5* play.

I'm taking what I perceive as value with the Eagles getting the points and it all stems from the QB play. While odds-makers keep doubting Nick Foles, I think the system that made Philly the NFC's # 1 seed is meshing well with Foles as he gets more comfortable with 2 more weeks of practice and preparation. He just shredded the NFL's #1 defense in the biggest game of his life. Foles has the momentum with him and he's got the better defense on his side.

With the way the Eagles can apply pressure, their secondary in my opinion can pose the bigger threat. New England is not a good team on turf and I think the fast track favors the Eagles and their speed.

Lastly the Eagles are 4-0 ATS when they get 8 or more days of rest between games, compared to just 3-2 for the Pats. I'm going with the Eagles and the points in the Super Bowl.

I few props I like.

UNDER 10 pts in the 1st Q

First score of the game to be a TD.

Zach Ertz total receptions OVER 5.5

Will both teams use all 6 of their timeouts?  NO 

New England has the right offense to attack the Jags. They have TE's and RB's who catch passes and expose their defense just like the SF 49ers did to Jax.

 The Patriots have a huge edge in quarterback play and I just do not believe Blake Bortles can repeat his performance from last week. New England has great success covering these big numbers and at some point, in this game QB Brady will  pick them apart in the passing game.  Despite covering the spread last week, Jacksonville is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road playoff games.

New England will keep Blake Bortles from making the big plays on 3rd down and New England will force Jacksonville to try and make those plays on 3rd and long. With 4 picks, and just 1 TD, along with completing around just 53% on the season on 3rd and 7 or more yards - I trust New England and their LBs. I don't trust the WRs of Jacksonville to make those plays when needed.

Jacksonville has scored only 10 pts in 2 of their last 3 games - here, in New England, their scoring goes back to normal. Jacksonville is coming off an enormous and emotional win vs the Steelers, this is the letdown spot for them. 

Patriots are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 playoff home games and I like them to win by double digits as our 10* NFL PLAYOFFS GAME OF THE YEAR.

10* NFL Playoffs Game of the Year

The Eagles had 2 weeks to prepare for this game and also playing at home.  Their defense is very good.

 I think they have enough to slow down the Falcons and Philadelphia’s offense should do enough to grind out the win. 

Zach Ertz is a natural leader, and has all the physical tools needed to be great here vs Atlanta. The Eagles have speed with their defense - especially with Brandon Graham on the outside - and excellent strength up front. Philadelphia will continue their hot defensive trend making them far too tough to beat here. They are very balanced and they can play any kind of game, they can pass or run the ball, and they have been really good with their pass coverage as of late.

Atlanta will never be consistently competitive until they find a steadier running game - Atlanta has only generated one 100 yard rusher over the last 14 games. Philly will be able to shut that down here, with their aggressive line play as well. Atlanta enters the game allowing opponents to pass at 66% percent. Which is the 27th ranked passing percentage in the league.

I'm taking the EAGLES with the points.

5*

Alabama will put a ton of pressure on Georgia’s true freshman QB Jake Fromm.  He doesn't scramble much and the Bama defense will shut down the run. The Georgia offense is very similar to Alabama's and their defense has practiced against those type of runs and pocket passers all year.  QB's who scramble are what gives the Tide problems.

The Alabama defense is the big difference maker in this spot. This isn't the Sooners' defense. Alabama doesn't lose to QBs like Jake Fromm and the Dawgs' running game will be slowed. The Crimson Tide don't lose to SEC East teams, either. Look for Alabama to win by 2 scores or more here on Monday night in the Championship Game.

5*

This is a double revenge game for Carolina. Cam Newton is coming off an awful game last week. Look for Cam to run the ball and get on the right page with his TE Greg Olsen. The Panthers have won seven of their last nine, covering six of them. I'm a fan of Ron Rivera as his teams are always prepared to play. While Carolina lost both regular-season meetings with the Saints, New Orleans went 2-5 ATS down the stretch and its defense has shown some cracks, allowing 288 passing yards or more in four of the last seven games. I'm backing the underdog with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

5* 

It's hard to win by over nine points when the total for the game is just 39.5. This will be a slow, grind it out, run the ball game from both teams. Jax QB Blake Bortles remains mistake-prone despite improving on the season, and the Bills defense has enough to force a turnover or two from him. In a game that figures to be defensive receiving a touchdown-plus offers solid value. Neither of these two teams have players that are postseason experienced to any significant degree and the Jags are being overvalued by the oddsmakers based on a regular season that saw the defense standout. The Bills want you to believe that there is a question mark about the playing status of Shady McCoy but Tyrod Taylor will have his running back active and ready for Sunday's contest. I believe the Jaguars win this one, but Buffalo will keep it close, and they have an outside shot of stealing this game. Take the+ 8.5-9 points.

5* 

Goff doesn't take unnecessary quick shots, he will be patient, making the DBs of Atlanta work defensively. When LA is moving the ball by ground they are a very different team. The Falcons have just been incredibly inconsistent, and their scoring is unpredictable. Atlanta have faired poorly on the road, vs good teams - as all 3 of their road losses were to playoff teams this year. This isn't any easier vs a team that went 11-5. I know it's the first playoff game for Jared Goff and Sean McVay, but I don't care. They are real rested from sitting out a lot of their starters in last weeks season finale. Goff gets better coaching and play calls than Matt Ryan, who's saddled with Steve Sarkisian, and Goff will outplay the veteran Saturday. Rams get the double-digit home win.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

The Titans have been one of the more frustrating teams to analyze all season long. They limp into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The key in this game will be avoiding the big mistake, which is very tough to avoid for a young team going up against a Chiefs squad well-equipped for the challenge. KC has the veteran QB, offensive and special teams weapons and they are playing at home. Lay the points as the CHIEFS win big on Saturday evening.

5* 

I think this is going to be a major mismatch. Central Florida has simply never faced a defense like Auburn’s this season. This is a major step up in class for Central Florida. The Tigers rank fifth in the country in overall defensive and No. 1 in limiting explosiveness. Look for Auburn to get the job done on the offensive and defensive lines and pull away for a big win in the 2nd half. PLAY AUBURN with confidence.

5* 

Arizona coach Bruce Arians is 3-1 at Seattle during his tenure as Cardinals coach. His teams have twice handed the Seahawks their lone home loss of the season. Look for Arizona to be stubborn again Sunday.

 The Seahawks with Russell Wilson are 1-4 against the spread at home over the last five games. 

The idea that the Seahawks are impervious to defeat, or even a tough battle at home because they're playing in from the 12th man. The Rams were up 40 to nothing on them two weeks ago. That's who the Seahawks truly are. Russ has been sacked 14 times over the last four games. No quarterback in the NFL has been pressured more than Russell-- Russell Wilson. 207 pressures. Oh Yeah, by the way, this is probably Bruce Arians last game coaching for the Arizona Cardinals. 

I don't think the Cardinals win, but they'll keep the score within single digits.

5*

Miami would like nothing more than to put an end to the Bills playoff dreams and chances.

The Dolphins are tough at home as they already beat New England. THey also beat the Titans and Falcons.

Look for Jay Cutler to get some revenge from a earlier loss.

Their defense is young but good and the roster and positional players seem to be improving heading into 2018. I like the home underdog here with MIAMI as we try and end the NFL regular season with yet another 10* NFL WINNER

I’m not sure Mississippi State cares much about this game after a disappointing finish to the year, especially considering the Bulldogs’ entire staff took off for Gainesville, leaving the running backs coach behind to coach this bowl game. More importantly, Miss State will also be without their star quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, so I don’t think they can exploit the Louisville defense. 

 At the end of the day, Petrino still hates the world and has a lot to prove and he would love nothing more than to rout the SEC team.

 Bottom line Louisville and their high powered offense and consistently improved defense from week to week will get it done here over Louisville. Look for Louisville to come up big here.

5*

Ohio State will get up to face USC in a big way as this team will absolutely relish the opportunity to face the Trojans and they have a lot to prove to the Committee in particular for next year. This is a USC team that has struggled agianst elite defenses and this is a Ohio State that is prepped by Urban Meyer who is as good as it comes when it comes to Bowl Games and he has a lot to prove to himself and his fanbase in regards to the Bowl game after falling short the previous year. Ohio State’s defense is one of the top units in the country. Look for it to dominate and the Buckeyes to pull away. Let's roll with Ohio State on Friday night!

5* 

Wake Forrest will get up to face the SEC team here as this team is vastly underrated coming into this game. You have a Wake Forrest team that did not like how they finished against Duke giving up 31 points and falling short but this is a team that had beat the likes of top 25 NC State 30-24, dropped 64 on Syrause, went toe to toe against Notre Dame and played both Clemson and FSU close. Let's roll with Wake to get it done over Texas A&M who is without their regular season coach Sumlin.

5* 

 THis is one of the weaker Navy teams I've seen in years.  Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall has plenty of experience facing the triple option, and his Cavaliers notched an upset win over Georgia Tech earlier this season. Navy ranks 112th in sacks, which should give Virginia all day to pass. As a result of the Army/Navy game, UVA will have the preparation advantage, and the Cavaliers won’t lack in motivation for the program’s first bowl appearance since 2011. Virginia’s 69.7% red zone scoring percentage allowed (fifth in the nation) will play a major role; Navy’s defense ranks 111th in comparison. I think Virginia is the far superior team.

Khalil Tate should be a good enough reason to back Arizona here on Wednesday night, as Purdue ranks 92nd in defending rush explosiveness. Arizona is bigger and better in the trenches and I like the Wildcats to be able to move the ball. Khalil Tate ARZ QB is an electric dual-threat quarterback will thrive after getting some time as the No. 1 quarterback in a camp-like setting during bowl prep, and become even more dangerous in an offense under Rich Rodriguez that thrived under his direction in 2017. Purdue will be forced into point-a-minute football, and the Boilermakers will run out of gas. PLAY ARIZONA -3 with confidence here as our 10* COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK! 

The West Virginia offense will be without Will Grier, and the West Virginia defense is one of the nation’s worst units, allowing well above of 6 yards per play. 

Utah will be up for this game and their defense forces a lot of turnovers and give how banged up and disappointed West Virginia is that their quarterback is not playing and this will be a major difference maker.

 Utah is a team that is 6-6 and it would look great for this coaching staff to pull a win here against West Virginia for morale for sure. This is a team that would love nothing more than to bring pride to their conference by beating a Big 12 team and the Utes are a disciplined Football Team when it comes to their defense as a top 35 defense, a top 50 offense, a team that beat Colorado 31-13 in their last game, lost to Washington by just 3 points as a heavy underdog on the road, beat UCLA 48-17 and nearly beat USC by losing by 1 point on the road which speaks volumes. 

Utah should get their 12th victory in their past 13 Bowl games with a big ATS win and cover against the Mountaineers in the ZAXBY'S HEART OF DALLAS BOWL GAME.

10* BOWL BURIAL PLAY

This is a terrible spot for the Raiders, as they're basically out of the playoff race and have to travel cross-country for a Christmas Day game against a team fighting for homefield advantage. I don't see how the Raiders, a team that has seemingly had motivation issues this season, gets up for this game. 

The Raiders are 2-8-2 ATS since Week 2, and while the Eagles are 1-2 ATS in their last three, all three came on the road (2 on the West Coast). With some extra practice time I like the Eagles and Nick Foles to roll on Christmas Night.

5*

The narrative here is the return of Ezekiel Elliott, who figures to run all over and through the Seahawks as the Cowboys try and keep their playoff hopes alive. But don't overlook the Seahawks defense getting healthier, with defensive leader Bobby Wagner missing from the final injury report as he, Michael Bennett and Earl Thomas are all good to go after missing practice Thursday. I am backing the Seattle Seahawks getting 5 pts in a bounce back game after getting humiliated by the Rams. It may be Zeke’s return game, but this is all about Russell Wilson coming off a loss. Seattle will come out strong and the Cowboys secondary is weak. Sunday was only the Seahawks 3rd Loss by 10+ points since drafting Wilson. Following the previous 2, Seattle won both games by an average of 23.5 PPG. This one comes back to a FG and I'll take Seattle as our 10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK!

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK 

The Bengals will make the most of it today but they are eliminated from the post-season. The pressure on Detroit is far more enormous than Cincinnati. The Bengals know matter what they do here have everything to gain and nothing to lose and thus will be bound to play looser. This is especially true given the venue of this contest. The fact remains a raucous crowd will be in Detroit’s face every step of the way and we can’t trust them spotting this kind of lumber given the slip-up factor that accompanies a team with the potential to play tight. The Bengals will be playing hard as its their head coaches final home game and I believe they'll get him one final win on Christmas Eve. Cincinnati may just win this game outright and ruin Detroit’s post-season aspirations.

5* 

The Colts are dismal right now and the Ravens need this game in a bad way. You have a Ravens team that is 8-6 with Harbaugh on the hot seat and he cannot afford to shit the bed here at home. His team has won 4 of its last 5 games, come together on offense, is 12th in the league in rushing now, a top 10 defense, scored 27 against the Browns, nearly beat the Steelers outright on the road, 44 against Detroit and gave up a combined 16 points to Green Bay and Houston. This shows that this team is consistent as it relates to beating teams they are supposed to with quality defense and controlling the game and consequently we like the Ravens to get it done here. They will pressure the Colts and I cant see the Colts being able to rush the ball. Take the Ravens by 21.

5* 

One area in which Texas Tech has a distinct advantage over South Florida in is how much more battle tested they have been this season, with a strength of schedule that ranked over 100 spots more difficult that the Bulls. All six losses by the Red Raiders this season came against teams that made a bowl game, while USF played only three teams that made the postseason and went a disappointing 1-2 in those games, including a home loss to a Houston team that Texas Tech was able to beat on the road as a touchdown underdog. 

It comes down to - will Texas Tech keep their guys on the same page on the field and have them step up? Keke Coutee and the very skilled Dylan Cantrell needs to continue improving his route running - when he is hitting his edges it makes them that much more dangerous. And no question - Justin Stockton is going to absolutely thrive in the Texas Tech backfield, Stockton is an underrated player and shakes up the entire Texas Tech offense in a good and big way.

I think a serous defensive and coverage improvement - is not entirely possible without a complete DB overhaul for South Florida. 

Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.

I’m not sure how high the South Florida motivation level will be for a repeat trip to the Birmingham Bowl, after the last-minute loss against UCF kept them out of the AAC Championship. USF had much higher preseason expectations, so Texas Tech should come out as the more fired up and hungry team. Texas Tech wins here on Saturday afternoon.

5*

These two teams ended their seasons in completely different ways. Central Michigan won and covered each of its final five games, while Wyoming ended the year with an embarrassing loss to San Jose State. 

Even if Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen plays, which I don't think he will as he could be a first-round NFL draft pick. As good as Allen is, he was unable to carry the Cowboys to a great season. The Chippewas ended their season on a five-game winning streak and a huge victory over a very good Northern Illinois squad. I think Central Michigan is the right play here on Friday evening as the MAC get a win in the Bowls.

5*

UAB played about as a weak of a schedule as you could play.  Ohio played well but struggled in the end with a few cold weather games.  Now they get to go to the Bahamas being recharged and fresh and ready for a big win in the warm weather. 

UAB’s offense struggled considerably in their L/3 gms. While being

held to just 180 yds vs Fla wasn’t surprising, they were also held to

just 265 yds vs UTSA & their 334 yds vs UTEP was 123 yds less than

the Miners allow on avg.

UAB cannot stop the run and that is the strength of the OHIO U team.

The Ohio rushing attack, which averages 5.6 yards per carry (top 12 in the nation), should feast against a UAB defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry (70th in the nation). I like the experienced team and coach Frank Solich to get a double digit WIN here on Friday afternoon.

10* BOWL BURIAL

The Temple Owls have started playing better offensively down the stretch. Their defense has also been the direct beneficiary of this and will look to keep it rolling on Thursday night.

I'm laying the 7 with Temple here as we have another team with FIU as just like last night they aren't traveling anywhere and the team doesn't get hyped up for a bowl in their home state usually.

 It’s tough to trust an FIU defense that ranks outside of the top 100 in both rushing and passing. The Temple athletes will shine in the warm weather and the Temple defense is tough.

5*

SMU New head coach Sonny Dykes will coach the Mustangs in the Frisco Bowl on Wednesday night, as Chad Morris left for Arkansas. 

SMU should enjoy the support of the home crowd playing 30 miles from campus, but teams don't normally get fired up playing in a Bowl game so close to home.

Also you cant really lay points with an SMU defense that allows 6.7 yards per play, 123rd in the country and worst among all bowl teams.

 The coach is gone and we saw what happened to Oregon after their coach bolted.  Now, I see that their best playmaker, cornerback Jordan Wyatt, will not play against a La Tech team that has won their bowl game in each of the past three years and know how to prep with the extra time. Also, Louisiana Tech ranks 43rd in defending explosive passing, which should generate enough stops and put a lot of pressure on SMU.  I'll take the points with LOU TECH.

5*

This could be a blowout from the get go as you have an elite top 15 offense in the nation facing an Akron team that though is 7-6, is 83rd in pass defense. 

FAU, one of only five teams in the country averaging more than 6 yards per rush attempt, will face an Akron defense allowing 5.0 yards per carry, 105th in the country. FAU should run it up as they get to play in their home stadium, as they have been doing for the last month-plus. 

Akron also lost 0-52 to Penn State and 14-41 to Iowa State as well whereas you have a team like FAU that will want to make headlines and will want to blow some teams out of the water as Lane Kiffin continues to make waves and looks to show off to both Athletic Directors across the country in his first successful season at FAU. FAU just beat a better North Texas team than Akron 41-17 and also beat Louisiana Tech on the road 48-23, make no mistake, a strong showing here will allow for a big bowl to come calling next year.

5*

This line feels too high to me. 

The Falcons' biggest road win of the season was six points against the Bears in Week 1, and they have to go on the road and face New Orleans in a huge divisional game next week. They might be looking ahead.

The Bucs will be playing their Super Bowl here on MNF: a rare primetime game against a divisional rival at home. They've only been blown out once at home this year, to a better defense than the Falcons (Carolina).  I'll take the HOME UNDERDOG with TB on MNF.

5*

The New England Patriots, coming off a shocking loss to the Miami Dolphins, go on the road to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers who are fresh off a nail biter of a win over the Baltimore Ravens.  Tom Brady played terrible in that game with 2 INT's and the Pats were 0-11 on 3rd downs.

New England is the best passing team in the league and are averaging the 4th most points and get Gronk back for this game.  Also Tom Brady is 6-0 with 22 TD's and 0 INT's in his last 6 versus the Steelers.

The Steelers have been playing close games all season long and have had their last three games decided by three points or less. Big Ben has not really looked like himself all season long and when you look back at the schedule this team has had you really struggle to find a single impressive win except when they beat the Vikings in week two. The Steelers defense is allowing only 19.3 points per game but have had very weak opposition.

You know that Tom Brady has a track record of bouncing back from losses and Belichick is not the kind of coach to tolerate anything but a great performance the week after a letdown.   Take the NE Patriots on Sunday evening as our 10* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR!

10* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR

With the Dolphins coming off their biggest win of the season against the Patriots, look for the Bills to take advantage of a letdown spot for Miami. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor will return from injury Sunday, giving Buffalo's offense a needed boast. The Bills also remain on the threshold of playoff contention, so this is essentially a must-win in order to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Jay Cutler is 12-15 all-time when the temperature is under 40 degrees, including losing 5 of his last 6. Buffalo’s 6th-ranked rushing offense should be effective against a Dolphins defense that has given up the 5th-most rushing yards in the NFL since Week 8. Shady McCoy is coming off a monster game in the weather against the Colts, and should be even more effective this Sunday. Following its most impressive performance of the season in an upset of New England, I'm counting on a letdown from the Dolphins on Sunday playing in the cold.

5* 

QB Justice Hansen leads a prolific Arkansas State passing attack that averages 341 yards per game, sixth best in FBS. MTSU simply does not have the personnel in their defensive backfield to slow down the Red Wolves. Both teams possess vulnerable offensive lines, but Arkansas State’s defensive line, a unit ranked fifth overall in adjusted sack rate, is much better equipped to generate pressure than the Blue Raiders’ defensive line, which is ranked 47th. The ARK ST Red Wolves are one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference. They’re explosive on both sides of the ball. The Blue Raiders have struggled this season on the defensive side of the ball and will find it very difficult to contain the spread attack of Arkansas State especially on this fast turf field which favors Arkansas St. on Saturday night.

10* BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK 

Looking back at Week 11, a 27-24 Detroit win, you can almost see into the future for this weekend. Chicago jumped out to 7-0 and 17-7 leads but the Lions were able to get 299 passing yards and two scores out of Stafford. Look for Detroit to play and pass much better here at home. The Lions will also key on stopping the Bears running attack which will shut down the Bears offense. Ultimately, I see Detroit pulling out a win as they have more playmakers than Chicago. Alongside Jones and Tate, the Lions have a matchup edge with tight end Eric Ebron when he is matched up against a linebacker and Theo Riddick provides many of the same problems when he is catching the ball out of the backfield. Ameer Abdullah is probable after missing a week with a neck injury so Detroit will at least have its full complement of skill position players to use today. Look for Detroit to get enough production to stay alive in the playoffs with a win & cover here at home.

5* 

A lot of question marks in this game, as Boise State’s leading rusher Alexander Mattison is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. If everyone can go, this is strength on strength, as we will see an Oregon offense that ranks top 20 in yards per carry (5.4) meet a Boise State defense that ranks top 20 in yards per rush allowed (3.5). Oregon is a different team with Justin Herbert back under center, and they are also without their head coach. I think the Oregon Ducks have enough speed to get this win as the Boise St defense is good but their offense is terrible. Oregon coach Mario Cristobal confirmed today that Freeman has decided not to risk injury in Saturday's bowl game against Boise State. Even with Royce Freeman their RB OUT, the Ducks have enough talent to get the cash. Lay the 7 pts with Oregon.

5* 

Let's roll with the underdog here in the first Bowl Game of the year as North Texas is trying to shake off a horrible game against FAU in losing 17-41 as an 11-point underdog. They will be very angry coming into this game facing Troy. Remember, this was a North Texas team that had covered 4 straight games coming into the FAU game, including big wins over Rice, Army, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. This is a team that is ranked 19th in the nation in total offense, 21st in pass offense, and 64th in passing yards allowed with some decent defensive backs. Plus, Troy has won 6 straight and covered 3 straight, but they face a very potent North Texas team in this one. At the end of the day, this comes down to the more motivated team, and for a team like Troy who had beat LSU, for them to face North Texas after winning 10 games is a disappointment for a Bowl game. Let's roll with the active underdog here to get it done.

5* 

This Rams team has a bunch of very good players.

Getting the Rams laying anything less than a field goal is tremendous value. There's also a big coaching edge with Sean McVay facing Doug Pederson. The PUBLIC is all over the Eagles expecting them to bounce back.  NOT ME- as I think the Rams are the better team.

 The Rams should have success in their passing game and they are a very dangerous team with their offensive playcalling and weapons with speed when playing in the warm weather.  I'm backing the LA Rams in this game here Sunday evening.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

I like Arizona as a home underdog against Marcus Mariota and Tennessee. What happened in the past does not dictate what happens in the future. In terms of the law of averages Arizona is better now than they were a month ago - even though that's not saying a lot. If the Cards D improves and the O stays healthy, this will get back to being a good team. Over the last 4 weeks of the 2017 season Arizona has really been showing their improvement vs the passing game. Titans are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a losing home record The Titans are 1-4 over their last 5 on the road and 2-3 overall in their last 5, while averaging just 14.6 PPG, 248.8 YPG, and almost 3 Giveaways per game. In his last 4 road games, Mariota has 2 touchdowns, 8 picks, and a pathetic passer rating of only 62.1. Arizona has forced 6 turnovers in their last 3 games. Since the bye in Week 8, Larry Fitzgerald is averaging 10.2 Targets/PG, 7.4 Rec/PG, 76.8 YPG, 2 TD, and he could do damage against a Titans D that has allowed 7 Passing TD’s in their last 4. Take the Cardinals at home PLUS the FG here on Sunday.

5* 

This marks the 24th meeting between Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Cincinnati Marvin Lewis, two of the most entrenched coaches in the league. The Bengal defense has also been very good this year as they have allowed only 19.5 points per game and have not allowed a 300 yard passer all season. There are several factors here working in the Bengals favor as they are a Monday night home dog and an inter divisional home dog and also they are trying to hold on to slim playoff hopes. This is a playoff game for the Bengals as they need to win to get to 6-6. If they lose and goto 5-7 the playoff hunt is pretty much over. Look for a FG type of game with sloppy weather and I'll take the home underdog with Cincy here on MNF.

5* 

In their first meeting in week 7 the Rams won 33-0 and it was ugly. The defense gave up 425 yards and 28 first downs in that game.  The Cards also struggled on converting 3rd downs and it was the first time they were shutout since 2012.   Head coach Bruce Arians said his team will be ready this time and things will be different.

With a win here at home the Cardinals would be 6-6 and still in the playoff hunt.

Blaine Gabbert continues to be undervalued based on his performance in previous seasons. It's also a nice revenge spot for the Cardinals, who were embarrassed earlier this season. Arizona's offensive line is healthy and that is a plus. Despite Arizona's injuries at running back,Adrian Peterson is expected to play today.  I'll  take the Cardinals +7 to keep this one close at home.

10*

The Buffalo Bills seem to have recovered well from their disastrous QB experiment as Tyrod Taylor came back and played great to lead his team to a win on the road over the KC Chiefs. The Bills defense played great allowing only 10 points and grabbing an INT in addition to sacking Alex Smith twice. The Bills running game looked solid with McCoy, Cadet, and Taylor all chipping in to total 104 rushing yards. Take the Bills and the points in this one as they look to be back on track and now playing at home. I like Buffalo to be a very strong team this week and could beat New England but getting 9 pts the Bills hang tight here on Sunday.

5* 

The Georgia Bulldogs were the best looking team in the country through the first couple months of the regular season, but Georgia has faded a bit in the minds of the committee ever since their blowout loss on the road against Auburn.

Three weeks ago Georgia was a 2.5-point favorite at Auburn but Auburn won impressively doubling total yards and first downs in the game and then went on to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Auburn played all of their tough games at home and they are a different team on the road.

My feeling is that these two teams are very equal and Auburn is coming off a tough game with Alabama and have injuries on the O and D-Lines. Both defenses are great at stopping the run and pass. Georgia will be a vastly different team this time around and I like the game in the dome which helps with their team speed and I think they open up the playbook a bit more and use more of a passing attack. Also an edge to the Georgia Special Teams on punts and kickoffs.

Auburn is coming off its Super Bowl beating Bama last weekend.  I'm grabbing the GEORGIA BULLDOGS playing with major revenge behind Kirby Smart  here on Saturday afternoon.

10* Game of the Week

Memphis had 4 turnovers and gave up over 600 total yards of offense the first time these 2 teams met.

UCF also might have some distractions with Nebraska and other schools going after Scott Frost.

Why not take one of the hottest teams in the nation who is looking to avenge one of the ugliest defeats in school history and this coaching staff's history against UCF. 

Since Patrick Taylor Jr. and Darrell Henderson started putting up the massive rushing yards like they have the Tigers have beaten teams beyond handily. Memphis has won 7 out of their last 8 games, there is a reason for that. 

I don't think Adrian Killins Jr is quite enough to carry this UCF team on his shoulders here. He hasn't been able to show that steadiness like they wanted him to so far. 

Knights are 2-5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record

 I believe Memphis can and they have a great shot at winning this one outright after the brutal beat-down they took earlier in the season.

Take MEMPHIS plus the points in this early kickoff on Saturday to knock off the undefeated Central Florida squad.

5*

This Stanford team has been playing great lately with home-field advantage in a rematch with USC for the Pac-12 title. 

They are a great team at converting 3rd downs and also at rushing the ball.  Now late in the season with a strong offensive line and revenge from a 42-24 loss to USC early in the season and allowing USC to get 623 total yards.

Now Stanford has won eight of nine with the lone defeat coming by three points. They have impressive home upsets of Washington and Notre Dame in the past three weeks. Stanford has been helped by a steadily improving defense and the emergence of K.J. Costello at QB to boost the offense.  USC is very inconsistent and just a few plays away from having 5 losses.

Look for Stanford to come out strong and play more physical in this game and get the win.

5*

If it wasn't for Joe Flacco's 11 interceptions, the Ravens would easily have the best turnover margin team in the NFL. As it sits right now, Baltimore is +8, three behind Jacksonville's +11 coming into this week. The Ravens' defense has been tough the entire season and the reason they're in the running for a wild card. 

Baltimore got a big win last week vs. the Packers and I like them at home on MNF.

Between an effective pass rush and an aggressive secondary, they've forced an NFL-leading 23 turnovers, which includes an NFL-best 16 interceptions. Those lead to short field situations and easy scores. I look for Baltimore's defense to force Savage to commit turnovers here on the road. Look for the Ravens to get the win and cover and yet another NFL favorite to grab the cash.

5*

New Orleans’ defense held GB, CHI, TB and BUF to 12 PPG before allowing Washington 31 points LW but the two road games (Bills and Packers) came against offenses that are ranked #26 and #23. Washington’s offense is #12 and now New Orleans has to face the Rams #5 offense. Rams coming off loss at Minnesota and I expect a HUGE bounce back. Jared Goff and the Rams offense has been very good this year.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK 

This should be an interesting matchup, but it’s a shame we’ll get the exact same matchup for the MWC title game which cheapen the experience for today’s contest. Fresno State will want to keep a few tricks up their sleeves given they know Boise State is the better overall squad and as a result we like the Broncos to go on to win and cover the spread. Fresno has already said they will keep it basic and not show anything today.

 If Fresno HC Jeff Tedford has trick  plays up his sleeve you won’t see them here. Boise has been a machine down the stretch going 6-1 ATS with the ATS loss a 10 point win against Wyoming w/ QB Allen healthy laying 14 while Fresno is 1-2-1 ATS their last 4 with the ATS win hosting an Allen-less Wyoming and winning by 6. In both teams last 4 games Fresno is +31 YOG against UNLV, BYU, Hawaii & Wyoming while Boise is +159 YPG against Utah St, Nevada, Colorado St and Air Force. Broncos have covered all 5 road games this season and are 9-1 ATS as a MountainWest favorite of 3 or more.

I like BOISE St here.

5*

Toledo is 6-1 in conference play and playing some of their best ball of the season right now. Toledo was routed by Western Michigan last year by a score of 55-35, and they will remember that as they face them this week and they had this game circled on their calendars. Toledo has revenge, sits at an impressive 9-2, has the 7th best offense in America and a respectable top 45 passing defense. Toledo just dropped 66 points on Bowling Green and is the same team that put up 30 points against Miami earlier this year. Look for Toledo to do well with revenge in mind, a shot at the league championship and even a significantly better bowl game as they get to the 10-win mark.

5* 

The short week by having to play on Thursday is a huge advantage for the home teams. It's all about the Cowboys run game. Running back Alfred Morris ran for 91 yards on 17 carries to lead the Cowboys against Philadelphia. On the season, the Chargers rank 22nd in defense. Yeah, they put pressure on QB's but they struggle to stop the run. They’ve struggled against the run all season, allowing 138.9 yards per game (32nd). They averaged 341.3 yards per game and 94.4 yards per game on the ground (25th). It's hard to put the Cowboys on a MUST WIN alert but at 5-5, they are. Look for a gallant effort by Dallas to get the WIN and avoid their 3rd straight loss.

5* 

 I like the value here with Detroit catching a field goal at home against the Vikings on Thanksgiving Day. Minnesota was only a 3-point favorite at home earlier this season, which they lost 7-14. Detroit is averaging 27.6 ppg and just over 350 ypg at home this season. At the same time the Vikings are giving up 22.2 ppg on the road, well above their season average of 17.2 ppg. Lions have gone 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games and are an impressive 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games played in November. I'm backing the home dog with Detroit in this early kickoff on Thanksgiving.

5* 

The Seahawks are known for a tough defense and a great home field advantage. In the winning streak the Seahawk defense has played very well outside of one game where they were unable to stop Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. If you remove that game from the total the Seahawks have only allowed 16 points per game. This is huge game for both of these teams and both teams have defenses that have been playing very well lately. As I said earlier I would expect the Seahawks to score 20 points and they only allow 16. Many pundits will overreact to what the Falcons did against the Cowboys. But Seattle, even without Richard Sherman, poses a serious threat to the Falcons' offense. Russell Wilson is still a wizard out there and he'll keep the Falcons' defense guessing all game long. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS a 5* MNF play.

5* 

Baltimore is very good after their BYE week and I think Harbaugh will have them ready. This is a big game for the Ravens to win and get to 5-5 on the season. Baltimore was expected to have one of the best defenses in the NFL coming into the season with their combination of talent and depth. They are sixth in the league in yards allowed, and eighth in points (19 points per game).

Joe Flacco should be able to move the ball vs. the Packers defense and the strength of the Ravens defense is their ability to stop the run and I cant trust Brett Hundley.

 We’ve seen the Packers offense for three games without Aaron Rodgers now, and Green Bay hasn’t been able to move the football effectively in any of them. 

 Harbaugh’s squad is getting healthier which is excellent news for a team that was riddled with injuries right from the start of training camp. 

 With Jeremy Maclin and Danny Woodhead both expected back on the field this week and an extra week to prepare I expect the Baltimore offense to move the ball and get the win and cover on Sunday afternoon.

  10* NFL GAME OF THE MONTH

Cleveland is great running the ball, ranking sixth in rush yards and piling up 201 rushing yards against the Lions last week. The Jags are terrible against the run ranked 30th in rush defense. On the flip side, Cleveland is excellent defending the run, ranking second in rush defense and the Jaguars offense is also ravaged by injuries. We also have a warm weather team traveling north to play in chilly Cleveland. The Jags' defense has played outstanding all season long. Browns QB Kizer has been improving nicely and I'll back the home underdog in this one with Cleveland.

5* 

Mizzu is a great team at home and not so good on the road. And then their are teams like Missouri that were 1-5 and then had a four game run against Idaho, UConn along with home victories against struggling Florida and Tennessee teams mixed in. So now the public sees four consecutive wins, a win over Tennessee costing Volunteers HC Butch Jones his job and outscoring their opponents 215-66 along the way. I believe this line is way to high. Vandy QB, Jake Shurmur is a good SEC quarterback that has thrown for 2200 yards and 21 touchdowns. He alone can keep the Commodores in this game with this generous pointspread.

5* 

Ole Miss has won two consecutive games and will become bowl eligible with a victory today. Last week, Ole Miss scored on their first five drives and put the game away. Look for QB Jordan Ta’amu to lead the Rebels to a third straight win as they continue a late season surge. It seems strange that heading into week 12, Texas A&M is still unsure of their starting quarterback. They switched again last week which worked at home against New Mexico. Now turn it around and enter Ole Miss at Oxford. Thats a night and day difference. Texas A&M Aggies are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games in November. Either they lose focus from mediocre play or the players depth chart has been compromised by poor recruiting. Look for an Ole Miss team to win and win big as I don't think A&M will be able to stop them much.

10* 

We were going with FRESNO ST as our College Football Game of the Year! This is a 7-3 team who faces another 7-3 team in Wyoming with a banged up QB Allen who hasn't practiced all week. Fresno State rolls in coached by Jeff Tedford who is mad at the world after his last firing and has turned this program around. Tedford has a top 12 defense in Fresno State, 15th in points allowed, a team who routed San Diego State 27-3 on the road as a 6.5 point underdog and a team who is not afraid at all at the big moments given the competition they have faced. They are rolling into Wyoming and are not afraid by any means after having played at Alabama and Washington. Wyoming for as good as they are defensively as a top 30 defense, they are 129th in total offense and 126th in rushing. Rushing will be KEY because there are expected high winds for this game and running the ball will be important. Fresno State has a decent balance and a better defense and a team that has faced tougher competition all year. Lastly, FRESNO ST is a PERFECT 7-0 ATS its last 7 games when facing a team with a winning record.

10* GAME OF THE YEAR 

The #5 ranked Wisconsin Badgers are very good and not getting a lot of respect. They are very good especially at home as they lead the NCAA in 3rd down conversions at 52%. I think Wisconsin stays unbeaten this week. Playing in Madison is no treat for the visitor and Wisconsin is doing all their normal Badger things at a very high level. Wisky forces turnovers and they don't turn the ball over. I think they win by double-digits here on Saturday afternoon.

5* 

After their strong 2016 season it's been disappointing seeing New Mexico take such a large step back this year, especially within conference. The Lobos might be lacking motivation coming into their final couple of regular season games given they don't have bowl eligibility on the line. The UNLV Rebels will look for their third win in their last four games when they hit the road to take on the New Mexico Lobos at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM on Friday night. The Rebels have posted a perfect 4-0 ATS record in their last four games following an ATS loss and they have gone an excellent 5-2 ATS in their last seven head to head meetings with New Mexico. Two more wins and UNLV will become bowl eligible. NM is in a brutal five-game losing streak. During that span, New Mexico has scored just 51 points -- just over 10 points a game -- while giving up 186. The Rebels are led by RB Lexington Thomas, who has racked up 15 touchdowns and 1,146 yards. UNLV is a perfect 5-0 against the spread in its last five road games while New Mexico is 1-4 against the spread in its last five overall. Take the points with UNLV here on Friday night.

5* 

I don’t think the Titans are getting enough credit for some of the defensive adjustments they’ve made since Week 3. They’re playing much better up front and the offense is getting healthier.

The Steelers have scored 20 or fewer in two-thirds of their games. The Titans have not lost straight-up since Oct. 8th. Those factors suggest the spread belongs a few points south of a touchdown. Pittsburgh might have the marquee cast on offense with Big Ben, Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Bryant,  but I’ll settle for Marcus Mariota and the best RB tandem in the league, DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Pittsburgh has fallen 3 consecutive times on Thursdays, and the Titans have covered in five of seven in the series. I'll take the Titans with the pts here on Thursday night.

5*

The Dolphins are one of the worst 4-4 teams the NFL has seen recently. They rank last in yards per play, and they got shut out the last time they ventured on the road. Carolina's elite defense will control this one, with Cam Newton and the offense should have no problem covering this number on Monday night. Take the Panthers here!

5* 

I understand that Zeke Elliott is an impact running back but they have 2 quality replacements who will be fresh and ready to go behind that great offensive line. Dak Prescott is on fire, leading the team to 28+ points in each of their last six ballgames and making good decisions with the football week after week – he’s thrown only 2 INT’s during that entire six week span. The Falcons are 0-5 ATS over their last 5, and are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. Atlanta is 1-4 when allowing 100+ rushing yards on the year, and will face a Cowboys offense averaging 183.4 Rush YPG over their last 5. The Cowboys defense has traveled well this season. In 3 road games, they’ve allowed just 15.3 PPG and 302.3 YPG. I'm backing the DALLAS COWBOYS as our 10* GAME OF THE WEEK! 

The Jets have been a nice story, but they’re bad on the road. They have 7 turnovers and are allowing 398.5 yards per game to opponents in their four road games, this year. Jameis Winston is out, but back up Ryan Fitzpatrick has a 95.7 passer rating, and is completing 62.5% of his passes in limited action. He also faces his old team with some revenge on his mind. I'm taking TB at home here on Sunday. 

5*

I like the Vikings here and their dominant defense, coming off their BYE week. The Vikings are 4-2 ATS over their last 6 facing a Washington team that’s just 1-4 ATS in their last 5, and 1-5 ATS over their last 6 at home. Washington hasn’t exceeded 300 yards of total offense in each of the last 2 weeks and likely won’t start this week against a Minnesota D that hasn’t allowed 300 yards to an opponent since Week 3. During their 4-game win streak, the Vikings are averaging 32.5 rushing attempts, 132.0 yards per game, and have a rushing touchdown in each game. They should be able to manufacture enough points against a Redskin defense that’s allowing 24.3 PPG.

5* 

I like ND in this one on Saturday night. I think they are very solid on both sides of the ball. The major advantage in this game will be Notre Dame's improved secondary. The lack of running on the Miami side and the great D-line of Notre Dame will force them into unmanageable 3rd and long situations. I see several ADVANTAGES going ND's way here on Saturday night. Miami has been getting breaks with 12 takeaways in their last 3 games. Notre Dame does not turn the ball over with just 2 turnovers in their last 6 games and they run the ball extremely well.

10* College Game of the Month 

TCU has the athletes and the scheme to disrupt the flow of the Sooners' offensive attack. We’ve seen the Horned Frogs do it this season against WVU, Oklahoma State, SMU and soon-to-be Oklahoma. OKL just put up 58 pts last week but the TCU defense will pressure them and force turnovers. Just look at what happened against Iowa State. TCU will bring pressure from everywhere, force Baker Mayfield into mistakes and the flaws of the Sooner defense will let TCU score here. I'm on TCU plus the points.

5* 

The Tide have only played in 2 true road games so far this season and their last road game was a competitive 27-19 win against a weak Texas A&M squad. Mississippi State has been having themselves a strong season outside of their 2 game road stretch early in conference against Georgia and Auburn. Mississippi State was probably looking ahead on the schedule to this matchup against Alabama given the Bulldogs had a tough time putting away an improving UMass squad last week, picking up the victory by a final of 34-23. Mississippi State plays a similar brand of ball in comparison with Alabama ranking 11th in the nation in rushing, 31st in scoring, and 14th in total defense. QB Nick Fitzgerald has been special throwing for 1500 yards and 13 TDs while also leading the team with 800 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. This is the recipe for beating this Alabama team. We like Mississippi State to keep things competitive enough in this defensive battle as they go on to cover the large spread.

10* Underdog Slammer

The Huskies are hands down the superior team here who have also allowed just 91.1 rypg this season. They want to win big to move up in the rankings on the Friday night primetime game. The Cardinal depend too much on running the ball and this Huskies defense does not allow opponents to do that The Cardinal simply do not have an offense that can keep up with the Huskies who have averaged 38.6 ppg this season. The Huskies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. Play the Washington Huskies on Friday night.

5* 

Arizona has alternated wins and losses this season with the losses coming by double digits each time. Arizona is coming off a 10 pt win over the 49ers on Sunday in game where Adrian Peterson carried the ball 37 times.  Its going to be tough for him to carry the load on a short week.

Seattle was sloppy on Sunday as they were flagged for 16 violations that resulted in a number of drive-killing plays... all for a total of nearly 140 penalty yards. 

Pete Carroll teams excel in the second half of the season. The running game was better against Washington rushing for 148 yards. Wilson ran for 77 yards on 10 carries, and Thomas Rawls ran for 39 yards on nine carries. Eddie Lacy left the game early with a groin injury, so his status is somewhat up in the air given the short turnaround. 

Seattle is the  better overall team with the better QB here on the short week and we'll back the Seahawks.

5*

Toledo has allowed just 80 points in its five conference games and getting great play from their QB Logan Woodside.  He has thrown 19 TD's and just 2 INT's.

Toledo is strong just about everywhere. The difference between Toledo and everyone else is Woodside

and the Rockets great receivers. Take the Toledo Rockets tonight.

5*

I realize Brett Hundley can't possibly be as bad as he's been after the GB BYE week with coach McCarthy instilling some confidence and doing some play calling that is more suited for his style, but the Packers struggle when star QB Rodgers is out. Its a QB driven league and I'll take Stafford here in a must win game for the Lions to even up their record at 4-4. Detroit is the play with the better QB and offense here on MNF.

5* 

This is a divisional game and I for it to be a close one. Jameis Winston practiced in full Friday, and I expect the Bucs' offense to bounce back in a big way after last week's debacle vs the Panthers. I healthy Winston will be the difference maker and they have enough weaons on offense to stay with New Orleans. The Saints are a big-play defense, not a shutdown unit. None of the last six meetings has been decided by more than 7 points.

5* 

Tennessee is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 at home and in the Titans’ 4 wins, they’re averaging 155.5 rushing yards per game with 6 rush TD’s. The Ravens have 30th ranked rushing defense (132.8 YPG) should have a hard time stopping them on the ground. They are also the healthiest team in the NFL right now with no players listed on the injury report. QB Marcus Mariota is much healthier after injuring his hamstring, and he should start using his legs as well as his arm going forward. The Ravens are coming off a 40-0 blowout over Miami last Thursday at home, and you can expect the Ravens to come back down to earth in a hurry on Sunday on the road here. The venue favors Tennessee, which is on a 6-1 ATS home streak while Baltimore has dropped eight of 11 ATS away.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

Miami is undefeated this season but getting no respect. Virginia Tech has played mostly poor offenses. In their only two games against Top-75 offenses, the Hokies allowed 27.5 points per game. Miami scores more at home and allows more points at home than it does on the road. This is a huge game for both teams, and Miami will be rocking on Saturday night and they're expect a sold out game. After Miami wins here they'll move up higher in the rankings and then they play ND. The Hurricane defense is very good and I think that will be the difference tonight.

10* 

It has been a terrible season for Florida State. They started as the No. 2 team in the country but they have lost five of their seven games, including back-to-back losses to Louisville and Boston College. They really only had 1 bad game and that was last week at BC in the cold. They were blown out last week but I think that was as low as they will go and with an extra day to prep and playing at home I think we'll see a solid effort. Syracuse lost by eight points at Miami their last time out and they have not won a road game all season. Their last road win was over a year ago at Boston College. The home team is 5-1 ATS in this series and the favorite is 4-1 ATS. Florida State is due for a big effort and I think they will get a blowout win here at home on Saturday afternoon.

5* 

Auburn is mad at the world and they just destroyed Arkansas and now they will roll into Texas A&M and probably destroy them too. In regards to defense, Auburn has been playing extremely well on the defensive side of the football yielding just 300 yards per game as a borderline top 10 unit. Considering the Aggies struggles on offense, I just do not see many ways they can keep this game close unless they come up with turnovers. Auburn will go for the jugular here and the blowout as this team is not out of the hunt by any stretch of the means yet with Georgia and Alabama on deck, they have a point to prove and by blowing a SEC team it helps them as well in all tie-breaking scenarios down the road.

10* College Game of the Week 

In their 1st meeting McCoy ran for 110 yards and a TD.

 Josh McCown and the Jets' will try short-passing attacks will move the ball against the Bills' zone-based defense. The Jets have played a pretty easy schedule so far and I like the Bills defense to keep the Jets in check tonight on Thursday night.

Buffalo is #1 in turnover margin.  They are +14 and rarely turn the ball over and they force turnovers.  This team could easily be undefeated.

McCoy is coming off a big game vs. the Raiders running 27 times for 151 yards only four days ago.  The Jets swept the Bills last year winning both games and I look for the Bills to get the sweep of the season this year.

The Bills added more offensive help with WR Calvin Benjamin coming over to the team this week. In the 1st meeting the Buffalo had almost 200 more total yards and 12 more first downs.  I expect more of the same tonight and Buffalo to get the WIN and COVER with the short week.  

5*

These 2 teams are headed in opposite directions in terms of health. The Chippewas have been bolstered with the return on their John Mackey and TE Tyler Conklin and in his 3 games back he has had 16 receptions for 229 yards and WR Corey Willis who missed 4 games and had 5 catches for 98 yards last game. 

Central has lost 3 straight in this rivalry, but right now they are the better team here and catching 4 pts.

Western Michigan true frosh Reece Goodard will be making his first start at QB as Jon Wassinik was injured last game. That means more sack chances for DE Joe Ostman who leads the FBS with 10 sacks and with that pass rush the Chip’s are #9 in the country with 10 interceptions and #5 in turnovers gained with 18.

Everything to me points to Central Michigan in this battle on Wednesday night on National TV and I'll back them +4.

5*

The Cowboys are road warriors, having gone 19-8 straight-up dating to the 2013 season. They convert at a high rate in the red zone and figure to capitalize on Washington’s defensive soft spot inside the 20. 

The primary reason for Dallas’ success near the goal line is RB Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys offensive line.

The Dallas defense is also healthy again with Shaun Lee back in action.

Dallas is 12-5 in their last 17 overall against the Redskins, including winning their last 4 games in Washington.

 Kirk Cousins is 0-3 at home against Dallas, and just 3-6 in his career, at home against NFC East opponents.

The Cowboy offense ranks 2nd in rushing (147.5 ypg), 5th in 3rd Down Conversion Percentage (45.3%), and is averaging a league high 449.7 Total Yards Per Game since Week 4. 

The Dallas Cowboys are my NFL GAME OF THE WEEK.

This is too many points here in this one.

 Houston is 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards per game (137.7), and Deshaun Watson has a Passer Rating of 118.3 with 12 TD and 2 interceptions since wideout Will Fuller returned to the lineup in Week 4. They’ve also scored touchdowns on 7 of their last 8 red zone drives.

Russell Wilson has been better on the road the road than at home. He only has 3 touchdowns against 2 interceptions at Qwest Field, compared to 8 touchdowns and only 1 pick away from home.

Take Houston plus the points to keep it close throughout.

5*

This is a senior-led New Mexico State team and I absolutely believe everyone associated with the program is looking at this game as The Game. A win over Arkansas State would get the Aggies to 4-4 and give them a very good chance at becoming bowl eligible. I think NM St will score its share of points here as their offense is good. Larry Rose III is a dynamic offensive player, Jason Huntley has been a legit weapon any time he touches the ball and QB Tyler Rogers is pretty good as long as he’s not forcing the ball into traffic. I'm on the small home underdog who is rested with 2 weeks to prep and playing with revenge. 

5*

I'll grab the points with the Wolfpack as they head to South Bend to challenge the Irish on Saturday afternoon. N.C. State is off to a terrific 6-1 start this season, an identical record to that of Notre Dame. The Wolfpack are in a good spot here, coming off their bye week and they are a very athletic team. Remember, just last year, N.C. State prevailed in a low-scoring 10-3 affair against Notre Dame. The N.C. State defense has certainly held its own this season, particularly against the run, allowing just three yards per rush. That's a key in this matchup as they keep the Irish offense in check for much of Saturday's game and I'll gladly take the +7 with NC St.

5* 

Ohio St is also rested and ready for some revenge here on Saturday afternoon. There is a reason why Ohio State is favored by nearly a touchdown here and the line is barely moving considering that nearly 70% are on Penn State but the line is holding steady. Ohio State did not start the year strong against Oklahoma and now look at them, a typical Urban Meyer team that is clicking in all cylinders. Ohio State has revenge, is at home and will be wanting to blow Penn State out of the water here and coming off of a BYE Week. Coach Meyers always comes out STRONG with extra time to prep.

The home team has covered the past four meetings and the Buckeyes have revenge on their minds. The Buckeyes haven't played anyone since losing to Oklahoma, but they've practiced well against them all and J.T. Barrett has 18 TDs and no picks in the five games since the OU loss. Penn State has not looked sharp this year on the road and we think they will be rattled and Ohio State will not let up on the gas this year. Ohio St wins and wins big on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE MONTH! 

The biggest narrative that the media will plug all week is the story of the two offenses taking the field in Morgantown. We can expect a shootout here and I think the home underdog will keep it close here. This game features two exciting QBs. The focus immediately turns to which defense can you trust to get stops. I really like what West Virginia has on the back seven. Athletically, the Mountaineers are very similar to TCU. That defense gave Oklahoma State fits, and the Cowboys will have another struggle in Morgantown. Not only can WVU cover, they can win outright if Will Grier comes up big.

10* 

The Tigers have ruled this series, winning 10 straight and the past six by double figures so this is a major revenge spot for TULANE and they are a much improved team.

Memphis has a high octane offense with their only flaw, their defense. They are allowing 34 per to opponents. They are 2-2 ats in conference play. Tulane has been solid with one bad loss to Oklahoma and they have a great ball control rushing attack and playing a primetime game should add some extra motivation for Tulane. They are 3-0 ATS in conference play as well.  We'll back the underdog in this one on Friday night.

5*

The home team usually has the edge with a short week and Miami traveling north into the cooler weather will help the Ravens. I look for Joe Flacco to have a big game against a weak Miami secondary. Maclin and Wallace should have big games receiving along with TE Benjamin Watson. Matt Moore stepped in last week and did great things within this Dolphins offense, leading the 14 pt comeback win against the Jets. Things are different when you’re the starter as opposed to coming off the bench. The Ravens' defense will present a lot more problems than the Jets did. Take the RAVENS here on Thursday night. 

5* 

This will sound weird, but the 2-5 Eastern Michigan Eagles are not a bad football team. They’ve had two overtime losses and three other losses by five points or fewer. 

You have an Eastern Michigan team that is picking up some steam as a strong ATS cover of late. This teams strength is their defense, which is a top 35 in overall defense and top 10 in passing yards allowed. 

On top of that, this team has an offense that features a top 35 passing attack and an overall defense that is top 30 in points allowed. They come off an impressive effort against Western Michigan, losing 17-20 in overtime but prior to that had covered against Army, losing 27-28 as a 4.5 point underdog, losing to Toledo by 5 points as a 13.5 point underdog and losing to Kentucky 20-24 as well as a 14 point underdog. 

This team lost to Northern Illinois last year 31-24 in OT.

We like Eastern Michigan to hang tough and keep this one close throughout.

5*

Washington has revenge from a 30-17 loss in week 1. The Eagles have been a lucky team so far, winning 3 of their last 4 games by 5 or less. Philly has the slightly better defense and Washington has an edge on offense. The Redskins have won three of four behind a surging defense that ranks No. 5 overall (316 yards per game).In a matchup of relatively even teams, I’ll take the club with the slightly better defense getting that should be able to move the ball against a weak Eagles secondary.

5* 

QB Ben Roethlisberger is either permanently fading or temporarily slumping, which has reduced the offense pretty much to RB Le’Veon Bell carrying the ball and WR Martavis Bryant reportedly seeking a trade. Problem is, the Bengals give up just 3.8 yards per carry, one element of their No. 2-ranked defense overall. They have won twice in succession after bowing to the Packers in overtime and are stepping out of their BYE week in a big divisional game. The Bengals are now just one win away from being .500 and if they can win this division game, they are right back in the thick of things We like this Bengals defense a lot and we think they will keep them in this game and the Bengals are highly motivated to get us the ATS Cover.

5* 

The Rams made this trip last season, and I like the familiarity aspect they have with this trip. I also give an edge on the team’s decision to remain in Jacksonville following last week’s game before crossing the pond. Lastly, this Cardinals defense that’s given up the most passing TD’s of 20+ yards will meet L.A.’s top ranked scoring offense that leads the league in scoring and 20+ yard plays. Arizona is the only team that’s allowed 100 QB pressures – Carson Palmer has been hit an NFL high 55 times and the Rams defense, led by Aaron Donald is averaging 13 QB pressures per game. There might not be a more disruptive defender in the entire NFL than Aaron Donald. That guy is pretty much unstoppable at this point, and Palmer under pressure is very vulnerable to making mistakes. Take L.A. Rams in this one.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK 

Last year, an inexperienced Penn State club was humbled by Michigan in a 49-10 loss. Penn St hasn't played the toughest of schedules and the Michigan defense is very good.

I think that will give them an opportunity even against a complete team like Penn State. The Nittany Lions offense while talented does not present the biggest mismatch advantage in terms of talent or scheme over the Michigan defense.  They should be able to keep the Penn St running game in check.

I think the 9.5 points here on Saturday night are an advantage in a game that I expect to be really low in terms of scoring. I'm on the Michigan Wolverines with the pts.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play

Iowa is 4-2 and they have a tough defense. They've also played a much tough schedule so far.

 So far, the aggregate record of the teams they've played is 25-11.

I'm certainly not saying the Hawks are great, but they are the better team especially on defense with their linebackers.

They lost on final play of the game to Penn St, and at Mich St(who just won at the big house), plus the tight game vs. Iowa St.

I like IOWA to get the win here on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

This will be the biggest game for the rest of the year for Memphis. Now newly ranked #25 going on the road will not be easy. If the defense plays as well as they did against Navy, the Tigers should win this one. Memphis is very good at causing turnovers and winning the turnover battle. Grab a full field goal with Memphis while you can. They could run the table with a win here and their offense is very explosive and now play on National TV Thursday night.

5* 

QB Marcus Mariota is expected to play and with the Titans coming off a poor performance, I look for a rejuvenated team, a strong homefield advantage and a comfortable win. I look for their offense to get back on track.

The Colts are very bad this year.  They've been outscored on the road by a combined score of 92-27.

They sport an abysmal negative-1.2 yards per play differential on the season, well behind the Titans' total and that of most other teams.  I look for the TITANS to come out strong and win by 10 or more on MNF.

5*

I am going to take the points with Pittsburgh in this one. The fact that Kansas City has started out 5-0 ATS and are the talk of the NFL right now, the public is lining up to take them. Also Big Ben just threw 5 INT's in his last game with 2 being returned for TD's. This line has been inflated because of that and thus the value here is with the Steelers. The Steelers are a perfect 6-0 against the Chiefs when Roethlisberger starts and finishes a game. Lastly Pittsburgh is a perfect 6-0 in their last 6 road games against a team that is allowing 4.5 or more yards/carry against the run. Give me the Steelers as a juicy underdog here on Sunday evening.

5*

Rich Rod deserves credit for turning around the Wildcats this season and likely saving his job. The same cannot be said for Jim Mora, as he has yet to elevate the Bruins to one of the top teams in the league. UCLA has been on the road a lot lately and just seem tired. It will be very hot for this game at kickoff in the 90's. Arizona should be able to move the ball at will behind their tough rushing attack. The Wildcats defense is far from stout but they have improved by over 50 ypg and close to 12 ppg from last season so the unit is heading in the right direction. UCLA struggles to stop the run and that is what Arizona does best. UCLA is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games and ARIZONA gets the big primetime win at home here on Saturday night.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

Its not often that you see New Mexico State a touchdown favorite but we like them on the road here against a rebuilding Georgia Southern squad. The New Mexico State program is top 30 offense, top 10 in passing yards and they can put up points in a hurry. This team is also top 55 in passing yards allowed and lost to Georgia Southern 19-22 last year and have revenge in this game. They have lost back to back games to both Arkansas and App State and can ill afford to lose 3 in a row as they are still in the hunt for a Bowl if they beat these weaker schools. Georgia Southern is one of the worst offensive teams in the country and I like New Mexico St to get us the WIN and COVER in this one on Saturday night.

5* 

It's safe to say that the Sooners got caught sleeping against Iowa State. This is a rivalry game that they can't afford to sleep through. Texas' defense will be up for the challenge, but I don't foresee its offense keeping pace. The fact remains, the Sooners owned the longest winning streak in the country before they were victimized by Iowa State. Oklahoma was flat out embarrassed last week This was a team many portrayed as a threat to both Alabama and Clemson. Now, OU fell flat on its face. Since the stock is so low on the Sooners, this is a prime position to catch them at a reduced price as they look to take out the frustration on their oldest foe. Baker Mayfield has 15 TD's and Zero INT's and OKL is too strong on both sides of the ball and they'll get a double digit win here.

5* 

We get Rutgers who is rested and playing with revenge on Saturday afternoon. We see that 80% of the public is on Illinois is something that allowed us to take a closer look at this game. Rutgers is led by former Ohio State Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash who knows how to build a winning culture as he has been around one with Urban Meyer. Their defense is aggressive and tough up front. Not surprisingly you have a Rutgers team that is top 50 when it comes in defense and Ash is getting a lot of his players given the talent level that he has and he is doing a quality job recruiting as well. And, we like the fact this team is coming off a 56-0 ass whooping against Ohio St. We think Rutgers gets up for this game and gets the win for us. 

5* Underdog Slammer