At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (377) and the Arizona Wildcats (378). THE SITUATION: Arizona State (0-2) looks to bounce back from a 25-18 upset loss to UCLA as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Arizona (0-4) has lost eleven games in a row going back to last season after their 24-13 loss at home to Colorado as a 9.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Sun Devils have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Arizona State has also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. The Sun Devils were flat last week after not playing for three weeks given COVID issues. They started slowly with just a field goal in the first half before getting their offense going in the second half. Behind sophomore quarterback Jaylen Daniels, Arizona State did generate 442 yards of offense. Now the Sun Devils go back on the road where they have played 4 straight games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, Arizona State has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Wildcats were without sophomore quarterback Grant Gunnell who was injured on the first snap of their game with UCLA two games ago — but the word this afternoon from at least one Arizona beat writer is that he will return to the field tonight for this rivalry game. The Wildcats did gain 422 yards against the Buffaloes but struggled in the red zone. Arizona got 268 of those yards on the ground — and they have played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Even if Gunnell does not play and head coach Kevin Sumlin calls on freshman Will Plummer to be his quarterback tonight, the Wildcats should have success against this depleted Sun Devils’ secondary that is 118th in the nation by allowing 286.5 passing YPG. Arizona State lost safety Aashari Crosswell for the season when he decided to opt-out to prepare for the NFL (after being suspended by the team to start the season). Arizona stays at home where they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record overall. The Wildcats have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in December.

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Kevin Sumlin’s seat is red hot when it comes to his future with the Arizona program. This is a must-win for him — so expect him to pull out all the stops in being aggressive. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Over the Total. 25* CFB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (377) and the Arizona Wildcats (378). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Rams (102) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (101). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (8-4) has won three of their last four games with their 38-28 win at Arizona as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. New England (6-6) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 45-0 victory in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles had their offensive clicking on all cylinders against the Cardinals. They held the ball for 38:53 minutes while cranking out 463 yards. Quarterback Jared Goff completed 37 of 47 passes for 351 yards. The Rams should build off their momentum for this game as they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they are 7-2-2 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. Additionally, while LA generated 30 first downs against Arizona, they have then covered the point spread in 6 straight games after controlling the clock for at least 34 minutes while gaining at least 34 first downs in their last game. The Rams shined on defense as well as they held the Cardinals’ offensive attack to just 232 yards. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after outgaining their last opponent by at least 150 yards. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as a favorite laying 3.5 to 7 points. New England outclassed the Chargers last week despite only gaining 291 total yards. The Patriots scored two special teams touchdowns from a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown along with a 44-yard blocked field goal returned for a TD. But Bill Belichick’s team has not been very good at maintaining consistency as they are just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. New England is also 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Patriots have simplified their game-plan with Cam Newton under center to be a run-first team that does not try to rely on his arm. Newton attempted only 19 passes on Sunday for a mere 69 yards. New England is third in the NFL by averaging 150.9 rushing YPG — but they now face the stout Rams’ defense that is third in the league by holding their opponents to just 93.1 rushing YPG. If the Patriots do not find success running the football, they lack a credible Plan B. Even if Newton was a better gunslinger at this point of his career, he lacks the weapons at wide receiver to be productive — especially against this Rams secondary which might be the best in the league. Despite their 6-6 record, Los Angeles is getting outgained in yardage this season.

FINAL TAKE: New England has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the final four weeks of the season — and the Rams are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games in December. Head coach Sean McVay has been thinking about this opportunity to avenge his team’s loss in Super Bowl 53 for a long time. His team has a decided talent edge this time around. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Rams (102) minus the points versus the New England Patriots (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Shakhtar Donetsk (224381) and Inter Milan (224382). THE SITUATION: Shakhtar Donetsk (W2-D1-L2) looks to build off their 2-0 upset win over Real Madrid in the Champions League last Tuesday. Inter Milan (W1-D2-L2) comes off a 3-2 win against Borussia Monchengladbach last Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Group B remains very much in flux this afternoon with all four teams in the group still alive to take the two slots in the knockout stage Round of 16. Inter Milan begins the day in last place with 5 points. They must win this match then hope that the simultaneous Borussia Monchengladbach-Real Madrid showdown does not end in a draw. A loss would be disastrous for manager Antonio Conte since they would not even finish in third place which would qualify them for this season’s Europa League. The Nerazzurri won the Europa League last year which gave them higher aspirations for this year. They come off a 3-1 victory over Bologna in Serie A action on Saturday. Romelu Lukaku scored his 12th goal in all competitions in that match. This is a high-scoring team under Conte which does not have the defensive template that Conte deployed to win the English Premier League title with Chelsea nor his previous teams with Juventus. Inter Milan have scored at least three goals in four of their last five matches across all competitions. But this club has only one clean sheet in their last eight matches. Conte’s team is getting healthy — and they get Arturo Vidal back after he was suspended for that last match with Borussia Monchengladbach after he was issued a red card in the previous Champions League match with Real Madrid. Shakhtar Donetsk comes off a 5-1 win over Minai on Saturday. They have scored 30 goals in their 12 matches in the Ukrainian top-flight league. They begin the day in second place in Group B with 7 points and owning the tie-breaker against Real Madrid who also has 7 points but lost to Shakhtar Donetsk twice. A loss would ruin their Round of 16 hopes while a draw keeps them alive only if Real Madrid does not win their match. Defense is an issue for manager Luis Castillo’s team as they have surrendered 12 goals in their five group stage matches.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played to a nil-nil draw in the reverse fixture on October 27th. The rematch will not be scoreless — and the urgency with this contest will likely ensure plenty of goals. 25* Champions League Group Stage Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Shakhtar Donetsk (224381) and Inter Milan (224382). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (483) and the Baltimore Ravens (484). THE SITUATION: Dallas (3-8) has lost five of their last six games after their 41-26 upset loss to Washington on Thanksgiving as a 2.5-point favorite. Baltimore (6-5) has lost three straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 19-14 loss at Pittsburgh last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ravens’ loss to the Steelers came on the heels of them losing by a 30-24 score to Tennessee the previous week — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after losing two in a row by 6 points or less. Baltimore has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Ravens do expect to get Calais Campbell back on their defensive line after he has missed time with a calf injury (and he was on the COVID list last week) — he took part in limited practice on Saturday. Baltimore may also get back defensive tackle Brandon Williams who is questionable but also took part in limited practice on Saturday. Getting one or both of those run stoppers will make a big difference for the Ravens defense that has taken a step back during their losing streak. Baltimore still ranks 3rd in the league by allowing only 19.5 PPG — and they rank 8th in the NFL by holding teams to 331.8 total YPG. The Ravens really miss left tackle Ronnie Stanley who is out the season with an ankle injury. His absence explains much of the reason why Baltimore is averaging 18.3 PPG in their last three games with just 294.0 total YPG over that span. Their offense does get Lamar Jackson back for this game — but remember that Cam Newton struggled both physically and mentally (COVID has been shown to negatively impact brain functioning with many sufferers complaining of being in a fog for an extended period of time even after recovery). Don’t expect Jackson to be back at 100% tonight. The Ravens will likely give a heavy dose of rushing attempts to J.K. Dobbins along with Mark Ingram who both were taken off the COVID list — and this commitment will likely decrease the number of possessions for both teams given the running clock. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. The Ravens return home where they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total as a favorite. Dallas has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss by at least two touchdowns. The Cowboys have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Dallas surrendered 41 points to the Football Team despite only giving up 338 yards in that game. Washington scored only of their touchdowns from a 15-yard interception return. The larger issue for the Cowboys is their offense that is scoring only 14.7 PPG in their last seven games. Dallas has only topped 19 points once in their last six games. To compound matters on that side of the ball, they will be without both Zach Martin and Cam Erving to injury after both offensive linemen played on Thanksgiving. On the road, the Cowboys are scoring just 18.2 PPG along with averaging 337.0 total YPG. Dallas has played 17 of their last 25 road games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are likely to focus on their running games tonight — even with the wide receiver talent that the Cowboys have, their coaches do not want Andy Dalton throwing more than 40 times in this game. Baltimore has played 9 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. 25* NFL Fox-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (483) and the Baltimore Ravens (484). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing RB Leipzig (224358) with the goal-line versus Manchester United (224357) in Group H play in the Champions League. THE SITUATION: RB Leipzig (W3-D0-L2) is unbeaten in three straight matches across all competitions after their 4-3 win at Istanbul Basaksehir last Wednesday in the Champions League. Manchester United (W3-D0-L2) looks to bounce back from their 3-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE RB LEIPZIG WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Both these teams are tied with PSG in first-place in Group H. PSG is a -2.75 goal-line favorite against Istanbul Basahsehir so they are likely to be one of the two teams to advance to the knockout stage Round of 16. Man United won the reverse fixture between these two teams by a 5-0 score on October 28th — so RB Leipzig needs the three points in this match that come from a victory. The Red Bulls do come off an impressive 3-3 draw on the road at Bayern Munich. RB Leipzig probably outplayed the reigning Champions League title-holders with 1.24 expected goals (xG) while holding the Bavarians to just 1.04 xG. RB Leipzig made the semifinals of the Champions League last August — this is a very good team. Across all competitions in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season, RB Leipzig has generated 1.81 xG while holding their opponents to just 1.06 xGA. Man United rebounded from their loss to PSG by defeating West Ham (playing without their best striker Mikhail Antonio) by a 3-1 score on Saturday. The Red Devils have looked vulnerable on defense as of late — their last two opponents have generated 5.83 xG. In their five Champions League matches, Man United is allowing 1.50 xG. With Fred getting issued a red card in that match with PSG, he will be suspended for this match. That means that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to play Paul Pogba in the midfield despite his agent calling for him to be traded last week. I don’t like the chemistry of this Red Devils team right now. Pogba seems to be a tinder box — and the team has been inconsistent for the last year under Solskjaer and his questionable tactics. All Man United needs is a draw so they may play this match cautiously. On other hand, a loss might trigger Solskjaer’s firing since that would leave the Red Devils eliminated from the Champions League.

FINAL TAKE: Don’t read too much into the 5-0 score in the first meeting between these two teams. That was a close match at Old Trafford for the first 75 minutes before RB Leipzig got caught by Man United’s counter-attack late in the game as they needed to score to catch-up — and then the floodgates opened up. RB Leipzig gets to avenge that match at home in their Red Bull Arena. An outright win is very possible — with a push from a draw also possible (keeping the bet worth the risk). 25* Champions League Group Match H Match of the Year with RB Leipzig (224358) with the goal-line versus Manchester United (224357). 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 Buffalo Bills (485) and the San Francisco 49ers (486). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (8-3) has won four of their last five games after their 27-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week as a 4.5-point favorite. San Francisco (5-6) snapped their three-game losing streak last Sunday with their 23-20 upset win in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 5-point underdog. With COVID regulations precluding football games to be played in Santa Clara County, the 49ers have moved to Glendale, Arizona for their temporary home with this contest being played in the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bills surrendered 367 yards to the Chargers in their victory last week — but they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. That game still finished well below the 51.5 point total — and Buffalo has played 11 of their last 13 games on the road Under the Total after playing their last game below the number. The Bills defeated the Chargers despite a -2 net turnover margin — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a game where they suffered a -2 or worse net turnover margin. The Buffalo defense should play better with the return of linebacker Matt Milano from injury. They go back on the road where they have played 36 of their last 53 road games as an underdog. The Bills have also played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total as a dog. Additionally, Buffalo has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in December — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total for Monday Night Football. San Francisco has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win over an NFC West rival — and they have played 3 straight games Under the Total after an upset victory over a divisional opponent. Despite a host of injuries all season, the Niners’ defense has been consistently strong under the guidance of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh — they are allowing only 315.2 total YPG which is 5th best in the NFL. San Francisco is 4th in the league by allowing just 206.7 passing YPG — and they got cornerback Richard Sherman back healthy last week in their upset win over the Rams where they allowed just 308 total yards. The 49ers also rank 6th in the NFL by holding opposing rushers to just 3.65 Yards-Per-Carry. The 43 combined points scored last week included a defensive touchdown for both teams. Nick Mullens was solid at quarterback in place of Jimmy Garoppolo as he completed 24 of 35 passes for 252 yards — but his mediocre 44.2 Quarterback Rating this season is below the 59.9 QBR that Garoppolo posted this season. Under Mullens, the Niners are scoring only 17.7 PPG while averaging just 322.0 total YPG in their last three games. While this is a technical home game for San Francisco, it is, in practice, a road game — and the 49ers are holding teams to just 18.7 PPG along with 274.0 total YPG when playing away from home. Furthermore, the 49ers have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when lists in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Buffalo has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and San Francisco has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the number set in that point range. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (485) and the San Francisco 49ers (486). 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 Denver Broncos (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Denver (4-7) has lost three of their last four games with their 31-3 loss at home to New Orleans last week as a 17-point underdog. Kansas City (10-1) has won six games in a row after their 27-24 win at Tampa Bay last Sunday as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Kansas City has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They return home where the Under is a decisive 29-9-1 in their last 39 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And while the Chiefs score 32.0 PPG at home, they have played 12 of their last 15 home games Under the Total when laying 10.5 to 14 points. After Patrick Mahomes was asked to throw the ball 49 times last week, expect the offensive brain trust to run the ball more this week to take some pressure off of him — and that will burn time off the clock. The Kansas City defense is underrated as they rank 6th in the league by allowing 21.6 Points-Per-Game. The Chiefs have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in December. Denver has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total in December. The Broncos have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Denver has held their last three opponents to just 290.7 total YPG. The Broncos have played three straight games that finished Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. And while Denver trailed at halftime by a 17-0 score, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after being behind at halftime by at least two touchdowns. The Broncos have also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Moving forward, the Under is 13-5-1 in Denver’s last 19 games against teams with a winning record — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total against familiar teams from the AFC West.

FINAL TAKE: The first meeting between these two teams finished with Kansas City winning by a 43-16 score on October 25th in Denver. Mahomes was limited to completing just 15 of 23 passes for 200 yards — the Chiefs scored touchdowns from their defense and special teams to reach the 40-point threshold. The Broncos have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total one playing with revenge from a loss at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging a loss at home by at least three touchdowns. 25* AFC West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Auburn Tigers (412) plus the points versus the Texas A&M Aggies (411). THE SITUATION: Auburn (5-3) looks to rebound from their 42-13 loss at Alabama last Saturday as a 25.5-point underdog. Texas A&M (6-1) has won five games in a row with their 20-7 win over LSU last week as a 16-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINTS: Auburn should pick themselves off the mat after getting thrashed by their in-state rival in the Iron Bowl. The Tigers have bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss. They return home where they are a perfect 4-0 with an average winning margin of +17.0 PPG. Auburn has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games at home. And while they had covered the point spread in their previous three games before getting blown out by the Crimson Tide, they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 home games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. It is not often that this program is getting the points at home — they have only been a home dog six times since 2016. Auburn has covered the point spread in 5 of those 6 games with four outright upset victories — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games when getting the points. Furthermore, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games in December. Texas A&M managed only 267 yards against LSU last week despite having the football for 33:32 minutes. The Aggies averaged a mere 3.76 Yards-Per-Play in that game. Texas A&M has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after failing to gain more than 275 yards in their last contest. With their 6-1 record, the Aggies are in the college football playoff hunt — especially with Ohio State at risk of not playing a minimum of five Big Ten games to qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game (although the conference will change their rules to give the Buckeyes eligibility for that game, if necessary). But the pressure could be too much for this Texas A&M team that only beat Vanderbilt by 5 points earlier this season. The Aggies did flex their muscles on defense by holding the Tigers to just 267 yards — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Now Texas A&M goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games with the total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. And in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: Texas A&M has only covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Auburn to play the Tigers. Expect a close game. 25* CFB SEC Underdog of the Year with the Auburn Tigers (412) plus the points versus the Texas A&M Aggies (411). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (327) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (328). THE SITUATION: UL-Lafayette (8-1) has won five straight games after their 70-20 blowout victory at UL-Monroe as a 28.5-point favorite last Saturday. Appalachian State (7-2) looks to build off their 47-10 win over Troy as a 14-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS PLUS THE POINTS: UL-Lafayette has had this game circled all year after losing to Appalachian State for the second straight year in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game last season — and that loss was the fourth setback to the Mountaineers in the last two seasons after they also dropped the regular-season matchup between these two teams. The Ragin’ Cajuns have already punched their ticket to play in the conference championship for the third straight time in a row with the opportunity to avenge their only loss this season with a date against Coastal Carolina — but defeating this Appalachian State team remains a very high priority for head coach Billy Napier and the fourteen starters back from last season. UL-Lafayette should build off their momentum from last week as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 20 points. And while they generated 511 yards last week against the War Hawks, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. UL-Lafayette is averaging 5.8 Yards-Per-Carry which is 6th in the nation — and they have outrushed their last two opponents by at least +131 net rushing yards. The Ragin’ Cajuns have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after outrushing their last two opponents by at least +125 net rushing yards. This team is undefeated on the road with a 5-0 mark — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road. UL-Lafayette has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 road games with the total set in the 49.5 to 52 point range. And in their last 11 games on the road as an underdog, the Ragin’ Cajuns have covered the point spread in 8 of these contests. Appalachian State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win at home by at least four touchdowns. Furthermore, while the Mountaineers enjoyed a 34-10 halftime lead last week, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after leading by at least 24 points at halftime of their last game. Appalachian State rushed for 275 yards last week which helped to fuel their 554 total yards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Mountaineers have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. The scoring punch has been down this season for this team as their 32.8 PPG scoring average is -6.0 PPG below what they tallied last year even though eight starters are back from that unit. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 49.5 to 52 point range. And in their last 9 games as a favorite, Appalachian State has failed to cover the point spread 7 times.

FINAL TAKE: I waited to get the weather update today for Boone, North Carolina, because I would be less enthusiastic about the Ragin’ Cajuns if the temperature dropped below 32 degrees with rain expected. The weather reports call for temperatures in the 40s during the game with the wind not much of a factor — and that should help the UL-Lafayette passing game. The Mountaineers have a new head coach this year in Shawn Clark who was an assistant to the Scott Satterfield and Eliah Drinkwater coached-teams of the previous two seasons that have dominated the Ragin’ Cajuns. The motivational edge for UL-Lafayette should make the difference tonight. 25* CFB Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (327) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (328). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (716) plus (or minus) the points versus Texas (715) in the finals of the Maui Invitational in Asheville, North Carolina. THE SITUATION: North Carolina (3-0) reached the finals of the Maui Invitational yesterday with their 67-63 win over Stanford as a 4-point favorite. Texas (3-0) joined them in the finals with their 66-44 upset victory over Indiana as a +2.5-point underdog. This game is being played on a neutral court in Asheville.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Look for a big emotional letdown from the Longhorns after their easy win over the Hoosiers. Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 20 points. Shaka Smart’s team deserves some credit for their defensive effort as they held Indiana to just 23.9% shooting. But Indiana could not hit the side of the barn yesterday — and they deserve blame for their inability to make shots. The Longhorns limited the Hoosiers to only 6 offensive rebounds after holding Davidson to just 3 offensive rebounds in their last game. But Texas has then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 9 offensive rebounds in two straight games. Now here comes the size of another Roy Williams team at North Carolina that is 7th in the nation by pulling down 44.5% of their missed shots. This is a young team for Williams this season — but this tournament is providing him an opportunity to teach in a concentrated setting. His teams have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Additionally, North Carolina is 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Tar Heels are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on a neutral court. While the Longhorns are talented, so is this North Carolina team — and their style of play of crashing the glass for second-chance scoring opportunities is a consistent formula to get baskets when playing in tournaments like this. 25* CBB Maui Invitational Game of the Year with the  North Carolina Tar Heels (716) plus (or minus) the points versus Texas (715). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (279) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (280). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (6-4) has lost two games in a row as well as three of their last four contests after their 30-24 upset loss to Tennessee in overtime back on November 22nd. Pittsburgh (10-0) remained unbeaten this season on November 22nd with their 27-3 win at Jacksonville as an 11-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This game has been rescheduled three times — and while the players may not be in optimal shape to play this game given limited practice time, the defensive game plans should be very fine-tuned — especially with this being a rematch from the Steelers’ 28-24 upset victory as a 4-point underdog on November 1st. Pittsburgh leads the NFL by allowing only 17.4 PPG — and they are second in the league by holding their opponents to just 4.94 Yards-Per-Play. The Steel Curtain has held their last three opponents to just 10.7 PPG along with only 299.0 total YPG. The Under is 17-5-1 in their last 23 games after a win by at least two touchdowns — and the Under is 38-18-2 in their last 58 games after a point prawn victory. The Steelers held the Jaguars to just 206 total yards in their last game — and the Under is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. On offense, Pittsburgh did gain 373 yards against Jacksonville — and the Under is 30-11-2 in their last 43 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. They will be without running back James Conner in this game who is on the COVID list. But the list for the Ravens is much longer — headlined by quarterback Lamar Jackson being out because of COVID. Robert Griffin III will be under center for Baltimore who leaves the offense even more limited in what they can do in the passing game. RG3 has just one start in the last three years — and it was against these Steelers’ last season when he completed only 11 of 21 passes for 96 yards in Week 17. The Ravens hopes to get J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram back off the COVID list this afternoon for this game. Baltimore will run the ball plenty in this game to burn time off the clock — they rushed the ball 47 times for 265 yards even with a healthy Jackson in the first meeting. The Ravens have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored — and they have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. Baltimore has scored only 21.7 PPG while averaging 309.7 YPG over their last three games with their offensive missing their All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley who is out the year with an injury. The Ravens defense surrendered 423 yards to the Titans — but they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Now Baltimore goes back on the road where they are allowing only 18.8 PPG along with 331.6 total YPG. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Ravens have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents. The Under is 17-7-2 in the Steelers’ last 26 games against AFC foes — and the Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games against divisional opponents. 25* NFL NBC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (279) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (280). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Kentucky Wildcats (627) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (628). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (1-1) looks to bounce back from a 76-64 loss at home to Richmond as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas (1-1) rebounded from their loss to Gonzaga to open the season with a 94-72 thrashing of Saint Joseph’s last Friday as a 20.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS PLUS THE POINTS: Kentucky opened as a small favorite in this game because of their net edge in raw talent — but the market has been all over Kansas of this one. This sets up a nice strong contrarian play with the opportunity to take the better talent as a dog getting four or so points. The Wildcats certainly looked vulnerable against a veteran and savvy Spiders team — but that offered head coach John Calipari some outstanding teaching moments for his young team. I expect a much better effort from this Kentucky team that has four freshmen in their starting lineup. In Calipari I will trust — his teams have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss at home. The Wildcats have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread setback. Kentucky managed only five assists on Sunday which is certainly an issue that Calipari will address in sharing the basketball better. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not registering at least nine assists in their last game. Kentucky did lose their top six scorers from last season — and Keion Brooks is injured for this game after being the team’s only regular returning player from last season. But Calipari also brought in a couple of veteran transfers in seven-footer Olivier Sarr who was a third-team All-ACC player for Wake Forest last season along with Davion Mintz who scored 9.7 PPG for Creighton two years ago. Kansas will be at a size disadvantage in this game as they were against Gonzaga who shot 64.5% against them while retaining a +9 rebound edge against the Jayhawks. Kansas may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least 20 points. This Kansas team was poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament last year — but they lost their top two players from that team in Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike who accounted for 31.8 PPG. This Jayhawks team lacks a go-to scorer. And while this remains a very good team, the elite talent that Bill Self has been able to attract in the past is starting to thin out given the toll of years of NCAA investigations. Gonzaga simply outclassed them — so much so, that some experts are describing that Bulldogs team as one of the best collegiate teams in the last ten years. Maybe … but they have played two games together, so let’s not overreact.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas may win this game — but Calipari will have his team ready to play their best game of the season.  The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 56 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140s — and the Jayhawks have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games with the over/under in the 140 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB Champions Classic Game of the Year with the Kentucky Wildcats (627) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Borussia Monchengladbach (224228) plus the goal-line versus Inter Milan (224227). THE SITUATION: Borussia Monchengladbach (W2-D2-L0) returns to Champions League action after their 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk last Wednesday. Inter Milan (W0-D2-L2) looks to rebound from their 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in Champions League play last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: Inter Milan is desperate for the three points that a victory would accrue in this match. In last place in the “Group of Death” in the Champions League with just two points, they have a long haul to overcome both Real Madrid and Borussia Monchengladbach with their 7 and 8 points respectively. Nerazzurri would need to win their last two matches and then hope Real Madrid defeats Monchengladbach in their final Group Stage match. That is not an impossible path. But manager Antonio Conte’s team faced urgency last week against Real Madrid — and they laid an egg with that lifeless 2-0 loss against a Los Blancos side missing two of their best players in Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema. Nerazzurri comes off a 3-0 win over Sassuolo on Saturday in Serie A play — but they still have been a bit of a disappointment in the Italian top-flight where they are 5 points behind AC Milan for first place. This team is not playing with the typical high-level of defense that Conte’s teams displayed in his championship runs with Chelsea and Juventus. Inter Milan has allowed 13 goals in nine Serie A matches and they have surrendered seven goals in their four Champions League contests. They will also be without Arturo Vidal in this match who was issued a red card in the 37th minute of that match last week with Real Madrid. Borussia Monchengladbach would love to settle for a draw in this match since that would likely clinch their qualification for the Round of 16 (if Shaktar Donetsk loses to Real Madrid as a +1.25 goal-line underdog today). Die Fohlen are an offensive juggernaut that has scored 18 goals in their last five matches across all competitions. They come off a 4-1 victory over Schalke 04 on Saturday in the Bundesliga — they have scored eight goals in their last two matches with seven different players finding the back of the net. Manager Marco Rose has his team comfortable playing both an aggressive ball-dominant attack as well as a counter-attacking style (which they will probably employ this afternoon against an aggressive Inter Milan).

FINAL TAKE: Monchengladbach had a 2-1 late lead at Inter Milan in their reverse fixture in Group Stage play on October 21st. With Inter Milan being without Vidal and out of form, don’t be surprised if Die Fohlen pulls the outright upset — but take the +0.5 goal-line for some insurance. 25* Champions League Group B Match of the Year with the Borussia Monchengladbach (224228) plus the goal-line versus Inter Milan (224227). 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 (275) and the Philadelphia Eagles (276). THE SITUATION: Seattle (7-3) snapped a two-game losing streak two Thursdays ago with their 28-21 win over Arizona as a 3-point favorite. Philadelphia (3-6-1) has lost two games in a row with their 22-17 loss at Cleveland last Sunday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 8 straight home games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. Philadelphia managed only 315 yards in the loss to the Browns with QB Carson Wentz continuing to struggle. Wentz has a career-low 58.4% completion percentage along with a Passer Rating of 73.3 which is also a career-low. The Eagles are scoring only 19.0 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 291.3 total YPG. Wentz is flailing behind a disaster of an offensive line that has been ravaged with injuries. With the season-ending injury to Lane Johnson, Philly will be using their tenth different offensive line configuration for this game. The Eagles have allowed 40 sacks this season which is the most in the league — and they are last in adjusted sack rate. But the Philadelphia defense is playing better as of late. They have allowed 19.3 PPG over their last three games along with just 323.7 total YPG which is over -6 PPG and -19.0 net YPG below their season averages. Now the Eagles return home where they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total. Philadelphia has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Furthermore, the Eagles have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total in November including six straight Unders. Seattle is also playing better on defense as of late after holding the Cardinals to just 314 yards of offense. Funny what happens when safety Jamal Adams gets healthy again while adding defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap from Cincinnati into the mix. The Seahawks have registered 16 sacks over their last four games. And while the 374.3 YPG they have allowed in their last three games since acquiring Dunlap which is over 60 YPG below their season average. Seattle also seemed to make a philosophical change last week to get back to running the ball more. They had 31 rushing attempts in that game which was more than the 28 pass attempts of Russell Wilson. Getting Carlos Hyde back at running back helped — he had rushed for 79 yards in his first game back from injury. Chris Carson returns to action tonight as well after he has been out for injury — so this should be a heavy ground game attack for the Seahawks. Wilson was beginning to make mistakes with turnovers feeling the pressure to carry the team with his arm — so head coach Pete Carroll dialed back the “Let Russ Cook” directives. Running the ball more also helps the defense — the commitment to running the football kept Kyler Murray only on the field for less than 25 minutes last week. Additionally, the ankle injury to right tackle Braden Shell will likely compel more rushing attempts from this team since he thrives in pass protection — and his replacement, Cedric Ogbuehi, struggles in that area. Now Seattle goes back on the road where they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Over the Total against teams who do not have a winning record at home. They also have played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total as the favorite. Additionally, while the Eagles are averaging only 5.5 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game, the Seahawks have played 22 of their last 29 road games Under the Total against teams who average no more than 5.7 YPA. And while Seattle averages 31.8 PPG, Philadelphia has played 7 straight home games Under the Total against teams who average at least 24 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played twice last season in Philadelphia including the NFC wildcard game with both games ending in a 17-9 victory for the Seahawks. The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on Monday Night Football. While I expect more than 26 combined points this time around, look for a lower-scoring game that stays below 50 combined points. Maybe even some scoring drives will (finally) have to settle for some field goals! 25* NFL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (275) and the Philadelphia Eagles (276). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (872) minus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (871). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (0-2) remained winless this season after losing to Liberty on a neutral court in Melbourne, Florida last Thursday as a 4.5-point favorite. Texas State (2-0) remained unbeaten after their 75-63 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Mississippi State needs a win after losing both their games in Florida last week — they also lost to a solid Clemson team. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 17 of their 22 games after a double-digit loss under head coach Ben Howland. And while they did not cover the point spread in either of those games, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Rowland led a team that won their third-straight 20-win season last year but the decision of sophomore Robert Woodard to go pro left this team in rebuilding mode. This is a sophomore-laden group with talent that should continue to improve. Tolu Smith, a 6’10 sophomore transfer from Western Kentucky, has averaged 16.0 PPG while adding 9.5 Rebounds-Per-Game. Sophomore guard D.J. Stewart has added 16.0 PPG along with 3.0 Assists-Per-Game. This young team should benefit from the weekend of practice under Howland after their initial two games in Florida. Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Additionally, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 40 of their last 61 home games with the Total listed in the 135 to 139.5 point range. Mississippi State has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Texas State faces a challenging travel day playing without rest — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing their second game in three days. Additionally, the Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a point spread win. This will be this team’s toughest test of the season after opening their season with a win against the private schoool University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Texas State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: In addition to the situational edge the Bulldogs have for this game having been at home all weekend before hosting this game, they also have a big edge in coaching. Terrence Johnson is the Bobcats’ interim head coach after Danny Kaspar was let go in September after the revelation of several racially-charged comments to his team over the years. No offense to Johnson, but Howland has a significant experience edge who has had extra preparation time for this game — and he needs the win. 25* College Basketball Game of the Month with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (872) minus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (871). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (273) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (274). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-5) has lost four games in a row after their 19-13 loss at home to Minnesota back on November 16th as a 3.5-point underdog. Green Bay (7-3) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 34-31 loss in overtime at Indianapolis as a 1.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago scored only 6 points in the first half against the Vikings after not scoring in the first half of their last game against Tennessee — but this organization has covered the point spread in a decisive 53 of their last 83 gams after not scoring more than a touchdown in the first half in two straight games. The Bears managed only 149 total yards against Minnesota with just 124 of these yards in the air. Chicago has then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to gain at least 150 yards in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. Nick Foles was knocked out of that game last week with a hip injury that will keep him out of this game. Mitchell Trubisky will be the starting quarterback in this game — and I think he should play better than he did earlier in the season. Trubisky has nothing to lose now so the pressure should be off. This will also be his first start with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor calling the plays since he took over those responsibilities two games ago for head coach Matt Nagy. Don’t be surprised if Trubisky is more active with his legs. The team will get running back David Montgomery back for this game as well which will be a big help — he leads the team with 472 rushing yards. Playing Green Bay may help since they are last in the NFL in Red Zone defense with opposing offenses scoring in 97% of their trips inside the Packers’ 20-yard line this season. The Bears’ defense should keep them in this game. They are 9th in the NFL by allowing 340.1 Yards-Per-Game — and they are holding their opponents to 20.9 PPG. Chicago has not allowed more than 96 rushing yards in seven straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in at least two straight games. Chicago has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games against fellow NFC North opponents. Green Bay blew a 28-14 lead last week against the Colts — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after owning a two-touchdown or better halftime lead in their last game. Aaron Rodgers completed 27 of 38 passes for 311 yards in that game — but the Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. Green Bay has averaged 6.8, 6.7, and 6.5 Yards-Per-Play in each of their last three games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in three straight games. Now the Packers return home where they have struggled in their last two games with a narrow 24-20 win over lowly Jacksonville and getting upset by the Vikings by a 28-22 score. Perhaps the team misses the fans in Lambeau Field? There will be an audience of up to 500 tonight consisting of friends and family — but that will not accomplish much regarding the energy level in the stadium. Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when laying 7.5 to 14 points. The Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: Rodgers is just 6-12-1 straight-up in his last nineteen starts again teams with a top-ten defense. And while he is leading an offense that is third in seventh in total yardage, Chicago has won eight of their last eleven games when facing a top-ten offense. A Bears’ victory pulls them within one game of first place of the Packers in the NFC North — expect a close game. 25* NFC North Game of the Month with the Chicago Bears (273) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (260) minus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (259). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (4-6) saw their three-game winning streak snapped last week with their 31-28 upset loss to Dallas as a 7-point favorite. Carolina (4-7) comes off a 20-0 shutout victory over Detroit last Sunday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Minnesota has been very reliable when picking themselves up off the mat after a loss under head coach Mike Zimmer as they have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 51 games after a straight-up loss. The Vikings have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games are a narrow loss by 6 points or less. Minnesota has been playing much better football as of late — and they still have an outside shot to make the playoffs. They have held their last three opponents to just 21.3 PPG along with 315.3 total Yards-Per-Game despite last week’s results. The Vikings have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest. Kirk Cousins played well last week as he completed 22 of 30 passes for 314 yards with two touchdown passes and join interceptions. Running back Dalvin Cook has been sublime this season (when healthy) — he rushed for 115 yards with a touchdown on 27 carries last week. Minnesota gained 430 yards in the losing effort to the Cowboys — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Vikings are scoring 27.0 PPG over their last three games while averaging 434.0 total YPG. Wide receiver Adam Thielen is out for this game with after a positive COVID test but I expect this to be the Cook show on the ground against a defense that allows opposing rushers to average 4.6 Yards-Per-Carry. Minnesota stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Carolina is likely due for a letdown after their dominant performance against the hapless Lions. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. And while they held Detroit (with an injured Matthew Stafford who had not practiced all week) to just 185 yards, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Carolina is averaging only 332.0 total YPG in their last three contests — and they will be without running back Christian McCaffrey who was declared out with a shoulder injury for this game. The Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak with their win over the Lions — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after losing at least four of their last five games.

FINAL TAKE: The Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. Minnesota has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games in November under Zimmer’s leadership. 25* NFL Game of the Month with the Minnesota Vikings (260) minus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (259). 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 Tennessee Titans (261) and the Indianapolis Colts (262). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (7-3) has won two of their last three games with their 30-24 upset victory at Baltimore last Sunday as a 6-point underdog. Indianapolis (7-3) has won two straight as well as four of their last five games after their 34-31 win over Green Bay last week as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset victory in their last game. Despite the win last week, Tennessee has only averaged 23.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging a mere 315.0 total YPG. They will have revenge on their mind after losing at home to Indianapolis back on November 12th by a 34-17 score — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by at least two touchdowns. Expect plenty of running from the Titans behind Derrick Henry in this rematch with the Titans the top rushing team in the NFL. That will burn time off the clock and shorter the number of possessions for both teams. Tennessee has also played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total as an underdog of up to 3 points. The Titans are completing 65.3% of their passes this season — and they are playing a Colts team that has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams who are completing at least 64% of their passes. Indianapolis enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin against the Packers last week — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after producing a +2 net turnover or better margin in their last game. Indianapolis has scored 34 points in their last two games with both games going Over the Total with at least 51 combined points scored — but this sets up the Under as a nice contrarian play. The Colts have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in two straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs. Indy has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after seeing at least 50 combined points scored in their last two games. The Colts are top-five in defense by allowing only 20.8 PPG — and they hold their visitors to just 293.2 total YPG when playing at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing in Indianapolis. Expect this rematch to be lowering scoring than the one they played just 17 days ago. 25* AFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (261) and the Indianapolis Colts (262). 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 Troy Trojans (213) and the Appalachian State Mountaineers (214). THE SITUATION: Troy (4-4) has lost two games in a row as well as three of their last four after their 20-17 upset loss to Middle Tennessee as an 11-point favorite. Appalachian State (6-2) looks to rebound from their 34-23 loss at Coastal Carolina last Saturday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trojans have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after an upset loss. Additionally, Troy has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Trojans have played 5 straight games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. Troy is scoring only 22.7 PPG in their last three games which is -5.3 PPG below their season average — and the 349.8 total YPG they average on the road is -54.3 net YPG below their season average. The Trojans have played 5 straight games Under the Total on the road. They have also played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 4 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points, Troy has played all 4 games Under the Total. Appalachian State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mountaineers rushed for 204 yards in the loss to the Chanticleers — and they have then seen the Under go 9-1-1 in their last 11 games after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Appalachian State is scoring 26.0 PPG while averaging 383.7 total YPG in their last three contests — and those numbers are -5.0 PPG and -61.7 net YPG below their season average. The Mountaineers defense has only managed to force one turnover in each of their last two games as well — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not forcing more than one turnover in their last game. Appalachian State does return home where they are holding their opponents to just 17.8 PPG and 314.0 total YPG. The Mountaineers have played 4 straight games Under the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Appalachian State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in November — and Troy has played 4 straight games Under the Total in November. 25* CFB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Troy Trojans (213) and the Appalachian State Mountaineers (214). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Ball State Cardinals (199) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (200). THE SITUATION: Ball State (2-1) has won two games in a row with their 31-25 victory over Northern Illinois on November 18th as a 14.5-point favorite. Toledo (2-1) comes off a 45-28 win at Eastern Michigan as a 6.5-point favorite on November 18th in midweek MACtion.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS PLUS THE POINTS: Ball State is a veteran team with 14 starters back including six all-conference players from the group that was 4-4 in Mid-American Conference play last season. That team outgained their conference opponents by +31 Yards-Per-Game but too often stymied by bad luck. The Cardinals have been typically a dangerous underdog to keep their games close under head coach Mike Neu in his fifth year with the program. Ball State has covered the point spread in 4 straight games as an underdog — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road getting the points. Led by senior quarterback Drew Plitt along with another six senior starters on offense, the Cardinals are scoring 33.3 PPG this season while averaging 476.3 total YPG. The Cardinals have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Toledo has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. And while the Rockets went into halftime with a 24-7 lead over the Eagles, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after owning at least a 17-point halftime lead. Senior quarterback Eli Peters is questionable for this game wit the knee injury that knocked him out of last week’s game. Sophomore Carter Bradley came on as his understudy to complete 5 of 8 passes for 108 yards. Peters and Bradley combined for 298 passing yards — but Toledo has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Rockets have played their last two games Over the Total — but not only have they failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game, they have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after playing two straight Overs. They return home to the Glass Bowl where they are just 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 trips to Toledo to face the Rockets. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Game of the Month with the Ball State Cardinals (199) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (200). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (136) plus the points versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (135). THE SITUATION: North Carolina (6-2) has won two games in a row with their 59-53 victory over Wake Forest as a 13-point favorite back on November 14th. Notre Dame (8-0) returns to action after a bye week last week coming off a 45-31 win at Boston College as a 13-point favorite on November 14th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS PLUS THE POINTS: With the Fighting Irish opening as the second-ranked team in the college football playoff, the pressure is on for this team to win out their remaining games to play in the ACC Championship Game with a win securing one of the four spots in the college football playoff. Yet Notre Dame has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning at least eight games in a row. The Irish have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after playing a game where both teams scored at least 30 points. Notre Dame averaged 7.58 Yards-Per-Play to defeat the Eagles two weeks ago — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road after averaging at least 7.25 Yards-Per-Play in their last game. The Irish have scored at least 31 points in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 31 points in four straight games. The foundation of this outstanding Notre Dame offense this season has been their offensive line that returned all five of their starters. But that chemistry and cohesion are now in flux with two starters on that line out for this game. Center Jarrett Patterson is out the season with a broken foot and right guard Tommy Kraemer, a four-year starter, is out this week after having an appendectomy. Those are ominous absences for a team that has looked vulnerable on defense in their last two games as they have surrendered 71 combined points in those games. North Carolina rallied from a three-touchdown deficit to defeat the Demon Deacons two weeks ago — and they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell completed 32 of 45 passes for 550 yards with six touchdown passes in the victory — and the Tar Heels have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. North Carolina has a potent offense that should be able to keep up with the Irish. The Tar Heels rank 4th in the nation by averaging 563.4 total YPG — and their 43.1 PPG scoring average is 10th in the nation. North Carolina has struggled on defense — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. They host this game in their final conference home game this season where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog. The Tar Heels have also covered the point spread in 25 of their last 32 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: North Carolina can play this game loose in the role of the spoiler in this one — and they are undefeated at home with a 4-0 mark while scoring 48.5 PPG and averaging a whopping 609.8 total YPG in those games. Expect a close game with the Tar Heels in a position to pull the upset. 25* CFB ACC Game of the Year with the North Carolina Tar Heels (136) plus the points versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (135). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Washington Football Team (123) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (124). THE SITUATION: Washington (3-7) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 20-9 victory over Cincinnati as a 2-point favorite. Dallas (3-7) ended a four-game losing streak last week with their 31-28 upset victory at Minnesota as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FOOTBALL TEAM PLUS THE POINTS: One good game from the Cowboys has everyone jumping on their bandwagon — even though they were outgained by the Vikings last week by -54 net yards. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they had failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a narrow win by 6 points or less. The Cowboys have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. Even after scoring 31 points last week, the Cowboys are averaging only 19.7 PPG along with 335.0 total YPG in their last three games. Dallas also surrendered 430 yards to the Vikings last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Cowboys are last in the league by allowing 31.8 PPG — and they are surrendering 36.8 PPG at home along with 396.2 total YPG. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and the Cowboys have long been Fool’s Gold when favored at home as they have failed to pay off those winning tickets in 46 of their last 78 home games laying the points. Additionally, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games as a favorite. The Cowboys have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. And while the Football team has only covered the point spread once in their last three games, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Despite their losing record, Washington is outgaining their opponents by +8.2 net Yards-Per-Game. They have lost all three of their close games decided by one scoring possession. They are winless on the road despite outgaining those opponents by +19.0 net YPG. The Football Team has been the best pass defense in the league that is holding their opponents to just 195 passing YPG. Led by rookie defensive end Chase Young, Washington is tied for third in the NFL with 32 sacks. The offense should turn the ball over less with the veteran Alex Smith under center. While his mobility is not the same as it was before his leg injury last year, he is finding his rhythm as a passer again. Smith has thrown for 325 and 390 yards in his previous two games before completing 17 of 25 passes for 166 yards in the winning effort last week. The Football Team is averaging 397.0 total YPG in their last three games with Smith starting under center. And while the Cowboys are allowing 6.1 Yards-Per-Play this season, the Football team has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 25 games against teams that allow at least 6.0 YPP.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 trips to Dallas to play the Cowboys — and the underdog has covered the point spread in 28 of the last 41 meetings between these two teams in this rivalry. 25* NFC East Game of the Month with the Washington Football Team (123) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (124). 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 Houston Texans (121) and the Detroit Lions (122). THE SITUATION: Houston (3-7) has won two of their last three games with their 27-20 upset victory at home against New England last week as a 2.5-point underdog. Detroit (4-6) has lost three of their last four games with their 20-0 loss at Carolina as a 3-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The final injury reports make a push a solid Under play into a very good one on a short week. The Texan ruled out wide receivers Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb out this week their quad and toe injuries — leaving quarterback Deshaun Watson missing key weapons in a wide receiver corps that was already missing DeAndre Hopkins this season from that ill-fated trade that the now-deposed Bill O’Brien made in the offseason. Now Detroit has declared this morning that rookie running back DeAndre Swift will not play as he is not ready to return to action from the concussion he suffered two games ago. The Lions are already without wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola to injury. There just simply not much skill-position talent on the field for a game with the Total set in the 50s. Houston has played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home. The Texans did surrender 435 yards in their game on Sunday with the Patriots averaging 6.8 Yards-Per-Play. Houston has then played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.5 YPP. The Texans are averaging only 20.3 PPG along with 338.7 total YPG in their last three contests. They go back on the road where they are scoring 22.2 PPG while averaging just 329.8 total YPG. Houston has played a decisive 49 of their last 8 road games Under the Total in the second half of the season. Furthermore, Houston has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total as a favorite — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in November. Detroit has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss as a road favorite — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after an upset loss by at least two touchdowns as a road favorite. And while the Lions have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Detroit surrendered 374 yards to the Panthers’ offense quarterbacked by P.J. Walker — yet they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. On offense, the Lions have scored only 16.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 320.0 total YPG over that span. They managed only 185 yards last week. I suspect Matthew Stafford will be a starting quarterback in the playoffs next season — but it will not be in a Lions uniform. At this point of the season, he is very banged up — and he does not have enough weapons.

FINAL TAKE: The Lions were embarrassed by being shutout last week — but trying to fix all those problems on a short week when undermanned is too much to overcome. I think their defense will play better — but the loss of Swift for this game really hurts (and cemented my call this morning). 25* NFL CBS-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (121) and the Detroit Lions (122). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). THE SITUATION: UCLA (0-0) returns all five starters that were 19-12 before play was stopped in March due to COVID. San Diego State (30-2) lost three starters including All-American point guard Malachi Flynn who was drafted in the first round by Toronto from the group that was 30-2 before the stoppage.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I am cautious in these early college basketball games — especially on the opening day during a pandemic. But with the Bruins returning five starters from last year’s team, I am more comfortable relying on the statistics from last year. UCLA was more-and-more beginning to look like Mick Cronin’s teams at Cincinnati who played hard-nosed defense while crashing the glass on offense at a moderate (at best) pace. While the Bruins ranked 100th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, Cronin had his team playing as the 43rd best defensive team in adjusted efficiency in their final ten games. UCLA was not a great offensive team last season either — they ranked 206th in the nation with their 69.3 PPG scoring average while ranking 230th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. They only made 32.2% of their 3-pointers as well which was 226th in the country. The Bruins were pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots which was 21st in the nation — but the Aztecs usually do a good job of protecting their defensive rim which is a foundation of the program that head coach Brian Dutcher has continued from being the long-time assistant here to Steve Fisher. San Diego State held their opponents to rebounding only 25.4% of their missed shot last year. UCLA has played 34 of their last 45 road games Under the Total with the number set in the 130-139.5 point range — and those numbers tightened to them playing 18 of their last 24 road games Under the Total with the number in the 130-134.5 point range. San Diego State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home. Additionally, the Aztecs have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played a decisive 21 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as an underdog at home. Dutcher gets back his 6’10 sophomore rim protector Nathan Mensah this season after he only played 13 games last year before going on the shelf with a blood clot issue. San Diego State held their opponents to just 56.3 PPG when Mensah was healthy — and that number rose to 61.3 PPG after his injury.

FINAL TAKE: The California programs had the least amount of time to practice given state COVID restrictions. I think this dynamic will exacerbate the weaknesses for these California teams early in the season — and that means that the UCLA and San Diego State offensive attacks are likely to be a step or two behind. 25* CBB CBS Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (385) and the San Diego State Aztecs (386). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224229) and Inter Milan (224250). THE SITUATION: Real Madrid (W1-D1-L1) defeated Inter Milan in the reverse fixture in Group B play of the Champions League on November 3rd with their 3-2 victory. Inter Milan (W0-D2-L1) hosts this rematch.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This is a crucial match for Inter Milan as they are currently in last place in their group with two points. Manager Antonio Conte’s side comes off a 4-2 victory at home against Torino in Serie A play on Sunday where they rallied from a 2-0 deficit with four straight goals. Led by Romelu Lukaku as their striker, the Nerazzurri are an offensive juggernaut who are tied for first place in the Italian top-flight league with 20 goals. But this team does not play the typical high-level defense that Conte’s teams enjoyed in championship runs at Juventus and then Chelsea. Inter Milan has surrendered 13 goals in their eight Serie A matches. In their last four matches, Nerazzuri has scored nine goals while allowing eight goals. They have seen nine combined goals scored in their three Champions League games. In their 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach, they generated a robust 3.51 expected goals. Real Madrid comes off a 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Saturday. Los Blancos have lost a step or two on defense as they have not registered a clean sheet in all competitions in their last eight matches. Manager Zinedine Zidane’s side is dealing with some critical injuries with Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Luka Jokic all out for this match. But this is Galactico — and while this Real Madrid team is not their best in the last decade, this remains a loaded roster of scoring talent. Additionally, don’t underestimate the negative impact of losing Ramos on their backline on the Los Blancos defense. Real Madrid has scored 16 goals in their last seven matches so they are certainly capable of scoring multiple goals even with their injuries.

FINAL TAKE: Real Madrid has seen at least four combined goals scored in six of their last seven matches. Los Blancos need this game as well — the urgency of the situation should push this to be a higher-scoring game. 25* Champions League Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224229) and Inter Milan (224250). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Istanbul Basakshir (224225) and Manchester United (224226). THE SITUATION: Istanbul Basakshir (W1-D0-L2) returns to Champions League action after upsetting Manchester United at home on November 4th by a 2-1 score. Man United (W2-D0-L1) hosts this reverse fixture rematch in Group H play at home at Old Trafford.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Man United have developed a consistent modus operandi under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. What do their 5-0 win over RB Leipzig and their 2-1 victory over PSG in the Champions League play have in common this season? Those triumphs were against sides that play aggressive pressing attacks which allows the Red Devils to play cautiously on defense before relying on their attacking talent to shine in the counter-attack. Yet what does Man United’s 6-1 loss to Tottenham, 1-0 loss to Arsenal, and their most recent UCL match against Istanbul Basakshir have in common? Those opponents are counter-attacking sides — and the Red Devils felt compelled to be the more aggressive team on the pitch which failed. Even in their most recent match on Saturday against lowly West Brom, they only won by a 1-0 score despite the Baggies having conceded the most goals in the English Premier League and being at the bottom of the league in expected goals allowed (xGA). Solskjaer’s job is in jeopardy because he cannot find the right lineup that is successful against even mediocre defensive counter-attacking opponents. Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood are struggling in the attack this season. Look for Solskjaer to insert more reliable defensive players in the midfield in this rematch with the hopes of securing a one or two-goal clean sheet victory. The Red Devils are playing consistently well on the defensive end of the pitch. Since the international break that started on October 20th, Man United is holding their opponents in all competitions to just 0.80 xGA which includes strong sides like PSG and RB Leipzig as well as Chelsea. They host this rematch at Old Trafford where they have held their last three opponents to just 0.40 non-penalty shot expected goals (XG). Istanbul Basakshir comes off a 32- loss to Besiktas in their last match on Saturday. The Owls play more aggressively when competing in their domestic Turkish league. Their two goals against Man United last month were their only goals in their three Champions League matches where they play more conservatively. They will likely park the bus once again in this match so they can take their chances on counter-attacks. They managed only 0.84 xG in their upset win over the Red Devils — and they had only a 0.77 xGA against them which suggests their ultra-conservative defensive approach was successful.

FINAL TAKE: I think Man United should get the clean sheet in this rematch — but I am not confident that they score the two goals necessary to cover the -1.75 goal-line spread. The better play is the Under given the Red Devils’ struggles with counter-attacking sides. 25* UEFA Champions League Group Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Istanbul Basakshir (224225) and Manchester United (224226). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Rams (473) plus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (474). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (6-3) has won two of their last three games with their 23-16 win against Seattle as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. Tampa Bay (7-3) has won four of their last five contests with their 46-23 victory in Carolina last Sunday as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS PLUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles benefited from a +2 net turnover margin in that game against the Seahawks — and they have then covered the point spread in 5 of the last 7 games after enjoying a +2 or better net turnover margin in their last game. The Rams also generated 389 yards of offense in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. Quarterback Jared Goff is only completing 62.8% of his passes on the road as compared to his 71.4% mark when playing at home — but he is averaging 7.7 Yards-Per-Attempt on the road versus his 7.5 YPA mark when at home His Quarterback Rating declines dips from a 97.2 mark at home to a 93.2 mark on the road — so perhaps the conventional wisdom that Goff has disparate home/road splits is a bit overplayed? He will not have his rock at left tackle in Andrew Whitworth who is out at least six weeks with a knee injury. But Los Angeles can lean on their elite defense that leads the league in points allowed (18.7 PPG), total yardage (296.4 YPG), Yards-Per-Play allowed (4.78), and opponent’s Passer Rating (81.0). This defense travels — they are holding their home hosts to just 276.2 total YPG. The Rams have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games on the road with the total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog. Additionally, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Tampa Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are just 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 games after a win by at least two touchdowns. And while the Buccaneers outgained the Panthers by +357 net yards, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after outgaining their last opponent by at least 200 yards. I don’t love this situation for Tampa Bay. Head coach Bruce Arians identified that his team was “really tired” having played ten straight weeks with a bye. Arians gave the team three days off which may help — but it is certainly not an advantage. The Bucs have also been listless in prime-time games with a 1-2 record with their lone win being their listless effort to begin the month at home against the Giants where they only won by a 25-23 score. Tampa Bay beats up on the bad teams in the league — they are 7-0 against teams with a defense ranked outside the top-ten in yards allowed while averaging 35.8 PPG in those contests. But they are winless in their three games against teams with a top-ten total defense while averaging just 15 PPG. Quarterback Tom Brady has been sacked 14 times this season — with nine of them occurring in their two games against New Orleans and their game against Chicago which accounts for their three losses. Led by Aaron Donald, the Rams began the week tied for second in the NFL with 31 sacks. Brady passed for 341 yards against the Panthers — but the Bucs are just 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after gaining at least 250 passing yards in their last game. They return home to Tampa Bay where they are just 2-8-2 ATS in their last 12 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games when favored by up to 7 points. Furthermore, the Buccaneers are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angels will also have revenge on their minds after getting blasted at home to the Buccaneers with Jameis Winston last year by a 55-40 score despite being a 9-point favorite in that September 29th game. That result may not matter much to Brady but it does to head coach Sean McVay and this Rams team. The Bucs are just 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games in November. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Rams (473) plus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (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 Kansas City Chiefs (471) and the Las Vegas Raiders (472). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (8-1) has won four games in a row after their 33-31 win against Carolina two Sundays ago as a 10-point favorite. Las Vegas (6-3) has won three straight games with their 37-12 victory against Denver last week as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Raiders handed the Chiefs their lone loss of the season on October 11th with their 40-32 upset victory in Kansas City as a 10-point underdog. Las Vegas surprised the Chiefs’ defense by abandoning their ball-control conservative offense with several aggressive deep shots down the field from quarterback Derek Carr. The veteran Raiders’ signal-caller passed for 219 yards from deep throws which are — by far — his season-high in that category. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his defense ready for these deep throws this time around. Look for the Jon Gruden offense to focus primarily on ball-control and winning the time of possession by running the ball and burning the clock. During their three-game winning streak, the Raiders have averaged 190.7 rushing YPG which is the second-best mark in the league over that span. They are averaging only 138 passing YPG during that span which is the second-lowest mark in the league. This commitment to the run has helped Las Vegas defense hold these last three opponents to just 14.7 PPG and 325.3 total YPG with opposing quarterback’s posting just a collective 68.1 Passer Rating. The Raiders have gained at least 160 rushing yards in three straight games — and they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in three straight games. Las Vegas has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win over a divisional rival — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by at least three touchdowns against an AFC West foe. The Raiders stay at home where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 10 points. Las Vegas did have a COVID scare this week but it looks like the only defensive player they will not have available is defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Chiefs had also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. The KC defense has continued to improve under Spagnuolo as they are allowing only 20.3 PPG this season. In their four road games, the Chiefs are holding their home hosts to just 18.3 PPG along with 331.0 total YPG. Kansas City has played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as a favorite. The Chiefs have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 22 of their last 31 meetings Under the Total. Expect this rematch to be a lower-scoring game than the first meeting that saw 72 combined points scored. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (471) and the Las Vegas Raiders (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Baltimore Ravens (406) minus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (405). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (6-3) looks to bounce back from their 23-17 upset loss at New England as a 7-point favorite last week for Sunday Night Football. Tennessee (6-3) also looks to rebound from a 34-17 loss at Indianapolis on Thursday Night Football last week where they were a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAVENS MINUS THE POINTS: This is a revenge situation for Baltimore, who got clocked by the Titans in the AFC Divisional round last year at home by a 28-12 score despite being a 10-point favorite. Derrick Henry ran right over the Ravens’ defense with 195 rushing yards in that game. After having the interior of their run defense exposed like that, Baltimore signed defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams to shore up that part of their defense. Problem solved, right? Unfortunately, injuries will keep both of those players out for this game. So, fade the Ravens then, right? Well, not so fast. Sure, I wish those players were available — but it was not just Henry that did in Baltimore in that playoff game. QB Lamar Jackson committed three turnovers in that game, while the Ravens failed to convert on several 4th down opportunities that played a significant role in shifting the momentum of that game. If Lamar plays better — and the offense executes at a higher level — then Baltimore should take the Titans out of the position where they can pound the rock to Henry. The Ravens are outscoring their opponents by +8.8 PPG due to their strong defense that is holding their opponents to just 18.3 PPG along with 323.0 total YPG. Baltimore’s defense is even stingier at home where they limit their guests to only 17.8 PPG along with just 312.3 YPG. Additionally, the Ravens have held their last three opponents to 289.3 total YPG. They outgained the Patriots last week by +49 net yards but they lost the turnover battle and weather played a major role in that game. This remains a team that has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in November. Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss to an AFC South rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by at least two touchdowns. And while the Titans surrendered 293 passing yards to the Colts, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. This Tennessee has regressed from that playoff game last year — they are allowing 398.1 total YPG this season. They are also dealing with a host of injuries themselves with potentially six starters out including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and wide receiver Adam Humphries. Despite their 6-3 record, the Titans are being outgained by -24.8 net YPG this season. Over their last three games, they are being outscored by a touchdown while managing only 321.0 YPG which has translated into just 20.3 PPG. Now they go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. One final thing about this Titans team that should always be considered: they are simply a hot mess on special teams, especially with their punter and placekicker. A +10 net turnover margin is the reason why this team has overcome poor special teams play and losing the yardage battle to their opponents. But those turnover Gods are a fickle beast.

FINAL TAKE: The Titans have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against AFC rivals — and the Ravens have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against AFC foes. I don’t love the injury situation for Baltimore — but it is not great with Tennessee either. The bottom line is that I will regret not investing in this situation at a 25* level. Let’s attack! 25* AFC Game of the Month with the Baltimore Ravens (406) minus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (405). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Central Florida Knights (344) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (343). THE SITUATION: Central Florida (5-2) has won three straight games after their 38-13 win over Temple last week as a 28.5-point favorite last Saturday. Cincinnati (7-0) remained unbeaten last week with their 55-13 win over East Carolina as a 27.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNIGHTS PLUS THE POINTS: Central Florida has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. After losing to Tulsa and Memphis, the Knights have rattled off three-straight wins while scoring 44.3 PPG in those games. This team is an offensive juggernaut under head coach Josh Heupel. They lead the nation by averaging a whopping 619.1 total YPG in their up-tempo attack. Sophomore quarterback Dillon Gabriel has found a nice rhythm as he has completed 57 of 95 passes for 1018 yards with nine touchdown passes and no interceptions. For the season, the lefty is completing 63.3% of his passes with 23 touchdown passes and just two interceptions while averaging 393.6 passing YPG which leads the nation. Their +129 net yardage edge over the Owls was the slimmest margin in their last three contests — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after outgaining their last three opponents by at least +125 net yards. They have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 54 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after not allowing more than 14 points. Additionally, the Knights have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Cincinnati has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread as a double-digit favorite. The Bearcats benefited from a +3 net turnover margin against the Pirates — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after enjoying a +2 or better net turnover margin in their last game. Cincinnati has college football playoff aspirations on their minds — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning at least seven games in a row. And while they have covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Bearcats have feasted on a soft schedule — their opponents have a combined 15-13 record with 11 of those victories coming from SMU and Memphis. The Bearcats are allowing only 12.4 PPG this season but they have yet to play an opponent who pushes the pace like the Knights. This Cincy may be overrated given their easy schedule. Tulsa ranks just ahead of them in Defensive Expected Points Allowed — and Central Florida put up 455 yards against the Golden Hurricane defense.

FINAL TAKE: UCF should put up plenty of points against the Bearcats who are not as comfortable playing in shootouts. Cincinnati has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games with the total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games away from home with the Total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range. The Bearcats upset the Knights last season by a 27-24 score at home as a 3.5-point underdog on October 4th — so this is a prime opportunity for UCF to exact some revenge. 25* CFB American Athletic Conference Underdog of the Year with the Central Florida Knights (344) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (343). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Louisville Cardinals (326) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (325). THE SITUATION: Louisville (2-6) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests after their 31-17 loss at Virginia as a 6.5-point underdog last Saturday. Syracuse (1-7) has lost five games in a row with their 16-13 loss to Boston College as a 14.5-point underdog two weeks ago on November 7th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS MINUS THE POINTS: Turnovers were the culprit for Louisville not being in a position to defeat the Cavaliers. Junior quarterback threw an interception that was returned for an 85-yard touchdown in the first quarter that served as a 10 to 14-point swing with the Cardinals in the red zone. Cunningham then fumbled in Virginia territory at the 8:22 minute mark in the fourth quarter to ruin a potential game-tying touchdown drive. Louisville outgained the Cavaliers by +110 net yards. Head coach Scott Satterfield’s team should bounce-back as they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a point spread defeat. Furthermore, Louisville has covered the point spread in 5 straight games after not scoring more than 20 points in their last game. The Cardinals have been held back by a -12 net turnover margin with their 18 giveaways ranking 3rd most in the FBS. Louisville is outgaining their opponents by +48.5 net YPG this season which tracks with their preseason expectations. Satterfield returned 16 starters from last year’s 8-5 team. Defense was considered the biggest concern for this team but they did hold Notre Dame to only 12 points and they also held Florida State to just 16 points. Their return home where they are outgaining their opponents by +128.7 net YPG. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as a favorite. Cunningham is a dynamic talent at quarterback who rushed for 197 yards with two touchdowns in the losing effort against the Cavaliers. He is completing 63.2% of his passes for 1907 yards with 15 touchdown passes but his nine interceptions are a problem — but he faces an Orange defense that has forced only one turnover in their last three games. Louisville averages 38.0 PPG along with 530.0 total YPG in their four home games — so they have the offensive firepower to blow Syracuse out. The Cardinals have covered the point spread in 3 straight games when favored by 10.5 to 21 points. Syracuse has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after a loss by a touchdown or less again an ACC opponent — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Orange managed only 240 yards of offense in the loss. Syracuse entered the season with only 11 starters back from last year’s 5-7 that finished only 2-6 in ACC play. Injuries and opt-outs have further decimated what was already a shaky roster. The Orange are now without their top two running backs from their original depth chart along with their top two defensive backs including safety Andre Cisco who enter the leading the nation with his 12 career interceptions (which correlates with the steep decline in the team’s takeaways). Syracuse also lost their starting quarterback Tommy Devito in mid-October. After three subpar starts from senior Rex Culpepper, head coach Dino Babers turned to a true freshman in JaCobian Morgan to make his first start against the Eagles two weeks ago. Morgan was OK that week — he completed 19 of 30 passes for 188 yards with a TD and an interception. But this is a tough assignment being asked to outduel Cunningham leading a team that is just 3-8-2 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. Syracuse has also failed to cover the point spread in 37 of their last 58 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points.

FINAL TAKE: Louisville will not have their top running back, Javian Hawkins, who has opted-out for the rest of the season — but they expect to get their speedy junior Hassan Hill to return to action after missing the last three games. The Cardinals have covered the point spread in their last 4 opportunities to host the Orange. This may look like a lot of points to lay for a 2-6 team — but let’s trust the wisdom of the oddsmakers. 25* CFB Friday ESPN Game of the Month with the Louisville Cardinals (326) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (325). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (322) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (321). THE SITUATION: Seattle (6-3) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 23-16 loss in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3-point underdog. Arizona (6-3) has won four of their last five games after their 32-30 win against Buffalo as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Seattle should respond with a strong effort tonight. They are a decisive 32-15-4 ATS in their last 51 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss to an NFC West opponent. They are also 12-5-2 ATS in their last 19 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Seahawks have covered the point spread in 51 of their last 83 games after losing two games in a row. And while Seattle has not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Injuries have hit this team hard. I did not make a call on this game until Thursday, given the potential attrition to tonight’s roster. Cornerbacks Quinton Dunbar and Shaquille Griffin along with running back Chris Carson are not expected to play. Starting center Ethan Pocic is also out tonight as he continues in the concussion protocol — and that is significant. But head coach Pete Carroll does expect backup center Kyle Fuller to play after the high ankle sprain he suffered on Sunday. That development was essential for me to endorse the Seahawks tonight. Carroll also expects wide receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Carlos Hyde to play as well. Quarterback Russell Wilson needs to reduce his turnovers after being responsible for seven in the last two games. Seattle has lost the turnover battle in these last two games — but they have then covered the point spread in 36 of their last 55 games after having a -1 or worse net turnover margin in two straight games. The Seahawks defense is worst in the league by allowing 448.3 total YPG — but this unit has been playing better despite the losing streak. They have held their last three opponents to 386.7 YPG which is more than 60 YPG below their current season average. Safety Jamal Adams has been injured but he did return to register seven tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble against the Rams. The Seahawks have also recently acquired defensive linemen Carlos Dunlap and Snacks Harrison who should both improve the pass rush and run defense for this team. Seattle returns home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games with the total set at 49.5 or higher. The Seahawks are also 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games in November. Arizona needed the miracle Hail Mary play from Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins to steal that victory over the Bills last week. Yet the Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after a win at home where they did not cover the point spread. Arizona is also dealing with a host of injuries — especially on their defensive line which makes me a bit less concerned about the Seattle offensive line. Defensive end Zach Allen went on the Injured Reserve with an ankle injury — he is the fourth defensive linemen to get placed on the IR for this team. Nose tackle Corey Peters is already out the season with a knee and Pro Bowl linebacker Chandler Jones is on the IR with his biceps injury. Now defensive end Jordan Phillips has been declared out with a foot injury for tonight. This Cardinals defense has declined as of late (they really miss Jones). They are allowing 32.7 PPG over their last three games along with 417.7 YPG with all three of those opponents scoring at least 30 points. Arizona has gained at least 438 yards in five straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after gaining at least 375 yards in their last game. And while they have rushed for at least 159 yards in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games played on a Thursday night — and Seattle is 7-1-2 ATS in their last 10 games played on a Thursday night. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month with the Seattle Seahawks (322) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (321). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (301) and the Kent State Golden Flashes (302). THE SITUATION: Akron (0-2) remained winless last week with their 24-10 loss at Ohio last Tuesday as a 27.5-point underdog. Kent State (2-0) is undefeated after their 62-24 win at Bowling Green last Tuesday as a 20.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Zips may still be winless in the 14 games coached by Tom Arth in his second season with the program — but there is reason for optimism. Arth has 70 new players on the roster consisting of transfers, redshirt freshman, and true freshmen from the group that was 0-12 last year. Six starters are back on defense along with eleven of the top sixteen tacklers — and Akron limited the Bobcats last week to just 307 yards of offense. The Zips have a solid rushing attack led by junior college transfer Teon Dollard who ran the ball 22 times for 165 yards against Ohio for a robust 7.5 Yards-Per-Carry average in that game. Akron ran for 218 yards last week to improve their rushing Yards-Per-Game average to a 173.0 clip for the season. The Zips should be able to shorten the length of this game with their rushing attack — they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Arth has a redshirt freshman under center in Zach Gibson with the team’s senior three-year starter, Kato Nelson, recovering from shoulder surgery in August. As it is, the Zips have played a decisive 39 of their last 57 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Akron has also played 27 of their last 38 games Under the Total after login two straight games against conference rivals. Now the Zips go back on the road where they have played 35 of their last 51 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Kent State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Golden Flashes have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. Additionally, Kent State has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. The Golden Flashes generated 372 passing yards against the Falcons — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Kent State averaged an explosive 11.94 Yards-Per-Play for 657 total yards — yet they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.25 YPP in their last game and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 475 yards in their last game. The Golden Flashes return home where the Under is 11-5-1 in their last 17 games when they are favored. Kent State has excelled in their pass defense so far this season with seven sacks while holding their opponents to just 173.0 passing YPG which is the best mark in the MAC.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 meetings Under the Total. Expect a lower-scoring game. 25* CFB Tuesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (301) and the Kent State Golden Flashes (302). 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 Minnesota Vikings (275) and the Chicago Bears (276). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (3-5) has won two games in a row after their 34-20 win at home against Detroit as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. Chicago (5-4) has lost three straight games after their 24-17 loss at Philadelphia as a 6.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Vikings have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a victory by at least two touchdowns. Minnesota has also played a decisive 43 of their last 40 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and this includes them playing nine of their last eleven games Under the Total after reaching at least 30 points in their last game. Behind running back Delvin Cook who rushed for 206 yards on 22 carries, the Vikings put up 275 rushing yards against the Lions defense — but they have then played 16 of their last 20 games on the road Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Now they face this Bears’ defense that is 9th in the NFL by allowing only 101.5 rushing Yards-Per-Game when playing at home. Minnesota scores 24.1 PPG on the road while averaging 339.5 total YPG in their four road games — and those numbers are -3.1 PPG and —42.7 YPG below their season averages. The Vikings have also benefited from a +3 net turnover margin against the Lions. Yet they have played 29 of their last 59 games Under the Total including three of their last four after enjoying a +3 or better turnover margin in their last game. Minnesota is playing better on defense as of late — they have held their last two opponents to 22 and 20 points which are both season lows. The Vikings have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. The Bears have not scored more than 23 points in six straight games. They did gain 375 yards last week against the Eagles — but they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Chicago is undermanned at the running back position right now with David Montgomery out as he goes through the concussion protocol and Tarik Cohen already out the year with his torn ACL. The Bears will rely on converted wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, Ryan Nall, and Artavis Pierce (along with perhaps Lamar Miller coming off their practice squad after missing all of last season with a torn ACL) as their running backs. Quarterback Nick Foles 52 pass attempts against the Eagles — and the Bears have played 14 of their last 16 games Under the Total after passing the ball at least 50 times in their last game. Chicago has also played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. They return home where they are scoring only 17.8 PPG while averaging 286.3 total YPG — but they are holding their opponents to just 19.3 PPG at Soldier Field. The Bears have played 12 of their last 15 home games Under the Total. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. It will be cold on the south side of Chicago tonight with the temperatures dropping into the low-40s — and the Bears have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in November. Chicago has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games played in Chicago Under the Total. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (275) and the Chicago Bears (276). 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 Baltimore Ravens (273) and the New England Patriots (274). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (6-2) has won four of their last five games after their 24-10 win at Indianapolis last Sunday as a 1-point underdog. New England (3-5) snapped a four-game losing streak on Monday with their 30-27 victory over the New York Jets as a 9-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ravens have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after an upset win by at least two touchdowns as a road underdog. Baltimore has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning at least two of their last three games. And while that was the first time that the Ravens have covered the point spread in their last three games, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after only covering the point spread once in their last three games. Baltimore is an excellent defensive team — they lead the NFL by allowing only 17.8 PPG. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Ravens have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents. And in their last 7 games played on field turf, Baltimore has played 6 of these games Under the Total. New England has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Patriots have also played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing on a short week after an appearance on Monday Night Football. New England is scoring only 20.8 PPG which is 28th in the league — and that number drops to just 18.8 PPG while averaging jut 323.0 total YPG in their four games at home. Those are ominous numbers when considering that the Patriots have played only one top-ten defense this season — and quarterback Cam Newton managed only 98 passing yards in that game where they scored just 6 points. New England has played 4 of their last 5 game Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Patriots have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: Weather will likely play a significant role in this game tonight. There is a 100% chance of rain with thunderstorms possible. Winds will be 9 to 18 MPH with gusts up to 47 MPH. This will negatively impact both passing games — and both Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton can struggle with their accuracy. Both defenses will likely get away with putting an extra defender in a box to stop the run given these conditions. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (273) and the New England Patriots (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (277) plus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (278). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (2-6) has lost two games in a row with their 31-26 loss at home to Las Vegas last Sunday as a 1-point underdog. Miami (5-3) has won four games in a row with their 34-31 upset win at Arizona as a 6-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles lost their fifth game of the season on the final play once again last week with a dropped pass in the end zone taking victory away from head coach Anthony Lynn’s team. Everyone is banging away at Lynn this week for his game management late in the game. Perhaps some of these criticisms are valid — but this dynamic is overplayed. While I disagree with those in the analytics community that thinks winning close games is solely a function of luck, I certainly agree that winning and losing close games often is dependent on one or two plays — and often those plays experience plenty of variance regarding the random events that take place within them (like dropping a touchdown pass). The ability to consistently play close games is the more predictable variable for this Chargers team than what happens in the final moments. Los Angeles’ has had a halftime lead six times this season. All six of their losses have been by seven points or less — and all those losses were by a combined 24 points. And going back to last year, the Chargers have seen 15 of their 17 losses decided by one scoring possession. What is more consistent is yardage numbers — and LA is outgaining their opponents by +61.5 net YPG. The Chargers are getting their ground game going to complement rookie QB, Justin Herbert, as they are averaging 146 rushing YPG over their last five games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing two games in a row. They also have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games on the road after a game where both teams scored at least 24 points. The Chargers outgained the Raiders last week by +120 net yards as they held them to just 320 yards of offense. LA is 9-4-2 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Now they go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games away from home. Miami was outgained by -130 net yards in their upset win last week. And that accomplishment came on the heels of their upset win over the Rams the previous week where they won despite being outgained by a whopping -326 net yards! The Dolphins scored two defensive touchdowns against the Rams before returning a 36-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown last week against the Cardinals. Scoring defensive touchdowns to overcome getting outgained by more than 100 YPG is simply not sustainable. Miami is being outgained by -61.5 net YPG — and they are losing the yardage battle at home by -106.8 net YPG. The Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 25 home games after a win by a field goal or less. And while Miami has won five of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 29 home games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. Now this team returns home where they are an ugly 22-46-1 ATS in their last 69 games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers are 34-15-4 ATS in their last 53 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games as a dog getting up to 3 points. 25* NFL Underdog of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (277) plus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (149) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (150). THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (4-2) has won four games in a row with their 38-14 win at Syracuse as a 14-point favorite two weeks ago on October 31st. North Carolina (5-2) has won two of their last three games with their 56-24 win at Duke as a 10.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Demon Deacons have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Wake Forest has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Demon Deacons limited the Orange to just 221 yards of offense — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Wake Forest has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. This team has steadily improved their play on defense this season for head coach Dave Clawson. They have held their last three opponents to just 17.7 PPG along with only 358.0 total YPG. Furthermore, the Demon Deacons have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total as an underdog. North Carolina has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Tar Heels have also played 31 of their last 47 home games Under the Total after a game where at least 60 combined points were scored. North Carolina has played three straight Overs where at least 69 combined points were scored — and their last two contests reaching at least 80 points. Yet the Tar Heels have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight Overs. North Carolina has also played 22 of their last 20 games Under the Total when they played two straight games where at least 60 combined points were scored — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games when they have played three straight games where at least 60 combined points were scored. Despite these higher scoring games, the Tar Heels are playing pretty good defense when playing at home. North Carolina holds its visitors to just 24.0 PPG along with 363.0 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: North Carolina has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set at 63 or higher — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 63 or higher. 25* CFB ACC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (149) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (150). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Minnesota Golden Gophers (128) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (127). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (1-2) won their first game of the season last week with their 41-14 win at Illinois as a 7.5-point favorite. Iowa (1-2) also snapped a two-game losing streak to win their opening game of the season last Saturday with their 49-7 victory over Michigan State as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN GOPHERS PLUS THE POINTS: Minnesota should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, the Golden Gophers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a victory by at least three touchdowns against a Big Ten rival. The Minnesota defense played their best game of the season by holding the Illini to just 287 yards of offense. The Gophers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Minnesota offense has been quite good as they are scoring 36.3 Points-Per-Game while averaging 444.3 total YPG. Running back Mo Ibrahim leads the nation by averaging 190.3 rushing YPG. They have 85 combined points in their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 31 points in two straight games. The Gophers return home where they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range. Additionally, Minnesota is 28-12-2 ATS in their last 42 games in November. Iowa may be due for an emotional letdown after they crushed the Spartans last week. The Hawkeyes have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. Iowa scored on a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown and then a 54-yard interception touchdown return to close out the second quarter and go into halftime with a 35-0 lead. Yet Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after owning at least a 17-point lead at halftime in their last game. The Hawkeyes have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. And in their last 6 games are not allowing more than 20 points in their last game, Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota will have revenge on their minds for this one as Iowa ruined their unbeaten season last year on November 16th with their 23-19 win in Iowa City as a 3.5-point favorite. The Golden Gophers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog under head coach P.J. Fleck. 25* CFB Big Ten Underdog of the Month with the Minnesota Golden Gophers (128) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (127). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Indianapolis Colts (121) plus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (122). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (5-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 24-10 upset loss at home to Baltimore as a 1-point favorite. Tennessee (6-2) ended a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 24-17 win against Chicago as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COLTS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Indianapolis outgained the Ravens last week by +79 net yards after holding them to just 260 total yards. Baltimore scored on a defensive touchdown from a 65-yard fumble recovery that helped to make the winning difference. Indianapolis is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss — and they are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a double-digit loss at home. The Colts are also 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. Indy is scoring a healthy 26.0 PPG this season — and that mark has risen to a 27.3 PPG clip in their last three games with them averaging 378.3 total YPG during that span. Quarterback Philip Rivers is completing 67.9% of his passes with 2087 passing yards and a 7.6 Yards-Per-Attempt average. And while tight end Jack Doyle is out for this game as he recovers from a concussion, Rivers will get wide receiver, T.Y. Hilton, back from the groin injury that has kept him out the last few weeks. The Colts’ offensive line leads the league by allowing only eight sacks this season — and the pass rush is a weakness for the Titans. Rivers should have plenty of time to pick apart the Tennessee secondary. Indianapolis also leads the NFL by allowing only 290.0 total YPG. They go back on the road where they are outgaining their opponents by +46.7 net YPG. The Colts are also 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games in November. Tennessee defeated the Bears last week despite getting outgained by -147 net yards. The Titans managed only 228 total yards against Chicago — and they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. Despite winning six of their eight games, Tennessee is getting outgained by -10.2 net YPG. The Titans have eked out five of the six games they have played that have been decided by one scoring possession. Tennessee surrendered 319 passing yards to Nick Foles last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. And while the Titans rank 7th in the league by scoring 29.0 PPG this year, they are scoring only 22.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 320.3 total YPG which is -63.6 net YPG below their season mark. Additionally, Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against fellow AFC opponents. Furthermore, the Titans will be missing a couple of important players with both wide receiver Adam Humphries and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson out with injuries.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their meetings last season with the road team winning both times. The Colts have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 meetings with the Titans including covering the point spread in six of their last eight trips to Nashville to play Tennessee in their building. Indianapolis is 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 Thursday Night Football games — and the Titans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on Thursday nights. 25* AFC South Game of the Month with the Indianapolis Colts (121) plus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (122). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (474) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (473). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (6-2) enters this game coming off a 25-23 win at New York against the Giants as a 13-point favorite for Monday Night Football. New Orleans (5-2) comes off a 26-23 win at Chicago in overtime last Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCCANEERS MINUS THE POINTS: Tampa Bay was flat on Monday as a double-digit favorite as they were perhaps looking ahead to this NFC South showdown. The Buccaneers are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games when playing on a short week on Sunday after featuring on Monday Night Football. Tampa Bay allowed 367 yards to the Giants in the win — but they are 20-9-3 ATS in their last 32 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Bucs have one of the best defenses in the league as they are allowing only 20.6 PPG along with just 299.5 total YPG. Tampa Bay also boasts the best-run defense in the league as they hold their opponents to just 70.4 rushing YPG. They have held three opponents to under 50 rushing yards this season. This stout defense is a great combination with the Tom Brady-led offense. What is underrated about Brady is that his offenses limit turnovers. He threw two interceptions in the opening game loss in the Big Easy against the Saints — but he has thrown only two interceptions in his last six games. Furthermore, New Orleans has committed just five turnovers in their last seven games — and they have won the turnover battle in six of their last seven games. Brady is getting comfortable in the Bruce Arians offense. He is averaging 2 touchdown passes per game over his last three starts — and he is completing over 70% of his passes in his last two starts. Since Week Three, Brady has 17 touchdown passes to just one interception. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after a win on the road by 3 points or less. Their victory over the Bears came off a 27-24 win against Carolina — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after winning their last two games by a field goal or less. And while some bettors may consider the Saints “due” because they have not covered the point spread in their last three games, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning their last two games where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. The Saints defense is an issue as they are allowing 28.1 PPG this season. They are just 16th in the league by allowing 237.9 passing YPG — and they ave allowed two touchdowns of more than 60 yards. Their win over the Bears flew Over the 41 point Total — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams met in Brady’s first game in a Tampa Bay uniform with the Saints winning by a 34-23 score. Brady completed only 23 of 36 passes for what is now his third-lowest completion percentage with the Buccaneers. But New Orleans managed only 82 rushing yards in that game which is their lowest output of the season. Wide receiver Michael Thomas is questionable to return to the field today after missing much of the season. The Buccaneers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games when playing with revenge against a team that scored at least 28 points against them. 25* NFC South Game of the Year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (474) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (473). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (468) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Las Vegas Raiders (467). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (2-5) looks to bounce back from a 31-30 loss at Denver last Sunday as a 3-point favorite. Las Vegas (4-3) has won two of their last three games after their 16-6 upset win at Cleveland as a 1-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): That was the fifth game this season that Los Angeles has lost a game decided by seven points or less. All five of the Chargers’ losses have been decided by a combined 19 points. Despite winning only two of their seven games, head coach Anthony Lynn’s team is outgaining their opponents by +51.1 net YPG. They should respond with a strong effort this afternoon as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after suffering an upset loss in their last game. Additionally, the Chargers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Chargers’ offense is beginning to click under rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. They are scoring 32.0 PPG while averaging 439.7 total YPG with Herbert getting his top two weapons in the passing game, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, healthy and on the field together at the same time. Los Angeles has scored at least 27 points in four straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 25 points in four straight contests. The Chargers are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two of their last three contests. The Raiders held the Browns to just 223 yards last week in the weather that limited the passing attacks for both teams. But Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not giving up more than 14 points in their last contest. Despair their winning record, the Raiders are only outgaining their opponents by +1.7 net YPG — and they are getting outscored by -2.3 PPG. They stay on the road for a second straight week where they are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They are also just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games when favored. And in their last 8 games played on field turf, Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread 6 times.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers have had this game circled on their calendars all year after getting swept by the Raiders last year. Los Angeles lost the first meeting in Oakland by a 26-24 score before getting upset in the rematch in LA by a 24-17 score as a 7-point favorite on December 22nd. This is expected to be a high-scoring game with the Total set in the low 50s — but the Raiders have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher and the Chargers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. 25* AFC West Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (468) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Las Vegas Raiders (467). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (314) plus the points versus the Brigham Young University Cougars (313). THE SITUATION: Boise State (2-0) won their second-straight game this season with their 49-30 win at Air Force last Saturday as a 13-point favorite. BYU (7-0) remained unbeaten this season last Saturday with their 41-10 victory at home against Western Kentucky as a 31.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier did not get on the plane to Air Force last week for an undisclosed reason — the Broncos did have one player who tested positive for COVID but privacy reasons preclude the release of that information (and they had another player not make the trip). Just as well, competitively, as it allowed Jack Sears to get his shot under center. The USC transfer completed 17 of 20 passes for 280 yards with three touchdown passes (no interceptions) with another 36 rushing yards with a touchdown. Boise State has not announced their starting quarterback for this game — frankly, I think Sears is better but I was prepared to still back the Broncos if Bachmeier was the confirmed starter. Put another way, if Bachmeier starts but struggles, head coach Bryan Harsin is going to turn to Sears. As it is, the Broncos have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 home games after a win by at least five touchdowns against a conference rival. Sears led an offense that generated 459 yards last week — and they are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Boise State did allow the Falcons to gain 484 yards in that game but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. The Broncos have only forced one turnover this season — and they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games after not forcing more than one turnover in two straight games. They return home to their blue field where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games. They also have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog. BYU has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a victory by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. The Cougars have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. BYU has not allowed more than 267 yards in two straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in two straight games. This is the Cougars’ best start since 2001 — but their best competition has been against middling Houston and Navy teams this season. BYU was a two-touchdown or more favorite in their other five games this season. And this remains a program that entered the season with a 14-74 straight-up record against top-25 teams since 1972. The Cougars have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games in November.

FINAL TAKE: This game does have playoff implications with BYU ranked 9th in the AP poll with Boise State ranked 21st but a potential playoff team if they go undefeated to win the Mountain West Conference. The Broncos will be looking to avenge a 28-25 upset loss at BYU last year on October 19th where they were 7-point favorites. Boise State has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on a Friday night. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Game of the Year with the Boise State Broncos (314) plus the points versus the Brigham Young University Cougars (313). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200005) and Southampton (200006). THE SITUATION: Newcastle (W3-D2-L2) looks to build off their 2-1 win over Everton last Sunday in their most recent English Premier League match. Southampton (W4-D1-L2) has won four of their last five matches after they defeated Aston Villa on the road by a 4-3 score last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Newcastle does not have much of a more scoring punch — and manager Steve Bruce’s team often takes a defensive approach. The Magpies have scored only ten goals in their seven matches — and their expected goals (xG) in those contests were only 8.83. Now they go on the road where they are averaging just 0.67 xG per match for their non-penalty kick situations. Newcastle has scored four of their goals via a penalty shot which they can not rely on moving forward. The Magpies have conceded eleven goals this season as well — but their expected goals allowed (xGA) does suggest they have been a bit unfortunate with that number dropping to 10.56 xGA. Southampton has registered a clean sheet in three of their last five matches. The Saints are an underrated defensive club under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. Southampton has conceded twelve goals this season but their xGA drops to 8.91. They have allowed five goals in their three home matches — but their xGA is just 2.73 in those matches. The Saints will be without their top scorer, Danny Ings, who is out with a knee injury that requires surgery. Ings has scored five goals this season after his breakout campaign over the summer in Project Restart. They still have Che Adams upfront — but he is not a good finisher with most of his goals being from poaching from Ings’ creativity. Southampton may have to rely on James Ward-Prowse out of the midfield.

FINAL TAKE: Look for Hasenhuttl to have his team play this match close to the vest with Ings not available. Expect a lower-scoring match. 25* EPL Friday Afternoon Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200005) and Southampton (200006). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Colorado State Rams (306) plus the points versus the Wyoming Cowboys (305). THE SITUATION: Colorado State (0-1) lost its opening game of the season last Thursday in their 38-17 upset loss at Fresno State as a 2.5-point favorite. Wyoming (1-1) comes off a 31-7 win at home against Hawai’i last Friday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS PLUS THE POINTS: Colorado finally played their first game of the season last week after having their opening game with New Mexico canceled because of some COVID issues with the Lobos. The Rams also had COVID issues that kept sophomore wide receiver Dante Wright and tight end, Trey McBride, out for that game. With Warren Jackson leaving the team earlier this fall, those absences left this offense thin with their passing targets. Getting the updated COVID lists for all of these teams is simply essential before investing. Both Wright and McBride will return for this game which will make a huge difference. Wright is a speedy sophomore and McBride is a potential NFL prospect. First-year head coach Steve Addazio was frustrated with the mistakes his team made last week. Said the former Boston College head coach after the game: “We've just got to get rid of the massive amount of mistakes that we had on both sides of the ball … Blown coverages, misaligned on defense ... Then (on offense), we had a couple of ridiculous mistakes that were drive-killers … We just need to be way, way more consistent.” The biggest jumps in improvement often come after the opening game of the season — I expect a much better effort from this Rams team tonight. As it is, Colorado State has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. The Rams have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss by at least 20 points. And in their last 5 games after failing to score at last 20 points, Colorado State has covered the point spread in 4 of these games. They returned 15 starters from last year’s team that was only 4-8 — but they did outgain their Mountain West Conference foes by +34 Yards-Per-Game. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games. Wyoming has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset victory by at least 10 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games if they come off a home game where they pulled off an upset victory by double-digits. The Cowboys only committed one turnover in that game which helped them win the turnover battle for the second-straight week — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after not turning the ball over more than once in their last game. We had Wyoming in that game in just a great situation with them returning home to host the Rainbow Warriors in very cold weather. The Cowboys have now won seven straight games at home to improve their 30-15 straight-up mark in the last forty-five games at War Memorial Stadium. But Wyoming has lost six of their last eight games away from home. Twelve starters returned from the team last year that finished 8-5 — but they lost their top three tacklers from that group. Nevada rolled up 496 yards against them in their opening game loss in Reno. Wyoming has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 road games when laying 3.5 to 7 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have won the last four Border Wars between these two teams after last year’s 17-7 victory at home in Laramie. Look for Colorado State to be in a position to pull the upset tonight in Addazio’s second game with the team. 25* CFB Thursday CBS Sports Network Game of the Year with the Colorado State Rams (306) plus the points versus the Wyoming Cowboys (305). 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 Green Bay Packers (301) and the San Francisco 49ers (302). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (5-2) has lost two of their last three games after their 28-22 upset loss at home to Minnesota as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. San Francisco (4-4) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 37-27 loss at Seattle as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. Green Bay generated 400 yards against the Vikings in that loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total. Despite that haul of yardage, the Packers’ offense has slowed down significantly since playing Tampa Bay three weeks ago when defensive coordinator Todd Bowles designed a game plan of complicated stunts and disguised schemes that stymied Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay is scoring only 22.3 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 326.7 total YPG in this copycat league. The Packers also allowed Minnesota to generate only 324 yards but a 6.75 Yards-Per-Play rate — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.0 YPP.  Their loss last week came on the heels of their 35-20 victory over Houston two weeks ago — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where at least 50 points were scored. Green Bay stays on the road this week where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as a favorite. Additionally, the Packers have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. Green Bay will not be at full strength with running backs A.J. Dillon and Jamal Williams on the COVID list. Running back Aaron Jones is also questionable with a calf injury — so he is a game-time decision. If Jones cannot play, the available running backs to the Packers’ offense is Tyler Ervin (who is mostly a pass-catching back) and Dexter Williams who would be activated off the practice squad. Those absences are minor compared to the M*A*S*H unit that is San Francisco. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle are out indefinitely. Running back Tevin Coleman has been downgraded to out with a knee. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, left tackle Trent Williams, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel are on the COVID list. Nick Mullens will run the offense — and this will be a run-heavy game-plan against the suspect Packers run defense that is allowing their opponents to average 4.7 Yards-Per-Carry. San Francisco swept the two meetings between these two teams last year — including in the NFC Championship Game where they won by a 37-20 score. The formula for success was running the football and dominating the physical battle — and head coach Kyle Shanahan will certainly keep this same approach for this rematch. This commitment to running the football will burn time off the clock while likely reducing the number of offensive possessions for both teams — and Shanahan is disciplined to not abandon the run if his team falls behind. San Francisco has averaged 402.7 YPG over their last three games — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after averaging at least 400 YPG over their last three games. The Niners return home where they have played 15 of their last 22 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. San Francisco has also played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Despite a host of injuries on defense headlined by the losses of Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, and Dee Ford, the Niners are still only allowing 21.6 PPG along with 314.6 total YPG — and those numbers have dropped to 19.7 PPG and 300.7 YPG over their last three games. San Francisco has an outstanding defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh who will have certainly studied closely the Bowles’ game plan from three weeks ago.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when playing on Thursday Night Football. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (301) and the San Francisco 49ers (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Leicester City (200121) and Leeds United (200122). THE SITUATION: Leicester City (W4-D0-L2) has won three straight matches across all competition that includes their 1-0 win at Arsenal last Sunday in their most recent English Premier League match. Leeds United (W3-D1-L2) comes off a 3-0 win at Aston Villa in their last match two Fridays ago on October 23rd.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Leicester City defeated AEK Athens on Thursday by a 2-1 score in Europa League action. They also held Arsenal to just 0.96 expected goals in that blank sheet victory. After a dominant 5-2 win at Manchester City on September 27th, the Foxes have played five straight matches across all competitions that have not seen more than three combined goals scored. This team under Brendan Rodgers has become a bit more defensively-oriented. They have allowed only one goal in their last three matches in all competitions. In the EPL, they have allowed only 8 goals but their expected goals allowed (xGA) is just 6.97 — and that 1.20 xGA per match mark is second-best in the league. They have allowed only four non-penalty shot Big Chances this season of scoring opportunities for their opponent with at least a 35% statistical chance of scoring. But the offense has lagged. While the Foxes have scored 13 goals, their expected goals mark (xG) drops to 8.67 which suggests they have been fortunate to see those many goals scored. Leicester City has just a 0.90 xG mark per game in non-penalty kick situations. Leeds United are tied with Leicester City by allowing just four non-penalty kick Big Chances which is the third-best mark in the EPL. They have allowed 12 goals with a 1.68 xGA mark but they have played a difficult schedule which includes Man City and Liverpool. The Whites have not seen more than three combined goals in four straight matches. Their striker, Patrick Bamford, has scored six times already — but that was based on 3.4 xG which suggests he has been pretty fortunate.

FINAL TAKE: After playing two high-scoring matches against Liverpool and Fulham, manager Marcelo Bielsa, has his team playing a bit less aggressive when it comes to when his midfielders rush to join the forwards in their counter-attack. Leeds plays a unique style that has stymied the topflight competition — most of their opponents have decided to play conservatively to counter their tactics. Leicester City will likely embrace this approach and bank on a Jamie Vardy counter-attack which was how they defeated Arsenal with his goal in the 80th minute. 25* EPL Monday NBC Sports Network with Under the Total in the match between Leicester City (200121) and Leeds United (200122). 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 Dallas Cowboys (271) and the Philadelphia Eagles (272). THE SITUATION: Dallas (2-5) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 25-3 upset loss at Washington last week. Philadelphia (2-4-1) looks to build off their 22-21 win over the New York Giants last week as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a loss by at least two touchdowns. Dallas has also played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They will be turning to rookie Ben Dinucci under center with Andy Dalton on the shelf after suffering a concussion last week. Frankly, the 7th round pick from James Madison cannot do much worse than Dalton has for this team. He passed for over 3400 yards in his senior season taking the Dukes to the national championship game. He adds desperately needed mobility to the position that Dalton lacks — he rushed for 569 yards with seven touchdowns last season for James Madison. I expect offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to get creative with Dinucci with some designed run plays. I also expect more creativity from Moore in getting the ball in the hands of the uber-talented Dallas wide receiving corps. And I expect more from running back Ezekiel Elliott after the Cowboys managed only 83 rushing yards last week against the Football Team. Dallas has played 14 of their last 16 games Over the Total after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. The offensive line for the Cowboys is mired with injuries but they do expect guard Zack Martin to return to the starting lineup for this game. Dinucci’s mobility will make a big difference. Dallas has played two straight Unders with Dalton being their primary quarterback. The Cowboys have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a game that fished Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after playing two straight Overs. Even if Dallas struggles to score points, their defense is likely to offer the Eagles plenty of scoring opportunities. The Cowboys are last in the league by allowing 34.7 PPG — and these opponents are generating 408.1 total YPG against them this season. Philadelphia is scoring 26.3 PPG over their last three games while averaging 380.7 total YPG despite a number of injuries on offense. Quarterback Carson Wentz led an offense that gained 442 yards against the Giants last week — and the Eagles have played 5 straight games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Wentz has thrown six touchdown passes in his last three games. The Philly offense is slowly getting healthier with tackle Lane Johnson, tight end Dallas Goedert, and rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor all expected to play tonight. And while the Eagles win over the Giants last week finished Under the 44.5 point total, they have then played 12 of their last 20 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog — and they have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total against fellow teams from the NFC East. With the number in the low-40s, expect a higher scoring game. 25* NFC East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (271) and the Philadelphia Eagles (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (270) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (269). THE SITUATION: Seattle (5-1) looks to rebound from their 37-34 upset loss in overtime at Arizona as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday night. San Francisco (4-3) pulled off their second-straight upset victory last week with their 33-6 victory at New England as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Seattle should respond with a strong effort as they are 32-15-4 ATS in their last 51 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by 6 points or less. The Seahawks are also 11-4-2 ATS in their last 17 games after a point spread loss. Seattle dominated time of possession having the football for over nine minutes longer than the Cardinals — and they outgained them by +53 net yards. If not for a late personal foul that kept an Arizona drive alive, the Seahawks likely win that game. Seattle went into the locker room at halftime with a 27-17 lead — that was the first game in the Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era where they lost a game after enjoying a halftime lead of at least four points. Wilson completed 33 of 50 passes for 388 yards while adding another 84 yards on the ground. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after passing for at least 300 yards in their last game. Wilson leads an offense that is tops in the NFL in both scoring 33.8 PPG and in averaging 425.2 total YPG. The Seattle defense is a weakness — and the recently acquired Carlos Dunlap will not be able to play this week given COVID restrictions for newly acquired players. But Carroll expects to get Jamal Adams back on the field after he has been out with a groin injury. The Seahawks surrendered 360 yards last week — but they have then covered the point spread in 7 straight games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. They are also 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest. Seattle returns home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. And in their last 6 games in November, the Seahawks are 5-0-1 ATS. San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win by at least two touchdowns — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 road games after not allowing more than 6 points in their last game. The 49ers are slowly getting a bit healthier — but this remains a shell of the Super Bowl team last season with Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, Dee Ford, and Raheem Mostert all on Injured Reserve as they headline a still very long injured list. San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. They are also 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games in November. Furthermore, the Niners have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against NFC West foes.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco is just 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games against the Seahawks — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games in Seattle. They did upset the Seahawks on the road in the last meeting between these two teams by a 26-21 score last December 29th — but that will likely be even more motivation for Seattle to get back to their winning ways this week. 25* NFC West Game of the Year with the Seattle Seahawks (270) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (269). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wyoming Cowboys (142) minus the point(s) versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (141). THE SITUATION: Wyoming (0-1) looks to rebound from their 37-34 upset loss at Nevada in overtime last week by a 3-point favorite. Hawai’i (1-0) comes off a 34-19 upset win at Fresno State last Saturday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINT(S): Wyoming started slowly as they fell behind by a 28-6 margin before rallying to force overtime where they eventually failed to steal the victory. But the Cowboys have then bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. Wyoming endured sophomore quarterback Sean Chambers suffer a season-ending broken leg in the third play of this game. Chambers started the first seven games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. However, the Cowboys have a capable replacement in redshirt freshman Levi Williams, who led the team to 38 points as the starter last year in their 38-17 victory over Georgia State in the Arizona Bowl. Williams completed 16 of 31 passes for 227 yards while adding another 40 yards on the ground with two touchdowns in almost leading his team to the comeback win. Chambers is a run-first quarterback — Williams is the better passer while still offering running skills. Despite the loss, this is a good Wyoming team that returned over 70% of the two-deep from the team last year that finished 8-5. Many observers have commented on the lack of a home-field advantage when playing in a pandemic without crowded stadiums — but this has been a myopic view of the intangibles that offer teams a home edge. The Cowboys retain a significant home edge playing in Laramie, with it being 7220 feet above sea level. Becoming comfortable playing in a high altitude is not as easy for visiting teams — Wyoming has won 29 of their last 44 games at home on Jonah Field in War Memorial Stadium, including all six home contests last season. The Cowboys have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when favored. Hawai’i has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset win by at least 10 points as a road underdog. The Rainbow Warriors ran for 323 yards in the first game under first-year head coach Todd Graham who has molded the team’s Run-and-Shoot attack with Air Raid principles and an increased emphasis on running the football. But Hawai’i has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after rushing for at least 200 yards. Graham inherited eleven starters from last year’s team finished 10-5 with their 38-34 win over BYU in the Hawai’i Bowl. That team enjoyed four net victories in games decided by one scoring possession — so that winning record could have been flipped with some bad breaks. They did have a -11 net turnover margin last year — but they enjoyed a fortunate +3 net turnover edge against the Bulldogs last week. Now this team goes on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range. Additionally, the Rainbow Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games against teams with a losing record — and they are just 7-16-1 ATS in their last 24 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Graham had scheduled practice time in the Rocky Mountains this week — but seven inches of snow in Denver led to the postponement of those outdoor practices. That is not a good sign for this team from the tropics, who are just 9-24-1 ATS in their last 35 games in October. Wyoming has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games in October — and the temperature is expected to drop below the freezing level tonight. Head coach Craig Bohl will have his team ready to play against this Rainbow Warriors team that upset them last week by a 17-13 score as a 4-point underdog. 25* College Football Game of the Month with the Wyoming Cowboys (142) minus the point(s) versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (141). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Wolverhampton (200146) minus the goal-line versus Crystal Palace (2000145). THE SITUATION: Wolverhampton (W3-D1-L2) looks to get back to their winning ways after settling for a 1-1 draw to Newcastle United last Sunday. Crystal Palace (W3-D1-L2) snapped a three-match winless streak with their 2-1 win at Fulham last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE WOLVERHAMPTON WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Crystal Palace benefited from facing the promoted Fulham side who may be the worst team in the premiership (pending their result on Monday with West Bromwich). The Eagles had the second-worst expected goals (xG) mark (excluding penalty kicks) along with the fewest shots in the box before that match last week. After managing just 0.14 expected goals three matches ago to Chelsea, they had zero shots in the box outside Wilfried Zaha’s penalty shot two matches ago against Brighton in a contest where they generated a Blutarski 0.0 xG mark in non-penalty kick scoring chances. Crystal Palace is playing very cautiously — but the problem is that they are still giving up plenty of scoring chances. The Eagles are third to last in the league by allowing their opponents to generate 1.80 xG. They have surrendered at least one goal in five straight EPL matches. Against a mediocre Fulham side, they allowed the second-most Big Chances (representing a scoring opportunity with at least a 38% success rate) all week. And while the win over Fulham was their second victory on the road this season after a surprising win at Manchester United last month, Palace was second-to-last in expected points (xPTS) in the EPL last season. Wolverhampton is unbeaten in their last three matches — and they were a few moments away from a three-game winning streak in the EPL before they surrendered a goal to Newcastle in the 89th minute last week. That was the only goal the Wolves have allowed in their last three league matches. Wolverhampton led the EPL with an expected goals allowed (xGA) mark of 1.08. After a slow start this season, the Wolves have stepped up their play on defense. After allowing seven Big Chances along with 29 shots in the box in their first three matches, Wolverhampton has given up only two Big Chances in their last three matches along with just 21 combined shots in the box.

FINAL TAKE: The Wolves struggled to generate scoring opportunities last week against a Newcastle side content to not control possession and simply counter-attack. Wolverhampton perhaps got too content with yet another second-half 1-0 lead after winning their last two EPL matches by 1-0 scores via a second-half goal. The Wolves should find it easier to score against this Palace defense. Let’s remember that Wolverhampton has been a top-seven team in each of the last two seasons in the EPL since its promotion three years ago. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with the Wolverhampton (200146) minus the goal-line versus Crystal Palace (2000145). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Atlanta Falcons (101) plus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (102). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (1-6) looks to bounce back from their 23-22 upset loss at home to Detroit as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. Carolina (3-4) has lost their last two games after their 27-24 loss at New Orleans as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FALCONS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta blew their third game where they had a late lead when running back Todd Gurley could not stop himself from stumbling into the end zone after getting first down inside the Lions’ 10-yard line late in that game. The touchdown gave Matthew Stafford one last opportunity to score a touchdown — which he did on the last play of the game — to steal the victory. The Falcons have suffered four upset losses this season — and they have four net close losses in games decide by one scoring possession. Yet Atlanta still has the better roster than the Panthers. And their defense has played better as of late as they have held each of their last three opponents to just 23 points. The Falcons allowed Detroit to gain 386 yards — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Atlanta goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. And in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record, the Falcons have covered the point spread 5 times. Carolina was outgained by the Saints last week by -132 net yards. The Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss by 6 points or less. All three of Carolina’s victories have been as an underdog. They return home where they are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 45.5 or higher. Furthermore, the Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. And in their last 11 games as a favorite, Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of these contests. There had been speculation that the Panthers would activate Christian McCaffrey for this game — but he remained on the Injured Reserve list this afternoon with his ankle sprain. Carolina is missing some players on their offensive line with tackle Russell Okung downgraded to doubtful with his calf injury and Michael Schofield III on the COVID list. The Panthers are also missing defensive tackle Kawan Short, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, and strong safety Juston Burris who are all on IR.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta will be looking to avenge a 23-16 upset loss at home to Carolina on October 11th which was the final game for both head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff before both were fired the next day. Wide receiver Julio Jones did not play in that game either with his hamstring injury — but he is in better health now after hauling in eight catches for 97 yards last week against the Lions. The Falcons are wavering 28.4 PPG when Jones is in the lineup. 25* NFC South Game of the Month with the Atlanta Falcons (101) plus the points versus the Carolina Panthers (102). 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 South Alabama Jaguars (103) and the Georgia Southern Eagles (104). THE SITUATION: South Alabama (3-2) has won two straight games against Sun Belt Conference rivals after their 38-14 win over UL-Monroe on Saturday as a 14-point favorite. Georgia Southern (3-2) looks to rebound from a 28-14 loss at Coastal Carolina a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jaguars have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning two in a row — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning their last two games against conference rivals. And while South Alabama allows 282 passing yards to the War Hawks, the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. Now after playing their last two games at home, the Jaguars go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total. South Alabama has also played 9 of their last 13 road games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing their last two games at home. Additionally, the Jaguars have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total in October. Georgia Southern has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while quarterback Shai Werts passed for only 94 passing yards last week after completing only 7 of 20 passes, the Eagles have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after not passing for more than 170 yards in their last game. Now after playing three of their last four games on the road, Georgia Southern returns home where they have played 4 straight games Under the Total as a favorite. The Eagles have also played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Georgia Southern returned their top four tacklers from last season — and they are allowing only 20.8 PPG this year.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia Southern has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing on a Thursday — and the Under is 4-1-2 in South Alabama’s last 7 games played on a Thursday night. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the South Alabama Jaguars (103) and the Georgia Southern Eagles (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing RB Leipzig (224325) plus the goal-line versus Manchester United (224326) in Group Stage play of the UEFA Champions League. THE SITUATION: RB Leipzig defeated Istanbul Basakehir last Tuesday in Champions League action. Manchester United upset Paris Saint-Germain last Tuesday by a 2-1 score in their opening match in the Champions League.

REASONS TO TAKE RB LEIPZIG PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: Man United has been maddeningly inconsistent this season. After their surprising victory over a PSG team that lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League finals over the summer, they then played to a listless 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea in their English Premier League match on Saturday. The deeper analytics suggest they were fortunate to get the win against PSG as they generated only 1.47 expected goals (xG) but allowed 1.59 expected goals (xGA). In their draw with the Blues, they put up a meager 0.78 xG. The Red Devils have some cohesion issues right now as they incorporate some new players they acquired from the transfer window. The enigmatic Paul Pogba is sulking. Manager Gunnar Solskjaer seems over his head at times. The attacking talent is there for this team — but their backline is another matter. Man United is W2-D1-L2 in the EPL so far this season with a bad 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace and a humiliating 6-1 loss to Tottenham on their resume. They are 17th in the league in net expected points differential. They are allowing their opponents to generate 1.98 xG. Furthermore, in their last three matches at home at Old Trafford, they are producing just 1.03 xG. RB Leipzig is not only one of the best sides in the Bundesliga but they have proven themselves on the international stage by reaching the semifinals of the Champions League over the summer where they lost to PSG. They have one of the best managers in the world in Julian Nagelsmann who has ensured his team did not miss a beat this season after losing Timo Werner to a mega-contract signing with Chelsea. Die Roten Bullen followed up their victory last week in the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin whee they generated 2.70 xG while holding them to just 0.78 xG. RB Leipzig has won five of their last six matches across all competitions with a 1-1 draw with at a quality Bayer Leverkusen side in the Bundesliga representing their only blemish to that run. The Red Bulls sit atop the German top-flight table. They are averaging 2.18 xG in league play so far this season — but it is perhaps their 0.76 xGA that is more impressive given the high-scoring that takes place in the Bundesliga.

FINAL TAKE: Man United tends to play its best against teams that are aggressive in the attack. But generating offense from the counter-attack is also RB Leipzig’s bread-and-butter. Those are the teams that give Solskjaer’s team problems. A draw is likely — but don’t be surprised if the Red Bulls pull the upset with the better manager and far better team cohesion right now. 25* UEFA Champions League Underdog of the Month with RB Leipzig (224325) plus the goal-line versus Manchester United (224326). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (961) versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (962) listing both starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tony Gonsolin in Game Six of the World Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (51-28) looks to force a climactic seventh game of the World Series tonight after losing Game Five on Sunday by a 4-2 score. Los Angeles (55-22) can win the World Series tonight. The Dodgers will be the designated home team for this game being played at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAYS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Expect this feisty Tampa Bay team to win this game as an underdog. The Rays have won 18 of their last 22 games after a loss. They also have won 14 of their last 18 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game — and this includes them winning their last five games after not scoring three or more runs in their last contest. Additionally, Tampa Bay has won 9 of their last 13 games after an off day. They also have won 14 of their last 20 games as an underdog. They give the ball to Snell who had a 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. The left-hander has a 2-2 record in these playoffs with a 3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 innings while striking out 28 batters. He last pitched in Game Two on Wednesday of last week — and the Rays have won 26 of their last 37 games when Snell is pitching with five or six days of rest. He faces a Dodgers team that has lost 5 of their last 7 games against left-handed starting pitchers in Interleague play. Los Angeles counters with Gonsolin who was 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP in eight starts (nine games) in the regular season. The deeper sabermetrics called for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.68 and 3.80. In this postseason, the right-hander has a 9.39 ERA along with a 1.70 WHIP in 7 2/3 innings — and his SIERA and xFIP of 5.94 and 7.10 agrees that he did not deserve much better results. The Dodgers have lost 5 of their last 8 games with Gonsolin making the start as a favorite priced up to -150.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers team that committed two errors on the final play of Game Five worries me. This remains a franchise that has lost 7 of their last 10 World Series games. Tampa Bay has won 5 of their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series — and they have won 4 of their last 5 playoff games when facing elimination in the playoffs. Snell should outpitch Gonsolin to force a Game Seven on Wednesday. 25* Major League Baseball Game of the Year with the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (961) versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (962) listing both starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tony Gonsolin. 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 Los Angeles Rams (476). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-1) has won two games in a row after their 23-16 upset win at Carolina as a 2-point underdog. Los Angeles (4-2) looks to bounce back from their 24-16 upset loss at San Francisco last Sunday night as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Chicago’s defense is holding its opponents to just 19.3 PPG this season. The Bears have not allowed more than 26 points all season — and they have held their last three opponents to less than 20 points. But the Chicago offense is another matter entirely. The Bears are averaging only 21.3 PPG this season — and tapping Nick Foles as their savior for a post-Mitchell Trubisky era has not solved the problem. Chicago has scored only 43 combined points in their last two games while settling for five field goals after stalled drives along the way. Foles is averaging only 5.9 Yards-Per-Pass-Attempt over his last two starts. He is not getting much help from the Bears’ rushing attack that is without running back Tarik Cohen is out the season with a torn ACL. In their two last two victories, Chicago has accumulated only 98 total rushing yards while averaging just 2.5 Yards-Per-Carry. Now this team stays on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home — and they have played 10 of their last 13 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Chicago has also played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total as an underdog overall. Furthermore, the Bears have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Rams surrendered 390 yards last week to the 49ers, but they have then played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Los Angeles has been playing good defense as they have held their opponents to just 19.0 PPG along with 318.5 total YPG. The Rams return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when laying the points. Los Angeles has also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Rams have played 6 straight games Under the Total in October — and the Bears have played 4 straight Unders in October. Chicago has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the Los Angeles Rams (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Tottenham (200093) and Burnley (200094). THE SITUATION: Tottenham (W2-D2-L1) enters this match coming off a 3-3 draw against West Ham in their last English Premier League match back on October 18th. Burnley (W0-D1-L3) comes off a 0-0 draw at West Bromwich on October 19th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Spurs have established chemistry between their talent and the tactics of manager Jose Mourinho who took over midseason last year. Tottenham lead the EPL with 15 goals (even with one less match under their belts than most of the league) — and they are second in the league by averaging 2.48 expected goals per match. Harry Kane is thriving in his #10 role on the pitch as an attacking midfielder. He has scored five times already this season. But in this position, Kane has assisted on seven goals which is very much out of character for him when he was playing the #9 role higher up the pitch. Son Heung-Min is now playing that attacker role (rather than the winger role that Mourinho relegated him to during the summer’s Project Restart). Yet the Spurs remain shaky on defense. They enjoyed a 3-0 lead against the Hammers before conceding three goals in the second half to settle with the draw. They also blew a lead by conceding a late goal versus Newcastle United. Tottenham brought in a bunch of new talent in the transfer window which has impacted their cohesion — and integrating the aging Gareth Bale into the mix does not help matters. The Spurs have allowed eight goals this season — and they are allowing their opponents to register 1.48 expected goals per game. Burnley was an outstanding defensive team during the summer with a tight backline working together combining with a hot goalkeeper in Nick Pope. It has not been the same to the start of this season as the Clarets have surrendered eight goals in four matches. Burnley has allowed Newcastle score three times against them, and Leicester City score four times against them so far this season — and they conceded three goals to Manchester City in League Cup action last month. The Clarets really miss the injured Ben Mee, who anchors that backline at center back. He will not play in this match. Burnley has only scored three times this season — but they will have to play more aggressively if and when they fall behind against the Hotspurs. They were content to settle for a draw against West Brom to finally get some points this season — but this is a different challenge. The Clarets are usually more potent when playing at home at Turf Moor. Last season, Burnley scored 24 of their 42 goals at home — and 31.08 of their 49.35 expected goals (xG) came on their home pitch. The Clarets averaged 1.64 xG at home last year.

FINAL TAKE: Tottenham leads the EPL in creating Big Chances (scoring chances with at least a 38% probability of scoring given historical averages). Look for the Hotspurs to take the lead, which will compel Burnley to abandon their preferred compact approach. 25* EPL Monday Afternoon Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Tottenham (200093) and Burnley (200094). 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 (467) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (468). THE SITUATION: Seattle (5-0) returns to the field after their bye week after last defeating Minnesota by a 27-26 two weeks ago as a 6.5-point favorite. Arizona (4-2) comes off a 38-10 upset win at Dallas on Monday as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Seahawks have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning at least three games in a row. Seattle comes off their bye week which means head coach Pete Carroll and his staff has conducted their self-scout regarding what they need to improve. There is no question that the defensive-oriented Carroll made decisions regarding how to improve his defense that is last in the league by allowing 471.2 total YPG. The Seahawks will not have Jamal Adams tonight but they should still play better on that side of the football — even if it means that they do not “Let Russ Cook” as much because they need to run the ball more to protect their defense by keeping them off the field. The fewer plays a defensive player has to make, the fresher he will be later in the game — that is what the coaches say. Seattle has allowed at least 415 yards in all five of their games this season — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. The Seahawks have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in two straight games. The 27 points that Seattle scored last week were the fewest they have put up on the scoreboard all season. The Seahawks have played 23 of their last 31 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in three straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in four straight contests. Seattle goes back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when favored. The Seahawks have also played 4 straight games Under the Total in October. Arizona has played 6 of their last 7 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 victory. Additionally, the Cardinals have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. Arizona has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing on Monday Night Football. The Cardinals will take a page out of the Vikings’ playbook to run the football to keep Wilson off the field. Seattle was on offense for just 20:32 minutes against Minnesota with the Vikings running the ball 40 times for 201 yards. QB Kyler Murray may get the headlines but Arizona is averaging 30 rushing attempts per game for 161 rushing YPG. The Under is 3-1-1 in the Seahawks’ last 5 games after they allowed at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. This commitment to keeping the running game going has helped the Cardinals rank second in the league by allowing 18.7 PPG. Arizona returns home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Cardinals have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against fellow NFC foes.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played did not see more than 40 combined points scored in their two divisional meetings last season — and the last 5 clashes in Arizona have all finished Under the Total. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (467) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (468). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New England Patriots (470) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (469). THE SITUATION: New England (2-3) has lost two games in a row after their 18-12 upset loss to Denver last Sunday as a 7-point favorite. San Francisco (3-3) enters this game triumphant after their 24-16 upset win over the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PATRIOTS MINUS THE POINTS: This is the first time that Bill Belichick’s team has been below .500 in October in 225 games. Their 26-10 loss at Kansas City two weeks ago was not a surprise since they were without Cam Newton in that game. Do not underestimate the negative impact the lack of practices has had on this team over the last two weeks. I believe Belichick and his coaching staff were able to address a host of issues this week in what was their first uninterrupted normal week of preparation since their 36-20 victory over the Raiders three weeks ago. Belichick’s teams in New England are a decisive 49-24-1 ATS in their last 74 games after a straight-up loss. I expect this Patriots’ offense to improve significantly this week after struggling against the Broncos. New England has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after not scoring more than 14 points in two straight contests. The Patriots defense is playing quite well — they held the Chiefs to just 19 points from their offense while limiting them to only 323 yards two weeks ago before holding the Broncos to 299 yards last week. Belichick teams usually are reliable in October as they are 42-17-2 ATS in their last 61 games in this month — and the Patriots have covered the point spread in seven of their last ten games in October. New England has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games as a home favorite of 7 points or less. San Francisco may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after an upset win as a home underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after an upset win at home against an NFC West rival. The 49ers are starting to get healthy again — but they are still a shell of the team that made it to the Super Bowl. The defense remains a M*A*S*H unit with Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, and Richard Sherman out indefinitely. The Niners will also be without the glue of their defense for the second straight week in linebacker Kwon Alexander who is dealing with a high ankle sprain. On offense, the team put running back Raheem Mostert on IR this week to join Tevin Coleman on that list. San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games in October. They are also just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Belichick should have a special game plan for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who he drafted and groomed in New England for years before trading him to San Francisco. 25* NFL CBS-TV Game of the Month with the New England Patriots (470) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (469). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Leicester City (200081) and Arsenal (200082). THE SITUATION: Leicester City (W3-D0-L2) has lost two EPL matches in a row after their 1-0 loss at home to Aston Villa last Sunday. Arsenal (W3-D0-L2) looks to rebound from their 1-0 loss at Manchester City last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I waited for confirmation of the Leicester City lineup that was released an hour before game time after being burned last week when we took the Foxes without realizing that their top scorer, Jamie Vardy, would miss the game with an injury. Those are always the dangers in the first week back in the English Premier League after the international break. Leicester City hoped to have Vardy in their Starting XI today — but while his active on their roster, he is starting on their bench. So, I expect Vardy to play around 30 minutes today. Without Vardy, the Foxes have struggled to score. Not only have they been shutout in two straight matches but they have managed only 0.57 expected goals (xG) per match in those two games. Even with Vardy, Leicester City was struggling to generate scoring chances so far this season — they are averaging just 0.92 xG in non-penalty shot chances. Three of their twelve goals this season have come via a penalty kick — and the league is not calling as many controversial handball penalties like they were last month. 47% of the Foxes expected goals this season have come from penalty kicks. Manager Brendan Rodgers is dealing with a host of injuries besides Vardy — most notably defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and center back Caglar Soyuncu. Rodgers has his team playing more cautiously to compensate for their absence on the pitch. Leicester City is allowing only 1.26 expected goals (xGA) this season. Arsenal is playing pretty solid defense themselves with an xGA of 1.38 this season even after playing two of the most prolific attacks in the league on the road already in Liverpool and Man City. The Gunners added defensive midfielder Thomas Partey in the transfer window from the defensive juggernaut that is Atletico Madrid. Manager Mikel Arteta has his team playing a defensive-first style with their offense coming from counter-attacks. Arsenal has managed only 39 shots on goal in their five matches for a 7.8 average per game which is third-lowest in the EPL. The Gunners are averaging only 1.28 xG per game.

FINAL TAKE: Arsenal’s approach has neutralized the activity and effectiveness of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has managed only six shots all season after scoring 22 goals last season. This shapes up to be a low-scoring affair. 25* EPL Sunday Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between Leicester City (200081) and Arsenal (200082). 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 Buffalo Bills (463) and the New York Jets (464). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (4-2) ha lost two straight games after their 26-17 loss to Kansas City on Monday as a 5.5-point underdog. New York (0-6) remained winless on the season last Sunday with their listless 24-0 loss at Miami as a 10-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bills have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Buffalo offense managed only 206 yards against the Chiefs on Monday. The Josh Allen for Most Valuable Player talk has completely ceased after the Bills have scored only 21.0 PPG over the last three weeks while averaging just 304.0 total YPG. Allen completed just 14 of 27 passes on Monday for 122 yards. Buffalo has played 4 straight games Under the Total after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not passing for at least 150 yards in their last contests. The Bills’ defense surrendered 466 yards to Kansas City as well — but they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Now Buffalo goes on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, the Bills have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and they have played 6 straight games away from home Under the Total with the total in that 42.5 to 49 range. Playing the Jets may be just what the proverbial doctor ordered as their injury-plagued offense is scoring just 12.5 PPG while averaging 276.7 total YPG. New York has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 21 points. Joe Flacco was the quarterback last week in getting a shutout — and Sam Darnold is probable to play this afternoon. But with running back Le’ Veon Bell traded to Kansas City, he simply lacks supporting talent at the skill positions. The Jets have played 10 of their last 16 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. New York has also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total against fellow AFC East foes.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the September 13th meeting between these two teams which the Bills won by a 27-17 score. The Jets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge. 25* AFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (463) and the New York Jets (464). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (957) and the Tampa Bay Rays (958) in Game Four of the World Series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (54-21) took a 2-1 lead in this series last night with their 6-2 victory over the Rays. Tampa Bay (50-27) has lost five of their last seven games. This game is being played on a neutral field at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Rays are the designated home team.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Dodgers have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against an opponent who allowed at least five runs in their last game. Los Angeles has also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total priced as the favorite at least at -150. They give the ball to Urias who was 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in eleven regular-season appearances which included ten starts. The left-hander was not as effective on the road where his ERA rose to a 4.67 mark along with a 1.33 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .257 in four starts as compared to his 2.63 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and .200 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home at Dodgers Stadium. Urias has been outstanding in this postseason — but I remain wary of his deeper sabermetrics with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.88 and 5.06 from his peripheral numbers in the regular season. Urias has a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings in these playoffs but his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.34 and 3.80 moving forward based only on his peripheral numbers in this postseason. Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or higher. The Rays have also played 8 of their last 9 games in Interleague play Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. Tampa Bay left only two runners on base yesterday — but they have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing no more than three runners on base in their last game. The Rays have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Additionally, Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. They counter with Yarbrough who was 1-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 in 55 2/3 innings of regular-season work. His SIERA and xFIP during that time projected an ERA of 4.44 and 4.32 respectively. The lefty has a nice 3.37 ERA in 10 2/3 innings in these playoffs — but I have had the Over circled for this Game Four because of his SIERA and xFIP for those 10 2/3 innings project his ERA to blow up to a 5.32 and 6.26 level respectively moving forward.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total with Urias making the start as a favorite priced at -110 or higher. 25* Major League Baseball Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (957) and the Tampa Bay Rays (958). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Real Madrid (201885) and Barcelona (201886). THE SITUATION: Real Madrid (W3-D1-L1) enters this match coming off a 1-0 loss to Cadiz last Saturday in their most recent La Liga match. Barcelona (W2-D1-L1) looks to rebound from a 1-0 loss to Getafe last Saturday in their last La Liga contest.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Both of these Spanish giants limp into the first incarnation of El Clasico for the 2020-21 campaign. Real Madrid was stunned to lose to Cadiz at home last week against a newly promoted side to La Liga. Los Blancos followed that up on Wednesday with a shocking 3-2 loss to Shaktar Donetsk at home in Champions League play. What’s up? Manager Zinedine Zidane’s side is not working very hard — and they appear jaded and a bit lackadaisical after using Project Restart over the summer to win the 2019-20 La Liga campaign. Many elite teams in Europe have struggled with their intensity with the return to league play this fall. Real Madrid is struggling to score. They have scored only six goals in their last five league matches. The ever-disappointing Eden Hazard is dealing with a leg injury that has kept him off the pitch. Benzema and Toni Kroos are out of form. This problem on offense goes deeper than this season. Over their last fourteen matches, Los Blancos have eight single-goal wins with a nil-nil draw and a single-goal defeat. They have only had three victories over that span by two goals. But Zidane’s group is still playing outstanding defense. They allowed just 1.04 expected goals in their winning 2019-20 La Liga campaign — and they are close to that level so far this season with their 1.10 expected goals allowed (xGA) mark. They did not have their rock on their defensive backline for the midweek Champions League match in Sergio Ramos who should be fit to play in this crucial rivalry game. Barcelona has embraced a youth movement under first-year manager Ronaldo Koeman. The Dutch coach brings a defensive-approach to Camp Nou — the Blaugranas have an outstanding 1.03 xGA in league play so far this season. But Barca is generating only 0.90 xG in their last three matches. Lionel Messi is not in form after wanting to exit the team in the offseason. Messi has not scored in his last five matches against Real Madrid. This team was outmuscled by Getafe last weekend in a match where they struggled to find scoring opportunities — they managed a mere 0.92 xG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played to a nil-nil draw in the match at Camp Nou last season. Real Madrid won the rematch by a 2-0 score at home later in the season — but that was another low-scoring match. Expect another lower-scoring game. 25* La Liga Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Real Madrid (201885) and Barcelona (201886). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (309) plus the points versus the UAB Blazers (310). THE SITUATION: UL-Lafayette (3-1) looks to rebound from their 30-27 upset loss at home to Coastal Carolina as a 9-point favorite back on October 14th. UAB (4-1) has won three straight games after their 37-14 victory over Western Kentucky last Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS MINUS THE POINTS: UL-Lafayette should respond with a big effort tonight. The Ragin’ Cajuns have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games on the road after an upset loss to a conference rival. UL-Lafayette returned fourteen starters from the group that finished 11-3 with a 27-17 victory over Miami (OH) in the Lending Tree Bowl. Led by senior quarterback Levi Lewis, the Ragin’ Cajuns are averaging 456.7 total YPG over their last three contests. They also have averaged 7.55 and 7.57 Yards-Per-Play in their last two games — and they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games after averaging at least 6.25 YPP in their last two games. Now UL-Lafayette goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 49.5 to 52 range. UAB may be due for a letdown after they crushed the Hilltoppers last week. The Blazers gave failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. UAB has also failed to cover the point in 6 straight games after a win by at least 20 points. And in their last 17 games after winning at least three games in a row, the Blazers have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of these games. UAB rushed for 358 yards to help lead them to victory — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 37 points in their last game. They are playing without their starting quarterback Tyler Johnston III who is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. Redshirt freshman Bryson Lucero was shaky under center for the Blazers as he completed only 15 of 31 passes for 141 yards with a touchdown and an interception while not contributing to the running game. UAB is at a significant disadvantage in this game at the quarterback position. This team returned eighteen starters from head coach Bill Clark’s team that finished 9-5 last season. They only had one victory over an FBS team with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. UAB has beaten three FBS teams this season in South Alabama, UTSA, and Western Kentucky last week — none of these teams have a record above .500. The Blazers' one loss was by 17 points at Miami (FL).

FINAL TAKE: UL-Lafayette has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games in October. Look for them to pull away to win this game comfortably. 25* CFB Friday CBS Sports Network Game of the Month with the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (309) plus the points versus the UAB Blazers (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Leeds United (200085) and Aston Villa (200086). THE SITUATION: Leeds United (W2-D1-L2) enters this match looking to rebound from their 1-0 loss at home to Wolverhampton on Monday in English Premier League action. Aston Villa (W4-D0-L0) remains the only EPL team with a perfect record with their 1-0 win at Leicester City last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Villans were one of the worst defensive teams in the EPL for much of last season — but manager Dean Smith made a tactical change after the March shutdown of action. When Aston Villa returned to play for Project Restart, they played less aggressively with a fourth defender in their backline. Since that time through last week, the Villans are holding their opponents to just 6.2 shots in the box per game along with only 1.2 Big Chances per game. Those are remarkable improvements when compared to the 12.2 shots per box and 3.1 Big Chances per game they allowed last season before the shutdown. Aston Villa has allowed only two goals this season — and the 3.71 expected goals allowed (xGA) from the deeper analytics is the best defensive mark in the league. The Villans have also scored 12 goals this season — but the metrics suggest they are overachieving since their expected goals (xG) mark drops to 6.79 xG. Seven of Aston Villa’s 12 goals came from their 7-2 blowout win over Liverpool which was very impressive — but the Reds also took their foot off the pedal in that embarrassing loss. In their 1-0 victory over Leicester City, they only managed 0.92 xG. The Villans have also benefited from playing a Fulham team that is perhaps the worst defensive team in the league — three of their goals come from that match. Leeds United held Wolverhampton to just 0.48 xG in their 1-0 loss to begin the week. Manager Marcelo Bielsa has his team play an aggressive style where the entire midfield joins the forwards in the times they go on the counter-attack. But after wild 4-3 matches against Liverpool and Fulham which they split, Bielsa has had his team be more cautious when embracing their counter-attack. In the Whites last three matches, only four combined goals have been scored with Leeds scoring twice and conceding twice. Two of these matches ended in a clean sheet including the Whites 1-0 victory over Sheffield United. With defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips out for this match, look for Leeds to be even more judicious for when they decide to bring the house in their counter-attacks.

FINAL TAKE: Aston Villa remains a defense-first side under Smith. This match should follow the recent trends for both teams to be a lower-scoring game. 25* EPL Friday Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Leeds United (200085) and Aston Villa (200086). 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 (303) and the Philadelphia Eagles (304). THE SITUATION: New York (1-5) snapped their five-game losing streak on Sunday with their 20-19 win over Washington as a 2-point favorite. Philadelphia (1-4-1) has lost two games in a row with their 30-28 loss at home to Baltimore as a 10.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants have played a decisive 31 of their last 42 games Under the Total after a narrow win by three points or less — and they have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a win by no more than a field goal against an NFC East rival. Additionally, New York has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games away from home Under the Total after a victory where they failed to cover the point spread. The Giants are struggling to score points with running back Saquon Barkley out the season with his torn ACL. New York is scoring just 16.8 PPG while averaging a mere 275.3 total YPG. The Giants leading rusher is QB Daniel Jones — they are 30th in the league by averaging 87.8 rushing YPG. They did pick up Devonta Freeman to be their lead back but he is simply not a threat — his longest carry has gone for only 14 yards. Opposing defenses can lay off the run and use a linebacker to defend against potential passes. But the Giants’ defense has been playing pretty good — they are holding their home hosts to just 315.3 total YPG this season. New York has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Eagles have played two straight Overs where at least 58 combined points were scored. But Philadelphia has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total — and they have played 28 of their last 42 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where at least 50 combined points were scored. The Philly offense is riddled with injuries. They will be without running back Miles Sanders for a few weeks with his knee injury which means their lead back tonight will be the 5’7 Boston Scott who has rushed for only 67 yards on 21 carries. QB Carson Wentz is without a number of his best targets in the passing game. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey and tight end Dallas Goedert are out for tonight. Star tight end Zach Ertz has yet to be ruled out but he suffered an ankle injury that the doctors think will keep him on the shelf for weeks. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson plans to take the field tonight after missing the last three games but it remains to be seen how effective the 33-year old can be coming off a hamstring injury that may impact his speed. The Eagles offensive line is even in worse shape. Starters Brandon Brooks, Andre Dillard, and Isaac Seumaol are all out. The team brought back Jason Peters after Dillard suffered his season-ending biceps injury — and he is also on the Injured Reserve. Tackle Lane Johnson will take the field despite his ankle injury but rookie backup Jack Driscoll is out tonight with an ankle. Wentz has been sacked 25 times this season — and being hurried has contributed to his nine interceptions. The Giants have a good pass rush that ranks 10th in the legacy with 15 sacks. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 10 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 7 straight home games Under the Totals at home laying 3.5 to 7 points. The Eagles have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing in Philadelphia. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (303) and the Philadelphia Eagles (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Liverpool (224241) minus the goal-line versus Ajax (224242) in Group Stage play of the UEFA Champions League. THE SITUATION: Liverpool begins its Champions League campaign coming off a 2-2 draw against Everton in English Premier League action on Saturday. Ajax comes off a 5-1 win over Heerenveen in Eredivisie action in the Dutch top-flight.

REASONS TO TAKE LIVERPOOL MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Ajax is trying to rekindle the magic they had in the 2018-19 season where they made a run to the Semifinals of the Champions League where they lost to Tottenham. However, a bunch of the core talent from that team has now been poached by the bigger budget teams in Europe. Defenseman Matthijs DeLight signed with Juventus while Hakim Ziyech and Donny Van de Beek recently signed with Chelsea and Manchester United. This is a side that took a big step back last season in Champions League play where they failed to qualify for the last 16 knockout stage. They were W3-D1-L2 in group stage play with their 10 points just one shy of the qualifying second-place slot. But what was more troubling in Champions League play was their -6.5 net goal differential in expected goals where they overachieved on both ends of the pitch. Ajax scored 12 goals despite an expected goals (xG) mark of just 7.8. They also only allowed 6 goals despite their expected goals allowed (xGA) of 14.3. This season, Ajax has won four of their five matches in the Eredivisie national league — but that is not considered one of the top-tier professional leagues in Europe. Liverpool comes off a 2-2 draw against what has now become a loaded Everton team. They won the expected goals battle by a 2.85-1.35 xG mark. That effort erased any concerns I had about their surprising 7-2 loss to Aston Villa in EPL play. A number of the elite teams in the EPL have started slowly. I am writing these efforts off to the unique season where the players did not enjoy a traditional offseason given the summer Project Restart. The Reds are still loaded with talent. They did suffer two big injuries against Everton with both Virgil Van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara out for this match. Thiago was a very nice offseason acquisition who was playing in his first match with his new club on Saturday — so his loss is not a big subtraction. The loss of Van Dijk is more significant as he will likely miss the rest of the season with his torn ACL. Not having Van Dijk will not impact the Liverpool attack as much since it has right-back Andre Robertson who has become their primary attacker who advances from the backline to assist Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino. Van Dijk will be replaced by either Fabinho or Naby Keito who is back in training from his injury. The Reds will be fine. They won the Champions League in 2019 against the Spurs team that defeated Ajax in the Semifinals. They won the EPL last season. And they need to get back to their winning ways after a slow start to their EPL campaign.

FINAL TAKE: Liverpool is unbeaten in their last thirteen matches versus Ajax who have only one win in their last six matches from teams from England. Ajax hosts this match (without fans) in their Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam — but they have only won once in their last seven opportunities to host an English professional team. Ajax is rebuilding with some nice young talent — but their inexperience against elite sides will do them this afternoon. 25* UEFA Champions League Match of the Month with Liverpool (224241) minus the goal-line versus Ajax (224242). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:11 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays (951) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (952) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw in Game One of the World Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (49-25) reached the World Series on Saturday with their 4-2 win over the Houston Astros in Game Seven of the ALCS. Los Angeles (52-20) joined them a day later on Sunday by defeating the Atlanta Braves in Game Seven of that series by a 4-3 score. The World Series will be played on a neutral field at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Dodgers are the designated home team for Game One.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAYS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Tampa Bay has won 20 of their last 28 games after a win by two runs or less — and they have won 36 of their last 53 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. The Rays have also won 9 of their last 11 games after an off day. Tampa Bay got by the Astros despite not scoring more than four runs in four straight games. But the Rays have then won 10 of their last 13 games after not scoring more than four runs in three straight games — and they have won 5 of their last 7 games after not scoring more than four runs in four straight games. They give the ball to Glasnow who was 5-1 in eleven regular-season starts with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP — and he was more effective on the road where he had a 3.45 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP in six starts. In four postseason starts spanning 19 1/3 innings this season, he has struck out 25 batters while walking only eight. Tampa Bay has won 16 of their last 20 games with Glasnow pitching after the team had a win. And while Glasnow last pitched on Wednesday of last week, the Rays have won 8 of their last 9 games with Glasnow pitching on five or six days of rest. Los Angeles has stranded ten runners in two straight games which is a disturbing sign for them — they have lost 9 of their last 13 games after stranding at least ten runners in two straight games. They give the ball to Kershaw who was 6-2 in ten regular-season starts with a 2.16 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. The left-hander has been dealing with back spasms that not only canceled his planned Game Two start in the NLCS but also kept him from starting Game Seven on Sunday. His 5.72 ERA along with a 1.27 WHIP in his last two starts in these playoffs is concerning. His career 4.31 ERA in 177 1/3 innings of work in the postseason also raises alarms. He will be supported by a bullpen that has a 4.54 ERA in their last seven games. And Kershaw faces a Rays team that has won 11 of their last 16 games against left-handed starting pitchers. The Dodgers enter the World Series having lost 5 of their last 6 games in the Fall Classic — and they have also lost 3 of their last 4 games in the World Series with Kershaw making the start.

FINAL TAKE:  Tampa Bay has pulled the upset in 6 of their last 9 games when an underdog that is priced in the +125 to +175 price range. The Dodgers have won five of their last six games when priced higher than the -150 threshold — but two of those victories were just by one run. With the +1.5 Run-Line priced below my -150 price threshold, this is my preferred bet for this game. 25* MLB Tuesday Night Run-Line Special Feature with the Tampa Bay Rays (951) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Dodgers (952) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Dallas Cowboys (276) plus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (275). THE SITUATION: Dallas (2-3) enters this game coming off a 37-34 win at home over the New York Giants last Sunday as a 7.5-point favorite. Arizona (3-2) looks to build off their 30-10 win at New York against the Jets as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: The big news for Dallas is the season-ending injury to Dak Prescott. I think the offense will continue to be productive with Andy Dalton under center. The Red Rider is a veteran with playoff experience who needed to get out of Cincinnati. He has tons of offensive weapons with the Cowboys with Ezekiel Elliott at running back along with one of the most talented and deepest wide receiving corps in the league. I also think the strength of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is his initial scheming (not so much with his ability to adapt) — so I think Dallas will have a short-term advantage with Moore’s wrinkles with the offense as he shapes it to Dalton’s strength. Look for the Cowboys to come out with plenty of energy as they look to salvage their season — and they are still in first place in the hapless NFC East. Dallas has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win at home where they scored at least 31 points. And while the Cowboys have not covered the point spread in any of their games this season, Dallas has then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least four straight games. The Cowboys lead the NFL by averaging 488.0 total YPG — and that usually is a good sign for them moving forward. After scoring 75 combined points in their last two games, Dallas has scored at least 31 points in four straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 35 points in their last two contests. The Cowboys have gained at least 408 yards in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after gaining at last 400 yards in three straight games. And while Dallas has averaged at least 6.48 Yards-Per-Play in their last four contests, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in four straight contests. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by at least two touchdowns. The Cardinals dominated the woeful Jets by outgaining them by +211 net yards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after outgaining their last opponent by at least +200 net yards. Quarterback Kyler Murray completed 27 of 37 passes for 380 yards in the victory — but Arizona is just 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games after passing for at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Furthermore, the Cardinals are just 1-8-2 ATS in their last 11 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. This Arizona team is also without their All-Pro linebacker Chandler Jones who suffered a season-ending biceps injury. Not only will the Cardinals miss his 19 sacks from last season but they are also without linebacker Devon Kennard.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when playing on Monday Night Football while Dallas has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on MNF. Look for the Cowboys to pull out the victory behind Dalton. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with the Dallas Cowboys (276) plus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (275). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Wolverhampton (200053) with the goal-line versus Leeds United (200054). THE SITUATION: Wolverhampton (W2-D0-L2) returns to the pitch after the international break looking to build off their 1-0 win over Fulham on October 4th. Leeds United (W2-D1-L1) comes off a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City on October 4th.

REASONS TO TAKE WOLVERHAMPTON WITH THE GOAL-LINE: The Wolves have started slow this season with two losses to Man City and West Ham. The early season for this team has been hit-or-miss as they also manage the Europa League campaign with a roster that does not have the same depth as the power franchises in the English Premier League. But this remains the same team that has finished 7th in the EPL in each of the last two seasons since being promoted from the Championship League. They have one of the best managers in Espirito Nuno Santo — and they are acquiring more and more top-end talent to bolster their solid core group of players. There have been some transition issues with the change of roster over the transfer window. The Wolves were the best defensive team in the EPL last season with an expected goal allowed mark of 1.08. Their counter-attacking system matches up quite well with the uber-aggressive counter-attack of this Leeds team from their outstanding manager Marcelo Bielsa. The Whites will send their entire midfield along with their forwards when they initiate their counter-attack. This gives Leeds the best-of-both-worlds approach where they will park the bus for much of the match before becoming hyper-aggressive when they get the opportunity to attack. Their exciting 4-3 loss to Liverpool that opened the season displayed how wild their matches can become. But the Wolves are not the pressing-styled team from which Bielsa’s approach was designed to exploit. Nuno will not deviate from their defensive-shape — and they lead the EPL so far this season in expected goals coming from fast breaks. Leeds is allowing their opponents to post a 2.05 expected goals mark which is third-worst in the league. They are also getting beat by a 0.67 expected goals differential per 90 minutes.

FINAL TAKE: Leeds may be without their captain Liam Cooper who is a doubt with a groin injury. Coming off the international break, I expect the Wolves to start playing better. 25* EPL Monday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with Wolverhampton (200053) with the goal-line versus Leeds United (200054). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the San Francisco 49ers (274) minus the points versus Los Angeles Rams (273). THE SITUATION:  San Francisco (2-3) was upset for the second straight week last Sunday with their 43-17 shellacking at the hands of Miami as an 8.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (4-1) has won two straight games with their 30-10 win at Washington as a 7-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS PLUS THE POINTS: This is a critical game for San Francisco after they have been upset in two straight games as a favorite laying more than a touchdown in two straight weeks in what was supposed to be a fruitful three-game homestand. The Niners were upset at home two weeks ago on Sunday Night Football against the Eagles (when we successfully had Philly) before their upset loss at home to the Dolphins last week. San Francisco goes on the road next week for a brutal two-game swing at New England and then Seattle. With the NFC West also including an up-and-coming Arizona team, head coach Kyle Shanahan simply needs to get a victory from his team tonight. The 49ers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by at least 21 points. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. QB Jimmy Garoppolo was probably rushed back to action last week with his bum ankle as he could not plant his leg which led to him completing only 7 of 17 passes while throwing two interceptions last week before Shanahan got him out of there at halftime. Garoppolo should be better this week — and the pressure will be on for him to perform. The 49ers are also simply ravaged with injuries especially on defense where Richard Sherman, Joey Bosa, and Dee Ford are on IR while linebacker Kwon Alexander is out with an ankle. Yet despite all this attrition, San Francisco is fifth in the NFL by allowing only 323.0 YPG — and they are third in the league by allowing only 215.6 passing YPG and only six touchdown passes. The 49ers should step up in this game as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Los Angeles may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning two games in a row. And while they have not allowed more than 10 points in two straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 17 points in two straight games. The Rams held the Football Team to just 108 yards of offense last week while limiting them to only a 2.45 Yards-Per-Play average. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road after not allowing more than 200 yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after holding their last opponent to no more than 3.5 YPP. And while the combination of Alex Smith and Kyle Allen only managed 70 total passing yards last week, the Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 100 passing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: All four of Los Angeles’ victories have been against the weak NFC East teams — so their great stats may be propped up by a favorable early schedule. San Francisco has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. 25* NFC West Game of the Month with the San Francisco 49ers (274) minus the points versus Los Angeles Rams (273). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (909) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (910) in Game Seven of the National League Championship Series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (51-20) forced a climactic seventh game in the NLCS last night with their 3-1 victory over the Braves. Atlanta (43-28) has lost the last two games in this series. The NLCS is being played in Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas with the Dodgers the designated home team batting last.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves give the ball to Anderson who was 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in six regular-season starts. He has pitched 15 2/3 innings of scoreless innings in his three postseason starts which are the sixth most in MLB history for a starting pitcher making his debut in the playoffs. We are approaching Christy Mathewson territory here — and I expect this streak to end tonight. The Dodgers now have a book on Anderson from which to develop a strategy. Anderson also showed some vulnerabilities by walking five batters in that start. Furthermore, the deeper sabermetrics show some red flags with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.82 and 3.45 moving forward from his regular-season peripheral numbers. He will be supported by a bullpen that has a 6.68 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP in their last seven games. The Braves pen did not allow a run last night — but they have then played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a game where they did not allow an earned run. Atlanta has not committed an error in four straight games either — but they have then played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total after not committing an error in two straight games. Additionally, the Braves have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total with the number set in the 8 to 8.5 range. Los Angeles has now played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total in the playoffs as the favorite. They counter with May who will be pitching on just one day of rest after pitching on Friday — so he will not pitch more than an inning or two. The right-hander had a 2.57 ERA in the regular season — but his SIERA and xFIP project his ERA to be 4.29 and 3.98 respectively moving forward. Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urias will likely next be up as left-handers. Gonsolin had a 2.31 ERA during the regular season but I am wary of his SIERA and xFIP of 3.68 and 3.80. Urias had a 3.27 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP in the regular season but those numbers rose to a 4.67 and 1.33 when pitching away from Dodgers Stadium. Urias also has a SIERA of 4.88 and an xFIP of 5.06. The LA bullpen has a 4.54 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP over their last seven games.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers have played 4 straight games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Los Angeles is also scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .263 batting average, .355 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .844. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (909) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (910). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Leicester City (200058) minus the goal-line versus Aston Villa (200057). THE SITUATION: Leicester City (W3-D0-L1) returns to action after their 3-0 loss at home to West Ham back on October 4th in their last EPL match. Aston Villa (W3-D0-L0) returns to the pitch after their 7-2 upset victory over Liverpool on October 4th.

REASONS TO TAKE LEICESTER CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Foxes had been riding high winning their first three matches in the new EPL season after a dominant 5-2 statement win at Manchester City. They were perhaps due for an emotional letdown against the Hammers last week. The Foxes also maintained their back-five formation from their win over Man City against West Ham which is puzzling since that is a good counter to a pressing team like the Cityzens but less strategic against a similar counter-attacking team like the Hammers. Look for Leicester City to return to their typical 4-1-4 formation. Even after getting shutout in their last EPL match before the international break, the Foxes still entered this match week tied for the lead in the league with 12 goals. They are dealing with some injuries with the absence of Wilfried Ndidi most concerning to me — but they also upset Man City undermanned including not having Ndidi to patrol their defensive midfield. Leicester City remains a clear top-half of the table team who should compete to qualify for the Champions League after narrowly missing in the summer with their fifth-place final result after Project Restart. Aston Villa has been the surprise of the league with their perfect 3-0 start which was culminated with their shocking victory over the reigning EPL champs. It was just less than three months ago that they avoided relegation on the last day of the EPL campaign. The Villans are playing better as they are unbeaten in their last seven matches. And they have made some nice additions in the transfer window. Yet, let’s keep perspective. Three of their goals against Liverpool came via a deflection. They opened the season with a victory over a rebuilding Sheffield United side who were playing with ten men most of that match — yet Aston Villa managed just a 1.04 expected goals mark in that match. The Villans then defeated a Fulham team that looks likely to be the doormats of the league. Aston Villa has scored 11 goals but their expected goals drop to just 5.91.

FINAL TAKE: The Villans may be in second place entering the week but the expected points metric (xPTS) places them just 10th in the league. This will be just their second road match of the season after defeating Fulham away from home — and they were second to last season in expected goal differential on the road. They are likely to experience a rude awakening against an angry Leicester City side. 25* EPL Sunday Match of the Month with the Leicester City (200058) minus the goal-line versus Aston Villa (200057). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Alabama Crimson Tide (166) minus the points versus the Georgia Bulldogs (165). THE SITUATION: Alabama (3-0) enter this game coming off their 63-48 victory over Ole Miss last Saturday as a 24-point favorite. Georgia (3-0) comes off a 44-21 win at home against Tennessee last Saturday as a 13-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CRIMSON TIDE MINUS THE POINTS: What’s up with the Alabama defense that surrendered a whopping 647 yards last week to the Rebels. The Tide returned five starters on a defense that had many freshmen forced into duty last season because of injuries. The front seven should be outstanding with the secondary work in progress with only one returning starter in junior cornerback Patrick Surtain. This inexperienced secondary got exposed by a Mississippi offense coached by a former offensive coordinator in Lane Kiffin who was able to (a) use a quick tempo to his advantage; (b) deploy a spread passing attack following the principles of Art Briles to expose this secondary with (c) a former blue-chip quarterback in Matt Corral who was also able to burn the Bama defense at times with his legs. I will mention this again below — but these are all tendencies that Georgia will not be able to replicate. That might have been the worst defensive performance for an Alabama team in the Nick Saban 14-year era. This unit will play better this week — and his teams have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. The Crimson Tide has also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss. But the encouraging developments for the Alabama faithful is the development of their offense under QB Mac Jones. The junior completed 28 of 32 passes against Ole Miss for 417 yards with two touchdowns. He is completing 79.5% of his passes while posting the second-best QBR in the nation. Jones was quite good playing for Tua Tagovailoa last season. He had two bad pick-sixes on the road at Auburn in a game that the Crimson Tide lost despite outgaining them by a 515-354 yardage margin. Alabama then sleepwalked in the first half in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan before rallying to crush the Wolverines by a 35-16 score. This will be the Crimson Tide’s biggest game since bitterly losing the Iron Bowl despite dominating that game. Expect this Alabama team to be very chippy. The Tide are very tough to beat when they have a powerful offense. Alabama averaged 9.89 Yards-Per-Play two weeks ago against Texas A&M for 544 yards before ripping off 10.2 YPP last week against Ole Miss for an incredible 723 yards. The Tide have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after gaining at least 525 yards in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 home games after averaging at least 7.25 YPP in two straight contests. Additionally, Alabama rushed for 306 yards last week — and they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 home games after rushing for at least 300 yards in their last game. Georgia has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread cover — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. The Bulldogs may have the best defense in the nation — but their eight starters that returned this season were torched for 37 points and 6.5 YPP when playing against LSU in the SEC Championship Game last season. The Crimson Tide have four returning starters on their offensive line with three seniors that will challenge the Bulldogs’ defensive line. They have a threatening passing attack that will stretch Georgia vertically and horizontally — and that should create huge rushing lanes for running back Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr.  That will likely be the difference for Alabama: Harris rushed for 206 yards with five touchdowns last week. He is averaging 3.1 yards-per-carry BEFORE contact (8th in the nation) and another 3.6 YPC AFTER contact (3rd in the nation). Led by Harris, the Tide offense leads the nation in both Success Rate and with their 6.5 rushing YPC average. The offensive firepower of Alabama simply cannot be matched by the Bulldogs offense which is the weak link in this game. Georgia only returned three starters from what was a pedestrian offense that was just 50th in scoring and 61st in total yardage. The young offensive line which remains a work-in-progress. The running backs and wide receivers are mostly a new group. And then there is the quarterback situation with walk-on Stetson Bennett the (current) starter. Bennett is playing because their two prized freshman recruits are not ready and former USC blue-chipper J.T. Daniels was only cleared to play two weeks ago. Head coach Kirby Smart likes Bennett because he is safe with the football while being capable with the passing attack — a junior level version of Jake Fromm. Well, that ain’t gonna get it done against Alabama. Bennett is small — just 5’11 and 190-lbs. He is a statue in the pocket. This is the profile of the quarterbacks that Saban defenses swallow and devour. The Bulldogs do not play with tempo and deploy a conventional pro-style offense that is designed to overwhelm lesser opponents. They are just 7th in the SEC on third-down conversion rate. I think first-year offensive coordinator Jeff Monken is fine — I think his impact on this game would have been stronger if it was being played in December rather than in their fourth game with this inexperienced offense. I suspect that Georgia will look to Daniels or another one of their quarterbacks before this game is over. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games as an underdog — and Alabama has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Saban has tested negative for COVID three straight times — so he has been cleared to be on the sidelines. Bottom-line: the Tide have won the last five meetings against Bulldogs teams with better offenses and certainly more threatening quarterbacks  — and this offense is catching the Bama defense on the wrong week after last week’s embarrassment. 25* CFB CBS-TV Game of the Month with the Alabama Crimson Tide (166) minus the points versus the Georgia Bulldogs (165). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:38 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (906) versus the Atlanta Braves (905) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Max Fried in Game Six of the National League Championship Series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (50-20) extended the NLCS to a sixth game last night with their 7-3 victory over the Braves. Atlanta (43-27) has lost two of their last three games. The NLCS is being played at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Dodgers will be the designated home team for Game Six.

REASONS TO TAKE LOS ANGELES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Dodgers have won 38 of their last 52 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The last four games in this series have finished Over the Total — and Los Angeles has won 14 of their last 18 games after playing at least two straight Overs. The Dodgers have also won 39 of their last 53 games with the Total set in the 9 to 10.5 range. And in their last 55 day games, LA has won 43 of these contests. They give the ball to Buehler who allowed one run in 5 innings of work in Game One of this series. The right-hander had a 1-0 record with a 3.44 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in eight regular season starts. In his three postseason starts, Buehler has a 2.77 ERA spanning 13 innings. The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 11 games in the second half of the season with Buehler on the hill. Atlanta has lost 3 of their last 4 playoff games when attempting to close out the series. Atlanta has also lost 13 of their last 21 games after playing two straight Overs. Additionally, the Braves have lost 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 9 to 10.5 range. And in their last 12 games as an underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range, Atlanta has lost 9 of these games. They counter with Fried who was 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in eleven regular season starts. The lefty has a 2.65 ERA along with a 1.06 WHIP in 17 postseason innings this year. But I remain concerned about his deeper sabermetrics with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.32 and 4.06 based off his regular season peripheral numbers. He faces a Dodgers team that has won 18 of their last 24 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 41 of their last 58 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles is averaging 7.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .270 batting average along with a .351 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .843. The Atlanta bullpen has a 6.25 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP in their last seven games. The Dodgers should force a climactic seventh game in the NLCS. 25* MLB National League Game of the Year with money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (906) versus the Atlanta Braves (905) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Max Fried. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (110) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (109). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-0) won their opening game of the season last Thursday with their 49-31 win over Tulane as a 6.5-point favorite. BYU (4-0) remained undefeated last Saturday with their 27-20 win over UTSA as a 34-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE HOUSTON PLUS THE POINTS: Houston started slowly in finally getting their season started last week as they surrendered two defensive touchdowns to the Green Wave to find themselves down 24-7 early in the 2nd quarter. The Cougars then demolished Tulane the rest of the way by outscoring them by a 42-7 margin while outgaining them by 476 to 211 yards. Houston has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 24 points in their last game. BYU is getting the hype with their perfect record and +32.8 net PPG average — but I think it is the other Cougars in this game that are undervalued. Second-year head coach Dana Holgorsen returned nineteen starters while adding a whopping 33 transfer players from FBS, FCS, and junior college programs from last year’s group that finished 4-8. Holgorsen brought tanking and the de-facto “process” to college football last season with eleven players choosing to redshirt before losing eligibility by playing in their fifth game. This is a team loaded with talent coming off their worst won/loss record in 15 years. Holgorsen seems to have his QB to operate his version of the Air Raid in junior Clayton Tune who completed 20 of 33 passes for 319 yards with two touchdowns last week. Quarterbacks tend to see a big jump in their second-season under Holgorsen and his system. Houston has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Cougars’ defense returns 93% of its productivity from last season while getting a bunch of new talent from transfers. Houston is a dangerous home dog as they are 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 games when getting the points. These Cougars have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in October — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games played on a Friday night. BYU has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread after a point spread loss. This team struggled against the Roadrunners as they struggled to finish drives in the Red Zone. This is troubling as they were 120th in the Red Zone last season. They also allowed UTSA to pass for 287 yards which were the most they allowed in the air all season. That is not a good sign when facing a Holgorsen Air Raid attack — and BYU has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. QB Zach Wilson did complete 21 of 30 passes for 292 yards in the win — but these Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Frankly, I have considered this Cougars team to be a paper tiger: they opened their season by crushing a Navy team that was not physically prepared to play given their limited workouts due to COVID before returning home for three straight games at home against Troy and Louisiana Tech before the UTSA “showdown” last week. BYU has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning at least two in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning three games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing their last two games at home. BYU is not a good frontrunner either — they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road when laying the points.

FINAL TAKE: BYU has failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 34 games with the Total set at 63 or higher. Houston has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range. 25* CFB Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Houston Cougars (110) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (109). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (901) and the Tampa Bay Rays (902) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Blake Snell in Game Six of the American League Championship Series. THE SITUATION: Houston (36-35) looks to build off the momentum of their 4-3 victory over the Rays last night. Tampa Bay (48-24) still holds a 3-2 lead in this series. This series is being played in San Diego’s Petco Park with the Rays being the designated home team for Game Six.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 7-2-1 in the Astros’ last 10 games after a win. And while Houston’ bullpen blew the save last night after allowing a tying run in the top of the 8th inning, they have then played 32 of their last 47 games Under the Total after a blown save. The Astros have not scored more than four runs in five straight games — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not scoring more than four runs in their last game. They also have played 4 straight games Under the Total with the Total set at 7 to 8.5. They give the ball to Valdez pitching on full rest after allowing two runs in 6 innings of work in Game One of this series on Sunday. The left-hander had a 5-3 record with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in the regular season. The deeper sabermetrics validate those strong frontline numbers with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.61 and 3.16 moving forward. The Astros have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with Valdez pitching with the Total set at 7 to 8.5 — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total with Valdez pitching during day games. He faces a slumping Rays lineup leaving hordes of runners on base. Tampa Bay is scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests with a .174 batting average along with a .247 batting average and an OPS of .573 during that span. The Rays have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. They are also hitting just .219 with a .298 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .703 against left-handed pitchers — and they have played 37 of their last 58 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. The Under is 14-5-1 in Tampa Bay’s last 20 games after a loss — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by two runs or less. The Rays are hitting only .175 over their last five games — and they have then played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after not hitting better than .225 in their last five games. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has also played 5 straight games Under the Total with the number set in the 7 to 8.5 range. They counter with Snell who allowed one run in 5 innings in Game One of this series on Sunday. The left-hander had a 4-2 record with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. The Rays have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total with Snell pitching as a favorite priced in the -125 to -175 range. He will be supported by a bullpen that has a 2.38 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP in their last seven games. He faces an Astros team that has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Tampa Bay has played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a one-run loss. 25* MLB American League Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (901) and the Tampa Bay Rays (902) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Blake Snell. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Arkansas State Red Wolves (106) minus the points versus the Georgia State Panthers (105). THE SITUATION: Arkansas State (2-2) enters this game coming off a 50-27 win over Central Arkansas last Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. Georgia State (1-1) returns to action after last playing on October 3rd when they upset East Carolina by a 49-29 score as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED WOLVES MINUS THE POINTS: Arkansas State will have something to prove in this game after being upset in their last game against an FBS opponent on October 3rd in their 52-23 loss at Coastal Carolina as a 3.5-point favorite. That was a difficult situation for the Red Wolves as they were playing their third straight game away from home. The Chanticleers are an underrated football team as well — as UL-Lafayette found out on Thursday night when they were upset at home against them. Arkansas State returned fifteen starters from last year’s team that finished 8-5 in a season culminating with a 34-26 win in the Camellia Bowl against FIU. The Red Wolves proved their mettle last month with a 35-31 upset win at Kansas State as a 15-point underdog (and perhaps they were due for a letdown when facing Coastal Carolina in their next game three weeks later). Despite their 2-2 record, they are outgaining their opponents by +56.8 net YPG. They stay at home in Jonesboro for just their second game this season where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 home games when favored by 3.5 to 7 points. Arkansas State has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set at 70 or higher. The Red Wolves have been playing high-scoring games with each of their four games totaling at least 61 combined points. These are the games that Arkansas State tends to thrive in under head coach Blake Anderson as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing four straight games where at least 60 combined points were scored. Anderson has yet to settle on a full-time quarterback with junior Logan Bonner the starter last season for the first four games before suffering a season-ending hand injury which presented the opportunity to former Alabama transfer Layne Hatcher to step in with the redshirt sophomore finish 8th in the FBS by averaging 294.6 passing YPG. Anderson is rotating both quarterbacks with them both combining to complete 61.2% of their passes for an offense that is averaging 342 passing YPG along with an 8.3 Yards-Per-Attempt average. Georgia State scored a defensive touchdown and a special teams touchdown against the Pirates to help them win their last game. They are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. They also gained 485 yards in that game but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after gaining at least 475 yards in their last game. The Panthers are using redshirt freshman Cornelius Brown as their quarterback who will be making his first start on the road with this being Georgia State’s first game away from their home in Atlanta at Georgia State Stadium which was previously Turner Field for the Atlanta Braves. Georgia State is just 2-10-2 ATS in their last 14 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road. The Panthers have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a game where at least 70 combined points were scored.

FINAL TAKE: Arkansas State will also be motivated to avenge a 52-38 upset loss at Georgia State last season where they were 6.5-point favorites. The Red Wolves have only had ten defensive players who have been available for all four of their games given injuries and COVID — but this unit will likely be at their healthiest for this game. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Game of the Year with the Arkansas State Red Wolves (106) minus the points versus the Georgia State Panthers (105). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (971) versus the Houston Astros (972) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Zack Greinke in Game Four of the American League Championship Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (48-22) took a 3-0 lead in the ALCS with their 5-2 victory over the Astros yesterday. Houston (34-35) has lost four of their last five games. This series is being played on a neutral field at Petco Park in San Diego.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAYS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Tampa Bay has won 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Rays have also won 36 of their last 52 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Tampa Bay has not allowed more than two runs in four straight games — and they have won 9 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than three runs in their last two contests. They are getting great efforts out of their bullpen that has a 2.18 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP over the last seven days. They give the ball to Glasnow who is 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. The right-hander was more effective on the road with his 3.45 ERA along with a 1.09 WHIP and .190 opponent’s batting average in six road starts. The deeper sabermetrics are bullish on Glasnow with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.04 and 2.75 moving forward from his deeper peripherals. Glasnow has been sharp in the postseason. He has an ERA of 4.05 given one mediocre outing — but his WHIP is 1.13 in 13 1/3 playoff innings while striking out 20 batters and walking only six. His last outing was on October 9th when he pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in Game Five of the ALDS against the New York Yankees on just two days of rest. Tampa Bay has won 13 straight games with Glasnow pitching with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. Houston has now lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They also have lost 16 of their last 22 games as an underdog. They counter with Greinke who was 3-3 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in twelve starts during the regular season. The right-hander was not as effective on the road where he saw his ERA and WHIP rise to 4.59 and 1.20 marks with his opponents hitting a .267 against him in six starts. Greinke has been dealing with arm soreness which may be limiting his effectiveness. He has not completed five innings of work in three straight starts. He allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start against Oakland on October 8th. In his 8 2/3 innings in the postseason this year, Greinke has a 5.19 ERA with only five strikeouts. He will be supported by a shaky bullpen that has a 4.24 ERA and 1.47 WHIP this season — and those numbers rise to 4.78 and 1.52 marks in night games.

FINAL TAKE: The record was mixed in the NBA and NHL regarding how teams performed when facing playoff elimination. Some teams like the Denver Nuggets maintained their resolve. However, many teams saw the opportunity to escape the bubble required for those playoff games and gave only a half-hearted effort in their final game. I suspect this embattled Astros team that has been under the microscope all year for the cheating scandal will have one eye on the exit door tonight. They sleepwalked through the regular season. They also have lost 3 of their last 4 playoff games with Greinke pitching in an elimination game. 25* MLB American League Game of the Year with the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (971) versus the Houston Astros (972) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Zack Greinke. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Tennessee Titans (462) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bills (461). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (3-0) finally takes the field again after last playing on September 27th where they defeated the Vikings in Minnesota by a 31-30 score as a 3-point favorite. Buffalo (4-0) remained unbeaten last week with their 30-23 win at Las Vegas as a 3-point favorite on October 4th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TITANS PLUS THE POINTS: Endorsing Tennessee for this game first required an up-to-date assessment regarding who will be playing tonight. The news early this afternoon is that both left tackle Taylor Lewan and wide receiver A.J. Brown are expected to play after being listed as questionable on the last official injured list submitted to the league on Saturday. I thought this would be the case with the extra days to rest and rehabilitate — but confirmation was essential for me to push the proverbial button on this play. The Titans have a long lost of players out due to COVID with wide receivers Adam Humphries and Corey Davis being two of those players. I do have sources at the private high school in Nashville where Tennessee conducted informal workouts last week violating NFL guidelines. These workouts were on multiple days (good!) that involved quarterback Ryan Tannehill (good!) working with coaches (good!) in passing drills which are presumably the players that will be taking Humphries and Davis spots tonight (good!). I am not thrilled that the Titans will have had only two practices back at their open facilities since Saturday — but that is similar to the regimen for teams playing on a Thursday after a short week. At least Tennessee has stayed at home this entire time. And getting seventeen days of rest does not hurt. I think this will be a big night for running back Derrick Henry (who was not at the informal workouts — he was resting, which is good!) who may be poised to have his best game of the season running behind Lewan. I also like the extended time that head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff have had to devise a scheme-specific against the Bills’ QB Josh Allen. The only other significant loss for the Titans from COVID is defensive end, Jeffery Simmons. Tennessee has not covered the point spread yet this season — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after both a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread in and after failing to cover the point spread in at least two straight games. Tannehill led an offense that generated 444 yards against the Vikings in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after gaining at least 400 yards. And in their last 12 games when getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, Tennessee has covered the point spread 8 times. Buffalo has won and covered the point spread in all four of their games this season — but I don’t like it when teams that are red hot get out of their routine. As it is, the Bills have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after winning at least four games in a row. Additionally, Buffalo has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 38 of their last 60 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. The Bills have won all three of their games decided by one possession including two wins by just a field goal. They enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin in their win over the Raiders — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after generating a +2 or better net turnover margin in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee is 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games against fellow AFC opponents while Buffalo is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against AFC foes. While skepticism over the Titans after their long break is deserved, the market has over-adjusted (fueled by the Allen-hype) in making them road favorites of at least a field goal where they would typically be small road dogs according to most power rankings. 25* AFC Game of the Month with the Tennessee Titans (462) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bills (461). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (477) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (478). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (1-3) has lost three straight games after their 38-31 loss at Tampa Bay as a 7.5-point underdog last Sunday. New Orleans (2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak last Sunday with their 35-29 victory in Detroit against the Lions as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Saints have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. New Orleans is a banged-up football team. On defense, cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Marston Lattimore along with defensive end Marcus Davenport are all questionable with injuries. On offense, the offensive line is dealing with injuries to Andrus Peat and Ryan Ramczyk that leave them questionable for tonight. And while wide receiver Michael Thomas was questionable with the ankle that kept him out the previous two games, he was suspended for tonight’s game by the field after a physical altercation with a teammate. All these issues will make it harder for a team to cover a point spread of about a touchdown — the Saints just want the victory. They are scoring 30.8 PPG — but they are also allowing 30.8 PPG so far this season. They return home to the Big Easy where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games when laying the points. Los Angeles has lost all three of their games by 7 points or less. The Chargers had a 24-7 lead in the second quarter against the Buccaneers before blowing that lead to Tom Brady and company. They also blew a lead against Kansas City before losing that game in overtime — and a fumbled lateral in the waning moments of their game with Carolina probably cost them that victory. This is a quality roster with a good head coach in Anthony Lynn. I am worried about their injuries — particularly on the offensive line. But the Chargers put up 31 points against a very good Tampa Bay defense despite the injuries to Trai Turner and Bryan Bulaga who are starters on their offensive line. They seem to have made the right decision in drafting Justin Herbert at quarterback. The rookie has completed 72% of his passes for 831 yards and an 8.7 Yards-Per-Pass-Attempt average. Running back Austin Ekeler is out but they have a solid stable of running backs with rookie Joshua Kelley out of UCLA and former Northwestern Wildcat Josh Jackson. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 31 road games after losing at least three games in a row. The Chargers are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 road games with the total set at 49.5 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles is 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 games as an underdog — and they are 33-15-4 ATS in their last 52 road games when getting the points. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on Monday Night Football — and remember that they will not have a packed and rowdy home crowd for this game given COVID restrictions. 25* NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (477) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (475) plus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (476). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (1-3) won their first game of the season last Sunday with their 31-23 upset win at Houston as a 3.5-point underdog. Seattle (4-0) remains unbeaten this season after they defeated Miami on the road last week by a 31-23 score as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS PLUS THE POINTS: Earning their first win of the season was a good start — but Minnesota remains in an urgent situation with Green Bay and Chicago only having one loss between the both of them in the NFC North. The Vikings have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after losing two of their last three games. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has received his usual level of criticism during the losing streak — but he has led an offense that has scored 61 combined points over the last two games and that has reached the 30-point threshold in three of their four games this season. Justin Jefferson has emerged as a solid replacement for Stefon Diggs and a good complement to Adam Thielen — he has 11 receptions for 278 yards. Minnesota generated 410 yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game. Delvin Cook has been outstanding this season with two straight 100-yard rushing efforts. He ran the ball 27 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns last week. Cook’s success running the football allowed the Vikings to control the time of possession for 36:31 minutes — and this will be the formula for success tonight to keep Russell Wilson off the field. Minnesota rushed for 162 yards overall against the Texans — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. The Vikings are also 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games in October. Seattle looks to become 5-0 on the season for the first time in franchise history. They have passed for at least 275 yards in all four of their games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after passing for at least 275 yards in three straight games. But the bigger concern is their defense that is allowing 476.8 total YPG. The Seahawks are being outgained by -60.5 net YPG this season — it is their +5 net turnover margin that has helped them overcome that disparity. But the turnovers are fickle — and Seattle will not have the services of their star defensive back Jamal Adams for this game as he deals with a groin injury. As it is, the Seahawks have allowed at least 312 passing yards in all four of their games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 275 passing yards in three straight games. Seattle returns home where they will not have any fans in the stadium — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games. The Seahawks are also just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against fellow AFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Cousins has the reputation of folding under the bright lights of nationally-televised prime-time games — but the numbers do not support that claim for Sunday Night Football. Cousin has led his team to a victory in four of his six starts on a Sunday night. Furthermore, his 320.5 passing YPG average, 73.3% completion percentage, and his 117.3 Passer Rating represent the best marks of all NFL quarterbacks playing on Sunday Night Football. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Minnesota Vikings (475) plus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Houston Texans (460) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (459). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-4) remained winless last week after their 31-23 upset loss at Minnesota last Sunday despite being a 3.5-point favorite. Jacksonville (1-3) has lost three straight games after their 33-25 loss at Cincinnati last week as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TEXANS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston sacked head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien after Sunday’s loss. The speculation is that J.J. Watt’s frustration with O’Brien finally boiled over which resulted in a verbal altercation between the two. When the star players begin to turn on you, then ownership needed to make a move to change the atmosphere. Because Watt demonstrated leadership to take on O’Brien in a move he had to think would cause waves, I expect a big from him and the rest of the team as they rally around each other and interim head coach Romeo Crennel who is universally-liked on the team. At 73-years old, Crennel not only replaces Pete Carroll as the league’s elder statesman at head coach but he will be the oldest head coach in NFL history. As it is, the Texans have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games when staying at home after a loss at home. Houston has also covered the point spread in their last 3 games after an upset loss at home. The biggest problem for this team is their run defense as they rank last in the league by allowing 181.1 rushing YPG. They have allowed all four of their opponents to rush for at least 162 yards this season — but not only have they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after allowing at least 150 rushing yard in two straight games but they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in three straight games. Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. The Jaguars’ defense has issues of their own after allowing the Bengals to rack up 505 yards last week with 205 of those yards coming on the ground. Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 30 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 200 rushing yards. The Jags will be without cornerback D.J. Hayden who was placed on injured reserve this week with a hamstring injury. Look for Deshaun Watson to have a big game against the inexperienced Jacksonville secondary. The Jaguars have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. And in their last 9 games in October, Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: Teams that fired their head coach midseason have only covered the point spread twice in these last eight situations — but that limited sample size deserves some context. Often these moves are made later in the season when the team is out of playoff contention and planning their offseason. And often the fired head coach was generally liked and respected — Carolina laid an egg in their first game after Ron Rivera was fired late in the year as they appeared dejected with the move by ownership. I suspect the Houston players have had the Wizard of Oz on loop all week because they think that the “wicked witch is dead.” The Texans won both meetings between these two teams last season so they have to think this is a winnable game if they get back to basics. 25* AFC South Game of the Month with the Houston Texans (460) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (459). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Clemson Tigers (318) minus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (317). THE SITUATION: Clemson (3-0) is unbeaten so far this season after their 41-23 victory over Virginia last week as a 27.5-point favorite. Miami (3-0) is also undefeated on the season after they crushed Florida State two weeks ago by a 52-10 score as a 12-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Hurricanes look to be an improved team after second-year head coach Manny Diaz modernized his offense by bringing in former SMU offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee to implement his version of an up-tempo spread offense while matching him with former Houston QB D’Eriq King who transferred to the program in the offseason. Miami is 7th in the nation by averaging 43.3 PPG which is taking a lot of pressure off their usually-talented defense. But after playing UAB, Louisville (now 1-3), and the Seminoles (who are a mess), this is a significant upgrade in competition. Yet the Hurricanes have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Miami generated 517 yards of offense against Florida State after gaining 485 yards against Louisville — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after gaining at least 475 yards in two straight games. We are supposed to believe that this Hurricanes’ defense is loaded — but they did lose 25.5 of their sacks from last season. There are warning signs that this is not an elite unit. Louisville — the team Georgia Tech beat last night — generated 516 yards against them two weeks ago while exposing the Miami defense against both the run (209 rushing yards allowed) and the pass (307 passing yards allowed). The Hurricanes are allowing 3.96 Yards-Per-Carry which is 10th in the ACC in run defense. Miami’s Achilles heel in their bigger games last season was their suspect offensive line that struggled in the run game while surrendering 51 sacks which was the most of all Power Five conference teams. Four starters return from that group who are now coached by Garin Justice. They face a handful of future NFL players from this Clemson front seven that has racked up 27 tackles-for-loss along with 13 sacks already this season. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a win by at least 20 points. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Tigers allowed Virginia to generate 417 yards last week in their comfortable victory — and that lackluster effort is probably just what defensive coordinator Brent Venables needs to get his unit’s attention in practice this week. Clemson tends to raise their level of play at this point in the season. Since 2015, Dabo Swinney’s team is just 12-12-1 ATS against FBS opponents in their opening games through the first weekend in October. The offense averages 34.2 PPG in those contests with 42% of their victories being by at least three touchdowns. Swinney is still learning his team while experimenting with some things — and the schedule is usually pretty soft. However, from the second week of October through the rest of the season since 2015, the Tigers are 29-15-2 ATS with a 40.8 PPG scoring average along with 51% of their victories being by at least three touchdowns. After their 21-20 scare against the Cavaliers last year, Clemson’s next eight regular-season victories were by an averaging winning margin of +42.1 PPG with the team outgaining their opponents by +348 net YPG. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games. Furthermore, Clemson is 6-1-1 ATS in October — and the Hurricanes have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games in October.

FINAL TAKE: This is Clemson’s first high-profile game since their 42-25 loss to LSU in the National Championship Game — so I expect Trevor Lawrence and company to be very motivated. This Miami team lacks big-game experience — and this is a program that has lost their last three opportunities to defeat a top-ten team. A paper tiger will be exposed to real tigers. 25* CBB ACC Game of the Month with the Clemson Tigers (318) minus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (317). 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 Miami Heat (709) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (710) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (67-23) took a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals on Tuesday with their 102-96 victory over the Heat. Miami (57-35) looks to keep their championship dreams alive in this must-win game for them. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Heat were able to get Bam Adebayo back on the court in Game Four where he played over 33 minutes. With the two days of rest since that game, Adebayo should be able to at least match that amount of time on the court tonight. As I argued for Game Two last Friday (our NBA Total of the Year), playing without Adebayo would have a significant impact on a higher-scoring game. The highest two scoring games in this series were Games Two and Three which Adebayo did not play — 238 and 219 combined points were scored in those two games. Adebayo’s return to the court leads to lower scoring games. For starters, he is Miami’s best interior defender. Anthony Davis can almost score at will if he is being defended by Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk. But Leonard and Olynyk are both capable outside shooters that Adebayo. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team play at a faster pace when Adebayo is not on the court. In all, Adebayo’s presence on the court tonight means better defense for the Heat along with a slower pace and less 3-point shooting. Miami has been outrebounded by seven boards in each of the four games in this series. The Heat have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after being outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Miami has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with at least two days of rest. And in their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series, the Heat have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Los Angeles has played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a victory by 6 points or less. Additionally, the Lakers have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread. Head coach Frank Vogel made a nice coaching adjustment on Tuesday by giving Anthony Davis the defensive assignment against Jimmy Butler. Not only does this make Butler’s job scoring at the rim more of a challenge but Davis was playing off Butler at the top of the key while seemingly daring him to take 3-pointers. Yet Butler only laughed three shots from downtown — missing all three attempts. Miami ended that game with a 42.7% field goal percentage which was tied for the lowest shooting mark in their last fourteen games. The Lakers have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponent by at least 5 boards in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total. Expect another lower-scoring game. 25* NBA Friday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (709) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays (934) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Yankees (933) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow in Game Five of their American League Divisional Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (44-22) looks to rebound from their 5-1 loss to the Yankees yesterday in Game Four of this series. New York (37-29) has won four of their last six games after their win on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral field at San Diego’s Petco Park with the Rays the designed home team batting last tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAYS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Tampa Bay has won 14 of their last 16 games after a loss — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games after a loss by at least four runs. The Rays have also won 4 of their last 5 games after not scoring more than two runs in their last game — and they have won 37 of their last 55 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And while they managed just three base hits yesterday, they have then won 6 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than four base hits in their last game. They give the ball to Glasnow who is 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP this season. The tall right-hander registered 92 strikeouts in just 57 1/3 innings of work. The sabermetrics are bullish on Glasnow with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.04 and 2.75 moving forward. He was more effective away from home where he had a 3.45 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .190 in six starts. Glasnow has punched out 18 batters in the 11 innings he has thrown in this postseason. The Rays have won 10 of their last 11 games with Glasnow making the start with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. He will likely go through the Yankees’ batting order once before giving way to Blake Snell who was 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. Snell has a 3.37 ERA in his 10 2/3 innings of work in these playoffs. New York has lost 7 of their last 8 road games after winning four or five of their last six games. The Yankees have also lost 11 of their last 16 games on the road after playing at least three straight games against an AL East rival. The Yankees counter with Cole who will be making his first-ever career start on just three days of rest after he pitched Game One of this series. While Cole was 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA in the regular season, his ERA rose to a 3.67 mark in his six starts on the road. The sabermetrics also call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.21 and 3.38 respectively. He also has a 3.45 ERA in his 13 innings of postseason work this year. Nothing wrong with an ERA expectation in the mid-3s — but it certainly changes the betting dynamic when looking at his frontline numbers or evaluating him from his spectacular 2019 season with the Houston Astros. The Rays have won 6 of their last 8 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15.

FINAL TAKE: The Yankees have lost 3 straight playoff games when the series was tied. And Tampa Bay has won 11 of its last 15 games as an underdog. I think this game is closer to being a pick ‘em — so the ability to seize the valuable +1.5 Run-Line (with the home team!) at a price below my -150 threshold presents outstanding value. 25* MLB AL East Run-Line of the Year with the Tampa Bay Rays (934) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Yankees (933) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow. 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 Tampa Bay Rays (925) and the New York Yankees (926) listing both starting pitchers Ryan Thompson and Jordan Montgomery in Game Four of their American League Divisional Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (44-21) took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series yesterday with their 8-4 victory in Game Three of this series. New York (36-29) has lost the last two games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rays have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a win by at least four runs — and they have played 24 of their last 36 games after a game where they scored at least eight runs in their last game. Tampa Bay scored seven runs in their Game Two victory on Tuesday — and they have then played 17 of their last 26 games Over the Total after scoring at least seven runs in two straight games. They turn to Thomson as their opener tonight who is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings of work this season — but he sees his ERA and WHIP skyrocket to an 8.49 and 1.80 marks with an opponent’s batting average of .340 in 11 2/3 innings away from home. Ryan Yarbrough will likely then be the bulk pitcher for the Rays in this game — he was 1-4 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 55 2/3 innings. The deeper sabermetrics are not encouraging for Yarbrough with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.44 and 4.37 respectively moving forward. He faces a Yankees team that is scoring 7.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .270 batting average along with a .371 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .892 over that span. New York has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Yankees have now played five straight Overs — and not only have they then played 29 of their last 43 games away from home Over the Total after playing two straight Overs but they have also played 19 of their last 27 games on the road Over the Total after playing at least three straight games Over the Total. The Bronx Bombers have also played 4 straight games Over the Total when favored. They counter with Montgomery who is 2-5 with a 5.11 ERA and  1.30 WHIP in ten starts. But while the left-hander had a 3.71 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .238 in six starts at home, those numbers jump to a 7.27 ERA with a 1.62 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .303 in four road starts. New York has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total with Montgomery pitching when favored in the -125 to -175 price range.

FINAL TAKE: Tampa Bay is also swinging hot bats right now — they are scoring 5.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .258 batting average along with a .328 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .787 in those games. 25* MLB AL East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (925) and the New York Yankees (926) listing both starting pitchers Ryan Thompson and Jordan Montgomery. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers (920) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (919) listing both starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zach Davies in Game Two of the National League Divisional Series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (46-17) has won seven straight games after their 5-1 victory over the Padres in the opening game of this NLDS yesterday. San Diego (39-25) had won two straight games after dropping the first game of their best-of-three wildcard series with St. Louis. This game will be played on a neutral field at Global Life Field in Arlington, Texas with the Dodgers the designated home team that will bat last.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Los Angeles has won 40 of their last 55 games after a victory — and they have won 36 of their last 51 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while the Dodgers have played four straight Unders, they have then won 26 of their last 33 games after playing at least three straight Unders. And in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, LA has won 5 of these contests. They give the ball to Kershaw who is 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP in ten regular season starts. He did his better pitching away from Dodger Stadium this season where he enjoyed a 1.84 ERA with a 0.68 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .163 in seven starts. The left-hander was outstanding last Thursday in his start in the wildcard series against the Brewers where he allowed no runs and just three hits in 8 innings of work while striking out 13 batters and walking just one hitter. I am well aware of Kershaw’s struggles in the postseason — we have made a lot of money over the years betting against him (or taking Overs) with his career 4.63 playoff ERA. I think this is an instance where the lack of fans in the stadium is alleviating pressure Kershaw placed on himself when pitching with playoff urgency. His start last Thursday was not only the best start in playoff action in his career but it was also his best start at any time since May 23rd 2016 according his Game Score rating. Kershaw changed his offseason workout program to regain velocity on his fastball while also altering his routine between starts. I think he is primed for another outstanding outing pitching in the Dallas area where he grew up. Kershaw has not allowed more than an earned run in three straight starts — and not only have the Dodgers won 24 of their last 27 games when he was starting after not allowing more than two earned runs in two straight games but LA has won 9 of their last 10 games when Kershaw was pitching after not allowing more than one earned run in at least two straight starts. San Diego has lost 21 of their last 30 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Padres have also lost 5 of their last 8 games after a loss by at least four runs. Additionally, San Diego has lost 21 of their last 30 games after not scoring more than two runs in their last game — and they have lost 4 straight games after failing to score more than a run in a loss to a divisional rival. Furthermore, the Padres have lost 32 of their last 47 games as an underdog — and they have lost 5 straight playoff games as a dog. They counter with Davies who is 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in twelve regular season starts. I am skeptical of the right-hander due to his SIERA and xFIP that project an ERA of 4.32 and 4.14 moving forward. He struggled in his start last Thursday against the Cardinals in the playoffs where he allowed four earned runs in 2 innings of work. The Brewers may have created the blueprint as to how to handle him — lay off his sinker and other junk pitches that fall out of the  strike zone. Patience at the plate is playoff baseball anyways. And the San Diego bullpen is a mess right now. With Mike Clevinger only able to pitch one inning yesterday, the Padres’ pen used eight pitchers for the third straight playoff game after “only” using seven bullpen pitchers in their opening playoff game to the Cardinals. Davies (and this overworked bullpen) faces a Dodgers team that has won 39 of their last 55 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. LA is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .255 batting average along with a .325 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .814.

FINAL TAKE: Of course, the team trends mentioned above do not take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we are laying in this game. This is the fourteenth straight game where the Dodgers were priced as a favorite above my -150 threshold (where I will not endorse a straight-up money-line play). LA has won ten of these games by more than one run while losing two of the games straight-up and winning just once by just one run. The value with the Dodgers is to lay the -1.5 Run-Line. 25* MLB National League West Run-Line of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers (920) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (919) listing both starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zach Davies. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (917) and the Atlanta Braves (918) listing both starting pitchers Pablo Lopez and Ian Anderson in Game Two in the National League Divisional Series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (38-25) has won three straight games after winning Game One of this series yesterday by a 9-5 score. Miami (33-30) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in the loss. This game will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston with the Braves the technical home team batting last.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 12-4-4 in the Braves’ last 20 games after a victory — and the Over is 17-6-5 in their last 28 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Atlanta has also played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row. Additionally, the Braves have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total with the number set in the 8 to 8.5 range. And in their last 33 games as a favorite, the Over is 20-9-4. They give the ball to Anderson who is with 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in six starts. The deeper metrics are not as bullish with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.82 and 3.45 moving forward. Miami has played 19 of their last 29 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a loss by at least four runs. The Marlins have also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after allowing at least nine runs in their last game. Additionally, Miami has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with the number set in the 7 to 8.5 range. And in their last 7 second games to a new series, the Marlins have played 5 of these games Over the Total. The Miami bullpen surrendered four runs in the final three innings yesterday — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen allowed at least three earned runs in their last game. They counter with Lopez who was 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. But while the right-hander had a 2.56 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP in five starts at home, those numbers rose to a 4.91 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP in six starts on the road. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in his last three starts — but the Marlins have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total when Lopez is pitching after not allowing more than two earned runs in his last two starts. He faces a hot-hitting Braves team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .272 batting average, .346 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .835. The Over is also 16-6-3 in Miami’s last 25 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has seen the Over go 17-7-3 in their last 27 games against NL East opponents — and the Over is 21-10-2 in Miami’s last 33 games against NL East divisional rivals. 25* MLB Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (917) and the Atlanta Braves (918). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (707) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (708) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (66-23) lost their first game in the NBA Finals on Sunday with their 115-104 upset loss as a 9-point favorite. Miami (57-34) still trails by a 2-1 margin in this series. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles has responded with victories in all three of their postseason losses this year — and their average winning margin in those games is+13 Points-Per-Game. They have also covered the point spread in all 3 games this season when they lost by double-digits as a favorite laying at least 6 points. The Lakers were flat in Game Three. They shot just 43% from the field which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last twelve games. They allowed the Heat to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance in their last five games. After committing only ten turnovers in Game Two, LA turned the ball over ten times in just the 1st quarter in Game Three en route to 20 turnovers for the game. Anthony Davis was slowed by committing three personal fouls in the first half. He only played 33 minutes and scored only 15 minutes after scoring at least 32 points in the first two games of this series. Davis was simply not very active on Sunday as he attempted only nine shots despite the Heat lacking credible defenders inside the paint given the injury to Bam Adebayo. Davis has failed to score at least 20 points only sixteen times this season. After a lackluster Game Three in the Western Conference Finals against Denver, Davis was spectacular in the next two games averaging 30.5 PPG. The Lakers should also score more points in transition in this game. After netting +6.1 points per 100 possession clip in transition in Game One and +1.1 points per 100 possession mark in transition in Game Two, LA had -1.4 points per 100 possession rating in Game Three. They had adequate transition scoring chances that represented 12.1% of their possessions on Sunday, but they only scored at 90.9 points per 100 possession rate. The Lakers entered this series averaging 23.3 points per game via transitions which was tops in the NBA playoffs with 18.5% of their possessions coming from transition. Los Angeles’ loss snapped a four-game winning streak — but they have still won 22 of their last 29 games after winning three of their last four games. They also have won 23 of their last 34 games after winning four of their last five contests. The Lakers are still dominating Miami on the boards. Their 50-43 advantage on the boards in Game Three was the narrowest that margin has so far been in this series. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least five boards — and this includes them covering the point spread in four of these last five situations. Miami played their best defensive game in their last nine contests by holding LA to 43% shooting. They received a superhuman effort from Jimmy Butler who scored 40 points with 13 assists and 11 rebounds in his first career triple-double in the playoffs. This was the second-best Game Score registered by Basketball-Reference in the playoffs since 1984 which is how far back they can measure that metric. After logging in 45 minutes to carry his team to victory, it is highly unlikely that Butler can come close to replicating that performance. Butler made 14 of his 20 shots on Sunday — but he made only 45.1% of his shots from the field during the regular season. And Butler has scored more than 30 points in nine of his 44 playoff games since he became an All-Star in 2015 — so it was a relatively rare occurrence. As it is, the Heat have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a double-digit victory as an underdog. Miami has also failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games on the road after scoring at least 115 points. The Heat were without the injured Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic on Sunday which made Butler’s effort even more spectacular. Dragic will probably not play in this series but Adebayo has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game with his neck injury. He wanted to play on Sunday but was not cleared by the Miami medical staff. Even if he does take the court, it remains questionable how effective he can be (as we learned, unfortunately, last night with both Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley not being effective playing with injuries despite participating in practices at the end of the week).

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss were they were favored by at least 7 points. Look for LA to come out with similar intensity as they did in Game One of this series which they won by 18 points. 25* NBA Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers (707) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (708). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (904) versus the New York Yankees (903) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Deivi Garcia in Game Two of their American League Divisional Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (42-21) saw their six-game winning streak snapped yesterday with their 9-3 loss to the Yankees in the opening game of their ALDS. New York (36-27) has won three straight games as well as four of their last five contests. This game will be played on a neutral field at San Diego’s Petco Park. The Rays are the technical home team who will bat last.

REASONS TO TAKE TAMPA BAY WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Rays should respond with a strong effort as they have won 13 of their last 16 games after a loss — and they have won 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by at least four runs. And while the Tampa Bay bullpen gave up five earned runs yesterday, they have then won 5 of their last 6 games after a game where their bullpen allowed at least four earned runs. The Rays have also won 19 of their last 26 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. And this remains a team that has won 36 of their last 53 games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Glasnow who is 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP this season. The tall right-hander registered 92 strikeouts in just 57 1/3 innings of work. The sabermetrics are bullish on Glasnow with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.04 and 2.75 moving forward. He was more effective away from home where he had a 3.45 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .190 in six starts. He was very good in Game One of the AL Wildcard round where he allowed two runs in 6 innings of work against Milwaukee on September 30th. His teams have won 12 straight games when he was pitching with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. The Yankees were favored yesterday with Gerrit Cole on the hill but are underdogs tonight — and they have lost 7 of their last 9 games as a money-line underdog. New York has also lost 20 of their last 26 playoff games as an underdog. They counter with Deivi Garcia who is 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in six starts spanning 34 1/3 innings. The rookie did his best pitching at home at Yankee Stadium where he had a 3.20 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .224 — but those numbers rise to a 7.36 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .290 opponent’s batting average of .290 in his 14 2/3 innings of work pitching on the road. He faces a Tampa Bay team that has won 32 of their last 45 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Yankees have lost 11 of their last 17 games when listed in the +/- 125 price range — and the Rays have won 12 of their last 15 games when priced in that +/- 125 range. 25* MLB American League East Game of the Year with the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (904) versus the New York Yankees (903) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Deivi Garcia. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Atlanta Falcons (279) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (280). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (0-3) will be playing with desperation tonight after losing their third straight game last Sunday by a 30-26 score despite being a 2.5-point favorite. Green Bay (3-0) is unbeaten so far this season after they upset New Orleans last Sunday night by a 37-30 score on the road as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FALCONS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta had a 26-10 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to go in that game before surrendering the final 20 points in that game to lose to the Bears. That collapse came on the heels of them blowing a 39-24 lead with 5 minutes left in the game two weeks ago against the Cowboys in their 40-39 loss. The Falcons may not be able to keep a lead — but they remain competitive. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Atlanta is moving the ball on offense — they are scoring 30.0 PPG while averaging 419.0 total YPG. They generated 371 yards last week against the Bears — and they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. They should be able to score against this Packers defense that is last in the NFL by allowing 6.6 Yards-Per-Play. Opposing quarterbacks have racked up a Passer Rating of 113.4 which is the 3rd highest in the league. Green Bay is also allowing opposing rushers to average 5.5 Yards-Per-Carry. The Falcons’ biggest problem is their defense that is ravaged with injuries in their secondary. They allowed the Bears to gain 437 yards last week after the Cowboys gained 570 yards against them. Atlanta has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. Moving forward, the Falcons have covered the point spread in 5 straight games on the road. Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning three games in a row. The Packers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a point spread win. Additionally, the Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games off a game on the road where both teams scored at least 24 points. They will not have the services of their best wide receiver, Davante Adams, who will not play with a hamstring injury despite him participating in practice at the end of the week. Green Bay is dealing with a number of injuries with wide receiver Allan Lazard and linebacker Christian Kirksey out tonight.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Look for them to keep this game close and perhaps pull the upset. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Special Feature with the Atlanta Falcons (279) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (280). 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 Philadelphia Eagles (277) and the San Francisco 49ers (278). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (0-2-1) enters this game coming off a 23-23 tie with Cincinnati where they were 5.5-point favorites. San Francisco (2-1) returns home after winning their two games in the Meadowlands which concluded with their 36-9 win against the Giants last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Much has been made of the struggles Carson Wentz is experiencing. He has the lowest Passer Rating of all qualifying quarterbacks in the league. He is completing only 59.8% of his passes which is just 28th of qualifying NFL quarterbacks. He is working behind a depleted offensive line riddled with injuries. Yet despite all this, the Eagles did generate 381 yards last week — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The good news for Wentz is the Miles Sanders has been upgraded to probable to offer him a credible rushing threat that should take some of the pressure off him. The running back has generated 190 rushing yards over his last two games with a crisp 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry average. Last week’s game finished Under the Total —and the Eagles have played 6 straight road games Over the Total after a game that finished Under the Total. And while Philly has yet to cover the point spread this season, they have then played 7 straight games away from home Over the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Philly did hold the Bengals to just 48 rushing yards last week — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total if they did not allow more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. Furthermore, the Eagles have played a decisive 41 of their last 61 games on the road Over the Total — and this tightens to them playing 18 of their last 23 road games Over the Total when they are the underdog. San Francisco has played 14 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a win by at least three touchdowns. The 49ers have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Niners held the Jets and the Giants to only 3 and 6 points in the first half in their last two games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not allowing more than a touchdown in the first half in two straight games. San Francisco is dealing with a long list of injuries — Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, Dee Ford along with cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Akhello Witherspoon are all out for this game. But the 49ers are getting healthy on offense with tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel upgraded to probable for this game. QB Jimmy Garoppolo remains out with his ankle injury but backup Nick Mullens has proven himself to be more than capable of operating Kyle Shanahan’s offense at a highly proficient rate. Mullens completed 25 of 36 passes last week for 343 yards without all team’s offensive weapons. The Niners generated 420 yards of offense in that game — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. San Francisco returns home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 9-3-1 in the 49ers’ last 13 games against fellow NFC opponents — and the Over is also 9-3-1 in their last 13 games when favored. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (277) and the San Francisco 49ers (278). 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 Auburn Tigers (153) and the Georgia Bulldogs (154). THE SITUATION: Auburn (1-0) comes off a 29-13 win over Kentucky last Saturday as a 6.5-point favorite in the opening game of their season. Georgia (1-0) also won their first game of the season last Saturday when defeated Arkansas on the road as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Tigers’ 29 points is a bit deceptive regarding the quality of their offensive effort last week. Auburn only gained 324 yards of offense last week. They were given a short field from a fumble recovery near the Red Zone along with a failed fake punt by the Wildcats. The Tigers rushed for only 91 yards on 30 carries with their best run being of just 12 yards. Auburn has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 100 yards in their last game. The Tigers now go on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total as an underdog overall. Additionally, Auburn has played 11 of their last 17 road games Under the Total as a dog getting 7.5 to 14 points. And in their last 5 games against SEC foes, the Tigers have played 4 of these games Under the Total. Auburn will have trouble moving the ball against what might be the best defensive unit in the country. Georgia returns eight starters from a defense that led the nation by allowing only 12.6 PPG last season. The Bulldogs’ defense held the Razorbacks last week to just 280 yards. Both of Arkansas’ scoring drives were just 24 and 43 yards. Georgia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. The Bulldogs have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. But the Georgia offense is an entirely different story. For starters, who will be their starter under center? Redshirt freshman Dawn Mathis got the start last week but struggled to move the offense with the Bulldogs leading by just a 7-5 score at halftime. Junior Stetson Bennett came on in relief with the former walk-on completing 20 of 29 passes for 211 yards to lead his to the easy win. That performance will likely be enough for head coach Kirby Smart to tap him as his starter. Yet Georgia still averaged only 4.3 Yards-Per-Play against Arkansas while generating 360 hidden yards stemming from their defense and special teams to help get their 37 points — and one of their scores came from a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown. Former USC QB J.T. Daniels was also medically cleared to play this week after recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in the opening game last year for the Trojans — but the spring transfer has only begun full-contact practices on Monday. The problem for Georgia is this unsettled QB situation is combined by a young offensive line as well as a rebuilt running back and wide receiver groups. The Bulldogs rushed for only 121 yards last week while averaging 2.9 Yards-Per-Carry. Georgia has played 7 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight Unders against teams ranked in the top-ten. The Under is also 28-9-2 in the Bulldogs’ last 39 games at home — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia won last year’s meeting on the road by a 21-14 score. Tigers’ QB made the start last year in his freshman campaign — he completed 30 of 50 passes for 245 yards but he averaged just 4.9 Yards-Per-Attempt. These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and the Under is 4-0-1 in the last 5 encounters in Athens. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Auburn Tigers (153) and the Georgia Bulldogs (154). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Burnley (200013) with the goal-line versus Newcastle United (200014). THE SITUATION: Burnley (W0-D0-L2) is looking for their first victory of the season after losing last Saturday at home to Southampton by a 1-0 score. Newcastle (W1-D1-L1) pulled out a 1-1 draw at Tottenham last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE BURNLEY WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Newcastle was very fortunate to get the one point from the Spurs last week. A controversial VAR handball call awarded the Magpies a penalty kick in extra time which Callum Wilson converted to earn the draw. Tottenham dominated the expected goals (xG) metric in that match with a 3.49 xG mark as compared to Newcastle’s 1.07 xG. The Magpies had a rough -20 net goal differential for the 2019-20 season — and they were 2nd to last in net xG differential with a -30.54 mark. They opened the season with a 2-0 victory over a struggling West Ham side — but they have played well in their last two games against Brighton and the Spurs. In these last two matches, Newcastle has generated just 0.70 non-penalty kick xG while allowing those two opponents to generate 4.31 non-penalty kick xG. The only shot that the Magpies have managed on target in their last two matches was that Wilson penalty kick in the waning moments of that match with Tottenham. After three games in league play, Newcastle is averaging only 1.06 xG. This team is riddled with injuries right now which is not a good development for mid-table teams that cannot afford to purchase roster depth. The Magpies return home to St. James where they have lost their last three matches in EPL action. Burnley lost a tough one to a likely top-ten team in the Saints last week — but they did hold them to just 0.55 xG. In their opening match against another top-ten (top-five?) side in Leicester City, they lost by a 4-2 score but won the expected goals battle by a 1.43-1.33 xG mark. The Clarets lost only two of their last sixteen EPL matches to close out 2019-20 — and they were W2-D5-L1 against top-ten opponents. For comparison's sake, their net xG differential was just -4.5 last season. Manager Sean Dyche gets the most of his talent at Burnley while playing a very disciplined and compact system. They have only allowed two Big Chances all season despite allowing five goals overall — a few were scored in freakish ways. This team has also been hit hard by injuries — but they do get starting defenseman James Tarkowski to anchor the backline again. The Clarets are also reliable when playing on the road where they are W3-D1-L1 in their last five EPL matches. Burnley generated 26 points away from home last season which was more than Arsenal, Tottenham, and Leicester City accrued.

FINAL TAKE: Burnley won one match and settled for a draw in their other encounter with Newcastle in league play last year. The Clarets need a win to jump up the table — and this is a golden opportunity. Burnley under Dyche is very consistent. A draw is likely the worst-case scenario — but I consider the Clarets the better team and they are playing on the road in an empty stadium. 25* English Premier League Match of the Month with Burnley (200013) with the goal-line versus Newcastle United (200014). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (703) and the Los Angeles Lakers (704) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (65-22) won the opening game of this series on Wednesday with their 116-98 victory over the Heat as a 4.5-point favorite. Miami (56-33) has lost two of their last three games — and they suffered two critical injuries in that game to Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic that have an immediate impact on this series moving forward. This game will be played on a neutral court in Orlando.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Miami hit only 42.7% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest shooting mark in their last four games. They also made just 11 of their 36 shots from downtown for a low 31% mark. The team was simply overwhelmed in the 2nd quarter after racing out to an early 13-point lead. Adebayo only played 21 minutes while Dragic managed just 14:50 minutes before leaving the game to their injuries. The Lakers nailed 60% of their 3-pointers in the first half en route to 65 points. The Heat have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Moving forward, the injuries to Adebayo and Dragic forces head coach Erik Spoelstra to make some significant changes. He is going to play more small-ball — which means a faster tempo, more 3-pointers but a reliance on players with defensive liabilities. Without Adebayo and Dragic on the court, Miami has seen the average possessions per game rise from a 97.4 average to 101 possessions per game. The Heat have their worst Defensive Rating when Dragic is not on the court. His absence means more minutes for Tyler Herro who can be lights out on offense but is a work in progress on the defensive end of the court. Adebayo claims he is going to try to play tonight. We’ll see. Spoelstra will have to give more minutes to Kelly Olynyk in his absence which is another player with defensive limitations when playing against a player like Anthony Davis. Spoelstra will likely embrace more small-ball lineups and even more 3-point shooting in the hopes that his team can replicate the 38% shooting from behind the arc they enjoyed during the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Heat have now allowed at least 113 points in their last three games — and they have played 9 straight games on the road Over the Total after allowing at least 110 points in three straight games. They also have played 28 of their last 42 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Los Angeles coasted to victory despite making only 45.2% of their shots which was the lowest mark in their last four games. The Lakers raced out to a 65-48 halftime lead while nailing 60% of their 3-pointers in the first 24 minutes of that game. That was the sixth time that LA has scored at least 60 points in the first half of their sixteen playoff games. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after enjoying a 15-point lead at halftime. They also had a 10-point lead at halftime in their final game with Denver — and the Lakers have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after generating double-digit halftime leads in two straight games. And in their last 20 games after a victory by at least 15 points, they have played 13 of these games Over the Total. The Lakers have an Offensive Rating of 115.7 which is 2nd best of all playoff teams. Davis scored 34 points on Wednesday and should have his way inside with Adebayo out (or less than 100%). Los Angeles outrebounded the Heat by a 54 to 36 margin in Game One — and Miami has played 8 straight road games Over the Total after a game where they were outrebounded by at least 15 boards.

FINAL TAKE: The Heat have to shoot their way to victory tonight — and if they miss, that triggers the Lakers’ transition offense from which they entered this series averaging 23.3 PPG in transition with it representing 18.5% of their offense. Miami has lost all three meetings with LA this season — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (703) and the Los Angeles Lakers (704). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (977) and the San Diego Padres (978) (action — do not list starting pitchers). THE SITUATION: San Diego (38-24) forced a climactic third game in this series yesterday with their 11-9 victory over the Cardinals. St. Louis (31-29) won the opening game of this series on Wednesday by a 7-4 score.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Padres have now won four of their last five games — and they have played 26 of their last 37 games at home Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. San Diego has also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a game where both teams scored at least eight runs — and they have played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a game where they allowed at least nine runs. Furthermore, the Under is 5-1-1 in the Padres last 7 games both against teams with a winning record and at home hosting a team with a winning record. Manager Jayce Tingler has not announced a starting pitcher — and it just doesn’t matter as this will be a bullpen game before it is over. Likely candidate one to start the game is Adrian Morejon with his 2-2 record along with a 4.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 19 1/3 innings consisting of nine appearances with four starts. Morejon sees his ERA rise to a 7.59 mark with a 1.50 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .295 in his 10 2/3 innings at home. Both his SIERA and xFIP scream to fade this guy with those analytics projecting an ERA of 8.10 and 7.53 moving forward based on his deeper peripheral numbers. Garrett Richards is candidate two to start the 1st inning as was in the rotation to start the season before being moved to the bullpen in anticipation of the playoffs. Richards has a 2-2 record with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 51 1/3 innings this summer. His SIERA and xFIP assess he has been overachieving with their 4.55 and 4.46 ERA projections. Even worse, Richards has a 5.85 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP in 20 innings at home. Tingler will have to rely on a tired bullpen sooner rather than later in this game. After using seven relievers in Game One, Tingler went to the mound to change pitchers eight times yesterday. Six of his relievers have pitched in both games. Overall, the San Diego bullpen has logged in 13 2/3 innings of work after the 6 innings they logged-in yesterday. The Padres have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen pitched at least six innings. The San Diego bullpen already has a 4.66 ERA with a 1.39 WHIP for day games (and the lights will be off for most of this game on the west coast). St. Louis’ bullpen has pitched 15 innings over their last three games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after having their bullpen pitch at least 13 combined innings over their last three games. The Cardinals have also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Flaherty who is 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in nine starts this season. But while the right-hander has a 2.67 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .186 at home, he is burdened with a 9.45 ERA with a 1.73 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average in four starts on the road. St. Louis has played 10 of their last 12 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog — and the Over is 17-6-1 in their last 24 games in the playoffs on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinals have scored 21 runs with a minimum of five runners players over their last three games. San Diego has scored 32 run overs over their last five games with a minimum of four runs scored in each game. UPDATE: Craig Stammen has been named the opening starting pitcher for the Padres with his 5.63 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. The Over remains strong — but let’s go with action rather than listing the starting pitchers, I don’t want anything messing this play up since the bet is, in part, against, all the available options for Tingler. 25* MLB Wildcard Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (977) and the San Diego Padres (978) (action — do not list starting pitchers given the uncertainty with the Padres and because it just doesn’t matter). 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 (101) and the New York Jets (102). THE SITUATION: Denver (0-3) is winless so far this season with their 28-10 loss at home to Tampa Bay on Sunday as a 6-point underdog. New York (0-3) has also lost their first three games this season after their 36-7 loss at Indianapolis on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And with their game with the Buccaneers falling below the 42 point total, they have then played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a game that finished Under the Total. The Denver offense was a work in progress even before being hit hard by the injury bug. Quarterback Drew Lock is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. Jeff Driskel led an offense that generated only 226 yards last week. He was relieved by Brett Rypien in that game — and after the former undrafted QB out of Boise State completed 8 of 9 passes for 53 yards (and an interception in the end zone), head coach Vic Fangio named him the starter for this game despite it being played on a short week. Wide receiver Cortland Sutton is on the IR with an ACL injury while running back Phillip Lindsay is questionable with his injury. The defense is also riddled with a long list of injuries with Von Miller’s ankle injury that put him on IR being the most significant — but they did receive good news this week with cornerback Bryce Callahan, strong safety Kareem Jackson, and nose tackle Shelby Harris all upgraded to probable and expected to start tonight. The Broncos have allowed 17 and 23 points in the first half of their first two games — but they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after allowing at least 17 points in the first half in two straight games. Denver did hold the Buccaneers to just 68 rushing yards last week — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last contest. And while the Broncos surrendered 353 yards overall to Tampa Bay, the Under is 19-6-1 in their last 26 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Now Denver goes back on the road where the Under is 9-4-1 in the last 14 games. New York has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 35 points in their last contest. And while the Jets allowed the Colts to gain 353 yards last week, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. New York managed only 260 yards of offense last week with third-year quarterback Sam Darnold struggling under Adam Gase’s offense. The Jets are scoring only 12.3 PPG this season while averaging 263.7 total YPG. Injuries have not helped Darnold’s cause with running back Le’Veon Bell and rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims both on Injured Reserve and wide receiver Breshard Perriman out with a shoulder injury. Mims and Perriman were new additions this season to jumpstart the Jets’ offense that was 29th in the league by averaging 194.4 passing YPG and totaling just 17.2 PPG which was second-to-last in the NFL.

FINAL TAKE: New York has played 6 straight games Under the Total when hosting an AFC opponent — and Denver has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total against fellow teams from the AFC. While the Total is low, this is one of those games where one (or both) of these teams may not reach double-digits. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (101) and the New York Jets (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the Oakland A’s (964) versus the Chicago White Sox (963) listen both starting pitchers Mike Fiers and Dane Dunning in Game Three of their American League Wildcard Playoff Series. THE SITUATION: Oakland (37-25) evened this series at 1-1 yesterday with their 5-3 victory over the White Sox. Chicago (36-26) has now lost eight of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE A’S WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Oakland has now won 19 of their last 27 home games against teams with a winning record — and they have won 7 of their last 10 home games when priced in the +/- 125 price range. The A’s have not surrendered more than four runs in three straight games — and they have then won 26 of their last 35 home games after not allowing more than four runs in their last three games. And while Oakland only stranded three runners yesterday as they struggled with getting players on base after the 1st inning, they have then won 6 of their last 8 games after stranding five or fewer batters in their last game. Manager Bob Melvin has decided this morning to give the ball to Fiers to be his starter — and this gives the A’s a number of advantages. First, he wanted to avoid sending out another left-hander with Sean Manaea his consideration after the White Sox won their fifteenth straight game against a left-handed starting pitcher on Tuesday against their Jesus Luzardo. Fiers is 6-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP this season — but Oakland has won 16 of their last 20 home games with him making the start. The right-hander is also pitching on six days rest after scattering two runs in 5 innings of work in his last start on the road against the Dodgers last Friday. The A’s have won 14 of their last 16 home games with Fiers pitching with five or six days of rest. Fiers is nothing if not consistent — he has not allowed more than three earned runs in six of his last seven starts. The White Sox have lost 8 straight games against right-handed starting pitchers. Melvin will have a quick hook as soon as Fiers gets into trouble — he can then turn to Manaea to face the lefties in the White Sox starting lineup. Manaea is 4-3 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP this season — but he sees his ERA and WHIP drop to a 3.91 and 0.95 WHIP in his 25 1/3 innings at home. Melvin can also turn to Frankie Montas for bulk inning work who has a has a 2.56 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .225 in 31 2/3 innings of work when pitching at home this season. Chicago has now lost 7 straight games as an underdog — and they have lost 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. The White Sox have also lost 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have lost 10 of their last 14 road games as an underdog. They counter with Dunning who is 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in seven starts since being called up from their alternate training facility. But the book may be started to be written on the rookie who has been hit hard of nine runs (eight earned) along with nine hits in the seven innings of work he has completed in his last two starts. And while Dunning has a 3.72 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .162 at home, he sees his ERA rise to a 4.30 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .237 in his three road starts.

FINAL TAKE: While the White Sox are playing in their first postseason since 2008, the A’s have plenty of recent experience in the playoffs but have yet to get over the hump to advance to the next round. This experience along with perhaps the best bullpen in baseball (their 3.53 bullpen ERA was the best in MLB in the regular season) should make the difference for them to finally win another playoff series. 25* MLB American League Wildcard Game of the Year with the money-line on the Oakland A’s (964) versus the Chicago White Sox (963) listen both starting pitchers Mike Fiers and Dane Dunning. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Cleveland Indians (940) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Yankees (939) listing both starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Masahiro Tanaka in Game Two of their American League Wildcard Playoff Series. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (35-26) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing the opening game of this best-of-three series to the Yankees by a 12-3 score. New York (34-27) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE INDIANS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: We had Cleveland last night — but the Bronx Bombers got to Shane Bieber early and often in that game. I remain wary of this Yankees team that is still only 13-18 away from Yankee Stadium where they are 21-9 this season. New York scores only 4.4 Runs-Per-Game on the road with a .226 batting average along with a .315 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .680. The Yankees have lost 15 of their last 22 games on the road — and they have lost 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record. This is also a team that has lost 12 of their last 17 road games in the playoffs. Furthermore, New York has lost 11 of their last 17 road games after a win by at least six runs. And this was the first time that Aaron Boone’s team has won a game against a team with a winning record in their last five games. They give the ball to Tanaka who is 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in ten starts. The deeper sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.07 and 4.19 moving forward. Tanaka does have four starts on the road where he has a 2.33 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP this season — but I am not dismissing the ugly 6.05 ERA he had in fifteen starts (sixteen games) on the road last year along with a 1.42 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .287. The Yankees have lost 4 straight road games with Tanaka on the hill. He faces an Indians team that has won 5 of their last 7 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. While Cleveland has lost two of their last three games, they also have won seven of their last nine games overall — and they have won 8 of their last 12 games after losing two of their last three games. The Indians have also won 9 of their last 11 playoff games when trailing in the series. Cleveland has still won 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have won 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Carrasco who is 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in twelve starts. The right-hander has been lights out over his last six starts where he owns a 1.66 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP.

FINAL TAKE: The Indians have won 10 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least ten runs. Lastly, while these team trends do not even take into account the +1.5 Run-Line I am advocating for with this play, because the Yankees’ bullpen has blow 39.5% of their save opportunities this season, Cleveland is supported by an empirical Run-Line angle that has been 67% effective over the last five seasons. New York averages 5.4 Runs-Per-Game — and teams who score at least 5.1 Runs-Per-Game but whose bullpen blow at least 38% of their save opportunities now facing an American League team using a starting pitcher with an ERA of 4.20 or better have then covered the +1.5 Run-Line in 45 of these last 67 situations where these conditions applied. 25* MLB Run-Line of the Month with the Cleveland Indians (940) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Yankees (939) listing both starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Masahiro Tanaka. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (944) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (943) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game Two of their American League Wildcard Playoff Series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (41-20) has won five straight games as well as ten of their last twelve contests with their 3-1 victory yesterday in the opening game of this best-of-three series. Toronto (32-29) has two straight games as well as nine of their last fifteen games as they hope to stave off elimination this afternoon.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAYS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Tampa Bay has won 13 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. The Rays have also won a dominant 39 of their last 51 games at home in Tropicana Field — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games with the Total set at 7 or lower. They give the ball to Glasnow who is 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in eleven starts. The laptops love the right-hander — and the attraction starts with his 92 strikeouts to just 22 walks in 57 1/3 innings of work. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.04 and 2.75 moving forward. He should have success against a Blue Jays team that has lost 5 of their last 6 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. He will also be supported by an outstanding bullpen that has a 2.27 ERA along with a 1.09 WHIP at home. The foursome of Nick Anderson, Pete Fairbank, Chaz Roe, and Diego Castillo has combined for a 1.95 ERA with a 32% punch out rate. If the Rays get a lead, they are very tough to beat. Toronto has lost 6 of their last 8 games after a loss — and they have lost 18 of their last 26 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. The Blue Jays have also lost 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have lost 20 of their last 26 road games with the Total set from 7 to 8.5 range. They counter with Ryu who is 5-2 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in twelve starts. The lefty sees his ERA rise to a 3.16 mark in his seven starts on the road. The sabermetrics also call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting ERA of 3.67 and 3.32 moving forward. Ryu also has a sketchy track record in the playoffs in his time with the Dodgers when he was not burdened with the pressure of being the team’s ace. Ryu has a 5.12 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP in eight starts spanning just 31 2/3 innings in the postseason.

FINAL TAKE: Ryu’s teams have lost 5 of their last 7 road games with him on the mound priced as an underdog in the +125 to +175 range. The Rays have won 9 of their last 12 games against left-handed starting pitchers. With the price for this game below my -150 threshold, let’s attack. 25* MLB TBS-TV Game of the Month with the money-line on the Tampa Bay Rays (944) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (943) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Best of luck for us — Frank.