybrook in game four that was won by the eventual Series Champs - Toronto.  So how did game five turn out in that series?  After firing every bullet they had in that fourth game, the Phils and Jays fought to a 2-0 final the following day.  And while this game may not turn out quite that way with a day of rest in between, two of the best starters of this post-season will lead their teams as RH Justin Verlander and LH Rich Hill take the mound in a must-win for the home team.   The key in this pitching match-up is the fact that if both of these starters are on their game, they can potentially go nine innings, and that's important given what's happened with both of these bullpens in this series.   The under is 19-8-3 in Astros last 30 when their opponent scores five or more runs in their previous game, while the Dodgers have gone 'under' in 12 of 14 following a game which produced 17+ runs.  And, with respect to the two starters, Rich Hill has gone 'under' in 75 of 115 (65%), while Verlander has gone 'under' in 28 of his last 43 nighttime starts; 7 of his last 10 road games; and 13 of his last 20, overall.  Take the 'under.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:30 pm, our selection is on the 'over' in the Denver/Kansas City game.  Last week, in a Thursday game, the Kansas City Chiefs lost a heartbreaker to the Oakland Raiders, 31-30.  The Chiefs were winning, 30-24, but succumbed on the game's final play, a 2-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Michael Crabtree.  That was Kansas City's 2nd straight upset loss, as Pittsburgh stunned it, 19-13, here at Arrowhead 15 days ago.  So, the Chiefs are now 5-2 on the season.  Likewise, the Broncos also suffered their 2nd straight upset defeat, as they lost, 21-0, at the Chargers last weekend.  I expect a high-scoring game tonight, as .700 (or better) teams have gone 'over' the total 65.5% over the past 28 years, if they're off an upset loss, and scored 28+ points in that defeat.  Also, these two teams met twice last season, and both games went 'over' the total, by 17 and 5 points, respectively.  And since 2001, 11 of the 16 meetings here in Kansas City have gone 'over.'  Look for this game to sail 'over' the total.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros 'over' the total.  Once again a Manager decided to use his closer in a non-save situation in a critical game and once again it backfired horribly.  This time, it was AJ Hinch bringing in Ken Giles with the score tied 1-1 in the ninth and Giles proceeded to give up three runs without recording an out.  And, just like that, the Dodgers tied up this series.  Now L.A. has to be considered the favorite going forward with Kershaw going tonight, and the subsequent game(s) being played back in L.A.  But starting pitching hasn't been the problem -- for either team really -- in this series.  With its melt-down last night, Houston's bullpen now sports a playoff ERA over five runs while the Dodgers pen -- though better -- hasn't been immune either.  L.A.'s normally perfect closer, Kenley Jansen, gave up another run last night (a HR) and now has allowed two runs on four hits in his last three innings.  LHP Dallas Keuchel gets the start tonight and, although he was very good this season, he allowed three runs in six innings (4.50) in his Game 1 start in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.  The over is 4-1-1 in the Astros last six inter-league home games and 3-0-1 in their last four home games vs. teams with a winning road record.  Take the 'over.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros 'under' the total.  The fans who don't have a rooting interest, and the TV Networks that aired game two, no doubt loved what they saw on Wednesday night.  The Astros won a see-saw affair by a 7-6 final score in 11 innings.  But the managers likely didn't enjoy it much, as both bullpens imploded badly before the final out of a 4+ hour marathon.  After a total of four runs were scored through the first seven innings, nine more crossed the plate in the last four.  So, as tempting as it would be to assume that's going to happen again, it's not likely.  RHP Yu Darvish goes to the hill for the visitors, and Minute Maid Park is a place with which he is very familiar.  In six career starts here, Darvish is 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA and 0.74 WHIP.  If Darvish pitches like that tonight -- and keeps his pitch count down -- then don't expect to see closer Kenley Jansen in the 8th inning, which was Dave Roberts' ill-fated decision in game two.  That's a mistake that the LA manager is not likely to make again.  The 'Stros will go with RHP Lance McCullers Jr., who, like Darvish, has a nasty arsenal of pitches at his disposal  The under is 8-1 in the Astros last nine home games vs. teams with a RH starter, and 6-1-1 in the Dodgers last eight road games.  Take the 'under.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Yankees and Houston Astros 'over' the total.  While the Astros offense may have gone to sleep in the three games in the Bronx, the Yankee hitters certainly woke up -- in a big way.  New York scored a total of 19 runs in the three games which is the main reason the Yanks are one win away from yet another trip to the Fall Classic.  Perhaps a trip back to Minute Maid Park will light a much needed fire under the Houston lineup.  The 'Stros led all teams in scoring in the regular season (896 runs) so maybe the hometown fans will remind them of this fact and the likes of Altuve, Springer, Bregman, and Correa will respond in kind at the plate.  The pitching match-up of RHs Justin Verlander vs. Luis Severino certainly favors the 'Stros tonight, but the big question is which version of Severino will show up?  Look for the Astros line-up to try to jump on the 23-year-old early and often, as the Twins did in the Wild Card game.  The over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings of these two clubs and 12-3 in Severino's last 15 starts.  Take the 'over.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 5 pm, our selection is on the 'over' in Game 5 between New York and Houston.  The Astros have destroyed Masahiro Tanaka the past three seasons.  He's made six starts vs. Houston, and New York has lost five of the six games, while his ERA in those six starts was 7.62.  And his worst start came right here, in the Bronx, earlier this season when he allowed 8 runs (4 home runs) in a 10-7 defeat.  The Yankees have gone 'over' in 29 of 45 games vs. foes with a .620 (or better) win percentage, while Houston has gone 'over' a whopping 49 of 77 on the road this season, including 25 of 37 when priced between +125 and -125.  Take the 'over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs 'under' the total.  After two games in balmy L.A., the NLCS will shift to Chicago where the temperatures are forecast to be in the forties tonight.  The winds could also be blowing in from Wrigley's outfield, making it that much harder for the hitters in a series that's been dominated by pitching so far.  RHP Kyle Hendricks was very good in the NLDS, going 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts against the Nats.  Even more impressive, both of his starts were in DC with 40,000 screaming Nats fans trying to get him off of his game.  Hendricks will have the full support of the crowd tonight as he tries to get his team back into this series.  But the biggest problem for him might be run support as RH Yu Darvish goes to the mound for L.A.  Ignore the fact that Darvish only has one previous start against the Cubs.  His wide assortment of pitches could wreak havoc on the Cubs in the cold and windy conditions.  After all, it's not like Chicago's hitters have been lighting it up in this series.  Finally, the 'under' is 7-1-1 the last nine meetings between these two teams, while Hendricks (17-9 'under') and Darvish (20-11 'under') have been going 'under' all season.  Take the 'under.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros and New York Yankees 'over' the total.  By now, it must be painfully obvious to the New York Yankees that if they're to have a chance in the ALCS against the Astros, they're going to have to play some high-scoring games.  Both of Houston's victories in games one and two have been 2-1 affairs, leading to a 2-0 lead as the series now shifts to the Bronx.  And the good news in that regard for the Yanks is the fact that nobody scored more runs at home this season.  In their 81 games here, the Bombers plated 451 runs and blasted 140 homers, with both of those numbers being tops in the American League.  The other bit of good news for them is that veteran Charlie Morton takes the mound for the 'Stros.  Both of the RHP's career starts against the Yankees have come here in the Bronx where he has posted a 5.68 ERA in just under 13 innings.  The over is 47-28 for the Astros on the road, including 10-2 when the Astros gave up 1 run or less in their previous game.  The over is also 9-0 for the Yankees at home, if they allowed less than 4 runs in each of their three previous games.  Take the 'over.'  ALCS Total of the Year.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers 'over' the total.  After a pair of lefthanders led the way on the mound in game one in Clayton Kershaw and Jose Quintana, tonight's game two will feature more of the same.  The Dodgers won Saturday even though Kershaw wasn't at his best and tonight it will be veteran LH Rich Hill's turn.  You may remember Hill from his failed attempt at a no-hitter after nine hit-less innings against the Pirates on August 23.  For the Cubs, veteran southpaw Jon Lester will go to the mound.  Lester started game two of the NLDS against the Nats and then came in in relief in game four.  Both of these lefties are very talented, that's for sure, but in the Cubs and Dodgers you have two of the best hitting teams in the league vs. southpaws this season.  The Dodgers hit more home runs off of left-handed pitching -- 65 -- than any other team in the NL, while the Cubs logged a .264 batting average against them (fourth-best) and a league-best .349 OBP.  The over is 6-0-1 in the Dodgers last seven home games vs. teams with a winning record.  Take the 'over.' As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Green Bay/Minnesota game.  With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Green Bay Packers have gone 'over' the total more often than not.  But the one situation where they've consistently gone 'under' has been on the road vs. division rivals.  And especially when the over/under line has been between 40.5 and 45.5 points.  In that range, Green Bay has gone 'under' in 10 of 11 vs. NFC North rivals on the road.  Indeed, the last three games at Minnesota have all gone 'under' the total (with the games from the last two seasons also falling within our O/U range of 40.5 to 45.5 points).  Last season, Rodgers passed for a pedestrian 213 yards, and threw one interception in a 17-14 defeat.  Green Bay did win the previous two seasons (30-13 and 24-21), but neither game was particularly high-scoring, and each also went 'under' the posted total.  I love the 'under once again in this game, as it falls into an 87-53 Totals system of mine.  Also, Minnesota has gone 'under' the total in 16 of 20 games off a win, including 12-1 'under' vs. foes with a W/L percentage of .571 (or better).  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Yankees and Houston Astros 'under' the total.  The first game of an LCS usually features an exceptional pitching match-up, and this one between the Astros and Yankees is no exception.  In his last two starts, LHP Dallas Keuchel has allowed just two earned runs on eight hits in 11 2/3 innings -- including his dominant performance against Boston in game two of the ALDS.  And those stats come in second place tonight when compared to his opponent.  RHP Masahiro Tanaka has been almost un-hittable in his last two starts, allowing no runs on six hits in 14 innings with an incredible 22 strikeouts and one walk.  Despite those strong numbers over his last two, Tanaka is looking for some redemption tonight as his only start vs. the 'Stros this season was a disaster (8 ER on 7 H in just 1 2/3 innings).  That was back in May, and the Japanese veteran has been pitching much better of late.  But Keuchel's career numbers against the Yanks are ridiculous and he's never had anything but quality starts against them (in seven career starts, including one in the 2015 post-season).  Finally, Keuchel's gone 'under' in 17 of 21 at home when priced between -125 and -175.  Take the 'under.'  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees to go 'under' the total.  There's no question Corey Kluber is an ace, but the Indians' RH pitched like anything but in game two of this series.  In that game last Friday, Kluber lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing six runs on seven hits.  The Tribe offense bailed out its ace and won that game in extra innings by a 9-8 final score.  The great thing about being the staff ace in the post-season is that, even in a three-out-of-five series, you will likely have a chance to redeem yourself if you had a bad outing in game one or two.  And so Kluber has that chance tonight in the final game of the ALDS.  And I think he will be stellar.  Indeed, prior to his poor outing last week, Kluber had not given up more than two earned runs in nine straight starts.  His previous four starts had gone 'under,' as had his previous six starts at home!  The Yanks will go with LH (and former Indian) CC Sabathia, who will appear in his 21st post-season game tonight.  Sabathia has gone 'under' in 19 of his last 24 starts.  Take the 'under.'  MLB Total of the Year.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees 'under' the total.  It's probably a good thing that these two clubs had the day off after the 13-inning marathon they played on Friday.  The Yankees let a golden opportunity to tie this series at one game apiece slip through their fingers as they squandered a five-run lead as late as the sixth inning to lose, 9-8.  That type of loss has to be at least a little demoralizing, but Yankee Stadium will still be plenty loud tonight as RHP Masahiro Tanaka takes the hill for only his second career post-season start.  The Yankees probably set up this rotation on purpose so that Tanaka would get the first home game because he relished pitching at Yankee Stadium this season.  In 15 starts here, Tanaka went 9-5 with a 3.22 ERA while in the same number elsewhere, he logged a 4-7 record and had an ERA that was more than double at 6.48.  The Indians' RH Carlos Carrasco didn't pitch in the Bronx this season, but he has shown a strong affection for this place throughout his career.  In four starts at Yankee Stadium, Carrasco - who won 18 games this season -- has gone 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 0.89 WHIP.  The under is 12-4 in Cleveland's last 16 playoff games and 7-2 in NY's last nine playoff games at home.  Take the 'under.'  AL Total of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Los Angeles Rams/Seattle Seahawks game.  The Rams have been a surprising offensive team this season, as they're averaging 35.5 points per game (after averaging just 14 ppg last season).  But the four teams that Los Angeles has played this year are giving up, on average, 26 points per game.  Seattle, on the other hand, will be the best defense the Rams have faced yet, as it's giving up just 19.25 ppg.  Over the previous seven seasons, 11 of the 14 meetings between these teams have gone 'under' the total.  And the 'under' also falls into a super 86-53 Totals system of mine.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the 'over' in the Baltimore/Oakland game, as it falls into a great Totals system of mine which has cashed 73.3% since 1980.  Additionally, Oakland has gone 'over' the total 21-6-2 in its last 29 home games, including 6-0 its last six, and also a perfect 10-0-2 'over' when priced from 40.5 to 44 points.  Take the 'over.'  Good luck as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the 'over' in the Miami/Tennessee game, as it falls into 59-27, 108-69 and 152-102 Totals systems of mine.  It's true that Miami's offense struggled last week, as it was shutout, 20-0, by New Orleans, and is averaging just 8.3 ppg.  But Miami should find the sledding easier against Tennessee.  After all, the Titans gave up more points (57) last week than any other team has given up in almost 5 years!  And that was against a Texans team which had averaged just 17.6 ppg coming into the game.  So, when viewed in that context, it was the most points any team had given up in 21 years vs. a team that averaged less than 18 ppg!  And, for additional technical support, consider that NFL teams (like Miami) have gone 'over' the total 70.2% since 1980 if they don't average more than 10 ppg on offense, and have gone 'under' the total in their 3 previous games.  Finally, seven of Miami's last eight home games, and nine of Tennessee's last 12 road games have sailed 'over' the total.  Take the 'over.'  NFL Total of the Month!  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Boston/Houston game.  Charlie Morton gets the start for the Astros, and his ERA over his last three starts is 2.00.  He's also 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA over his last 11 starts.  He'll be opposed by Doug Fister tonight.  Fister has had an up-and-down season, but did pitch well in his last start (5 1-3 innings, 3 runs, 0 walks and 9 strikeouts).  Both pitchers also have good career numbers vs. their opponent:  Fister's lifetime ERA vs. Houston is 2.77, while Morton's career ERA vs. Boston is 0.00.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:25 pm, our selection is on the Green Bay Packers + Cincinnati Bengals to go 'over' the total.  The Packers lost WR Jordy Nelson early in last week's 34-23 loss at Atlanta, but Nelson has been a full participant in practice this week, so I expect him to play.  Randall Cobb, on the other hand, has been listed as doubtful.  But with both Nelson and Davante Adams on the field, I look for Green Bay's offense to hum on Sunday.  Indeed, off a loss, with Aaron Rodgers as its starter, Green Bay has averaged 28.57 ppg, and 27 of its 44 games have gone 'over' the total!  That bodes well for a high-scoring game on Sunday.  As does the fact that both of Aaron Rodgers' two previous starts vs. the Bengals have been extremely high-scoring (55 and 64 points).  Finally, Green Bay has gone 'over' the total 41 of 61 home games when priced between -7.5 and -13.5 points.  And the Packers/Bengals 'over' also falls into 58-27, 150-102 and 107-69 Totals systems of mine.  Take the 'over.'  Total of the Month. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:25 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to go 'over' the total, as it falls into 57-27 and 106-69 Totals Systems of mine.  The Over/Under line on this game opened at 42, but has dropped considerably since then as a majority of bettors seem to be looking for a low-scoring contest.  It's true that both defenses have played well this season (SF is giving up just 17.5 ppg, while the Rams are allowing 18 ppg).  But I look for a relatively high-scoring game on Thursday, as NFL games have gone 'over' the total 314-231 (57.6) if the defenses of both teams gave up, on average, less than 18.5 ppg, and the over/under line was less than 40 points.  Take the 'over.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.