I'm laying the points with Kansas State on Tuesday. Tough spot for Texas Tech after expending a lot of emotion and energy at home last time out against Kansas. Tech had their chances, trailing the Jayhawks by just four points with less than three minutes to go in the game before losing by 10. Tubby Smith's troops made just 9 of 19 FTA and just 4 of 16 3-pointers, or it might have been a different story. It was actually their second straight war after losing to Iowa State by seven, a game they trailed by just three points with just over two minutes to go in the game. Once again, Tech shot poorly from the FT line, making just 9 of 15 and made just 2 of 15 from behind the arc (2 of 15 is their average 3-point makes & attempts on the road this season). Texas Tech ranks 314th in 3-point accuracy and I believe the close losses and the lack of accurate shooting down the stretch is going to catch up to them earlier in this one. Kansas State will look for their first Big-12 win in 2016 after losing in OT to West Virginia, by three to Texas, and then losing last time out at Oklahoma. The 'Cats are certainly battle-tested and they're fierce and stingy on the defensive end, owning the type of tenacious play that can force another rough shooting night for Tech. K-State is allowing visitors to make just 39% of their shots and 21.6% of their 3-pointers. They get to the FT line 31 times per game at home, while Tech has averaged just 15 FTA on the road. And finally, K-State forces nearly 16 tpg at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats are on a 7-1-1 ATS run against teams with a winning record, while the Red Raiders have covered just five of their last 18 on the road. I'm laying the points with Kansas State, my Tuesday Hammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with OKC on Sunday. The Thunder whipped the Blazers 106-90 at home in mid-December, despite making just 2 of 14 3-point attempts. I expect the final score to look similar tonight. Portland's defensive efficiency numbers are not good and not getting better of late with five of their last six opponents scoring 103 or more points. In fact, take away the game against Memphis on January 4, (Grizzlies won 91-78), and the Blazers have allowed an average of 111 ppg in their other five contests since December 30. Portland enters on a 3-12-1 ATS slide against teams playing better than .600 basketball and they're 1-10 ATS at home following two straight double-digit losses, allowing 107 ppg in those 11 games. I'm laying the points with the Thunder as they look to extend their run to 12-4-1 in their last 17 against Portland. My Situational Slam. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Texas Tech on Saturday. It's been a huge week for the Jayhawks, voted #1 on Monday and just a few hours later, defending the new ranking with a thrilling, 109-106 triple-OT win over Oklahoma at Allen Fieldhouse. Meanwhile, Texas Tech continues to fly under the radar. Tubby Smith's Red Raiders are 11-2 SU on the season with their only two losses coming in their second game of the season to Utah (12-4) and last time out at Iowa State (12-2). No shame in losing to either one of those teams and the 7-point loss as an 11-point dog at Iowa State had to be inspiring. Tech trailed 40-30 at the half, but pulled within three points at 65-62 with roughly three minutes to go in the game. Watching Tech compete at a high level against the quality of Iowa State was the final test we needed to see before backing them here. If this was just about a possible letdown spot for KU, we wouldn't have jumped in. But Tubby has his squad playing extremely well, already with home wins over quality opponents, including, Texas, South Dakota State, and Hawaii. The trip to Lubbock also marks just the second true road game of the season for Kansas. The Jayhawks enter on a 3-8 ATS conference slide, while the Red Raiders are on an 8-0 ATS run, overall, and own seven straight covers at home. I believe we have a live underdog here and I'm grabbing the points with Texas Tech, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Bengals on Saturday. The public is in love with the Pittsburgh Steelers...no shocker there and according to Las Vegas Sports Book Directors, this is about as big of a "Joe's vs. Pros" scenario as it's going to get. The Cincinnati Bengals own the better overall numbers. Cincy ranks in the top-10 in scoring and they're the second stingiest defense as far as ppg allowed. This is a play no matter who QBs the Bengals, but while AJ McCarron is expected to start on Saturday, the cast was removed from Andy Dalton's broken right thumb on Wednesday and he might play. While Dalton was having a terrific season, McCarron has proven himself since Dalton suffered the injury and will have his full offensive arsenal. This means the porous Steelers' defense is going to have too much to deal with in my opinion. Pittsburgh ranks 30th against the pass and 21st overall, and Cincy can beat you a multitude of ways through the air, whether McCarron is aiming for TE Tyler Eifert, one of his premier wideouts, or tossing to Giovani Bernard or Jeremy Hill out of the backfield. It's a tough offense for a less than stellar defense to deal with when all hands are on deck. The Bengals own a big advantage on defense and I do believe they'll hold the Steelers in-check. Pittsburgh has been shaky on offense the last two weeks and a key cog, RB DeAngelo Williams (ankle) isn't 100% healthy. Pittsburgh was held to 17 points and a fortunate 28 points by the Ravens & Browns the last two weeks. They were held to 30 yards rushing on 19 attempts by Cleveland and would not have covered if not for a Browns' fumble inside their own 15-yard line. The previous week, the Steelers gained just 198 yards through the air against Baltimore. Big Ben threw two INTs and no TDs in the loss. The Bengals' Reggie Nelson will be looking to make plays after finishing tied for the league-lead in INTs. We all know about the Bengals' past playoff struggles, but this is a different team. Cincy enters on a 12-3-1 ATS overall run, and they're 7-0 ATS at home against teams with a winning road record. I'm taking the points with Cincinnati, my Smackdown release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Northern Iowa on Saturday. The Panthers opened the season 5-1 through their fist six games, including a huge win over North Carolina. The schedule hasn't been an easy one for UNI, but they're back at the friendly confines, where they're on a 5-0 SU (4-1 ATS) run. The Panthers won the five home games by an average final score of 79-61, including the 71-67 win over the Tar Heels. Northern Iowa held the Heels to 5 of 18 shooting from behind the arc and put four of their own players in double figures in scoring. UNI has four players averaging in double figures this season and five players average at least 8 ppg. We also note that the Panthers have made 51% of their FGA in Cedar Falls. Drake will be looking for their first road win, currently 0-4 SU (1-3 ATS). Only three players average more than 5 ppg and the Bulldogs have no one to help Jacob Enevold Jenson on the glass. In fact, Drake has a minus-8 rebound margin per game average on the road, where they also average just 11 assists, but 15 turnovers. As far as the techs are concerned, college basketball double digit favorites that are off of at least two straight SU losses as favorites are on a 52-23 ATS run, provided their opponent is off a home loss. And Northern Iowa is 11-2 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record, holding those teams to 52 ppg. Finally, Drake is averaging just 54 ppg in their last 19 conference road tilts. I'm laying the points with Northern Iowa, my Situational Slam. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Arizona on Saturday. We got what we wanted on Thursday when Arizona lost to UCLA in the first of their 2-game L.A. road trip. Now we just need Sean Miller and the players to oblige with their own personal bounce-back win. I do like what Andy Enfield is doing at USC, now in his third season and with a lot returning from last year's team. But I do believe we have seen and will see a few more growing pains this season. USC shoots and defends well, most of the time. But they can be had on the glass against top-notch opponents. We saw USC lose to Xavier 87-77, getting crushed on the boards. The were able to sneak by Wichita State earlier this season, but that was before the Shockers had their best player, who was sidelined by injury. Again, the Trojans were beat on the glass. I bring it up because Arizona rebounds quite well and they're extremely deep even if Elliott Pitts is still sidelined (doubtful). Without Elliott, Sean Miller has eight players averaging between 18 and 31 minutes played per game and seven players average between 15 ppg and 7 ppg. Then besides all the scoring, Arizona's Kadeem Allen and Parker Jackson-Cartwright have combine for 109 assists and just 47 turnovers through 15 games. Everyone knows their role. The 3-point loss to UCLA wasn't a bad game by Arizona, just a night when the Bruins couldn't miss. UCLA made 51.6% of their shots, including 11 of 22 3-pointers (equivalent of a 75% night from inside the arc). I expect an intense game on defense from UofA. After all, they have held their opponents to 69 ppg and to 30.8% from area code 3. The 'Cats are outstanding on offense and also own a +15 rebound margin per game average (back to the rebound notes mentioned above). Arizona enters on a 6-1 ATS run in their last seven against USC, and they're on a 5-0 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball at the time of the game. USC is coming on under Enfield, but I expect Trojan growing pains in this one. I'm laying the points with Arizona, my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Milwaukee on Thursday night. Youngstown State pulled off one of the biggest point-spread upsets of the season on Monday night, upsetting Oakland, 100-98 as a 17-point underdog. Oakland had played Virginia, Michigan State, and Washington in three of their last five games and had just whipped Cleveland State by 18 points. There was the chance they'd look passed YSU and you could see from the opening tip, the Grizzlies weren't engaged. However, it was another case of the Penguins playing little defense. Youngstown is a disaster on the defensive end. Remove a game against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes and they allowed 96.2 ppg on 52.6% shooting in their other five games since December 12. YSU allows over 46% shooting on the season and over 80 ppg, and they're on a 0-5-1 ATS slide at home against teams playing at least .600 road basketball. Milwaukee fits the bill. They have proven themselves on the road, beating Wisconsin and Minnesota, while covering in a loss at Notre Dame. The Panthers put five players in double figures nightly and average 80 ppg on 46% shooting. Matt Tilby is a nightmare macthup for YSU, averaging 15.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg. And Jordan Johnson is one of the best playmakers no one outside of the Horizon knows about, dishing out 118 assists with just 39 turnovers this season, an average of 7.9 apg and just 2.6 tpg. Milwaukee has the goods and with the Penguins off the big win over Oakland, the Panthers will be focused on the task at hand. The Panthers are on a 10-2 ATS run on the road and they have covered four straight against the Penguins. I'm laying the points with Milwaukee, my Conf Road Warrior GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Stanford on Wednesday night. Timing might not be everything, but it certainly matters. That's the case for the Cardinal in this one. First of all, I don't believe they should be getting this many points at Oregon State as it is, but Stanford is also "catching" OSU off their big win against "hated" rival Oregon last time out. Emotions were on high as the Beavers jumped out to a 15-point halftime lead and finishing with a 70-57 win as a short underdog. But outside of Gary Payton-II and Tres Tinkle, the Beavers have no other double-digit scorers. Stanford has been stingy on the defensive end where they allow just 64.8 ppg on 41% shooting. I do believe the Cardinal will keep this game close thanks in part to their defensive play. Stanford also owns more scoring depth. Even with Reid Travis sidelined with a leg injury, the Cardinal have four other players averaging between 13.6 ppg & 10.6 ppg. I also expect OSU to have problems on the glass with Rosco Allen and Michael Humphrey. Stanford lost 56-55 to Colorado last time out, the game coming just two days after the Cardinal beat Utah in OT; they were in a bad spot and the Buffaloes had timing on their side. This time, it's Stanford with good timing and I expect them to hang the number at the very least. Stanford is on a 13-4 ATS run in their last 17 games at Oregon State, meanwhile the Beavers have covered just three of their last 12 against teams with a winning record. I'm grabbing the points with Stanford, my Wednesday DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oregon on Wednesday. Big game for the Ducks who're coming off a poor performance in a 70-57 loss at Oregon State. They host what has been a poor traveling Cal Bears' team tonight. California has played away from home just four times this season, (two neutral & two road), and they're just 1-3 SU in those games with the lone win coming in OT at Wyoming. Cal lost in OT at Virginia and lost a pair of neutral court games to Richmond and San Diego State in Las Vegas. While there's no shame in losing to Virginia, getting taken to OT by Wyoming and losing to Richmond is a little shaky. Oregon enters on a 5-0 ATS run off a SU loss and they're 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games. The Ducks are one of the better defensive teams in college basketball and four players average at least 12 ppg at the other end of the floor. We'll look for the Golden Bears' struggles away from Haas Pavilion to continue. It's a big game for the Ducks as they look to avoid a 0-2 conference start. Lose here and they'd drop to 2 1/2 games behind Cal. But instead, I'm betting Oregon will come through. I'm laying the points with Oregon, my Wednesday Wipeout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Wednesday. We went against the Nets a couple nights ago on these pages and cashed with the Celtics. Boston was off two straight losses, losing to a pair of teams they shouldn't have, and bounced back in spread covering fashion. The Raptors are in the same situation tonight with the exception that while they were expected to beat Chicago, they weren't expected to beat Cleveland. Toronto went to sleep on the defensive end in both games, allowing 115 points and 122 points. Having said that, the Raptors are still 5th in the NBA in points allowed per game, allowing just over 97 points per contest. Toronto enters on a 19-7 ATS run after losing at least two consecutive games and NBA road teams are on a 25-10 ATS run after allowing 110 or more ppg in two straight games, provided they're facing a home team that allows at least 103 ppg. Brooklyn fits the bill and they have been worse of late, allowing 105 ppg over their last 16 contests. In fact, the Nets have been tagged for 100 or more points in 14 of their last 16 games. The Raptors lost their last two games against Brooklyn, but I'm betting they'll bounce back tonight in spread covering fashion. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Conf Mismatch GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Furman on Tuesday. Niko Medved has a team that most expect to land in the upper three spots in the Southern Conference this season. The Paladins returned their top eight players, including all five starters from last year's squad. No less than 10 players are averaging over 11 minutes played per contest with guard Stephen Croone leading the way (14.5 ppg). Furman clobbered VMI in the conference opener last time out, winning 85-57 as a 6 1/2 point favorite. UNC-Greensboro didn't fair so well in their conference opener, losing 87-76 to then 3-9 Wofford. The Spartans were hoping for better things after last season, but the best player on the team, Tevon Saddler left the program in November. UNCG is off to a sluggish 4-10 start to the season and won't match Furman's abilities or depth in this one. The Paladins enter on a 7-0 ATS conference run going back to last season, while the Spartans enter on a 0-6 ATS slide as a home dog of no more than three points. I'm laying the short points with Furman, my Southern Conf Knockout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Boston Celtics on Monday night. The Celtics went into their last two games with an 18-13 SU record and a four-game win streak in the books. With back-to-back home games against the Lakers & Nets, most felt the Celtics would extend that winning streak to at least six games before heading to Brooklyn tonight. Instead, Boston played sluggish basketball and lost both games. Players spoke about their poor starts, while Brad Stevens held himself accountable. But tonight, after two embarrassing defeats, Boston has a chance to right one of the wrongs. Brooklyn is hamstrung for the rest of the season after losing Jarrett Jack to an ACL injury in the win over Boston on Saturday. Neither Shane Larkin or Donald Sloan are capable of replacing Jack. Boston will have the head-to-head matchup advantage even if Avery Bradley (questionable) sits this one out with a sore hip. The Celtics are on a 20-8 ATS run on the road, while the Nets have dropped four of their last five ATS at home. I'm laying the points with Boston on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The 76ers are off a six-game, 11 day road trip, winning two of their half-dozen contests. Philly got "just what the doctor ordered" when taking on Sacramento and Phoenix. This time it's Minnesota getting the "right" opponent in the right situation. The 76ers are not only a team the T-Wolves should handle, but Philly is in their first home game off the lengthy road trip. And let's remember the Sixers are on a 3-13-1 ATS slide in their last 17 games overall, and just 1-7-1 ATS off a double-digit loss. Philly lost by 31 to the Clippers to close out the road trip. Minnesota may be on a 1-6 SU slide, but four of the losses came against Detroit, Indiana, and two times to the Spurs. They'll enter tonight's game on a 26-12-1 ATS run, following a double-digit home loss. The T-Wolves won the first meeting, using a 54-43 second half to gain the victory. Tonight, I expect a spread covering win on the road. I'm laying the points with the Timberwolves, my Road Warrior on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Fairfield on Monday night. While most eyes will be on the ACC or Big-12 tonight, we feel this contest is the one with the most value. The Stags have a chance to take it to a struggling Dartmouth team that can't shoot and can't defend. Fairfield has played a tough slate, yet still manages to knock down nearly 80 points per game. They're solid from the field, making 48% of their FGA at home, where they average over 15 assists per game. And while the Stags make nearly 30 FG's per game at home, Dartmouth makes less than 22 FG's on the road, hitting just 37.6% of their FGA. The Ivy League entry has allowed their "hosts" to make 48% of their shots on the season and have a minus-8 rebound margin. The Big Green are 9-24-1 ATS in their last 34 lined games and on a 0-6 ATS slide against teams from the MAAC. Meanwhile, Fairfield is on a 4-1 ATS run at home. Finally, Dartmouth simply doesn't have scorers, while the Stags have five players averaging between 19.4 ppg & 8.1 ppg. I'm laying the points with Fairfield, Monday's Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the SFO 49ers on Sunday. A horrible season for the Niners, but they can bookend it with wins if they knock-off the Rams in this one. St. Louis is off three straight wins, including last week's over Seattle, despite gaining just 205 yards of total offense on just 3.87 yards per play. Todd Gurley had a big game, but the star RB is doubtful for this one with a foot injury. More importantly, and getting to the situational part of this handicap, the Rams are on a 0-7 ATS slide on the road off a division game over the last three seasons, getting outscored by an average margin of 14 ppg. They have covered just three of their last 16 road games when coming off a game where they gained less than four yards per play. The offense doesn't reboot quickly after a poor outing. I'm grabbing the points with the 49ers, my Situational Shocker on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. This one looks like a match made in heaven if you're a Bengals' fan. Cincy has a ball-hawking secondary, producing 19 INTs on the season and the opposing QB will be Ryan Mallett, who believes in his arm so much that he forces passes into coverage. But it's more than just that. Cincy, having already won the AFC North will play all key players available on Sunday, according to reports. The Bengals can still win the AFC's #2 seed with a win over Baltimore and a Denver loss. There are a couple of other ways to gain the 2-seed, but that's the scenario they control. The Bengals will play hard since they go at 1 PM ET and Denver doesn't play until 4:25 PM ET. This one is also a case of the Ravens, who're done after this week, playing their "Super Bowl" in last week's win over chief rival Pittsburgh. The Ravens are also expected to take a look at young players in this contest. The Bengals are on a 9-2 ATS run against fellow AFC teams. Meanwhile, NFL home favorites of 3 1/2 to 10 points are on a 51-23 ATS run if they're off a SU road loss, provided their opponent is off an upset win over a division rival. Finally, Cincy has been "money" this season, going 12-2-1 ATS. I'm laying the points with the Bengals, my Mismatch on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Iowa State on Saturday. Steve Prohm was named Cyclone head coach over the summer. Prohm had an outstanding run in the same position at Murray State and is considered to be one of the best young coaches in the nation. Prohm should send Fred Hoiberg a thank you letter for leaving the program loaded with talent. The Cyclones are off to an 11-1 SU start under Prohm and will face an Oklahoma team thinking about the top perch in college basketball. Even Lon Kruger mentioned his team could move up to #1 with a win today. But standing in their way is not only an undervalued Cyclone squad, but also a taxing travel log so far this season. OU made two trips to Hawaii in December. The Sooners were there for a game and subsequent win over Villanova on December 7. They then came home to take on Oral Roberts and Creighton, then flew back to the nation's 50th state for three more games in four days, culminating with a win over Harvard on Christmas day. While they have been home for a few days, this is not going to be easy to win by margin against a team that will push the tempo. ISU ranks 10th in the nation, making over 50% of their FGA, and they average 86.1 ppg, also 10th in the nation. This is not the team you'd want to face following all that travel. The Cyclones are on a 4-0-1 ATS road run and they're 7-1 ATS after scoring at least 90 points...a true momentum team. Meanwhile, the Sooners are on a 1-7 ATS Big-12 slide. I'm grabbing the points with Iowa State, my Conf DogPound GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oregon on Saturday. We liked the Ducks at +1 when Boykin was expected to start for TCU. Even though the line is now as high as it is, with Boykin's absence, we still side with the Ducks as a play. TCU will rely on senior QB Bram Kolhausen or freshman QB Forest Sawyer. The two have combined for a grand total of 69 pass attempts this season, completing just 37, with 5 TD passes and 4 INTs. That's in comparison to Boykin's 31 TDs, 10 INTs, and 65% completion rate. There's obviously no way to make-up for Boykin's running ability nor his know-how. Another issue, neither QB will have the team's top receiver to throw to with Josh Doctson ruled out of the game (wrist). He nearly doubled the amount of receptions over TCU's second best receiver and more than doubled the next receiver's yardage. Aaron Greene has had a strong season running the football for the Horned Frogs, but he's thrust into the role of the main "player" at this point for TCU, taking on a different role than he's used to. I expect Oregon to pull away in this one with TCU's inability to "keep up." TCU has covered just one of its last six bowls, while the Ducks enter on a 4-1 ATS bowl run. I'm laying the points with the Oregon Ducks, my Knockout on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Stanford. Motivation is obviously a key part of the bowl handicap. In this case, we've seen an interested Cardinal team as they prepped for the Rose Bowl. Iowa, on the other hand, had high hopes of participating in college football's four-team playoffs, going undefeated until their final game of the season, the loss to Michigan State in the Big-10 title game. I am not one to play on a bowl team if they suffered their first loss of the season in their final game. Iowa must develop an early effective ground game if they're going to hang in this one. Stanford was as flat as can be in their season opening loss at Northwestern. But the Cardinal have scored 30 or more points in 12 straight games, including 35 or more nine times. Christian McCaffrey is a matchup nightmare for the Hawkeyes and he's not the only dangerous offensive performer for the Cardinal. QB Kevin Hogan has had a tremendous year, connecting on nearly 69% of his passes with 24 TDs and just 7 INTs. Five receivers have at least 248 yards receiving on the season and no less than 11 players have been on the receiving end of a Hogan TD pass in 2015. Meanwhile, the Iowa defense is middle of the pack against the pass, while the offense is one-dimensional, finishing the regular season ranked 89th in the passing game. Stanford has covered five of their last six bowl games and they're on a 12-4 ATS run, overall. The Pac-12 entry is 9-1 ATS under David Shaw after gaining at least 6.25 yards per play in two straight games, a true momentum team. They outscored those 10 opponents by an average margin of 24 ppg. I'm laying the points with Stanford, my New Year Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Northwestern on Friday. By now, those who have followed me know how much I like to back bowl teams that can run the football and stop the run. Northwestern does both incredibly well, averaging 193.2 yards rushing per game. Tennessee ranks 20th on the ground. But Northwestern stops the run (and the pass) like few others. The Wildcats rank 13th against the run, 26th defending the pass, and 11th in the nation overall, allowing just 310.5 yards per game. The Vols, meanwhile, are a little better than middle of the pack against both the run and pass. Northwestern won their first five games of the season and their final five games, losing to Michigan & Iowa in the middle. In fact, the Wildcats went 6-2 SU against bowl teams this season, including a 16-6 win over Stanford and a 13-7 road win at Wisconsin. The defense slammed the door over the final four games of the season, holding the opposition to 14 ppg. Tennessee didn't exactly look bowl bound with a 3-4 SU record through their first seven games. They won their final five games though, but none of the five wins came against teams playing in the postseason. The Vols played just six bowl teams this season, losing four. The passing game will be needed against the Wildcat defense and Tennessee would rather hand the ball off to Jalen Heard. After all, the passing game ranks 94th in the nation. Northwestern isn't likely to pile-up passing yardage either, but I do expect the offense to find more success than Tennessee's, based in part on the Wildcats' edge on the defensive side of the football. And besides their current 4-1 ATS run, the 'Cats are 46-27 ATS as a dog of 3 1/2 to 10 points. I'm grabbing the points with Northwestern, my Main Event. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Michigan State. 35 sacks! That's a stat we must mention in the handicap of this game. Michigan State's defense tallied all of those sacks thanks to intelligent defensive coaching, mixing several zone-blitz looks. Alabama QB Jake Coker has played above expectations, but I do believe he's going to have enough trouble against the Spartan defense to keep this one inside the number. He also might not get the same comfort-zone to pass in if the Spartans can keep Tide RB Derrick Henry from busting loose and keeping MSU honest. Remember, the Spartans were the only team to hold Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott in check, holding the Buckeye star to 33 yards on 12 carries, virtually eliminating him from Heisman contention. Some find Michigan State's numerous close wins as a reason to believe they're a little over-valued. But I tend to look at it as solid coaching and player-efficiency that gives the Spartans the chance to win games in the end. Mark D'Antonio and staff have done another terrific job. We're taking nothing away from Nick Saban and Alabama's talented roster. We just don't believe they'll cover this number. Bama has struggled ATS outside of SEC play, currently on a 2-10-1 slide in those games. Meanwhile, Michigan State is on a 33-16-2 ATS run against teams with a winning record and they're on a 4-0 ATS run in bowl action. I'm grabbing the points with Michigan State, my Playoff Hammer! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Wisconsin on Wednesday night. Despite less than typical Wisconsin-like offensive numbers this season, the Badgers still finished 9-3 SU, with three losses coming against Alabama, Iowa, and Northwestern. The Tide are in the running for a possible national title, the Hawkeyes missed a spot in the CFB playoffs by one game, and the Wildcats are a sturdy 10-2 and playing in a New Year's Day bowl game. The three teams own a combined record of 34-4 SU. The Badger defense is nasty, stingy, and fierce, and I expect the unit to cause problems for the USC offense. Wisconsin ranks #4 against the run, allowing just 98 yards rushing per game. They're 6th against the pass, 3rd in total yards allowed per game (267.1), and #1 in scoring defense allowing just 13.1 ppg. USC QB Cody Kessler (thumb) is expected to play and he does possess future NFL weaponry at WR to throw to. But with the way Wisconsin has played on defense, I do believe the Badgers will throw a wrench into the USC attack. And let's not forget the Trojans lost five games this season, including two of their last three, while averaging less than 25 ppg in the losses. The USC defense has been a mess most of the season, ranked 96th against the pass, while also allowing over 400 total yards per game. They were scorched for 41 points or more on four occasions this season. USC allowed nearly 5 yards per carry over their last three games and saw their last six opponents complete 123 of 175, a whopping 70.3% of their passes, with 14 TDs and only 4 INTs. It's no wonder Clay Helton canned DC Justin Wilcox and three other assistants after the final game of the season. Look for Wisconsin to take full advantage. I'm taking the points with Wisconsin, my Wednesday night Hammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Wednesday. Toronto is looking to land back in the win column following a loss to Chicago last time out. The Raptors are facing a banged-up Wizards' squad and I expect them to take full advantage. Toronto has taken the last four regular season meetings, including gaining a measure of revenge on November 28, a small make-up for a playoff series loss to Washington last postseason. Kyle Lowry came up big, especially on the defensive end in the 84-82 win in DC last month, I expect nothing less from Lowry in this one, and for the rest of the Raptors to help pull away from the injured Wizards. Washington got hammered by the Clippers last time out and have not bounced back well from wide-margin losses, going just 5-11-1 ATS the last 17 times following a loss by more than 10 points. Meanwhile, Toronto is on a 7-3 ATS run following a SU loss. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Slam Dunk release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Nevada on Tuesday. These teams are obviously familiar with each other since both reside in the Mountain West Conference. However, they did not meet this season. The last time they met, Colorado State emerged victorious with a 31-24 win. This year's matchup provides us with an excellent ground game against a porous run defense. The Wolf Pack offense owns a top-30 running game and is one of two teams with two 1,000-yard rushers. Meanwhile, the Rams have been horrible against the run, allowing 208 yards rushing per game, which ranks 108th in the nation. We should note that Nevada is on a 6-1 SU run when they rush for at least 200 yards in a game. We've seen a few of these kind of matchups so far this bowl season and have found success when we've stepped in on teams with strong ground games (leading into Tuesday). Nevada might also have a new wrinkle or two in the Pistol offense with WR's coach Jim Hofher taking over the offensive play-calling. Colorado State's offense has shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with a high turnover rate...one of the worst turnover margins in the nation, and the Pack have a ball-hawking secondary, ready to take full advantage. As they head into Tuesday's contest, the Wolf Pack are on a 4-0-1 ATS run against fellow MWC teams. I'm taking the points with Nevada, my Bowl Hammer on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Central Michigan on Tuesday. The Chippewas got off to a disappointing 3-4 SU start, but the record hardly tells the story. CMU went into the 2015-16 season expecting big results with five starters back in the mix and coming off an outstanding season. But the Chips weren't at full strength for their first seven games. However, they are now with the return of Chris Fowler. The Chips' guard returned on December 7 and CMU is 3-1 SU ever since. Fowler could be called the "glue" to this team. He's averaged 13.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 6 apg through his first four contests. The senior played in 94 games through his first three seasons and piled-up 532 assists to just 259 turnovers, a better than 2:1 ratio. He's averaged 16.2 and 17 ppg over the last two seasons, while nailing 50.1% of his shots. And with Fowler back in the mix, we saw CMU blast Howard 72-52. I bring up that particular game because Howard beat William & Mary 79-77 on November 28. Obviously, you can't base a team's strength off of one common opponent, but you can see that CMU is a different handicap now with Fowler back on the floor. The Chips now have six players averaging between 15.3 ppg & 8.2 ppg. John Simons is a beast on the glass and Rayshawn Simmons has already dished our 68 assists in 11 games. Simmons (14 ppg) & Fowler have combined for 54 assists and just 19 turnovers in CMU's last four games. William & Mary will be a player in their own conference, the CAA, but I believe they're laying too many points in this one. The now healthy Chips are getting some respect, but not enough, in my opinion. I'm grabbing the points with Central Michigan, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Air Force on Tuesday. As a bettor you do yourself a favor most bowl seasons if you look to play on strong running teams, especially if they're facing poor run defenses. That's the case in this one. Air Force owns the second best running game in college football, averaging 322 yards rushing per contest. They'll face Cal's 102nd ranked run defense that allows over 203 yards rushing per contest. The Falcons are led by thousand-yard rusher Jacobi Owens, who leads no less than seven players who have rushed for more than 300 yards this season. But Cal is not just horrible against the run. The Bears rank 94th against the pass and I expect a few Air Force play-action passes in this one. Cal QB Jared Goff put up serious numbers this season, but he has no ground game to keep the Air Force defense honest and the AFA stop unit has played well against both the run and pass this season. Cal went 0-6 ATS this season against teams that averaged at least 425 yards per game. Meanwhile the Falcons are on a 6-1 ATS run as an underdog. I'm taking the points with Air Force, my Daytime Knockout on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cardinals on Sunday. Green Bay has won three straight games after falling to 7-4 a few weeks ago. But the opponent gets much tougher this week after beating Detroit, Dallas, and Oakland. Green Bay is also getting quite a bit of notice for their offensive play since HC Mike McCarthy took over the play-calling two games ago. But facing the Cardinals means you're taking on the league's 4th best run defense and 7th best defense in total yards allowed per game. The run stat is an important one because McCarthy has been relying on the duo of Lacy & Starks in the running game to take pressure off of the offensive line and Aaron Rodgers in the passing game. I do believe Arizona owns the goods to slow down Green Bay's ground attack, even with the season-ending injury to Tyrann Mathieu. After all, it's Patrick Peterson's responsibility to match-up with an opponent's top receiver. Offensively, Arizona ranks 3rd through the air, 6th on the ground, and #1 in total yards per game. The running game will face Green Bay's mediocre-at-best run defense. That's a winning proposition for the Cardinals and when the ground game gets going, Carson Palmer and his outstanding receivers will make the Pack pay. Arizona enters this one on a 16-3 ATS regular season run when favored by less than seven points, or is an underdog. I'm laying the points with the Cardinals, my Mismatch GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Falcons, my KO GOW for Sunday, 12/27. We are on this one for several reasons, including the fact that teams that have been undefeated after 14 or more games have been horrible spread teams. Carolina (14-0) almost succumbed to the pressure in week-15, but due to mental on-field meltdowns by Odell Beckham, a dropped TD pass, and a couple of poor red-zone decisions by Eli Manning, the Panthers were able to hold on for a 38-35 win. We had the Giants plus the points and cashed, despite the fact they dug themselves a major hole. Atlanta finally got back in the win column in week-15, thanks in part to Julio Jones lighting up the Jaguar defense. Jones was slowed down by Josh Norman and company in the first meeting of the season, but still finished with seven receptions for 88 yards. I expect a different outcome this time with Jones making more of an impact. Carolina, like all other teams who have reached this point of the season without a loss are the hunted. And I believe the Falcons will hang the number. I'm grabbing the points with the Atlanta Falcons, my KO GOW on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the NY Jets on Sunday. New York went into the fourth quarter of this year's first meeting, leading 17-16. While they eventually lost 30-23, the Jets know they matchup well with the Patriots. The Jets' defensive line held New England's offensive line in-check all game and I believe they'll do so again, especially with New England's RB issues. Steven Jackson is the newest Patriots' RB, but he may not see a lot of action, or at least get a lot of carries this week. And in this meeting, the Jets have a healthy safety in Calvin Pryor to go toe-to-toe with Gronkowski. That's another positive over the first meeting when Pryor was not 100% healthy. Offensively, I like the matchups for the Jets, especially with Decker and Marshall taking on a New England secondary with a ton of injury issues. The Jets enter on a 9-1-2 ATS December run. Meanwhile, the Pats are 0-3-2 ATS in their last five against winning teams. I'm taking the points with the NY Jets, my Week-16 Hammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Duke on Saturday. Most folks are expecting a high scoring game. I get that, but I do believe it'll be Indiana's defense that gives up the majority of those points. I actually have Duke with the higher power rating of the two teams. Both teams can pile up the yardage and the points, but Duke owns the much better defense even with safety Jeremy Cash listed as out for this one with a wrist injury. But Duke was strong against the run, ranked 38th in the nation and they allowed just over 370 total yards per game. The Hoosiers are a disaster on the defensive side of the football, allowing 37 ppg, while ranked 128th against the pass and 121st in total yards allowed per contest. While this should be a high scoring game, I expect a few defensive stands to be the difference in this game and Duke wins that battle. The Blue Devils are on a 26-13 ATS run. They're 11-3 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games, and 12-4 ATS under HC Cutcliffe when the line is in a +3/-3 range. I'm grabbing the points with the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Washington on Saturday. Great season for Southern Miss, but we went against them in their finale and cashed when the Eagles lost 45-28 to Western Kentucky. And we say now what we said then, Southern Miss has beaten just one team that currently owns a .500 record or better. The win came against La Tech. Southern Miss won 58-24, but the final score was misleading. The Eagles led 24-17 well into the third quarter, but eventually took advantage of no less than seven La Tech turnovers. Before the 17-point loss to WKU, and before the game with La Tech, Southern Miss played just two other teams with a winning record, losing 34-16 to Mississippi State and 31-10 to Marshall. That 13 ppg average was a far cry from the 47 ppg they scored against their other 10 opponents (before WKU). And high powered Southern Miss averaged just 4.92 yards per play, 3.2 yards per run, and 6.13 yards per pass with two TD passes and three INTs. Those were a few of the reasons we backed WKU a few weeks ago and are some of the same reasons we'll back Washington in this one. The Huskies scored a coaching coup when Chris Peterson agreed to sign-on, and this is one coach we know will have his team focused. Washington is 6-6 SU, but just 15 points from a 9-3 mark. And they won their final two games with ease, outscoring Oregon State & Washington State, 97-17. The defense is the best in the Pac-12 and will be a serious step-up in level of competition for Southern Miss. RB Myles Gaskin leads the U-W offense and I expect the offensive line to provide plenty of room, eventually opening up lanes in the passing game. We should note that teams off of back-to-back wins by 28 or more points are on a 60-23 ATS run, provided their opponent allowed more than 36 ppg in their previous contest. And Washington is on an 8-1 ATS run as a favorite of 3 1/2 to 10 points, outscoring those nine opponents by 22 ppg. I'm laying the points with Washington, my Main Event. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. We have ridden the Spurs to the win column several times this season and we'll look to do so again tonight. Houston has been a major disappointment, both before and since the firing of Kevin McHale. They don't play an intense enough brand of defensive basketball when stepping up to the level of the San Antonio Spurs. That's a killer if you're the Rockets. The Spurs are on a 16-5 ATS run against teams that allow 99 or more ppg, winning by an average margin of 15 ppg. I've mentioned before that I believe this is the best Spurs' team since Popovich arrived on the scene and I'm sticking to it. Both ends of the court are played with an intense team effort, and even LaMarcus Aldridge has bought into Spurs' basketball. Kawhi Leonard is a defensive star and Tony Parker looks like he found the Fountain of Youth during the off-season. Once again, if the Spurs are focused, this one gets ugly. San Antonio has won and covered seven straight games, winning by an average margin of more than 21 ppg. I'm laying the points once again, with the Spurs, my Friday Knockout. Merry Christmas and best of luck. Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday. We have backed the Spurs twice in the last week and cashed both times, including their 106-92 win and cover last time out against the Pacers. San Antone enters tonight's game with a 24-5 SU record and 21 of those wins have come by double digits. Tony Parker is on fire, nailing over 55% of his shots in his last four games and ball movement is as crisp as it gets. The Spurs are aiming for the best record in the NBA this season, they want home court advantage in the playoffs. Because of this, we aren't going to see a lot of "nights off," and even when a star or two takes a night off, this Spurs' version is so deep, those getting more playing time will continue to work towards the goal of the best record. And obviously, with Golden State cooking, San Antonio understands what's at hand. The Spurs certainly took no games off against Minnesota last season, winning and covering all four meetings. San Antonio averaged 118.8 ppg in those outings, topping 120 points in three of the four games and winning by an average margin of 23 ppg. The Spurs are on an 8-0 ATS run after covering three straight games as a favorite of seven or more and they're on a 10-2 ATS run against teams with a losing record, winning by an average final of 104-84. Meanwhile, the T-Wolves are just 2-11-1 ATS at home this season, allowing over 105 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Wednesday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Georgia Southern on Wednesday night. Nice start spread-wise for the MAC, after entering this postseason on a 14-28 ATS slide. We had Akron yesterday, but today we'll go against MAC entry Bowling Green. First of all, the Falcons will be without popular and successful HC Dino Babers, who has taken the same position at Syracuse. The Falcons enjoyed slinging the ball around under Babers and I expect the new look to be high powered also, under new HC Mike Jinks. But that'll have to wait until next season before Jinks can sink his teeth into this program's playbook. This year's defense was another story, repeatedly through the air, ranked 94th in the nation against the pass. They were mediocre against the run. Georgia Southern will offer the top-ranked running game in the nation, basing everything out of their triple-option look. Normally, with extra time to prep, some defenses are able to get a grasp on how to cover option offenses. But BGSU is not as quick as GASO and with the coaching situation, I expect the Falcons to struggle against Kevin Ellison, Matt Breida, LA Ramsby, and the rest of the Eagles' ground game. Breida ran for over 1,500 yards on 8.1 yards per carry. In all, GASO has four players who have topped 600 yards rushing this season and three of those gained more than 6 yards per carry. Here's the kicker: The Eagles also plays defense, ranked 27th against the run, 39th against the pass, and 21st in total yards allowed per game. GASO is on a 10-2 ATS run in non-conference action and they're 13-4 ATS against teams that complete at least 58% of their passes. I'm grabbing the points with Georgia Southern, my Bowl Hammer on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Monmouth on Wednesday. We have been involved in several Monmouth games this season, winning every time, including their win last week over Georgetown and another win when we went against them in their non-cover last time out at Rutgers. The Hawks were laying the same number at Rutgers that they are here and we feel they're undervalued this time. Monmouth probably should have covered against the Scarlet-Knights. The Hawks, leading the nation in FT shooting, making nearly 80% of their attempts on the season, made just 11 of 20 FTA against Rutgers. Don't expect that to happen again. Justin Robinson leads this guard-heavy and talented squad, averaging nearly 20 ppg. He, Micah Seaborn, and Je'lon Hornbeck are all strong ball-handlers and get the "rock" to open teammates well, while Deon Jones is a beast on the glass. Defensively, the Hawks have held their opponents to 38.7% shooting, including 29.7% from behind the arc. And remember, they have posted those numbers against a schedule that has included games against UCLA, Georgetown, two games against USC, and a matchup with Notre Dame, and none of those games were played at home. Cornell is 4-0 SU at home, (5-5 SU, overall), but they are taking a serious step-up in this one. Three of Cornell's home wins came against Lafayette, Binghamton, and Penn State-Harrisburg. Their only home win of any note came against Siena, a fortunate one-point victory after trailing the Saints by double-digits in the second half. The Big Red are not a good shooting team, are upside down on the glass, and struggle on the defensive end, where they rank 268th in FG percentage allowed and 227th defending the trey. Several players for Cornell are upside down in the assist-turnover category and even their assist leader, Robert Hatter, has 43 turnovers and just 45 assists. Monmouth enters on a 5-1 ATS run, while the Big Red are 1-7 ATS in their last eight lined games. I'm laying the points with Monmouth, my Wednesday Wipeout! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wichita State on Tuesday night. This marks the fourth time we have played the Shockers this season and so far we're 2-1. Our loss came over the weekend when the Shockers blew a double-digit lead in the second half, eventually losing outright to Seton Hall as a 4-point favorite. The Shockers simply went ice cold. But as the team gets healthier, we expect Gregg Marshall's troops to catch fire. Anton Grady made his return against the Pirates, but he was rusty. I expect a big game in his second game back. We are also seeing Kansas transfer Connor Frankamp begin to get comfortable in his new digs. Frankamp scored 13 points in 21 minutes last time out, after scoring a total of just 7 points in a grand total of just 28 minutes through his first two games. And of course, Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker will only become even more effective as the team begins to round into shape. Nevada is the unfortunate opponent tonight as the Shockers look to bounce back from the game that got away. Nevada is on a 1-5 ATS slide, overall, and they have covered just 7 of their last 27 off a spread loss. Wichita State enters on a 44-28 ATS run, overall. I'm laying the points with Wichita State, my Tuesday Night BLOWOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Both teams have won four of their last five games, but the Pistons have been a mess on the road, winning and covering just three of their last 11. And tonight, Miami will look to exact some revenge for a 104-81 loss to the Pistons on November 25. Miami ranks 4th in the NBA, holding their opponents to 31.8% shooting from behind the arc. They're 3rd stingiest in FG percentage allowed, overall. This is why the meeting last month was so out of character. In fact, it was out of character for both teams. Detroit, one of the worst shooting teams in the league inside or outside the arc, nailed 16 of 31 3-pointers. Take a 1 of 6 night from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out of the mix and the rest of the Piston players made 15 of 25 treys. That's equivalent to a 22.5 of 25 night from inside the arc, or 90% shooting. Andre Drummond had his best overall night of the season, to go along with it. Dwyane Wade stated after the game that his team did just about everything wrong and it was more of their failures than it was Detroit's play. Detroit enters this one on a 1-4 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record and I expect the Heat to take full advantage and gain that measure of revenge. I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat, my NBA Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with Akron on Tuesday. Experienced and motivation are the key words to describe Akron's defense and the entire team's attitude heading into Tuesday's afternoon contest. They're also led by Terry Bowden and Chuck Amato, who aren't exactly in their first rodeo. Akron will face a Utah State squad with bigger and better things on their mind than the Idaho Potato Bowl after whipping Boise State, 52-26. But the Aggies finished 2-4 SU and had to settle for yet another bowl trip to Boise. The motivational edge certainly lies with the Zips, who're making their first bowl appearance since 2005. Chuckie Keeton will wrap-up his injury-filled career in this one. But the Aggies' QB has completed just 53% of his passes the last two seasons with 5 TD passes and 10 INTs. We'll see a pair of QBs in all likelihood for USU, but I don't expect either to have their way with the Aggies' defense. Akron enters having won and covered four straight games, while the Aggies have dropped four straight ATS and seven of their last 10 outside of conference play. I'm grabbing the points with Akron on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Pacers normally go as Paul George goes and the Spurs have the "sweet elixir" to slow down the Pacer star in Kawhi Leonard. And thanks to the signing of LaMarcus Aldridge and his ability to "dial it down" and play Gregg Popovich, Spurs basketball, along with a rejuvenated Tony Parker, this may be the best team we have seen in San Antonio. The Spurs aren't letting up as they have done in seasons past. This team wants homecourt advantage and are playing hard each and every night. Besides, the depth is in place if any of the aging vets take a night off. San Antone will look to extend their 2015-16 home record to 16-0 SU tonight and I expect them to do so. The Spurs are 11-4 at home ATS, where they have won by an average margin of more than 16 ppg. And they're on a 6-0 ATS run at home against teams with a losing road record. Indiana has lost four straight on the road, both SU & ATS, (10-0 combined w/ 6-0 mark mentioned above), getting outscored by an average of more than 12 ppg. They're 2-9 ATS in their last 11 against Western Conference opponents. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Perfect-10 on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Southern Illinois on Monday night. The Salukis are off to a 9-2 start to the season and unlike some of the SIU teams we have seen over the last decade, they're filling the basket. The Salukis are averaging over 80 ppg on 49% shooting, ranked 28th in FG accuracy. Leading scorer Anthony Beane (20.2 ppg) goes unmatched in this one. Same goes for Sean O'Brien, who not only averages 14 ppg, but also grabs 6.8 rpg. O'Brien teams up with Bola Olaniyan, to combined for nearly 15 rpg. And with Mike Rodriguez leading the way, averaging almost 4 apg and just over 1 tpg, the Salukis have a fierce combination under Barry Hinson. St. Louis has lost its swag as the Rick Majerus influence has faded. The late coach built SLU into a top-notch basketball program, but Jim Crews has not been able to follow suit. The program has faded since the start of last season. The Billikens are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 home games and 0-7 ATS off a SU loss. I went against SLU once this season and won (Wichita State). I'll go against them tonight and we expect to land in the win column again. I'm backing Southern Illinois, my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Chargers on Sunday. Yes, the Chargers are struggling through their worst record in 12 years and they have been hit by an injury epidemic all season. But SDG is 4th in the NFL in passing offense and given just a sliver of time, Philip Rivers will carve-up the shaky and worn down Miami secondary. Rivers is still an elite QB and while the Dolphins are still alive for a postseason berth, they're far from a true quality postseason team. The team was gassed on Monday night due to a lack of depth on defense. Suh had to play nearly every defensive snap. They're on a short week and it's a defense that ranks 30th against the run, 26th in pass defense, and 28th in ppg allowed. This unit is "just what the doctor ordered" for the Chargers to wrap-up possibly their final home game in San Diego on a winning note. Miami heads into this one on a 2-11 ATS slide after allowing at least 375 yards of total offense in consecutive games; they don't bounce back well. And they're on a 0-9 ATS December slide. I'm backing the Chargers, my Smackdown on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the NY Giants on Sunday. The Panthers expect to be without RB Jonathan Stewart (foot) when Sunday's contest with New York gets underway. That's tough news for an offense without much depth at the position. Mike Tolbert & Forrest Whitaker have combined to run the football just 63 times this season. I'm a Cam Newton fan and maybe he deserves the MVP award, but he's completed less than 60% of his passes in eight of 13 games and he's finished at 50% or less in four games. The NY Giants have Odell Beckham on their side, and unlike some of the other top receivers the Panthers have faced, Beckham has a Super Bowl winning QB to deliver the football. In fact, after facing Julio Jones (struggling offense), Dez Bryant (QB mess), Deandre Hopkins (no true starting QB in Houston), Allen Robinson (Jags), and T.Y. Hilton (QB mess), this marks the first time Josh Norman will face an elite receiver with a QB who can get the job done. The Giants are just 6-7 SU, but they're a handful of plays and botched coaching moves from a 10-2 record. Road teams playing at least .750 football are 9-29 ATS if they're off a divisional win. Meanwhile, the Giants are on a 9-2 ATS run over the last two seasons against teams that average at least 7 yards per pass. They have defended those teams well, and have averaged 31 ppg, while allowing 24 ppg in those 11 outings. I'm taking the points with the NY Giants, my Top Hammer release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Houston Texans on Sunday. Neither team will have their starting QB for this one. Instead, Houston expects to start to T.J. Yates, while the Colts will likely start Matt Hasselbeck, despite injured ribs. Indy is a mess no matter who plays QB, thanks to poor offensive line play and the inability for Hasselbeck to hook-up with Andre Johnson, who has become invisible on the field. Then there's the horrible Colts' defense that has allowed 96 points and over 900 yards of offense over the last two games. The Colts' defense should be "just what the doctor ordered" for the Texans to take sole position of the AFC South. Yates has shown he can handle his time behind center in the brief moments he's been on the field. I believe a start against the Indy "stop" unit will allow him to shine for the Texans on Sunday. We should note that road teams with a +3/-3 line range and following a game where they scored no more than 14 points are on a 24-5 ATS run, provided their opponent scored no more than 17 points in each of their previous two games. And the Colts are just 5-17 ATS after back-to-back double digit losses. Houston has not beaten the Colts since December 2012, but I'm betting they'll snap the skid on Sunday. I'm grabbing the points with the Texans, my Knockout Blowout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.