DOLPHINS @ PATRTOTS TOTAL

The Miami Dolphins are always up for a game against their AFC East rival and have won three of the last five meetings with the New England Patriots outright. 

No one knows where the Pats stand as they haven't been able to play even a preseason game since losing Tom Brady to Tampa Bay, and even though Bill Belichick is a terrific coach, one must wonder if he'll have the New England offense ready for this. 

Cam Newton will start for the Patriots, but he might need some time to settle in and we can note that the Pats have not only lost Brady, but they've also been hit hard with players opting out because of concerns over the coronavirus. 

Additionally to Miami covering the spread, I also like the under. 

Dolphins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 1. Patriots are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.

Under is 4-1 in Dolphins last 5 games in September. Under is 5-1 in Patriots last 6 games in September.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL): MIKE'S CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TOTAL *BEST BET*

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a wild 51-31 win over Houston in the divisional round, but I think we'll see a much lower-scoring game when they take on the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game.

Tennessee's two playoff games have seen just 33 and 40 points respectively, and we can note that the under is 5-2 in the Chiefs' last seven games.

The Titans will rely on running back Derrick Henry to move the ball, and while he's likely to have decent success, it will also drain the clock and keep the ball out of KC QB Patrick Mahomes' hands.

While the Chiefs are capable of explosive plays as seen in last week's shootout, note that the Titans have held their last two opponents to 12 and 13 points, despite facing the Pats and the Ravens! 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NCAAF): MIKE'S CLEMSON VS. LSU TOTAL *BEST BET*

The Clemson Tigers top ranked defense limited the powerful Ohio State Buckeyes to 23 points in the Fiesta Bowl. That was the most points they've allowed all season, and I think they'll make life difficult for LSU in the NCAA Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. 

The Tigers put up 63 points in their win over Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl, but the Sooners defense was extremely underwhelming. LSU QB Joe Burrow shredded Oklahoma with 493 passsing yards and seven(!) touchdown passes while also adding 22 yards and a score on the ground, but with two weeks to prepare you better believe Clemson coach Dabo Swinney will have done his homework on the Heisman trophy winner. 

As for the Tigers offense, that's not where the team's strength is. Sure, their 45.3 ppg ranks fourth in the nation, but that's against much worse teams than LSU. They can afford to turn this into a shootout, and I think the value is on the under in this matchup. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED DIVISIONAL ROUND TOTAL

The San Francisco 49ers defense was dominant at the start of the season but got worn down and faded down the stretch. They will be fresh and healthy following a bye week and I expect to see a low-scoring contest in their divisional-round matchup with Minnesota. 

The Vikings held Drew Brees and the Saints to 20 points in their wild-card matchup last week and the team ranks 6th in the NFL for points allowed. The Niners defense ranks second in the NFL for points allowed and no team is better at stopping the pass with the team holding opponents to 169.2 passing yards per game. 

Additionally, Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has a tendency to choke in big games and I don't trust Niners' signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo to have a big game in his first postseason outing. 

Under is 8-3-1 in Vikings last 12 playoff games. Under is 17-8-1 in Vikings last 26 games as a road underdog.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED VIKES @ SAINTS TOTAL

This number has moved up several points since the opener, and I disagree completely with the move. 

The Minnesota Vikings have been held to 20 points or fewer in three of their last four games, and QB Kirk Cousins has a tendency to do poorly in prime time games. While this technically isn't a prime time game, he'll no doubt know that all eyes will on this game. 

Additionally, star tailback Dalvin Cook has missed the past two with a shoulder injury and the New Orleans Saints rank fourth in the NFL for rushing yards allowed.  

As for the Saints offense, they've scored 34 points or more in four straight games, but Minnesota owns a stronger D than any of the teams they faced during that stretch.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 17 TOTAL

The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and are as a result expected to rest their starters. I don't see their backups moving the ball well against a Pittsburgh defense that is one of the best in the league, particularly with the Steelers highly motivated and still in the race for a wild-card spot.

As for the Steelers offense, it's been lackluster all season long and ranks 30th for total yards and 26th for points scored.

The Steelers have played seven straight unders and only three of their 15 games on the season have gone over the total. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 16 TOTAL

I think points will come at a premium for both sides at Foxboro this Saturday, and even though we're seeing a very low total I don't think the books can make this low enough. Buffalo is averaging only 20.9 ppg while the Pats have held opponents to 12.9 ppg and the Bills have scored 17 points in back-to-back games. As for New England, while it broke out for 34 points last time out, that was against the Bengals ... It had averaged only 17.6 ppg through its last five prior to that and the Bills defense ranks second to the Pats for points allowed at 15.9 ppg. 

Under is 7-0 in Bills last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Under is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 home games. Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED NFL TOTAL FOR WEEK 15

I think Sunday afternoon's matchup between the LA Rams and the Dallas Cowboys will be a relatively low-scoring affair. Dallas has averaged just 13 ppg through a three-game slide, and here it'll face a Rams defense that has been one of the best in the league since acquiring star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The under is 7-1 in the Rams last 8 games overall and 12-3 in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. 

10* play on UNDER. 

TEXANS @ TITANS SUNDAY AFTERNOON TOTAL

The Tennessee Titans have won four on the bounce while averaging 37.5 points per game with Ryan Tannehill at the helm. The Houston Texans took a disappointing 38-24 home loss to the Denver Broncos last week and their defense ranks 25th in total defense and 27th in the league against the pass. On the offensive side of the ball, Houston rarely has any issues to move the ball and I expect a big bounce back game from QB Deshaun Watson who threw for 292 yards with a TD and two INTs last week. 

Over is 7-0 in Titans last 7 games overall.

8* play on OVER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT JETS @ RAVENS *TOP PLAY*

This should be a game the Baltimore Ravens will be looking to win with as little effort as possible. Star QB Lamar Jackson is dinged up, and even though he's expected to play Jackson could be heading to the bench once/if the Ravens build up a comfortable lead. After that, they can lean on their defense to get the job done. 

The NY Jets do not have the players to challenge elite defenses and should find it difficult to move the ball against this vaunted Baltimore defense that has allowed an average of 12 ppg through its last five contests. 

Under is 9-4 in Jets last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Under is 5-1 in Ravens last 6 games as a home favorite.

10* play on UNDER. 

GIANTS @ EAGLES MONDAY NIGHT *TOP PLAY*

The New York Giants have dropped eight straight since their 2-2 start to the season. They've put up a total of just 27 points through their last two games and scored just 13 against Green Bay's porous defense last time out. 

As for the Philadelphia Eagles, they're losers of three straight and had scored just 19 points through the first two prior to a particularly embarrassing 37-31 loss at Miami last time out. I expect the Eagles' defense to bounce back in a big way, and it should not have much to fear from a Giants' team that will have a rusty Eli Manning under center for the first time since Week 2 as rookie Daniel Jones is out with an ankle sprain. 

Moving the ball on the ground won't be easy against the Eagles' elite run defense, and I don't see the Giants putting many points on the board. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL): MIKE'S BEST NFL TOTAL FOR 2018/19 REG SEASON!

The LA Chargers are 8-4 to the under this season. Last week's matchup at Denver saw 43 points scored between the two teams with a closing total of 39, but I'm extremely confident the total is set too high when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday afternoon. 

Points have been hard to come by for Jacksonville all season, but recent weeks have been particularly poor with an average of just 11.8 ppg through a four-game skid. Gardner Minshew will be back at the helm following a disastrous Nick Foles comeback, but I don't see him moving the ball freely against this competent Chargers defense that tranks 4th in the NFL against the pass with fewer than 200 passing yards allowed per game. 

Additionally, note that the Chargers are one of the slowest teams in the NFL taking almost 29 seconds between plays and the Jags are unlikely to push the tempo as a home dog. 

Under is 20-5-1 in Chargers last 26 games in December. Under is 9-2 in Jaguars last 11 home games.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND TOTAL

The Clemson Tigers will do battle with the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2019 ACC Championship Game Saturday night, but looking at the points spread it's not supposed to be much of a contest. 

The Tigers are favored by four touchdowns, and while scores should come easy for this very talented Clemson team, I like the Cavs to put their fair share of points on the board as well. 

This is the fifth game of the season as a dog for Virginia with three of the previous four going over the total. It's last time out as an underdog it put up 39 points in a straight up win over Virginia Tech as senior quarterback Bryce Perkins had another big game with 475 yards total offense and three scores. 

Clemson has limited its last two opponents to three points each, but Virginia has more offensive firepower than Wake Forest and South Carolina.

10* play on OVER. 

TOP RATED COWBOYS @ BEARS THURSDAY NIGHT TOTAL

The Dallas Cowboys took a 26-15 loss to Buffalo last week and their sputtering offense has scored a total of just 24 points over the last two games. Dallas still owns the top ranked offense at 432.8 yards per game, but moving the ball against a Chicago Bears team that ranks near the top of the league for most defensive categories and has allowed an average of just 17.3 ppg on the season won't be easy. As for the Bears offense, they scare no one with only Washington, the NY Jets and Miami averaging fewer total yards of offense per game. 

The cold Chicago weather won't do either team's offense any favors either, and we can note that under is 13-3 in Cowboys last 16 games in December and 4-0 in Bears last 4 games in December. Additionally, the under is 5-0 in Bears last 5 games as an underdog.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Houston Texans have won three of their last four following a 20-17 win over Indianapolis last week. The lone loss during that four-game stretch was of the blowout variety at Baltimore, and I think they'll find it hard to keep it close here when hosting another of the true elite teams in the NFL Sunday afternoon. 

The New England Patriots have just one loss on the season (to Baltimore) and they're 7-4 ATS, despite often asked to cover inflated numbers. They came up just short of covering the point spread in a 13-9 win over Dallas last week but are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game and 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games in December.

The Texans on the other hand are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games in December and 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. 

The Pats have a chance to wrap up a playoff spot with a win here, and you better believe Bill Belichick would prefer to clinch it ASAP. 

Additionally, I like the trends supporting a relatively low-scoring game:

Under is 10-2 in Patriots last 12 games in December. Under is 25-10 in Patriots last 35 road games. Under is 8-1 in Texans last 9 home games. Under is 8-3 in Texans last 11 games in December.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED SUNDAY AFTERNOON TOTAL

I expect points to come relatively easy for both teams when the 6-5 Indianapolis Colts host the 6-5 Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon. 

Tennessee has scored a total of 77 points in its last two games and QB Ryan Tannehill has a 10-4 TD/INT ratio since taking over from Marcus Mariota. The Titans churned out 219 rushing yards with four scores on the ground against Jacksonville last time out, and here they'll face a Colts D that has allowed 144.2 rushing yards per game on the season. 

As for the Titans D, it has allowed 52 points in the last two games and the Colts will be desperate for a win after losing three of their last four. 

Over is 5-0 in Titans last 5 games overall.

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED REG SEASON TOTAL

I'm confident we'll see this early Saturday afternoon matchup between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Illinois Fighting Illini stay under the total. 

Illinois has had a solid season by its standards, despite dropping a 19-10 decision at Iowa last week. Limiting Iowa to fewer than 20 points is quite impressive, and the Fighting Illini have played solid defense in recent weeks resulting in four of its last five going under the total. 

As for Northwestern, It has struggled to put points on the board all season and has averaged just 8.8 points scored away from home. That being said, the Wildcats have also allowed only 22.0 ppg on the road and the under is 4-0 in Wildcats four road games on the season. ´

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED NFL TOTAL FOR NOVEMBER

The Atlanta Hawks defense has improved a lot lately and they've held their last two opponents to a combined 12 points. 

The Falcons are still one of the worst teams in the league against the pass and allowed a mediocre QB like Kyle Allen to throw for 325 yards last week (but also picked him off four times). Here they'll face a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that very much prefers to move the ball through the air and ranks 4th in the NFL with 285.6 passing yards per game. 

One of the few teams ahead of the Bucs in passing yards per game is Atlanta with its 300.3 pypg, and while Tampa Bay is one of the best teams at stopping the run, it is the second-worst in the league against the pass. 

I expect both teams to have plenty of success with explosive plays and a pass first, run second approach which also will stop the clock from running. 

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 11 TOTAL

The Atlanta Falcons have allowed 28.1 ppg on the season, but their defense has been playing much better in recent weeks. Last time out they held Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints without a touchdown in a 26-9 win, and here today they will face a Carolina team that scored just 16 points at Green Bay last week. On a positive note, the Panthers defense held Aaron Rodgers to just 233 passing yards without a touchdown, and I think they'll be able to slow down the Falcons prolific passing attack.

Under is 5-0 in Falcons last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. Under is 19-9 in Panthers' last 28 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Under is 9-2-1 in the last 12 meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 10 TOTAL

The Cincinnati Bengals have put up 17, 17 and 10 points in their last three games. Under is 6-2 in their eight games on the season and I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring affair when they host AFC North rivals Baltimore Ravens Sunday afternoon. I would not be surprised to see Baltimore come out flat here following a massive 37-20 win over New England last week, no facing a winless Cincinnati team and with Houston on deck. 

The Ravens picked up a 23-17 win over the Bengals home in Baltimore on Oct. 13 with a total closing at 47 points. The books have adjusted the total somewhat for this contest, but not enough if you ask me. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 11 TOTAL

The over/under is 1-3 in the Florida Atlantic Owls' four home games on the season, and I think they're in for another low-scoring contest when hosting the Florida International Golden Panthers on Saturday.

The under is 9-5 in Florida Atlantic's last 14 games as a favorite and they'll face a Golden Panthers team that has scored a total of just 41 points over its last two games. The visitors did hold Old Dominion to 17 points last time out, and they can achieve bowl eligibility with a victory in this game but I doubt they like their chances in a shootout.

The Owls defense has conceded only a combined 27 points in their last two games and is unlikely to give up a big number here. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 9 TOTAL

The Carolina Panthers defense will be ready for this one after giving up 50+ points to San Francisco last week. Note that the over/under is 4-11 in the last 15 NFL games where one of the teams conceded 50 points or more its last game. 

Here Carolina will face a Tennessee Titans team that has struggled all season long and will have Ryan Tannehill under center for a second straight week after benching Marcus Mariota. Tennessee's offense is among the worst in the league averaging only 5.0 yards per play and Carolina is only marginally better at 5.2 ypp. 

Both teams are much more accomplished on the defensive side of the ball, and Titans run defense should be able to if not stop, at least contain Panthers' star running back Christian McCaffrey. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 10 TOTAL

The Boston College have the worst scoring defense in the ACC giving up 32.0 ppg and the over/under is 6-2 in their eight games on the season. Their defense was lit up in a 59-7 loss to Clemson last time out and the Syracuse Orange, despite their limitations, should be able to move the ball quite freely. 

As for when Boston College has the ball, it averages a healthy 31.1 points per game and has the 10th best ground game in the country led by elite running back in AJ Dillon. Syracuse has allowed 160.0 rushing yards per game so expect BC to have decent success moving the ball on the ground. 

10* play on OVER. 

TOP RATED 49ERS @ CARDINALS THURSDAY NIGHT *BEST BET*

Do not let the fact that the San Francisco 49ers put up 51 points against Carolina last week scare you. They had played four straight unders prior to that offensive explosion, and I think they'll let the defense pick up the slack here when playing on a short week at Arizona Cardinals Thursday night. 

Arizona and rookie QB Kyler Murray had put up impressive offensive numbers against weak defenses (Cincinnati, Atlanta, NY Giants) before getting exposed by New Orleans' elite defense in a 31-9 loss last week. The Niners lead the NFL in total defense and points allowed, so points will most likely be equally hard to come by for the home team in this one. 

Under is 9-3 in 49ers last 12 Thursday games. Under is 7-3 in 49ers last 10 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game. Under is 7-1 in Cardinals last 8 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game. Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

CHARGERS @ BEARS

The Chicago Bears are coming off a couple of relatively high-scoring defeats against Oakland and New Orleans. They're desperate for a win now, and I think their defense will step it up a notch again here when hosting the slumping LA Chargers. 

The visitors have scored just a total of 50 points through three consecutive losses and they had played five straight unders prior to last week's 23-20 loss (42.5-point total) at Tennessee. The Chargers are a slow team that lets the clock run a fair amount of time between snaps and moving the ball won't be easy against this elite Chicago defense. 

That being said, the Chargers defense is actually pretty decent as well and ranks just behind the Bears with 333.3 total yards allowed per game. Chicago's offense is quite limited and has averaged only 18.7 ppg and I expect to see an ugly and slow, low-scoring affair at Soldier Field this Sunday.

8* play on UNDER.  

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED REDSKINS @ VIKINGS TOTAL

I think we'll see a low-scoring affair when the Minnesota Vikings host the Washington Redskins Thursday night. 

The Vikes have been putting up impressive offensive numbers in recent weeks, but QB Kirk Cousins has a tendency to do worse in primetime games and this should be no exception playing on a short week. There will simply be no reason for Minnesota to run up the score against a hapless Redskins team so the main focus (apart from getting the W) should be to come out of this contest as healthy as possible. Expect Minnesota to take a healthy lead and then bleed the clock dry on every possession. 

Under is 9-4 in Vikings last 13 games overall and 5-1 in their 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Under is 4-0 in Redskins last 4 games overall.

10* play on UNDER. 

PATRIOTS @ JETS MONDAY NIGHT AFC EAST SHOWDOWN *TOP PLAY*

NY Jets QB Sam Darnold missed three games from mononucleosis but came back with one of the best games of his career when he led the team to major upset against Dallas last week. 

We can however note that Darnold threw for just 175 yards and was sacked four times when he faced the Bills elite defense in his only other start this season on September 9. The Pats D is right up there with Buffalo's ranking near the top of the league in several defensive categories and the Jets left Gilette Stadium without an offensive touchdown in a 30-14 loss a couple of weeks ago.

Under is 9-0 in Patriots last 9 road games vs. a team with a losing home record and 6-1 in the last 7 meetings and keep in mind that the Jets rank dead last in tempo taking almost 31 seconds per play. 

10* play on UNDER. 

SAINTS @ BEARS LATE AFTERNOON BOOKIE BLASTER

We're seeing a very low total for this matchup between the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints Sunday afternoon, but for a very good reason. I think points will be extremely hard to come by for both teams. 

The Bears rank sixth in the nation for total defense while allowing just 13.8 ppg. They'll no doubt be ready for New Orleans here, coming off their bye week following a disappointing 24-21 loss to Oakland in London, England. 

The Bears hope to get quarterback Mitch Trubisky back after missing the last game because of a left shoulder injury, but he's still a limited quarterback and the team ranks near the bottom of the league with 266.0 yards of total offense per game. Saints' QB Teddy Bridgewater is quite effective running a dink and dunk offense, but he's not really capable of coming up with big plays which will spell disaster against a Chicago's defense that never gives an inch for free. 

Neither will the Saints who just held the Jags to six points and 226 yards of total offense at Jacksonville, and I'm happy to take the under here no matter the number.  

Additionally, note that both teams rank in the bottom five for pace with each side taking almost 30 seconds/play.

8* play on UNDER. 

EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON NO BRAINER TOTAL

The San Francisco 49ers are one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. They've allowed just a total of 10 points against Cleveland Indians and the LA Rams over their last two games, and each of their last three has gone under the total. Under is 4-1 in their five games this season and this should be another low-scoring contest.  

Here they'll face an offensively inept Washington Redskins team that had scored a total of just 10 points over their last two games before putting up 17 to just barely beat the hapless Miami Dolphins last week. I expect the Niners to take an early lead and then control the clock and keep the Skins offense off the field. 

8* play on UNDER. 

NFL 3-PACK

The Arizona Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons combined for 67 points and helped me cash my NFL total of the week last week. The over is 3-1 in their last four games and I expect to see another high-scoring affair involving Arizona when it visits the NY Giants here in Week 7. 

The Giants have been held to fewer than 15 points in three of six games this season, but they've faced absolute elite defenses in those games. One can hardly blame a team for struggling to put points on the board against Buffalo, New England, and Minnesota, and they did score 32 at Tampa Bay in Week 3. 

Here they'll take shots on an Arizona defense that is among the worst in the league with 414 yards allowed per game, and the Giants are expected to get Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram, two of their most explosive offensive players, back in the lineup for this game. 

As for Arizona's offense, QB Kyler Murray is getting more and more comfortable and has led the team to back-to-back wins. Last time out Murray passed for 340 yards with three touchdowns and also added 32 yards on 11 carries on the ground.

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED CHIEFS @ BRONCOS TOTAL

I think the posted total is set way too high for this Thursday Night Football clash between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High. 

The usually so high-scoring Chiefs have averaged only 21.5 ppg during an 0-2 SU and ATS slide. MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes has completed just 55 percent of his passes during that stretch and is visibly bothered by a lingering ankle injury. To be fair, he is not getting much help from a banged up offensive line and the Chiefs ground game is virtually non-existent. 

As for the Broncos they're trending in the opposite direction, and almost solely because of a defense that has been excellent in back-to-back wins. Note that they recorded seven sacks with three interceptions in last week's 16-0 shutout triumph over Tennessee. The Broncos do not bring much to the table offensively though, and when they do move the ball it will mainly be on the ground which will take time off the clock. 

The under is 13-2 over the last three seasons in Denver games with a total between 42.5 and 49 points and 11-3 L14 when facing a division rival. 

10* play on UNDER. 

STEELERS @ CHARGERS SUNDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN

The Pittsburgh Steelers visit the LA Chargers for a Sunday Night Showdown here in Week 6, and if you like action-packed football you might want to look away. 

Pittsburgh is down to its third-string quarterback after injuries to Big Ben and Mason Rudolph. Undrafted rookie Devlin Hodges will make his first start under center, and I don't expect much offensive production from him. The Steelers might have to try and move the chains on the ground, but this is a team that has averaged a pathetic 67.0 rushing yards per game (29th in the NFL) on the season. The home team will almost certainly stack the line of scrimmage and dare the inexperienced Steelers QB to make plays. 

The Steelers D knows it will have to step up big time to give the team a chance to win here, and the Chargers have issues with their offensive line. LA quarterback Philip Rivers is coming off one of the worst games of his career as he was limited to 32-of-48 passing for 211 yards and a pair of interceptions against the Broncos last week. 

Under is 4-0 in Chargers last 4 games overall and 14-6 in their last 20 games in Week 6. Under is 6-0 in Steelers last 6 games in Week 6 and 37-15 in their last 52 road games. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S MAJOR WAGER TOTAL

The Atlanta Falcons have 99 problems, but scoring points ain't one. You would think that putting 32 points on the board would be enough to a W, but that was not the case for the Falcons as they took a 53-32 loss at Houston last week. 

Only KC's Patrick Mahomes has more passing yards than Atlanta QB Matt Ryan, and here Ryan will get to take shots against an Arizona defense that ranks in the bottom third against the pass and in the bottom five for total defense. The Falcons D is only marginally better and it allowed Houston QB Deshaun Watson to complete 28-of-33 passes for 426 yards and five touchdown passes in Week 5. 

Arizona will enter this contest feeling pretty good about themselves after accumulating 514 yards of offense in a 26-23 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Rookie QB Kyler Murray ran for a career-high 93 yards and completed 20-of-32 passes for 253 yards without an interception.  

Over is 8-3 in Falcons last 11 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game. Over is 14-6-1 in Falcons last 21 vs. a team with a losing record. Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.

It's a big number, but I expect both teams to score fast and easy until the very last possession. 

10* play on OVER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a dominant beatdown of the NY Giants and QB Kirk Cousins had his best game of the season completing 22-of-27 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. 

Here they'll face a Philadelphia team that didn't look particularly good in its 31-6 win over the Jets last week. The scoreline is somewhat deceiving as they had just 265 yards of total offense but managed to take advantage of timely turnovers. Their defense was dominant with 10 sacks and two defensive touchdowns, but again, it was against the Jets, arguably one of the worst teams in the league. Philly's secondary is still banged up and Cousins should be able to take advantage. 

As for Minnesota's defense, it's one of the best in the league and the Eagles are not clicking on the offensive side of the ball. All things considered, I like Minnesota to win and cover in a low-scoring contest. 

8* play on UNDER

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10 UNIT TOTAL

The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off a dominant 49-24 win over TCU. They had no trouble to move the ball against an elite Horned Frogs defense, and I think they'll pile up the points against West Virginia.

The Mountaineers meanwhile took a 41-32 loss against Texas last week but it would've been even closer if quarterback Austin Kendall didn't throw four interceptions. Still, Kendall finished with 367 passing yards and also threw three touchdown passes, and their offense helped the Mountaineers beat NC State 44-27 as a seven-point dog on September 14. 

All of the Mountaineers' last four games have gone over the total, and while I'm not confident they'll cover the spread I think they'll put a fair amount of points on the board. 

Over is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 home games. Over is 9-3 in Mountaineers last 12 games following a straight-up loss.

10* play on OVER. 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON PATRIOTS @ REDSKINS TOTAL

The New England Patriots lead the NFL in most defensive categories and have allowed an average of just 243 yards and 6.8 ppg. Three of their first four games of the season have gone under the total, the exception a 30-14 win over the Jets that went over the total by a single point. 

Here the Patriots will face a Washington Redskins team that was held to a field goal and fewer than 180 yards of total offense in a loss to the New York Giants last week. 

This all boils down to how many points Bill Belichick and Tom Brady feel the need to put on the board, and my assumption is that they'll be happy with a pedestrian win and keep everyone healthy. The Pats might reach 30 points, but I highly doubt Washington will put up more than 10. 

Under is 8-0 in Patriots last 8 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

8* play on UNDER. 

BILLS @ TITANS NFL NO BRAINER

Two of the better defenses in the league will clash at Nissan Stadium Sunday afternoon with Buffalo ranking fifth allowing 15.8 ppg and Tennessee fourth allowing 15.5 ppg. 

The Bills held the mighty Patriots to just 16 points (still lost the game) last time out while the Titans held the Falcons high-powered offense in check in a 24-10 win in Atlanta last week. Under is 5-1 in Titans last 6 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game and 4-0 in Bills last 4 games overall.

Neither defense has allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points in a game this season, which would have to happen for this game to go over the total. I see absolutely no reason to take a contrarian approach to the total for this contest. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL *MAJOR WAGER ALERT*

The Minnesota Vikings didn't get on the scoreboard until the middle of the fourth quarter in last week's 16-6 loss to the Chicago Bears. 

Over/under is 29-41-4 in games where a team scored seven or fewer points last time out dating back to the start of the 2017 season, and I think this has all the signs of a low-scoring affair. 

The Vikes have struggled to protect QB Kirk Cousins who was sacked six times against the Bears and running back Dalvin Cook was completely shut down, finishing with just 35 yards on 14 carries. The Giants defense is of course not nearly as good as Chicago's, but it has been more vulnerable through the air which is not something Minnesota can exploit effectively. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota has been as solid as ever. It held Chicago to 269 yards of total offense and ranks sixth in the NFL with 312.8 yards allowed per game despite facing what I consider good offenses in three of its four games. The Vikings should be able to shut down Giants team playing without its star running back and a rookie QB (Daniel Jones) who threw two interceptions in a 24-3 win over Washington last week.

Under is 5-0 in Vikings last 5 road games. Under is 15-7 in Giants last 22 home games.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUPER EARLY TULANE @ ARMY TOTAL

I think points will be hard to come by for both the Army Black Knights and the Tulane Green Wave in this matchup. 

Army leads FBS in rushing attempts per game, and Tulane also prefers to keep the ball on the ground so every possession will take a lot of time off the clock. Army ranks 19th for team total defense giving up 288 yards per game, and Tulane ranks 44th surrendering a respectable 340 ypg.

Additionally, we can note that both teams are coming off their bye week, so they've had plenty of time to get ready for each other. Under is 22-5 in Black Knights last 27 games following a bye week and 17-4 in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY AFTERNOON TOTAL

The Penn State Nittany Lions have had no trouble to put points on the board in three of four games on the season, the exception a low-scoring 17-10 win over Pittsburgh. 

They average 50 ppg and scored 59 while racking up 622 yards of total offense in a shut out win at Maryland last time out and I think we'll see Penn State move the ball fast and easy here against a Purdue team that has allowed an average of 32.5 ppg on the season. 

Last time out, the Boilermakers gave up 488 yards of total offense in a 38-31 home loss to Minnesota and over is 7-1 in their last 8 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game. 

Purdue has scored 30+ points in three of its four games and I think it'll contribute enough to push the score over the total. 

10* play on OVER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT RAMS @ SEAHAWKS TOTAL *TOP PLAY*'

We should see an angry and motivated Los Angeles Rams team heading to Seattle looking to bounce back from a 55-40 home loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The reigning NFC champions are as good as anyone on the offensive side of the ball but simply can't trust their defense to win games.

Rams' third-year quarterback Jared Goff threw for 517 yards with two touchdown passes and three picks in that contest and they're averaging a healthy 29.2 ppg on the season. Seattle has an elite rushing defense, but its secondary is mediocre at best. The Seahawks allowed Bengals QB Andy Dalton to pass for 418 yards plus a pair of scores in the opening game of the season. Since then they've faced two teams with backup QBs and one team with a rookie under center. 

Offensively, the Seahawks just put up 20 points in the first half alone against Arizona and I think the two teams will combine for enough points to push the final score over the total. As the clincher, we can note that both matchups last season saw 60+ points scored!

10* play on OVER. 

MONDAY NIGHT BENGALS @ STEELERS TOTAL

I like the Cincinnati Bengals as an underdog in a low-scoring game here at division rival Pittsburgh Monday night. 

While Cincy has struggled to establish its run game, note that running back Joe Mixon showed some life against Buffalo's elite defense last week, and here he'll face a Pittsburgh team that has allowed 139.3 rushing yards per game. Bengals QB Andy Dalton is no world-beater, but he has a respectable 979 passing yards to his name this season and I still trust him over Pittsburgh's second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph who has thrown for just 286 yards over his first two starts. 

The Steelers have won eight straight in the series, but the Bengals must like their chances of ending that streak tonight. We can also note that the Bengals are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games and they've kept it close at Seattle and Buffalo. First to 20 points should win this one, and I'm happy to take the points on the visitors. 

Under is 5-1-2 in Bengals last 8 games overall. Under is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games overall.

8* play on UNDER.

SUPER EARLY NFL TOTAL NO BRAINER 

After backing the under in every New England Patriots' game this season (and cashing 2/3), it should not come as a surprise to see that I expect a defensive battle when they visit the Buffalo Bills Sunday afternoon. 

Pats QB Tom Brady has maneuvered the team up and down the field pretty much at will through the first three games of the season, but they've played a soft schedule (Pittsburgh, Miami, New York Jets) and has not faced a defense even near the quality of Buffalo's yet. The home town crowd will be loud and make the play calling for the visitors very difficult, and we can also note that Julian Edelman is considered day-to-day with a rib injury. As for the Patriots defense, it's simply elite and has yet to allow an offensive touchdown this season.

Under is 4-1 in Patriots last 5 games in September. Under is 5-0 in Bills last 5 games in September. Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED SUNDAY AFTERNOON TOTAL

This is a showdown between two teams that have struggled on the defensive end through the first three games of the season. Both sides are allowing an average of 31.3 ppg and 400+ yards of total offense. The Redskins have seen all three contests fly over the total, and I think this will turn into a shootout. 

The Giants are 1-2 on the season following a thrilling come-from-behind 32-31 win over Tampa Bay. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones completed 65 percent of his passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns versus zero interceptions in his first career start. Make no mistake, this is a team that can move the ball and it ranks seventh in the NFL for total offense. 

Sure, the injury to Giants' running back Saquon Barkley is not ideal, but I don't think they'll have any trouble to move the chains against a weak Redskins secondary. 

The Giants have the worst pass defense in the league with 332.3 passing yards allowed per game and they allowed Bucs and they let a mediocre QB like Jameis Winston to throw for 380 yards. While Washington QB Case Keenum looked terrible against the Bears Monday night, keep in mind that he was up against one of the best defenses in the league. 

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY NIGHT TOTAL

The Washington State Cougars gave up 67 points and 657 yards of total offense in a loss to the UCLA Bruins last week. On a more positive note, they did also put up 63 points and QB Anthony Gordon had a huge game with 570 yards passing yards and nine touchdown passes. 

Utah's elite run defense is among the best in the nation, but the Cougars won't even try to run the ball and Utah gave up 351 passing yards against USC Trojans last week.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Utes will have quarterback Tyler Huntley and running back Zack Mose likely sidelined due to injuries. They do however have good depth in the backfield and I think they'll have a gameplan in place how to exploit this far from elite Cougars defense. 

Over is 5-1 in Utes last 6 home games. Over is 8-2 in Cougars last 10 road games.

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOTAL

The Chicago Bears have opened the season 1-1 with both games being low-scoring affairs, and that's a trend I like to continue when they visit the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football. 

The Skins have looked suspect on the defensive side of the ball in first giving up 32 points to the Eagles in Week 1 and 31 points to the Cowboys last week. We can, however, note that Chicago has averaged just 9.5 points and 263.5 yards of total offense through the first two weeks. 

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky really struggled in the 10-3 Week 1 loss to Green Bay and was not much better Sunday, throwing for only 120 yards at Denver. Note that Trubisky has completed just over 58 percent of his passes and he has yet to throw a touchdown pass this season ... Washington QB Case Keenum has put up decent numbers, but I doubt he can do it against an elite Bears defense that has held its opponents to 292.5 yards per game. 

Under is 7-0 in Bears last 7 games overall. Under is 6-1 in Redskins last 7 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.

10* play on UNDER. 

JETS @ PATRIOTS AFC EAST BOOKIE BLASTER TOTAL

We cashed with the under in New England Patriots' games in both Week 1 and Week 2, and I'm going back to the well for a third straight time here when they host division-rival NY Jets Sunday afternoon. 

The Pats D blanked Miami last week, and here it'll face an already suspect Jets offense down to its third-stringer QB (Luke Falk) with Sam Darnold (mono) and Siemian (IR, ankle) out. The visitors will have to rely on running back Le'Veon Bell to move the chains, but that will be easier said than done with New England leading the league in total defense while allowing just 2.6 yards/rush attempt.  

Under is 5-1 in Jets last 6 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game. Under is 11-3 in Patriots last 14 games overall. Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY NIGHT TOTAL

The Illinois Fighting Illini are coming off their first loss after taking a 34-31 loss to Eastern Michigan last Saturday. 

That game flew over the total, but they had opened the season with two straight unders and just 26 points allowed. I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring affair when they host the Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday night. 

Nebraska's offense has been inconsistent, and I would not make too much of its 44-8 rout of Northern Illinois last week. Both teams are strong against run holding opponents to 2.2 yards/rush attempt. If the passing game is not clicking, moving the chains will become a struggle no matter who has the ball. 

Under is 12-4 in Fighting Illini last 16 games in September and 7-1 in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. 

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies are 2-1 on the season, but they covered the spread in their line loss, a 24-10 setback at the top-ranked Clemson Tigers. The No. 9 Auburn Tigers are a perfect 3-0, but they've played an easy schedule and all home games, and I think they'll come up short here as a road underdog Saturday afternoon. 

There will no doubt be an extremely hostile environment for the visitors at Kyle Field, and this will be Auburn QB Bo Nix's first road game. Nix has completed just 52.4 percent of his passes with four TDs and two INTs, so the team has had to rely on its running game to move the chains. That will be easier said than done to repeat here though, facing a Texas A&M run defense that has allowed only 83.7 yards per game. Even Clemson was held to a modest 120-something rushing yard against it. 

The Aggies meanwhile are well-rounded on offense, entering this contest 29th in the nation through the air and tied for 61st in rushing offense. Additionally, we can note that the Aggies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games while Tigers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Texas A&M will win and cover, but it won't be pretty so I'll like the home team to win and cover in a low-scoring affair. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED SUNDAY TOTAL

The New England Patriots limited Big Ben and the Steelers and to three points and 308 yards of offense last week. We won with the under in that Sunday night matchup, and I'm going back to the well as I don't see this turning into a shootout. 

Miami looked awful on both sides of the ball in its 59-10 loss to the Ravens in Week 1 so there's not really a surprise to see the reigning champions favored by almost three touchdowns here. We can, however, note that Miami usually plays them tough, particularly here at Hard Rock Stadium where they won outright as a 9.5-point underdog last year. 

The bookmakers obviously expect a very different result in this contest, and I also expect the Pats to take a comfortable lead and then control the clock and possibly remove their starters to minimizing the risk of injuries. Also, I don't think Bill Belichick wants to embarrass Dolphins coach Brian Flores who was defensive play-caller for the team that won the Super Bowl last year.

Under is 7-0 in Patriots last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. Under is 8-2 in Dolphins last 10 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE' TOP RATED TOTAL (SUPER EARLY)

The Penn State Nittany Lions explosive offense has had no trouble to run up the score in blowout victories against weak opponents in the first two weeks of the season. Both those games went over the total, and they're a rather sizable favorite again here when they take on rival Pittsburgh Panthers Saturday afternoon.

Pittsburgh is coming off a pair of low-scoring games, but the offense looked better in its 20-10 win over Ohio last time out. Junior QB Kenny Pickett threw for a career-high 321 yards and a TD against as the team racked up 481 yards of total offense, 160 of those yards on the ground. Penn State put a 45-13 come-from-behind beating on Buffalo last week, but it did give up 184 rushing yards and I expect to see Pitt put some points on the board in this contest.  

We can also note that the over is 7-1 in the Lions last 8 games after scoring more than 40 points and 8-2 in their last 10 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S STEELERS @ PATRIOTS BEST TOTAL BET

The defending Super Bowl champions New England Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers for one of the best inter-divisional rivalries in the NFL Sunday night. If you expect late-night fireworks I think you'll be disappointed as this looks like a low-scoring contest. 

Note that five of New England's last seven season openers have gone under the total and, four of its last five meetings with the Steelers failed to surpass the closing number. They clashed once last year, a game the Steelers won 17-10. 

Pittsburgh has since lost/got rid of star wide receiver and troublemaker Antonio Brown, and while it's almost certainly the right call in the long run, it'll be hard to replace him in the short term. Instead, we now find Brown with the Pats, which certainly puts an extra interesting spin to this matchup ... 

We'll see two aging quarterbacks in Tom Brady (42) and Ben Roethlisberger (37) under center, and while I'm certainly not saying either is done yet, they might need a couple of games to get the old legs going following the off-season. 

Under is 36-16 in Steelers last 52 road games and 11-3 in their last 14 games on fieldturf. Under is 5-1 in Patriots last 6 games on fieldturf.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY TOTAL

Both teams opened the season with a shutout win, but I expect points to come fast an easy on both ends of the field in this clash. 

The No. 22 Syracuse Orange are coming off a 24-0 shutout of Liberty, but here they'll face a Maryland offense that amassed 623 yards and hung 79 points in their rout of Howard. Terps QB Josh Jackson threw four touchdowns and the team scrambled for 317 yards on the ground with five scores. 

As for Cuse quarterback Tommy DeVito, he struggled against the Flames completing just 17-of-35 passes for 176 yards with two picks, but he simply has to come up with a better outing here. 

Neither defense was put to the test last week, but that will definitely not be the case here. The contrast for how this game is likely to play out might come as a shock for the defenses, and they might find themselves ill-prepared. 

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED SUPER BOWL LIII BEST BET

The BIG GAME is finally here; New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams for all the marbles in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. 

The Pats have played high-scoring contests throughout the postseason, and I expect another shootout here against an explosive Rams team that averaged 32.9 ppg through the regular season. 

New England's 41 year old signal caller Tom Brady showed that age is just a number as the GOAT had little trouble to march his team down the field when it really mattered in the AFC Championship Game. 

The Patriots and the Chiefs combined for 38 points in Q4 alone of their AFC Championship clash, with 24 of the points coming in the last 3:32 of the quarter. We could very well see a similar scenario here with two clutch quarterbacks more than capable of marching down the field when it really matters. 

Over is now 7-1 in Patriots last eight playoff games and this Patriots team will have to score plenty of points here to have a shot at winning. 

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED NFL PLAYOFFS TOTAL

The over/under is 5-11 in the New England Patriot games this season and they've allowed 12 points or fewer in each of their last three at home (16.6 ppg against in Foxboro on the season).

Here Pats coach Bill Belichick has had two weeks to prepare for the LA Chargers, and I think he'll have his defense on point leading to a low-scoring contest. 

The Chargers have stepped it up defensively in recent weeks and have seen four of their last five go under the total. They held Baltimore to 229 yards of offense in a 23-17 win in the opening round of the NFL playoffs last week but mustered also only 243 yards themselves. 

Chargers QB Philip Rivers has a poor career record against NE and he was sacked 32 times during the regular season. We can note that the Pats forced eight turnovers in the final three games of the regular season and there will be a lot of pressure on Rivers to deliver as RB Melvin Gordon is struggling with a knee injury he sustained during last week's wild-card win. Gordon rested at practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to be 100 percent by Sunday.

Under is 8-1 in Patriots last nine games overall. Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* WILD CARD WEEKEND TOTAL

We won with our NFL regular season total of the year on Bears @ Vikings in Week 17, and I'm going with another big bet on the under in a Bears game in Wild Card Weekend. 

The Eagles took full advantage of Chicago's win over Minnesota to sneak into the postseason with a 24-0 win over the Redskins at Washington. Pretty big QB concerns here for Philly though with Carson Wentz definitely out and backup Nick Foles banged up after taking a hit on the ribs last week. 

The Bears own the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL, but they have been held to 15 points or fewer in two of their last four games and haven't scored more than 24 in any game during that stretch. They own the No. 11 rushing offense in the NFL but Philly is good at stopping the run allowing 96.9 ypg. 

Under is 6-2 in Bears last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL): REGULAR SEASON TOTAL

There's no secret that two of the NFL's top defensive teams will clash at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Sunday afternoon, but I still think the books have set the total too high. Note that under is 21-16 (56.8%) in games with a total closing under 42 points in NFL this season. 

Chicago owns the league's fourth-best defense and has the No. 3 seed in the NFC locked in. They must defeat the Vikings and hope for the 49ers to defeat the LA Rams in Los Angeles to jump into the No. 2 seed, not impossible but at the same time not very likely either... They've been held to a total of 53 points through their last three games and under is 8-1 in Bears last nine games in December.

The Vikings rank third in overall defense and will be highly motivated as they can clinch a wild card with a victory (or a tie). "For us, playoffs have already started," Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said. "We know that we have to win this game in order to get into them. There has to be heightened sense of energy and focus and study time. You have to make sure that your bodies are rested and understand it is going to be a physical football game on Sunday."

I expect Minnesota to take an early lead and then controlling the clock. Under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings and I think the circumstances call for another low-scoring affair.

10* play on UNDER. 

BRONCOS @ RAIDERS MONDAY NIGHT NO-BRAINER

The Denver Broncos have been involved in low-scoring battles lately with each of their last five going under the total. Their last two contests have seen just 34 and 33 points respectively and I don't see this game going over the posted number. 

Oakland has struggled offensively all season, averaging only 18.6 ppg, and QB Derek Carr was sacked five times as the Raiders were held to 16 points at Cincinnati last week.

The Broncos won the first meeting of the season 20-19 at Denver in Week 2 and under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL) TOTAL

The Chicago Bears tenacious defense has allowed a total of just 23 points through the last two games. The Bears have already clinched a postseason berth but I think they'll still put up a fight here as they look to improve their seeding in the NFC playoffs. 

The San Francisco 49ers have no shot of making the postseason but have held Denver and Seattle to a combined 37 points in back-to-back wins. They're allowing 23.0 ppg home at Levi's Stadium which is well below their 26.6 ppg season average overall. 

Under is 8-3 in Bears last 11 vs. a team with a losing record and 7-1 in their last eight games in December. Under is 11-3 in 49ers last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. 

10* play on UNDER. 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON NFL NO-BRAINER (TOTAL)

I think points will come at a premium for both sides when NFC North rivals Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings clash at Ford Field Sunday afternoon. 

Seven of Detroit's last eight games have gone under the total and the Lions have been held to 20 points or fewer in five straight games. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is dealing with a sore back and here he'll face a Minnesota defense that ranks 4th in the NFL against the pass, giving up just 202.9 passing yards per game. 

The Lions have been great defensively lately, holding Arizona and Buffalo to a combined 17 points through their last two games. Minnesota put up 41 points against Miami last week but had scored a combined 17 points in its last two games prior to that. 

Under is 20-7 in Vikings last 27 vs. NFC North opponents and 8-2 in the last 10 meetings with Detroit.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) TOTAL

The New Orleans Saints are averaging 34.4 ppg on the season, but they've been held to a total of 38 points through their last two games. At the other end of the field, they've held five consecutive opponent to 17 or fewer points. Each of their last four have gone under the total and I expect a relatively low-scoring contest here when they visit Carolina Monday night.

The slumping Panthers have lost five in a row and scored more than 21 points just once during their skid. They rank 2nd in the NFL with 1,786 net rushing yards on the season but here the Panthers will run into the very best rush defense in the league, allowing just 3.6 yards/rush attempt. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S BEST VEGAS BOWL BET

The Fresno State Bulldogs have allowed just 13.7 ppg on the season and limited Boise State to 350 yards of total offense and 16 points last time out. Under is 13-3 in Bulldogs last 16 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. 

The Bulldogs managed just 19 points on 288 yards of total offense themselves against the Broncos though and I expect this to be a low-scoring game. 

The Arizona State Sun Devils are coming off a 41-40 win over Arizona and have played several high-scoring contests lately, but note that they'll' be without No. 1 receiver N'Keal Harry for this contest. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) TOTAL

The New England Patriots put a 38-7 beating on Miami at Foxboro back in September. 

Their scoring has slowed down since though and the Pats have averaged only 20.3 ppg through their last three games. 

It's no coincidence that two of those games where on the road where NE is averaging 21.7 ppg on the season, and here it'll face a Miami team which has held opponents to 20.5 ppg in six games at Hard Rock Stadium. Offensively, Miami does not pose much of a threat and ranks 29th in the NFL for total offense with 302.1 ypg. 

Under is 8-2 in Patriots last 10 road games. Under is 5-0 in Patriots last five  games overall and 4-0 in Dolphins last four games overall.

10* play on UNDER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT NFL NO-BRAINER

The Jacksonville Jaguars completely suffocated one of the hottest teams in the NFL last week when they put an end to Indianapolis Colts five-game winning streak with a 6-0 triumph. I expect to see another low-scoring contest when the Jags visit Tennessee Thursday night.  The Titans recorded a 26-22 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday but had been held to a combined 27 points through their last two games prior to that. The Titans have held the Jags to a total of 32 points through the last three meetings and they won the last encounter 9-6 on September 23. 

This is an extremely low total, but I don't see either team generate enough offense to push the score over the posted number. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) TOTAL

The Minnesota Vikings limited Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers to a season-worst 198 yards and sacked him four times in last week's 24-17 win. They're allowing just 276.6 ypg since Week 4 and I think they'll give Tom Brady and the New England Patriots offense plenty of problems here on Sunday. The Pats have scored a combined 37 points through their last two games with each of their last four going under the total. 

Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes put a 62-39 beating on seventh-ranked Michigan last week. I think they'll win in a rout again when taking on Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Saturday night. 

Northwestern defeated Illinois last week but failed to cover the spread and gave up 435 yards of total offense while generating only 371 yards of offense themselves. 

Here they'll face an Ohio team which averages 544.6 yards on the season and toyed with Michigan's top ranked defense. Buckeyes QB Dwayne Haskins completed 20-of-31 passes for 396 yards and six touchdowns and the Buckeyes racked up 567 total yards in the victory. 

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is determined to have his players ready for this one too. "I'm going to be very hard on everybody this week, and we cannot see anything other than the same effort we did last week," Meyer said, later adding, "When you win and you win the way you did, now that's the time to cut it loose and be very, over-the-top demanding of them."

Over is 8-3 in Buckeyes last 11 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game and I expect to see this game go over the total. 

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CFB) TOTAL

The Fresno State Bulldogs are giving up only 13.5 ppg on the season and all but one of their last nine games have gone under the total. The Boise State Broncos are holding teams to 22.3 ppg overall which drops to 18.5 ppg at home and six of their last eight have gone under the total. 

This will be the fourth meeting in just over a year and the second straight time Fresno State and Boise State will compete in the Mountain West championship game. BSU won last year's title game 17-14 and none of the last three meetings have been even close to go over the total posted for this matchup. 

10* play on UNDER. 

AUBURN @ ALABAMA IRON BOWL BOOKIE BREAKER

The top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide have been destroying their competition all season long, and they're a massive favorite here against Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl. Bama will be seeking to avenge a 26-14 loss to Auburn last season, and I think it all starts on defense. 

I really wouldn't make too much of the 17 points the Tide allowed the Citadel to score last week; on the season, Bama has held opponent to an average of just 13.1 ppg so there's no doubt the defense can step it up a notch when fully focused, and the concentration should be . 

Auburn has also been one of the better teams on the defensive side of the ball, conceding only 16.6 ppg and it shut out Liberty last week. On offense, Auburn has been less than convincing and put up just 10 points in a loss to Georgia and nine against Mississippi State earlier in the season.

Under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings and Auburn is 12-3 to the under their last 15 games overall.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) TOTAL

The Boston College Eagles host the Syracuse Orange Saturday afternoon, and I expect to see an entertaining shootout. The visitors are 10th in the nation in scoring, averaging 40.6 ppg on the season despite putting up just three in a loss at Notre Dame last time out. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey missed most of that game with an upper-body injury and is questionable here, but backup QB Tommy DeVito should be able to put up decent numbers against a BC defense which has allowed more than 600 passing yards through its last two games.  

Defensively, the Orange have struggled on the road all season allowing an average of 34.6 ppg and they gave up 463 yards against the Irish last time out, including 171 yards on the ground. The Eagles running game ranks 46th in the nation and RB A.J. Dillon ran a season-high 37 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns against FSU last week.

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) TOTAL

The Atlanta Falcons are coming off back-to-back losses despite giving up a total of just 50 points in the two contests combined. They've failed to break 20 point scored in each of those games and here it'll face a New Orleans side which has allowed a total of only 21 points through its last two games. 

The Saints are the highest scoring team in the league and have scored 45+ points in three straight games, but even while the first meeting of the season finished with a total of 80 points scored I highly doubt this contest will break 60 considering both teams recent results. 

Falcons are just 1-3 SU and ATS away from home this season and under is 6-2 in their last eight road games. Under is 4-1 in Saints last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

10* play on UNDER in New Orleans. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) TOTAL

The LA Chargers are among the league's hottest teams having won six on the bounce and permitted only 66 points over their past five games for an average of 13.2 ppg. Here they'll face a Denver team which has won just one of its last seven games and been held to 20 points or fewer in five of its nine games on the season. 

The Broncos defense is still pretty solid though and linebackers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb have combined for 17 sacks, the most by a pass rushing duo in the NFL this season. We can also note that they're coming off their bye so they've had plenty of time to figure out how to stop the Chargers. 

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) TOTAL

Two red hot teams with explosive offenses will clash at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando Saturday night, and I expect to see plenty of fireworks on both ends of the field. 

UCF Knights are perfect 9-0 on the season and amassed 500 yards of total offense in a 35-24 triumph over Navy last week. They rank third in the nation in total offense at 543 yards per game and put a 51-23 beating on the Bearcats last year. 

Cincinnati is 9-1 on the season and can lean on one of the best defenses in the country, but this will without a doubt be the biggest test yet, and in front of a national television audience at that. 

Keep in mind that the Bearcats allowed three touchdown passes in a 35-23 win over South Florida last week and over is 7-1 in Knights last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on OVER. 

MISSISSIPPI STATE @ ALABAMA BOOKIE BREAKER

The Alabama Crimson Tide lead the nation in scoring averaging 51.3 points per game and have routed teams relentlessly pretty much all season, but points didn't come quite as easy against LSU last week (29-0 win) and here they'll run into the best defense they've faced all year. 

The Mississippi State Bulldogs have allowed an average of only 12.3 ppg and O/U is 1-7 in games involving them on the season. Alabama is not just an offensive powerhouse, it's defense is also one of the best in the nation with opponents averaging just 295.4 yards and  14.1 points versus the Tide. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S BEST WEEK 11 FRIDAY NIGHT TOTAL 

The Louisville Cardinals took a 77-16 beating at Clemson last week. I think they'll give up plenty of points again when visiting Syracuse Friday night. The Cardinals gave up 661 total yards to the Tigers and here it'll face a deadly offense that ranks No. 15 nationally with 478.2 yards per game. 

Syracuse is averaging 43.3 points per game on the season and senior dual-threat quarterback Eric Dungey has recorded 23 touchdowns, 13 via the pass and 10 by the run. Louisville's defense ranks dead last in the ACC and 115th nationally allowing 462.8 yards per game.

The Orange have lost the last two meetings by a combined score of 118-38, so I expect them to look for revenge and keep pressing the pedal to the metal and keep scoring points to the very end pushing this game over the total. 

10* play on LOU @ SYR OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL TOTAL)

I'm confident we'll see a low-scoring game when the Denver Broncos host the Houston Texans Sunday afternoon. 

Houston owns one of the best run defenses in the league while Denver limited KC to just 49 rushing yards last week. On top of that, both teams rank in the top half against the pass and Denver is tied for second in the NFL with 24 sacks on the season.

We can also note that Houston will have to do without wide receiver Will Fuller who will miss the rest of 2018 with a torn ACL. 

Under is 1-3 for Houston on the road and also 1-3 for Denver at home on the season. Under is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB TOTAL)

The No. 2 Clemson Tigers are perfect 8-0 SU on the season and amassed 524 total yards in a 59-10 triumph at FSU last week. 

Here they'll face a Louisville Cardinals side which has allowed 160 points in its last three contests and got lit up for 56 points and 591 yards in a 21-point loss to Wake Forest last week. 

On a positive note, Louisville piled up a season-high 532 total yards of offense and I would not be surprised to see Clemson go easy on them on the defensive side of the ball here as they're likely to rout their opponent anyway. 

Clemson won last season's meeting 47-21, and I expect a similar score this time around. 

10* play on OVER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL RAIDERS @ NINERS TOTAL

The San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders enter this contest with just one win a piece. They are the front-runners to claim the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL draft so the motivation to win this game must be quite low, and I expect that lack of focus mostly to show on the defensive side of the ball. 

Both teams rank near the bottom of the league for points allowed with 49ers (29.5 ppg) 28th and Raiders (31.1 ppg) 31st. We can also note that Oakland is dead last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (144.7 per game) and that the Niners are averaging a healthy 133.6 rushing yards per game.

The fact that San Francisco has such a strong ground game will make the question mark under center for the home team (C.J. Beathard injury) less of an issue. 

Over is 18-6-3 in Raiders last 27 games in November. Over is 8-3 in 49ers last 11 games overall.

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CFB TOTAL) - MIKE'S TOP RATED *BEST BET* FOR OCTOBER!

The Army Black Knights will pay a visit to Eastern Michigan Eagles Saturday afternoon. I think the bookmakers have set the total way too low for this contest. 

Army beat the Miami RedHawks 31-30 in double overtime its last time out, and as usual it did most of its damage on the ground with 347 rushing yards. On the season, the Black Knights own the 2nd best running offense in the country and we can note that Eastern Michigan gave up 227 rushing yards to Ball State last week. The Eagles still won the game 42-20 and scored three touchdowns through the air, and Eastern Michigan QB Tyler Wiegers  should have decent success here as well against a vulnerable Army secondary.

Eastern Michigan averages a decent 29.5 ppg on the season while Army averages 32.3 ppg.  

10* play on OVER. 

NINERS @ PACKERS GRIDIRON GOLDMINE

The Green Bay Packers are coming off a 31-23 loss at Detroit, but I doubt we'll see another shootout when they host the San Francisco 49ers Monday night. 

Green Bay is allowing only 17.3 ppg at home and its defense shut out Buffalo in a 22-0 victory its last time out at at Lambeau Field. Offensively Aaron Rodgers run the show, but he has few quality targets and virtually no protection; note that Rodgers has been sacked 16 times already. Green Bay's rushing game is below par, ranking 19th in the league averaging a pedestrian 101.9 yards per game.

The San Francisco 49ers are coming off an 18-28 loss to Arizona. They are banged up on the offensive side of the ball and will have to do without starting quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo) and top running back (Jerick McKinnon). On top of that, eight offensive players were on the sideline during Thursday's practice due to injuries. Backup QB C.J Beathard has as many picks (4) as touchdown passes on the season. 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* WEEK 6 TOTAL

The undefeated LA Rams are coming off a 33-31 road win at Seattle. While spectators might hope for another shootout at Denver on Sunday, I expect to see this game stay under this somewhat bloated total. 

The Broncos have lost three straight and struggled to put points on the board during their skid, managing only 14 against the Ravens, 23 against the Chiefs and most recently 16 against the Jets. Rams defense hasn't been as terrific as it can be in recent weeks, but LA is still giving up an average of only 19.6 points on the season, good for seventh in the NFL. Additionally, the Broncos are likely to try and move the chains primarily on the ground which will eat time off the clock. 

Under is 8-2 in Broncos last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Under is 9-3 in Rams last 12 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Chicago Bears should be well rested and ready to go as they're coming off their Week 5 bye. They trounced Tampa Bay 48-10 last time out and have now won three straight since losing their season opener at Green Bay.

The Miami Dolphins are trending in the opposite direction, coming off back-to-back losses to the Pats (38-17) and the Bengals (27-17). QB Ryan Tannehill threw two picks against Cincinnati and he has five INTS and four fumbles on the season. I expect him to get roughed up plenty by Chicago defensive end Khalil Mack who has recorded a sack and fumble in four straight games. 

The Dolphins offense rank rank 30th in the NFL with an average of only 288 total yards per game and here it will come up against arguably the best defense in the NFL with Chicago giving up an average of only 294.5 yards of total offense. We can also note that Miami is highly unlikely to have any kind of success running the ball against a Bears rush defense that ranks #1 in the NFL.

Bears QB Mitch Trubisky was outstanding his last time out, massing 354 passing yards with six touchdown passes against the Bucs. Miami’s rush and pass defense both rank 20th in the NFL and I think points will come fast and easy for the visitors. In addition to a Bears win I also expect this game to fly over the total.

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S FRIDAY NIGHT TOP RATED TOTAL

The Air Force Falcons visit the San Diego State Aztecs Friday night, and I expect to see this game go over the total. 

Air Force is coming off an impressive 35-7 win over Navy. It rolled up a 399 yards of total offense in that contest and ranks 15th in the nation in rushing by putting up 255.2 yards per contest. The Aztecs boast a stingy D, but I think Air Force can find openings on the ground. Offensively San Diego State is very balanced, entering this contest ranked 115th in the nation in passing offense and 55th in rushing. Note that Air Force was torched for 436 yards of total offense in a 28-25 loss to Nevada two weeks ago so don't be surprised if San Diego State does the same. 

Air Force is giving up only 22.0 ppg on the season and San Diego State 19.8 ppg. With the over/under 1-4 for both teams on the season the publice expecting a low-scoring contest, the total has been set way too low. We take the contrarian rout here and back the over. 

10* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL FOR WEEK 5

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off a solid 26-14 win at Pittsburgh. They shut out the Steelers in the second half and held one of the most potent offenses in the league to just 284 yards, 14 first downs and 19 rushing yards. On the season, Baltimore is giving up only 16.8 ppg. 

Cleveland is coming off a 45-42 loss at Oakland, but such high-scoring games are usually few and far between for the Browns. The highest scoring team through their first three games put just 21 points on the board and I expect their D to step up again here after a subpar outing. Note that under is 7-1 in Browns last eight games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.

The Browns have had plenty of success on the ground this season, entering this contest ranked 2nd in the league with 152.8 rushing yards per game. The bad news for them is that Baltimore's rush defense ranks 4th, allowing only 82.5 ypg and I'm still not convinced that rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield can hurt a defense like Baltimore's. 

10* NFL Total of the Week: BAL @ CLE UNDER. 

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL COLTS @ PATS TOTAL

Two capable offenses will clash at Foxborough Thursday night so naturally we should this game fly over the total, right? Not neccessarily in my opinion. 

Both teams are banged up on offense with the Colts' star receiver, T.Y. Hilton, unlikely to play and Pats All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. We can also note that Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck has struggled big time in previous matchups at Foxborough, completing only 48 percent of his pass attempts with nine interceptions in three games.

Under is 10-2 in Colts last 12 games overall. Under is 13-6 in Patriots last 19 games overall.

8* play on UNDER. 

NFL GAME OF THE MONTH (10* TOTAL)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been involved in two shootouts already this season, and I'm confident we'll see a high-scoring game when they host the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night. 

The Ravens opened the season with a 47-3 thumping of Buffalo and have scored 50 in their last two games combined to make it a season average of 32.3 ppg. Baltimore averages 292 ypg through the air and Pittsburgh ranks among the worst against the pass, giving up 288.0 yards per game. 

Offensively the Steelers are doing just fine and their 453.3 yards of total offense per game is 2nd only to Tampa Bay. Ben Roethlisberger has found the end zone seven times and thrown for 1,140 yards and James Connor has been the go-to man in the backfield with 222 yards and two scores. 

Over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings at Pittsburgh and the Steelers won last season's meeting at Heinz Field 39-38.

10* NFL TOTAL OF THE MONTH: OVER. 

BENGALS @ FALCONS TOTAL

The Atlanta Falcons will host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday afternoon. While the bookmakers have added to the total throughout the week (opened at 48), I still think this game will fly over the current number with ease. 

Both teams have big arms under center. Cincinnati's Andy Dalton having completed 74-of-116 passes for 860 yards in three games and is tied for third in the league with eight touchdowns. Atlanta's Matt Ryan has completed 70-of-106 passes for 897 yards and seven touchdowns, five in last week's 43-37 loss to New Orleans. 

Cincinnati is giving up 270.3 passing yards per game (23rd) while Atlanta is giving up 276.0 passing yards per game (25th). We should see plenty of big plays from both QBs. 

8* play on OVER. 

CFB GAME OF THE MONTH (10* TOTAL)

The Northwestern Wildcats host the Michigan Wolverines Saturday afternoon. While we may not see a massive shootout, I'm very confident we'll see this game fly over the total we're offered. 

Michigan ran for 285 yards and accumulated 491 yards of total offense in a 56-10 triumph over Nebraska last week. QB Shea Patterson has recorded seven touchdowns and just one interception over his last three games. Over is 19-8-1 in Wolverines last 28 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game and 9-3 in their last 12 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.

Northwestern is coming off its bye week and blew a 21-3 halftime lead to take a 39-34 home loss to Akron its last game. QB Clayton Thorson completed 33-of-52 passes for 383 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Zips and the Wildcats average a solid 424 yards per game of total offense. Over is 4-0 in Wildcats last four games following a bye week and I think they can put up decent numbers against Michigan.

10* CFB TOTAL OF THE MONTH: OVER

NFL 3-PACK

The Miami Dolphins have opened the season with back-to-back wins, and I think they'll make it three in a row here against the Raiders who are coming off a mentally tough 20-19 loss to Denver to fall to 0-2 on the season. 

Here the Raiders have to travel across the country to face a Miami side which own 6th ranked ground attack in the league, bad news for Oakland which ranks 31st against the run and allowed Denver to run for 168 yards last week. 

The Raiders have an explosive offense led by QB Derek Carr, but they're simply not clicking at the moment, averaging only 16.0 ppg on the season. I expect the Dolphins to get the job done and win a low-scoring game at home in Week 3. 

Raiders are 4-10-2 ATS in their last 16 games overall. Raiders are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Under is 9-0 in Raiders last 9 games overall. Under is 5-1 in Raiders last 6 games in September. Under is 4-1 in Dolphins last 5 games in September.

8* play on UNDER.

PATS @ JAGS NFL TOTAL 

The Jacksonville Jaguars picked up a 20-15 victory over the New York Giants in Week 1. They gave up just 324 yards of total offense but musted only 305 yards themselves, and here they're likely to be without star running back Leonard Fournette who sustained a hamstring injury in the season opener. Fournette did not practice Friday and the Jaguars are "not optimistic" he will play according to a report from the NFL Network.

The New England Patriots got the job done in their season opener as well, coming off a 27-20 triumph over Houston. They could find it tougher to move the ball here though against one of the best defenses in the league, and they'll have to do it without WR Julian Edelman who is sitting out the first four games while serving a suspension. We can also note that the Pats are banged up in the backfield and will need to rely on QB Tom Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski to carry the weight. 

Under is 9-2 in Jaguars last 11 vs. AFC. Under is 6-2 in Patriots last 8 vs. AFC.

8* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Minnesota Vikings opened the season with an easy 24-16 home win against the 49ers while the Green Bay Packers just barely beat the Bears 24-23 at home Monday night. 

Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers left the game with a knee injury but returned in the second half to help the Packers come back from a 20-0 deficit. 

We can however note that Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy either could not or would not say anything specific Monday regarding his starting quarterback's knee injury or his status for Week 2. 

Rodgers will most likely be banged up even if he makes it to the field, and that simply can't be good against a Minnesota team which features among the best passing defenses in the league. 

I like the Vikings to win this game no matter Rodgers' status, and I think they'll keep it a low-scoring affair. Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

8* play on UNDER. 

CFB GAME OF THE WEEK (10* TOTAL) ~ LATE KICK OFF!

The UCLA Bruins didn’t play well defensively in their last game as they gave up 485 yards in a 49-21 loss at Oklahoma. Here they'll come up against a balanced Fresno State team which opened the season with a 79-13 rout of Idaho followed by a 21-14 loss at Minnesota. 

The Bulldogs lead the nation with eight takeaways (5 interceptions, 3 fumbles) and that could spell big trouble for UCLA and its coach Chip Kelly who is still undecided on a starting quarterback for this contest. I think Fresno State will get plenty good opportunities in good field position leading to fast scores, but UCLA should be able to put up its fair share of points on the board as well.   

Over is 14-6-1 in Bulldogs last 21 non-conference games and 21-10 in their last 31 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game. Over is 5-2 in Bruins last seven games in September.

10* CFB TOTAL OF THE WEEK: OVER

THURSDAY NIGHT RAVENS @ BENGALS *NO-BRAINER* 

The Baltimore Ravens destroyed Buffalo 47-3 in Week 1 while Cincinnati Bengals notched a 34-23 season-opening victory over Indianapolis.

I expect less offense for both teams here with the defenses fired up for this AFC North showdown. Baltimore sure shut down the Bills effectively last week, allowing just 153 yards while recording six sacks and two turnovers but the Bengals won't give up easy points to their division rival. 

We can also note that under is 34-16-2 in Bengals last 52 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game and under is 4-1 in the last five meetings, with the exception a 31-27 Bengals win at Baltimore last year. 

8* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* FALCONS @ EAGLES *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Phildelphia Eagles managed to overcome a late season-ending ACL injury to their star QB Carson Wentz last year and went all the way to beat New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. They could always lean a stingy defense that ranked first against the pass and third against the run in 2017, and I think the same will be true here in 2018. 

Wentz will miss the season opener against Atlanta Falcons, and the Eagles are also dealing with injuries to their receivers. We can also add in the fact that running back Jay Ajayi was held out in the final two games of the preseason and I think it's fair to assume that points will be hard to come by for the Eagles. Atlanta has an explosive offense, but I expect Philly's D to shut down the Falcons effectively. 

Under is 7-0 in Falcons last 7 games overall. Under is 9-4 in Eagles last 13 games in Week 1. Under is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings.

10* play on UNDER. 

SATURDAY NIGHT CFB BOOKIE BREAKER TOTAL *TOP PLAY*

New UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly has been forced to deal with serious internal distractions ahead of the season opener with Cincinnati Bearcats Saturday night. Several players have been suspended  for violating unspecified athletic department policies, and it has hit their defense the worst. They'll face a Cincinnati team which will return 13 starters, including its leading passer, rusher and receiver, and I expect to see the scoreboard light up plenty here at Rose Bowl tonight.

10* play on OVER. 

SAINTS @ VIKINGS TOTAL

The Minnesota Vikings defense allowed just a total of 17 points through the last three games of the season. They rank near the top of the NFL in several defensive categories including the second-ranked rush and pass defense. 

Minnesota held New Orleans to just 19 points in Week 1 of the season, and I expect another low-scoring encounter here in the NFC Divisional playoff round. New Orleans has held opponents to a respectable 20.4 points per game (10th in the league) and the Vikes are far from an offensive powerhouse. 

Under is 7-1-1 in Vikings last nine playoff games and 20-6 in their last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

STEELERS @ TEXANS NO-BRAINER

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already locked up the AFC North title, and it would take a small miracle for them to get home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs after last week's loss to New England. They also lost  Pro Bowl receiver Antonio Brown to a calf injury for the remainder of the regular season, and I think the main focus here will be to get out of the game as healthy as possible. 

The Houston Texans placed quarterback Tom Savage on season-ending injured reserve Saturday and with rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson out since long the Texans will once again have to go with third-stringer T.J. Yates under center. He was a woeful 12-of-31 for 128 yards in last week's 45-7 loss at Jacksonville. 

Houston has failed to scored more than 16 points in each of its last four games and under is 7-2 in Texans last nine games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. Under is 22-6 in Steelers last 28 road games.

I think Pittsburgh will win the game outright, but the Texans to cover in a low-scoring affair. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

NFL TOTALS 3-PACK

The New England Patriots can wrap up a first-round bye and maintain the inside track for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC with a win here against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. The Bills do not lack motivation either though as they seek to secure their first postseason berth since 1999. 

The Pats defeated the Bills 23-3 at Buffalo on Dec. 3, and I think we'll see another low-scoring affair here at Foxboro on Saturday. The Bills are averaging only 17.2 ppg on the road this season and the under is 9-2 in Bills last 11 games on fieldturf. Under is 8-2 in Patriots last 10 games overall as they've managed to sort out a defense that gave up a ton of points at the beginning of the season. Furthermore, Buffalo will most likely to to hand the ball to running back LeSean McCoy as often as possible, which will eat time off the clock.  

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

NFL TOTALS 3-PACK

The LA Chargers need to go perfect through the last two weeks in order to make the playoffs after a loss in Kansas City last week. 

This will not be an easy matchup though as they'll face a New York Jets team that has been surprisingly competent at home compared to its woeful play on the road. The Jets are 4-3 home at MetLife Stadium, and the three losses have all been by eight points or less, and they came against the Patriots (11-3), Falcons (9-5) and Panthers (10-4). I don't expect much from the Jets offense though as they have to do without QB Josh McCown who is out for the season after suffering a broken left hand two weeks ago in Denver.

The Chargers are 3-4 on the road with five of the seven games going under the total. They'll be looking to improve the play on the defensive side of the ball after being torched for 397 total yards in last week's 30-13 loss to the Chiefs. We can note that under is 12-2 in Chargers last 14 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.

I think the Jets will keep this close in a low-scoring contest. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* NFL NO-BRAINER - VIKINGS @ PACKERS

The Minnesota Vikings have already clinched the division title, but they now have their eyes on the first-round bye and possibly earning home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Green Bay Packers were officially eliminated from playoff contention last week when they lost 31-24 at Carolina. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers is back on injured reserve, and the Packers won't find it easy here against a fantastic Minnesota D that ranks second in the NFL in total defense and scoring defense. We'll see Brett Hundley replacing Rodgers under center for Green Bay, and he has thrown zero touchdowns vs. five interceptions in four starts home at Lambeau Field this season. 

Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings and I predict another low-scoring encounter on a freezing cold Lambeau Saturday night. 

My selection is a 10* play on Under.

EARLY NFL TOTAL

The Philadelphia Eagles have averaged 31.1 points per game, but now they'll have to find a way to find then endzone without injured quarterback Carson Wentz whom they lost to a season-ending torn ACL last week. They still have a solid defense which should be able to contain this lowly Giants side. 

The New York Giants have averaged just 15.3 ppg and at 2-11 they're just looking for the season to end. Under is 8-2 in their last 10 games home at MetLife Stadium.

My selection is an 8* play on Under.