The Cincinatti Bengals season is on the line here sitting at 3-4-1 and coming their BYE week.

Here's another case of the wrong team being favored. Cincinnati comes off a bye and my projections show the Bengals winning by a field goal. They will be highly motivated coming off a BYE and also off a rare tie game through OT.
The Bengals are 9-3 ATS in their past 12 road games and I'll back them against a Giants team that's very fortunate to be 5-3.  NY has rushed for 78 or few yards in their last 5 games.  That just isn't going to cut it versus the Bengals defense.
Look for the Bengals to break through offensively. They've already won here over the Jets and I look for the Bengals to win again at Met Life Stadium this season.  5*

The Eagles have lost four of five, but they've been dominant in their three home games this year. Philly won those over Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Minnesota by an average of 20 points. Atlanta comes in after winning two shootouts and I beleive this will be much more of a grind.
This matchup pits the league's best offense against the league's best defense. While the Eagles aren't great offensively, they were able to move the ball last week against the Giants and would have won that game easily if not for two early interceptions and some questionable coaching decisions in scoring range.  The public is all over the Falcons this year and this week in particular and I think the Eagles at home will get the job done behind their tough defense.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

Despite the Packers' struggles at 4-4, they remain a public team when it comes to casual bettors. With the public piling on the Packers, this line is severely inflated. While Green Bay has lost two straight, including one to the uneven Colts in a game they never felt competitive in, the Titans have been on a roll offensively, scoring at least 26 points in each of their last five games and getting great QB play with a 4-5 record. A strong Packers rush defense has wilted against elite competition, and that label applies to the Titans' running game. Expect a lot of points and a Titans win in the end  here at home and they'll even up their record at 5-5.  5*

Except for the Patriots' revenge game last week, the Bills' losses have all come by less than a touchdown. Buffalo is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven against winning teams.  This Seahawks' offense does not resemble the Patriots as Seattle has only scored 1 offensive TD in its last 2 games. Buffalo's defense and LeSean McCoy, who practiced all week, should do enough to stay within this number.
Russell Wilson and the running game haven?t looked near where we expected them to be, and this year an awful offensive line may be too much to overcome. Lastly,  Buffalo has actually scored 25 points or more in all but one game since Week 1.  Take the underdog BILLS on MNF.  5*

We are going with the Denver Broncos here on Sunday night. Derek Carr has been sacked nine times in eight games, but I think the Broncos -- with DeMarcus Ware now at 100 percent -- will put enough pressure on him to limit Oakland's offense. The Oakland offense is good but their defense is bad.  The Raiders have yet to cover a home game and are giving up a league-worst 6.5 yards per play. Back the Broncos to improve to 9-1-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in this series.  5*

Making a case for the 49ers against the offensively dangerous Saints is comparable. San Fran’s has had 2 weeks to prep for this game and I think their offense will be on track here at home.
Very few are backing the home team +5 while an overwhelming majority are flocking to the windows to back the Saints. The public loves New Orleans and has given up on the 49ers.  Not me though.  The Saints come off a big win over Seahawks and host champion Broncos next week. Flat spot? New Orleans also best when taking points (5-0 ATS) but losing straight up both times favoured this season. Five of San Francisco’s previous wins have come at home and they’ve had a week off to repair some issues. I'm on the home team with the points and Chip Kelly to pull off some magic.

10* NFL Game of the Week

The Bears are getting back Jay Cutler at QB, which on the surface looks like it’ll help the offense and the team. But do you trust Cutler and this Bears' offense going up against an angry Vikings team coming off its first loss? NO. Sam Bradford played terrible last week and I except him and the offense to come out hungry and fired up against a divisional opponent. The Vikings won the last three matchups and I like the Vikings to make it four in a row come Monday night minus the small number. I expect the Vikings defense to be tough in a low-scoring affair. 5*

A BYE week plus the great play of QB Dak Prescott plus the return of WR Dez Bryant plus NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott pounding away at a defense allowing 4.5 yards per carry behind the best offensive line in football.
Dallas had also been getting great play from Beasley and Witten.

The Cowboys defense has also been solid this year with Dallas yet to give up 100 yards to any rusher or receiver all year.

The like Dallas at home with a run game with the fact that Dak Prescott plays efficient, mistake-free football, and that will be the difference with the boys playing at home. Look for Dallas to force some turnovers and get another big win and push their record to 6-1. 10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK.

Seattle just played a tough 5 quarter game ending in a tie after OT against a tough Arizona team.
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson isn't fully healthy and doesn't even look to run. This is the Seahawks' second straight road game following the Sunday night OT affair in Arizona. New Orleans has played well in three straight games, including last week's 6-point loss in Kansas City. New Orleans is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 as an underdog, including 3-0 ATS this season.

 Drew Bres is very smart with his decision making and we'll take him at home here on Sunday.   5*

Brock Osweiler returns to Denver after somehow getting the win over Indy last Sunday night. He has played terrible for most of the season so far.

The Texans are 4-2 but they rank 30th in defense and looked absolutely terrible last Sunday before Indy melted down in the 2nd half. They're banged up in the secondary, which should help Trevor Siemian get back on track after struggling against the Chargers.
Also with playing last Thursday Denver and Trevor SIemian had a few extra days to get healthy. Look for the Broncos to be back to themselves this week.

 Denver has posted a 3-1-1 ATS record in their last five games where they faced a team from the AFC
Throw in the fact that the Broncos have gone 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight up loss and we'll lay the TD or so with them here to get the home win and cover as long as Trevor Siemian and the offense dont committ a bunch of turnovers.
Take the Broncos!

5*

I've said the past two weeks the Eagles' rating was increased way too high after beating the Steelers in Week 3, but after tough losses at Detroit and Washington, their rating has fallen through the roof and is closer to what it was when the season started. 
They're getting +3 at home this week? That is crazy. I love what the Vikings are doing, but they don't have the offensive metrics to merit that spread. 
Even if we knew nothing about Carson Wentz, this would be a great spot for Philly at home.

The Eagles know Sam Bradford well and know his weaknesses.
Philly defense let up big-time last week after they got smacked around by Washington...Don't be shocked if the Eagles come into this one with some frustration to burn off...Eagles got flagged 13 times last game and that won't sit well with this defense....Eagles at home won't get crushed with flags and they know Bradford well...Look for Philly to increase the pressure here on Bradford...He will need to make his throws much faster in this game. 
The Philly offense is averaging 338.8 total YPG and 27 PPG. Their rushing game is 8th averaging 113.6 YPG. Defensively, the Eagles are ranked 6th holding opponents to an average of 312 YPG (207.4 passing YPG; 104.6 rushing YPG) and 15.6 PPG. 
The Eagles are coming off a 20-27 loss to NFC East rival Washington Redskins, a game in which they finished with just 239 yards (they’re points came from two field goals, a kickoff return for a touchdown, and a pick-six). In that game, which put the Eagles on a two-game losing streak, Wentz was sacked five times. Look for the Eagles to bounce back in a big way at home and get the OUTRIGHT WIN!



10* PHIALDELPHIA EAGLES

The Cardinals have struggled in the role of a home favorite since 2015, putting together a 4-8 ATS mark in the last 12 games at University of Phoenix Stadium. Arizona has already lost outright to New England and Los Angeles in the favorite role, while blowing out Tampa Bay for its only home cover in Week 2.

The Jets have played the toughest schedule in the league, facing teams that are a combined 14-9 while taking on four squads that made the playoffs last season. A league worst -9 turnover margin has also been a big factor in the results with three of the five games this season also being on the road.
I still think the Jets are a way better team then their 1-4 record indicates. Jets head coach Todd Bowles made a name for himself as the D-coordinator in Arizona, he’ll have the Jets fired up and ready to play on Monday.
Look for Brandon Marshall and Quincy Enunwa to have big games tonight. 5*

On paper, the Raiders look to be the right side here today. Oakland is ranked No. 4 in yards per game, 8th in passing yards, 9th in rushing yards, and 5th in points per game. On the flip side, Kansas City checks in at No. 21 in yards per game, 15th in passing yards, 21st in rushing yards, and 20th in points per game. All week all I've been hearing is how Andy Reid is 15-2 coming off a bye and the public is all over the Chiefs.
Most of those wins with Reid were with the Eagles when we was coaching there. The underdog in this series has gone 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings. But the Raiders haven't had an offense or an offensive line like this in decades. Derek Carr has been sacked only five times and the Chiefs have virtually no pass rush. Oakland's defense allows a ton of yards but they've also played some of the top offensive teams.  The love the way the Raiders are playing and HC Jack Del Rio is pulling all of the right strings this year so I look for the Raiders to get another win here at home.

10* NFL Game of the Week

Philip Rivers has kept this offense dangerous despite losing the bulk of their anticipated production. Melvin Gordon has yet to become the consistent producer in the backfield, but he is better this season and had a score on Sunday. Role receivers like Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin have both been forced to do more and both had 117 yards receiving on Sunday. The tight end duo of Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry is shaping up nicely.
 
The Chargers defense didn’t shine against the Raiders in a tough road spot but they did enough to put them in position to win but fell short.

I'm not a believer in Denver's offense despite the 4-1 start and certainly not with a banged-up quarterback and their Head Coach is OUT.  The Special Teams coach is going to fill in.  I'm taking the points with a San Diego team that plays everyone close and with a good change to get the outright win.  5*

New York is an underdog here but they are loaded on offense, ranked #6 in yards, including #4 in passing yards, led by veteran QB Eli Manning, WR Odell Beckham and rookie WR Sterling Shephard along with WR Victor Cruz. These are 3 huge threats. You cant look at last weeks performance because NYG always struggles with the Vikings for some reason. I expect a big effort here on Sunday night. While New York has that solid front seven that limits opponents to 84 rushing yards per game, the defense overall has underwhelmed. The Giants have yet to force a turnover and have recorded just four sacks. On the flip side, the Green Bay offensive line has not performed well in protecting Rodgers so there is a chance that Giants can have some success in hurrying Rodgers. Pressuring the quarterback is all but necessary if New York wants to do anything in this game as you can’t beat Green Bay without disrupting the efficiency of the passing game. The Giants are 31-16-2 ATS in October, and I like them here getting a Touchdown to get us the ATS cash.

10* NFL Game of the Week.

Coming into this matchup, San Diego QB Philip Rivers has been hot, hitting 68% of his passes and 7 TDs over the first 4 games. Rivers is going to demolish the CBs of the Raiders - Oakland has been giving up 8 TDs in the air to opponents this season and their defense has been awful - it doesn't stop here.
 
 
This defensive squad of Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack are good, but not enough to stop the potent scoring offense of San Diego good enough. Oakland has given up 280+ in the air 3/4 games this season.
 
 
Chargers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and I expect Rivers to have a HUGE game hitting his WR's and TE.
 
 
San Diego is our 5* BEST BET on Sunday.

The Giants blew it late last week against the Redskins, but you saw what their offense could be. Eli had 2 costly INT's late in that game.
Their offense is very explosive and you have to wonder when the inconsistent Sam Bradford shows up for the Vikes.

The Vikings have played well,  but the team has gotten nothing out of its running game, and the offense has managed just 3 touchdowns while ranking 28th in points per drive.
Minnesota's O-line is a major weakness, and that could be trouble against the Giants front four. The Giants' defense is pretty good in its own right. and I think they'll blitz and pressure Bradford a lot as the Giants secondary is solid.  The Giants' offense has a  collection of weapons should help Eli Manning move the ball and score enough points to get the WIN and ATS COVER here on MNF.
Take the NY Giants.

5*

The Steelers looked terrible in a loss to the Eagles last week getting thumped 34-3 and it wasn't even that close. Steelers RB Bell missed the first three games this year on suspension so he will be fresh and ready to take on a below average Kansas City defense that feels fat and happy after last weeks performance where they got 8 turnovers from the Jets. The Chiefs offense is ranked 23rd overall and their defense allows an average of 348 total YPG. Pittsburgh played awful last week and they were embarrassed. This team was not even in the game after the half way point it seemed as they were out coached and out-classed. Pittsburgh needs a nice bounce back win and this is the perfect spot for them to get it as KC is mostly been inconsistent under Andy Reid. Look for Ben to get Bell moving early and use him often as the Steelers bounce back with a big win here as they'll be motivated on Sunday night.   10* NFL GOW

New England doesn’t have a healthy quarterback right now. Jimmy Garappolo has been upgraded to probable, but he’s dealing with consistent pain from his shoulder injury. Jacoby Brissett has a bad thumb, and if the rookie third stringer gets playing time here, it’s probably good news for Buffalo backers as I dont trust him at all vs the Bills defense. Five of the last seven meetings between these two teams have been one score games. The Bills gave the Pats fits in both meetings last year. The Bills offense has gotten on-track, hanging 64 points on two solid defensive foes over the past two weeks, including their ’save our season’ win against Arizona last Sunday. And the Bills powerful defensive line is poised to put pressure on the Pats QB's forcing them into mistakes. Take the BILLS with the +7 here on Sunday.  5*

Most times Denver has guys in all the right places, and their defense just keeps playing better. Yes I know it's Trevor Siemian's first road start, and no DeMarcus Ware, but Shane Ray can bring the heat opposite Von Miller, too. I'm looking for a big day out of C.J. Anderson against the NFL's 32nd-ranked rush defense (138 yards per game), which is still without suspended LB Vontaze Burfict. The Bengals are coming off a physical game against the Steelers while the Broncos had a relatively easy win against the Colts. Including last year's playoffs, the Broncos have won seven straight games. Pittsburgh is very physical and most teams have a hard time preparing for its next opponent. NFL home favorites (Bengals) are 19-23 SU and just 12-30 ATS in games after facing Mike Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers. Andy Dalton also got banged up in that game and he will see a stronger defense here on Sunday. Play the Denver Broncos +4 here as our Game of the Week.  10*

Buffalo is a strong team with their defense vs the passing game, giving up only 2 TD passes in the air so far this year. Teams are never quite sure which direction Buffalo will be going. Terrible for the passing game of Arizona. As good as he has been for Arizona, Carson Palmer sometimes can try too hard when looking for his big play guys, which can actually backfire for Arizona. Arizona also has had some issues defending the run as well - and Buffalo can exploit that in a manner of Tyrod Taylor, that along with the accruing injuries on the Arizona team are not boding well. Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 14 points, With 10 days to prepare for this game and Buffalo needing a win at home I am taking the Bills plus the points in a tight game.   5*

5*

Rookie QB Carson Wentz on the road, primetime, MNF so now let’s see how you handle the lime light.

 Of equal significance is the absence of TE Zach Ertz (rib), the recipient of six Wentz passes last Sunday.
I'm not a big QB Jay Cutler fan but he will be throwing at a secondary with only three fully fit cornerbacks.

This game is extremely important to John Fox. You don't get to coach too long in the NFL these days as teams expect quick turnarounds and such is the case here for Chicago.

This is a must win for Chicago frankly as they are in a very tough division and we'll back the Bears here at home on MNF.

If you didn’t see the Dolphins play in Week 1, then all you see is another loss however if you saw the game, then you know they deserve more respect than they’re getting. The Dolphins, who are shaping up to be a more aggressive team under Adam Gase, will learn from their mistakes and their offense will get better. Their defense looks strong and I expect they’ll put a ton of pressure on Garoppolo. The Dolphins forced two turnovers and held Seattle in check all day but allowed a last-minute TD and lost 12-10. The public will likely continue to back New England based on Week 1 outcomes and all I heard all week is Jimmy Garoppolo and replacing Brady. Cant judge a guy off of one game performance. Not only do I think the Dolphins will cover the spread, I think they’ll win this game outright.  10*

The Titans took a 10-0 lead into halftime, and towards the end of the 3rd quarter were driving deep in Vikings’ territory up 10-6 at the time. A terrible decision by Mariota led to a 77-yard INT for a TD by the Vikings and another defensive TD on a fumble two drives later pretty much sealed the game for the visitors. Tenn should be able to move the ball against the Lions defense. But let’s not forget that the Titans looked pretty good for most of the game. Detroit is coming off a road win where they were involved in a shoot-out with the Colts. Indy D is horrible, and I don’t think it’ll be as easy against the Titans. One major issue for the Lions is that Levy is doubtful, and he’s their best linebacker. Against a Titans team that wants to run the ball, Detroit is going to be at a huge disadvantage in the middle level of their D. I actually expect a close game here and taking the underdog Titans here on Sunday.  5*

I think the Redskins will be tough this season with their defense but I think it will take time for them to gel.
The Steelers are tough and could easily win this game and by a hefty margin. Warm weather and the Steelers offense ready to explode this season.
The Steelers have been great on MNF and  they have something better than confidence - they have players. The Steelers truly are one of the best teams in football and Josh Norman isn't going to be able to stay with Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh will move the ball with Big Ben leading the way.
I say the Steelers win by 11 or more.  5*

The Cowboys will start the year with rookie quarterback Dak Prescott who had stellar numbers during the preseason, completing 78% of his passes and scoring 7 total touchdowns with no interceptions thrown. The NY Giants dealt with some struggles offensively during the preseason, scoring 12 points per game. The X-factors are the Dallas weapons surrounding Prescott as he is playing behind one of the league’s best offensive lines in the NFL plus Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant, Witten, and Cole Beasley at his disposal. It puts Prescott in a good position to manage the offense effectively, particularly against a Giants defense that still grades out as league average and one of the worst last season. I’ll support the home team here with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday evening.   10*

I think that this is a great value on the Raiders. This is a very good young team that could be ready to compete in the AFC West. Derek Carr is one of the top young quarterbacks in the league. He leads a strong passing game and the Raiders boosted their offensive line to help them out. Look for Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and potentially rookie DeAndre Washington to light up the Superdome. An improved Raiders defense will do its job too. Carr has excellent arm strength, and his rhythm with Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree is always there. New Orleans is not the team it once was. They went 0-4 and looked terrible this preseason. They have questions all along the offensive line. The defense was still adding players that other teams cut. Raiders are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games and get my call on Sunday here.   5*

 Stepping into Peyton Manning's worn shoes is Trevor Siemian here on Thursday night. He takes his first legitimate NFL snap against last year's sixth-stingiest defense, which also ranked first in interceptions, tied for first in fumbles recovered and sixth in sacks. Good luck kid!  Carolina also gets their best WR Kelvin Benjamin back from injury to go along with Ted Ginn Jr and TE Olsen.

Look for the Panthers to make a statement here on Thursday night and win big by double digits. 5*

?
Five times Denver has been an underdog this season. Five times the Broncos have covered winning four of those games straight-up.
 
The Denver defense will keep Cam in pocket with a fast Broncos defense and when he goes to step up the interior linemen will get him. Also I think Cam will try to do too much where Peyton will play smart and limit turnovers as he hasn't turned the ball over yet in the playoffs.
 

 
I don't think the Broncos defense is getting enough respect!
Denver holding New England to just 18 points the AFC title game is just as impressive, though. The Broncos held the Steelers and Patriots to an average of 17 points in playoff competition while dealing Tom Brady his lowest quarterback rating of the season when he had all of his offensive weapons.
 
 The Broncos ranked No. 1 in total defense, pass defense and sacks.
 
Carolina was very lucky this season and got a lot of good breaks with a + 20 turnover ratio.
 

Denver will spy Cam and could even have two spies on him frankly just to keep an eye on him and let the Panthers receivers beat them.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Wade Phillips is a very good defensive coordinator. He has two weeks to prepare and will use his two dominant edge pass rushers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.
I am backing the Denver Broncos +6 in SUPER BOWL 50.  Below are 5 prop plays I also like that I would play small as 1* just to have fun with.

Total passing yards for Peyton Manning?   OVER 235.5   -125
 

Total Receptions - Emmanuel Sanders (DEN)?  OVER 5.5 -115
 

Total Sacks - DeMarcus Ware (DEN)?  OVER 1/2 -225
 

Arizona can and will exhaust the clock, tiring out the secondary of the Panthers. The Cards can play slower paced or fast paced, and I fully expect them to make the Panthers D tired. Arizona will be finding more appropriate running plays for David Johnson, which will spark the ground game for the weakended rushing of the Cards. The fact is David Johnson will be too quick hitting the holes they open up to the right side. Carolina will not move the ball with efficiency. Their defense is great, but Trai Turner can get beat up in the trenches, and Arizona has those kind of guys in there. OT Jared Veldheer from Arizona won't get beat by Carolina and the well below average pass rush of Charles Johnson. Jonathan Stewart is not giving them strong enough running between the tackles, and with him having tweaked his ankle recently it's going to make it that much more difficult. And that is where Carolina is going to have to work hardest, in this game. Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games and Cam is going to have to have the game of his life to beat this well coached and very good Cards team.  5*

I dont think Manning is 100% and I see him throwing short passes. The Denver defense knows it has to play great and I expect to see a lot of FG attempts. The Pats aren't a quick score offense either as they like short quick passes. These two teams as you know hooked up earlier this year and the contest went over the posted total in a shootout. Expect the opposite here on Sunday afternoon as both defenses will be stout as this game likely falls under the posted total. The Under is 4-1 in the Patriots last 5 Championship Games and the Under is 5-1 for Denver in their last 6 home games when they face teams with a winning road record. Take the UNDER here on Sunday as our 10* Playoff Total of the Year. 

I'm taking the points with the Seahawks on Sunday here on the road. This is a much different Seattle team that the one Carolina beat back in October. And we should note that in that game, Seattle actually led by nine points (23-14) with less than five minutes to go in the game. Doug Baldwin has become Russell Wilson's favorite target since the Graham injury and the Seattle offense began calling plays that suit them best. Seattle enters on a 6-1-1 ATS run on the road against teams with a winning home record, and under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks are 19-6 ATS when playing with revenge, outscoring opponents by an average of 8 pts per game. Lets back Seattle as the small dog here on Sunday as our 10* NFL Playoffs Game of the Week.

On Saturday, the AFC divisional playoffs begin, with the Kansas City Chiefs meeting the New England Patriots. I like the RED HOT Chiefs behind Alex Smith, a quarterback who controls the game and doesn't turn the ball over. Smith has been aided a great deal by the play of Chancandrick West and bruising Spencer Ware, a pair of backs who really helped fill the void left by Jamal Charles. Tight end Travis Kelce was a key part of the offense again on Saturday. A knee injury that looked really bad took out Kansas City’s leading receiver in Jeremy Maclin, but an MRI revealed no tears and if he can play through a sprain, that would really be a big help to the KC effort this Saturday.

The Kansas City defense is a big reason they are in this spot. As soon as this part of the team started coming around, the team took off. To score a shutout win over another team that had a big second half to make the playoffs was jaw-dropping. Sure, Houston did a lot to undermine their own efforts, but a lot of that had to do with the Chiefs’ defense. They were third this season in fewest points allowed, even with a 1-5 start. As we saw last Saturday in the wild card round, the Chiefs’ “D” can make plays, with all phases of this group patrolled by difference-makers. They apply a consistent pass rush and the NE offensive line has its holes and issues. I see KC keeping this game tight throughout.  5*

Redskins Cousins has been playing great lately and Washington has been very good at home. Green Bay has been playing some sorry football and the Packers head to Washington losers of back-to-back games. In those two losses the Packers scored a total of 21 points and their last road game the Packers defense gave up 38 points to the Arizona Cardinals. DT Chris Baker is at times almost impossible to stop on the Dline when he gets moving. Ryan Kerrigan is a great young LB as well, too much to handle. Going to be a long game for Mr. Rodgers. Green Bay gets themselves into bad field position at times with penalties, with David Bakhtiari having plenty of issues, and he look to be ready to go. Packers are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Washington has won 4-straight games and three of those wins the Skins averaged 35.6ppg. Playing the better team with Washington at home here on Sunday evening.  5*

I like this Bengals team a lot. I like them much better when Dalton is the quarterback, but even without him, Cincinnati will go with McCarron who has been solid and has weapons. AJ Green, Jeremy Hill, and Giovani Bernard help the Bengals stay dangerous on the offensive side of the ball, but not only has the offense been good in 2015, the defense is very good and they are at home while the Steelers play their 3rd straight road game.
We have the better defensive team getting points.

In the regular season, the Bengals ended up with the 2nd best scoring defense in the NFL to go along with the 7th best offense. I'll take the better defensive team at home and playing in the cold weather with a 70% chance of rain and snow. BENGALS +3 as our 10* NFL Playoffs Game of the Year

The Oakland Raiders are a much improved team this year. Quarterback, Derek Carr and rookie wide receive Amari Cooper have the offense clicking in the passing game while Latavious Murray has gone over 1,000 yards on the ground and has six scores of his own. This offense is becoming very balanced and very feared around the league. If the Raiders have any hopes of getting this win on the road and finishing the season at 8-8, they are going to need to do a few things. First off, get the passing offense going. The only way to score points on this Chiefs defense is to keep them off balance. This is also Woodson's last game, this is a squad that symbolically getting to .500 would mean a lot for this franchise after years of dysfunction. And, seeing that this team is not going to the playoffs, this is their playoff game and even their Super Bowl. We like Oakland to step up here with a good game plan from HC Jack Del Rio on the road and give KC all they can handle.   10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Jets need a win to get into the playoffs and they have to get it against the Bills now led by coach Ryan. The Public is all over the Jets but the oddsmakers knew that and I like the Bills here at home. You know Bills HC Rex will be very motivated to keep the Jets out of the post-season and he is in a good spot here since as a head coach he is 11-6 ATS when playing a team off of a SU dog win. The Jets traditionally choke in these spots as well as they are just 1-7 ATS after winning SU as a dog. That was a very big emotional win for the Jets last weekover the Pats in OT and they were celebrating all week. Lets play the +3 with Buffalo to get this win at home Sunday afternoon.   5*

The New York Giants WR Beckham has been suspended one game and is OUT today. The Giants will have no motivation tonight as they are OUT of the playoffs and I think they get blown out. The locker room is a mess for NY too. The Vikings are a very impressive on the defensive side of the ball and they get a rare Sunday Night TV appearance. The GMen defense is ranked dead last (32nd) in yards allowed per game at 423. While the Vikings' defense is ranked 13 in all of football. Mike Zimmer is a great defensive coach and deserves a lot of credit this season. The Giants have one of the worst pass defenses, and I expect the Vikings to take advantage here tonight between passing and rushing AP. Take the Vikes on Sunday night.   10* NFL GAME OF THE MONTH

The Eagles are very much in contention for a division title after beating the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. They aren't turning the ball over and playing much better. Chip Kelly’s men have come back to life to win their last two games against the Patriots and the Bills. QB Sam Bradford’s good play has helped the Eagles overcome their continued inability to run the ball with much consistency. DeMarco Murray has a chance to make good on his claims as being needed in a larger role and should have the big game of which he's capable. THe Eagles are at home in chilly Philly and I'll grab the home underdog here tonight with the Green Birds.  5*

The Miami Dolphins come to face the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday. This game could carry a little extra emotion with it for the Chargers, with this possibly being their last home game in San Diego. For the second straight game, they scored 3 measly points on Sunday. On the flip side the SD defense has been stout, giving up just 20 combined points in their last two games against division studs Denver and KC. They even managed to pick off Alex Smith, who threw his first pick in 10 games. The Miami defense isn’t picking up the slack. Their 26th-ranked passing defense was exploited on Monday, as they were picked apart by Manning. I look for a little extra emotion from San Diego and Rivers here at home, as they get the win and cover on Sunday evening.  10*

Two teams with identical 5-7 records, but seemingly heading in opposite directions on the season will tussle in week 14 NFL action inside Sun Life Stadium, when the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins get together. The Dolphins should be able to move the ball in this game. The Giants are 31st in yards allowed (423 ypg) and dead-last 32nd in passing yards allowed per game (315 ypg). Its been awhile since the Dolphins have played in the NFL’s primetime featured game on Monday, and hopefully that will fire them up here. The Giants haven’t enjoyed the Monday Night spotlight either, going 1-5 ATS in their last six games in primetime. The public is all over the favorite with the Gmen, but I'll take the Dolphins here at home on MNF.  5*

Washington comes to the Windy City off a terrible MNF loss against the Dallas Cowboys and now the Skins have a short week to prepare. The Bears are also coming off a horrible loss last week as they lost to the 49ers at home 26-20 in overtime where Robbie Gould missed a pair of easy FG's. The Redskins offense has also been inconsistent and often struggles to move the ball with the 25th-ranked total offense at 333 yards per game. I see a pissed off Bears squad taking this home game in a big way. Washington has dropped 3-straight road games by double-digits and hasn't won a road game all season long. Chicago has a very solid offense and Washington is 1-5 ATS in the month of December and the Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games.   10* NFL GAME OF THE MONTH!

One quick note - despite being a horrible stretch with our picks, nothing is getting done differently and unfortunately this type of stretch happens during a season. I've been in business for 22 years and
I am handicapping this card like I did every day so far this season and not changing my methods.
Thursday night NFL I like Arizona at home.
 Minnesota owns two wins over Detroit when they were struggling badly, a win over KC when the Chiefs were misfiring, and wins over San Diego, Chicago, the Rams, Raiders, and Falcons.
Arizona's offense has been clicking and size and speed at WR and their defense is outstanding, ranked 8th against the run and 4th against the pass, and they're even better on offense where they're balanced and rank 1st in the NFL in total yards per game. The Arizona running game will attack a Viking defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry. Look for Arizona who is #1 in scoring and #1 in total yards in the league also playing at home to win big by double digits here on Thursday night.

Hoops and Iceman Hockey will be posted after 1pm EST. 5*

The Cowboys season is on the line and Matt Cassel is back at the controls and will at least have a healthier Dez Bryant to work with. Dallas also has a great offensive line and should be able to rush the ball tonight.
 The Cowboys have won three of the last four meetings in this series, and Washington is 1-13 in Monday night home games.
I'm not sure if Dallas will win but I'll take the 4 points and look for a FG type of close game here on MNF.

5*

The public is all over the Cards here but I like the home dog with the Rams. The leading rusher for Arizona is out due to an injury. Chris Johnson is rumored to have a broken leg. His backup, Andre Ellington is also out. So much for a Cardinals rushing game this afternoon. The Cardinals have struggled playing in St Louis and if the Rams lose this game they have no outside chance at the playoffs so this is their season on the line. Nick Foles played alright last week completing 30 of 46 passes against a good Cincinnati defense. Foles had his best game of the year in the Rams' 24-22 victory at Arizona on Oct. 4, throwing for three TDs. Todd Gurley had 146 yards of rushing in that game. I also look for Tavon Austin to make some plays here today.  10*

The Packers have only 1 win in their last five games. Jordy Nelson not being in there this year has hurt and Davante Adams has been a profound disappointment as his role has been increased. The Lions have looked good the past few weeks and I like them in this spot at home. Detroit is not doing a ton of damage with their ground game, but at least they’re trying now. It’s opened things up a bit. On Thanksgiving, Stafford threw for five touchdowns on 337 yards passing. Calvin Johnson looked like vintage Megatron, catching three touchdown passes. Theo Reddick and Golden Tate each snared a TD pass, as well. Joique Bell added nice production on the ground and through the air. Really making it come together for the Lions is the play of their defense. The front has been disrupting quarterbacks while stifling the opposing ground game. Everyone is saying revenge for the Packers but I like the Lions as a home dog here on THursday night.  5*

 This is a great spot for the Browns coming off their bye playing at home on Monday night football and I expect to get their best effort in this game.
Josh McCown, who is back at the helm, will look to throw the quick slot pass to TE Gary Barnidge. They will like their chances when this game gets underway. Baltimore does not have the crew to stop this.
Standout LB C.J. Mosley will get his hands on some plays but he won't be able to make it difficult enough for McCown to see downfield, and drive the ball when he wants.
Baltimore is 1-7-2 ATS in its last 10 games

The Ravens will struggle without Joe Flacco and running back Justin Forsett for the season. With a 3-7 record and now without their starting quarterback and running back, the Ravens officially know that this is a lost season.

I like the Browns here on MNF at home. 5*

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK:

The Washington Redskins still have a punchers chance to win the NFC East. At 4-6, they are just a game out and a win over the Giants this weekend can make things really interesting within the division. It is almost like every Sunday is a playoff game for every team in the division. I expect the Redskins to put up some points here at home. The Giants defense is 25th in the NFL so I look for Washington to be able to move the ball and put up some points this afternoon and get the outright win.

The Chiefs have allowed a whopping 34 sacks in 10 games and I look for a big game from the Buffalo defense here on Sunday afternoon. Look for the Bills to use even more blitz packages than normal, as Alex Smith has struggled with a QBR of 23 when facing teams that blitz more than 50% of the snaps. Last season, the Bills outgained the Chiefs 364-278. Buffalo was up 13-3 in the fourth quarter before the Chiefs scored 14 unanswered points to steal a win. The Bills are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a SU loss. The Bills are 4-0 ATS in their last four games after playing on Monday Night Football. The road team is 6-1 ATS in the last last seven meetings. Too many points here and I like Buffalo in a tight game +5.

5*

This is a big game for Dallas, who ended a 7-game losing streak on Sunday with a 24-14 road win over Miami in Tony Romo’s first game back after being out with a shoulder injury. His presence makes Dallas much better and they look to notch a big win on Sunday. The odds-makers have upgraded Dallas on their Power Rankings with Romo and Dez back. Romo's passing and mobility should also open up the running game.

The Carolina Panthers Cam Newton threw for a career-high 5 TD passes last week so I don't expect that again on the road with a short week.

The Cowboys are 3-0 with Romo as the starter, and 0-7 in the seven games he missed. The Cowboys are also 15-2 in his last 17 starts, so there's reason for optimism in Dallas.

The Cowboys will be primed for a really good start and game this week at home.  5*

On MNF the Patriots will be looking to remain undefeated on the season while the Bills are hoping to continue their recent AFC East winning streak, having beaten the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets the previous two weeks.

 Rex Ryan has had 11 days to prepare for this game and I expect a close game here.

 
Buffalo enters their matchup against the Patriots as healthy as they have been all year, which is a big boost for the team which has gone 3-1 on the season when all three of their major offensive threats start; quarterback Tyrod Taylor, running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Sammy Watkins

The Bills should be able to move the ball on offense against the Pats

The Patriots suffered another injury to a key player this eason as they lost leading receiver Julian Edelman for two months due to a broken bone in his foot that he suffered in last week’s 27-26 win on the road against the Giants. He is one of Brady's favorite targets and goto guy. This is the second straight week New England has lost an offensive skill position starter after Dion Lewis tore his ACL seven days earlier against the Redskins and will miss the remainder of the season. Look for Buffalo to give the Pats all they can handle on MNF. 5*

The Oakland Raiders make the long trip to the Motor City to face the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday. The Raiders have raised their profile this season, but after two straight losses and a home defeat to the Vikings on Sunday. Detroit scored a nice win on Sunday, going into Lambeau and beating the Packers—something they haven’t done in a very long time. Matthew Stafford didn’t have an electric game, but got the ball into the hands of his receivers, big talent like Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, and Lance Moore, who caught a TD pass.

The Raiders are brutal against the pass, with only one other team having given up more yards through the air than Oakland. They are giving up nearly 27 points per game, which ranks near the bottom of the league. Detroit should have a field day here at home with their passing game led by Matthew Stafford.
10* NFL Game of the Month

Jacksonville’s ability to become a more competitive entity this season can be attributed to the growth within their offense. There are a lot of first and second-year players who give the Jaguars something to look ahead for in the future. You can begin to see the beginnings of a true identity forming on this offense, with QB Blake Bortles showing some major improvement behind center this season.  I really like the way this Jax team is playing right now.
 In 5 straight games, he has thrown at least 2 touchdowns. He does a good job of getting the ball in the hands of talented second-year receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, while rookie back TJ Yeldon is looking to settle into a groove. In the last 5 games, they’ve scored an average of 27 points and should continue to show improvement at home on the short week.
 Since 2010, Jax is 8-1 vs spread when favored and Tenn is going thru coaching and offensive changes and that will hurt them tonight. 5*

The Houston Texans enters this week’s game on Monday Night Football fresh off of a long 15 day layoff, having won their last time out on November 1st over Tennessee then going into their BYE week. With the extra week to rest and also prepare, there should be no excuses for the Texans to come out strong in front of the country on MNF as a huge underdog to boot. The Texans will have to try and keep the Bengals pass rush off of Hoyer all game. Historically, the Texans have had the Bengals number in head-to-head matchups. Houston had won five straight meetings with Cincinnati from 2008 to 2013 before the Bengals finally broke the string in last year’s game, 22-13. With 15 days to prepare for this one, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Texans come out of the gate strong in this game and cover the double digit spread.  5*

The Redskins are looking to win their 4th straight home game, which should surprise a lot of people. The NFC East is wide open and the Redskins are getting healthy. Kirk Cousins is playing confident as if he and the entire team have something to prove. Pierre Garson should have a big day against the Saints defense and should put up big numbers(Great fantasy WR pick this week). The Saints defense is terrible and even worse on the road. The Redskins have a lot of heart. They will continue to play hard for Coach Jay Gruden. They have a few more tough games down the stretch and if they have any desire to make a post season run, as unlikely as it may seem, they must win this home game. The key is defense. Just like I said for the Saints, the Redskins need to slow down the Saints offense. Washington can put up some points on that awful New Orleans defense and win this game today.  5*

I like the Dallas Cowboys on the road to get the win over the young TB Bucs. The Buccaneers, led by rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, have averaged 23.25 points scored per game on their home turf, but the defense has allowed the opposition to score an average of 35.5 points per game. This is the week the Cowboys offense should get back on track. Dallas has played much better over the last three weekends. They had a tough luck loss versus the Giants, another difficult loss versus the Seahawks, and then nearly beat the Eagles last weekend. This team is starting to figure out how to play without Tony Romo, and this will be the game that breaks their six-game losing streak. The Cowboys are getting solid play from Darren McFadden behind their great offensive line and Dez Bryant is nearly 100% healthy. Dallas is 7-0 ATS in their last seven games on grass and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games. Look for Dallas to score some points here and get the win by double digits.  10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Chargers have a ton of injuries on the offensive line and at WR. Just as it appeared that they could get healthy again, we saw players go down on the field in Baltimore on Sunday. Last Sunday, an already-battered Chargers squad saw injuries with WR Keenan Allen (out indefinitely), TE Ladarius Green, G Orlando Franklin, C Chris Watt, T King Dunlap, LB Manti Teo, CB Brandon Flowers, DE Corey Liuget, and S Eric Weddle all listed as questionable for Monday’s game.
  In allowing over 28 points per game on average, they are near the bottom of the league. They are one of the worst defenses at containing the run. And when it comes to making plays that could help the team cause, they are nearly invisible.

I like the Bears in this underdog spot behind rookie RB Jeremy Langford, WR Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal, TE Martellus Bennett, and a slew of talented playmakers.
 
One thing Chicago has been getting is solid play in the secondary. So far, Kyle Fuller, Antrel Rolle, Tracy Porter, and Adrian Amos have been playing well, with opposing teams averaging just 214 yards per game through the air. I think the Bears defense is good enough to stop SD who cant rush the ball at all and the Bears defense will key on the passing and put pressure on Rivers MNF.

Take tbe BEARS plus the pts.
5*

Tampa Bay is 3-4 but seem to be getting better and better each week. Bucs QB Winston is learning the quarterback position and I like the decisions he is making and the defense is making plays. This is a tough one. New York has been on the road now in the NFC South for a second straight week and maybe this has taken a toll on them. The Giants stay on the road off that horrible excuse for a defense last week. They are one of the worst 3rd down teams in the NFL (38% off, 48% def). I like the direction of this team and they are at home and I like TB in this spot on Sunday plus the points.  10*

The Colts are 3-4 and have dropped 2 in a row but it looks that Luck is starting to get his strength back. It's true the Carolina is undefeated at 6-0. But a close look at its schedule reveals they defeated weak opponents vs Jacksonville, Houston, New Orleans and Tampa Bay to open the season. We have a play in a game where we think the Panthers will run the ball at will and Andrew Luck and the Colts will finally get their offense back on track in a nationally televised game Monday night. I look for a close grind it out game here and the Underdog Colts to get the cover.  5*

The Denver Broncos will look to stay undefeated here in 2015 when they welcome the Green Bay Packers Sunday night. The Broncos have posted a 14-6 ATS record in their last 20 games following a BYE week and they have gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss. Manning is coming off a tough game and I look for him to be keyed in tonight!

The Packers come into the game undefeated as well but they have struggled in November ATS as they have gone just 3-7 dating back to the 2012 season. First and foremost is that the Broncos are allowing a league low 17 PPG, 281 YPG, and only 4.5 YP play. I love seeing Denver with their #1 defense as an underdog at home. Secondly, is the strong home field of the Broncos, which finds them to be 24-2 SU the last 3+ years since QB Manning joined the Broncos. Denver's defense is ranked #1 in yards against and #2 in passing yards against, while allowing just 281 ypg this season. Denver leads the NFL with 26 sacks and will add to their total in getting to Rodgers. Rodgers’ only poor performance this season came against the St. Louis Rams, who like the Broncos, have a top pass rush. Look for Manning and the Broncos to come out smoking here Sunday night quieting his critics.  10* GAME OF THE WEEK!

I like Dallas at home with their season on the line here Sunday as a home underdog. Now that Cassel has had time to learn this Cowboys offense and an extra week of practice. My sources tell me that Dez Bryant will likely return The Cowboys need this game to save their season and try to stay close to .500 for when Romo returns. Even with all of the Cowboy's injuries they would have won outright against the Giants if it was not for 3 interceptions in the second half. I look for Cassel to be a lot better with the ball this week after having the time to practice with this offense. The Cowboys had 14 more first downs than the Giants, 171 more total yards, and also dominated them in almost every category, however when you throw 3 INT's and also lose a fumble in any game you have no chance to win or cover. The Seahawks are just 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games against the Cowboys and the underdogs is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 games between these two teams. Seattle hasn't played good on the road and I'll take Dallas behind their strong offensive line to get the ATS Win here at home.  5*

I like the Chargers plus the pts here on Sunday afternoon. Melvin Gordon has not been what was expected so far. Getting less than 4 YPC. And hasn't ever seemed right in the system for the Chargers, yet. But when Philip Rivers is leading the team on the field, he can make magic happen. Baltimore's defense is not that good and SD will take advantage. The Chargers fell behind last week but they came out smoking in the 2nd half vs the Riaders. That showed me something about their character in the second half and I believe it will carry over to today. The Ravens, on the other hand, used a lot of energy in Monday Night's loss at Arizona. Now, not only are they going to be a tad emotionally fatigued, but they've got secondary issues and the left side of their offensive line could be out. Chargers get the win here.  5*

I like the Oakland Raiders here on Sunday coming off of their BYE week.  SD is coming off a  pair of heartbreaking losses on the final plays vs the Steelers and Packers. Rivers threw for a record da over 500 yards and the team will be emotionally spent.
 THis Raiders team is playing well for HC Jack Del Rio and they have a passing attack that is relevant now with Cooper as he is working out to be a very good first-round pick and not a bust which is saying a lot for the Raiders. Cooper is a high character guy from Alabama and that has really helped this team who is looking to turn back and move forward.
 We like Oakland here as a quality underdog, who get up for this game coming off the bye week and will be well rested and prepped for the upset win on the road. 5*

Tom Brady threw a rare INT last week vs the Colts. He has thrown 14 touchdowns with just 1 interception for the season (71%). The Home team is 29-8 ATS in Pat games, and New England is at 36.4 points per game in their last 8 games. New England has a very heavy pass attack and will spread out the Jets and expose the rookie HC. Tom Brady has been amazing, getting every throw that is needed, and has been remaining on his torrid pace, over the last 3 games. They are also the best on 3rd down conversion, converting 51% on the crucial down, they keep drives alive and score TD's not FG's. THe Pats are 8-0 ATS at home versus opponents who are off 2 wins and cruise this afternoon to be big win at home. This is a statement game for the Super Bowl Champs! 10*

The Eagles despite recent signs of their offense clicking are not yet ready to face a quality team like the Giants, who could very well be 5-0 to start the season, if it was not for some unlucky breaks in the 4th quarter. THe Eagles tend to turn the ball over a lot and this is a big divisional game. The Giants have averaged 26.4 ppg this season and they are stout against the run defensively allowing the 4th least rushing yards in the NFL. Did you know that the Monday-night underdog is 5-1 against the spread this year? The Giants are also, 4-0 ATS in their last four road games. The Eagles have struggled at home recently going 12-25 their last 37 home games. The Giants are a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. The GMen are playing with double revenge after getting swept last year and I like them in the underdog spot here tonight on MNF. 5*

The Jets have the NFL's top rated scoring defense. Allowing just 13.8 points per game, the Jets have given up only 55 points in their four games played which is pretty impressive. They are also coming off of a BYE with 2 weeks to prepare for the Redskins who lost a heardbreaker to ATL last week in OT.

The Redskins are riddled with key injuries right now. They’ll be missing two starting offensive linemen, including Kirk Cousins best protector, tackle Trent Williams; bad news on a week where the Jets get behemoth defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson back in the lineup. Washington’s secondary is a mess as well, and the Jets will take advantage..
With a healthy Chris Ivory running the football; a healthy duo of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker to catch the football and a veteran and effective Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing the football, this Jets offense is the best we’ve seen in a while and I like them to win by double digits on Sunday afternoon.
 5*

We roll with Arizona this week as we have consistently felt that it is great to fade the Monday Night Football winner the following week, and that is why we took the Eagles last week over New Orleans as our top 10*.  In a similar fashion, we roll with Arizona who is the much better team than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Arizona stayed on the East coast and practiced this week after their game last Sunday.
Cards coach Bruce Arians had this game circled as he used to be on the Steelers coaching staff and wasn't happy when he left. He was the OC thru the 2011 season and ready to face his old team.  Arizona is just too good a football team and they will control this game from start to finish. This Arizona offense will be able to strike quick and take advantage of big plays, just like they have all season long. The Cards average 38 points a game on less than 30 minutes of possession/game.
 

This is a Steeler team that struggles on the offensive side of the ball with Michael Vick, who will be a ton of pressure from the Arizona defense. Carson Palmer also has 13 TDs already this season and over 1300 yards. Between Palmer, Fitzgerald, and RB Chris Johnson the Steelers will be scattered all over defensively and I think the Cards take care of the business here.
  We see Arizona winning this game  by double digits. 10*

This game opened at a pickem, but the public loves undefeated teams and it quickly pushed the Bengals to -3. We went against the Bengals last week and had to settle for a push after watching Seattle blow a 24-7 lead, and then lose in OT. Cincinnati allowed over 400 yards to each of their previous three opponents, then allowed another 397 yards last week to Seattle. I think the Buffalo's offense will be able to move the ball with EJ Manuel likely starting behind center. LeSean McCoy may even see action, upgraded to probable for this one. The Bills' have a tough front four to get after Bengals QB Dalton and cause some turnovers. I liket his home underdog as the Bills are 9-2 ATS their last 11 when getting points. 5*

SD is a much different and better team at home. San Diego will welcome back from suspension TE Antonio Gates for this one, giving QB Philip Rivers another option in an already potent passing attack. Gates will be his #1 target on MNF. Under Mike Tomlin's guidance, the Steelers have never won a game in California. QB Michael Vick's throwing ability has become noticeably worse. There is little zip and hardly a spiral on the veteran QB's passes. Defenders can give Pittsburgh's speedy receivers plenty of room knowing Vick's limitations. Now 35 years old, Vick averaged just five yards per completion in his start against Baltimore to go along with four sacks. The Chargers also have healthier offensive line here and they should win big on Monday night!  5*

The Lions blew an early 21-3 lead in a season-opening loss to San Diego and have gone down meekly in losses at Minnesota (26-16) and to Peyton Manning and Denver (24-12) in last weekend's home opener. "I think our team is right there," Detroit coach Jim Caldwell insisted. "You just can't see it, but we can." Quarterback Matthew Stafford should have a solid game along with Golden Tate with his return to Seattle. Also look for RB Ameer Abdullah to be used a lot in screens and out of the backfield. I expect a tight game to take the Lions PLUS THE DOUBLE DIGITS here on MNF. 5*

The Texans will keep Julio Jones and company off the field with their defense and pressure. Houston is one of the best 3rd down defensive teams in the NFL. With the 3-0 start the Falcons have gone from being a +3 home underdog in the opening week to being nearly a touchdown home favorite in Week 4. Houston's losses have both come by just seven points and with just 20 points allowed per game as the Texans figure to be the superior defensive team in this matchup. The Texans also finally got back to running the ball with success last week posting 186 yards on over 4.0 yards per carry and Ryan Mallett's confidence should grow with a win under his belt. The Houston defense will attack Matt Ryan and make the offensive line uncomfortable throughout and I think this will be very tight and the Houston Texans are ready to pull the upset on the road.  10*

The Steelers are 3-0 ATS in 2015, have Le'Veon Bell back, and are only allowing, 17.3 PPG. The Ravens are 0-3 (both SU and ATS), can't run the ball, WR's are old and the secondary is terrible. The Steelers are 7-1 ATS their L8 overall, 4-1 ATS their L5 vs. the AFC, and 6-2 ATS their L8 at home. Giving Pittsburgh some extra hope moving ahead without Big Ben is a defense that is getting better and better with each game. This is a Pittsburgh defense that is in the midst of a transition, with a leaning toward youth and the departure of Dick LeBeau in the offseason. On Sunday, Baltimore allowed 383 yards in the air by Andy Dalton, with AJ Green having a monster game with 227 yards receiving. Vick has had a week to prepare and I'll back the Steelers at home catching 3 points.  5*

The Green Bay Packers are looking to jump to a 3-0 start as they welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to Lambeau Field for a Monday Night matchup. KC plays too conservative for my liking and I expect them to fall into a hole against the high powered GB Packers on MNF. The Packers enter the week as the top ranked team in the Power ratings with the Chiefs checking in at the #9 spot. In his last 17 home games, Rodgers has thrown for 41 touchdowns and zero interceptions on 512 pass attempts. Rodgers has completed 77% of his passes through two contests and the Packers are 5th in points scored, averaging 29 a game. Eddie Lacy is battling a sprained ankle but does hope to play with the extra day of rest. If the bruising back can’t go, veteran James Starks should be able to pick up the slack without too much dropoff and Green Bay didn’t miss a beat in the run game last week against a tough Seattle defense. Both teams have good but not great defenses. Green Bay typically plays with a lead and that lets guys like Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews go for big plays. KC has been stout against the run so far, allowing just 80 yards on average but ranks outside the top-20 in pass yards allowed, not exactly a good stat as you go up against the best QB in the business and their pass happy offense. I think 6.5 points is safe to lay, especially in Lambeau. Look for the Packers to get a big win on MNF over the Chiefs.  5*

Denver comes in at 2-0 off a miracle win at rival KC last week a game they had 5 takeaways and barely won. The defense is very good, and manning showed glimpses of the old Peyton in the 2nd half of that game. But can he keep it up? Especially behind an terrible OL with 3 new starters? Detroit's season may be on the line as they have started out 0-2 and they have a solid defense and a lot of weapons on offense. Lions are still able to throw the deep ball with touch and tolerable accuracy. Look for a lot of screens to the Lions RB's and Detroit to keep Denver off balance. I expect the Lions to win this game outright.  10*

Andrew Luck simply does not lose back to back games. He has a great record coming off of a loss and the Jets will be without number 2 corner Cromartie. The Colts will play better on both sides of the ball in this one and they will have a huge boost from the home crowd in the home opener on MNF. The Colts are 18-3 ATS in their last 21 games after a loss and 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 games after failing to cover the spread in their previous game. Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts are hoping their second matchup with an AFC East foe goes better than the first. Playing at home should provide an added lift for the Colts, who will try to rebound from a season-opening drubbing in Buffalo when they host the New York Jets on Monday night. Play the Indianapolis Colts -7 with confidence Monday night as Luck should bounce back with a big night on MNF.  5*

With 10 days to prepare, the Pittsburgh Steelers play their home opener after losing last Thursday against the Patriots. SF is on the short week playing late on MNF plus traveling to the east coast. Even though the Steelers lost 28-21, they outgained the Patriots by 103 yards. New England lost the stats by a 464-to-361 margin, proving the Steelers offense looks dynamic. Mike Tomlin usually bounces back strong with extra time to game plan. The Steelers have enjoyed a lot of success at home when playing the NFC West. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is 4-0 SU and 4-0 ATS at home against NFC West teams in his career. Pittsburgh has scored 30 or more points in five of their last six home games. The Steelers actually could have won the game late. I just do not like the SF team this year and I look for Pittsburgh to even up their record at 1-1 with a big win on Sunday afternoon at home.  10*

Both the Jets and Browns had the misfortune of learning their potential starting quarterback wouldn't be available for the season opener because of injury - Cleveland's Johnny Manziel because of elbow tendinitis, and the Jets Geno Smith because of injuries suffered when he was punched in the face. The Browns, who saw an inspiring 7-4 start last season fade with five straight losses, shored up quite a few weak spots. They added receivers Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline in free agency, and drafted speedy running back Duke Johnson out of Miami. I honestly like this Browns team and their defense and special teams are strong too. They also drafted Cameron Erving to boost their offensive line.

The Jets (4-12 last year) brought in a new head coach in Todd Bowles, whose subtle approach appears a welcome change from the circus-like atmosphere surrounding his predecessor, Rex Ryan. Ryan Fitzpatrick is decent but he turns the ball over a lot. I'll take the 3.5 points with the Browns.  10*

Both the Jets and Browns had the misfortune of learning their potential starting quarterback wouldn't be available for the season opener because of injury - Cleveland's Johnny Manziel because of elbow tendinitis, and the Jets Geno Smith because of injuries suffered when he was punched in the face. The Browns, who saw an inspiring 7-4 start last season fade with five straight losses, shored up quite a few weak spots. They added receivers Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline in free agency, and drafted speedy running back Duke Johnson out of Miami. I honestly like this Browns team and their defense and special teams are strong too. They also drafted Cameron Erving to boost their offensive line.

The Jets (4-12 last year) brought in a new head coach in Todd Bowles, whose subtle approach appears a welcome change from the circus-like atmosphere surrounding his predecessor, Rex Ryan. Ryan Fitzpatrick is decent but he turns the ball over a lot. I'll take the 3.5 points with the Browns.

 Tom Brady will have his team fired up for this NFL opening kickoff game on Thursday night. The Patriots will take advantage of the poor play of the Steelers defense and secondary. They lost their coordinator and several playmakers on their defense. The Steelers will also be without stud RB L Bell. Look for the Patriots to be super motivated after court decided to give him a pass from Deflategate. I expect Gronk to have a big night as well. 5*

I am starting to wonder how long this game will remain a pick'em, so I want to give it out before we lose any more value. I believe the Pats and Brady come up with a game plan that can take advantage of the questionable health of the Seahawks secondary.
Seattle also doesn't have Percy Harvin and Golden Tate like they did last year in the Super Bowl.
Seattle also played a much easier schedule this year with 2 games against ARZ and STL as both teams had a 3rd string QB.

I look for Brady to pick apart the middle of the field with Gronk and a combo of Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola on crossing routes. Russell Wilson is not playing to his full capability and making a lot of poor decisions with his passes.

NE and Brady can spread you out and also attack you with 2 solid RB's.
The Pats also have a very good top 3 defense this year with tough CB's.

I like NE to win this years SUPER BOWL.

3 props I like in the game are:
Will Rob Gronkowski score a TD in the 1st half: YES +140

Over 2 receptions for Danny Amendola at -135

Will Tom Brady throw a TD pass before he throws an INT? YES -180

Indianapolis had a great year and had a cold stretch 2/3 of the way thru the season, but are clicking again.
The Colts has played shocker after last weeks win in Denver, behind the play of Andrew Luck, and tight play of T.Y. Hilton. Scoring has not been an issue all year, but defense was and they have seemed to have addressed that issue over the last part of the season.

Easily and by far, TY Hilton is a dangerous threat grabbing 16 ypc, better than any WR on the Pats. Reggie Wayne is old, but still contributes enough to make a secondary pay attention and has experience. Then Hakeem Nicks, the physical WR is a very good player, who can make things happen with his big play ability.

With Ricky Jean Francois and Cory Redding each making sure no QB gets too relaxed in the backfield, they combined for 6.5 sacks between them, the Pats have players like Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones who are great QB chasers, but I think the Colts still have a slight overall advantage on defense overall.

The Colts are a very good 3rd down team and that will be key. The Colts also come into this matchup with the better offense and defense. New England crushed the Colts earlier this season due to a breakout game by Jonas Grey but. I don't see that happening again as the Colts run defense is much improved and healthy. The Colts have out-gained their opponents in 3 straight games while the Pats have been out-gained during that span. The underdog in the series when these two teams tangle is a solid 14-5-2 ATS going back over the last 21 meetings. New England is also 0-5 ATS in their last five AFC Championship games as well (3-11 ATS in their last 14 playoff games overall). Take the Colts on Sunday +7 as our NFL Playoffs Game of the Year.

Dallas main key here today will be keeping Rodgers off the field as much as possible. The Cowboys should bring pressure on the injuried Rodgers this afternoon. I expect the Cowboys offensive line to play better and we'll see a lot of DeMarco Murray, all day long, They obviously have been a great scoring team, regardless of the defense they have played all season. And for those who question, for what could be a pretty good linebacking unit, Rolando McClain was the key ingredient for the Boys, him being questionable is a certain worry. I also look for a big game from Witten and Dez Bryant and other receivers have been the bulk of their scoring plays. The calf injury to Aaron Rodgers is not to be taken lightly. He's a mobile QB that likes to get out of the pocket and buy some extra time. Additionally, the Dallas defenders know exactly where the injury is and may put their helmets in that area as they hit him. He only took 50% of the reps at practice this week so he might be rusty with 2 weeks off. Dallas has been very good on the road this year and so has Romo. Dallas is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road and I'll back them as a nice dog on Sunday.  5*

I love the Patriots coming off a BYE here on Saturday afternoon at home. Their offense has been unstoppable and their defense has been tough. NE also played a very tough schedule and I expect them to put a lot of pressure on Flacco. Baltimore has consistently struggled against the Pass this yearand look for New England who took a beating in the last few years' playoffs run to finally step up here and do well. The Ravens are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win and the Patriots to their credit are 8-0 ATS intheir last 8 home games when facing a team with a winning road record and the Patriots are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games. New England is coming in off a useless loss vs Buffalo, that meant nothing to them, so they will be good and rested coming into this matchup. They have been like machines, and have been excellent on 3rd down, all season long, keeping drives going. New England is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 home games against teams with a winning road record. The Pats have a great secondary with Revis & Browner who have the certain ability to shut-down any top ended WR in the league, Look for Brady - Gronk and company to get a double digit win at home here Saturday afternoon. 10* NFL PLAYOFFS GAME OF THE WEEK!

Cincinnati has a surprising top end running game, and the emergence of Jeremy Hill has been great for Bengals fans. The Colts offense has been dead over the past month.
But they still can't move the ball on the ground, and teams can run on them. Which Hill can exploit with ease. The last time they played the Bengals, they demolished them 27-0 so this is a big revenge game for Cincy. The game in Indianapolis was by far the Bengals worst performance of 2014. They want nothing more than to just consider that game a fluke and get back out there and get some revenge on Sunday.
Look for Andy Dalton to finally step up and have a big game.
Lets still remember, Andrew Luck has turned the ball over 29 times and I expect the Bengals defense to pressure him on Sunday afternoon.
Play Cincy plus the points! 5*

Baltimore, of course, moves the ball on the ground excellently with Forsett. They have a strong defensive front stopping the run, only giving up 3.6/carry. The Ravens have largely been forgotten about this year despite their 10-6 record. They have a veteran QB with Joe Flacco while the Steelers will be without their #1 RB Bell. Baltimore's secondary will have a better game with Bell out of the game as they'll be able to focus on the Steelers WR's and TE more. Look for the Ravens defense get real aggressive and come up with some key stops. I expect to be a very hard hitting, brutal game that we seem to always expect when they play, close playoff game here, Ravens with the points. I like the Ravens +3 to win this one outright on Saturday night!
10*

5*

Arizona have been awful, losers of 4 of their last 6 games. And obviously have serious QB issues to deal with. Carolina comes in running the ball well and Cam Newton on a mission. They are playing some great ball, winners of 4 straight and they have gotten hot at the right time, obviously. As well as beating 2 teams with strong offenses, New Orleans and Atlanta. O dont trust Arizona with Lindley here. Its a QB league this year and Newton is worlds better than Lindly. The Panthers defense has also been tough just surrendering an average of 10.8 points during the winning streak and limiting Atlanta to a season-low three points in last week's division clincher. Look for Kelvin Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen to have big games today.

After coming off a big win in New Orleans to stay alive, the Atlanta Falcons open as a 4 pt favorite at home against Cam Newton and the Panthers. The total points are set at 47 overall for this match-up too. So far, 69% of the money is being wagered on the home team Falcons to cover the spread. The Carolina Panthers have come on strong the last couple of weeks. Carolina has the 9th best pass defense in the NFL and they need this to hold true. Their secondary also has gotten faster with a switch to younger defensive backs. Carolina is giving up an average of 13.3 points during its last three games in beating the Saints, Buccaneers and Browns. Carolina also has a strong history under Ron Rivera in December going 14-4 SU and 12-5-1 ATS.

The Falcons defense is not that good and they struggle at stopping good TE's. Look for a big game from Greg Olsen. With a playoff spot on the line this one has all the makings of a hard-fought, close game with the winner claiming the division. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and that is the way to play this game on Sunday as well. Take the CAROLINA PANTHERS plus the points. 10* GAME OF THE YEAR!

With Lindley taking over at QB, now even more pressure is going to be put on the Cardinals defense to completely carry the entire load for this team. The Arizona tough defense and great special teams is what is going to keep this home dog in the game today. Lindley was 4-for-10 for 30 yards when he was called upon last week after Drew Stanton got hurt, and there’s talk out of Arizona that they may have a “package” for rookie quarterback Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech) who can run and pass to take advantage of his mobility on Sunday. Also note the home team has won 7 of the last 10 meetings in this series and the Cardinals are unbeaten at home, I'll take my chances. The Arizona defense is one of the best in the league, and even if they only score 7-10 points in this game, their defensive presence alone against a very average Seattle offense should keep this game close. Seattle with Marshawn Lynch boast the NFL’s top running attack at 169 yards a game, but the strength of the Cardinals defense is still their defensive line and their run defense, so they’ll likely try and find a way to make Russell Wilson beat them by throwing it. Arizona is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games. Seattle is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played during Week 16. Take the Cardinals here on Sunday night primetime action. 5*

KC’s QB, Alex Smith, put together a decent game last week versus the Raiders. Smith was 18 of 30 for 297 yards passing and 2 TDs and no INTs. RB Jamaal Charles took a big hit to the head and left the game where he went through a number of concussion tests (he returned but briefly). RB Nile Davis relieved Charles and pulled in a 70-yard TD reception from Smith and also ran for a TD to add to the Chief’s scoring. KC dominated this game and made that quite evident when they put up 21 points in 4 minutes and 42 seconds in the 3rd quarter alone. KC’s offense, defense, and special teams all looked really good. KC’s defense is ranked No. 5 in points allowed on the road at 19.29 per contest. Kansas City is solid on both sides of the football, and the same cannot be said for Pittsburgh. Their defense ranks in the bottom half of the league despite playing some of the worst quarterbacks in the league. Kansas City has been a great road team under Andy Reid, covering the spread in 11 of 15 road games the last two years. KC plays tough on the road and I'll take the 3 points with the Chiefs here on Sunday. 10*

On Saturday, Robert Griffin III will again be the starter for Washington because of a neck injury suffered by Colt McCoy. Griffin NEEDS a good showing, in a bad way. The crazy thing about the terrible record for Washington is the fact that statistically they are not that bad of a team. They rank 10th in the NFL in passing, and their defense ranks 7th against the run and they would love to beat the Eagles here at home and lessoning their chances of making the playoffs. RG3 needs to lead the Skins on long TD drives and also, avoid turnovers. Almost 70% of the public money is on the Eagles. Home field in the NFL is huge...ask Buffalo and Green Bay. I like Philadelphia to go into Washington and get the win, but I think it will be a lot closer than most think. Philadelphia is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Take the RedSkins and the points here on Saturday!  5*

The Saints got the kick in the teeth that I believe will turn their season around. I see them coming back strong in this one and beginning a streak of wins to end the season. The Saints have more weapons on both sides of the ball. While both teams are 5-8 the Saints have the better QB who doesn't turn the ball over and still alive for the playoffs. Saints are favoured here but that’s a testament to just how bad this Chicago defense has become. The Bears have allowed the most points in the league, an average of 29.1 per games and that includes 75 points in its past two games when the Bears were still in playoff contention. It also helps that Chicago WR Brandon Marshall has been sidelined for the year, allowing the Saints to key on WR Alshon Jeffery. Saints better on road lately and they can control this one. The Saints rebound in a big way and win on MNF.  5*

Dallas played their worst game of the season on Thanksgiving against the Eagles. Romo wasn't himself and the Cowboys didn't run the ball or use TE Witten much. Dallas now has had 10 days to prepare for this game while Philly has only had the standard time and got beat up good last week versus Season. This gives Dallas a decided advantage in game-planning. While Sanchez has been mediocre since taking over for Nick Foles, Romo has been having another very good season and despite his back injury is currently rated #3 in Total QBR. He had a bad game against the Eagles last time out and I expect a much better performance from him this time around.

Dallas has played very well on the road this season (6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS) and with situation, value and a revenge spot all lining up on the Cowboys. Dallas has played much better on the road this season, going 6-0, and the visitor has been the play in this series, covering the spread in 6 of their last 7 meetings. I am still not a big believer in Mark Sanchez, and the Seahawks provided a blueprint last Sunday as to how to shut him down. The road team has won 7 of the last 9 meetings in this series, the Cowboys are 22-12 ATS as a pup since 2009 and the dog in Dallas games since 2010 is 51-23 ATS.

Kyle Orton captains the ship for the Bills and the veteran has kept thing moving in the right direction. Orton isn’t a top-level talent at QB but controls the game and makes good decisions, throwing for 14 touchdowns against 7 interceptions. Fred Jackson is back to near full health for the Buffalo and he is the do-it-all guy for this offense. Jackson is a capable runner but really poses a match-up problem in the pass game when he has 53 receptions despite missing time this season. Orton is off a terrible game last week and I expect him to bounce back at home this week.

Buffalo is very good on the defensive side of the ball.

 Sammy Watkins can take the top off the defense but the Bills pass game is designed to pick up yards underneath and grind out clock. Robert Woods and Chris Hogan are serviceable possession options for Orton and he has spread it around plenty with nine different Bills catching at least one touchdown pass.

Green Bay has won five straight games but the last three in that stretch have come by three, five and seven points, making this five-point line right in danger zone for the Pack.

Look for a lot of Fred Jackson running and pass catching for the Bills with some short routes sprinkled in to move the chains. Scott Chandler could see a lot of action in the seam as Green Bay struggles to cover the tight end. I expect a letdown for GB here and this is a MUST WIN for Buffalo at home if they want to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.  The Bills plus the points at home look very tasty to me this afternoon.

Both of these teams are tough on defense and the Rams are off back-to-back shutouts.

Arizona has played Under in 3 of their last 4 games entering play tonight, and the Cardinals have scored just 52 total points in their last 4 games combined!

I think it will all be about defense and field position tonight and I expect to see a lot of FG's.

Lets the the UNDER in the short week here on Thursday night NFL action between the Cards/Rams. 5*

Steelers Head Coach, Tom Tomlin was criticized last week for his poor clock management at the end of the first half in which many thought the Steelers could have a had a better chance to put points on the board. Although a seasoned coach with plenty of significant games under his watch it is a bit surprising the Steelers were not more prepared for the mediocre Saints. Hopefully the Steelers show up and play better all-around this week at Cincy otherwise they may be in for yet another tough game. We expect the Steelers to bounce back well in what is a must-win game for them for their playoff hopes and Jarvin Jones is also back for them today and he is tough on defense. The Steelers have won 11 of their last 14 games in Cincinnati, and they are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games when they are coming off a loss. QB Andy Dalton has been poor playing at home this season with a 73.2 passer rating. Both of these teams know the importance of the next four weeks especially Pittsburgh as they are the team under the gun and facing all the pressures of missing the playoffs unless they win at least 3 of their last 4 contests. I think the Steelers manage to pull it together this week and despite the negative press and injuries facing them they get the job done in a grinder on the road—typical Pittsburgh style. I like the Steelers to cover on the road and send a message here on Sunday. Cincinnati is also 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played during Week 14. Take the STEELERS and the points.

The offense of Denver has been playing sloppy, they have not been crisp, moving the ball. They have had drives that have been stalling at times. KC is tough at home and off a rare loss against the Raiders. KC has had a few also days to prepare for this game as well. Look for Alex Smith to bounce back in a big way and Dwayne Bowe to exploit the Broncos secondary,. Andy Reid is a good coach and we'll have the Chiefs ready for this Sunday night game. I also expect Jamal Charles and the KC rushing attack to be able to move the ball against Denver. They seem slightly more together than the Broncos at this particular point in time. Peyton Manning struggles in the cold and wind. I look for a pumped-up Chiefs team to find a way to get it done on Sunday for the big win and get us the cash.

Its been a week for the Bills, who because of the massive snow storm had to move their home game to Detroit. The bigger problem for Buffalo isn't the game location but the fact that they have not had a normal week of practice, and we don't believe they'll be properly prepared for this game against the Jets. Many players were stuck at their homes and couldnt get a full practice in with the team. The Jets come off they bye week following a morale-boosting win against Pittsburgh. The Jets have played a string of games against very good offensive teams, but Buffalo doesn't quality averaging less than 100 yards rushing and 230 yards passing per game. This is the type of team the Jets can matchup well against and also playing with revenge I like the Jets behind Vick to get us the win. 5*

The Rams have been tough in certain spots. They’ve had their share of duds, but with wins over Seattle, San Francisco, and Denver, they have scored a nice handful of meaningful triumphs. Coach Jeff Fisher made the somewhat-controversial move to start QB Shaun Hill on Sunday and it paid off, with Hill an efficient 20-29 with 220 yards, a TD throw, and no picks or fumbles. Rookie back Tre Mason ran for 113 yards, while WR Kenny Britt broke out with a 4 catch/128-yard performance. And obviously, holding Denver to a lone touchdown over 4 quarters could prove to be a confidence-building game for a defense that has shown signs of coming around. The Rams defense is very tough and I'll take them as underdogs on Sunday. Even the Rams losses were to good squads as they lost by 3 to the Cowboys, lost by 6 at Philadelphia, and the week before beating Denver, they took a lead into the 4th quarter against the now 9-1 Cardinals. Take the STL RAMS here on Sunday afternoon. 5*

The Detroit Lions defense is tough and I think they'll get after Brady this week. New England is a popular play by the public this week because of their recent outburst of offensive production as they have now scored 42+ points in their last 3 games. I want to note that NFL teams who scored 42 or more points in each of their last 2 games are 0-8 ATS when facing an opponent off a SU loss of 6 or more points. Detroit is also expected to get Reggie Bush back in the lineup and this offense is back to being healthy with TE Eric Ebron back in the mix as well. Bush will add the speed to the running game. Megatron and Golden Tate are a receiver duo difficult for any NFL defense to contain. Stafford is coming off a terrible game at Arizona and I expect the offense to bounce back. I look for the Lions to open the offense up, especially on 3rd down and make some big plays down the field and giving their #1 defense enough support. Keep in mind the Patriots are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 non-division home games following a non-division game, and they lost 3 of those 6 outright. The Lions have the offensive weapons to stay in this game throughout. The Detroit defense has held opponents to only 15.6 points and 290.3 yards per game. The Lions are 7-0 ATS and 6-1 straight up in their last 7-games as an away underdog of 8.5 or less following a game in which they scored 26-points or less. My 10* NFL Underdog of the Month is on the DETROIT LIONS +7

Something happens to a lot of teams psychologically when an 0-10 squad. It was 1 yr ago this week that the Raiders got their last WIN. KC could be in for a letdown after a big win over Seattle last week. KC plays tight games and not to lose. Oakland is pretty scrappy and getting 7.5 points at home this week and looking for their 1st win and a rare Primetime TV game I think this one will be very tight. I think the Raiders could be catching a slightly off-key Chiefs team this week. I see the Raiders giving it a good go and staying within reach to get the cover. Take the Raiders plus the points on Thursday night NFL action. 5*