At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (457) and the Kansas City (458). THE SITUATION: Denver (6-5) has won three of their last four games after their 28-13 upset win against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday. Kansas City (7-4) has won four games in a row after their 19-9 win against Dallas as a 2.5-point favorite two weeks ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 3-0-1 in the Broncos’ last 4 games after a win by 14 or more points — and they have played 5 straight Unders after a point spread win. The Under is also 15-5-1 in Denver’s last 21 games after not allowing more than 14  points in their last game. The Broncos have held four of their last five opponents to 17 or fewer points. They are third in the league by allowing just 17.8 Points-Per-Game. They also have the third-best opposing quarterback Passer Rating of 82.7 in the NFL. They go on the road tonight where they are holding their home hosts to just 17.2 PPG and 312.0 total Yards-Per-Game. Denver has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total. But the Broncos' offense is limited with Teddy Bridgewater under center. They are scoring just 20.7 PPG — and they have scored under 20 points in five of their last eight games. Bridgewater completed 11 of 18 passes for 129 yards last week. While a quarterback that is allergic to taking chances is a good fit with a defense-first team, his unwillingness to throw the ball down the field makes it difficult to stay competitive with a team that averages 25.5 PPG. Denver has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and the Under is 11-3-1 in their last 15 games after a bye week. The Chiefs host this game where they are only scoring a surprising 21.5 PPG this season. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Mahomes has been in a mini-slump this season after being frustrated with the two-high safety cover-2 looks he is facing. But it is not just that — defenses have finally realized that blitzing Mahomes is too dangerous a proposition since he can evade the rush and torch the defense with Travis Kelce or Tyreeke Hill getting a few more seconds to evade fewer defenders. It is the cover-2 combined with the standard pass rush which is frustrating Mahomes. The Chiefs have not scored more than 20 points in four of their last five games and five of their last seven. But Kansas City is on a winning streak due to the improved play of their defense. Acquiring linebacker defensive end Melvin Ingram from Pittsburgh allowed Chris Jones to move back inside to defensive tackle where he prefers — and he has thrived. The Chiefs have not allowed more than 17 points in four straight games — and they have held their last three opponents to 10.0 PPG and just 292.0 total YPG. Don’t count out a defense coached by Steve Spagnuolo to improve as the season moves on. Kansas City has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total in December — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 14-5-1 in Denver’s last 20 games against AFC West foes — and the Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (457) and the Kansas City (458). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (471) and the Los Angeles Rams (472). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (2-9) has lost three games in a row after their 21-14 loss to Atlanta as a 1-point underdog last week. Los Angeles (7-4) has lost three games in a row as well after their 36-28 upset loss at Green Bay as a 2-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jaguars have played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after a point spread loss. Additionally, Jacksonville has palled 4 straight games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The Jaguars did generate 357 total yards last week — but they have then played 4 straight Unders after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Jacksonville has not scored more than 17 points in five straight games. They are scoring just 15.7 PPG this season — and they are averaging 13.7 PPG in their last three games. The Jags defense is playing better — the 320.0 Yards-Per-Game they are allowing in their last three games is -40.3 net YPG below their season average. Jacksonville has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Jaguars have also played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Rams are slumping on offense under some stagnant play-calling from “offensive genius” Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles is scoring only 18.0 PPG and averaging just 326.0 total YPG in their last three contests. Stafford has thrown pick-sixes in each of those games which provides context for the 31.7 PPG they are allowing in their last three games. The Rams defense has held their last three opponents to just 309.3 total YPG. They return home where they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: After rushing the ball at least 23 times in their first six games, the Rams have only run the ball more than 21 times once in their last five games. Look for McVay to get back to running the ball more to steady Stafford and the slumping Los Angeles offense — and that will burn more time off the clock after being on offense for just 20:20 minutes against the Packers last week. The Under is 22-8-1 in the Rams’ last 31 games when favored. Jacksonville has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (471) and the Los Angeles Rams (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers (311) and the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (312) in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Appalachian State (10-2) has won six straight games after their 27-3 win against Georgia Southern as a 24.5-point favorite last week. UL-Lafayette (11-1) has won 11 straight games after their 21-16 win against UL-Monroe as a 21.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. Appalachian State held the Eagles to just 194 total yards — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. They have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Mountaineers allow only 18.9 Points-Per-Game — and they rank 12th in the nation by limiting their opponents to just 315.3 total Yards-Per-Game. The defense ranks third in the nation in Tackles-For-Loss — and they are 12th in Opponents Success Rate. They have held their last three opponents to single digits. They play on the road for this one where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 to 52. UL-Lafayette has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Ragin’ Cajuns have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. UL-Louisiana allows just 18.5 PPG. They host this game where they have played 14 of their last 16 games Under the Total. The Ragin’ Cajuns have also played 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and the Under is 11-3-1 in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight Unders when playing at UL-Louisiana. 10* CFB Saturday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers (311) and the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (301) and the New Orleans Saints (302). THE SITUATION: Dallas (7-4) has lost two straight games and three of their last four after a 36-33 upset loss at home to Las Vegas as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. New Orleans (5-6) has lost three in a row after their 31-6 loss to Buffalo as a 7-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dak Prescott played much better last week after looking rusty two weeks ago. He completed 32 of 47 passes for 375 yards with two touchdown passes despite not having Cooper and Lamb as targets. But the Cowboys have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. And while they gave up 509 yards to the Raiders with 366 coming in the air, they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after giving up at least 350 yards in their last game. Dallas has still only allowed 19.3 PPG in their last three contests. The Cowboys go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Dallas has also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as a favorite. New Orleans has seen the Under go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home. The injury update for the Saints this morning was not good. Running back Alvin Kamara will miss his fourth straight game — he is the team’s best weapon on offense. New Orleans will also be without their bookend tackles with Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk out again this week with knee injuries. It is not just that the Saints are missing starting tackles, it is that Armstead and Ramczyk are two of the best offensive linemen in football. These absences simply cripple this offense that is already without top wide receiver Michael Thomas and starting quarterback Jameis Winston. But it is not just the offense that is missing key players as they are missing some of their best players on defense. New Orleans allowed 361 yards to the Bills last week — but they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Taysom Hill gets the start at quarterback — but he was unable to win the job in the preseason over Jameis Winston. Hill has thrown only eight passes with 20 rushing attempts this season. If he was such a dangerous threat as a dual-threat, he would be averaging more than 4.5 touches of the football per game (when healthy). Who is he going to throw to? And it is not as if Hill is the only mobile quarterback in the league. Having to defend running quarterbacks is standard fare in the NFL. New Orleans is scoring only 18.7 PPG and averaging 295.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 9-1-1 in the Saints’ last 11 games when playing on a Thursday. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (301) and the New Orleans Saints (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (531) and the Brooklyn Nets (532). THE SITUATION: New York (11-9) has won two of their last three games after their 99-90 victory at Atlanta on Saturday. Brooklyn (14-6) had their four-game winning streak end on Saturday with their 113-107 upset loss to Phoenix as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knicks probably played their best defensive game of the season against the Hawks. New York held Atlanta to just 35.5% shooting — the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season — and the 90 points they gave up was the second-lowest mark of the year. Not coincidentally, head coach Tom Thibodeau did not play Kemba Walker in the game — and he announced yesterday that he was removing Walker from the rotation completely. Walker was a high-priced free-agent signee in the offseason from Boston to provide an offensive spark. He has scored 11.7 Points-Per-Game in the 24.5 minutes per game he has played this season. His removal from the rotation will lead to lower scoring games for the Knicks since the team will lose his outside shooting but benefit from getting closer to Thibodeau’s expectations of the play of their defense. New York has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 105 points in their last game. In their last five games, they are scoring 102.2 PPG on 41.9% shooting — a drop of -4.1 PPG from their season average. The Knicks stay on the road where they have played 6 straight Unders — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. New York has also played 21 of their last 31 road games Under the Total with the Total in the 210-219.5 point range. Additionally, the Knicks have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn has played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. The Nets stay at home where the Under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total when favored. Brooklyn has won seven of their last nine games in a stretch fueled by the play of their defense. In those nine games, the Nets rank sixth in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They will be without sharpshooter Joe Harris indefinitely with his shoulder injury.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 12 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (531) and the Brooklyn Nets (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (273) and the Washington Football Team (274). THE SITUATION: Seattle (3-7) lost their fifth game in their last six after their 23-13 upset loss to Arizona as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Washington (4-6) pulled off their second straight upset victory with their 27-21 win at Carolina as a 3-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Seahawks have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss at home — and the Under is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a straight-up loss. Seattle has also played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss. The Seahawks have only scored 13 points in their two games since Russell Wilson returned to action from his finger injury. The Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. Seattle is playing better on defense — they have held their last three opponents to just 15.7 PPG. Now Seattle goes on the road where they have played 5 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Washington have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They held the Panthers to just 297 total yards last week by controlling the time of possession as they were on offense for 35:53 minutes of that game. The Football Team rushed for 190 yards in that game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. Washington returns home where they have played 9 of their last 12 games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Football Team has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and the Seahawks have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (273) and the Washington Football Team (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (271) and the Baltimore Ravens (272). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (6-5) has won two of their last three games after a 13-10 win at home against Detroit as a 14-point favorite last week. Baltimore (7-3) has also won two of their last three games with their 16-13 win at Chicago as a 1-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Cleveland has played 4 straight Unders after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. And while the Browns held the Lions to just 245 total yards last week, they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. Cleveland limited Detroit to only 77 passing yards in that game — and they have then played 40 of their last 57 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 passing yards in their last game. But the Lions did rush for 168 yards against them — and the Browns have played 4 straight Unders after not allowing more than 150 rushing yards in their last game. Baker Mayfield is in a funk as of late — he completed 15 of 29 passes for just 176 yards against the Lions' defense while throwing two interceptions last week. Mayfield does not appear to be liberated in the Cleveland offense after the dismissal of Odell Beckham. The Browns are scoring only 20.3 PPG with just a 309.0 total YPG mark in their last three games. Baltimore has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Ravens have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. Baltimore did allow the Bears to gain 353 total yards last week — but they have then played thirteen of their last nineteen games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Ravens have still held their last three opponents to just 22.0 PPG and 240.3 total YPG. Baltimore has failed to score more than 17 points in three of their last four games. Lamar Jackson is expected to play tonight (he claimed to be “120%” confident he will play) after missing last week because of a non-COVID illness. But the Ravens have yet to demonstrate they have the full fix to the eight-man front that Miami deployed against them in their loss on Thursday Night Football that took away Jackson’s rushing lanes and forced him to pass. Baltimore scored only 10 points with 304 total yards against the Dolphins.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings in Baltimore Under the Total. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (271) and the Baltimore Ravens (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (883) and the UAB Blazers (884) in the Finals of the Las Vegas Invitational. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (7-0) won their opening round game in this holiday tournament with a 71-61 victory as a 13-point favorite last night. UAB (5-1) comes off an 86-73 victory against New Mexico as an 11-point favorite last night in this event. This tournament is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dons have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. San Francisco has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning at least two in a row. San Francisco is tough on the defensive glass — they rank 11th in the nation by limiting their opponents to pulling down only 20% of their missed shots. Head coach Bob McKillop has his team play tough defense as they have held their last five opponents to just 40.2% shooting which is resulting in only 62.6 Points-Per-Game. The Dons have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. UAB has played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. After losing at South Carolina, the Blazers have won and covered the point spread in two straight games. UAB has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row — and they have played 10 straight Unders after covering the point spread in their last two games. And while the Blazers have scored 86 points in each of their last two games after being held to 63 points in their loss to the Gamecocks, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. They are averaging 86.7 PPG on 48.7% shooting this season — but in their two games away from home, that productivity drops to 74.5 PPG on 42.1% shooting. UAB has held their last five opponents to 62.4 PPG on 41.1% shooting. They are 31st in the nation by holding their opponents to just 42.3% shooting inside the arc — and the Dons have been living inside with a 61.8% shooting mark for their 2-point shots which is fourth-best in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 6-1-1 in the Blazers’ last 8 games as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total on a neutral court as a dog getting up to three points. San Francisco is scoring 79.9 PPG — but this is just their second game away from home after scoring 71 points last night in Vegas. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court when favored or a pick ‘em. 25* CBB Las Vegas Invitational Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco Dons (883) and the UAB Blazers (884). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (141) and the Washington Huskies (142). THE SITUATION: Washington State (6-5) has won two of their last three games with their 44-19 win against Arizona as a 15-point favorite last Friday. Washington (4-7) has lost three in a row after a 20-17 upset loss as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This year’s version of the Apple Cup will feature two defensive coordinators serving as interim head coaches for programs working through a tumultuous season. Given some weather conditions that I will detail in the Final Take, I expect both teams to embrace a conservative defensive mentality in this rivalry game. Washington State has run the ball more since Jake Dickert was given the head coaching duties. In his four games, the Cougars had their first and third-highest rushing games in terms of attempts with 42 carries against Arizona State and 36 carries last week against the Wildcats — and this is despite them ranking 71st in the nation in Rushing Success Rate. As a defensive coach, Dickert appreciates the benefits running the ball does for his defense. They have held three of these four opponents to no more than 21 points after allowing 24 or more points in six of their first seven games. When now facing an outstanding Huskies secondary filled with future NFL players who rank fifth in the nation in Opposing Pass Success Rate and third in Pro Football Focus’ coverage grading, Washington State will likely run the ball plenty tonight — and burn time off the clock limited offensive possessions along the way. The Cougars did gain 482 yards last week — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Washington State has also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. The Cougars score only 23.0 PPG and average 355.3 total YPG on the road. Washington has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by a touchdown or less against Pac-12 rivals. The Huskies held the Buffaloes to 183 yards in the loss last week. The Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Washington allows only 21.1 PPG and 325.9 total YPG on the season. But despite quarterback Dylan Morris passing for 387 yards, his two interceptions played a large role in their scoring just 17 points. The Huskies average just 1.4 Yards-Per-Carry. With this being the team’s final game, interim head coach Bob Gregory may give playing time to freshman QB Sam Huard. Either way, expect more long drives from an offense that ranks outside the top-115 in Standard Down Explosiveness, Rushing Explosiveness, and Passing Explosiveness. Washington is scoring only 21.0 PPG and averaging 286.0 total YPG in their last three games. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. They return home where they have played 20 of their last 27 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Huskies have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: There is a 50% chance for rain in Seattle for this game which will likely hurt the passing game for both teams. I suspect both defensive coaches will not take as many chances throwing the ball in the rain. And if you watched Washington play in Ann Arbor in the rain against Michigan earlier this year, you witnessed how ineffective Morris and their receivers were dealing with a wet football. These two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings at Washington Under the Total. 25* CFB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (141) and the Washington Huskies (142). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (109) and the New Orleans Saints (110). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (6-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 41-15 upset loss at home to Indianapolis as a 7-point favorite on Sunday. New Orleans (5-5) lost their third straight game with their 40-29 loss at Philadelphia as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bills have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. Buffalo has also played 6 straight Unders after a loss at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The formula for success for head coach Sean McDermott tonight will likely be to play conservative, get a lead, and then don’t risk losing it. After getting upset on the road to Jacksonville by a 9-6 score three weeks ago, the Bills finally made a schematic change by putting quarterback Josh Allen under center to operate a more conventional rushing attack. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has probably been asking Allen to do too much — especially out of the shotgun formation. Buffalo also incorporated running back Matt Brieda in more rushing plays against the Jets. The result was a 45-14 victory where they ran the ball 24 times for 139 yards. But the Bills got away from that last week as they ran the ball just 13 times in their loss to Colts while having their offense on the field for just 22:13 minutes. Running the football will help the Buffalo offensive line and keep the energy up for their defense. The Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Bills have been outstanding on defense for most of the season. They are allowing just 17.6 PPG along with 283.7 total Yards-Per-Game — and they hold their home hosts to 16.0 PPG and 310.8 total YPG in their five road games. New Orleans only gained 323 yards last week in their loss at Philadelphia. The Saints’ offense is ravaged with injuries in their first year in the post-Drew Brees era. Running back Alvin Kamara will miss his third straight game with a knee. Mark Ingram is questionable with his knee injury — and he was simply a rotation running back with Houston before being re-acquired by New Orleans midseason. Quarterback Jameis Winston is out the season with his torn ACL and Taysom Hill is not 100% with a foot injury that limits his mobility. The offensive line is banged up — and wide receiver unit lacks a true number one with Michael Thomas not playing this year. Quarterback Trevor Siemian was effective early coming on in relief in the Saints’ upset win against Tampa Bay — but he is winless in his three starts while regressing in his quality of play as opposing defenses build their book up against him. He completed only 22 of 40 passes for 214 yards with two interceptions last week. That 5.4 yards-per-attempt passing average he had against the Eagles is sub-standard. He is ineffective if placed into obvious passing downs when playing from behind. New Orleans returns home after playing their last two games on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road. The Saints’ defense is allowing only 21.8 PPG — but they need to bounce-back after getting embarrassed by Philadelphia. They allowed 383 total yards to the Eagles with 242 of them coming on the ground last week. New Orleans has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards. Turnovers are hurting this team as they have lost the turnover battle in three straight games. That explains why the Saints have allowed 30.0 PPG in those three games despite only giving up 336.7 total YPG during that span. New Orleans has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after losing the turnover battle in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total played on a Thursday. Buffalo has played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5. to 49 point range. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (109) and the New Orleans Saints (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (105) and the Detroit Lions (106). THE SITUATION: Chicago (3-7) lost their fifth straight game with a 16-13 loss to Baltimore as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Detroit (0-9-1) comes off a 13-10 loss at Cleveland as a 14-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears have played 23 of their last 32 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home. Additionally, Chicago has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing their last game Under the Total. And in their last 24 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game, the Bears have played 17 of these games Under the Total. Justin Fields was knocked out of the Ravens game with a rib injury that will keep him out this afternoon. Andy Dalton will be under center for this game after completing less than 50% of his passes (11 of 23) against Baltimore. Chicago is scoring only 16.3 PPG and averaging 287.9 total Yards-Per-Game under offensive “guru” May Nagy — and that number drops to 14.0 PPG and 269.2 total YPG in their five games on the road. They have not scored more than 27 points all season while scoring 22 or fewer points in eight of their ten games and 20 points or less in seven of their games. The Bears did gain 353 total yards last week — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The good news for Chicago is they did hold Baltimore to only 299 total yards. They did not allow more than 17 points for the fourth time this season. Detroit has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing at least two in a row. The Lions have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. It looks like it will be Jared Goff under center for this one with him being listed as questionable with the oblique injury that kept him out against the Browns. Backup quarterback Tim Boyle completed 15 of 23 passes but for only 77 yards with two interceptions against Cleveland in demonstrating that he is not as effective as even a limited Goff. Detroit is scoring only 16.0 PPG — and they score just 16.8 PPG at home while averaging 292.8 total YPG. The Lions have not topped 19 points in nine straight games — and they are averaging a mere 10.7 PPG and 259.7 total YPG in their last three contests. Detroit has scored 26 points in their last two games — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 17 points in two straight games. The Lions’ defense has played better lately by only allowing 29 combined points in their last two contests. They did allow 184 rushing yards to the Browns last week but they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog — and Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Total is low for this one — but it simply would not be a shock if one (or both) of these teams failed to score double-digits especially after Nagy canceled team meetings on Tuesday amidst the rumors he was going to be fired after this game (although the Lions offense is not in better shape even with full meetings on Tuesday). 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (105) and the Detroit Lions (106). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (527) and the New Orleans Pelicans (528). THE SITUATION: Washington (11-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 109-103 upset loss as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. New Orleans (3-16) has lost four of their last five games with their 110-96 loss to Minnesota as a 3-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wizards are playing great defense under rookie head coach Wes Unseld Jr. That Unseld is getting solid defensive contributions from Montrezl Harrell is extraordinary when considering he was pushed out of the Lakers’ rotation last season due to his play on that end of the court. Washington ranks 5th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. The Wizards have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now they go back on the road where they are holding their home hosts to just 41.7% shooting from the field which is resulting in only 100.9 PPG. Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Wizards rank just 20th in the league in Offensive Efficiency — and they are scoring only 100.0 PPG on the road. Additionally, Washington has played 6 straight Unders as a favorite — and they have played 5 straight Unders against teams not winning at least 40% of their games. New Orleans has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after a double-digit loss. The Pelicans rank just 26th in the NBA in Offensive Efficiency — and they are scoring just 96.4 PPG in their last five games. They stay at home where the Under is 11-2-1 in their last 14 games — and the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 home games as an underdog. New Orleans has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Washington won the last meeting between these two teams by a 105-100 with the Total set at 208 back on November 15th. These two teams have played 20 of their last 27 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games in the Big Easy Under the Total. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (527) and the New Orleans Pelicans (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (525) and the Memphis Grizzlies (526). THE SITUATION: Toronto (8-10) has lost four of their last five games after a 119-104 upset loss as a 9-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (9-8) has won three of their last four games with their 119-118 upset win at Utah as an 11-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Raptors made only 39.4% of their shots on Sunday which was the second-lowest field goal percentage of the season for them. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 26 of their last 37 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. They stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as an underdog. Memphis has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Grizzlies return home where they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Memphis is last in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency — but they also rank a respectable 10th in Offensive Efficiency. Toronto ranks 8th in the league in Offensive Efficiency — but they are a disappointing 21st in Defensive Efficiency.

FINAL TAKE: The Raptors have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range — and 25 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the number in that 210-219.5 point range. 10* NBA Over/Under Situational Special with Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Raptors (525) and the Memphis Grizzlies (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (477) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (478). THE SITUATION: New York (3-6) has won two of their last three games after their 23-16 upset victory against Las Vegas as a 3-point underdog back on November 7th. Tampa Bay (6-3) has lost two in a row after their 29-19 upset loss at Washington as a 10-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Buccaneers have suffered two straight upset losses after losing in New Orleans as a 3.5-point road favorite on October 31st. Tom Brady misses his security blankets in wide receiver Antonio Brown and tight end Rob Gronkowski. Brown remains out tonight but Gronkowski could return to the field with his being listed as questionable — although how effective he will be with his sore back remains an issue. Tampa Bay gained only 273 yards against the Football Team. They were only on offense for 20:52 minutes. The Buccaneers only ran the ball 13 times for 53 yards — and they only had 14 rushes for 71 yards in their loss to the Saints. Look for Tampa Bay to get back to running the football. They had averaged 29.3 rushing attempts in their four games which were all victories. The Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. Tampa Bay has also played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Running the ball will also help the Buccaneers defense that has allowed 122 rushing YPG in their last four games after holding their first five opponents to just 46 rushing YPG. Tampa Bay misses Vita Tea on their defensive line who has been out with a knee injury. He is doubtful to play tonight — but asking the defense to be on the field five to ten minutes less than they were last week will help. So will returning home help where the Buccaneers hold their guests to just 18.5 PPG. Tampa Bay has played 19 of their last 27 games at home Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. New York has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Giants managed only 247 total yards in the win last week with Daniel Jones completing 15 of 20 passes but for only 110 yards. New York has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not gaining more than 250 yards in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. And while the Giants surrendered 403 yards to the Raiders, they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. New York’s defense has steadily improved this season. They have held their last three opponents to just 13.0 PPG and 314.7 total YPG. They go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Giants have played 8 straight games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and the Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games against NFC foes. New York has also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (477) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (475) and the Los Angeles Chargers (476). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (5-3-1) had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 16-16 tie with Detroit as a 6-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-4) has lost three of their last four games after their 27-20 upset loss to Minnesota as a 3-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while Pittsburgh gained 387 yards against the Lions' defense last week, the Under is 37-14-2 in their last 53 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. This will be just their fourth game on the road this season — and they are scoring just 18.3 PPG and averaging 301.3 total YPG in their three road games. The Under is a decisive 42-13-1 in the Steelers’ last 56 games on the road — and the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 road games as an underdog. Additionally, Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against AFC foes — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games in November. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Their loss to the Vikings fell below the 53.5 point Total — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. The Chargers stay at home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when favored — and the Under is 14-5-1 in their last 20 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also played 4 straight Unders when hosting the Steelers on their home field.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 10 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5. or higher. Pittsburgh has played 29 of their last 40 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 to 49.5. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (475) and the Los Angeles Chargers (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (409) and the UTSA Roadrunners (410). THE SITUATION: UAB (7-3) has won four of their last five games with their 21-14 upset win at Marshall as a 4.5-point underdog last Saturday. UTSA (10-0) continued their unbeaten season with a 27-13 win against Southern Mississippi as a 32.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blazers controlled the clock by being on offense for 37:43 minutes last week which helped them hold the Thundering Herd to just 269 total yards to help them pull off the upset. That will be the formula for success again today for head coach Bill Clark. UAB has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Blazers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. UAB leads Conference USA by allowing only 320.2 total YPG and 4.9 Yards-Per-Play. In their six road games, the Blazers are allowing just 16.2 PPG and 280.7 total YPG. The Blazers have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total -- and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Under is 15-5-1 in UAB’s last 21 games as an underdog — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total with the Total set in the 49.5 to 56 point range. UTSA has not allowed more than 17 points in three of their last four games. The Under is 10-3-1 in their last 14 games after a straight-up win. The Roadrunners held the Golden Eagles to just 189 yards of offense — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The UTSA defense has been particularly tough at home where they hold their guests to just 9.4 PPG and 192.6 total YPG. The Roadrunners have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 6 straight Unders at home with the Total set in the 52.5 to 56 point range. UTSA is fourth in the nation by holding their opponents to just 2.7 rushing Yards-Per-Carry. They will make thinks difficult on the Blazers who only average 85th in the nation by averaging 213 passing YPG — and UAB is just 56th in Passing Success Rate. The Roadrunners have played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: UTSA clinches a spot in the Conference USA Championship Game with a win — but UAB is still alive to defend their conference title just one game behind the Roadrunners in the West Division. The Blazers defeated UTSA last year by a 21-13 score in Birmingham as a 21.5-point favorite on October 3rd. UAB has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Under is 6-2-1 in UTSA’s last 9 games against teams with winning records. 25* CFB Conference USA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (409) and the UTSA Roadrunners (410). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (311) and the Atlanta Falcons (312). THE SITUATION: New England (6-4) has won four in a row with their 45-7 win against Cleveland as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. Atlanta (4-5) looks to rebound from their 43-3 loss at Dallas an 8-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots held the Browns to just 217 yards last week in their blowout victory. New England is allowing only 327.9 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in just 17.7 Points-Per-Game for their opponents. The Patriots have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Now they go on the road where they are allowing just 326.3 total YPG — and they are holding their home hosts to just 14.5 PPG. New England has played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total when favored. The Patriots have held their last three opponents to just 12.3 PPG and 275.3 total YPG. Atlanta only managed 214 yards last week with their offense sputtering as it continues to be hit hard with the loss of key players. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is out indefinitely dealing with personal issues. Running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and tight end Hayden Hurst are both questionable this week with ankle injuries they suffered against the Cowboys. They are scoring only 14.3 PPG and 264.3 total YPG. They return home where they are winless in three games while only scoring 16.3 PPG and generating just 282.3 YPG. Atlanta has played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has played 30 of their last 42 games Under the Total in November — and New England has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in November. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (311) and the Atlanta Falcons (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Central Michigan Chippewas (307) and the Ball State Cardinals (308). THE SITUATION: Central Michigan (6-4) has won four of their last five games after their 54-30 win against Kent State as a 2.5-point favorite last Wednesday. Ball State (5-5) has lost two of their last three games with their 30-29 upset loss at Northern Illinois as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chippewas generated 505 yards against the Golden Flashes last week with quarterback Daniel Richardson completing 21 of 27 passes for 268 yards with four touchdown passes. But Central Michigan has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 50 points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Chippewas are scoring 32.8 PPG and averaging 447.5 total YPG — but those numbers drop by -6.0 PPG and -39.7 YPG in their five games on the road. Central Michigan has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road. They have also played 4 straight road games Under the Total when favored. Ball State has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they allowed 475 yards to the Huskies last week, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. Despite returning 20 starters from the squad that won the Mid-American Championship last season, head coach Mike Neu has found things more difficult this year back to a full conference schedule after the COVID-shortened campaign last season. After scoring 34.2 PPG last year, the Cardinals are scoring only 25.6 PPG this year — that number drops to 22.2 PPG at home in their four games. They rank 106th in the nation by averaging 347.2 total YPG — and they averaging -19.2 fewer YPG at home. Third-year starting quarterback Drew Plitt leads an offense that is averaging just 206.0 passing YPG this season, ranking 96th in the nation. He has passed for less than 200 yards in two straight games as Neo pivots the offense around freshman running back Carson Steele. Ball State has rushed for at least 200 yards in three of their last four games. Continuing this ground attack will not exploit the vulnerable Chippewas ‘ pass defense that ranks 122nd in the nation by allowing 280.5 passing YPG. Central Michigan does defend the run well after returning ten starters from a defense that ranked ninth in the nation last year by holding their opponents to 3.1 Yards-Per-Carry. The Chippewas are holding conference opponents to 3.8 YPC this year. The high-risk/high-reward aggressive tactics under head coach Jim McElwain is giving up too many big plays in the passing game — but Central Michigan does rank in the top ten in the nation in Tackles for Loss fueled by their 27 sacks. The Cardinals rushed for 246 yards last week — and they have played 4 straight Unders after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Ball State returns home where they have played 6 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Weather looks to play a role tonight with rain expected with winds in the 10-15 miles-per-hour range. The kicking and passing games may be negatively impacted. The Chippewas have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range — and the Cardinals have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with the Total set in that 56.5 to 63 range. 25* CFB Wednesday ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Central Michigan Chippewas (307) and the Ball State Cardinals (308). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (265) and the San Francisco 49ers (266). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (7-2) had their four-game winning streak snapped last week with their 28-16 upset loss to Tennessee as a 7-point favorite last Sunday night. San Francisco (3-5) has lost five of their last six games after their 31-17 upset loss at home to Arizona as a 5.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rams’ defense held the Titans to just 194 total yards but were stagnant on offense. Matthew Stafford had his worst game in a Los Angeles uniform by completing 31 of 48 passes for 294 yards but with two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown. The Rams’ offensive line struggled to slow down the Tennessee four-man rush and Stafford’s play reminded Detroit Lions fans of the quarterback they would often witness. Stafford will be without Robert Woods for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL on Friday. That injury came a day after the team signed Odell Beckham. I am skeptical but keeping an open mind on how Beckham will work with the Rams. There may be early growing pains in getting Stafford and Beckham on the same page. Stafford struggled at times keeping the Lions' offense in synch under the pressure of feeding Calvin Johnson the football. Los Angeles only gained 347 total yards last week with head coach and play-caller Sean McVay abandoning the run game and the play-action game that brought him so much initial success with this offense. Scoring 38 points against the New York Giants and Houston Texans is great — but the Rams have not scored more than 28 points in their other four games since peaking in a 34-24 win against Tampa Bay the last Sunday night in September. Those 28 points were scored at home against Detroit, by the way. Los Angeles has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Rams have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Now Los Angeles goes back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total when favored. San Francisco only gained 337 yards last week in their loss to a Colt McCoy-led Cardinals. The 49ers have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did complete 28 of 40 passes for 326 yards in the losing effort — but the Niners have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. San Francisco returns home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total hosting the Rams. They have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The 49ers have seen 49 or fewer combined points in three of their four games at home in Levi Stadium. They have not scored more than 21 points in five of their eight games. The Rams have seen 51 or fewer points in three of their four games on the road. They have held seven of their nine opponents to 24 or fewer points. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (265) and the San Francisco 49ers (266). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (5-4) has won two games in a row with their 13-7 victory against Green Bay as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. Las Vegas (5-3) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 23-16 upset loss at New York against the Giants as a 3-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as an underdog — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win by six points or less. Kansas City has also played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a game where neither team scored more than 14 points. The Chiefs have not covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played four straight Unders. Kansas City has then played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Unders — and they have played 29 of their last 44 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games. How long with the Patrick Mahomes slump continue? The Chiefs have only scored 36 combined points in their last three games. Facing the familiar Raiders’ defense may be just what the doctor ordered. Kansas City scored 35 and 32 points in their two games against Las Vegas last season. Mahomes has 15 touchdown passes in his six previous games against the Raiders. And while the Chiefs defense has only allowed 17 PPG in their last three games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Las Vegas has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and the have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Derek Carr completed 30 of 46 passes for 296 yards in the loss while leading the Raiders offense to 403 total yards. Las Vegas has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after gaining at least 400 yards run their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. The Raiders have averaged 423.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — and they have played 14 of their last 17 home games Over the Total after averaging at least 400 YPG in their last three contests. Las Vegas returns home where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and the Over is 10-0-1 in their last 11 home games when they are the underdog. The Over is also 8-3-1 in the Raiders’ last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Las Vegas should be able to move the football against this Chiefs defense that allows 396.6 total YPG on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City sees 54.3 combined points scored when playing on the road while Las Vegas averages 50.6 combined points when playing at home. The Raiders have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when hosting the Chiefs. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (263) and the Las Vegas Raiders (264). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (221) and the San Jose State Spartans (222). THE SITUATION: Utah State (7-2) has won four games in a row after their 35-13 win at New Mexico State as an 18.5-point favorite on Saturday. San Jose State (5-5) had their two-game winning streak end with their 27-24 loss at Nevada as a 12.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aggies have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 18 of their last 25 road games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Quarterback Lucas Bonner completed 23 of 32 passes for 349 yards in the victory against the Aggies — but Utah State has played 4 straight Unders after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Bonner passed for 406 yards in their previous game against Hawai’i -- but the Aggies have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after passing for at least 325 yards in two straight games. Utah State stays on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total. And in their last 61 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range, the Aggies have played 40 of these games Under the Total. San Jose State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss on the road —  and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Spartans have also played 13 of their last 16 home games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. San Jose State has covered the point spread in four straight games — and they have then played 6 straight home games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. The Spartans scoring numbers on the season are lower than expected because quarterback Nick Starkel has missed a handful of games. He was back last week to help the offense pass for 288 yards — but San Jose State has played 8 straight Unders after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Spartans return home where they hold their opponents to just 21.3 PPG — and the 319.0 total Yards-Per-Game they give up to their guests is -36.0 net YPG below their season average. San Jose State has played 12 of their last 17 home games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Spartans have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record Utah State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* CFB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (221) and the San Jose State Spartans (222). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wyoming Cowboys (119) and the Boise State Broncos (120). THE SITUATION: Wyoming (5-4) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 31-17 upset win against Colorado State as a 3.5-point underdog last Saturday. Boise State (5-4) has won two in a row with their 40-14 upset win at Fresno State as a 4-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys had their second-highest scoring game this season with the 31 points they put on the scoreboard against the Rams. They are still averaging just 23.0 PPG this season — and they have scored 18.0 PPG in their last three games even after their 31 points last week. Wyoming has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory.  And while the Cowboys generated 477 yards of offense last week, the Under is a decisive 40-18-1 in their last 59 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The strength of Wyoming is their defense as they hold their opponents to 21.3 PPG. They have held seven of their nine opponents to 22 or fewer points — and their last three opponents averaged just 19.3 PPG. The Cowboys have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Wyoming is fourth in the nation by allowing only 157.9 passing YPG — and they rank 22nd in Opponent’s Pass Success Rate so the low counting pass yards they allow is not purely a function of slower-paced games. The Cowboys do run the ball 63% of the time — so the clock will keep running tonight. Head coach Craig Bohl has moved to Levi Williams as his starting quarterback in the last two games — but he is completing only 55% of his passes. Wyoming goes on the road where the Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 road games as an underdog. Boise State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Broncos have not allowed more than 24 points in eight of their last nine games — and they have held their last three opponents to just 19.0 PPG. Boise State gained 470 yards against the Cowboys — but they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. This is not a good matchup for the Broncos since they are so dependent on the arm of quarterback Hank Bachmeier. Boise State only averages 110 rushing YPG with their rushers averaging 2.8 Yards-Per-Carry. Not only are they 117th in rushing YPG but they are 114th in Rush Success Rate. They host this game where they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total on the blue turf against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Expect plenty of stalled drives tonight as Wyoming and Boise State rank 20th and 29th in the nation in Opponent Finishing Drives. The last four meetings between these two teams have averaged only 37 combined points. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against each other — and there have been 6 straight Unders between these two teams when playing in Boise. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Wyoming Cowboys (119) and the Boise State Broncos (120). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Flyers (61) and the Carolina Hurricanes (62). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-3-2) has lost two of their last three games with their 3-0 loss to Toronto on Wednesday. Carolina (10-1-0) rebounded from their first loss of the season against Florida with a 2-1 win in overtime at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes have not scored more than two goals in three of their last four games. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Now after being on the road since October 31st, Carolina returns home — and the Under is 21-8-2 in their last 31 home games after being on the road for at least seven days. The Under is also 20-8-2 in the Hurricanes’ last 30 games on home ice. They are holding their guests to just 1.6 Goals-Per-Game this season. Frederik Andersen has been outstanding between the pipes for this team after being signed in the offseason as a free agent. Andersen has a 1.73 Goals-Against-Average with a .939 save percentage in ten starts — and he owns a 1.25 GAA with a .954 save percentage in his four starts at home. Philadelphia has not scored more than two goals in five of their last six games. They have played 4 straight Unders after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. The Flyers have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss by three or more goals. They go on the road where they are scoring only 2.2 Goals-Per-Game — and they have played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Goalie Carter Hart has been solid in net with a 2.49 GAA and a .924 save percentage — and he is on fire in his three starts this month with a 1.98 GAA and a .939 save percentage.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Under is 17-5-2 in their last 24 games against fellow opponents from the Eastern Conference. 10* NHL Friday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Flyers (61) and the Carolina Hurricanes (62). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (113) and the Miami Dolphins (114). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (6-2) has won six of their last seven games with their 34-31 win in overtime against Minnesota as a 7.5-point favorite last week. Miami (2-7) snapped their seven-game losing streak with their 17-9 win against Houston as a 4-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ravens have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a narrow win by three points or less. Baltimore has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win at home where they scored at least 31 points. The Ravens did gain 500 yards of offense against the Vikings but they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 adds in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. Now Baltimore goes back on the road where they are scoring 23.0 Points-Per-Game in their three previous games away from home — and they have only topped that number once this season. The Ravens have played 5 of their last 6 games on the road Under the Total — and the Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 road games against teams with a losing record on the road. Miami has played 38 of their last 58 games Under the Total after not allowing more than nine points in their last game. Tua Tagovailoa will be active tonight but he is not expected to start with his finger injury still limiting the throws he can make in this offense. Jacoby Brissett passed for 244 yards against the Texans — yet the Dolphins managed only 262 total yards due to their anemic rushing attack. The Dolphins score only 15.5 PPG at home with a 273.3 total YPG average.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — and the Under is 9-2-1 in their last 12 games on Thursday Night Football. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (113) and the Miami Dolphins (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Pistons (531) and the Houston Rockets (532). THE SITUATION: Detroit (1-8) has lost four in a row after their 96-90 loss to Brooklyn as a 9.5-point underdog on Friday. Houston (1-9) has lost eight in a row with their 120-107 loss at Golden State as a 12.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pistons made only 37.9% of their shots against the Nets. They have only made more than 40.9% of their shots once in their first nine games of the season. Detroit is last in the NBA in Offensive Efficiency as they begin to build their offense around Cade Cunningham who start to the season was delayed by injury. They are scoring only 94.9 Points-Per-Game on 39.4% shooting this season — and in Cunningham’s four games since returning from an ankle injury, they are scoring only 92.8 points per 100 possessions. Last year’s first-round pick, Killian Hayes, continues to disappoint after coming to the US after playing in France. The Pistons have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. They go on the road where they have played 11 of their last 15 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Under is 8-2-1 in Detroit’s last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less — and the Under is 18-7-2 in their last 27 games as an underdog. Houston has played 4 straight Unders after a double-digit loss at home. They allowed the Warriors to make 51.8% of their shots which was the second-highest field goal percentage mark that they have surrendered this season. The bigger issue for this team has been on offense. Rookie Jalen Green entered the week making only 35.3% of his shots. Kevin Porter, Jr. is shooting just 36.7% from the field entering the week — and his transition to point guard has been marred by turnovers. The Rockets turn the ball over in 19.1% of their possessions which is the highest mark in the league. This is the main reason why they rank third-to-last in Offensive Efficiency. They return home where they make only 41.9% of their shots. The defense at home has been solid — they hold their opponents to 43.1% shooting and 106.7 PPG. Houston last played at home on October 28th — and they have played 35 of their last 52 home games Under the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. The Rockets have played 36 of their last 51 home games Under the Total — and the Under is 19-7-1 in their last 27 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Rockets have played 6 straight Unders against teams with a losing record. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Pistons (531) and the Houston Rockets (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (476). THE SITUATION: Chicago (3-5) has lost three in a row with their 33-22 loss to San Francisco as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Pittsburgh (4-3) has won three games in a row after their 15-10 upset victory at Cleveland as a 5.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss - and they have palled 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Chicago has played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Bears have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Chicago is 30th in offensive DVOA and last rushing DVOA. Rookie Justin Fields may have played his best game as a pro last week against the 49ers. He completed 19 of 27 passes but for just 175 yards. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor finally got Fields using his legs in some designed run plays as he gained 103 yards on ten carries. Head coach Matt Nagy was not on the sidelines last week due to his testing positive for COVID. Nagy is back with the team tonight — so he may impose the offensive game plan for Patrick Mahomes he borrowed from Andy Reid when getting the Bears coaching gig. After failing with Mitchell Trubisky, Nagy has not gotten much from Fields. The former Ohio State star is completing only 59.5% of his passes and averaging 123.9 passing YPG. He has only thrown three touchdown passes but he has seven interceptions. The Bears have played 4 straight Unders after passing for no more than 150 yards in their last game. Chicago is averaging only 15.4 PPG and 264.0 total YPG this season — and those numbers drop to 10.8 PPG and 233.0 total YPG in their four games on the road. The Bears have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Chicago has also played 6 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. And in their last 22 games against teams with a winning record, the Bears have played 17 of these games Under the Total. Pittsburgh has seen the Under go 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after a straight-up win. The Steelers generated 370 yards against the Browns last week — and the Under is 36-14-2 in their last 52 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. The Under is also 20-8-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 29 games after not allowing more than 15 points in their last game. Head coach Mike Tomlin’s team continues to be built around their defense. They have held their last three opponents to 16.3 PPG and 329.7 total YPG. Pittsburgh’s defense ranks 10th in the NFL in the DVOA metric by the Football Outsiders. They rank 6th in DVOA run defense which will offer a challenge to the Bears’ offense. The Steelers return home where the Under is 6-1-1 in their last 8 home games when favored — and the Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Under is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football — and Chicago has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. 10* NFL Chicago-Pittsburgh ESPN O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (503) and the Chicago Bulls (504). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (7-3) has won five straight games after their 116-103 victory at Toronto as a 3.5-point favorite yesterday. Chicago (6-3) has lost two in a row after their 114-105 loss to Philadelphia as a 4-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets made 51.9% of their shots yesterday in what was the best shooting effort of the young season for them. They also allowed the Raptors to make 47.1% of their shots which was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season and highest in their last eight games. Even with yesterday’s numbers, Brooklyn has allowed their last five opponents to make just 41.8% of their shots. The Nets rank 6th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. Brooklyn has also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Nets’ starting five combined to play 168:17 minutes yesterday, they have then played 5 straight Unders after playing a game where the starting five combined to play at least 160 minutes. Brooklyn stays on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Under is also 15-5-1 in their last 21 games as an underdog. Chicago allowed the 76ers to make 53.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. They had not allowed their opponents to make more than 49.4% of their shots before Saturday. The Bulls rank 7th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Chicago stays at home where they have played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total. The Bulls have also played 9 of their last 12 home games Under the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight Unders when facing each other — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing at Chicago. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (503) and the Chicago Bulls (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (473) and the Los Angeles Rams (474). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (6-2) has won four straight games after their 34-31 upset win in overtime at Indianapolis as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Los Angeles (7-1) has won four straight games after their 38-22 win at Houston as a 17-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Tennessee has scored at least 24 points in seven straight games — but they have given up at least 27 points five times already this season. The Over is 21-8-1 in the Titans’ last 31 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games after a point spread victory. The Tennessee offense will be learning to live life without running back Derrick Henry for an extended period given his foot injury. The reports this week indicate that Adrian Peterson looked good in practice after he was signed to take on the rushing duties — he should be at least serviceable. I do expect the Titans to lean more on their passing attack. Wide receiver Julio Jones is healthy again — and the reports I am seeing indicate that wide receiver A.J. Brown is expected to play tonight despite being limited in practice this week. Tennessee has played 10 of their last 11 road games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total on the road against teams with a losing record on the road. The Titans have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog. The Over is 6-1-1 in Los Angeles’ last 8 games after a straight-up win. Matthew Stafford completed 21 of 32 passes for 305 yards with three touchdown passes in the win against the Texans last week — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. The Rams have the best offense in the NFL according to the DVOA metric by Football Outsiders — and they are averaging 6.5 Yards-Per-Play. They are scoring 30.6 PPG — and they have scored at least 26 points in seven of their eight games. But Los Angeles gave up 279 passing yards to Houston last week — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. The Rams are allowing 23.5 PPG and a 412.0 total YPG in their four games at home. Their run defense ranks 18th in DVOA — so I do think Tennessee will still be able to run the ball even without Henry.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 4 straight Overs against teams with a winning record — and the Over is 15-5-1 in the Titans’ last 21 games against teams with a winning record. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (473) and the Los Angeles Rams (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (465) and the New Orleans Saints (466). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (3-4) had their two-game winning streak snapped last week in a 19-13 upset loss to Carolina as a 2.5-point favorite. New Orleans (5-2) has won three games in a row after their 36-27 upset win against Tampa Bay as a 4-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams are missing key players on offense. For the Falcons, it is wide receiver Calvin Ridley who is out indefinitely for personal reasons. With Julio Jones gone from the team, quarterback Matt Ryan is suddenly without reliable weapons at wide receiver. They gained only 213 yards last week against the Panthers. Atlanta has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss to an NFC South rival. To compound matters for the Falcons’ offense, Ryan is dealing with a hand injury after getting cleated last week. He has stitches in his hand from that mishap which may impact his throwing. The Atlanta defense is improving under defensive coordinator Dean Pees. They have held their last three opponents to 22.3 Points-Per-Game and 325.0 total Yards-Per-Game. The Falcons have also not allowed an opposing rusher to gain at least 100 yards on the ground in 23 straight games — so Alvin Kamara may not be able to carry the Saints offense with his rushing. Atlanta has played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total. They have also played 22 of their last 31 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. New Orleans has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Saints have played 6 straight Unders after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. The New Orleans offense will be quarterbacked by Trevor Siemian given the season-ending knee injury to Jameis Winston. The Saints’ offense has already been limited this season with Michael Thomas on the shelf — and the wide receiver will not be returning this season after a mishap in his recovery. New Orleans is averaging 25.1 PPG but they rank 29th in the NFL by averaging only 305.9 total YPG and second-to-last with a 180.9 passing YPG mark. They are last in the league with just 15 Big Plays on offense this year. The Saints defense surrendered 421 yards last week to the Buccaneers — but they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after giving up at least 350 yards in their last game. New Orleans holds their opponents to just 18.3 PPG and 344.3 total YPG. They stay at home where they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against NFC South opponents. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (465) and the New Orleans Saints (466). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (399) and the Washington Huskies (400). THE SITUATION: Oregon (7-1) has won three straight games after their 52-29 win against Colorado as a 24.5-point favorite last Saturday. Washington (4-4) has won their last two games after their 20-13 upset win at Stanford as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Washington held the Cardinal to just 261 total yards in the victory. The Huskies have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last contest. Washington only gives up 146.9 passing YPG this season — the lowest mark in the nation. The Huskies give up 18.9 PPG and 325.4 total YPG — ranking tied for 18th and 24th in the nation. But the Washington offense is limited after scoring just 19.3 PPG and averaging 315.7 total YPG in their last three games. The Huskies have played 5 straight Unders against winning teams. Additionally, they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Oregon has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they generated 568 total yards against the Buffaloes last week, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Ducks defense has not allowed more than 117 rushing yards in their last two games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in their last game.  They are holding their opponents to just 3.5 rushing Yards-Per-Carry which will put pressure on Huskies’ quarterback Dylan Morris to move the ball with his arm. Oregon has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Weather will play a role in Seattle tonight — rain is expected with winds at 14 MPH and gusting to 22 MPH. Both of these teams already have limited vertical passing attacks — so the weather will allow both defenses to cheat another defender in the box. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at Washington. 10* CFB Oregon-Washington ABC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (399) and the Washington Huskies (400). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between Manchester City (200125) and Manchester United (200126). THE SITUATION: Man City (W6-D2-L2) looks to rebound in the English Premier League after suffering a 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace last Saturday. Man United (W5-D2-L3) looks to build off their 3-0 victory at Tottenham in their most recent EPL match last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Man City was blanked for just the second time in their ten EPL matches this season. The Citizens are third in the league with 20 goals — and their expected goals mark of 22.12 is the second-highest in the EPL. They are averaging 2.0 Goals-Per-Game in the English top flight. They had scored 13 combined goals in their previous four matches in the EPL and UEFA Champions League before failing to score last week against Crystal Palace. Aymeric LaPorte’s red card at the 45+2 mark of the first half did not help their cause as it left them playing catching with just ten players for the rest of the match. The Man City attack rebounded on Wednesday in the Champions League with their 4-1 win at home against Club Brugge. The Citizens generated 4.26 expected goals in the victory. Generating scoring chances has not been a problem for manager Pep Guardiola’s team. The play of the defense, however, has been off this campaign. Man City has allowed at least one goal in four straight matches in the EPL and Champions League — and they have just one clean sheet in their last seven matches in the EPL and Champions League (excluding lesser-tiered contests) this season. Not having LaPorte on the backline with him suspended handicaps their defense even more. Man United rallied around embattled manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in their shutout victory against the Spurs last week — but Tottenham generated 1.38 expected goals (xG) in the loss. The Red Devils have scored at least two goals in four of their last five matches. They come off a 2-2 draw at Atalanta on Tuesday in the Champions League. But it is the play of the defense that has Solskjaer on the hot seat. Man United is 11th in the EPL by allowing 15 goals this season — and their expected goals allowed (xGA) of 16.31 is 14th in the league. The Red Devils have only one clean sheet in their last 12 matches across all competitions. They have conceded at least 1.21 xGA in nine straight matches. Furthermore, they have allowed multiple goals in four of their last five matches in all competitions.

FINAL TAKE: Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have been out of form all season with speculation being that they are tired after playing critical roles in England’s run to the finals in the Euro 2020 this summer. Man United acquired Raphael Varane to solid their defense before the season started but the former Real Madrid center back is out with an injury leaving the Red Devils backline even more vulnerable. Both teams should score in this one with at least two goals necessary for a potential victory. 25* English Premier League NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between Manchester City (200125) and Manchester United (200126). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (311) and the Indianapolis Colts (312). THE SITUATION: New York (2-5) comes off a 31-24 upset win against Cincinnati as an 11.5-point underdog on Sunday. Indianapolis (3-5) had their two-game winning streak snapped with their 34-31 upset loss in overtime to Tennessee on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jets flexed their muscles on defense by holding the Bengals to just 318 total yards in the upset win. New York has played 4 straight Unders after an upset victory as a double-digit underdog — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Mike White surprised in his first career start by completing 37 of 45 passes for 405 yards with three touchdown passes. The former Western Kentucky quarterback lived off short passes against the Bengals -- running back Michael Carter had 14 targets with nine receptions and running back Ty Johnson had another five catches from six targets out of the backfield. Jamison Crowder also had eight catches for 84 yards coming mostly from short routes. With White under center again this week since Zach Wilson is still injured, the Colts’ defense will adjust to this short game and dare White to throw the ball vertically down the field — and the Jets will once again be without their best deep threat in Corey Davis. Indianapolis has the fifth-best defense in the NFL according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders — and they lead the league in Run Defense DVOA. The Jets are 28th in DVOA Offense with their best work coming from their rushing attack that ranks 19th in DVOA — but running the ball against the Colts will be problematic as they hold their guests to 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry when playing at home. New York scores only 16.3 PPG and averages 235.6 total YPG this season — and those numbers drop to 11.8 PPG and 235.6 total YPG in their four road games. The Jets have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points. New York has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. And while rookie head coach Robert Saleh’s team has attempted 42 and 49 passes in their last two games, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after attempting at least 40 passes in two straight games. Saleh is a defensive head coach after serving for years as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco — he does not want this game on the road to get into a shootout. Indianapolis has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss by six points or less — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. The Colts have played their last two games Over the Total — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. The Indy offense will be without wide receiver T.Y. Hilton once again as he goes through the concussion protocol. In their 3-point loss to the Titans, the Colts gained only 307 total yards. They only average 346.3 total YPG in their four games at home. Indianapolis has played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 14 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when laying 10.5 to 14 points — and they have played 4 straight Unders as a favorite laying more than 10 points in all situations. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Jets (311) and the Indianapolis Colts (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:09 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (961) and the Houston Astros (962) listing both starting pitchers and Max Fried and Luis Garcia in Game Six of the World Series. THE SITUATION: Houston (104-73) kept their season alive on Sunday with their victory against the Braves in Game Five. Atlanta (98-78) holds a 3-2 lead in the series and can win the MLB title tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 28-13-2 in the Astros’ last 43 games after a win — and the Over is 21-8-2 in their last 31 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 3-0-1 in Houston’s last 4 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Astros return home where the Over is 14-6-1 in their last 21 home games against teams with a winning record. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Garcia who had an 11-8 record with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in the regular season. But the right-hander has struggled in his last five starts with an 8.50 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. The Over is 3-0-1 in Atlanta’s last 4 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Braves go back on the road where the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Fried who had a 14-7 record with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 28 regular season starts. The lefty was better at home where he had a 2.94 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .219 in 14 starts — but those numbers rose to a 3.14 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .235 in 14 starts on the road. Fried has struggled in these playoffs. In his last two starts, he has a 10.24 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP spanning 9 2/3 innings. He faces an Astros team that is fourth in MLB in weighted On-Base Percentage against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 home games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Braves have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when leading in a playoff series — and they have played 6 of their last 9 playoff games where they could close out the series Over the Total. 10* MLB Tuesday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (961) and the Houston Astros (962) listing both starting pitchers and Max Fried and Luis Garcia. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (OH) (305) and the Ohio Bobcats (306). THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) (3-4) has won two in a row after their 24-17 upset win at Ball State as a 3.5-point underdog on October 23rd. Ohio (1-7) has lost three in a row after their 34-27 loss to Kent State as a 5-point underdog on October 23rd.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The RedHawks held the Cardinals to just 329 total yards in that victory. Miami (OH) has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 straight Unders after a point spread victory. Additionally, the RedHawks have played 6 straight games Under the Total after an upset victory against a conference rival. Miami did get quarterback Brett Gabbert back last week after the third-year sophomore quarterback missed the previous two games to injury. While he completed 20 of 24 passes in the win, he is still only completing 58.8% of his passes this season. The RedHawks are scoring only 21.1 PPG — and that average drops to just 17.2 PPG along with a 319.2 total YPG mark in their three previous road games with Gabbert the starter in two of those games. Gabbert is an upgrade over fourth-year sophomore A.J. Mayer  — but Brett is not the prospect that his brother, Blaine, was. Miami (OH) has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 13 of their last 19 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The RedHawks have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total when favored. Ohio has palled 4 straight games Under the Total after a loss. And while the Bobcats generated 457 yards in their loss to the Golden Flashes, they have then played 4 straight Unders after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. This has been a lost season for the Bobcats after the surprise retirement of head coach Frank Solich in July after serving as the head coach for the program for 16 years. Offensive coordinator Tim Albin inked a four-year deal to become the new head coach — but this team is scoring only 21.1 PPG while averaging just 360.1 total YPG. Ohio wants to run the football — they average 5.4 Yards-Per-Carry. Sophomore Kurtis Rourke, another younger brother of a quarterback with higher stature as he follows Nathan’s career as the Bobcats’ signal-caller, is overseeing an offense that averages just 166.8 passing YPG, 115th in the nation. Rourke will probably struggle against this RedHawks team that ranks 15th in the nation in Havoc Rate. Ohio stays at home where they have played13 of their last 16 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: The weather will be chilly in Athens tonight with temperates dropping into the 30s as the game goes on. Cold weather does not help the passing game — especially when the players are not the best in the world in adapting to harder footballs. Ohio has played 4 straight Unders against Mid-American Conference opponents — and the Under is 10-3-1 in Miami (OH)’s last 14 games in November. 25* CFB Tuesday ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (OH) (305) and the Ohio Bobcats (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (277) and the Kansas City Chiefs (278). THE SITUATION: New York (2-5) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 25-3 upset win against Carolina as a 3-point underdog last week. Kansas City (3-4) looks to rebound from their 27-3 upset loss at Tennessee last week as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: New York has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. They should be playing catch-up in this game — this will not be a defensive struggle. The Giants are scoring 19.9 PPG — and they see that mark rise to a 25.3 PPG mark in their three games on the road this season. While the Chiefs are just 1-2 at home this season, New York has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Giants have also played 4 of their last 6 games on the road Over the Total with the number set at 45.5 or higher. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not scoring at least 15 points in their last game. The Chiefs have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss by at least 14 points — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while Kansas City allowed 266 passing yards to the Titans last week en route to their 369 total yards of offense, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after surrendering at least 250 passing yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after giving up at least 350 total yards in their last contest. The Chiefs' defense cannot stop anyone — they are allowing 29.0 Points-Per-Game. Using the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders, the Chiefs have the second-to-worst defense in the league while ranking 31st in both run defense and pass defense.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City has played 13 of their last 21 home games Over the Total when the Total is set at 45.5 or higher. I think the Giants score at least 20 points with the Chiefs scoring at least 30 points -- so that floor should be enough to cash over tickets. This game looks reminiscent of the Giants’ 44-20 loss at Dallas on October 10th with the Total set at 53 — and the Cowboys’ defense is significantly better than the Kansas City defense. 10* NFL NY Giants-Kansas City ESPN O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (277) plus the points versus the Kansas City Chiefs (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between Dallas Cowboys (275) and the Minnesota Vikings (276). THE SITUATION: Dallas (5-1) has won five in a row after their 35-29 win at New England in overtime as a 3.5-point favorite two weeks ago. Minnesota (3-3) has won three of their last four games after their 34-28 win at Carolina in overtime as a 2.5-point favorite two weeks ago.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Even if it is Cooper Rush at quarterback tonight, I like the Over. Dak Prescott will go through his pre-game gyration workout to see if he thinks he can give it a go. I suspect he will. But, I am handicapping this game on the assumption that Rush will make his first career NFL start. The former Central Michigan star was a bit of a gunslinger in college — and he has had two weeks to prepare for this game getting all the first-team reps. And offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has had the extra week to prepare a specific game plan to take advantage of his skillset. The Over is 14-3-1 in the Cowboys’ last 18 games after a bye week. Rush has the benefit of throwing to the terrific Dallas wide receivers with CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, and the newly healthy Michael Gallup. Left tackle Tyron Smith returns to anchor the offensive line. And the Cowboys still have running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard leading an attack that is generating 164 rushing YPG. The Vikings are allowing their opponents to average 4.8 Yards-Per-Carry — and they rank just 24th in the league in run defense according to the DVOA metrics used by the Football Outsiders. So while I don’t expect Dallas to score at least 35 points for the fifth time this season if Rush is under center, I do think he can get them in the high-20s. As it is, the Cowboys have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Furthermore, Dallas has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as an underdog. Minnesota should score their share of points against this Cowboys defense that is allowing 24.3 PPG with three of their opponents scoring at least 28 points. Kirk Cousins is enjoying a big season that is going mostly under the radar. He is completing 69.5% of his passes with 13 touchdown passes only two interceptions. He completed 33 of 48 passes against the Panthers for 373 yards with three touchdown passes while leading the offense to 571 total yards. The Vikings have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards. Minnesota has played 5 straight games Over the Total after their bye week.

FINAL TAKE: The Vikings have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total against NFC opponents — and the Cowboys have played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total against the NFC. Dallas has also played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. I did note that while the news of Prescott’s potential absence moved the Cowboys from being a small favorite to a 3-point dog, the Total barely moved. With either Prescott or Rush at QB, expect a higher-scoring game. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between Dallas Cowboys (275) and the Minnesota Vikings (276). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (957) and the Atlanta Braves (958) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Dylan Lee. THE SITUATION: Houston (103-71) has lost two of the first three games in the World Series after their 2-0 loss last night. Atlanta (97-77) has won three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 4-0-1 in the Astros' last 5 games after a loss — and the Over is 11-5-2 in their last 18 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 23 road games Over the Total as an underdog. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Greinke who allowed two runs and walked three batters in 1 1/3 innings in his last appearance which was a starting assignment in Game Four of the ALCS on October 19th. The veteran was 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in the regular season. A midseason decline in form was worsened after suffering a bout with COVID in August. In his last six starts, Greinke has an 11.21 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP. And in his career 105 1/3 innings in the playoffs, the right-hander has a 4.10 ERA. Atlanta has played 26 of their last 37 home games in Interleague play against right-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Over is also 6-2-1 in Atlanta’s last 8 games in Interleague play at home. Additionally, the Over is 3-1-1 in the Braves last 5 games after a win — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Manager Brian Snitker has run out of reliable starting pitchers due to injuries — so tonight is a bullpen game (in Game Four of the World Series …). He gives the ball to Dylan Lee whose 2 2/3 innings in this postseason match his career 2 2/3 innings at the major league level in his rookie season this year. Lee is probably disguising a Drew Smyly bulk-inning outing after he allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings in the team’s bullpen game in Game Four of the NLCS against the Dodgers. The lefty had an 11-4 record in the regular season but with a 4.48 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 29 games (23 starts). In his 39 innings including the playoffs since the beginning of August, Smyly has a 4.85 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. The Over is 6-0-10 in Houston’s last 7 games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total as an underdog. 20* MLB Houston-Atlanta Fox-TV O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (957) and the Atlanta Braves (958) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Dylan Lee. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:09 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (955) and the Atlanta Braves (956) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Ian Anderson. THE SITUATION: Houston (103-71) evened the World Series at 1-1 with their 7-2 victory on Wednesday. Atlanta (96-77) had been on a two-game winning streak.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Astros have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win — and the Over is 21-7-2 in their last 30 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 11-4-2 in their last 17 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an off day. They go on the road where they have played 5 straight Overs — and they have played 17 of their last 22 road games Over the Total as an underdog. Houston has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Garcia who has an 11-8 record with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 30 regular season appearances (28 starts). The right-hander comes off 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his last start in Game Six of the ALCS last Friday. But that start was at home where he had a 2.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average in the regular season. On the road, Garcia’s numbers jump to a 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in 15  regular season starts. The Astros have played 10 of their last 16 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 8.5 to 10 range. Keep in mind that Garcia had been rocked with a 16.60 ERA and a 2.65 WHIP in his previous three starts while allowing at least five earned runs in each appearance. He faces a Braves team that is scoring 4.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .273 batting average. Atlanta has played 26 of their last 35 home games in Interleague play against right-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Over is also 6-1-1 in Atlanta’s last 8 games in Interleague play at home. Manager Brian Snitker counters with Anderson who had a 9-5 record with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 24 regular season starts. There has been a steady decline in his performances as the season has moved on — he has a 3.72 ERA in his last eight starts since the beginning of September. He did allow only one earned run in four innings in his last appearance in Game Six of the NLCS on Saturday. The Braves have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total with Anderson following an effort where he allowed one earned run or less — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total when he is pitching on five or six days of rest. Atlanta has also played 7 of their last 11 home games Over the Total with Anderson pitchers at home.

FINAL TAKE: Houston is scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games — and the Over is 7-2-2 in their last 11 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. The weather may drop into the high-40s tonight and it may be rainy. That is a two-way straight since the yucky conditions impact the pitchers as much as the hitters. If the Total was 10 or higher, I would worry a little more about the weather. At 8.5, I’m fine. 25* MLB Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (955) and the Atlanta Braves (956) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Ian Anderson. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (107) and the Arizona Cardinals (108). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (6-1) won their sixth game in a row with their 24-10 victory against Washington as an 8.5-point favorite on Sunday. Arizona (7-0) won their seventh straight game to start the season with their 31-5 win against Houston as a 20.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cardinals have covered the point spread in five straight games — and they have played 15 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Arizona outgained the outmatched Texans by +237 yards last week — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after outgaining their last opponent by at least +100 net yards. The Cardinals offense has been nearly unstoppable behind Kyler Murray who is healthy and continuing to improve in his third season in the league. Murray started fast last year as well but he appeared slowed by injury in the second half of the season which restricted his mobility. With the additions of wide receivers A.J. Green and rookie Rondale Moore, Murray has more reliable targets than just DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk this year — and the team just added tight end, Zach Ertz, in a trade from Philadelphia who was overjoyed with all the green grass he had when running routes amidst all this talent. The Cardinals have scored at least 31 points in six of their seven games this season. The play of the Arizona defense has been the bigger surprise as they have not allowed more than 20 points in five straight games. I think this speaks more to the opponents they have drawn rather than a significant improvement in their defense. They faced two rookie backup quarterbacks last week in rookie Davis Mills with the Texans and Trey Lance with San Francisco three weeks ago. They caught a Cleveland offense ravaged with injuries at running back, the offensive line (both starting tackles were out), and at wide receiver two weeks ago. They even got the Los Angeles Rams flat in a letdown situation after they had just upset Tampa Bay the previous week. Throw in a third rookie quarterback in Week Three when they played Trevor Lawrence at Jacksonville — that is what Arizona has faced since a narrow 34-33 win at home against Minnesota in Week Two. Arizona has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. And while they held Houston to just 160 total yards and only 118 yards in the air, they have played 5 straight Overs after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game — and they have played 6 straight Overs after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. The Cardinals suffered a big loss Wednesday night with the announcement that not only would J.J. Watt miss this game with a shoulder injury but he needs shoulder surgery that will keep him out the rest of the season. Watt has lost a step or two — but he is a savvy veteran who was drawing tons of attention so this is a big loss. Green Bay has experienced two big losses themselves this week with wide receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard both entering COVID protocol this week. The duo has caught more than 50% of Rodgers’ passes this season. But Rodgers has been in this situation before — and he does what it takes to keep moving the football down the field. In his six games played without his favorite target in Adams, Rodgers has completed over 70% of his passes with 17 touchdown passes and just one interception. Even more interesting, while Rodgers averages 246 passing Yards-Per-Game with Adams playing, he averages 310 passing YPG in these six games without Adams. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is expected back at wide receiver after he has been out with a hamstring injury — he joins Randall Cobb, Equanimeous St. Brown, and tight end Robert Tonyan as reliable targets. This shapes up to be a big game for Aaron Jones not only running the football but catching the ball out of the backfield. Forcing Rodgers to be more creative in finding other targets and doing more with his legs is not necessarily a bad thing. The Packers were outlined by -126 net yards in their win against the Football Team last week — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Over the Total after being outgained by at least 100 net yards. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Overs as a road underdog. Despite the Packers allowing only 20.9 PPG this season, they rank 24th in the Football Outsiders DVOA defensive metric.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona should once again score into the 30s with Rodgers playing catch-up to try to keep his team in the game. Green Bay has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Cardinals have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (107) and the Arizona Cardinals (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:09 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (953) and the Houston Astros (954)listing both starting pitchers  Max Fried and Jose Urquidy. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (96-76) took a 1-0 lead in the World Series with their 6-2 victory against the Astros last night. Houston (102-71) had their three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Atlanta has now won three of their last four games — and they have played 45 of their last 80 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. The Braves have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with the Total in the 7-8.5 range — and they have played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog. Atlanta pitches Fried who had a 14-7 record in 28 regular season starts along with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He was not as effective on the road where he had a 3.14 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .235 in 14 starts as opposed to his 2.94 ERA and .219 opponent’s batting average at home during the regular season. The left-hander got hit hard in his last start when he allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings in Game Five of the NLCS last Wednesday. He faces an Astros team that has played 6 straight Overs against left-handed starting pitchers. Houston has played 4 straight Overs after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. After the Astros bullpen logged in seven innings last night, they have pitched 10 1/3 innings in their last two games — and they have then palled 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total after their bullpen has pitched at least nine combined innings in their last two games. Dusty Baker turns to Urquidy tonight as he looks to bounce back from allowing six runs (five earned) in 1 2/3 innings in his last start in Game Three of the ALCS on October 18th. The right-hander had an 8-3 record in the regular season with a 3.62 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in 20 starts. In his last six starts, Urquidy has a 5.27 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Houston has played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total with Urquidy pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces an Atlanta team that has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros have played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 14 of their last 20 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 10* MLB Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (953) and the Houston Astros (954)listing both starting pitchers  Max Fried and Jose Urquidy. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (473) and the Seattle Seahawks (474). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (3-2) has won two of their last three games with their 33-22 victory at Washington as a 2.5-point favorite on October 10th. Seattle (2-4) has lost two straight games and four of their last five after their 23-20 loss in overtime at Pittsburgh as a 5.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: New Orleans returns to action after their bye week having beaten the Football Team despite getting outgained in yardage in that game. The Saints also lost the first down battle by a 26 to 18 margin. New Orleans is averaging just 295.2 total Yards-Per-Game with head coach Sean Payton keeping a short leash on quarterback Jameis Winston. New Orleans is running the ball in 54.9% of their plays on offense — and they are averaging only 24 pass attempts per game. Payton is trying to keep Winston from reverting back to his form with Tampa Bay when he was an interception machine. Keeping Winston from making mistakes in the Bomb Cyclone conditions tonight may be impossible. Like last night in Santa Clara, rain is expected all game with winds averaging 18 miles per hour and gusting to 23 miles per hour. Payton will not have his short-yardage specialist Taysom Hill tonight who is out as he recovers from a concussion. Wide receiver Michael Thomas is also still on Injured Reserve leaving the Saints without threats at wide receiver. New Orleans’ elite left tackle, Terron Armstead is also out indefinitely with an elbow injury. At is is, the Saints have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. New Orleans has also played 5 straight Unders after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. With their first game of the season moved to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Ida, this will be the Saints’ fifth game away from New Orleans in their first six games of the season. They have played 6 of their last 8 games on the road Under the Total. Seattle has played 6 straight Unders after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss by six or fewer points. Geno Smith was solid under center as the proverbial “game manager.” He completed 23 of 32 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. We had Seattle last week with one of my arguments was the absence of Russell Wilson would actually help the defense since there would be less pressure to “Let Russ Cook.” The Seahawks went into that game averaging just 25:16 minutes per game on offense. The bad defensive numbers the team was putting up were made worse by requiring them to be on the field for almost 35 minutes per game. Seattle did lose the time of possession battle to Pittsburgh last week — but they did hold Pittsburgh to just 345 total yards of offense. The 5.8 Yards-Per-Play they held the Steelers to was half a yard less than the 6.3 YPP their opponents were averaging entering that game. The 20 points allowed in regulation and 345 yards allowed was the Seahawks’ best defensive effort since the opening week of the season when they beat Indianapolis on the road by a 28-16 score. Carroll is happiest when he can run the football to control the time of possession and keep his defense off the field. They have played 4 straight games Under the Total as an underdog. Seattle returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against NFC opponents — and the Seahawks have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against NFC rivals. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (473) and the Seattle Seahawks (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (471) and the San Francisco 49ers (472). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (2-4) has won two of their last three games with their 31-17 win against Houston as an 11.5-point favorite last Sunday. San Francisco (2-3) comes off their bye week looking to snap a three-game losing streak after a 17-10 loss at Arizona as a 6-point underdog on two weeks ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by 14 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while they have scored 25 and 31 points in their last two games, they have then played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in two straight contests. The offense is without T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell at wide receiver. Right tackle Braden Smith is also out. Quarterback Carson Wentz has been playing better — but perhaps his four straight games without an interception only indicate he is well overdue. The weather forecast calls for a bomb cyclone on the west coast tonight — meaning high winds and perhaps lots of rain. Wentz does not handle adversity very well. San Francisco has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Niners have played 5 straight Unders when coming off their bye week. The San Francisco defense has been stout this season. They are holding their opponents to just 329.8 total YPG — and that mark lowers to 293.5 total YPG when playing at home. Jimmy Garoppolo is back under center for the 49ers tonight — but the high winds will do him no favors in the passing game, especially for a quarterback who throws up his share of wounded ducks even in pristine playing conditions.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. San Francisco has played 4 straight Unders in October. With the rain and wind likely contributing to missed field goals and shoddy passing, expect a lower scoring game. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (471) and the San Francisco 49ers (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (453) and the New York Giants (454). THE SITUATION: Carolina (3-3) has lost three games in a row after their 34-28 loss in overtime against Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. New York (1-5) has lost two in a row with their 38-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams as a 7.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Panthers have been terrific on defense this season — but they have some things to clean up this week. The Vikings gouged them for 571 total yards including 198 yards on the ground on Sunday. Carolina has played 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 5 straight Unders after giving up at least 150 rushing yards in their last contest. The Panthers are sixth in the NFL by allowing 20.2 PPG and they are third in the league by giving up just 308.3 total YPG. Additionally, Carolina leads the NFL with 38% of their opponent’s possessions ending in a three-and-out — and they are 2nd in third-down defense with an opponent conversion rate of 29.6%. The Panthers’ offense misses Christian McCaffrey who is critical in both their ground game and passing attack. Head coach Matt Rhule wants his team running the ball more and relying less on Sam Darnold’s arm after he has thrown six interceptions in his last three games. Expect plenty of rushing attempts from rookie Chuba Hubbard this afternoon. Carolina has played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total when favored. The Under is 6-2-1 in New York’s last 9 games after a straight-up loss. Furthermore, the Under is 10-3-1 in the Giants’ last 14 games after a loss by 14 or more points — and the Under is 6-0-1 in their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. New York gave up 365 yards to the Rams — but they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Under is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Giants are banged up on offense with running back Saquon Barkley and wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney all out with injuries leaving the team thin when it comes to talent at the skill positions. They are scoring only 19.0 PPG — and they return home to the Meadowlands where they are scoring 12.7 PPG and averaging 307.0 YPG. The Under is 6-0-1 in New York’s last 7 games at home — and the Under is 5-0-1 in their last 6 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against NFC opponents. With the Panthers committed to running more and putting less on Darnold’s shoulders against a Giants team ravaged with injuries, expect a lower scoring game. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (453) and the New York Giants (454). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200077) and Manchester United (200078). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (W5-D3-L0) remained unbeaten in the English Premier League with their 5-0 win at Watford last Saturday. Manchester United (W4-D2-L2) is winless in their last three EPL matches after a 4-2 loss at Leicester City on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: I thought I was endorsing Liverpool in this match before my final deep dive. The Reds’ offense is clicking on all cylinders. Roberto Firmino is back in form after registering a hat trick against Watford last week. But it is Mo Salah who is the straw that stirs the drink. Salah may be the best striker in the world — and he may very well be in the form of his life right now having scored in nine straight matches across all competitions. He recorded a brace on Tuesday in Liverpool’s 3-2 win on the road against defensive juggernaut Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. In the EPL, the Reds lead the league in expected goals (xG), Big Chances (35%+ expected success rate), shot attempts, and shots in the box. And on the road, Liverpool has scored at least three goals in nine straight matches across all competitions including seven straight in the EPL. But I decided that the Over is the better play because the Reds’ defense is not quite in top form. After being ravaged with injuries on their backline last season, manager Jurgen Klopp has a healthy roster once again. But Liverpool has only registered one clean sheet in their last five matches. The cohesion is not quite the same in back as it was with the same group in their EPL championship run two seasons ago. They allowed Atletico Madrid — not an offensive juggernaut — to register 1.94 xG midweek. Manchester United can score goals. They have scored five goals in their last two matches after their 3-2 come-from-behind win against Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday. With Cristiano Ronaldo back in the fold with his old club, the Red Devils have an abundance of riches of scoring options as he complements what was already a potent group led by Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Marcus Greenwood. But the defense for this team has been shaky all season. Man United’s expected goals allowed (xGA) mark is the worst of the top-eight teams in the league. They have allowed their last six opponents to register at least 1.21 xG across all competitions — and their last two opponents have scored six goals. While the teams spend bundles of money on high-priced forwards like Ronaldo, they still lack quality defensive midfielders that they need to make deep runs at an EPL or European Championship.

FINAL TAKE: Man United struggles against defensive-minded counter-attacking sides. They are at their best when they can play the cagey, counter-attack approach as they will in this one. Another reason why I was reticent to take Liverpool in this match. The Reds have scored at least nine goals in nine straight matches — and they have scored 30 goals in their last eight EPL matches. This should be a wild one. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200077) and Manchester United (200078). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma State (383) and the Iowa State Cyclones (384). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (6-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 33-24 upset win at Texas as a 3.5-point underdog last Saturday. Iowa State (4-2) enters this game coming off a 33-20 win at Kansas State as a 6.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys contained the potent Longhorns offense coached by Steve Sarkisian to just 317 total yards last week. This could be the best defensive team under head coach Mike Gundy in Stillwater. Oklahoma State is holding their opponents to just 19.5 Points-Per-Game and 307.2 total Yards-Per-Game this season. They rank ninth in the nation by forcing three-and-outs in 43% of their opponent’s possessions. They also rank 11th in the nation in run stuff rate and 17th in sack rate. But the typical high-powered Cowboys offense under Gundy has been mostly absent this year. Oklahoma State is scoring only 26.5 PPG this season — and they generate just 363.0 YPG on the road. The Cowboys have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Oklahoma State has played 24 of their last 32 road games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 15 of their last 18 road games as a road underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. Iowa State held Kansas State to just 342 total yards in their road victory in that Big 12 rivalry game. The Under is 24-6-2 in their last 32 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 21-6-1 in their last 28 games after a point spread victory. The Cyclones have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a win against a Big 12 rival. Iowa State is allowing only 16.3 PPG and 250.7 total YPG this season — and they have held three of their six opponents to 10 points or less. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Cyclones have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when favored by no more than seven points.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma State won last year’s meeting in a relatively low-scoring 24-21 victory in Stillwater back on October 24th. The Under is 19-6-1 in Iowa State’s last 26 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CFB Big 12 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma State (383) and the Iowa State Cyclones (384). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (922) and the Houston Astros (921) listing both starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Luis Garcia. THE SITUATION: Boston (98-74) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing Game Five in the American League Championship Series by a 9-1 score on Wednesday. Houston (101-70) has won four of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Astros have scored 18 runs in their last two games. The Over is 21-5-2 in Houston’s last 28 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 15-5-2 in their last 22 games after not allowing more than one run in their last game. They return home to Minute Maid Park where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Over the Total in the playoffs. The Astros have played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They have also played 4 straight Overs with the number set in the 9-10.5 range. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Garcia after he was bombed for five runs in just one inning in his start on Saturday. He faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games despite only scoring three runs in their last two games. Boston is not going to go down without a fight. They have played 7 straight Overs after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an off day. They go on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Manager Alex Cora has had to lean heavily on his bullpen given his faltering starting pitchers. The Red Sox pen has pitched 3 2/3 and 4 innings in their last two games — and they have allowed four and seven earned runs in those games. Eovaldi pitched out of the bullpen on Tuesday — and in his 24 pitches, he got crushed for four runs. He is pitching on short rest because Cora is out of options. In theory, Eovaldi’s outing on Tuesday was on his normal bullpen workout day between starts. In practice, the mental and physical stress of pitching in the playoffs is much more grueling than a mere bullpen session to work out some kinks. And that appearance was at home at Fenway Park where he had a 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .241 in 19 regular season starts. Now Eovaldi pitches on the road where he was saddled with a 4.21 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .271 in 13 regular season starts. Boston has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total with Eovlaid pitching as an underdog. He faces a hot-hitting Astros team that is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .271 Batting Average and a .341 On-Base Percentage in their last seven games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 straight Overs when playing each other. Given the starting pitchers for this game, expect another higher-scoring game. 10* MLB Friday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (922) and the Houston Astros (921) listing both starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Luis Garcia. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (309) and the Cleveland Browns (310). THE SITUATION: Denver (3-3) has lost three straight games after their 34-24 upset loss at home to Las Vegas last week as a 5-point favorite. Cleveland (3-3) has lost two in a row after their 37-14 upset loss at home to Arizona as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Before assessing the respective M*A*S*H* units for both teams, the weather forecast hovers over this situation tonight. Rain is expected with winds in the 17 miles-per-hour range with gusts adding another 10 MPH to the air currents at times. This game has “first one to score 20 points wins” written all over it — and I will not be surprised if one of the teams fails to score in double-digits. The wind and rain will impact the passing games for both teams while negatively impacting field goal attempts. If this game featured Dan Marino with his credo: “if it’s snowin’, I’m throwin’”, then I might not worry too much about the weather. But tonight’s game features Teddy Bridgewater (or maybe Drew Lock, especially by the end of the game given Bridgewater’s foot injury) against Case Keenum. And both these head coaches prefer to run the football — so they are not likely to engage in higher-risk passing attacks in these conditions coming off upset losses where they lost the turnover battle by -4 and -3 margins respectively. Who would be the targets anyways? Denver is without wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Courtland Sutton is healthy but he is more of a possession receiver) and Cleveland looks to be without Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry is still on IR (UPDATE: Landry was activated from IR this afternoon although his effectiveness remains a question -- his availability does not impact this play). Broncos’ head coach Vic Fangio wants to get his team back to playing good defense after allowing 426 yards to the Raiders last week. While the Denver defense is banged up (especially at linebacker), they still have Von Miller — and they have played 5 straight Unders after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Under is also 21-6-1 in the Broncos’ last 28 games after a game where they allowed at least 350 yards. Denver did hold the Raiders to just 86 rushing yards last week — and the Under is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Broncos are allowing opposing rushers to average 3.7 Yards-Per-Carry — the Browns will likely struggle to try to run the football without both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt at running back given their injuries. Denver goes back on the road where they are allowing only 17.7 PPG and 298.0 total YPG. But they are scoring just 16.7 PPG in their last three games. The Broncos have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road. Cleveland has played 25 of their last 33 home games Under the Total after a loss at home in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 14 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after a loss by at least three touchdowns. The Browns only managed 290 total yards last week against the Cardinals' defense. The problem is not just being without Chubb, Hunt, Landry, and probably Beckham. And the problem is not really about Baker Mayfield being out since I consider Case Keenum a quality backup playing under his former offensive coordinator at Minnesota in Kevin Stefanski. The issue is the Browns’ offensive line that was without both starting tackles last week (despite both being listed as questionable on game day — that usually means the player takes the field despite the injury). The news this morning is that left tackle Jedrick Wills will try to play tonight — but right tackle Jack Conklin and center J.C. Tretter are highly questionable. Conklin did not play on Sunday and Tretter did not take part in practice yesterday. Even with Mayfield, Cleveland is scoring only 23.8 PPG at home this season.

FINAL TAKE: The Browns have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing on Thursday night. The Under is 27-13-1 in the Broncos’ last 41 games against AFC opponents. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (309) and the Cleveland Browns (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (919) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (920) listing both starting pitchers Max Fried and Joe Kelly. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (94-75) took a 3-1 lead in the National League Championship Series last night in their 9-2 victory on the road against the Dodgers. Los Angeles (111-61) looks to stave off elimination tonight in defense of their World Series championship last season.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We have been riding the Overs all week — but I hope that has more to do with being on the winning side than it is hacking with the Over. I expect a lower-scoring game tonight for several reasons. It starts with the Braves Max Fried who had a 14-7 record with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in the regular season. He allowed only two runs in six innings in Game One of the NLCS last weekend. Fried is pitching great — he has a 0.77 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in his last five appearances including this postseason. In those 22 innings, he has walked only one batter! He is not going to give any freebies to this slumping Dodgers team that is scoring only 3.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .232 Batting Average, .311 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .658 over that span. Los Angeles misses Max Muncy — and now they are without Justin Turner who suffered a pulled injury yesterday. Atlanta has played 8 straight Unders with Fried pitching as an underdog priced up to +150. The Braves have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least nine runs in their last game. And while Atlanta has played three straight Overs in this series, they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight Overs. They have played 16 of their last 23 road games Under the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 9 of their last 13 road games Under the Total in the playoffs. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss at home where they were priced as a -200 or higher favorite. Manager Dave Roberts has decided to use Joe Kelly as his opener in a game that was already slotted to be a bullpen game. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 2.66 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .133 in 23 2/3 innings as compared to his 3.10 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and .218 opponent’s batting average in 20 1/3 innings on the road. He should get the Dodgers off to a good start in a game where Roberts will be aggressive to use everyone pitcher at his disposal to keep this series alive.

FINAL TAKE: A wildcard for me is that this is a twilight afternoon game in Los Angeles to accommodate the east coast prime-time audience — and that means shadows in the eye-sight line for the batters for a stretch in the middle of this game out west. The Under is 19-9-1 in the Dodgers’ last 29 games at home in the playoffs. 10* MLB Atlanta-LA Dodgers TBS-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (919) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (920) listing both starting pitchers Max Fried and Joe Kelly. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (917) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (918) (action if you can, but being required to list Jesse Chavez and Julio Urias — or whoever — is fine). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (93-75) blew a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning by giving up four runs in a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers. Los Angeles (111-60) still trails 2-1 in the National League Championship Series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves had won five straight games before their loss yesterday. Atlanta has played 43 of their last 68 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. Manager Brian Snitker has a pitching problem for this game — the result of a long season where they have lost several starting pitchers to injury. Snitker initially decided on Huascar Ynoa to pitch tonight — but he has been scratched after experiencing shoulder inflammation late this afternoon. It looks like Snitker will use Jesse Chavez as his opener — he comes off giving up two hits and walking a batter as the final pitcher for the Braves in that disastrous 8th inning last night. Luke Jackson gave up four runs to begin the inning. Both pitchers may be lacking in confidence. The Atlanta hitters need to assume that they need to score plenty of runs tonight given this being a bullpen game — but they get to play with reckless abandon. The Braves have scored five runs in three of their last four games. They are heavy underdogs tonight — and they have played 41 of their last 61 games when a money-line underdog priced at +200 or higher. Los Angeles has stranded ten runners in two straight games — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after stranding ten or more runners in two straight games. Furthermore, the Dodgers have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager Dave Roberts gives the ball to Urias who had a 20-3 record with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 32 starts in the regular season. The left-hander allowed two runs in an inning of relief on Sunday in Game Two of this series. While Roberts can tell himself he just used Urias’ normal bullpen session between starts for that inning of work, pitching in the playoffs is more stressful than just the regular bullpen session a couple of days after a previous start. Urias has not been as effective at home either where he has a 3.27 ERA in 14 starts in the regular season as opposed to his 2.71 ERA in 18 starts on the road. Urias also sees his ERA rise to a  3.38 mark in his 37 1/3 innings in the playoffs. Los Angeles has played 5 straight Overs with Urias their starting pitcher in October. The Dodgers have also played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total with Urias pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total in the playoffs — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total when trailing in a playoff series including all four occasions this season. Atlanta has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total when leading in a playoff series including all three this season. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (917) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (918) (action if you can, but being required to list Jesse Chavez and Julio Urias — or whoever — is fine). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (915) and the Boston Red Sox (916) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Chris Sale. THE SITUATION: Houston (100-70) evened the American League Championship Series at 2-2 with their dramatic 9-2 victory against the Red Sox last night. Boston (98-73) has still won five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: After both teams blew scoring opportunities for most of the game, the Astros finally broke through with seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to even this series. While I am not just an auto-Over zombie for this series, I do expect another high-scoring game given the respective starting pitchers confronting two teams swinging hot bats. The Over is 20-7-2 in Houston’s last 29 games after a win — and the over is 20-5-2 in their last 27 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Over is now 10-3-2 in Houston’s last 14 games on the road — and they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Over the Total as a money-line underdog. The Astros have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total with the number set in the 9-10.5 range. Manager Dusty Baker turns to his Game One starter in Valdez who gave up three runs (two earned) in only 2 2/3 innings last Friday. The left-hander had an 11-6 record with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in the regular season. But in his last seven starts including the playoffs, Valdez has a 4.66 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. Furthermore, in his three postseason appearances this year, Valdez has a 7.50 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. Houston has played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total with Valdez pitching after a win in their previous game. Baker will likely give him a quick hook when he gets into trouble tonight — but the Houston bullpen has a 4.49 ERA and 1.38 WHIP when pitching on the road this season. Baker has used his relievers to pitch 6 1/3, 8 innings, and 7 2/3 innings in the last three games in this series — and Houston has played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total when their bullpen has pitches at least 9 combined innings in their last two games. Valdez faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 7.6 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .311 Batting Average, .374 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .955. Boston has played 6 straight Overs after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They stay at home at Fenway Park for the final time in this series where the Over is 18-5-1 in their last 24 home games — and the Over is 23-8-4 in their last 35 home games in the playoffs. Boston has also played 34 of their last 50 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. Manager Alex Cora counters with Sale who allowed only one run in 2 2/3 innings of work in Game One on Friday — but he allowed five base hits and walked a batter. The left-hander has a 5-1 record with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in nine regular-season starts. But in his last four outings, Sale has a 9.00 ERA and a 2.09 WHIP. And in his career 22 2/3 innings in the playoffs, Sale has an 8.74 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP over nine appearances including six starts. The Red Sox have played all 6 of his playoff starts Over the Total. Boston has also played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total with Sale pitching when favored from a -125 to -175 price. The Boston bullpen has a 4.34 ERA and 1.39 WHIP at home this year. 

FINAL TAKE: The Astros are scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games. The Over is 8-2-1 in Houston’s last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 20* MLB Houston-Boston FS1-TV O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (915) and the Boston Red Sox (916) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Chris Sale. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (911) and the Boston Red Sox (912) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Nick Pivetta. THE SITUATION: Houston (99-70) trails 2-1 in the American League Championship Series after their 12-3 loss to the Red Sox last night. Boston (98-72) has won five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is now 9-3-2 in Houston’s last 14 games on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 120 road games Over the Total as a money-line underdog. The Astros have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total with the number set in the 9-10.5 range. Consistently winning MLB Totals bets requires assessing the competing starting pitchers. Manager Dusty Baker turns to Greinke to make just his fourth appearance since the beginning of September. The veteran right-hander has been recovering from a difficult bout with COVID. For the season, he has an 11-6 record with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. His decline this season began before testing positive for COVID. After posting a 3.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .246 before the All-Star Game, he has since had a 5.34 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .262 since the All-Star Break. In his last five appearances, Greinke has an 11.04 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. And in his lone appearance against the Red Sox this season, he gave up four runs and seven hits in just three innings. The Astros have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total with Greinke pitching in games when they are priced in the +/- 125 range. Baker will likely give him a quick hook when he gets into trouble tonight — but the Houston bullpen has a 4.50 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in their last seven games. The Astros pen also has a 4.62 ERA and 1.39 WHIP when pitching on the road this season. Baker has used his relievers to pitch 6 1/3 and 8 innings in the last two games in this series — and Houston has played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total when their bullpen has pitches at least 9 combined innings in their last two games. Greinke faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 7.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .324 Batting Average, .370 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .950. The Over is 13-2-1 in Boston’s last 16 games at home against right-handed starting pitchers. The Red Sox have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win — and they have played 28 of their last 42 games Over the Total after a win by six or more runs. They have also played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after scoring at least ten runs in their last game. They stay at home at Fenway Park where the Over is 17-5-1 in their last 22 home games — and the Over is 22-8-4 in their last 33 home games in the playoffs. Boston has also played 33 of their last 49 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. Manager Alex Cora counters with Pivetta who has a 9-8 record with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 31 games (30 starts) this season. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he has a 3.75 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .208 — but those numbers rise to a 5.40 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .261 in his 15 starts at home in Fenway Park. Pivetta has a 4.91 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP since the All-Star Break. The Red Sox have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Pivetta pitching when favored in the -125 to -175 price range. The Boston bullpen has a 4.21 ERA and 1.37 WHIP at home this year. 

FINAL TAKE: The Astros are scoring 6.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games. The Over is 7-2-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB American League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (911) and the Boston Red Sox (912) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Nick Pivetta. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (909) and the Boston Red Sox (910) listing both starting pitchers Jose Urquidy and Eduardo Rodriguez. THE SITUATION: Houston (99-69) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 9-5 loss at home to the Red Sox. Boston (97-72) has won four of their last five games to even this ALCS at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 19-5-2 in the Astros’ last 26 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Over is 8-3-2 in Houston’s last 14 games on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total as a money-line underdog. The Astros have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the number set in the 9-10.5 range. They give the ball to Urquidy who has an 8-3 record with a 3.62 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in 20 starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.35 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .206 — but those numbers rise to a 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .229 in ten starts. In his last five starts, Urquidy has a 4.44 ERA. There is a reason he has not pitched since October 3rd with manager Dusty Baker looking elsewhere for his starting pitching and bullpen options. He faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 6.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .318 Batting Average, .371 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .924. Boston has played 5 straight Overs against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower — and the Over is 13-2-1 in their last 16 games at home against right-handed starting pitchers. The Red Sox have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 straight Overs after allowing at least five runs in their last game They return home to Fenway Park where the Over is 16-5-1 in their last 22 home games — and the Over is 21-8-4 in their last 33 home games in the playoffs. Boston has also played 32 of their last 48 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. They counter with Rodriguez who has a 13-8 record with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in 32 games (31 starts). The left-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 5.95 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .282 in 13 starts as opposed to his 3.95 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and .273 opponent’s batting average on the road. In his last eight starts, Rodriguez has a 4.55 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros are scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .293 Batting Average, .360 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .851. Houston has played 4 straight Overs against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB Monday TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (909) and the Boston Red Sox (910) listing both starting pitchers Jose Urquidy and Eduardo Rodriguez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (273) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (274). THE SITUATION: Seattle (2-3) has lost three of their last four games with their 26-17 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams as a 2.5-point underdog back on October 7th. Pittsburgh (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 27-19 upset victory as a 2-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Seattle has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Seahawks generated 354 yards last week, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Seattle’s offense will be less explosive with quarterback Russell Wilson out for at least the next month— but I think this presents an opportunity for Seattle to get back to running the football and burning time off the clock. Wilson is great — but he sometimes gets so enamored with his moon-shot deep passing skills that it hurts his team when these plays don’t work. The Seahawks’ offense is on the field for just 25:16 minutes per game this season. Asking this Seattle defense to be on the field for over 34 minutes per game is wearing them out. “Let Russ Cook” can sometimes be a curse for this team as they move away from what makes this team most successful. The Seattle defense allowed only 16.0 PPG in their last eight games last year after a similar terrible start statistically — and the improvement coincided with less “Russ Cooking” as the offense did not generate more than 236 passing yards in those final eight regular-season games. Most of the analytics folks have simply not accounted for the belief held by most NFL coaches that controlling the time of possession helps their own defense. Look for the Seahawks to run the ball more behind running back Alex Collins and slow the game down to help their beleaguered defense. Seattle goes on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Under is also 5-2-1 in their last 8 games as an underdog. The Under is 5-1-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 7 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 12-5-1 in their last 18 games after a point spread victory. The Steelers had their best offensive game of the season by generating 391 total yards — but the Under is also 35-14-2 in their last 51 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Pittsburgh gave up 268 passing yards to Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater last week — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. The Steelers host this game where the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 home games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has seen the Under go 23-9-1 in their last 33 games in October — and Seattle has played 6 of their last 7 October games Under the Total. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (273) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Purdue Boilermakers (181) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (182). THE SITUATION: Purdue (3-2) has lost two of their last three games after their 20-13 upset loss to Minnesota as a 1.5-point favorite last Saturday. Iowa (6-0) remained unbeaten last week with their 23-20 win against Penn State as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Boilermakers lost to the Golden Gophers despite holding them to just 300 total yards. Purdue has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a  home favorite against a Big Ten opponent. And while quarterback Aidan O’Connell completed 34 of 52 passes for 371 yards in the losing effort, they have then played 4 straight Unders after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Boilermakers have not covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in three straight games. Purdue has an underrated defense that is fifth in the nation in opponent’s Success Rate and tenth in points allowed per drive. They are allowing 15.4 PPG and 299.6 total YPG. But the Boilermakers’ offense is scoring just 23.6 PPG and only 5.5 Yards-Per-Play. They average just 90.2 rushing YPG with a 2.9 Yards-Per-Carry rushing clip. Furthermore, they play at a very slow pace averaging 25.5 seconds per play. They go back on the road where they have played 15 of their last 21 games Under Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Purdue has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against conference opponents. Iowa beat the Nittany Lions despite only gaining 305 yards in that game — but they held Penn State to just 287 total yards. The Hawkeyes have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win at home against a Big Ten foe. Iowa has also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Iowa has covered the point spread in two straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Hawkeyes are not efficient on offense with just a 36.5% success rate. They also play at a slow pace as they average 29.2 seconds-per-play. Iowa may score 31.5 PPG but they are generating just 317.5 total YPG. But the Hawkeyes’ defense is elite as they hold their opponents to just 13.0 PPG and 270.4 total YPG. They are tenth in the nation by allowing just 90.3 rushing YPG. Iowa has played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. The Under is also 8-2-1 in their last 11 home games when favored — and they had played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when laying 10.5 to 21 points.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in October — and Purdue has played 5 straight Unders in October. While the number in the low-40s for this game makes the Under bet ominous, both these teams have great defenses and limited offenses that play at a slow pace. The first team to 20 points probably wins. 25* CFB Big Ten Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Purdue Boilermakers (181) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (182). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (901) and the Houston Astros (902) listing both starting pitchers Chris Sale and Framber Valdez. THE SITUATION: Boston (96-71) reached the American League Championship Series with their 6-5 victory against Tampa Bay on Monday to close out that ALDS in four games. Houston (98-68) reached the ALCS with their 10-1 win at Chicago against the White Sox to end that series in four games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win — and the Over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while Boston’s bullpen has pitched at least four innings in their last three games, they have then played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total when their bullpen has pitched at least four innings in three straight games. Additionally, Boston has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. They give the ball to Sale who had a 5-1 record with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in nine starts in the regular season. The left-hander got rocked in his start against the Rays as he gave up five runs in one inning of work last Friday. In his last three starts, Sale has a 10.84 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP. All three of those starts were on the road where Sale has been less effective this season. While Sale has a 2.48 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in nine starts at home, those numbers rise to a 4.61 ERA and 146 WHIP in his three regular starts on the road. He faces an Astros team that is scoring 7.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .311 Batting Average, .375 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .913. Houston has scored at least six runs in seven straight games. The Over is 18-7-2 in The Astros’ last 27 games after a win — and the Over is 17-5-2 in their last 24 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 9-2-2 in their last 13 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They host this game at Minute Maid Park where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Houston has played 40 of their last 59 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 7-8.5 range. They counter with Valdez who has an 11-6 record with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 22 starts. The lefty has not been as effective at home where he owns a 3.45 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 11 starts. In his last six starts, Valdez has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in six starts.

FINAL TAKE: Valdez faces a hot-hitting Red Sox team that is scoring 6.3 Runs-Per-Game with a .317 Batting Average, .375 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of 913 in their last seven games. 25* MLB Friday Fox-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (901) and the Houston Astros (902) listing both starting pitchers Chris Sale and Framber Valdez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (971) and the San Francisco Giants (972) listing both starting pitchers Corey Knebel and Logan Webb. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (109-58) evened this best-of-five series at 2-2 with their 7-2 victory at home on Tuesday. San Francisco (109-57) returns home to host the final game of this National League Divisional Series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dodgers have held the Giants to two runs or less in the last three games of this series after their opening game 4-0 shutout loss (against Webb). Not only has Los Angeles played 38 of their last 62 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two runs in their last game, but they have also played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two runs in two straight games. Furthermore, they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the playoffs — and the Under is 9-4-1 in their last 14 road games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Dodgers have also played 15 of their last 16 games Under the Total after an off day. The day of rest will help the Los Angeles bullpen be ready for this game — a showdown in which manager Dave Roberts will use every healthy starting pitcher at his disposal in this single-elimination contest. The Dodgers’ bullpen has a 3.11 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP this season — and they have a 2.66 ERA with a 0.85 WHIP in their last seven games. Roberts has made a surprise decision this afternoon to use Corey Knebel as an opener before turning to Urias as his bulk pitcher. It is a crafty move to keep Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler from stacking his lineup with right-handed batters. Knebel is a good reliever — he has a 2.45 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP this season. Urias should then get the ball after holding the Giants to just one run in five innings on Saturday in Game Two of this series. The left-hander had a 20-6 record in the regular season with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 32 starts. He has been more effective on the road where he has a 2.71 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 18 regular season starts. Additionally, in his last 12 starts since the beginning of August, Urias has a 1.77 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. In his six starts against San Francisco this season, Urias has a 3.15 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. And in his carer 32 1/3 innings in the playoffs, Urias has a 3.06 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He should pitch well tonight. He faces a Giants team that is scoring 3.6 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .197 Batting Average, .251 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .574. San Francisco has not scored more than four runs in four straight games. They are hitting just .208 in their last five games — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a five-game stretch where they did not have a batting average over .225. The Giants have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. And in their last 15 games after an off day, they have played 11 of their games Under the Total. San Francisco’s bullpen has a 3.07 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP this season — and they have posted a 2.92 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP against NL West foes. They counter with Webb who has an 11-3 record with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in the regular season. He pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts in Game One of this series. When pitching at home at Oracle Park this season, he has a 1.96 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 13 games (12 starts) in the regular season. He faces a Dodgers team that has played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has been shut out twice in this series — they really miss the injured Max Muncy. Both managers will suspect runs will be hard to come by tonight — and they will manage accordingly. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* MLB National League West Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (971) and the San Francisco Giants (972) listing both starting pitchers Corey Knebel and Logan Webb. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (109) and the Philadelphia Eagles (110). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (4-1) has won their last two games after their 45-17 victory against Miami as an 11-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 21-18 upset win at Carolina as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Buccaneers held the Dolphins to just 301 yards in their blowout victory on Sunday. Miami managed only 39 rushing yards in that contest. Tampa Bay led the NFL in rushing defense last season by holding their opponents to just 80.6 rushing Yards-Per-Game. This season, the Buccaneers have been even better by holding their opponents to just 46 rushing YPG on 2.9 Yards-Per-Carry. Tampa Bay is making teams one-dimensional on offense — allowing their pass rush to take over. The Buccaneers have held their last two opponents to just 17 points in each contest. Tom Brady is dealing with a nagging injury with his throwing hand which may slow down their passing attack and/or compels them to run the ball more. The Eagles allow 142 rushing Yards-Per-Game this season — and Tampa Bay has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total against teams who allow at least 130 rushing YPG. Philadelphia’s defense is playing better this season — after allowing 363.1 total YPG last season, they have held their five opponents this year to 336.8 total YPG for an improvement of 26.3 net YPG. The Eagles have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight Unders when playing at home after a straight-up victory. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread wins -- and they have also played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory when playing at home. The Eagles return home where they have played 23 of their last 32 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. And while the Buccaneers score 33.4 PPG, the Eagles have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams who score at least 24 PPG. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (109) and the Philadelphia Eagles (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Costa Rica (225305) and the United States Men’s National Team (225306). THE SITUATION: Costa Rica enters this match after defeating El Salvador by a 2-1 score in their World Cup Qualifying match in the CONCACAF Octagonal round on Monday. The USMNT looks to rebound from their upset loss against Panama on Sunday in their World Cup qualifying match. This game will be played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The US was listless in their effort on Sunday — a disturbing trend under manager Gregg Berhalter. They failed to generate even one shot on goal against the Canal Men. Berhalter did make seven changes from the starting XI that beat Jamaica by a 2-0 score in their last qualifying match. This is considered a golden generation for this American team that has yet to accomplish much outside this continent. European stars Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna are dealing with injuries — and they will not play tonight. But the shape and identity of this team under Berhalter remains a work-in-progress. The pressure is firmly on this team now — they are tied for second with Panama in the table without having played Mexico and Costa Rica who are the two most established powers in CONCACAF. Failing to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year would be a disaster — I expect this team to be tight. They have the edge of this being played on home soil — but they have only scored more than one goal once in their last six matches when playing in the US. But the one thing that has been consistent for this squad under Berhalter has been the play of the defense. The Stars and Stripes have five clean sheets in their last six matches at home. Manchester City backup goaltender Zack Steffan gets the start tonight against a Costa Rica team that does not score many goals. In their last eight matches, they have not scored more than one goal — and they have been blanked five times. Their victory against El Salvador earlier this week was the first time in their last seven matches that Los Ticos played a match where three or more goals were scored. Costa Rica is a veteran side that focuses on defensive stability — and they rely on scoring goals from the counterattack. If the US takes a lead, don’t expect them to stay aggressive against these dangerous Costa Rican tactics. Berhalter would love to survive with a 1-0 victory.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have combined to see eight of their ten matches playing the World Cup qualifier octagonal stage have two combined goals or less scored. Four of the last five meetings between these two teams have finished Under 2.5 goals — with the exception being a meaningless friendly match in June which the US won by a 4-0 score (with Pulisic and company playing). 20* World Cup Qualifiers Costa Rica-USMNT ESPN2 Special with Under the Total in the match between Costa Rica (225305) and the United States Men’s National Team (225306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (973) and the Chicago White Sox (974) listing both starting pitchers Lance McCullers and Carlos Rodon. THE SITUATION: Houston (97-68) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 12-6 loss to the White Sox. Chicago (94-71) ended their three-game losing streak with the victory to win their first game in this best-of-five series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Astros have played 18 of their last 27 games on the road Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. The Over is now 7-3-2 in Houston’s last 12 games on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 16 road games Over the Total as a money-line underdog priced up to +150. Additionally, the Astros have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when the Total is in the 7-8.5 range. They have played 10 of their last 14 road games Over the Total in the NLDS. Furthermore, Houston has played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total as an underdog overall — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. After yesterday’s rainout, manager Dusty Baker gets to bypass Jose Urquidy to go back to McCullers who did not allow an earned run in 6 2/3 innings in Game One of this series on Thursday. But Houston has played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when McCullers is following up a start where he did not allow more than one earned run. The right-hander has a 13-5 record this season with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 28 starts — but he has been less effective in day games where he has a 3.38 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 11 starts. The sabermetrics don’t love McCullers with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.01 and 3.69 moving forward. The Astros’ bullpen is a weakness, particularly with their middle relief. Houston was second in MLB with 97 bullpen meltdowns in the regular season. In their last seven games, the Astros’ pen has a 5.06 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP — so don’t give up on the Over this afternoon! The White Sox are scoring 5.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .289 Batting Average and a .348 On-Base Percentage. Chicago has played 15 of their last 24 home games Over the Total when priced as a money-line favorite up to -150. They counter with Rodon who had a 13-5 record in the regular season with a 2.37 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in 24 starts. Take his solid September numbers with a grain of salt — he has been dealing with arm soreness that lowered his velocity in those appearances. There is a reason that manager Tony LaRussa has not pitched earlier in this series (including their elimination game on Sunday). This could be hit-or-miss — and I suspect it is the latter for a pitcher whose 132 2/3 innings this season are the most he has thrown in a year since 2016 in the salad days of the Hillary versus Trump Presidential campaign. The lefty’s ERA rises to 3.40 in his eight starts in the day. And while the White Sox’s bullpen is supposed to be a strength on paper, that group has a 4.73 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in their last seven games. Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total in the playoffs — and they have played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Over the Total when an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 7 of their last 10 playoff games Over the Total in potential close-out games. 25* MLB ALDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (973) and the Chicago White Sox (974) listing both starting pitchers Lance McCullers and Carlos Rodon. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (479) and the Baltimore Ravens (480). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (1-3) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with their 27-17 upset win at Miami as a 2.5-point underdog. Baltimore (3-1) has won three games in a row after their 23-7 upset win at Denver as a 1-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Indianapolis has played 29 of their last 44 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win as a road underdog. And while that game finished Over the low 41.5 point total, the Colts have then played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when coming off a game that finished Over the Total. This team is scoring just 20.8 Points-Per-Game and averaging only 326.0 total YPG. They gained only 349 yards against the Dolphins despite holding the ball for 37:09 minutes. This will be a Jonathan Taylor game with Indy looking to once again win the time of possession battle to keep Lamar Jackson and the potent Ravens offense off the field. The Colts have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total in October — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. Baltimore has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Ravens have also played 26 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a win by 14 or more points at home. Baltimore has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Ravens have held their last two opponents to just 24 combined points despite being on the road for both games. Now Baltimore returns home — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total when the Total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. They have played 4 of their last  5 games Under the Total when favored. Lamar Jackson completed 22 of 37 passes for 316 yards against the Broncos — but the Ravens have played 28 of their last 40 games Under the Total after passing for at least 300 yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 12 of their last 13 meetings Under the Total including four straight Unders when playing in Baltimore. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (479) and the Baltimore Ravens (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (955) and the Boston Red Sox (956) listing both starting pitchers Collin McHugh and Eduardo Rodriguez. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (101-64) has lost three of their last four games after their 6-4 loss at Fenway Park last night in 13 innings. Boston (95-71) has won six of their last seven games to take a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Both bullpens were taxed last night — so there will be mostly tired pitchers taking the mound tonight. The Rays used eight relievers last night after Drew Rasmussen pitched only two innings making the start. Manager Kevin Cash will use Collin McHugh as his opener to pitch probably not more than two innings if he can last that long. The right-hander has a 6-1 record with a 1.55 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 37 limited appearances which include seven opening assignments like this. The sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 2.87 and 3.06 moving forward. McHugh has pitched 20 1/3 innings in the postseason but has been saddled with a 4.87 ERA. Luis Patino will likely follow him up since he did not pitch last night. He has a 5-3 record with a 4.31 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in mixed work in the pen and some spot starts. The right-hander has a 5.77 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in 34 1/3 innings on the road — and he has a 5.32 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in nine games. In four innings of previous playoff experience, he has a 6.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. They face a Red Sox team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game with a .298 Batting Average, .370 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .893. Boston scores 5.8 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .280 Batting Average, .345 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .826. The Over is 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. Tampa Bay has played 30 of their last 48 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. The Rays have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the playoffs as a money-line underdog. The Over is also 7-2-1 in Tampa Bay’s last 8 road games in the ALDS. The Over is 7-3-1 in Boston’s last 11 games after a win — and the Over is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Red Sox used six relievers last night to pitch 8 innings after the bullpen was called on to pitch 8 and 6 1/3 innings in the first two games in this series. Boston has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after their bullpen pitched at least four innings in three straight games. Additionally, the Over is 15-5-1 in the Red Sox’s last 21 games at home — and the Over is 12-5-1 in their last 18 home games with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. The Over is also 20-8-4 in their last 32 home games in the playoffs. They counter with Rodriguez who was knocked out in just 1 2/3 innings where he gave up two runs in Game One of this series on Thursday. The left-hander has a 5.25 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in 22 1/3 innings against the Rays this season. He also now has a 14.85 ERA and a 2.40 WHIP in nine games including two starts in the postseason. He is pitching on three days rest at home at Fenway Park where he has a 5.95 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP with opposing hitters posting a .282 batting average in 13 starts this year. Boston has played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-9.5 range. Tampa Bay scores 5.6 Runs-Per-Game on the road — and the Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 road games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 26-11-2 in the last 39 meetings between these two teams — and the Over is 15-5-1 in the last 21 games when these two teams are playing at Fenway Park. Lastly, the Rays have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (955) and the Boston Red Sox (956) listing both starting pitchers Collin McHugh and Eduardo Rodriguez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:07 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (951) and the Atlanta Braves (952) listing both starting pitchers Freddy Peralta and Ian Anderson. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (96-68) has lost five of their last six games after their 3-0 loss at home to the Braves on Saturday. Atlanta (89-74) has won three of their last four games after evening this NLDS at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Brewers have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after being shut out in their last game. Milwaukee has not scored more than three runs in four straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not scoring more than three runs in at least four straight games. And while the Brewers have not allowed more than three runs in the first two games in this season, they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than three runs in two straight games. Additionally, Milwaukee has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an off day — and they have played 5 of their last 6 third games of a series Over the Total. Furthermore, the Brewers have played 13 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the Total in the 7-8.5 range. They give the ball to Peralta who has a 10-5 record with a 2.81 ERA and 0.97 WHIP this season. In his last eight starts since the beginning of August, the right-hander has been saddled with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has not pitched since September 26th — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when Peralta is pitching with at least seven days between starts. Milwaukee has also played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Peralta pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. He faces a Braves team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game at home. Atlanta lost the opening game of this series — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing two straight games where no more than three runs were scored by both teams. The Braves have only allowed two runs in their last three games — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing no more than two runs in three straight games. Additionally, Atlanta has played 13 of their last 16 home games Over the Total after playing their last two games Under the Total. And while the Braves are only hitting .220 in their last five games (159 at-bats, 35 hits), they have then played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after not hitting better than .225 in their last five games. Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Over the Total at home — and the Over is 6-2-1 in their last 9 home games in the NLDS. They counter with Anderson who has a 9-5 record with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 24 starts. In his seven starts in day games, Anderson’s ERA and WHIP rise to 3.86 and 1.49 marks. In his five starts last month, he had a 4.39 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He faces a Brewers squad that scores 4.8 Runs-Per-Game on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 10* MLB Monday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (951) and the Atlanta Braves (952) listing both starting pitchers Freddy Peralta and Ian Anderson. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (477) and the Kansas City Chiefs (478). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (3-1) has won three games in a row after their 40-0 shutout win against Houston as a 19-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 42-30 win at Philadelphia as a 7.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 13-5-1 in the Bills’ last 19 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight Overs on the road after a point spread victory. Buffalo has also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a double-digit win at home — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a win by at least four touchdowns. After their opening loss at home to Pittsburgh, the Bills have won three straight all by at least 22 points — and they have scored at least 35 points in all three games. They have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after winning three in a row by double-digits — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least 35 points in three straight games. I believe in Josh Allen and this Bills offense that is scoring 33.5 PPG after finishing second in the NFL last year by scoring 31.3 PPG. But I am not yet a believer in this defense that has pitched two shutouts in the last three weeks. They have benefited from playing three backup quarterbacks in the last three weeks in Jacob Brissett (off the bench for most of that game after the Tua Tagovailoa injury), Taylor Heinicke, and then Davis Mills last week. Sorry, I am not ready to anoint this unit the second coming of the 1986 Bears — and their star linebacker Matt Milano is questionable with a hamstring injury. As it is, Buffalo has played 4 straight Overs after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. And while they held the hapless Texans' offense to 109 total yards, they have then played 5 straight Overs after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after shutting out their last opponent. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Over the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. Patrick Mahomes completed 24 of 30 passes for 278 yards with five touchdown passes — and the Chiefs have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. Kansas City is scoring 33.5 PPG this season after averaging 29.6 PPG last year while leading the NFL by averaging 415.8 total YPG — and they have added wide receiver Josh Gordon into the mix to offer them an additional red-zone threat. But the Chiefs' defense remains their Achilles’ heel as they are allowing 31.3 PPG and 432.8 total YPG. The Eagles (!) did not punt against them last week while gaining 461 yards with 365 of those in the air. Kansas City has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after giving up at least 350 passing yards in their last game. The Chiefs host this game in Arrowhead Stadium where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total when favored by up to 7 points.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Kansas City’s 38-24 victory over the Bills in the AFC Championship Game. Buffalo has played 5 straight Overs as an underdog — and the Chiefs have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against AFC opponents. The Bills should approach or eclipse their scoring average in what should be a shootout. I will be prepared to watch Kansas City run the ball often against a Buffalo defense that may play two-high safeties to dare Mahomes to hand the ball off. Even so, I think the Chiefs still reach their season average. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (477) and the Kansas City Chiefs (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (309) and the Florida International Golden Panthers (310). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (3-2) has lost two of their last three games after their 24-14 loss at Illinois as a 10-point underdog last Saturday. FIU (1-4) has lost nine of their last ten games going back to last season after a 58-21 loss at FAU as a 10.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The 49ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Charlotte managed only 263 yards of offense against the Fighting Illini defense — but they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after gaining at least 275 yards in their last game. The 49ers have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. They are scoring 26.8 Points-Per-Game while generating 411.8 total YPG. Quarterback Chris Reynolds is averaging a robust 8.4 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game with 11 touchdown passes. He faces a porous Golden Panthers pass defense that lacks a pass rush and allows opposing quarterbacks to average 8.9 YPA. FIU is giving up 41.5 PPG and 555.8 total YPG. They have allowed at least 397 passing yards against their last three opponents. Charlotte has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as a favorite. FIU has played 5 straight games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 18 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a loss by 20 or more points. The Owls generated a whopping 704 yards against them last week — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. After playing their last three games on the road, they return home where they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total as an underdog. Between Max Bortenschlager and Grayson Games, they passed for 319 yards last week — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. They face a suspect 49ers defense that ranks 111th in the nation in Big Plays Allowed. Charlotte is surrendering 7.2 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game — 125th in the FBS. Their run defense is giving up 6.2 Yards-Per-Carry and a whopping 255 rushing YPG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Over the Total. Expect a competitive and high-scoring game. 25* CFB Friday CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (309) and the Florida International Golden Panthers (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:37 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (919) and the Milwaukee Bucks (920) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Corbin Burnes. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (88-73) has won eight of their last nine games in the regular season after a 5-0 win against the New York Mets on Sunday. Milwaukee (95-67) has lost four in a row after their 10-3 loss at Los Angeles against the Dodgers to close the regular season on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a victory — and they have played 4 straight Unders after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Atlanta goes on the road where they have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total as an underdog. The Braves have also played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Morton who has a 14-6 record with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 33 starts. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 3.06 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .185 in 15 starts as opposed to his 3.61 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .219 at home. Atlanta has played 8 of their last 13 road games Under the Total with Morton pitching with the Total set at 7 or lower. In his last ten starts since the beginning of August, Morton has a 2.71 ERA and an 0.88 WHIP. He faces a Brewers team scoring only 4.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests with a .237 Batting Average, .296 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .667. Milwaukee’s bullpen was rocked for five earned runs on Sunday — and they have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when their bullpen allowed five or more runs in their last game. The Brewers have allowed eight runs in two straight games — but they have played 37 of their last 55 games Under the Total after allowing at least eight runs in their last game and they have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after allowing at least eight runs in two straight games. Milwaukee has played three straight Overs — and they have 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing three straight Overs. They counter with Burnes who has an 11-5 record with a 2.43 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 28 starts. The right-hander is outstanding in day games where he has a 1.53 ERA in ten starts. In his last ten starts, Burnes has a 2.36 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. The Brewers have played 5 of their last 8 games with Burnes pitching with the Total set at 7. He faces a Braves team that has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Atlanta is scoring only .238 with a .309 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .736.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 4 straight Unders in the playoffs — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the NLDS when playing at home. The Braves have played 4 of their last 5 playoff games on the road Under the Total. 10* MLB Friday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (919) and the Milwaukee Bucks (920) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Corbin Burnes. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (3-1) lost their first game of the season on Sunday with their 37-20 upset loss to Arizona as a 3.5-point favorite. Seattle (2-2) comes off a 28-21 upset at San Francisco as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Los Angeles has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Rams need to tighten things up on defense after the Cardinals generated 465 yards against them last week. Regression was expected for that unit after they led the NFL by allowing only 4.6 Yards-Per-Play which was +0.33 YPP better than the next best defensive team in that metric. Los Angeles still has defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. After only having the ball for 24:50 minutes against Arizona, head coach Sean McVay may look to run the ball a bit more to keep his defense rested and off the field. Their 23 rushing attempts last week were tied for the lowest in a game so far this season. The Rams have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after the first month of the season. And in their last 27 games when favored, they have played 20 of these games Under the Total. Seattle only gained 234 yards last week against the 49ers but benefited from a +2 net turnover margin. Russell Wilson passed for just 149 yards in the game. The Seahawks may be without running back Chris Carson who is questionable with a neck injury which would leave them to just Alex Collins with Rashaad Penny on IR. After averaging 28.7 Points-Per-Game and 369.5 total YPG last season, Seattle is down to scoring 25.8 PPG and averaging 350.3 total YPG this season. The Seahawks gave up 314 yards in the air to the Niners last week — the third week in a row that they have given up at least 300 passing yards — but they have then played 6 straight Unders after giving up at least 250 passing yards in their last game. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and the Under is 3-1-1 in Seattle’s last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Seahawks have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents. And in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record, Seattle has played 4 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total for Thursday Night Football. Seattle has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in October — and the Rams have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in October. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (939) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (940) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (90-72) lost their final two games of the regular season with a 3-2 setback against the Chicago Cubs. Los Angeles (106-56) enters the playoffs having won seven straight games after beating Milwaukee by a 10-3 score on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dodgers have played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total after winning at least seven games in a row. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts gives the ball to their new ace in Scherzer who has a 15-4 record with a 2.46 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. The right-hander has a 7-0 record in 11 starts since being acquired by the Dodgers with a 1.98 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. Scherzer has allowed five earned runs in two straight starts — but those two outings came after five straight starts where he did not allow an earned run. Scherzer is a wily veteran with a 3.38 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 112 innings in the postseason. He will be supported by a bullpen that has a 3.15 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this season. His teams have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when he is facing a team from NL Central. His teams have also played 10 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with him starting with the Total set in the 7-7.5 range. He faces a Cardinals team that is scoring only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .230 Batting Average, .302 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .729. St. Louis has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss by one run. And while the Cardinals got upset twice in a row last week at home against the Cubs, they have then played 4 straight Unders after getting upset two in a row at home against a divisional rival. They counter with Wainwright who has a 17-7 record with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP this season. He faces a Dodgers’ lineup without their cleanup hitter, Max Muncy, who is out with an elbow injury.

FINAL TAKE: Two final factors compel me to take the Under tonight. First, with this being a single-elimination game, every pitcher will be available to pitch out of the bullpen. Second, with this game being played as the sun sets in Los Angeles, there will be shadows that will impact the sightline of the hitters. 10* MLB Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (939) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (940) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (937) and the Boston Red Sox (938) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Nathan Eovaldi. THE SITUATION: New York (92-70) clinched a wildcard spot on Sunday with their 1-0 win against Tampa Bay. Boston (92-70) also clinched a playoff spot on Sunday with their 7-5 victory at Washington.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 10-4-1 in the Yankees’ last 15 games after an off-day. They go on the road where they have play 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range — and they have played 5 of their last 6 playoff games Over the Total on the road. They give the ball to Cole who looks to rebound from a subpar effort where he allows five runs in six innings at Toronto last Wednesday. For the season, the right-hander has a 16-8 record with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP — but he has been saddled with a 5.13 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .282 in five starts. This continues a disturbing trend for the Yankees’ ace who, after a great start to the season, has a 4.14 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .255 since the All-Star Break. Has his 181 1/3 innings this season after a pandemic-shortened campaign last year produced fatigue late in the season? Are the after-effects from his bout with COVID impacting his performances? Has his recent hamstring injury held him back? Perhaps the league’s crackdown on foreign substances has thrown off his elite stuff despite his spin rates creeping back up to his early-season levels? I don’t know, but I am skeptical he can simply flip the switch in the playoffs after posting a 7.64 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in his last three starts despite the Yankees playing for their playoff lives the last few weeks. Against the Red Sox in four starts this year, Cole has a 4.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .279. The Yankees have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with Cole pitching when priced as a money-line favorite up to -150. He faces a Boston team that scores 5.8 Runs-Per-Game at home in Fenway Park with a .280 Batting Average, .344 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .824. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Red Sox’s last 8 games after a win — and the Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Boston hosts this game in Fenway Park where the Over is 13-5-1 in their last 19 games — and the Over is 18-8-4 in their last 32 playoff games at home. They counter with Eovaldi who has an 11-9 record with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 32 starts this season. The right-hander got crushed at home against the Yankees two starts ago on September 24th when he allowed seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work. The Boston bullpen is not great — they have a 4.00 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP this season. The Red Sox have played 12 of their last 19 games at home Over the Total with Eovaldi on the mound — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total with Eovaldi pitching with the Total set at 8-8.5.

FINAL TAKE: The Yankees have played 4 straight appearances in the Wild Card playoff game Over the Total. Expect a wild one between these bitter rivals. 25* MLB Wildcard Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (937) and the Boston Red Sox (938) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Nathan Eovaldi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (279) and the Los Angeles Chargers (280). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (3-0) won their third straight game with their 31-28 win in overtime against Miami as a 4-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (2-1) comes off a 30-24 upset win at Kansas City as a 6.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This game should be a shootout. The Raiders have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight Overs after a point spread loss. Las Vegas has also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. Derek Carr completed 26 of 43 passes for 386 yards in the victory — and the Raiders have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. Carr is averaging over 400 passing YPG this season — and he has topped at least 350 passing yards in five straight games going back to last year. Las Vegas has played 7 straight Overs after passing for at least 275 yards in three straight games. Carr is playing at a very high level — he is a smart player who has mastered Jon Gruden’s offense in their fourth year together. Now the Raiders go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total. Furthermore, the Over is 8-2-1 in Las Vegas’ last 11 games as an underdog — and the Over is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. The Chargers gained 352 yards against the Chiefs last week in their win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The quarterback battle between Carr and Justin Herbert should be dynamic — a race to reach (at least) 30 points. The Raiders have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against AFC West rivals — and the Chargers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against AFC West opponents. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (279) and the Los Angeles Chargers (280). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (277) and the New England Patriots (278). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (2-1) lost their first game since winning the Super Bowl last season in a 34-24 upset loss in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 1-point road favorite last Sunday. New England (1-2) looks to rebound from their 28-13 upset loss at home to New Orleans as a 3-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tom Brady is the G.O.A.T. but I do expect him to be emotional in his first return to Gilette Stadium since leaving the Patriots organization. Remember, he has a history of slow starts in the Super Bowl. We will also witness the fascinating matchup of him going up against a Bill Belichick defense. Brady is on record indicating that the Miami Dolphins’ defenses tend to give him the most trouble despite deploying a basic scheme against him. I am not smarter than Belichick but I would guess he will focus on taking away either wide receiver Chris Godwin or Mike Evans. Rob Gronkowski did not even make the trip to Foxboro given his broken ribs — so Brady’s safety valve is gone. Belichick might also dare the Buccaneers to run the football and take the ball out of Brady’s hands. Tampa Bay is not running the ball well this season — they are averaging just 56 rushing Yards-Per-Game on 3.5 Yards-Per-Carry. The Buccaneers have not rushed for more than 82 yards in a game this season — and head coach Bruce Arians’ teams have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a three-game stretch where they did not rush for at least 100 yards even once. The Patriots are playing great defense this season — they are allowing only 17.0 PPG and 282.3 total Yards-Per-Game. Tampa Bay has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. New England has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss by at least two touchdowns. Furthermore, the Patriots have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. While almost all the attention this week has been on Brady v. Belichick, an underplayed narrative is how rookie Mac Jones will handle the pressure of this moment as the literal heir apparent to Brady. I suspect he will be nervous. As it is, New England is scoring only 18.0 PPG and averaging 317.7 total YPG. They are 27th in the NFL by averaging just 4.8 Yards-Per-Play. To compound matters, Jones will be without running back James White after a season-ending injury — and he creates a void since he is a reliable safety valve catching the ball out of the backfield. The Patriots have played 7 of their last 8 games at home Under the Total. They have played 5 straight Unders as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. And in their last 9 games against teams from the NFC, New England has played 7 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Tampa Bay’s defense has underachieved this season — they are allowing 29.3 PPG this season. The talent on that side of the ball is still elite — and they are holding opposing rushers to just 3.1 Yards-Per-Carry after leading the NFL in run defense last season. They are going to force Jones to beat them with his arm. The Patriots have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total against teams who allow at least 27 PPG. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (277) and the New England Patriots (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Football Team (251) and the Atlanta Falcons (252). THE SITUATION: Washington (1-2) looks to rebound from their flat 43-21 loss at Buffalo as a 7.5-point underdog. Atlanta (1-2) won their first game of the season on Sunday with their 17-14 upset win at New York against the Giants as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Football Team gave up a whopping 481 yards to the Bills last week in what has been a surprising turn of events for this team’s defense. After finishing second in the league last year by holding opponents to 304.6 total YPG, the defense this season in second-to-last by allowing 432.0 total YPG. But in Ron Rivera I trust — and I expect him along with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to right the ship. There is too much talent on this unit — especially on the defensive line with four former first-round draft picks. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. And while they allowed the Bills to gain 481 yards against them, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Football Team has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total in October. They have also played 4 straight Unders on the road when favored — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. They now face a Falcons team that is one-dimensional relying too much on Matt Ryan’s arm. The Mike Davis-led rushing attack is averaging only 3.8 Yards-Per-Carry — and the Falcons are scoring only 16.0 PPG and generating just 301.3 total YPG. Rookie head coach Arthur Smith does seem to want to run the football to protect his suspect defense — although defensive coordinator Dean Pees is doing about as good a job as possible with that unit. Atlanta has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Falcons had only 296 yards in their win last week. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as a dog. And in their last 5 games against teams with a losing record, they have played 4 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Washington held their final seven opponents last season to 20 or fewer points. With Taylor Heinicke under center, Rivera does not want to have this game get into a shootout with Ryan. Expect a lower-scoring game. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Football Team (251) and the Atlanta Falcons (252). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (165) and the Stanford Cardinal (166). THE SITUATION: Oregon (4-0) has won their first four games of the season with their 41-19 win against Arizona as a 29.5-point favorite last Saturday. Stanford (2-2) looks to bounce back from heir 35-24 loss at home to UCLA as a 3.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Ducks have played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight-road games Over the Total after a win at home. Oregon has also played 4 straight Overs after a blowout win by 20 or more points. The Ducks’ offense is predicated on running the football under head coach and former Alabama offensive line coach Mario Cristobal. Oregon averages 5.2 rushing Yards-Per-Carry to lead them to generate 204 rushing Yards-Per-Game — and they will be running against a porous Cardinal run defense that is allowing their opponents to average 5.2 YPC. The Ducks are scoring 38.8 PPG — and they have scored at least 31 points in all four of their games. Oregon’s defense would have surrendered more points if not for the Wildcats’ five turnovers last week — Arizona gouged them for 435 total yards. As it is, the Ducks have played 6 straight games Over the Total after allowing no more than 20 points in their last game. Fresno State and Ohio State scored 24 and 28 points respectively — so Stanford scoring in the mid-20s as a floor is a reasonable expectation. Oregon has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total when the favorite. Stanford has played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Cardinal has also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Stanford went into the locker room at halftime trailing by a 21-7 score — but Tanner McKee rallied the team in the third quarter with two unanswered touchdowns to tie the game. The sophomore quarterback completed 19 of 32 passes for 293 yards and three touchdown passes. He also added 42 yards on the ground. Since McKee took over the starting job after the Cardinal’s 24-7 opening loss at Kansas State, Stanford is scoring 35.7 PPG and averaging 385.7 total YPG — and the Cardinal scored 42 and 41 points on the road against both USC and Vanderbilt. McKee is completing 68% of his passes without an interception — and head coach David Shaw appears very comfortable with the offense revolving around his arm, especially with some injuries at running back. While the final score against the Bruins finished just under the 60.5 point total, Stanford has played 7 straight Overs after playing an Under in their last game. The Cardinal defense has not been great — they are allowing 27.5 PPG and 401.3 total YPG. Stanford stays at home where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total. The Cardinal has also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon scored five touchdowns last season in their 35-14 victory at Eugene with the Total closing around 40. These two teams have played 11 of their last 16 meetings Over the Total. The Ducks are 8-point road favorites — but Stanford should be a feisty dog that will push them to score more points. 25* CFB Pac-12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (165) and the Stanford Cardinal (166). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (973) and the Chicago White Sox (974) listing both starting pitchers Wily Peralta and Lance Lynn. THE SITUATION: Detroit (76-83) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 10-7 win at Minnesota yesterday. Chicago (91-68) has won four in a row with their 6-1 win against Cincinnati on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 18-7-2 in the Tigers’ last 27 games after a win — and the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Detroit stays out the road to close out their season where the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 road games as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as an underdog priced at +200 or higher. Furthermore, the Tigers have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager A.J. Hinch gives the ball to Peralta who has a 4-4 record with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 18 games (17 starts) this season. The right-hander will be motivated to close out a strong second half of the season. He had a 1.75 ERA in his five starts last month — and has not allowed more than two earned runs in six straight starts. His teams have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two earned runs in two straight games. He has been more effective on the road where he owns a 1.21 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .236 in 11 games (10) starts as opposed to his 1.41 WHIP and .244 opponent’s batting average when pitchman at home. He faces a White Sox team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Chicago has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win — and the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The White Sox stay at home where they have played 31 of their last 48 home games Under the Total when favored at a -150 price or higher — and they have played 13 of their last 20 home games Under the Total when favored at a -200 price or higher. Furthermore, Chicago has played 4 straight Unders with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. They counter with Lynn who has a 10-6 record with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in 27 starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 2.60 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .193 in 16 starts. Chicago has played 11 of their 14 home games Under the Total with Lynn making the start this season. He will want to stay in the groove to build momentum for the playoffs next week. He faces a Tigers team that has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is 20-8-3 in their last 31 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against American League Central rivals — and the White Sox have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against divisional rivals. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing at Guaranteed Rate Field. 25* MLB American League Central Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (973) and the Chicago White Sox (974) listing both starting pitchers Wily Peralta and Lance Lynn. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (101) and the Cincinnati Bengals (102). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (0-3) lost their third straight game to start the season with a 31-19 loss at home to Arizona as an 8-point underdog on Sunday. Cincinnati (2-1) comes off a 24-10 upset win at Pittsburgh as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jaguars have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Jacksonville is scoring only 17.7 Points-Per-Game and generating just 315.0 total Yards-Per-Game so far this season. The defense has been the bigger concern as they are surrendering 30.3 PPG — but their nine turnovers have played a large role in that number. The Cardinals took the lead near the end of the third quarter last week with a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown. Holding Kyler Murray and the explosive Arizona offense to just 24 offensive points is encouraging. Jacksonville did give up 316 passing yards last week — but they have played 5 straight Unders after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. And while their last two opponents have averaged 6.2 and 6.3 Yards-Per-Play, the Jaguars have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last two opponents to average at least 6.0 YPP. Jacksonville goes on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Jaguars have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. The Bengals gained only 268 yards in their upset win on Sunday. They ran only 42 plays while the Steelers took 77 snaps under center — but they only gave up 342 yards to a Pittsburgh offense that generated only 4.4 YPP. Cincy converted only three of nine of their third-down opportunities — a disturbing continuation from last season when they were 30th in the NFL by converting 36.2% of their third-down opportunities. The Under is 3-1-1 in the Bengals' last 5 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. I like quarterback Joe Burrow — and would like him even more if played behind an even average offensive line. The Bengals allowed 48 sacks last season — and they have surrendered 10 sacks so far this season despite the Steelers failing to sack Burrow even once. Cincinnati got the memo to run the ball more after Burrow’s season-ending injury last year just to keep Burrow out of harm’s way. The Bengals are running the ball 52% of the time. But that also means that they are scoring only 22.7 Points-Per-Game while averaging just 291.0 total YPG. Running the ball more is helping the Cincinnati defense since it is helping to keep them rested. The Bengals are allowing just 18.0 PPG along with 312.0 total YPG. They did give up 297 passing yards last week — but they have then played 4 straight Unders after not allowing more than 250 passing yards in their last game. Cincinnati has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in September.

FINAL TAKE: The Jaguars have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Bengals have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. 10* NFL Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (101) and the Cincinnati Bengals (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (498) and the Dallas Cowboys (497). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-1) looks to rebound from their 17-11 loss at home to San Francisco as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Dallas (1-1) looks to build off their 20-17 upset win at Los Angeles against the Chargers as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Don’t blame the Philly defense last week as they held the 49ers to just 306 yards and a mere 4.5 Yards-Per-Play. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Graham’s defense is allowing only 11.5 Points-Per-Game and 283.0 total Yards-Per-Game. The Eagles rushed for 151 yards in that game after rushing for 173 rushing yards in their opening win at Atlanta. Philadelphia has played 22 of their last 28 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game — and they have played 21 of their last 28 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in two straight contests. The Eagles are going to run the football tonight — they are taking full advantage of Jalen Hurts’ skills as a rusher. But while Philly is averaging 381.0 total Yards-Per-Game, they are struggling to finish drives as they are scoring just 21.5 Points-Per-Game. The Eagles have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 straight Unders when playing on Monday Night Football. Dallas’ defense bent last week — but they did not break. They limited the Chargers to just 17 points despite Justin Herbert passing for 313 yards. Tom Brady passed for 379 yards in their opening game against Tampa Bay — but the Cowboys have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last two opponents to pass for at least 300 yards. And while Dallas is allowing 419.5 total YPG this season, they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 YPG over a two-game stretch. The Cowboys have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow NFC East opponents. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (498) and the Dallas Cowboys (497). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (495) and the San Francisco 49ers (496). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (1-1) comes off a 35-17 win at home against Detroit as an 11.5-point favorite for Monday Night Football. San Francisco (2-0) remained unbeaten this season after their 17-11 victory at Philadelphia last Sunday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Packers found their offensive rhythm in the second half on Monday with three offensive touchdowns. Green Bay has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win — and they have played 21 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. Now the Packers go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Overs as an underdog. Green Bay has also played a decisive 36 of their last 53 games Over the Total in September. San Francisco has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread win. The 49ers have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing 14 or fewer points. Now after playing their first two games on the road, they return home for the first time this season — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing their last two games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Packers have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (495) and the San Francisco 49ers (496). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (415) and the Washington Huskies (416). THE SITUATION: California (1-2) won their first game of the season last week with their 42-30 victory against Sacramento State as a 23.5-point favorite. Washington (1-2) got their first victory of the year last week as well after their 52-3 win against Arkansas State as a 17.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies only scored 17 combined points in their first two games against Eastern Washington and Michigan before their offensive outburst against the Red Wolves. But the Under is 11-4-1 in Washington’s last 16 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total at home after scoring at least 42 points. The Huskies generated 598 yards last week — but they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. Head coach Jimmy Lake is a defensive coach who wears “Run the Damn Ball” baseball caps to communicate his philosophy. He hired the former Penn State offensive coordinator John Donovan who could not get work after a failed stint there under head coach James Franklin before being replaced by Joe Moorehead who had an immediate impact on the their offensive production by bringing the Nittany Lions into the 21st century. Sophomore Dylan Morris has been inconsistent this season but he does come off his best game. What remains dominant is the Washington defense that has elite future NFL talent in defensive end Zion Tupola-Fetui and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Washington is allowing only 15.7 PPG and 295.7 total YPG. They held Arkansas State to just 268 total yards — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Under is also 18-7-1 in the Huskies’ last 26 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Furthermore. Washington has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They stay at home where they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 12 of their last 14 games in September Under the Total. Cal rushed for 248 yards last week in their victory — and they have played 4 straight Unders after rushing for at least 200 yards. The Golden Bears will look to run the football in this game to control time of possession. Quarterback Chase Garbers completed 22 of 34 passes for 288 yards last week — and Cal has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Bears gave up 467 yards last week to Sacramento State — but they have then played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after giving up at least 450 yards in their last contest. Head coach Justin Wilcox returns eight starters from a unit that held their opponent’s 67 Yards-Per-Game below their season average, 18th best in the nation. Cal goes back on the road where they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Bears have upset the Huskies in the last two meetings between these two teams with 39 and 22 combined points scored in those games. These two teams have played 10 of 11 meetings Under the Total including 6 straight Unders when playing in Seattle. 25* CFB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the California Golden Bears (415) and the Washington Huskies (416). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (301) and the Houston Texans (302). THE SITUATION: Carolina (2-0) comes into this game after a 26-7 upset win against New Orleans as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Houston (1-1) looks to rebound from a 31-21 loss at Cleveland as a 13.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Texans have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Houston has also played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. The Texans will be without starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor who will be out at least four weeks after being put on IR for a hamstring injury. That means rookie Davis Mills will be the starting quarterback. The third-round pick from Stanford has upside — but he is raw after not playing much in his collegiate career after COVID shortened his junior season as a Cardinal to just five games. Houston is not going to ask Mills to win this game with his arm — they will likely deploy their rushing attack behind Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay, and David Johnson being a solid offensive line that features Laremy Tunsil at left tackle and Tytus Howard at right tackle. The Texans have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. The Houston defense did give up 156 rushing yards last week to the Browns ground game — but the Texans have played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. Houston added 19 free agents on defense in the offseason for new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith to revamp a unit that allowed 29.0 PPG. Carolina has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread victory. The Panthers have also played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after an upset win against an NFC South opponent. Sam Darnold has played well for the team in his first two starts after coming over after his failed stint with the New York Jets. But this will be his first start on the road for Carolina. The Panthers averaged only 5.25 Yards-Per-Play while gaining 373 yards last week while controlling the clock for 38:32 minutes of their win against the Saints. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And while they only rushed for 89 yards against New Orleans, they have played 5 straight Unders after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game. Second-year head coach Matt Rhule is likely to lean on running back Christian McCaffrey in this game with this being Darnold’s first start on the road. Expect plenty of running from both teams and stalled drives in the red zone from both these quarterbacks. The one unit that appears reliable is the Carolina defense that has allowed only 21 points in there first two games. Rhule’s commitment to youth last year seems to have paid off — the Panthers led the NFL with 287 tackles from rookies last season. Third-year defensive end Brian Burns out of Florida State appears to be a rising superstar in the league. The Panthers have allowed only 47 rushing yards on 2.7 Yards-Per-Carry — and they have already generated 10 sacks. They are giving up only 190 total YPG — and they are facing a rookie quarterback without too many starts in college. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Panthers have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total when favored — and the Texans have played 8 of their last 12 home games Under the Total at home as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Panthers (301) and the Houston Texans (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (957) and the Colorado Rockies (958) listing both starting pitchers Julio Urias and Antonio Senzatela. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (96-54) has won two in a row and eight of their last nine after their 8-5 win at Cincinnati on Sunday. Colorado (70-79) had their five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a 3-0 loss at Washington.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rockies have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than four combined runs were scored — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than three combined runs were scored. Furthermore, the Under is 19-8-1 in Colorado’s last 28 games after not scoring more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after not scoring more than one run in their last contest. They return home after playing their last nine games on the road. The Rockies have played 21 of their last 31 home games Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Under the Total as a money-line underdog. The Under is also a decisive 37-18-3 in their last 58 home games with the Total set at 11 or higher. Colorado sends out Senzatela who has a 4-9 record with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 25 starts. The right-hander has been outstanding as of late with a 2.31 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in this last six starts including seven shutout innings in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on August 29th. Senzatela thrives at home with his ground ball rate of 51.8% — keeping the ball out of the thin high-altitude air in Denver. He has a 3.89 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP at home in 13 starts as compared to his 4.27 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in 12 starts on the road. The Rockies have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with Senzatela pitching with the Total set at 11-11.5. He faces a Dodgers team that has played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Under is 34-16-6 in Los Angeles’ last 56 games after a win. Furthermore, the Dodgers have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight Unders after allowing five or more runs in their last game. LA has also played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an off day. They stay on the road where the Under is 8-3-2 in their last 13 games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road with the Total set at 11 or higher. They counter with Urias who is 18-3 with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in 29 starts. The lefty has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.64 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .213 in 16 starts. Since the All-Star Break, Urias has a sparkling 1.89 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 11 starts. He faces a slumping Rockies’ offense that is scoring only 4.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .222 Batting Average, .303 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .709. Colorado has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers will be looking to avenge a 5-0 upset loss at home to the Rockies on August 29th — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss including playing 3 of 4 Unders those circumstances this season. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (957) and the Colorado Rockies (958) listing both starting pitchers Julio Urias and Antonio Senzatela. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Lions (297) and the Green Bay Packers (298). THE SITUATION: Detroit (0-1) enters this game coming off a 41-33 loss to San Francisco as a 9.5-point underdog last Sunday. Green Bay (0-1) looks to bounce back from their 38-3 upset loss against New Orleans in Jacksonville as a 4-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Packers were out-of-synch last week against the Saints. New Orleans took them out of their game in the first half of that game by running the ball and controlling the time of possession. Green Bay was only on offense for 25:24 minutes in that game. Back at home in Lambeau Field on national television, the Packers should start fast and remain furious all night. The Packers have played 45 of their last 70 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 6 points in their last contest. And while Green Bay managed only 3 points in the first half last week, they have then played a decisive 43 of their last 60 games Over the Total after not scoring more than a field goal in their last game. But the defense of the Packers is an issue. After nose tackle Kenny Clark and cornerback Jaire Alexander, the talent level of this group assembled by general manager Brian Gutekunst is questionable — and they are dealing with injuries. Linebacker Za’Darius Smith is on Injured Reserve and depth safety Vernon Scott is out with a hamstring. Additionally, starting safety Darnell Savage is questionable with a shoulder leaving the Pack thin at the position. LaFleur hired Joe Barry, the former defensive coordinator of the winless Lions team under Rod Marinelli as his defensive coordinator. At least Marinelli had the excuse of Barry being his son-in-law. Barry has never coached a defense that finished better than 27th in total defense in his time with Detroit and later with Washington. Green Bay has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 30 points. Additionally, the Packers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 35 of their last 52 games Over the Total in September. Detroit has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total in September after last week’s game that saw 74 combined points scored. The Lions have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Detroit was last in the NFL last season by allowing 32.4 PPG and 419.8 total YPG in the last year under defensive wunderkind Matt Patricia. He inherited a unit that allowed 23.5 PPG. It will take time for the stink of Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn to leave this organization. One of Quinn’s mistakes was drafting Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah when Justin Herbert was available in the 2020 draft. Okudah is now out the season after an Achilles tear last week — and while he has underperformed his top-three draft pick status, it is still a significant loss in the secondary. The 49ers gained 442 yards against them. But what was encouraging was the Lions not giving up as they scored 33 points and gained 430 yards against the stout San Francisco defense. Quarterback Jared Goff was effective even without being scripted to death by boy-genius Sean McVay. Goff completed 38 of 57 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns operating the Anthony Lynn-coached offense. Wide receiver Tyrell Williams is in the concussion protocol and out for this game — but his presence on the field was never going to transform this Lions’ offense. Detroit is going to run the football and pass the ball to tight end T.J. Hockenson before looking for open wide receivers — and a majority of their points last week was after the former Raiders’ wide receiver left the game. The Lions have an underrated offensive line — and rookie Penei Sewell thrived at left tackle replacing the injured Taylor Decker. After struggling in the preseason making the move to right tackle, Sewell eased back into the left tackle slots and handled Nick Bosa. D’Andre Swift is expected to play tonight at running back joining a dynamic duo with Jamaal Williams. Detroit has played 4 straight Overs after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: The Lions have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against NFC North opponents — and the Packer have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against divisional foes. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Lions (297) and the Green Bay Packers (298). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (295) and the Baltimore Ravens (296). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (1-0) comes off a 33-29 win against Cleveland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Baltimore (0-1) looks to rebound from their 33-29 upset loss in overtime at Las Vegas as a 3-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs started slow last week by scoring only 10 points in the first 30 minutes of that game. But Patrick Mahomes did what he needed to do in the second half to lead his team to the comeback victory after trailing by 12 points at halftime. Kansas City scored 29.6 PPG last season and they ended up topping that number against a good Browns defense. The Chiefs also led the NFL last season by generating 415.8 total YPG. Kansas City has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Mahomes’ final numbers once again looked great — he completed 27 of 36 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. The Chiefs have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. Now Mahomes plays a Wink Martindale-coached defense who led the league by blitzing on 44.1% of their opponents’ dropbacks — and Mahomes is notorious for shredding defenses that blitz him since he is mobile enough to create extra time to exploit the pass coverage that is down at least one man. Mahomes has been incredible in his career in his September games. He entered the regular season with a 124.4 Passer Rating in September while completing 67.6% of his passes. He now has 35 touchdown passes and no interceptions in September. But of concern is the Chiefs’ defense that allowed 457 yards to the Browns last week. The deeper analytics exposed the KC defense as worse than their raw numbers suggest. They ranked 22nd last season in the Football Outsiders DVOA numbers — and they were 31st in run defense DVOA. There is a fundamental flaw with the Chiefs’ defense with their reliance on linebacker William Gay. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo needs Gay on the field to help shore up his run defense — yet he is a liability in the pass coverage. KC was second-to-last in the NFL last season in DVOA in pass coverage against running backs. These are weaknesses that the Baltimore run-oriented offensive attack can exploit. The Chiefs have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, Kansas City has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total in September — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against AFC opponents. Baltimore has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Ravens are ravaged with injuries — they are without lockdown cornerback Marcus Peters (a crushing loss for this matchup) after his season-ending torn ACL. They are also without linebacker L.J. Fort who is on IR — and four players in the two-deep are questionable including starting defensive end Derek Wolfe and starting cornerback Jimmy Smith. Derek Carr passed for 409 yards against them on Monday en route to the Raiders’ 491 total yards. Baltimore has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards — and they have played 4 straight Overs after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest. The Ravens still have quarterback Lamar Jackson who accounted for 321 total yards combined from the air and ground last week. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Ravens will be looking to avenge a 34-20 loss at home to the Chiefs on September 20th last season. What was memorable from that game was how aggressive John Harbaugh was regarding going for it on fourth down and attempting 2-point conversions. He leads the way with the mentality that beating KC is a race to score at least 35 points. That is the formula for another Over between these two teams. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (295) and the Baltimore Ravens (296). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (963) and the New York Mets (964) listing both starting pitchers Kyle Gibson and Rich Hill. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (76-72) has won three straight games after their 4-3 victory in the opening game of this series last night. New York (72-77) has lost five games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 9-1-1 in the Phillies’ last 10 games after a win — and they have played 21 of their last 32 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road after winning at least three games in a row. Furthermore, the Phillies have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 15-6-1 in their last 21 road games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Gibson who is 10-7 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP between his work with the Rangers and the Phillies. His ERA is 4.85 since he was traded to Philadelphia which is not a surprise since he is a ground ball pitcher playing in front of an inferior defensive team now with the Phillies. The deeper sabermetrics have been screaming for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projection an ERA of 4.54 and 4.25. Since the All-Star Break, Gibson has a 5.43 ERA and 1.49 WHIP — and he has been saddled with a 0-2 record with a 9.00 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in three starts. The right-hander has been less effective on the road where he has a 4.31 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .258 in 15 starts. His teams have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total when he is pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces a Mets team that has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Mets have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss. They have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Hill who has a 6-7 record with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP this season between pitchman for Tampa Bay and now the Mets. He has been less effective at home where his ERA rises to a 4.30 mark. In his last six starts at home, Hill has a 5.79 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. The sabermetrics also call for regression with Hill given his 4.43 SIERA and 4.67 xFIP. He faces a hot-hitting Phillies’ team that is scoring 6.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .277 Batting Average, .346 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .848 during that span. The Over is 11-4-2 in Philly’s last 17 games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Both teams’ bullpens are struggling right now. Philadelphia’s pen has a 6.11 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in their last seven games and the Mets’ bullpen has a 6.83 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP in their last seven games. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (963) and the New York Mets (964) listing both starting pitchers Kyle Gibson and Rich Hill. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (285) and the New York Jets (286). THE SITUATION: New England (0-1) looks to rebound from their 17-16 upset loss at home to Miami as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. New York (0-1) comes off a 19-14 loss at Carolina as a 3.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots’ defense flexed their muscles last week by holding the Dolphins to just 259 total yards. A late fumble cost them the game with Miami. New England controlled the time of possession to keep Tua Tagavailoa off the field last week as they were on offense for 36:43 minutes. The Patriots gained 393 yards in that game — and they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones completed 29 of 39 passes for 281 yards in his professional debut — but the Patriots have then played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. Now Jones plays his first professional road game in a hostile environment — and it is against a defensive head coach in the Jets’ Robert Saleh. Jones may struggle — but Belichick is likely to lean more on the running game in this contest because he is playing in his first road game. As it is, New England has played 4 straight road games Under the Total — and they have played 17 of their last 24 road games Under the Total when favored. Jones may not have right tackle Trent Brown for this game as well as he is listed as questionable with a calf injury. The Patriots have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total in September. New York has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Rookie quarterback Zach Wilson completed 20 of 37 passes for 258 yards in his debut — but the Jets’ only managed 252 total yards in the game. The Jets have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. Wilson lost his left tackle Mekhi Becton who suffered a knee injury that put him on IR. Now Wilson has to face Belichick who thrives in confusing rookie quarterbacks with sophisticated defensive schemes. New York was last in the NFL last year with a 15.2 PPG scoring average and a 279.9 total YPG average. The Jets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at MetLife Stadium. 25* AFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (285) and the New York Jets (286). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the New York Mets (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Carlos Carrasco. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (75-72) has won three straight games after their 4-3 victory in the opening game of this series last night. New York (72-76) has lost four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 8-1-1 in the Phillies’ last 10 games after a win — and they have played 20 of their last 31 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road after winning at least three games in a row. Furthermore, the Phillies have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 14-6-1 in their last 21 road games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Nola who has a 7-8 record with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 29 starts. He has not been as effective on the road where his ERA rises to a 5.56 mark along with a 1.24 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .249 in 16 starts as compared to his 3.45 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and opponent’s batting average of .221 at home. Philadelphia has played 13 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with Nola their starting pitcher and favored up to a -150 price. Nola has struggled this month with a 7.53 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in three starts. He faces a Mets team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests with a .775 OPS. New York has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Mets have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Carrasco who has a 1-2 record with a 5.59 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in nine starts. His ERA in six home games skyrockets to a 6.66 mark. His teams have played 30 of their last 43 home games Over the Total after a loss with Carrasco on the hill. His teams have also played 40 of their last 62 games Over the Total with Carrasco pitching at night.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .272 Batting Average, .347 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .826 over that span. The Over is 3-1-1 in the Phillies’ last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Saturday Fox-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the New York Mets (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Carlos Carrasco. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide (143) and the Florida Gators (144). THE SITUATION: Alabama (2-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 48-14 victory against Mercer as a 54-point favorite last Saturday. Florida (2-0) is also undefeated so far this season after their 42-20 win at South Florida as a 29-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Crimson Tide enters this game as a favorite laying two touchdowns — and they are the biggest road favorite against a top-15 team in the Associated Press poll since 2000. Head coach Nick Saban has changed the focus of his program from emphasizing a ferocious defense to showcasing a high-powered offense. With the innovations of using tempo to the offense’s advantage to getting the ball out to speedsters in space, Saban concluded that “if you can’t beat ‘em, then join them”. Alabama has scored at least 31 points in 40 of their last 43 games — including 28 games in a row where they reached the 31-point plateau. Saban has prioritized bringing in the top high school quarterbacks in the country starting with Tua Tagovailoa — and sophomore Bryce Young may be his crown jewel just yet. Young completed 19 of 27 passes for 227 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions last week. In his debut two weeks ago against Miami (FL), Young completed 27 of 38 passes for 344 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. The Crimson Tide has scored in 14 of their 19 drives so far this season. The Bama offense should continue to crank this week. The Over is 14-6-1 in their last 21 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win at home by at least four touchdowns. The Tide’s defense has taken some hits at linebacker. Senior Christopher Allen is out indefinitely with a foot injury and sophomore Will Anderson is questionable with a knee. Alabama did hold the Tigers to just 216 yards — but they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Over is also 19-6-1 in their last 26 games after not allowing more than 20 points — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not giving up more than 14 points in their last contest. And while Alabama did not allow a point in the first half last week, they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after not giving up more than a field goal in the first half of their last game. Additionally, the Over is 7-3-1 in the Tide’s last 11 games against teams with a winning record — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total in September. Florida is the only team to stay within one scoring possession of Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s last 16 games. Head coach Dan Mullen knows he will have to be aggressive like he was last season in their 52-46 loss in the SEC Championship Game. While quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end Kyle Pitts, and wide receiver Kadarius Toney have moved on to the NFL, Mullen still has explosive talent at his disposal. Quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson have combined for 456 yards passing and 430 yards rushing while frustrating defenses with the different looks they offer. Running back Malik Davis is averaging 6.0 Yards-Per-Carry — and four different wide receivers have registered a reception of at least 20 yards. The Gators offense has already had 17 plays that accumulated at least 20 yards. Florida gained 666 total yards against the Bulls last week with 363 of those yards on the ground. The Gators have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 350 yards in their last game. Florida has also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Additionally, the Gators have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Florida has only given up 34 points this season — but the test is much stiffer this week after cupcake games against the Bulls and FAU. The Gators have played 4 straight Overs as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 straight meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Gainesville. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide (143) and the Florida Gators (144). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Leeds United (200173) and Newcastle United (200174). THE SITUATION: Leeds United (W0-D2-L2) comes off a 3-0 loss to Liverpool last Sunday. Newcastle United (W0-D1-L3) looks to rebound from a 4-1 loss at Manchester United.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Leeds was blanked against Liverpool — one of the best teams in the world — but Pascal Struijk getting a red card in the 60th minute leaving the Peacocks playing with just ten men for 30 minutes in that match did not help their cause. Leeds has still scored at least two goals in six of their last eight matches in the English Premier League going back to last season. The Peacocks play an aggressive all-out attack under manager Marco Bielsa. But these tactics do leave them vulnerable on defense. Leeds has allowed 11 goals in their four matches which is tied for the second-most in the EPL. Bielsa is not going to park the bus — it will be go-go-go against the Magpies. They allowed the Reds to generate 4.57 expected goals (xG) on Sunday. Leeds improved with their play on defense when playing at home in the second half of the season — but they consistently struggled to stop opposing attacks when playing on the road. The Peacocks were last in the EPL in expected goals allowed (xGA) when playing on the road last season. They ranked a respectable eighth in the league in xG when playing on the road. Leeds has not been as explosive this season in their attack but they did score in both their road matches. The underlying metrics for Patrick Bamford and Raphinha remain good -- the best two attacking players in the starting XI. Newcastle has scored in seven of their last eight EPL matches going back to last season with manager Steve Bruce embracing a more aggressive style with his team playing on their front foot. In their two matches at home this season, the Magpies have scored at least two goals in both contests — and both those home matches saw four and six combined goals scored. Newcastle may have the worst defense in the league — the 12 goals they have allowed are the most in the EPL. Bruce will not have the services of Callum Wilson at forward for this match as he deals with a thigh injury — but Wilson was slowed by an injury last spring as well but that did not slow down the reinvigorated Magpies attack.

FINAL TAKE: Styles make fights (and soccer matches) — and both these teams will be looking to attack. In the last six meetings between these two teams, at least three combined goals have been scored four times. In their two EPL matches last year, ten combined goals were scored with both matches seeing at least three combined goals. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Leeds United (200173) and Newcastle United (200174). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (101) and the Washington Football Team (102). THE SITUATION: New York (0-1) comes off a 27-13 loss at home to Denver as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. Washington (0-1) looks to rebound from a 20-16 upset loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants allowed 420 yards to the Broncos last week — but they were also on the field for 35:08 minutes of that game. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham did a great job with that unit last year as they ranked ninth in the NFL by holding their opponents to 22.3 PPG. New York ranked second in the league by limiting their opponents to just a 50.8% touchdown rate when reaching the Red Zone — I expect more stalled drives for the Football Team that will lack the savvy veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Cornerback James Bradberry is one of the best in the business — and they added cornerback Adoree Jackson from Carolina and drafted outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari from Georgia in the second round to bolster the pass rush. The Giants’ defense should lead the way for them in this divisional showdown — they have played 6 straight Unders after a double-digit loss at home. New York has also played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The bigger concern is with the Giants’ offense that was 31st in the NFL last season by scoring only 17.5 PPG and generating just 299.6 total YPG. Running back Saquon Barkley rushed only ten times for 26 yards as he nurses a sore knee. While he will play, the quick turnaround on a short week does not help. Tight end Evan Engram has been declared out with the calf injury that kept him off the field on Sunday. The Giants’ offensive line was a mess last year — and after losing guard Kevin Zeitler in the offseason in a salary-cap move, they brought in Zach Fulton who then became one of three players to retire early in head coach Joe Judge’s training camp. Now they face the ferocious Washington defensive line with four former first-round draft picks led by Chase Young. New York has played 5 straight games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 8 straight Unders as an underdog. The Giants have played 6 straight Unders against losing teams. And in their last 5 games in September, New York has played 4 of these games Under the Total. Washington has played 19 of their last 27 home games Under the Total after an upset loss in their last game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up loss. The Football Team surrendered 424 total yards to the Chargers with 334 of these yards coming in the air. This embarrassed Washington defense should rebound with a strong effort. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards — and they have played 4 straight Unders after giving up at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. Despite Justin Herbert’s big numbers, the Football Team has still not allowed more than 20 points in seven straight games. But scoring will remain a challenge with Fitzpatrick for an extended period after he injured his hip on Sunday. Taylor Heinicke gets his second career start and tenth appearance in an NFL game in this contest. Washington managed only 259 yards last week after ranking 30th in the league by averaging 317.3 total YPG. After finishing last in the league by averaging just 6.2 intended air yards per pass attempt, the two biggest fixes for this offense was bringing in Fitzpatrick and wide receiver Curtis Samuel. Both players are out for this game with Samuel on IR with a groin injury. Head coach Ron Rivera will just want Heinicke to be a game-manager in this one. The first team to 20 points probably wins. The Football Team has played 7 of their last 8 games at home Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games against NFC East opponents Under the Total — and New York has played 5 straight Unders against divisional opponents. Furthermore, these two teams have played 20 of their last 28 meetings Under the Total. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (101) and the Washington Football Team (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (481) and the Las Vegas Raiders (482). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (0-0) comes off an 11-5 record in the regular season before losing to Buffalo by a 17-3 score in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Las Vegas (0-0) was 8-8 last season in the third year under head coach Jon Gruden.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Raiders averaged 27.1 Points-Per-Game last season — and they were eight in the NFL by averaging 383.3 total YPG. They should score their share of points against Ravens def-dense dealing with a host of injuries — more on that below. Las Vegas has played 5 straight games Over the Total in September. They have also played 4 straight Overs when playing at home in Allegiant Stadium. Additionally, the Over is 7-1-1 in the Raiders’ last 9 games as an underdog — and the Over is 8-0-1 in their last 9 home games when they are getting the points. Furthermore, Las Vegas has played 7 of their last 11 home games Over the Total when the total is at 49.5 or higher. The weakness of this Raiders team remains their defense after they ranked 30th in the league by allowing 29.9 PPG. General manager Mike Mayock brought seven free agents and six rookies from the draft to jumpstart things — but the problem has been his talent selection. Las Vegas forced only 15 turnovers (third-fewest in the NFL) and generated only 21 sacks (fourth-fewest in the NFL) last season. Lamar Jackson will be able to operate the Ravens’ offense without much pushback. Baltimore averaged 29.3 PPG games last year. The Ravens have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the first month of the season. Baltimore has also played 8 of their last 13 road games Over the Total when favored. The team has been hit hard by injuries — but the losses on defense are more significant. Twelve players are on Injured Reserve including starting cornerback Marcus Peters and starting linebacker L.J. Fort. Baltimore will also be without starting defensive end Derek Wolfe who is dealing with a back injury. Jackson is the straw that stirs the drink for the offense — but the Ravens are taking a step on defense with all these injuries.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 straight Overs in their last 5 encounters. 10* NFL Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (481) and the Las Vegas Raiders (482). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (479) and the Los Angeles Rams (480). THE SITUATION: Chicago (0-0) comes off an 8-8 season where they lost to New Orleans by a 21-0 score in the NFC Wildcard playoffs. Los Angeles (0-0) was 10-6 last season and lost in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs in a 32-18 loss to Green Bay.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Matthew Stafford is getting almost all the attention for the Rams this season after they acquired the veteran quarterback in the offseason in a blockbuster trade with Detroit. But it is the Los Angeles defense that deserves more attention. Led by defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Rams possess one of the best defenses in the league once again after leading the NFL by allowing only 18.5 PPG and 281.9 total YPG. The 4.6 Yards-Per-Play they held their opponents to last year was +0.33 YPP better than the second-best defensive team. Opponents scored on just 27.9% of their drives last year — the best mark in the league. Now this group goes against an Andy Dalton-led Bears’ offense — more on that below. Los Angeles has played 14 of their last 17 games at home Under the Total — including seven straight at home when favored to close out last season. The Rams have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total when the favorite. And in their last 16 games in the first half of the season, they have played 11 of these games Under the Total. I like Stafford at quarterback — but I am in the “pump the brakes” crowd for those who think he will the league’s MVP while leading the Rams to the Super Bowl. The days of head coach Sean McVay scheming against eight defenders in the box to dare Jared Goff to throw are long gone. And the Rams took a major hit with the season-ending injury to Cam Akers. Darrell Henderson gets the initial starting job at running back — but I am not as high on the former Memphis all-purpose back because all indications are that the Rams do not have confidence in him. They rarely allowed him to be the lead back in his first two seasons in the league despite the declining physical skills of Todd Gurley and an unsettled backfield last season. They signed Sony Michel last month for a reason — but he was the odd man out in New England who is seeing his skills decline as well. Stafford plays against an underrated defense in this Bears unit that is quite familiar with his tendencies. Chicago was just 11th in the NFL last year by holding their opponents to 344.9 total YPG — but they faced the most difficult schedule in terms of offensive efficiency last year. They have elite players in their back seven in free safety Eddie Jackson and linebacker Roquan Smith and Khalil Mack. The issue is far — and for how long — will Dalton lead this offense that averaged only 23.3 PPG last season. Rookie Justin Fields is probably not the starting quarterback yet because an opening test against Donald and Ramsey is frightening. Chicago has played 13 of their last 18 road games Under the Total — and they have played 35 of their last 54 road games Under the Total when getting 7.5 to 14 points.

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Matt Nagy will not try to engage in a shootout with McVay and Stafford. Chicago is going to run the football — they rushed for at least 108 yards in each of their last six games last season after not cracking 100 yards in from Week Four to Week Ten. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (479) and the Los Angeles Rams (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (451) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (452). THE SITUATION: Dallas (0-0) comes of a 6-10 campaign last season. Tampa Bay (0-0) won their final eight games last season culminating in their 31-23 win over Kansas City in the Super Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys get Dak Prescott back on the field to begin the regular season after he missed the final eleven games of the year last year after he fractured his right ankle. Prescott had a shoulder issue in the preseason that kept him from playing in the preseason, but the reports are that he has looked good in practice this week after resting his arm for the last few weeks. Prescott was on a record-setting pace in generating passing yards last year before the injury — he had passed for 1856 yards in five games. Dallas was scoring over 33 Points-Per-Game and generating more than 490 Yards-Per-Game in Prescott’s five games before his season-ending injury. He might have the best wide receiver corps in the NFL with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and Cee Dee Lamb who may be on the verge of a breakout season. Prescott will be passing against a Buccaneers’ secondary that will be without starting strong safety Jordan Whitehead who is dealing with a hamstring injury. The Tampa Bay defense was great in the playoffs last year — but pass defense was their biggest vulnerability. They ranked 21st in the NFL by allowing 244.6 passing YPG. Dallas will likely be without their star right guard Zack Martin who is in COVID quarantine — but right tackle La’el Collins is expected to play after dealing with a stinger injury. Conner McGovern is a quality backup who will take Martin’s spot if he tests positive on game day. Martin’s absence hurts — but the loss takes more away from the run game than the passing attack. The Cowboys will likely be relying on their passing game given the state of the defense that first-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn inherited. They allowed 29.6 PPG last season. Dallas has played 4 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points. Additionally, the Cowboys have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when the Total set in at 49.5 or higher. And in their last 8 games in the opening month of the season, Dallas has played 5 of these games Over the Total. Tampa Bay has all 22 starters back from last year’s Super Bowl team (although Whitehead is out). After their bye week in Week Twelve, Tom Brady sat down with head coach Bruce Arians to tinker with the offensive game-planning to incorporate more of the concepts that Brady thrived in when playing in New England: more play-action pass, more pre-snap motion, and a bigger commitment to running the football earlier in the game. In their last eight games including their four playoff contests, the Buccaneers scored 33.9 PPG while reaching the 30-point threshold seven times. Tampa Bay has played 8 of their last 10 home games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Buccaneers have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total in September — and they have played 4 of their last 5 opening games to a new season Over the Total. And in their last 10 appearances on Thursday Night Football. Tampa Bay has played 7 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams from the NFC — and Tampa Bay has played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total against conference opponents. The Buccaneers should score at least 30 points and the Cowboys should score at least 20 points playing catchup trying to stay within single digits. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (451) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (452). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (928) listing both starting pitchers Matt Manning and Mitch Keller. THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (50-89) has won two games in a two in a row after their 3-2 victory against the Tigers last night. Detroit (65-75) has lost the opening two games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pirates have now played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total this month — and the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 home games in Interleague play against losing teams. They give the ball to Keller who has a 4-10 record with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP in 18 starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns an 8.31 ERA, 2.03 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .341 in eleven starts as opposed to his solid 3.63 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average .269 when pitching on the road. Pittsburgh has played 8 of their last 11 home games Over the Total with Keller on the hill. He faces a hot-hitting Tigers team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .276 Batting Average, .348 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .853. The Over is 16-7-1 in Detroit’s last 24 games on the road against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is 20-9-2 in the Tigers’ last 31 in Interleague play on the road. Additionally, the Tigers have played 5 straight games with the Total set at 9-10.5 — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as an underdog. They counter with Matt Manning who has a 3-6 record with a 6.29 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Although the rookie has pitched only 63 innings, he may be getting fatigued after not pitching last year with the minor leagues shut down because of COVID. In his last five starts, Manning has a 7.30 ERA with a 1.78 WHIP in 24 2/3 innings. In his six starts on the road, the right-hander has an 8.16 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .319. He faces a Pirates team scoring 5.1 Runs-Per-Game with a .258 Batting Average, .332 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .742. Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-3-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two rust belt teams when playing in Pittsburgh. 10* MLB Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (928) listing both starting pitchers Matt Manning and Mitch Keller. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (223) and the Florida State Seminoles (224). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (0-0) returns eight starters from the team that finished 10-2 after losing to Alabama by a 31-14 score in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Florida State (0-0) has fourteen starters back from the group that finished 3-6 last season.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Brian Kelly has settled into a reliable formula to get the most out of his talent in South Bend. Kelly has overseen some elite defenses coached by the best young defensive minds in college football while operating a ball-control run-first offense that limits mistakes and burns time off the clock. With only three starters back on offense and starting over with the offensive line with just one starter back, Kelly is likely to be happy to grind out games early in the season — especially when he thinks he has an edge in talent. If there was any doubt about this approach, it should have been rescinded when he brought in senior graduate transfer Jack Coan. The former Wisconsin quarterback was the epitome of the game-manager when playing for the Badgers. He completed nearly 70% of his passes in 2019, the year he led Wisconsin to ten wins and the Rose Bowl. But he is not about to air out for the Irish — and, even if Kelly had a change of personality, Notre Dame does not have the established talent at wide receiver to embrace that strategy in the opening game of the season. Notre Dame has played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total in the first two games of the season. Kelly lost his star defensive coordinator, Clark Lea, who took the head coaching job at Vanderbilt. But Kelly might have poached the best defensive coordinator in the country at a Group of Five program when inked Cincinnati’s Marcus Freeman to take over the Notre Dame defense. Freeman has an All-American he can rely on his secondary in junior free safety Kyle Hamilton. The defensive front for the Irish should be stout again with two returning starters and two blue-chippers being promoted to a unit that was sixth in the FBS last year by generating a tackle-for-loss at a 12.1% rate last season. Notre Dame was 14th in the nation by allowing 19.7 PPG. With six starters back and young talent ready to take on new roles, it will be difficult for this Seminoles team to top that number. The Irish offense is not likely to match their 33.4 PPG scoring average from last year — especially when playing on the road. Notre Dame has played a decisive 37 of their last 57 games Under the Total against ACC opponents — including four of their last five games from last season in their dalliance with the conference as a one-time member given the pandemic. Florida State should be much better on defense after a full set of practices in the spring and fall under head coach Mike Norvell in his second year with the program. Norvell and defensive coordinator Adam Fuller only had three spring practices with their new team last year. Fuller did a fine job of improving the defense at Memphis when Norvell hired him for that job the prior season. The Seminoles allowed 36.0 Points-Per-Game which was the most in school history. Seven starters are back — and Norvell brought in five impact transfers including Georgia defensive end Jermaine Johnson and South Carolina nickel back Jammie Robinson. Florida State was also hit hard by COVID throughout the season before injuries, transfers, and opt-outs compounded the problem. Some teams just need a mulligan from last year — and Norvell’s Seminoles is likely one of them. His teams have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total in the opening two weeks of the season. He is not naming his starting quarterback until tonight — but he is likely to use both McKenzie Milton and Jordan Travis. Milton is the former Central Florida quarterback who suffered a devastating knee injury. Travis was one of the four quarterbacks Norvell used last season. Both have upside — but this offense will be a work-in-progress still.

FINAL TAKE: The Seminoles have played 4 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total when an underdog getting up to seven points. Expect a lower-scoring game between these two teams. 10* CFB Notre Dame-Florida State ABC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (223) and the Florida State Seminoles (224). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (911) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (912) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Walker Buehler. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (70-59) has lost four of their last six games after their 5-3 loss on the road to the Dodgers in Game One of this series last night. Los Angeles (82-49) has won two of their last three games and five of their last seven contests.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dodgers bashed four home runs last night against the Braves — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where they hit four or more home runs. The Under is also 19-4-3 in Los Angeles’ last 26 games after a win — and the Under is 12-3-5 in their last 20 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 24-8-4 in the Dodgers’ last 36 games at home — and the Under is 11-4-2 in their last 17 home games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 23 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range, the Under is 16-5-2. Buehler gets the start tonight after he pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his last outing at San Diego last Wednesday. Los Angeles has played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total with Buehler pitching on five or six days rest. The right-hander has a sparkling 13-2 record this season with a 2.02 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 26 starts. Since the All-Star break, Buehler has a 1.32 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in eight starts spanning 54 2/3 innings — and he has struck out 64 batters over that span. In 22 starts under the lights at night, Buehler has a WHIP of 0.88 while holding opposing batters to a .180 batting average. The Dodgers have played 16 of their last 21 home games Under the Total with Buehler pitching as a money-line favorite priced from -150 to -200. He faces a Braves team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .290 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .702 over that span. The Under is 3-1-2 in Atlanta’s last 6 games against teams using a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have played 15 of their last 21 road games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total. The Under is also 11-4-2 in Atlanta’s last 17 games as a money-line underdog. They counter with Morton who is 12-5 this season with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in 26 starts. The right-hander will look to bounce-back from his last appearance last Tuesday when he allowed four runs in five innings against the Yankees. He gave up two home runs in that game — and that was the first time he surrendered multiple home runs in a game since June of 2019. Morton has been more effective on the road where he owns a 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .191. He has a 3.34 ERA and 1.06 WHIP at night. And in his last five starts, he boasts a 3.10 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. He should continue to pitch well against a Dodgers team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .195 Batting Average, .262 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .623. Los Angeles has played 4 straight games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 17-6-3 in the Dodgers’ last 26 games as a favorite — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when hosting the Braves in Dodger Stadium. 25* MLB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (911) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (912) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Walker Buehler. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (913) and the Baltimore Orioles (914) listing both starting pitchers Chris Archer and Spenser Watkins. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (81-48) has won six in a row and ten of their last eleven after their 4-3 victory against the Orioles yesterday. Baltimore (40-68) has split out their last four games after enduring a nineteen-game losing streak.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 15-5-1 in the Rays’ last 21 games after a win — and they have played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a victory by two runs or less. Tampa Bay has not allowed more than four runs in six straight games — but they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than four runs in six games in a row. Additionally, the Rays have played 20 of their last 29 road games Over the Total as a road favorite priced at -110 or higher — and the Over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. They give the ball to Archer who has an 0-1 record with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP this season after recently returning from the 60-day disabled list from a hip injury. Archer did not pitch last season as he recovered from shoulder surgery — but his 6.55 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .258 in 11 road starts is cause for concern. The right-hander may be able to reinvent his once-bright career — but he probably needs a full offseason to work out the kinks. He has pitched only one time on the road this year where he surrendered four hits and three runs in two innings of work. His teams have played 35 of their last 52 road games Over the Total in the second half of the season. He faces an Orioles team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .285 Batting Average, .341 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .869. The Over is 19-7-1 in Baltimore’s last 27 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. Baltimore had a 3-0 lead going into the top of the seventh inning yesterday before their bullpen surrendered two runs apiece in the next two innings. They have played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total after blowing a save in their last game. The Over is 29-14-1 in their last 44 games at home — and the Over is 23-10-1 in the Orioles’ last 34 home games with the Total set from 9-10.5. The Over is also 8-2-1 in their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. They counter with Spenser Watkins who has a 2-6 record with a 7.07 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) this season. The right-hander has been crushed as of late — he has been saddled with a 10.67 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP in his last six starts while allowing at least four earned runs in each of those appearances. Watkins has been less effective at home at Camden Yards where he has a 7.59 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .337. Baltimore has played 5 straight Overs this season when Watkins is pitching at home as a money-line underdog. He faces a Rays team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games. The Over is 27-10-2 in Tampa Bay’s last 39 games on the road against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Rays have won the last eleven meetings between these two teams — Baltimore has played 37 of their last 55 games Over the Total when having lost at least five in a row to their opponents. The Over is 8-2-1 in those last 11 encounters between these two teams — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing in Baltimore. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (913) and the Baltimore Orioles (914) listing both starting pitchers Chris Archer and Spenser Watkins. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (967) and the Cleveland Indians (968) listing both starting pitchers Jordan Lyles and Sam Hentges. THE SITUATION: Texas (44-82) has lost six of their last eight games after their 7-2 loss on the road against the Indians in the opening game of this series last night. Cleveland (62-62) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Texas has also played 17 of their last 25 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Additionally, the Over is 3-0-1 in the Rangers’ last 4 games on the road — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. Texas has also played 18 of their last 26 road games Over the Total when a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 range. They give the ball to Lyles who has a 6-10 record with a 5.33 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The right-hander comes off one of his best outings of the season where he allowed just one run in seven innings of work at Boston last Saturday. His teams have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total when he is following up a start where he allowed no more than one earned run. Lyles had been saddled with a 9.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP in his previous three starts. His ERA rises to a 5.40 mark in his 71 2/3 innings on the road — and the Rangers have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Lyles pitching with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. His teams have also played 23 of their last 32 games Over the Total when he is making a start in August. He faces a Tribe team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game with a .289 Batting Average, .341 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .845. Cleveland has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. They clubbed four home runs last night — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after hitting at least four homers in their last game. They have also played 29 of their last 48 games Over the Total after winning at least two of their last three games. They counter with Hentges who is 1-4 with a 7.52 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP this season. The lefty pitched four innings in his last start which is rare — he does not usually pitch more than one time through the order when he is used as a starting pitcher. He has a rough 8.75 ERA with a 2.07 WHIP in 23 2/3 innings at night. His teams have played his last 4 starts at night Over the Total. His teams have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when he is the starting pitcher in games with the Total set from 8.5 to 10.

FINAL TAKE: The Rangers have struggled at the plate most of the season — but they are hitting better as of late. They are scoring 4.6 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .287 Batting Average, .325 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .744 during that span. 25* MLB American League Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (967) and the Cleveland Indians (968) listing both starting pitchers Jordan Lyles and Sam Hentges. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (911) and the San Diego Padres (912) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Blake Snell. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (79-47) has won 10 of their last 11 games after winning the opening game of this series last night by a 5-2 score. San Diego (68-59) has lost six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dodgers have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than two runs in their last game — and the Under is 5-0-1 in their last 6 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Under is also 5-2-1 in Los Angeles’ last 8 road games against teams with a winning record. The Under is 13-5-2 in their last 20 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. They give the ball to Buehler who has a 13-2 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP in 25 starts this season. The right-hander has been even more effective on the road where he owns a 2.07 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .183 in ten starts. He has been extremely tough to hit since the beginning of June. In his last 15 starts consisting of 98 innings, he has a 1.74 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. The Dodgers have played 8 of their last 13 games in August with Buehler making the start. Buehler should have success against this slumping Padres team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .196 Batting Average with a .272 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .628. San Diego has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Padres have played 5 straight Unders following a loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after giving up five or more runs in their last game. Furthermore, San Diego has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Under is also 7-2-1 in their last 10 games as an underdog. They counter with Snell who is 6-5 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in 23 starts. The left-hander’s inconsistency seems to coincide with his home/road splits. Snell is saddled with a 7.01 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .301 in his 13 starts on the road — but he enjoys a 2.68 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .175 in his 10 home starts at Petco Park. Snell has found a groove this month — he has a 2.45 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in four starts this month with 34 strikeouts in his 22 innings. Despite last night’s victory, Los Angeles is scoring only 4.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .221 Batting Average, .291 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .690.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers are scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .218 Batting Average. Los Angeles has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Wednesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (911) and the San Diego Padres (912) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Blake Snell. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (429) and the Los Angeles Chargers (430). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (0-1) lost their opening preseason game at home to Kansas City by a 19-16 scorer as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. Los Angeles (1-0) comes off a 13-6 win at SoFi Stadium against the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: San Francisco will be using this game as another challenge between quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance with both expected to play. Frankly, I do not think this is much of a competition at this point — I will be very surprised if Garoppolo is not the starter in Week One. Lance has great talent — but last week’s game was just his second opportunity to be under center against hostile competition since January 2020. He looked rusty last week — and he made several mistakes. He completed only 5 of 14 passes for 128 yards — yet 80 of those yards were on one play. Take away that electric touchdown pass and Lance completed only 4 of 13 passes for 48 yards. Lance took four sacks and was almost responsible for three turnovers. Pro Football Focus grade for the game was just 44.8 — one of their lowest assessments last week for quarterbacks. Garoppolo was a professional 3 of 3 for 26 yards last week. He has a 24-9 record as a starter in his career — and he got head coach Kyle Shanahan to the Super Bowl. His bigger concern has been health — which means there is no reason to rush getting Lance on the field in the regular season. That is why I also expect Lance to get a majority of snaps tonight. The 49ers cut Josh Rosen this week after he completed 10 of 15 passes against the Chiefs with an interception. Nate Sudfeld is the third-stringer who make get action tonight after Rosen’s audition last week. Shanahan’s teams with San Francisco have played 4 straight Unders on the road in the preseason. His teams have also played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total against teams from the AFC. Chargers’ head coach Brandon Staley has fully-embraced Sean McVay’s philosophy of not playing starters during the regular season. Second-year quarterback Justin Herbert is not expected to take the field tonight after not playing against the Rams. The Chargers’ starting quarterback tonight will be journeyman Chase Daniel who completed 15 of 24 passes last week. But those 15 completions led to only 104 passing yards. The Chargers only gained 259 total yards of offense. Daniel’s backup is Easton Stick who completed all 7 of his passes last week for 63 yards. But the former North Dakota State QB played in only one regular-season game in his NFL career — he remains a very raw prosecute. This Chargers defense should be good under Staley who was the defensive coordinator for the outstanding Rams’ unit. They held the Rams to just 197 yards last week.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams had joint practices this week starting on Thursday — and those opportunities allow for scripted situations which afford the coaching staff the chance to try some of the chocolate and strawberry flavors (without cameras) before going vanilla in the later preseason game between the two clubs on television. I have started tracking the data and the sample size is small (and not doing great this week) — but the numbers still support the Under when two teams play an exhibition game after sharing joint practices. Just another piece of evidence — particularly in my expectation that Lance will get most of the snaps for the Niners. 25* NFLx Sunday NFL Network Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (429) and the Los Angeles Chargers (430). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (423) and the Los Angeles Rams (424). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (1-0) won their opening preseason game in a 20-7 victory against Seattle as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. Los Angeles (0-1) lost their opening preseason game as the technical home team against their housemates at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles Rams by a 13-6 score on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This game will mostly be a battle of backups. Head coach Jon Gruden is not likely to play starting quarterback Derek Carr in the preseason (but let’s confirm that for next week’s final exhibition game). Nathan Peterman played the entire game last week with Marcus Mariota hobbled with a leg injury. Mariota has been cleared to play earlier today — he is expected to take the field. However, I do not see him playing more than a series or two since he is not at 100%. This will likely be Peterman’s game primarily once again. The Raiders gained 385 yards with Peterman under center last week against the Seahawks — but that yardage was propped up by them holding the ball for 40:37 minutes in that game. Las Vegas averaged only 5.13 Yards-Per-Play with head coach Jon Gruden milking the clock to shorten the game. The Raiders have played 6 of their 9 preseason games in the Gruden era Under the Total. Gruden’s teams have also played 11 of their 14 preseason games in his career Under the Total when they are favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Los Angeles has played 7 of their 9 preseason games Under the Total in the Sean McVay era with him leading the way for the new school coaches to not play starters. Matthew Stafford will not play a down in the preseason — and backup John Wolford is not expected to play either. Wolford is also recovering from an appendectomy that McVay wants to make sure he fully heals from. That leaves the offense under the guidance of quarterbacks Devlin Hodges and Bryce Perkins. The Rams managed only 197 total yards against the Chargers last week — and they only completed one pass of more than 10 yards between Hodges and Perkins. The wide receiver depth chart is limited tonight with backups Van Jefferson and rookie Tutu Atwell dealing with injuries. That leaves the cupboard bare regarding targets for Perkins and Hodges tonight since Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and Desean Jackson will not take the field. McVay’s teams have played 4 straight Unders after not scoring more than 14 points in their preseason game. Additionally, McVays’ teams have played 4 of their preseason games at home Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their 8 preseason games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams had joint practices this week starting on Wednesday — and those opportunities allow for scripted situations which afford the coaching staff the chance to try some of the chocolate and strawberry flavors (without cameras) before going vanilla in the later preseason game between the two clubs on television. I have started tracking the data and the sample size is small — but the earlier numbers support the Under when two teams play an exhibition game after sharing joint practices. Just another piece of evidence. 25* NFLx Saturday NFL Network Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (423) and the Los Angeles Rams (424). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200049) and Aston Villa (200050). THE SITUATION: Newcastle United (W0-D0-L1) opened the 2021-22 English Premier League season with a 4-2 loss to West Ham United last Sunday. Aston Villa (W0-D0-L1) lost at Watford by a 3-2 score last Saturday in their opening EPL match of the season.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Newcastle struggled with their defensive play against the Hammers last week — they allowed double the number of Big Chances in that match than the EPL club that allowed the second-most Big Chances in Week One. The Magpies blew 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the contest. Newcastle continued the more aggressive style of play that manager Steve Bruce embraced at the end of last season. The Magpies scored 12 goals in their last five EPL matches — and they scored nine goals in their last four EPL matches on the road. With the signing of Joe Willock from Arsenal to join Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, Newcastle has some exciting attacking talent — and Willock is in the starting XI today. Aston Villa struggled to generate scoring chances last week before newcomer Danny Ings drew a penalty that led to his goal from the line in the seventh minute of extra time after the 90th minute. The Villans are replacing midfielder Jack Grealish who signed with Manchester City — and forward Ollie Watkins is out with an injury. Yet Aston Villa still has attacking talent. Ings is one of the best finishers in the EPL after serving as the Southampton talisman the last few seasons. The Villans signed Emi Buendia from Norwich City to replace Grealish’s place on the pitch. He averaged 0.34 expected goals plus assists per 90 minutes in the Championship League last year. They also signed Leon Bailey who will get the start after he came off the bench last week. Their attack should improve after a week of training with their new players. Defense is the bigger concern for Villa. They have allowed at least 1.0 expected goals in 12 straight EPL matches — and they conceded at least 2.0 expected goals in three of those contests.

FINAL TAKE: Aston Villa has seen at least three combined goals in four straight EPL matches — and they have seen at least three combined goals in ten of their last eleven EPL contests. Newcastle has seen at least three combined goals in seven of their last eleven EPL matches. 25* EPL NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200049) and Aston Villa (200050). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (401) and the Philadelphia Eagles (402). THE SITUATION: New England (1-0) won their opening preseason game last Thursday by a 22-13 score at home against Washington as a 2-point favorite. Philadelphia (0-1) got upset at home last week against Pittsburgh by a 24-16 score as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots allowed the Football Team to gain 367 total yards — but the Pats’ defense was on the field for almost 35 minutes of that game. New England held Washington to just 4.7 Yards-Per-Play in that game which is a very encouraging sign for their defense that was seventh in the NFL last year by holding their opponents to just 22.1 PPG and that has better depth at all three levels from that group. The Patriots generated only 16 first downs with rookie quarterback Mac Jones getting most of the snaps. Cam Newton only attempted seven passes in that game — I do suspect he will play more tonight. New England only averaged 327.3 total YPG last season which was 27th in the league. They are inexperienced at tackle after their first string of Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown so don’t be surprised if head coach Bill Belichick uses this game to test those younger takes in this game. Belichick’s teams have played 19 of their last 26 preseason games Under the Total against teams from the NFL — and they have played 13 of their last 21 road preseason games with the Total set at 38.5 to 42. Additionally, New England has played 13 of their last 18 preseason games on the road Under the Total following up a preseason win under Belichick. Philadelphia allowed the Steelers to gain 410 yards last week in the first preseason game under rookie head coach Nick Sirianni. But Pittsburgh had the football for over 41 minutes in that game. The Eagles held the Steelers to just 5.2 Yards-Per-Play. Philly only managed 10 first downs which played a large role in them only being on offense for 18:42 minutes of that game. Looking deeper into the boxscore, the Eagles got 79 of their 277 yards from one pass from Joe Flacco. Take that big play away and Philadelphia averaged only 5.08 Yards-Per-Play in that opening game. The emphasis placed on preseason games is different for all 32 NFL head coaches. It appears Sirianni is not overly concerned about getting his first-string reps in these games. Likely starting quarterback Jalen Hurts played only 10 snaps last week — and backup Joe Flacco is expected to get the majority of the playing time tonight even though this second preseason game becomes the de-facto dress rehearsal game with the exhibition season down to three games (for most teams). Flacco is past his prime — and he was just 9 of 16 for 99 yards save for the one big play of 79 yards. While taking away that big play is unfair, his efficiency was not quite as impressive as his 178 passing yards suggest. Nick Mullens was not good as the third-stringer — he only completed one of his five passes for 4 yards and he tossed two interceptions.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams had joint practices this week starting on Monday — and those opportunities allow for scripted situations which afford the coaching staff the chance to try some of the chocolate and strawberry flavors (without cameras) before going vanilla in the later preseason game between the two clubs on television. I have started tracking the data and the sample size is small — but the earlier numbers support the Under when two teams play an exhibition game after sharing joint practices. Just another piece of evidence. 25* NFLx Thursday NFL Network Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (401) and the Philadelphia Eagles (402). Best of luck for us — Frank.