At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Navy Midshipmen (307) and the Connecticut Huskies (308). THE SITUATION: Navy (6-1) has won four straight games after their 41-38 win over Tulane last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. Connecticut (2-6) snapped their six-game losing streak on Saturday with their 56-35 win at UMass as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. Connecticut raced out to a 35-21 lead going into halftime against the Minutemen but they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after they scored at least 24 points in the first half of their last game. Don’t read too much in the 542 yards of offense that the Huskies generated last week since that was against a UMass team that is last in the FBS in total defense. Take away Connecticut’s numbers in their two victories against UMass (probably wth worst team in the FBS) and Wagner (an FCS school) — and the Huskies are scoring only 15.5 PPG along with just 303.5 total YPG while never scoring more than 23 points in their six losses. Connecticut returns home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Huskies have played 13 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 49.5 to 56 point range. And in their last 6 games as an underdog in the 21.5 to 31 point range, Connecticut has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Navy allowed 290 passing yards last week to the Green Wave — but they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. They also have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 37 points in their last game. First-year defensive coordinator Brian Newberry has the Midshipmen defense playing at a very high level once again — they are 19th in the FBS by allowing only 19.3 PPG while also ranking 22nd in the nation by giving up just 310.3 total YPG. They will be encountering a freshman quarterback in Jack Zergiotis who was helped out last week by running back Kevin Mensah who rushed for 164 yards while reaching the end zone five times. Head coach Randy Edsall wants his team to play physical where they control the Time of Possession: they are averaging 33 minutes per game on offense after holding the ball for 34:58 last week against UMass. But they now face a Navy defense that limits opposing rushers to just 3.3 Yards-Per-Carry while ranking 18th in the nation by allowing only 109.6 rushing YPG. And the Midshipmen formula for success is also controlling the clock as they average 33:39 minutes with the ball per game. Navy has generated 454 and 457 yards over their last two games while averaging 6.98 Yards-Per-Play and 7.25 YPP in those contests. The Midshipmen have then played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in two straight games — and they have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.25 YPP in two straight games. Navy has also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: The Midshipmen’s spread triple option has propelled them to leading the nation by averaging 350.7 rushing YPG — and this is how they control the Time of Possession statistic. Navy only passed for 68 yards last week — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after failing to pass for at least 125 yards in their last game. 25* CFB Friday ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Navy Midshipmen (307) and the Connecticut Huskies (308). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Arizona Cardinals (302) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (301). THE SITUATION: Arizona (3-4-1) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 31-9 win at New Orleans as an 11-point underdog. San Francisco (7-0) remained undefeated this year with their 51-13 blowout win over Carolina as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS PLUS THE POINTS: The final score is not indicative of how close Arizona’s game was last week as they entered the fourth quarter trailing by just a 17-9 score before the Saints pulled away by scoring two final touchdowns. The Cardinals have bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss by at least 21 points. Arizona only had the ball for 22:01 minutes in that game which provides some context as to why they only generated 237 yards of offense. The Cardinals are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. Arizona needs to tighten up on defense after allowing New Orleans to gain 510 total yards of offense. The Cardinals have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 500 yards in their last game. This team had been playing better under rookie head coach Kliff Kinsbury who has shown promise with his offensive schemes by not staying rigid with the Air Raid offense that he deployed at Texas Tech while incorporating more two-tight end formations to embrace the sophistication of the NFL. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray continues to improve as well — he is completing 64.8% of his passes while throwing for 1768 passing yards in his first eight starts. Murray will not be complemented by a talented running back in Kenyon Drake who was acquired from Miami at the trade deadline to replenish an injury-depleted backfield. San Francisco may be due for a letdown playing on a short week after their dominant win on Sunday. The 49ers are just 15-32-4 ATS in their last 51 games after a win by at least 14 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 52 games on the road after win by at least two touchdowns. San Francisco has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. The Niners rushed for 232 yards which helped them gain 388 total yards. But San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game — and they are just 14-30-1 ATS in their last 45 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. The 49ers defense has been outstanding this season — the 13 points that the Panthers scored on Sunday was the most they have allowed in their last four games. But they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 17 points in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona won’t lack for confidence in this game after sweeping the 49ers in their two meetings last year. San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against division rivals — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games when favored by 7.5 to 10 points. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month with the Arizona Cardinals (302) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Appalachian State Mountaineers (304) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (303). THE SITUATION: Appalachian State (7-0) remained undefeated this season with their 30-3 win at South Alabama last Saturday as a 27.5-point favorite. Georgia Southern (4-3) has won three straight games after their 41-7 win over New Mexico State as a 13.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS MINUS THE POINTS: Appalachian State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after win on the road against a conference rival. The Mountaineers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win by at least 20 points. This is a loaded team for first-year head coach Eyah Drinkowitz with fifteen starters back from the group that finished 11-2 last year. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Zac Thomas, is completing 66.7% of his passes this season while averaging 7.6 Yards-Per-Pass Attempt. Appalachian State is 9th in the nation by averaging 41.0 PPG. While Thomas has kept opposing defenses honest with his arm, the Mountaineers are 14th in the nation by averaging 244.1 rushing YPG. On defense, Appalachian State is 18th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 19.0 PPG. The Mountaineers held the Jaguars last week to just 139 total yards — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Appalachian State has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Mountaineers return home where they are 4-0 while outscoring their opponents by +27.5 PPG due to their offense that is averaging 51.5 PPG along with 476.0 total YPG. Appalachian State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Georgia Southern is considered better than their record given injuries they sustained in the early part of the season — headlined by three-year starter Shai Werts at quarterback. Werts’ return to the field helped trigger their three-game winning streak — but this team was fortunate to survive a two overtime game with South Alabama and a three overtime thriller with Coastal Carolina before their easy win over the Aggies last week. The Eagles have rushed for at least 310 yards in three straight games while outrushing all three of these opponents by at least 175 yards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after rushing for at least 225 yards in two straight games and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after outrushing their last two opponents by at least 125 yards. But Georgia Southern is one dimensional as they are averaging just 48.7 passing YPG which is last in the nation. They will be trying to run against a solid Mountaineers run defense that holds their opponents to just 3.89 Yards-Per-Carry. Now the Eagles go back on the road where they are just 1-2 while being outscored by -17.4 PPG and being outgained by -139 total YPG. Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing on field turf.

FINAL TAKE: Appalachian State has won thirteen straight games with their last loss being at Georgia Southern where they were upset by a 34-14 score despite being an 11-point favorite back on October 25th. The Mountaineers should be very motivated to avenge that loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games when laying 10.5 to 21 points. 25* CFB Thursday ESPNU Game of the Year with the Appalachian State Mountaineers (304) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (303). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Houston Astros (914) versus the Washington Nationals (913) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Max Scherzer. THE SITUATION: Washington (104-74) forced a climactic seventh game of the World Series tonight with their 7-2 victory over the Astros. Houston (117-62) gets to host the final game of the 2019 MLB season.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Houston has won 4 of their last 5 games after a loss — and they have won 8 straight games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. The Astros have also won 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Despite losing all three games at home this season, Houston has won 38 of their last 52 games at home in Minute Maid Park. It would be the Gambler’s Fallacy to think that the home team is “due” to win at least once in this World Series — but, on the other hand, it remains reasonable to conclude that the Astros retain the advantage when they are playing in front of their home crowd while getting to hit last per inning. They give the ball to Greinke who was 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season starts. The right-hander did his best pitching at night where he had a 2.78 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP in twenty regular-season starts. Greinke had a good outing in Game Three of the World Series on Friday where he allowed only one earned run in 4 2/3 innings for work. His teams have won 5 of their last 7 games with Greinke pitching with four days of rest — and they have also won 23 of their last 30 games with Greinke looking to stop a losing streak. Additionally, Greinke’s teams have won 8 of their last 10 games at home with him starting with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. Houston has won 7 of their last 9 playoff games when the series is tied — and they have won 4 of their last 5 playoff games when facing elimination. Washington has lost 7 of their last 9 playoff games when the series is tied — and they have lost 4 of their last 6 opportunities to close out a playoff series with a victory. Scherzer has declared himself ready to pitch tonight after needing to be scratched just three days ago after waking up to severe neck pain Sunday morning. I have read some of the commentary from the medical community regarding how quick someone can achieve full health again after experiencing an injury like this: some doctors have claimed that quick turnarounds from what Scherzer experienced are possible. But “possible” is not the same thing as probable. I am not going to be surprised if Scherzer is not at full strength — especially given the back issues he has experienced for the last few months. The phenom had an 11-7 record in the regular season with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-seven starts. Scherzer was not as effective in night games during the regular season — he had a 0.75 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .194 in day games but those numbers rose to a 3.04 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .239 in seventeen starts at night during the regular season. Additionally, Washington has lost 4 of their last 5 playoff games with Scherzer on the mound when they are facing elimination.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros have won 17 of their last 25 games when looking to avenge an upset loss as a home favorite. With all hands of deck — including Gerrit Cole on two days rest from his win on Sunday — Houston has a few more great players which should make the difference in this single elimination final game. 25* MLB World Series Game of the Year with money-line on the Houston Astros (914) versus the Washington Nationals (913) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Max Scherzer. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (913) and the Houston Astros (914) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke. THE SITUATION: Washington (104-74) forced a climactic seventh game of the World Series tonight with their 7-2 victory over the Astros. Houston (117-62) gets to host the final game of the 2019 MLB season.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nationals have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win — and the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Washington has also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. And while Stephen Strasburg pitching into the 9th inning last night, the Nationals have then played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen did not pitch more than one earned run. Moving forward, the Over is 8-1-1 in the Nationals’ last 10 games in Interleague play against teams with a winning record. Washington has also played 13 of their last 21 games Over the Total as a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range — and they have played 7 of their last 8 playoff games Over the Total when the series is tied. Scherzer has declared himself ready to pitch tonight after needing to be scratched just three days ago after waking up to severe neck pain Sunday morning. I have read some of the commentary from the medical community regarding how quick someone can achieve full health again after experiencing an injury like this: some doctors have claimed that quick turnarounds from what Scherzer experienced are possible. But “possible” is not the same thing as probable. I am not going to be surprised if Scherzer is not at full strength — especially given the back issues he has experienced for the last few months. The phenom had an 11-7 record in the regular season with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-seven starts. Scherzer was not as effective in night games during the regular season — he had a 0.75 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .194 in day games but those numbers rose to a 3.04 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .239 in seventeen starts at night during the regular season. He takes the mound for the first time since last Tuesday — and the Nationals have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when Scherzer is pitching with at least seven days between starts. The Over is 18-7-2 in Houston’s last 27 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Over is also 10-3-1 in the Astros’ last 14 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Furthermore, Houston has played 11 of their last 13 home games Over the Total in Interleague play against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight games at home Over the Total. They counter with Greinke who was 18-5 in thirty-three regular-season starts with a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He saw his ERA rise to a 3.27 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP in his fifteen starts at home in the regular season. His teams have played 7 of their last 10 home games Over the Total with Greinke pitching with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. Greinke faces a Nationals team that has seen the Over go 6-1-1 in their last 8 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen the Over go 5-1-1 in their last 7 meetings — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total when playing in Houston. 25* MLB World Series Game Seven O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (913) and the Houston Astros (914) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Washington Nationals (911) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (912) listing both starting pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Justin Verlander. THE SITUATION: Houston (117-61) took a 3-2 lead in this series on Sunday with their 7-1 victory in Game Five of the World Series. Washington (103-74) will try to become the first team in Major League Baseball history to win a World Series without winning a game at home.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NATIONALS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: It was just five days ago that Washington was being coronated as the inevitable champions after winning the first two games of the World Series on the road in Houston. The Nationals have won 6 straight games on the road in the playoffs. Since May 24th, Washington has an 84-43 record which is very close to Houston’s 84-41 record since that time. The Nationals have bounced-back to win 6 of their last 8 games after a loss — and they have won 11 of their last 16 games after a loss by at least six runs. Washington needs to get their bats going after scoring only one run in three straight games. The Nationals hit only .175 in their three games at home — but they have then won 35 of their last 52 games after failing to hit better than .200 in their last three games. Washington has also won 10 of their last 15 games after failing to score more than four runs in their last three games. The Nationals have also won 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Momentum lasts only as long as the next day’s starting pitcher — and no one has been better this month than Strasburg who is 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in 28 innings. The right-hander has a remarkable 40 strikeouts over that span with just two bases-on-balls. Furthermore, in his career 47 playoff innings, Strasburg has a 0.96 WHIP along with a 1.34 ERA that is the third-best in MLB history for pitchers who have pitched at least 40 innings of postseason baseball. Washington has won 45 of their last 60 games with Strasburg pitching on the road. The Nationals have also won 41 of their last 58 games with Strasburg facing a team with a winning record. Houston has lost 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than one run in three straight games. The Astros have lost 4 of their last 5 home games in Interleague play against teams with a winning record. Houston has also lost 5 of their last 7 World Series games at home. They counter with Verlander who may be showing the wear of a 36-year old who has logged-in 253 1/3 innings already this season. Over his last four starts, Verlander is 0-3 with a 5.41 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP. And while Verlander has enjoyed some spectacular moments in the playoffs throughout his career, he has struggled in the World Series with an 0-5 record along with a 5.73 ERA in six career starts. The Astros have lost 4 of their last 5 games in Interleague play with Verlander on the mound. He will be facing a Nationals team that has won 6 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss at home by at least six runs.

FINAL TAKE: Because the Astros average 1.75 Home Runs per game, they fall into a historical “play-against” angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 54% effective since 1997. American League teams that average at least 1.5 Home Runs per game that are using a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.10 or lower have failed to cover the -1.5 Run-Line in 87 of these last 160 situations (when priced at +135 to -190 range). 5* MLB Playoff Run-Line of the Year with the Washington Nationals (911) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (912) listing both starting pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Justin Verlander. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (278) minus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (277). THE SITUATION: Miami (277) has lost their first six games of the season after their 31-21 loss at Buffalo last Sunday as a 17-point underdog. Pittsburgh (2-4) has won two of their last three games with their 24-17 upset win in Los Angeles against the Chargers as a 6-point underdog two weeks ago back on October 13th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS: There are two technical handicapping angles (for my eyes only) that compel me to love this situation for the Steelers. However, I am reticent to lay so many points in the NFL. But, what I like so much about these NFL primetime games is that I can invest a few hours of time to address and solve concerns I have regarding a handicapping situation. So, I went back to 2017 to look at how double-digit favorites perform. The bottom line reads that favorites laying 10 or more points are just 37-43 ATS since the start of the 2017 season. But, looking deeper, when these favorites are laying at least 14 points, these teams become a profitable 20-13 ATS including 6-3 ATS this season. Now, 20-13 ATS is not a reason to take favorite laying 14 or more points. However, that is enough for me to remove my predisposition to avoid otherwise good situations only because the point spread is so high. Pittsburgh is coming off a bye and needs this victory to stay competitive in what is a still wannabe AFC North division. They are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a point spread victory. The Steelers are also a decisive 50-24-2 ATS in their last 76 games in October which includes them covering the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games played in October which is likely a testament to the continued improvement this team makes under Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff. The defense is certainly playing better as they have held their last three opponents to just 19.0 PPG along with only 292.3 total YPG. Pittsburgh returns home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 appearances on Monday Night Football. Miami is last in the NFL by scoring 10.5 PPG and averaging just 258.7 total YPG — it might not take many points for the Steelers to be covering this point spread. The Dolphins 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 11 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss. Additionally, Miami is 7-24-1 ATS in their last 32 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Now the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 12 road games as the underdog. Miami has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as a double-digit underdog.

FINAL TAKE: I have often worried about this Steelers team in situations where they can get complacent. But with Ben Roethlisberger out the season and Mason Rudolph returning at quarterback, I think the sense of urgency should still permeate their locker room. Ryan Fitzpatrick is back as the starting QB for Miami — and he has thrown five interceptions already this season. Pittsburgh is 2nd in the league with 15 takeaways (all since Week Two) — and they are undefeated in their six games against Fitzy as a starter. Finally, I suspect Tomlin will not take the foot off the accelerator tonight as he looks to boost Rudolph’s confidence with a big offensive effort. Lets lay the wood. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with the Pittsburgh Steelers (278) minus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (277). 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 Green Bay Packers (275) and the Kansas City Chiefs (276). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (6-1) has won three straight games after their 42-24 win over Oakland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (5-2) snapped a two-game losing streak two Thursdays ago with their 30-6 win at Denver as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while Green Bay surrendered 329 passing yards to the Raiders, they have then played 6 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. The improved Packers defense is 9th in the NFL by allowing just 19.9 PPG — and that number drops to just 13.5 PPG in their two games on the road. But the Green Bay offense is scoring only 22.0 PPG on the road while averaging just 274.0 total YPG away from home. QB Aaron Rodgers will likely still be without his top target in wide receiver Davante Adams who is listed as doubtful with his turf toe injury. The Packers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. Green Bay has also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Packers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Kansas City has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. The Chiefs have also played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win on the road by at least three touchdowns. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not be able to play in this game with his knee injury — so it will be Matt Moore under center for this team. While Moore was slid in relief last week by completing 10 of 11 passes for 76 yards, the journeyman is a big drop off in talent from what head coach Andy Reid can do with his offense with the mobile Mahomes under center. Remember, Moore was still on the street unsigned with a team when training camp started. But while Mahomes gets a vast majority of the attention with this team, what has gone under the radar is the improved play of their defense under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Over their last three games, the Chiefs have allowed only 18.7 PPG along with just 336.0 total YPG. KC returns home where they have played 17 of their last 25 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: It has not been often that the Chiefs have played at home with the Total not in the 50s in the Mahomes era. Kansas City has played 51 of their last 80 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and this includes them playing 7 of their last 10 home games below the number in that range. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (275) and the Kansas City Chiefs (276). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (909) and the Washington Nationals (910) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Joe Ross. THE SITUATION: Houston (116-61) evened the World Series at 2-2 last night with their 8-1 victory. Washington (103-73) had planned on using Max Scherzer tonight in a rematch of the pitching matchup in Game One of this series but his nagging neck issues have compelled manager Dave Martinez to scratch him tonight for Ross.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nationals managed only four base hits last night but they have played 16 of their last 21 home games Over the Total after not managing more than four base hits in their last game. Washington has also played 14 of their last 18 home games Over the Total after failing to score more than once in their last game — and the Over is 16-7-4 in their last 27 games after failing to score more than twice in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total in Interleague play against teams with a winning record. Ross presents a problem given his 5.48 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 64 innings during the regular season. He particularly struggled at home where he had a 7.63 ERA in 30 2/3 innings of work with a 2.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .346. Martinez has trusted Ross to pitch only two innings in this postseason before tonight. Washington has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with Ross making the start against an American League opponent — and they have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total with Ross pitching after a game where they allowed at least five runs. Martinez will have to lean on his bullpen tonight — and that group has a 5.64 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP at home this year. Houston has played 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs Over the Total — and the Over is 12-5-1 in their last 18 games against an opponent that allowed at least five runs in their last contest. Cole was hit hard in Game One of the World Series as he allowed five runs in 7 innings of work. Was it nerves? The toll of 242 innings of work for the season? The extended seven days between starts? Two of those reasons are not good signs for him tonight. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with Cole pitching after a game where they scored at least five runs. The Nationals have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Washington. 25* MLB World Series Game Five O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (909) and the Washington Nationals (910) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Joe Ross. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New York Giants (251) plus the points versus the Detroit Lions (252). THE SITUATION: New York (2-5) has lost three games in a row with their 27-21 upset loss at home to Arizona last week as a 3.5-point favorite. Detroit (2-3-1) has also lost three in a row with their 42-30 loss at home to Minnesota last week as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GIANTS PLUS THE POINTS: The Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a loss to a divisional rival. While the loss to the Vikings was deflated, the players on this team were then dealt what they consider to be a sucker punch by management when starting safety Quandre Diggs was traded to the Seattle (who are overjoyed in snagging him). Diggs was a captain of this team — and the Lions only received a fifth round draft pick in return — which is why many players spoke out in anger about this move. Strong organizations could handle these kind of rifts but this is not the Detroit Lions who already had a shaky relationship with second-year head coach Matt Patricia. Don’t be surprised if this team comes out very flat as a touchdown favorite after this recent series of events. The Lions had been playing well by covering the point spread in four straight games before that double-digit loss to Minnesota — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 37 of their last 53 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The play of the defense has collapsed as of late which is not a good sign for Patricia who got this head coaching gig by being considered a defensive guru. After holding their first three opponents to 20.3 PG along with 397.4 total YPG, they have allowed their last three opponents to score 33.0 PPG while averaging 463.0 total YPG with that latter number being last in the NFL over that span. Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 400 YPG over their last three games. Injuries are also beginning to impact this team. Cornerback Darius Slay is not available with a hamstring injury which challenges this defense even further — and starting running back Kerryon Johnson was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. The Lions have been outrushed by -85 and -114 yards in their last two games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after being outrushed by at least 75 yards in two straight games. New York has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after losing three in a row. The Giants need to get off to a faster start after allowing Arizona to take a 17-14 halftime lead last week. Minnesota took an 18-7 halftime lead against them in the previous week — but New York has then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 19 games after allowing at least 17 first half points in two straight games. This team does have running back Saquon Barkley healthy along with tight end Evan Engram — and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones has been solid. Jones completed 22 of 35 passes last week for 223 yards while adding 35 rushing yards as he displays mobility that Eli Manning was not able to offer this offense. The Lions do not have an elite pass rusher so Jones will benefit from the lack of pressure. The Giants have been a reliable road team as of late as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games against teams with a losing record at home. New York has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games with the Total set at 45.5 or higher. The Giants need to limit turnovers as they have lost the turnover battle in two straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after enduring a -1 or worse net turnover margin in two straight games. And while New York has allowed at least 27 points in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 25 points in three straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Lions have failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 52 of their last 83 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. With this unstable Detroit team beginning to show the signs of fracture, expect a close game from a Giants team that is optimistic about the future with Jones under center. 25* NFL Game of the Month with the New York Giants (251) plus the points versus the Detroit Lions (252). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New York Jets (259) plus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (260). THE SITUATION: New York (1-5) looks to rebound from their embarrassing 33-0 loss at home to New England on Monday Night Football as a 9.5-point underdog. Jacksonville (3-4) comes off a 27-17 win at Cincinnati last Sunday as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JETS PLUS THE POINTS: New York and quarterback Sam Darnold hit rock bottom last week against the outstanding Patriots defense. Darnold was “seeing ghosts” by leading an offense that generated only 154 total yards — and the Jets committed a whopping six turnovers for an insurmountable -5 net turnover margin. But this was also the team that had just defeated Dallas the previous week by a 24-22 score. Darnold had looked like he had turned a corner in his development before last week. Over his last four games last season, Darnold had a Quarterback Rating of 99.1 while throwing six touchdown passes and just one interception. And then in his two starts this season, Darnold had a QBR of 97.6 while completing 69.9% of his passes for 513 yards with three touchdown passes and just one interception before the debacle against the Patriots. I expect a bounce-back effort this afternoon. The Jets have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games after playing on Monday Night Football. New York has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a losing record at home. The Jets have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 15 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Jacksonville may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a double-digit victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory on the road. Furthermore, the Jaguars have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And while the Jags benefited from a +4 net turnover margin last week, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after enjoying a +3 or better turnover margin in their last game. Jacksonville generated 460 yards of offense last week — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. Despite that offensive output, rookie Gardner Minshew is regressing as a quarterback after his fantastic start. Minshew completed 66.7% of his passes with a 105.6 Passer Rating while averaging 255.8 passing YPG with nine touchdown passes and one interception in his first five starts. But over his last two games, Minshew has just a 68.9 Passer Rating while averaging only 209 passing YPG while completing just 47.5% of his passes with one TD pass and an interception. Now this team returns home where they are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Jaguars did suffocate the struggling Bengals rushing attack to just 33 rushing yards last week — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last game. 25* AFC Game of the Month with the New York Jets (259) plus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (260). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Liverpool (200034) minus the Goal-Line versus the Tottenham Hotspurs (200033). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (8W-1D-0L) saw their seventeen match winning streak in English Premier League action snapped last Sunday with their 1-1 draw at Manchester United. Tottenham (3W-3D-3L) comes off a listless 1-1 draw at home against Watford last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE LIVERPOOL MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: It looks like the nice run for the Spurs is slowing coming to the end. Tottenham is just in 10th place in the EPL standings with their 12 points. The cohesion with this team on the pitch appears to be fraying with the sam group of players still together over the last few years. Manager Mauricio Pachettino is rumored to be interested in the Real Madrid job where he will be managing a club that is more willing to spend on free agents. While the Spurs come off an easy 5-0 win in Champions League play over Crvena Zvezda during the week, the grind of the Champions League schedule over the last two seasons may be wearing on this team that has to rely on their superstars for both CL and EPL matches. This is a team that is particularly struggling on the road where they are winless with two draws and two losses this season while scoring five goals and conceding nine times. Tottenham has also thrived against the lesser teams in the EPL but have struggled against the top notch competition. Since the beginning of 2018-19 campaign, the Spurs are just 2W-3D-7L in their twelve matches against Big Six sides while scoring 14 times and conceding 19 goals. And in their last seven road matches against Big Six teams in the EPL, Tottenham is just 1W-2D-4L. Liverpool will be anxious to get a decisive win after seeing their perfect EPL campaign scathed with the draw last week at Manchester United. The Reds are very tough back at home at Anfield where they have won all four of their matches while outscoring these opponents by a 12 to 4 margin. Liverpool is 21W-2D-0L in their last twenty-three matches at home in EPL play. And in their last six matches at home against Big Six sides, the Reds have won five of those matches with just one draw while outscoring these opponents by a 15 to 4 margin.

FINAL TAKE: Tottenham is without their top flight goaltender, Hugo Lloris, who is out the rest of 2019 with an injury. Liverpool is fully committed to winning the EPL championship after defeating Tottenham for the Champions League title last spring in those finals. 25* English Premier League Match of the Month with the Liverpool (200034) minus the Goal-Line versus the Tottenham Hotspurs (200033). 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 Colorado State Rams (155) and the Fresno State Bulldogs (156). THE SITUATION: Colorado State (2-5) takes the field again after their bye week after their 35-21 win at New Mexico as a 5-point favorite back on October 11th. Fresno State (3-3) comes off a 56-27 win over UNLV last Saturday as a 16-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a double-digit win over a Mountain West Conference rival — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total after a win at home by at least 17 points. Fresno State has also played 6 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. The Bulldogs defense has been a disappointment this season after they allowed only 321.6 total YPG which was 17th in the nation. Six starters are back from that unit but they are allowing 370.3 total YPG which is 54th best in the FBS. That number does drop to just 346.3 total YPG in their three games at home this season which helps explain why they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, Fresno State has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Colorado State has played 5 straight games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Junior quarterback Patrick O’Brien completed 25 of 34 passes for 420 yards against the hapless Lobos defense two weeks ago while leading the Rams’ offense to 551 total yards of offense. But Colorado State has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after passing for at least 350 yards — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after gaining at least 525 yards in their last contest. The Rams are averaging a robust 470.1 total YPG this season which is 21st best in the nation — but that number does drop almost by 30 when they are playing on the road where they are averaging 442.2 total YPG. Colorado State ranks 13th in the nation by allowing just 177.0 passing YPG but that number has been skewed a bit by them playing some run-oriented opponents. Teams can run on the Rams defense as they rank 121st in the nation by allowing 220.7 rushing YPG. New Mexico rushed for 256 yards against them while outgaining them on the ground by +125 net rushing yards — and this focus on the rushing game helped keep the clock moving to achieve the Under in that game. Colorado State has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 200 rushing yards in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after being outrushed by at least 125 yards in their last contest. Over their last three games. head coach Mike Bobo’s team is scoring only 23.0 PPG while averaging just 360.7 total YPG — but they have also only allowed 26.3 PPG (-8.0 PPG below their season average) along with just 342.3 total YPG (-55.4 net YPG below their season average).

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State has played 6 straight games in Mountain West Conference play Under the Total — and Fresno State has played 21 of their last 27 games Under the Total in MWC play. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* CFB ESPNU Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado State Rams (155) and the Fresno State Bulldogs (156). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Missouri Tigers (157) minus the points versus the At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Missouri Tigers (157) minus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (158). THE SITUATION: Missouri (5-2) looks to bounce-back from their 21-14 upset loss at Vanderbilt last Saturday as a 21-point favorite. Kentucky (3-4) comes off a 21-0 loss at Georgia last Saturday as a 23.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: It took me some time to get exactly to the bottom of the Kentucky quarterback situation. Junior quarterback Terry Wilson suffered a likely season-ending knee injury in the first month of the season. Junior Sawyer Smith became the starter under center after but he got banged up with shoulder and wrist injuries that compelled head coach Mark Stoops to move wide receiver Lynn Bowden, Jr. to be his starting quarterback given the season-ending injury to freshman Nik Scalzo who was third on the depth chart to the begin the season. This is a case of Stoops putting the football in the hands of his best offensive talent — and he did look dynamic in rushing for 99 yards on 17 carries against the Bulldogs defense last week. But Bowden only completed 2 of his 17 passes in that game for 17 yards. Admittedly, the weather conditions were challenging for the passing game with the rain and high winds — but how much can we expect in the passing game from a converted wide receiver. Smith was suited up to play in that Georgia game but Stoops indicated that he did not feel comfortable playing him in that bad weather. Smith is on the injured list this week as questionable with a bye week coming up for Kentucky — so what is the deal with them at QB this week? Mum is the word as of this late afternoon — but I have decided this situation is worthy of a strong investment. I suspect both quarterbacks will play tonight. Even is Smith plays, he is completing only 46.2% of his passes while averaging just 5.7 Yards-Per-Attempt with four TD passes and five interceptions. I don’t have confidence in Bowden operating the passing game — so this is a one-dimensional offense that will be playing Mizzou. That is not a good sign for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. Now the Wildcats return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight home games in the second half of the season. Kentucky has covered the point spread in two straight games as well as five of their seven games this season. But the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Kentucky is covering point spreads due to their defense ranks 47th in the nation by allowing just 23.3 PPG. And while the Wildcats have allowed just 122 and 35 passing yards in each of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after not allowing more than 125 passing yards in two straight contests. Missouri should be primed for a big effort as they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after an upset loss on the road where they were laying at least 7 points. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss while they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Senior quarterback Kelly Bryant played one of his worst games in a Missouri uniform by completing just 13 of 26 passes for 140 yards — but the former Clemson quarterback did rush for 72 yards. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. Mizzou should score their share of points — but it is their outstanding defense that should lead the way for them tonight. The Tigers are 14th in the nation by allowing just 16.6 PPG — and they rank 7th in the nation by giving up just 270.1 total YPG. This is a balanced defensive unit that ranks 26th in the nation in run defense and 6th in the nation in pass defense.

FINAL TAKE: Missouri should be able to rely on the cover skills of their defensive backs to then stuff the box to stop the Wildcats run while shadowing Bowden for his potential running plays from the pocket. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. 5* CFB SEC Game of the Month with the Missouri Tigers (157) minus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (158). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys (169) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (170). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (4-3) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 45-27 loss at home to Baylor last Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite. Iowa State (5-2) has won three straight games with their 34-24 win at Texas Tech as a 10-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS PLUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma State feels like they left one slip after holding a 4th quarter lead over the Bears before allowing them to score 21 straight points over the final 10 minutes of that game. That loss came on the heels of a 45-35 upset loss at Texas Tech as a 9.5-point favorite the previous week. The Cowboys should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 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, Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by at least two touchdowns — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a double-digit loss a tome. And while the Cowboys have lost three of their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing three of their last four games. Oklahoma State needs to tighten up on defense after allowing 536 yards to Baylor last week — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. Turnovers are also killing this team — they have turned the ball over eight times over the last two weeks and their -2 net turnover margin last week was punctuated by allowing a 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. The Cowboys are tied for 123rd in the nation with a -1.29 net turnover margin per game — but the Regression Gods tend to intervene when numbers like that get too skewed. Oklahoma State has not forced more than one turnover in three straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to force more than one turnover in three straight contests. The Cowboys are led by running back Chuba Hubbard who leads the nation with 1265 rushing yards this season — he is averaging a remarkable 180.7 rushing YPG. He leads the way for an Oklahoma State offense that is 7th in the FBS by averaging 519.9 total YPG. This offense travels — they are scoring 39.2 PPG while averaging 516.0 total YPG away from home. The Cowboys are dangerous underdogs with their powerful offense — they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games as the underdog. Oklahoma State has also covered the point spread in 35 of their last 53 games with the Total set in expected high scoring games with the Toal set in the 63.5 to 70 point range. Iowa State has won three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. They are also just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win. Sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy completed 23 of 32 passes for 378 yards last week against the Red Raiders while leading the offense to 564 total yards. But the Cyclones have failed to move the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after passing for at least 375 passing yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after gaining at least 525 total yards in their last contest. Additionally, Iowa State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when favored by 10.5 to 21 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Cyclones may not be able to help themselves to look ahead to their off week coming up after this game before showdowns with Texas and Oklahoma — and they are feeling good about themselves with their new Top-25 ranking. But the Cowboys will remember their 48-42 upset loss at home to Iowa State last season as a 10-point favorite. Expect a close game where Oklahoma State will be in a position to pull the upset. 25* College Football Underdog of the Month with the Oklahoma State Cowboys (169) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (170). 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 USC Trojans (105) and the Colorado Buffaloes (106). THE SITUATION: USC (4-3) snapped their two-game losing streak last Saturday with their 41-14 win over Arizona at home as a 10.5-point favorite. Colorado (3-4) has lost there straight games after their 41-10 loss at Washington State as a 13.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Trojans have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. USC has also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. This Trojans team has been riddled with injuries which leaves them with a freshman at quarterback and tailback for tonight’s game. True freshman Kedon Slovis is under center for the team after the injuries to sophomore quarterbacks J.T. Daniels and Jack Sears. At running back, injuries junior Stephen Carr, junior Vavaeu Malepeai, and freshman Markese Stepp who is not out three to five weeks with an ankle injury leave the primary rushing duties to freshman Kenan Christon. Admittedly, Slovis has played well this season and Christon had 100 rushing yards last week but the challenge will be different for these inexperienced players when playing in a hostile environment — especially in a televised night game. While USC averages 30.7 PPG and 434.1 total YPG this season, those numbers drop to just 22.7 PPG along with 417.7 total YPG. The Trojans have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Additionally, USC has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against Pac-12 opponents — and they have also played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range. Colorado is struggling on offense after gaining only 320 yards against the Cougars defense last week. The Buffaloes are averaging just 14.3 PPG along with only 371.7 total YPG which are both well below their 26.6 PPG and 407.7 total YPG averages. Colorado has then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. The Buffaloes have allowed at least 31 points in four straight games — but they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 31 points in two straight games. Colorado does return home after playing two straight games as well as three of their last four games on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. And while the Buffaloes surrendered 368 passing yards to Washington State last week, they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado has played 14 of the last 20 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in October. First-year head coach Mel Tucker was an outstanding defensive coordinator at Georgia and Alabama so I still have confidence he will get his young defense to play better in the second half of the season. 25* CFB Friday ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the USC Trojans (105) and the Colorado Buffaloes (106). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (905) and the Washington Nationals (906) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez. THE SITUATION: Washington (103-71) took a 2-0 lead in the World Series on Wednesday with their 12-3 victory over the Astros. The Nationals have won eight straight games as well as eighteen of their last twenty contests. Houston (114-61) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Washington has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a win — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after an off day. Additionally, the Nationals have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning at least five straight games, Furthermore, Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 6-0-1 in their last 7 games when facing an opponent that allowed at least five runs in their last game. And while the Nationals have not allowed more than four runs in eight straight games, they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than four runs in four straight games. Washington returns home where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 4 straight games in Interleague play Over the Total at home. And in their last 24 home games when listed in the +/- 125 range, the Nationals have played 17 of these games Over the Total. They give the ball to Sanchez who was 11-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in thirty regular-season starts. The right-hander was not as effective at home where he had a 4.24 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP in fifteen regular-season starts. And while Sanchez comes off 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball in his last start way back on October 11th at St. Louis, Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Sanchez looking to follow up a Quality Start. He faces an Astros team that has played 4 straight games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Houston is hitting only .203 over their last five games — but they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after hitting no better than .225 over their last five games. The Astros’ bullpen surrendered eight runs (five earned) on Wednesday — and they have played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total when their bullpen allowed at least five earned runs in their last game. Additionally, Houston has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Greinke who was 18-5 in the regular season with a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in thirty-three starts. But the right-hander has struggled in this postseason where he has an 0-2 record with a 6.43 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 14 innings of work. Greinke’s teams have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the playoffs. He faces a Nationals team that is scoring 6.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .277 batting average along with a .338 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .808 during that span. Washington has played 4 straight games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing in Washington. The Nationals have also played 5 of their last 6 playoff games Over the Total when leading in the playoff series. 25* MLB Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (905) and the Washington Nationals (906) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the New York Islanders (29) versus the Ottawa Senators (30). THE SITUATION: New York (6-3-0) has won five straight games as well as ten of their last eleven contests with their 4-2 loss at home to Arizona last night. Ottawa (2-6-1) snapped a four-game losing streak on Wednesday with their 5-2 win over Detroit.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ISLANDERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: New York is scoring 3.2 Goals-Per-Game during their five-game winning streak while allowing only 1.8 Goals-Per-Game over that span. They should build off their momentum from last night as they have won 20 of their last 28 games after a loss — and they have won 8 straight games after allowing two goals or less in their last contest. Furthermore, the Islanders have won a decisive 24 of their last 28 games when playing with no days of rest. Head coach Ken Hitchcock is rotating his two goaltenders in almost a complete 50-50 timeshare between Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Griess. It is Griess who gets the start tonight who is 3-1-0 this season with a 2.21 Goals-Against-Average and a .930 save percentage. New York has won 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have won 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a losing record at home. The Islanders have also won 6 straight games when favored in the -110 to -150 price range. Ottawa beat a hapless Red Wings team that has lost six straight games — but they have lost 8 of their last 9 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Senators have also lost 24 of their last 33 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Ottawa stays at home where they have lost 5 of their last 7 games — and they have lost 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Senators have also lost 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% overall. Ottawa has been a mess with their Power Play this season where they have converted just once in their twenty-seven opportunities this season. That is not a good sign for a team that is scoring only 2.0 Goals-Per-Game over their last five contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Islanders have won their last four meetings with the Senators with Ottawa losing one of those games in overtime. Look for New York to take care of business on the road in this very winnable game for them — they are a team that struggled a bit more against the elite competition of the league last season. 5* NHL Eastern Conference Game of the Month with the money-line on the New York Islanders (29) versus the Ottawa Senators (30). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (101) and the Minnesota Vikings (102). THE SITUATION: Washington (1-6) enters this short week coming off a 9-0 loss at home in torrential rain against San Francisco as a 10-point underdog. Minnesota (5-2) has won three straight games with their 42-30 win at Detroit last Sunday as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Vikings have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a victory on the road versus an NFC North rival. Minnesota has also played 6 straight games Under the Total at home after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Ever since Adam Thielen called out quarterback Kirk Cousins to stop being so cautious with his passing, the offense has taken a step to the next level as the Vikings have scored 36 PPG while averaging 480 total Yards-Per-Game over that span. But the Vikings have played 39 of their last 56 games Under the Total after a game where they scored at least 30 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after averaging at least 450 YPG over their last three games. Minnesota generated 502 yards of offense against the Lions last week — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. Unfortunately for Cousins on this short week, he will not have the services of Thielen who has been declared out for this game with his hamstring injury. Thielen has become Cousins' most reliable target and has already caught six touchdown passes this year — and his absence exposes the lack of the third reliable target after Stefon Diggs with this offense. Head coach Mike Zimmer will want his defense to tighten things up after allowing 433 to Detroit last week. The Vikings gave played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest. Minnesota ranks 6th in the NFL respectively by allowing 17.6 PPG and just 327.9 total YPG. The Vikings are the only team in the league to finish in the top-four in total defense for three straight seasons. Minnesota returns home where they have played 5 of the last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams from the NFC. Washington will struggle to score points tonight as they have scored only 27 combined points over their last four games — and they have not scored more than 17 points in five straight games. The Skins have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The problems start on their offensive line where the team misses left tackle Trent Williams who continues his holdout to escape the franchise. Washington then lacks reliable receivers with tight end Jordan Reed injured once again this season and wideouts Josh Doctson and Paul Richardson not legitimate number one or number two options. The Vikings will feel confident to stuff the box to slow down the Washington rushing attack that interim head coach Bill Callahan has made clear is his priority with his offense. Quarterback Case Keenum is in the bottom-ten in most passing categories this season. The Skins are rank 12.9 PPG this season while averaging 267.6 total YPG which ranks 30th and 29th in the league. They go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total.

TOTAL DEFENSE: There is talent on the Washington defense who should feel pretty good about themselves after limiting the 49ers offense to just 283 total yards (albeit it in terrible weather conditions). The Skins have played 6 straight games Under the Total including their 33-7 loss to New England for Sunday Night Football back on October 6th. Expect a result similar to that finds a way to stay below the number. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (101) and the Minnesota Vikings (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 SMU Mustangs (103) and the Houston Cougars (104). THE SITUATION: SMU (7-0) remained undefeated this season with their 45-21 win at home against Temple as a 9-point favorite on Saturday. Houston (3-4) enters this game coming off a 24-17 win at UConn as a 21-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars changed their priorities this season after their 38-31 loss at Tulane that dropped them to 1-3 this season. First-year head coach was then reported to ask a number of his players to redshirt the rest of the season so as they could retain their eligibility for next season. Senior quarterback D’Eriq King and senior wide receiver Keith Corbin were two of the players to decide to remain their eligibility for next season. Some have called this the college version of tanking although Houston has since won two of their last three games. Frankly, Holgorsen still has every incentive to win games — especially on national television — to help with recruiting. But he needs to change his style of play with his top playmakers on offense being saved for next season. His son, Logan, was the starter last week against the Huskies where they managed only 286 yards of offense against a UConn team that had allowed at least 31 points in their previous five games. The freshman will likely give way to sophomore Clayton Thune who was out that game with a hamstring injury. The sophomore is completing only 53.2% of his passes this season. Holgorsen has seen his offense pass the ball less since King redshirted as Houston has attempted 20, 30, and 18 passes in each of their last three games. The Cougars have run the ball in 61% of their plays from scrimmage since the King and Corbin redshirt decisions — and running the football will likely remain the formula tonight to keep the powerful Mustangs offense off the field. Houston has averaged 355.7 total YPG over their last three games which is almost 40 YPG below their 393.6 total YPG season average. The Cougars have seen better numbers on defense in those three games as they have held those opponents to 26.7 PPG along with 429.3 total YPG which is high but is still over 40 yards below their 470.3 total YPG average for the season. Houston has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a victory where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. The Cougars have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. SMU has seen improved play with their defense as well this season with nine starters and eight of their top eleven tacklers from last year back. The Mustangs allowed 35.3 PPG along with 429.8 total YPG last year — and those numbers have dropped to a 27.3 PPG mark this season along with 370.1 total YPG (54th in the FBS). After not allowing more than 32 points in five of their last six games last season, SMU has allowed more than 30 points just twice this year. The Mustangs have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after winning two straight games against conference opponents. And while senior quarterback Shane Buechele attempted 53 passes last week, SMU has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after attempted at least 50 passes in their last game. And while the Mustangs generated 655 yards of offense against the Owls last week, they have then played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after gaining at least 500 yards in their last game. Additionally, SMU has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total played on field turf — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in October.

FINAL TAKE: Even undermanned, the Cougars will be fired up to play this game after they were upset by the Mustangs by a 45-31 scored as a two-touchdown favorite last November. These two teams have now played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total. With the Total set in the upper-60s, expect a lower scoring game. 25* CFB American Athletic Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between SMU Mustangs (103) and the Houston Cougars (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (575) and the Brooklyn Nets (576). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (0-0) comes off a 36-46 campaign last year which was 11th best in the Western Conference. Brooklyn (0-0) made the playoffs last season with a 42-40 before losing the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs to Philadelphia.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Timberwolves needed to improve their defense after allowing 112.9 PPG last season. Getting forward Robert Covington back for an entire season will certainly help their interior defensive. The defensive stalwart came over in last year’s blockbuster Jimmy Butler deal but he missed 42 games last season with injuries. Minnesota also added an outstanding defensive player in guard Jarrett Culver with the sixth pick in the NBA draft after he was a key defensive cog for the stingy Texas Tech teams over the last two years. The T-Wolves are led by Karl-Anthony Towns who averaged 24.4 PPG but they need Andrew Wiggins or someone else to step up to be a reliable second scoring option. Minnesota closed out last season with 6 straight Unders when playing on the road. The Timberwolves have also played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams from the Atlantic Division. Brooklyn significantly upgraded their roster in the offseason with the additions of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but they will have to wait until the 2020-21 season before seeing Durant make his debut given his torn ACL in the NBA Finals last June. The Nets did lose some scoring punch with the loss of DeAngelo Russell who joined Golden State in the offseason. Brooklyn also added an outstanding rim protector in center DeAndre Jordan. The Nets concluded their preseason schedule last Friday against Toronto — and they played 5 of their last 7 regular season games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Brooklyn has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home. And in their last 5 games played in the Barclays Center between these two teams, the game finished Under the Total 4 times.

FINAL TAKE: I am willing to upgrade this play to a 25* ranking because the team trends that remain relevant from last season are supported by an empirical situational angle specific to the opening games of the NBA regular season. In games between non-conference opponents who ended last season with a 40 to 49% winning percentage, these games finished Under the Total in 55 of these last 77 situations. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (575) and the Brooklyn Nets (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (901) and the Houston Astros (902) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole. THE SITUATION: Washington (101-71) takes the field again after completing their four-game sweep of St. Louis with their 7-4 win on October 15th. Houston (114-59) has won four of their last five games after their 6-4 win over the Yankees on Saturday in the sixth game of the ALCS. The Astros host the first two games of the World Series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 6-2-2 in the Nationals’ last 10 opening games to a new series — and they have also played 6 of their last 7 opening games to a new playoff series. Washington has played two straight games that finished Over the Total — but they have then played 21 of their last 33 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. Additionally, the Nationals have played 5 of their last 6 games on the road Under the Total — and the Under is 39-14-4 in their last 57 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Washington has also played 25 of their last 37 road games Under the Total as a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range. They give the ball to Scherzer who was 11-7 in the regular season with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-seven regular-season starts. Scherzer was bothered by a sore back that kept him on the disabled list through the month of August but he has found his elite form again in this postseason. In 20 innings of work in these playoffs, Scherzer has a 1.80 ERA with a 0.85 WHIP while striking out 27 batters and walking just eight. He comes off 7 shutout innings in his last start against the Cardinals back on October 12th — and the Under is 5-1-1 in the Nationals’ last 7 games with Scherzer looking to follow up a Quality Start. Scherzer was also more effective on the road during the regular season with a 2.64 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in twelve starts. The Under is 3-1-1 in Washington’s last 5 road starts with Scherzer facing a team with a winning record. Houston is struggling with their bats as they are scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .189 batting average along with a .279 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .618. The Astros have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home against teams from the National League. The Under is also 3-1-1 in Houston’s last 5 home games against teams with a winning record — and the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Cole who is 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in thirty-three starts in the regular season. The right-hander was more effective at home where he had a 0.79 WHIP and .175 opponent’s batting average in seventeen starts as opposed to his 1.02 WHIP and .199 opponent’s batting average on the road. Cole has a 0.40 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP in three starts in this postseason over a span of 22 2/3 innings of work. Cole has struck out 32 batters while walking eight in those three starts. He comes off seven shutout innings himself in his last start last Tuesday — and the Under is 4-1-1 in the Astros’ last 6 games with Scherzer following up a Quality Start.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Houston. Expect a pitcher’s duel tonight. 25* MLB World Series Game One O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (901) and the Houston Astros (902) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (475) and the New York Jets (476). THE SITUATION: New England (6-0) comes off a 35-14 win at the New York Giants as a 16.5-point favorite two Thursdays ago back on October 10th. New York (1-4) looks to build off their 24-22 upset win at home against Dallas last Sunday as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We had the Under in that Patriots game against the Giants — and with both teams scoring on a defensive touchdown along with New England blocking a punt for another 6-yard touchdown, that play was spoiled. Where was one more defensive/special teams touchdown in the second half of last night’s game?!? Defensive touchdowns and special teams touchdowns go a long way for results to find the Over. However, it would also be Fool’s Gold to be chasing or expecting non-offensive touchdowns to play a role in the next particular game at hand. The Patriots have scored three defensive touchdowns this season while adding another two touchdowns from special teams. For our purposes, while New England is averaging 31.7 PPG this season — that number drops to just 25.9 PPG when taking away those five non-offensive touchdowns. Surprisingly, the reigning Super Bowl champions have also surrendered three defensive touchdowns this season. That means that while they lead the NFL by a mile by allowing just 8.0 PPG — that number drops to an incredible 4.5 PPG when only accounting for scoring allowed by their outstanding defense. The Patriots are also second in the NFL by allowing only 234.7 total YPG — and they rank second in run defense (73.7 rushing YPG) and pass defense (161.0 passing YPG). Tom Brady completed 31 of 41 passes last week against the Giants for 334 yards while leading the offense to 427 yards — but New England has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards. Brady will not have Josh Gordon and Rex Burkhead as targets tonight with both players being out with injuries. The Patriots stay on the road where they have played 23 of their last 34 games Under the Total — and they have played 9 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. New England has also played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total as a favorite laying 7.5 to 14 points. New York dusted off their real playbook for Sam Darnold last week after first-year head coach Adam Gace put his real offense under wraps after his quarterback was injured in the opening game of the season. Darnold completed 23 of 32 passes for 338 yards while leading the Jets’ offense to 382 total yards — but now Bill Belichick has had a full week to study Gace’s preferred plays. The Jets are still averaging just 205 Yards-Per-Game over their last three contests — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not averaging more than 225 total YPG over their last three games. While Darold’s return helps this offense, the Jets are struggling to run the football as they are 31st in the league by averaging just 64.0 rushing YPG. They only managed 56 rushing yards last week with Darnold back under center and they have not rushed for more than 67 yards in their last three games. New York has played 5 straight games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 75 yards in three straight games. The Jets stay at home for this game where they are only allowing 20.7 PPG. New York gets an appearance on Monday Night Football where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Patriots 30-14 win over the Jets back on September 22nd. New England has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against AFC East opponents — and New York has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total against AFC East divisional rivals. These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at the Jets’ MetLife Stadium. 25* AFC East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (475) and the New York Jets (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Arsenal (200077) and Sheffield United (20008). THE SITUATION: Arsenal (4W-3D-1L) returns to English Premier League action after the international break from a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth back on October 6th. Sheffield United (2W-3D-3L) comes off a 0-0 draw at Watford back on October 5th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Arsenal is unbeaten in their last five matches as they have embraced more defensive tactics under second-year manager Unai Emery. The Gunners have scored only one goal in their last two matches while conceding just two goals. The offensive attack has been limited with forward Alexandre Lacazette being injured — and he will be on the bench for this match. Arsenal also has Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang who is a prolific scorer but who also has a low ceiling regarding his potential offensive output. Aubemeyang has not registered more than two shots on target in a match all season. The Gunners are 6th in the league by averaging 13.5 shots per game — but that number drops significantly to just 8.5 shots per game when they are playing on the road which is 10th in the EPL. Arsenal also averages just 3.5 shots on target per match on the road which is also 10th in the league. They now face a feisty Sheffield United side which is tied for first with only seven goals conceded this season. While this team was promoted from the Championship League last season, this is a dangerous team under manager Chris Wilder who played Liverpool to a narrow 1-0 loss earlier this year. Sheffield has allowed only two goals in their last two matches — but they have also scored only two goals in those four matches while being shut out three times. Sheffield has scored only seven times in their eight matches which is third to last in the league. They average just 9.8 shots per match which is third-to-last. Furthermore, this side averages 2.5 shots on target per match which is the second-fewest in the league — and that number only climbs to a 2.8 mark at home which is also 19th of the twenty team league. In their four home matches, Sheffield has scored only two goals — but they have conceded just four goals. And in their two matches against Power Six clubs this season, Sheffield has allowed only three combined goals.

FINAL TAKE: Sheffield United will be very happy to deploy their defensive tactics to engage in another low-scoring match that they can perhaps steal with a goal on the counter-attack. Arsenal does not play aggressively in hostile environments — Emery’s approach will likely be to have his team stick around until the skill of Aubemeyang eventually finds the back of the net. This is a great formula for a lower scoring match. 25* EPL Monday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Arsenal (200077) and Sheffield United (20008). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Anaheim Ducks (32) versus the Calgary Flames (31). THE SITUATION: Anaheim (6-2-0) has won their last two games with their 4-2 win over Carolina on Friday. Calgary (4-4-1) looks to rebound from their 4-1 loss in Los Angeles against the Kings.

THE SITUATION: The Ducks are playing good hockey so far this season — and they have won 6 of their last 8 games after a victory. Anaheim has also won 7 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. The Ducks have proven themselves very tough to beat in the Honda Center where they have won 7 straight games. Anaheim is 4-0-0 at home this season where they are scoring 3.5 Goals-Per-Game while holding their guests to just 1.5 Goals-Per-Game. Goalie John Gibson boasts a sparkling .961 save percentage in his first three starts at home this season and he looks to be between the pipes tonight. This is the Ducks’ third straight game at home — and they have won 11 of their last 13 games after winning their last two games at home. Calgary has lost 7 of their last 8 games after a loss by at least three goals. The Flames have also lost 6 of their last 8 games when playing without rest. It will likely be Cam Talbot in goal tonight for Calgary’s first-stringer David Rittich. Talbot has just a .893 save percentage in his two previous games this season — and this will be just his second start of the year. The Flames are just 1-4-0 on the road this year in large measure because they are allowing 4.0 Goals-Per-Game in those five contests. Calgary has lost 13 of their last 18 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their four meetings last year with the home team winning all four contests. Look for that trend to continue tonight with the Ducks continuing their hot streak at home. 25* NFL Pacific Division Game of the Month with the money-line on the Anaheim Ducks (32) versus the Calgary Flames (31). 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 (473) and the Dallas Cowboys (474). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (3-3) looks to bounce-back from their 38-20 loss at Minnesota as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday. Dallas (3-3) has lost three straight games after their 24-22 upset loss at New York against the Jets as a 7-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last games Over the Total after a point spread defeat. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Eagles are dealing with a host of injuries on defense — and, while corner Jalen Mills appears likely to take the field again tonight, his sidekick, Ronald Darby remains questionable with his hamstring injury. Philadelphia is allowing their home hosts to score 29.7 PPG while averaging 435.0 total YPG. But the Eagles offense did generate 400 yards in defeat last week. Over their last three games, Philadelphia has scored 28.3 PPG. Now they stay on the road where they have played 24 of their last 34 road games Over the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total as a small underdog of up to 3 points. The Eagles have also played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total when playing on field turf. Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Cowboys have suffered three straight upset losses which should ensure they are feisty with desperation in this contest. Dallas has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after suffering two straight point spread losses — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after two straight upset losses. The Cowboys offense has sputtered as of late as they have scored only 18.7 PPG in their losing streak — but they are getting healthier again for this game. Left tackle Tyron Smith has been upgraded to probable with his ankle injury — and wide receivers Amari Cooper and  Reggie Cobb along with guard Zack Martin have all been upgraded to probable for tonight. Dallas did generate 399 yards of offense last week in defeat — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Cowboys return home where they are scoring 30.0 PPG while averaging 511.0 total YPG. But they are also giving up 362.7 total YPG at home which is more than 30 YPG higher than their season average. Dallas has played 8 of their last 11 home games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total when favored by up to 3 points. The Cowboys have also played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total in the month of October.

FINAL TAKE: This is a crucial game for both teams in the NFC East title race — the loser will have an uphill climb to make the playoffs. Philly has played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against NFC East foes — and Dallas has played 6 straight games Over the Total against NFC East foes. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (473) and the Dallas Cowboys (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (472) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (471). THE SITUATION: Chicago (3-2) returns to the field again after getting embarrassed in London back on October 6th in their 24-21 upset loss to Oakland as a 6.5-point favorite. New Orleans (5-1) has won four games in a row with their 13-6 upset win at Jacksonville as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: Chicago should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. And while the Bears managed only 236 yards of offense, Chicago has then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to generate at least 250 yards in their last game. Chase Daniel was the starting quarterback across the pond but Mitchell Trubisky will be back under center with the additional time to rehab his bum shoulder. Trubisky has struggled this season but I think he will benefit from the time off to regain perspective about his role in the offense. That game with the Raiders flew over the 40 point total — and Chicago has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a game that finished Over the Total. The Bears also get one of their important offensive weapons back in Taylor Gabriel who scored a touchdown in his last game on Monday Night Football before suffering a concussion that has kept him out this month. Chicago returns home where they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 7 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Chicago has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against teams from the NFC. New Orleans will be without running back Alvin Kamara who is dealing with an ankle. While Teddy Bridgewater has been solid in relief of the injured Drew Brees, the absence of Kamara leaves this Saints’ offense lacking star power on the offensive side of the football. That is not a good sign when facing this elite Bears defense that is allowing only 13.8 PPG along with just 312.2 total YPG. New Orleans is scoring only 18.3 PPG on the road while averaging just 278.3 total YPG. The Saints outgained the Jaguars by +100 yards last week after winning the yardage battle against Dallas by +205 yards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 30 games after outgaining their last two opponents by +100 net yards. And while the Jaguars managed only 75 rushing yards last week, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints’ 5-1 record is accompanied by a mere +4.0 net YPG margin this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. 25* NFC Game of the Month with the Chicago Bears (472) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (471). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (457) minus the points versus the Detroit Lions (458). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (4-2) has won two straight games after their 38-20 win over Philadelphia last week as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. Detroit (2-2-1) looks to bounce-back from a 23-22 loss at Green Bay on Monday Night Football as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKING MINUS THE POINTS: Don’t be surprised if the Lions are emotionally flat in this game after they feel they were jobbed by the referees on Monday night. This is a losing franchise that has little experience with successfully picking themselves off the mat when facing adversity. That narrow loss came on the heels of their 34-30 loss at home to Kansas City in their previous game before a bye week where everything was focused on the Packers. Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after losing two straight games by 6 points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing their last two games where they did cover the point spread in both games. The Lions have met point spread expectations in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. Detroit has won the turnover battle in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after having at least a +1 net turnover margin in three straight contests. Now the Lions return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 home games as an underdog getting up to 3 points. They host a Vikings team that has owned them as of late. Minnesota swept the divisional series last season while not allowing Detroit to score more than 9 points in either contest. Matthew Stafford has lost his last three starts against the Vikings with only two touchdown passes in those three contests — and two of those games were at home at Ford Field. Minnesota has seen much better play from their quarterback since wide receiver Adam Thielen called him out publicly for his need to be more aggressive in the passing game. Kirk Cousins has responded with two straight 300-yard passing games with six touchdown passes. He has completed 78.5% of his passes in those games while averaging a healthy 11.4 Yards-Per-Attempt. The Vikings are very tough to beat when they get their offense cranking since their defense has not allowed more than 21 points all season. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. Minnesota has generated 447 and 490 yards over their last two games — and they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after gaining at least 375 yards in two straight games. The Vikings go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams who are not winning more than 50% of their games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games when playing in a dome. Furthermore, Minnesota has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games as the favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota is 17-8-3 ATS in their last 28 meetings with the Lions — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in Detroit. Look for the Lions to find a way to lose another one. 25* NFC North Game of the Month with the Minnesota Vikings (457) minus the points versus the Detroit Lions (458). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (687) and the Calgary Stampeders (688). THE SITUATION: Winnipeg (10-6) enters this game looking to build off their 35-24 win over Montreal last Saturday as a 4-point favorite. Calgary (10-5) looks to build off their 30-28 win over Saskatchewan as a 3.5-point favorite last Friday night.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Blue Bombers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while that game flew over the 46.5 point Total, Winnipeg has then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the number. Over their last three games, the Blue Bombers are scoring only 18.0 PPG. Winnipeg has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against West Division foes. Calgary has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win by 8 points or less. Additionally, the Stampeders have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (367) and the Washington Huskies (368). THE SITUATION: Oregon (5-1) has won four games in a row with their 45-3 win over Colorado last Friday as a 23.5-point favorite. Washington (5-2) comes off a 51-27 win at Arizona last Saturday as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ducks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a victory by at least 20 points. Oregon has also played 7 straight games on the road Under the Total after a victory — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. This team is playing outstanding defense under first-year defensive coordinator Andy Avalos who came over from Boise State. The Ducks rank 3rd in the nation by allowing just 8.7 PPG — and they also rank 8th in the nation by surrendering only 267.7 total YPG. Oregon has not allowed more than 7 points in five straight games — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 7 points in their last contest. The Ducks are averaging 36.0 PPG on offense led by their NFL prospect at quarterback in Justin Herbert. But in their two games on the road — both against quality defenses — Oregon sees their scoring average drop to just 21.0 PPG along with averaging only 326.0 total YPG. A big concern for this team is their Red Zone offense where they rank just 102nd in the nation. The Ducks have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Oregon did support their defense last week by rushing for 252 yards against the Buffaloes — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. Furthermore, the Ducks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Washington has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Huskies have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win versus a Pac-12 rival — and the Under is 11-5-1 in their last 17 games after a win by at least 20 points. This Washington team also plays very good defense — they rank 28th in the nation by allowing only 19.6 PPG. Visitors are scoring only 17.0 PPG at Husky Stadium while averaging just 336.7 total YPG. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Huskies’ offense has been inconsistent — they rank just 57th in the nation by averaging 423.1 total YPG. They did rush for 207 yards last week at Arizona — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards. Additionally, Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 42 points in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing at Washington. And the forecasts call for rain this afternoon which will make both Herbert and the Huskies’ Jacob Eason uncomfortable. 25* CFB Saturday ABC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (367) and the Washington Huskies (368). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (344) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (343). THE SITUATION: Iowa (4-2) has lost two straight games after their 17-12 loss at home to Penn State last Saturday as a 3.5-point underdog. Purdue (2-4) comes off a 40-14 upset win over Maryland last Saturday as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa has faced a difficult track as of late with a trip to Ann Arbor to face Michigan in which they lost by a 10-3 score where they were 4.5-point underdogs before hosting the Nittany Lions last week. The Hawkeyes outplayed Penn State for most of that game as they outgained them by a 356 to 294 yardage margin. A -2 net turnover margin played a large role in dooming Iowa last week. Iowa should respond with a big effort this afternoon. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after only covering the point spread once in their last three games. Iowa should get their offense going again against this suspect Boilermakers' defense after facing two of the toughest defenses in the nation. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. Iowa has only rushed for 71 combined yards over their last two games — but they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to rush for at least 125 yards in two straight games. Iowa is still averaging 32.0 PPG at home this season where they are generating a robust 475.7 total YPG. Senior quarterback Nate Stanley is leading an offense that is averaging a healthy 256.0 passing YPG. Purdue may be just what the proverbial doctor ordered as they are allowing 29.8 PPG — and they rank 104th in the nation by allowing 444.5 total YPG due to a porous pass defense that is giving up 278.0 passing YPG which is 112th in the nation. The strength of this Hawkeyes team is their defense — they rank 5th in the nation respectively by allowing only 10.2 PPG and just 260.8 total YPG. At home in Kinnick Stadium, Iowa is limiting their guests to just 8.5 PPG along with 220.0 total YPG. The Hawkeyes did not force a turnover last week — but they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 home games after failing to force at least one turnover in their last game. Iowa has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored by 10.5 to 21 points. Purdue came off a surprising performance at home against the Terrapins — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games after an upset victory by at least three touchdowns. The Boilermakers have also 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 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a win by at least 20 points. This Boilermakers team is ravaged with injuries right now — headlined by their senior quarterback, Elijah Sindelar, out the season with a collarbone injury and their All-American wide receiver, Mondale Moore, still out with a leg injury. Redshirt freshman Jack Plummer stepped up last week by completing 33 of 41 passes for 420 yards with three touchdown passes to lead an offense that generated 547 total yards. But the assignment is much tougher this week on the road against this Hawkeyes defense. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after gaining at least 450 yards. And the Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 road games with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Purdue is also undermanned on defense with senior defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal and senior linebacker Markus Bailey (who bypassed leaving early for the NFL last year) out for the season. These absences hurt a defense that is giving up 34.5 PPG. Iowa should come close to scoring at least 35 points in this game — and their defense will not allow many points to a freshman quarterback. 25* CFB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (344) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (343). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Fresno State Bulldogs (316) minus the points versus the UNLV Rebels (315). THE SITUATION: Fresno State (2-3) looks to bounce-back from their 43-24 loss at Air Force last Saturday as a 2.5-point underdog. UNLV (2-4) looks to build off their 34-10 win at Vanderbilt as a 16.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: The Rebels pulled off one of the biggest victories in the five-year tenure of head coach Tony Sanchez — but he is still on the hot seat with this being a “bowl or bust” season for him. UNLV is due for an emotional letdown after pulling off that upset against a team from the SEC. The Rebels have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after an upset victory as a road underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset win as a double-digit underdog. UNLV has also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after a win on the road. As it is, the Rebels have been consistently inconsistent under Sanchez as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread victory. Defense remains an issue for this team that has allowed at least 30 PPG and over 420 total YPG in every season since 2008. This year, UNLV is tied for 108th in the nation by allowing 32.8 PPG — and they are also giving up 431.8 total YPG which is 98th in the nation. In their two conference games this year, the Rebels are allowing 45.5 PPG along with 502.5 total YPG. This sketchy defensive play will put the pressure on redshirt freshman quarterback Kenyon Oblad who will once again be under center given the knee injury suffered by Armani Rogers in late September. Rogers is available to play tonight but Sanchez tapped Oblad as his starter yesterday. UNLV had failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 road games against teams who are not winning more than 50% of their games at home. The Rebels are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games in conference play. Fresno State went into halftime last week with a 24-22 lead before getting dominated by the Air Force ground game that kept the Bulldogs off the field. They had only 13 offensive plays in the second half while averaging just 1.3 Yards-Per-Play. The Bulldogs managed only 12 first downs in that game while being on offense for just 20:31 minutes — but this team has covered the point spread 8 of their last 12 games after failing to generate at least 13 first downs and being on offense for at least 26 minutes. Fresno State is also 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 games after a straight-up up loss. They should be able to run the ball behind Ronnie Rivers (253 rushing yards this season) to get the tempo of the game back in their favor — UNLV ranks 113th in the nation by allowing 209.7 rushing YPG. The Bulldogs managed only 268 yards last week — but they are 22-6-1 ATS in their last 29 games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game. Fresno State is scoring 34.5 PPG at home while averaging 408.0 total YPG — and they are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games at home. They are also 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Third-year head coach Jeff Tedford has done a great job with this program — his teams won 22 games in his first two seasons. This year would be a challenge with only nine starters returning from last year’s Mountain West Conference champions. Fresno State crushed UNLV in Las Vegas last year by a 48-3 score — and they are 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 games in the month of October. With two non-conference losses against quality teams in Minnesota and USC, the Bulldogs still can salvage their season in their second MWC game — but it starts with a big win tonight. 25* CFB Friday CBS Sports Network Game of the Year with the Fresno State Bulldogs (316) minus the points versus the UNLV Rebels (315). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (921) and the New York Yankees (922) listing both starting pitchers Justin Verlander and James Paxton. THE SITUATION: Houston (113-58) took a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series last night with their 8-3 victory. New York (107-62) has lost three straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is now 4-1-1 in the Astros’ last 6 games in the playoffs. Additionally, Houston has seen the Under go 11-5-1 in their last 17 games on the road. They give the ball to Verlander who was 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP in thirty-three starts. The right-hander was more effective on the road during the regular season where he had a 0.76 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .164 in seventeen starts as compared to his 0.84 WHIP and .180 opponent’s batting average at home. Verlander had one bad outing in this postseason when he was pitching on three days of rest — he still has a 3.11 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP with 19 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings in these playoffs. And in his career in the playoffs, Verlander has a 3.34 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP in 161 2/3 innings of work. He comes off a strong outing in Game Two of this series where he allowed only two runs in 6 2/3 innings — and the Astros have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total with Verlander looking to follow up a Quality Start. Houston has played 7 of their last 9 road games with Verlander facing a team with a winning record — and they have played 19 of their last 24 games Under the Total with Verlander pitching at night. The Astros have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with Verlander facing the Yankees. New York has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. Additionally, the Yankees have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the playoffs — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against a team that scored at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Paxton who was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in twenty-nine regular-season starts. The left-hander was much better at home in Yankee Stadium where he had a 3.35 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .211 in fifteen starts as compared to his 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and .274 opponent’s batting average on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are not swinging hot bats right now (a de-juiced baseball?). Houston is scoring only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .196 batting average, .265 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .618 over that span. The Yankees are hitting only .241 over their last seven games with a .760 OPS. 25* MLB American League Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (921) and the New York Yankees (922) listing both starting pitchers Justin Verlander and James Paxton. 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 Kansas City Chiefs (303) and the Denver Broncos (304). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (4-2) has lost two games in a row after their 31-24 upset loss at home to Houston on Sunday. Denver (2-4) has won their last two games with their 16-0 shutout win over Tennessee as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos stymied the Titans by limiting them to just 204 yards of offense. Despite losing Bradley Chubb to a season-ending injury, Denver still has a loaded defense that should continue to improve under first-year head coach Vic Fangio who is one of the brightest defensive minds in the league. The Broncos are 4th in the NFL by allowing only 307.8 total YPG. Denver is also 7th in the NFL by giving up just 17.7 PPG — and that number drops to 14.0 PPG when playing at home. The Under is 10-1-1 in the Broncos last 12 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is also 6-1-1 in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Under is 5-0-1 in Denver’s last 6 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Broncos stay at home where they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have played 15 of their last 18 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. But this Denver offense is scoring just 17.7 PPG which is 26th in the NFL. They will likely look to run the football to burn time off the clock to keep Patrick Mahomes off the field — the Chiefs have allowed their last two opponents to keep their offense off the field for at least 37 minutes. Additionally, the Under is 7-0-1 in the Broncos’ last 8 games against teams from the AFC West. Kansas City has seen their offense slowed down over the last two weeks where they have gained only 324 and 309 yards. Not being on the field has played a large role — but so too has been the ankle injury to Mahomes which has slowed down his mobility. Furthermore, defenses have taken a page from the Matt Patricia defensive playbook where the Lions found success in playing press man-to-man coverage against the Chiefs wide receivers which has increased the demand on Mahomes to deliver with pinpoint accuracy which is not his strongest suit. The injuries on offense is certainly not helping the Andy Reid offense operate at its highest efficiency. Kansas City is missing two offensive linemen in All-Pro left tackle Jeff Fisher and right tackle Andrew Wylie. And while wide receiver Tyreek Hill returned to the field last week, Mahomes will be without wide receiver Sammie Watkins who is still dealing with a hamstring. The Chiefs have suffered two straight upset losses at home after their 19-13 loss at home to Indianapolis as a double-digit favorite. Kansas City has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after suffering two straight upset losses.

FINAL TAKE: The Kansas City defense is also banged up which has played a role in them surrendering 416.7 total YPG over their last three games. Opponents have amassed at least 180 rushing yards against the Chiefs in four straight games — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after allowing at least 175 rushing yards in three straight contests. Kansas City has also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 YPG over their last three games. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (303) and the Denver Broncos (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the New York Yankees (920) versus the Houston Astros (919) listing both starting pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke. THE SITUATION: New York (107-61) has lost two games in a row after their 4-1 loss to the Astros on Tuesday. Game Four of the World Series was rained out yesterday. Houston (112-58) is up 2-1 in the series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE YANKEES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: New York has bounced-back to win 22 of their last 26 games at home after a loss — and they have won 22 of their last 27 home games after losing two in a row. And while both these losses finished Under the Total, the Yankees have then won 30 of their last 40 games after playing two straight Unders. New York has still won 19 of their last 23 home games when priced as a favorite in the -100 to -150 price range. The Yankees have also won 9 of their last 12 playoff games at home. And in their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, New York has won 8 of these games. They give the ball to Tanaka who had an 11-9 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP during the regular season. The right-hander was much better when pitching at home in Yankee Stadium where he had a 3.10 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .238 in sixteen starts. Tanaka is pitching on his normal four days of rest with last night’s rainout — he comes off an outstanding outing last Saturday in the opening game of the ALCS where he allowed only one hit and zero runs in 6 innings of work. The Yankees have won 6 of their last 8 games with Tanaka pitching after a Quality Start in his last outing. New York has also won 8 of their last 10 games with Tanaka facing a team with a winning record — and they have won 19 of their last 26 home games with him facing a team with a winning record. The Yankees have also won 4 of their last 5 games against the Astros with Tanaka on the hill. He faces an Astros lineup that is scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .209 batting average along with a .272 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .633 over that span. Houston has lost 16 of their last 25 playoff games when leading in the series — and they have lost 9 of their last 23 games in the ALCS on the road. The Astros have also lost 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have lost 12 of their last 17 road games when priced in the +/- 125 range. They counter with Greinke who was 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season starts. Greinke has not enjoyed a ton of success in the playoffs in his career given his 3-6 record along with a 4.32 ERA in twelve postseason starts. He allowed three runs in 6 innings of work in Game One of this series as he was out-dueled by Tanaka — and he has a rough 8.38 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP in his two playoff starts this year. Houston has lost 4 of their last 5 games with Greinke facing a team with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Yankees have won 42 of their last 55 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. And I usually find that postponed games work to the benefit of the home team rather than the visitors who stayed clamped up on the road. 25* MLB Game of the Year with the money-line on the New York Yankees (920) versus the Houston Astros (919) listing both starting pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke. 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 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (305) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves (306). THE SITUATION: Louisiana (4-2) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday with their 17-7 loss at home to Appalachian State as a 1.5-point favorite. Arkansas State (3-3) had their two-game winning streak end back on October 5th with their 52-38 upset loss at Georgia State as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Red Wolves have played 10 of their last fourteen games Under the Total after a loss. This has lost their starting quarterback for the season after Logan Bonner’s thumb injury at the end of September. Redshirt freshman quarterback Layne Hatcher has been solid — he completed 21 of 32 passes against the Panthers for 299 yards with four touchdown passes but he also tossed two interceptions in that upset loss. But Arkansas State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The Red Wolves surrendered a whopping 722 yards in that game to Georgia State with sixth-year head coach Blake Anderson likely learning that he cannot have his team get in a shootout with Hatcher under center. Arkansas State has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 40 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last contest. The Red Wolves defense has been a mess this season as they are giving up 535.8 total YPG. But injuries have played a factor — and this team will receive a boost tonight with the return of senior defensive tackle Kevin Thurmon who has missed the last two games with a hand injury. Moving forward, Arkansas State has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total against Sun Belt Conference opponents — and the Under is also 43-18-2 in their last 63 games against teams with a winning record. Louisiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow Sun Belt foes. They managed only 254 yards of offense last week against the Mountaineers. Junior quarterback Levi Lewis completed 13 of 24 passes but for only 131 yards. The Ragin’ Cajuns are likely to rely on their ground game which ranks 6th in the nation by averaging 282.2 rushing YPG. Louisiana is 14th in the nation by averaging 492.2 total YPG — but those numbers drop by almost 40 yards per game when they are playing away from home. The biggest improvement with this team is on defense where they returned seven starters from last year’s team that allowed 34.2 PPG (105th in the nation) along with 435.59 total YPG (97th in the FBS). This season, the Ragin’ Cajuns are 43rd in the nation by allowing just 344.8 total YPG — and they rank 32nd in the FBS by giving up just 20.7 PPG. Furthermore, the Under is 7-3-1 in Louisiana’s last 11 games in the month of October.

FINAL TAKE: Arkansas State will be looking to avenge a 47-43 upset loss at Louisiana last year that ultimately cost them the opportunity to play in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. To get revenge tonight, head coach Anderson will likely conclude that he needs to slow this game down to protect his defense. The Ragin’ Cajuns will also be looking to run the ball — expect a lower scoring game with the Total set in the high 60s. 25* CFB Thursday ESPNU Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (305) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Edmonton Oilers (36) versus the Philadelphia Flyers (35). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (5-1-0) lost its first game of the year on Monday with their 3-1 loss at Chicago. Philadelphia (2-1-1) has lost their last two games after their 3-1 loss in Calgary last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OILERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Edmonton is catching the Flyers on a tough road trip right now with this being their third game in a row on the road with this game being played on the second of back-to-back nights. Philadelphia has lost 10 of their last 13 games after losing two straight games on the road. Additionally, the Flyers have lost 6 straight games on the road — and they have lost 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Philadelphia has also lost 6 straight games when playing without a day of rest. The Flyers have only scored three combined goals over their last two games. Furthermore, Philadelphia has lost 17 of their last 22 games after a game where no more than four combined goals were scored. The Flyers have also lost 4 straight games against Western Conference opponents — and they have lost their last 4 games as a money-line underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Edmonton had won their first five games of the season in come-from-behind fashion. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Oilers return home for the first time since October 5th. Edmonton has won 5 straight home games after being on the road for at least seven days. The Oilers have also won 10 of their last 11 games after playing at least four straight games on the road. And in their last 10 games as the favorite, Edmonton has won 7 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: The Oilers have playoff aspirations this season under new general manager Ken Holland who came over from Detroit along with first-year head coach Dave Tippett. Led by Connor McDavid, this Edmonton team has one of the best young players in the league. Look for the Oilers to overwhelm a road-weary Flyers team. 25* NHL Wednesday NBC Sports Network Game of the Month with the money-line on the Edmonton Oilers (36) versus the Philadelphia Flyers (35). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Troy Trojans (302) minus the points versus the South Alabama Jaguars (301). THE SITUATION: Troy (2-3) has lost two straight games after their 42-10 loss at Missouri as a 25.5-point underdog back on October 5th. South Alabama (1-5) has lost four straight games with their 20-17 loss in overtime to Georgia Southern as a 10-point underdog back on October  3rd.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS MINUS THE POINTS: Troy needs to establish some momentum in Sun Belt Conference action after suffering two previous upset losses to Southern Mississippi and against conference rival Arkansas State already this season. Thirteen starters returned from last year’s team that finished 10-3 after a 42-32 win over Buffalo in the Dollar General Bowl. Things have been a bit rocky for first-year head coach Chip Lindsey who took over for Neal Brown who took the head coaching job at West Virginia. But talent remains on this team — and a conference championship is still in reach as well as another bowl appearance. The Trojans have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Getting senior quarterback Kaleb Barker back under center will help — he was knocked out of the game with the Tigers but he has been upgraded to probable with the extra time to prepare for this game. Troy has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game — and they are 36th in the nation in both scoring (34.6 PPG) and total yardage (450.8 YPG). The Trojans return home where they are scoring 42.7 PPG while averaging 521.7 total YPG. Troy needs to tighten up on defense — but they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. The weakness for the Trojans defense is against the pass where they are allowing 308.6 passing YPG which is 124th in the FBS. But the Jaguars are not a dynamic passing team as they average just 149.0 passing YPG which is 121st in the nation. Their quarterback, Cephus Johnson, is completing only 53.6% of his passes with five touchdown passes and five interceptions. South Alabama will have trouble running the ball against this Troy defense that is 14th in the nation by allowing just 93.9 rushing YPG. The Trojans are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record — and they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games against Sun Belt foes. The Jaguars come off their best game of the season in that narrow loss to the Eagles — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games after a point spread victory. South Alabama gained only 247 yards in that game — and 135 of those yards came on two long plays. The Jaguars had only four first downs against the Georgia Southern defense (four — not a typo!). On paper, the South Alabama defense looks stout as they rank 35th in the nation by allowing just 199.3 passing YPG — but those numbers are skewed after last week when the Eagles were happy to rush the ball 66 times for 310 yards. The Jaguars are 106th in the nation by allowing 200.8 rushing YPG. Troy should be able to pass the ball against this South Alabama pass defense that allows opposing quarterbacks to complete 64.3% of their passes while averaging 8.5 Yards-Per-Pass-Attempt. Now the Jaguars go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games against teams with a losing record at home. South Alabama has turned the ball over 13 times already this season — so this nationally televised night game in a hostile environment could be challenging for them.

FINAL TAKE: Troy won last year’s Battle of the Belt last season at South Alabama by a 38-17 score — but they will still be motivated to avenge a 19-8 loss at home to the Jaguars despite being a 19-point favorite in 2017. This shapes up to be a “get right” game for Troy against a weak South Alabama team whose only win was against Jackson State. 25* CFB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the Troy Trojans (302) minus the points versus the South Alabama Jaguars (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (913) and the Washington Nationals (914) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Patrick Corbin. THE SITUATION: Washington (100-71) took a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series last night with their 8-1 victory over the Cardinals. St. Louis (94-76) has lost five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 5-2-1 in the Nationals’ last 8 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game — and they have played a decisive 31 of their last 48 home games after not allowing more than two runs in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 6-1-1 in Washington’s last 8 games against an opponent that did not score more than two runs in their last game — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games against an opponent that allowed at least five runs in their last game. The Nationals’ bullpen did not allow an earned run last night but they have then played 16 of their last 23 home games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow a run in their last game. But this Washington bullpen has a 5.72 ERA along with a 1.55 WHIP at home this season along with a 7.07 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP this postseason. The Over is also 5-2-1 in the Nationals’ last 8 games at home. They give the ball to Corbin who was 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in thirty-three starts. The left-hander has struggled in this postseason with a 7.56 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP in 8 1/3 innings which has included a couple of bullpen appearances. Corbin also sees his WHIP rise to a 1.24 mark in night games as compare to his 1.05 WHIP in nine day starts. Washington has played 4 of their last 6 home games Over the Total with Corbin pitching with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. He faces a Cardinals team that is scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game against left-handed starting pitchers. St. Louis has seen the Over go 43-20-4 in their last 67 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. The Cardinals have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a loss. And while St. Louis has scored only two runs in this series, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after failing to score more than one run in two straight games. Furthermore, the Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 road games in the playoffs. They counter with Hudson who is 16-7 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season appearances. Hudson struggled in his last start back on March 7th in the Game Four of the NLDS where he allowed four runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings of work at home while allowing five hits and two walks. The right-hander now goes on the road where he has been less effective with a 4.13 ERA with a 1.61 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .271 in sixteen games (fifteen starts). St. Louis has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Hudson facing a team with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Nationals score 5.6 Runs-Per-Game at home — and they have scored 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. With the Cardinals desperate to stave off elimination, expect a big scoring game. 25* MLB National League Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (913) and the Washington Nationals (914) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Patrick Corbin. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning (17) and the Montreal Canadiens (18). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (2-2-1) has lost three of their last four games with their 4-2 loss at Ottawa on Saturday. Montreal (2-1-1) come off a 6-3 victory over St. Louis on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lightning have started slow this defense their play on the defensive end of the ice being a disappointment. Tampa Bay is allowing 3.4 Goals-Per-Game. Goalie Andre Vasilevskiy has struggled with a 3.04 Goals-Against-Average along with a .903 save percentage — and the reigning Vezina Trophy winner sees his save percentage drop to a .875 mark in his first two games on the road. The Lightning have played 4 of their last 5 games on the road Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 road games Over the Total when a road favorite. This is Tampa Bay’s fifth straight game away from home — and they have played 13 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing their last four games on the road. The Lightning are scoring a healthy 4.0 Goals-Per-Game this season. They also have played 6 straight games Over the Total when priced as a favorite in the -100 to -150 price range. Montreal has seen the Over go 14-5-2 in their last 21 games against an opponent that did not score more than two goals in their last game. It has also been a slow start for goalie Carey Price who has a 3.38 GAA along with a .901 save percentage so far this season. The Canadiens are allowing a rough 4.28 Goals-Per-Game this season — but they are also scoring 4.28 Goals-Per-Game thus year. Montreal has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 9-1-1 in their last 11 games when playing with two days of rest. Furthermore, the Over is 3-0-1 in the Canadiens’ last 4 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Montreal has played 4 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. 25* NHL Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning (17) and the Montreal Canadiens (18). 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 Detroit Lions (275) and the Green Bay Packers (276). THE SITUATION: Detroit (2-1-1) takes the field again after their 34-30 loss at home to Kansas City as a 7.5-point underdog two weeks ago back on September 29th. Green Bay (4-1) comes off a 34-24 upset win in Dallas as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lions have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. They also have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points — and they have played 32 of their last 48 games Under the Total on the road after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. And while Detroit allowed the Chiefs to generate 438 yards of offense, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. One of the touchdowns that Kansas City scored was on a 100-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. The eye test suggests that the Lions played pretty good defense to slow down Patrick Mahomes. Head coach Matt Patricia has proven himself one of the best schematic defensive coaches in the league — and it is telling that the Chiefs have scored only 37 combined points in their last two games since that game with Detroit. Bill Belichick also used some of the Patricia blueprints in the Lions’ defensive game plan against the Rams in last year’s Super Bowl. Patricia has had two weeks to prepare his defense for the Packers’ offense — and Detroit has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total. Patricia has also finally gotten the Lions offense to emphasize the run to make things easier on quarterback Matthew Stafford. Detroit held the ball for 33:55 minutes against the Chiefs and controlling the time of possession to keep Aaron Rodgers off the field will be the formula tonight. The Lions gained 447 yards against Kansas City — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Green Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have also played 5 of their last 6games Under the Total after playing on the road where both teams scored at least 24 points. The Packers offense will be limited with wide receiver Davante Adams still out with his turf toe which takes away Rodgers’ most reliable passing target. Look for the Packers to also emphasize the run to take the pressure off Rodgers and their defense that surrendered 563 total yards to the Cowboys. Dallas passed for 441 passing yards in that game — but Green Bay has played 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. The Packers have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing 500 or more yards in their last game. There is no question this Green Bay defense has improved with the additions of the Smith brothers in Za’Darius and Preston who were signed as free agents in the offseason. The Packers are 8th in the NFL this season by allowing only 18.6 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Green Bay has played 5 straight games Under the Total against fellow NFC North opponents — and Detroit has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against NFC North foes. Expect a lower scoring game between these two teams that have re-defined their identities to be run-oriented defensive teams. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Lions (275) and the Green Bay Packers (276). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:38 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (909) and the Washington Nationals (910) listing both starting pitchers Jack Flaherty and Stephen Strasburg. THE SITUATION: Washington (99-71) took a 2-0 lead in this series on Saturday with their 3-1 win over the Cardinals. St. Louis (94-75) has lost four of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cardinals lost the opening game of this series by a 2-0 score. And while they have managed just four hits so far in this series, St. Louis has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing two straight games where three or fewer runs were scored by both teams. The Cardinals have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss. And while they stranded only three runners on Saturday, they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total after stranding three runners or less in their last game. Now the Cardinals go back on the road — and they have played 18 of their last 25 road games Over the Total after playing their last two games at home. The Over is also 18-7-1 in their last 26 road games in the playoffs. They give the ball to Flaherty who is 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season starts. But while the right-hander sees his ERA rise to a 3.13 mark in seventeen starts on the road along with a 1.15 WHIP. St. Louis has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Flaherty pitching with the Total no higher than 7.5. Flaherty also sees his ERA rise to a 3.50 mark when pitching at night this year. He faces a Nationals team that has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Washington scores 5.6 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .273 batting average along with a .346 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .830. The Nationals have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have also played a decisive 53 of their last 80 home games Over the Total in night games. The Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games against an opponent who did not score more than two runs in their last game. They counter with Strasburg who was 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in thirty-three starts. The right-hander sees his ERA rise to a 3.67 mark when pitching at night. The Over is also a decisive 41-16-3 in the Nationals’ last 60 home games with Strasburg on the mound — and the Over is 21-7-1 in their last 28 home games with Strasburg faces a team with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: I was surprised (and overjoyed) to see the Total drop to 6.5s in many spots for this game. The Cardinals have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total with the Total set at 7 or less — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games on the road Over the Total with the number set at 7 or lower. The Nationals have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the number set at 7 or lower. 25* MLB Monday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the St. Louis Cardinals (909) and the Washington Nationals (910) listing both starting pitchers Jack Flaherty and Stephen Strasburg. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (273) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (274). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (1-4) looks to rebound from their 26-23 loss in overtime last week at home against Baltimore as a 7.5-point underdog. Los Angeles (2-3) looks to bounce-back from a 20-13 upset loss at home to Denver as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Chargers are overvalued right now with bettors remembering their nice playoff run last season. Injuries have devastated this team. The defense is playing without their best player in safety Derwin James. The offensive line is down two starters with left tackle Russell Okung on the PUP list with his heart issue and now center Mike Pouncey being played on Injured Reserve this week with a neck injury. Los Angeles was outgained by -104 net yards last week to a winless Broncos team. They do have running back Melvin Gordon back — but Austin Ekeler was doing quite fine (or better?) as they lead running back in his absence. Quarterback Philip Rivers may be showing the signs of his age — the Charters offense only generated 246 yards last week. The Chargers have then ailed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. Los Angeles stays at home where they simply do not have much of an advantage playing in a smaller soccer stadium in front of a fan base that is more enamored with the Rams. The Chargers are 1-2 at home this season where they are being outscored by -2.7 PPG and outgained by -18.3 net YPG. Los Angeles is 11-28-1 ATS in their last 40 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Pittsburgh will be relying on Devlin Hodges as their quarterback with Mason Rudolph not yet having cleared the concussion protocol. I first learned about Hodges when handicapping preseason football which requires getting a good grasp on every backup QB. Hodges broke the all-time passing yards record in the FCS last year playing for Samford. He has impressed NFL scouts with his moxie and ability to operate practice squad offenses. The Steelers were so impressed with him from raining camp that they felt comfortable trading away Josh Dobbs despite the possibility that they would need their third-string QB. And Hodges was confident and effective in relief last week as he completed 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards while adding another 20 yards on the ground in leading the offense to a scoring drive and getting his team into overtime. I suspect the Steelers’ coaching staff do not feel they will miss a beat with him under center when compared to Rudolph. And this Pittsburgh franchise still thinks they can make the playoffs with them just two games behind the Ravens. Remember, Indianapolis made the playoffs last year despite a 1-4 start. Pittsburgh has one of the most underrated defenses in the league right now who have forced 12 turnovers since Week Two. The Steelers defense has also given up no more than 139 passing yards in two straight weeks. This organization was very high on what their defense would do this season after they drafted Devin Bush in the first round which provided them speed at the linebacker position that they have lacked since the injury to Ryan Shazier. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss at home. The Steelers are also 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread win. Additionally, Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games in the month of October — and they are a decisive 49-24-2 ATS in their last 75 games in October.

FINAL TAKE: Bet against this Steelers franchise as a road underdog at your own peril. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 63 of their last 104 road games when getting the points — and this includes them covering the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games when getting up to 7 points. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Pittsburgh Steelers (273) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Rams (266) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (265). Los Angeles (3-2) looks to bounce-back from their 30-29 loss at Seattle as a 1.5-point underdog two Thursdays ago back on October 3rd. San Francisco (4-0) remained one of two undefeated teams this season with their 31-3 win over Cleveland as a 5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles should benefit from the extra time to prepare for this game. Excluding last year’s Super Bowl, head coach Sean McVay has won ten straight games when coaching with extra days to prepare with his offense scoring 37 PPG — and the Rams are 8-1-1 ATS in those ten games. The Rams have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread win. Los Angeles will be without running back Todd Gurley for this game but they have talent behind in Malcolm Brown who starred at Texas along with their rookie Darrell Henderson who was a juggernaut at Memphis. The Rams managed to rush for only 82 yards against the Seahawks — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to rush for at least 90 yards. Now they return home where QB Jared Goff usually plays much better than on the road. Los Angeles is scoring 33.5 PPG at home while averaging 449.0 total YPG. The Rams have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles has to tighten things up on defense after allowing 429 yards in their last game. 262 of those yards were in the air — but the Rams have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. The Niners have been anointed to the Super Bowl by many after their dominant performance in primetime on Monday. But San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. The 49ers have also failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 43 games after playing on Monday Night Football. San Francisco generated 446 yards of offense in that game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. Additionally, the 49ers have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after not allowing more than 14 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 34 road games after not allowing more than 9 points in their last contest. This team was already playing with their left tackle Joe Staley — but their vaunted ground game has taken two more big hits for this game with both right tackle Mike McGlinchey and blocking fullback Kyle Juszczyk both out for this game with knee injuries. This is a team that has benefited from an easy early schedule against four teams that have combined for a 4-15 record after the Buccaneers loss this morning. The Niners are just 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams from the NFC West — and Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against NFC West foes. The Rams have a significant experience edge when it comes to playing in high profile games as of late. They should pull away for a comfortable win. 25* NFC West Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Rams (266) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (265). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wyoming Cowboys (205) and the San Diego State Aztecs (206). THE SITUATION: Wyoming (4-1) takes the field again after their 53-17 win over UNLV two weeks ago as an 8-point favorite. San Diego State (4-1) looks to build off their 24-10 win at Colorado State as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys have played 4 straight 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. And while Wyoming generated 498 yards of offense against the Rebels, the Under is then 22-7-1 in their last 30 games after generating at least 450 yards in their last game. The Cowboys want to run the ball as they are 2nd in the MWC by averaging 248.2 rushing YPG — but they will be running into a buzzsaw with this Aztecs defense. San Diego State leads the nation by allowing only 45.4 rushing YPG — and they are second in the FBS by limiting rushers to just 1.79 Yards-Per-Carry. The Aztecs have not allowed a team to rush for more than 82 yards this season. Wyoming goes back on the road where the Under is 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. The Under is also 11-2-1 in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Cowboys have played 11 of their last 15 games against MWC opponents — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in the month of October. San Diego State has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Aztecs held the Rams to just 235 yards of offense in that win — and not only have they then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game but they have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last contest. But San Diego State managed only 238 yards last week — and the Under is also 12-3-1 in their last 16 games after a game where they did not gain more than 275 yards. Injuries have slowed down the Aztecs ground game — they are only averaging 2.98 YPC which is 123rd in the nation while generating just 134 rushing YPG. This has placed more of the weight of the offense on the arm of senior quarterback Ryan Agnew who is solid but certainly not a spectacular gunslinger. San Diego State averages only 187 passing YPG — and head coach Rocky Long will not have his team deviate much from his run-oriented game plan. The Aztecs are scorn only 20.2 PPG this season — and that number drops to 11.5 PPG at home. But San Diego State is allowing just 11.4 PPG along with a mere 270.8 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 26-10-1 in the Aztecs’ last 37 games at home — and they have played 43 of their last 62 games Under the Total in the month of October. The number has dropped into the high 30s for this game — but with the loser likely eliminated from the MWC title race, expect a defensive slugfest with points hard to come by. 25* CFB Mountain West Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Wyoming Cowboys (205) and the San Diego State Aztecs (206). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Houston Astros (904) versus the New York Yankees (903) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Masahiro Tanaka. Houston (110-57) defeated Tampa Bay in the fifth game of their ALDS on Thursday with their 6-1 victory. New York (106-59) has won three straight games after they completed their three-game sweep of the Twins in their ALDS with their 5-1 win back last Monday. They host the first two games of this best-of-seven American League Championship Series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Houston has won 35 of their last 51 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Astros have also won 38 of their last 52 games after an off day. They stay at home where they have won 40 of their last 52 games — and they have also won 9 of their last 13 games at home in the ALCS. They give the ball to Greinke who was 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season starts. The right-hander thrived under the lights where he had a 2.78 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP in twenty starts at night. Houston has won 4 of their last 5 home games with Greinke on the mound. He faces a Yankees team that has lost 5 of their last 6 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. New York has not been as good on the road as they are at home in Yankee Stadium. They have lost 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have also lost 10 of their last 13 road games in the playoffs. Additionally, New York has lost 12 of their last 15 road games in the ALCS. They counter with Tanaka who is 11-9 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in thirty-one starts (thirty-two games). The right-hander struggles on the road where his ERA skyrockets to a 6.05 mark with a 1.42 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .287 in fifteen starts (sixteen games). Tanaka also has a 5.44 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and .279 opponent’s batting average in eighteen starts at night. The Yankees have lost 6 of their last 7 games with Tanaka pitching as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range.

FINAL TAKE: New York has lost 10 of their last 13 games when playing against the Astros on the road in Minute Maid Park. Houston opened as a money-line favorite in the -155 range which is beyond my -150 price threshold — but with the price dropping to the -145 to -150 range, let’s attack. 25* MLB Saturday Night Special Feature with the money-line on the Houston Astros (904) versus the New York Yankees (903) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Masahiro Tanaka. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (200) minus the points versus the USC Trojans (199). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (4-1) enters this rivalry game coming off a 52-0 shutout win at home against Bowling Green last Saturday as a 45.5-point favorite. USC (3-2) returns to action after their bye week that came after a 28-14 loss at Washington as a 12.5-point underdog two Saturdays ago.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FIGHTING IRISH MINUS THE POINTS: The Trojans are an imploding program in what appears to be a lame-duck final season for fifth-year head coach Clay Helton. Under his watch, USC has now lost seven of their last eleven games. The Trojans have also won just two of their last fifteen games as an underdog under Helton — so there is little chance that USC will be in a serious position to win this game tonight. The Trojans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as the underdog. And while the USC defense played well two weeks ago in their two-touchdown loss to the Huskies with the Total set in the 59 range, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. The good news for this team is they get their freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis back after he cleared the concussion protocol. The bad news is that he is only the starter because sophomore J.T. Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury — and the team needs him to play a veteran in a very challenging environment on the road in South Bend for this nationally televised night game. USC is just 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games on the road — and they are just 8-23-1 ATS in their last 32 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Trojans have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games outside Pac-12 play. And in their last 7 games in the month of October, USC has failed to cover the point spread 5 times. Notre Dame has won sixteen of their last eighteen games under head coach Brian Kelly with those two losses being on the road after Georgia last month and on a neutral field in the College Football Semifinals against Clemson. They should build off the momentum of their big win last week as they are covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win by at least four touchdowns — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. The Irish generated 573 yards of offense in that win — and not only are they 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring at least 40 points but they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after generating at least 475 yards of offense in their last game. They have a big edge under center with senior quarterback Ian Book who is leading an offense that is scoring 41.0 PPG (51.0 PPG at home) — and they will probably get their top rusher in Jafar Armstrong back for this game after he has been out since Game One with a groin injury. Notre Dame has covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Irish also boast a strong defense that has registered ten sacks over the last two weeks while allowing only 14.8 PPG this season.

FINAL TAKE: It will be cold in South Bend tonight with winds in the 10 to 20 MPH range. Don’t be surprised if turnovers play a big role to help the Irish — they rank third in the nation with thirteen takeaways while leading the nation with their +10 net turnover differential. USC has a net -7 turnover margin this season — and they have not won the turnover battle in a game since the opening week of the 2018 season against UNLV which is the longest streak in the nation. 25* CFB Saturday NBC-TV Game of the Year with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (200) minus the points versus the USC Trojans (199). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Eastern Michigan Eagles (142) minus the point(s) versus the Ball State Cardinals (141). THE SITUATION: Eastern Michigan (3-2) looks to bounce-back from their 42-16 upset loss at Central Michigan last Saturday as a 4-point favorite. Ball State (2-3) looks to build off their 27-20 upset win at Northern Illinois last Saturday as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Eastern Michigan should respond with a strong effort after last week’s disappointing performance. The Eagles have rebounded to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after a loss to a Mid-American Conference opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss to a conference foe. Furthermore, Eastern Michigan has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after a straight-up loss while covering the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a point spread loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 28 of their last 39 games after a blowout loss by at least 20 points. This team has become a physical and nasty team under head coach Chris Creighton in his sixth season with the program while also embodying his mental toughness. Creighton has resurrected this program that had only won five combined games in his three seasons before going 19-19 since the start of the 2017 season. The Eagles could have had an even better record over that span as they were just 6-11 in games decided by one scoring possession entering the fall. Eastern Michigan lost five of their six games by 7 points or less last year. Additionally, the analytics for this team are skewed right now with four of their first five games being on the road. The Eagles will be playing just their second game at home this season where they have a nice home-field advantage when playing at the “Factory.” Eastern Michigan is led by a dynamic senior dual-threat quarterback in Mike Glass III who would have likely led this team to a better record last year if not for an injury that limited him to just eight games. Glass is completing 66.8% of his passes this season with 13 touchdown passes and just 5 interceptions while leading the Eagles to average 265 passing YPG. Glass led this team to an upset win at Illinois. Eastern Michigan has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set in there 56.5 to 63 point range. Ball State may be due for a letdown after their upset win on the road against the Huskies last week as they have 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 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The Cardinals eked out that game despite being outgained by Northern Illinois by -120 net yards after managing to generate a mere 269 yards of offense. That is not a good sign for them this week as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after being outgained by at least 125 net yards — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game. This team stays on the road for their third straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 road games as an underdog. Ball State has scored only 7 (at NC State) and 3 points in the first half of these last two games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to score more than a touchdown in the first half of their last two games. And in their last 6 games in expected close contests where they were listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: Eastern Michigan should be confident in this game after crushing the Cardinals at Ball State by a 42-20 score last season. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against Ball State. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Game of the Month with the Eastern Michigan Eagles (142) minus the point(s) versus the Ball State Cardinals (141). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Buffaloes (113) and the Oregon Ducks (114). THE SITUATION: Colorado (3-2) looks to bounce-back from their 35-30 upset loss at home to Arizona last Saturday as a 2.5-point favorite. Oregon (4-1) has won four straight games after their 17-7 win over Cal last Saturday as a 21.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This is a bit of a contrarian play with the Total opening at 58 and now being bet up to the 60s in many spots. The Buffaloes have played in two straight high scoring affairs with their win last week preceded by a 34-30 win at Arizona State. Colorado’s defense has looked shaky by allowing 487 yards to the Wildcats after surrendering 453 yards to the Wildcats. The Buffaloes have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 475 yards — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after giving up at least 450 yards in two straight games. Additionally, Colorado has played 4 straight games Under the Total after playing two straight games where at least 60 combined points were scored — and they have placed 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 31 points in two straight games. This is just the second true road game of the season for the Buffaloes who have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on field turf. On offense, senior quarterback Steven Montez led the team to 337 passing yards for the second straight week — but they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 325 passing yards in their last game. Colorado has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total playing on a Friday night. Oregon has seen the Under go 16-5-1 in their last 22 games after a straight-up win. Senior quarterback Justin Herbert gets most of the attention with this Ducks team — but he has led this team to just 38 combined points over their last two games against Cal and Stanford. Oregon scored 77 points against a Nevada defense that Hawai’i also ripped to shreds while also scoring only 35 points against an FCS team in Montana. But when also considering their 27-21 loss to Auburn to begin the season, the Ducks are scoring less than 20 PPG against Power-Five conference opponents. It may very well be that the concern that Herbert lacked proven dynamic weapons at running back and wide receiver may have turned out to be the case. But second-year head coach Mario Cristobal has assembled a talented defense that is thriving under first-year defensive coordinator Andy Avalos. The former Boise State coordinator is leading a group that is allowing just 9.8 PPG along with only 261.4 total YPG. The Ducks have talent at all three levels of the defense — and they held the Golden Bears to just 256 total yards of offense last week. Oregon has then played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 total yards in their last game — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Ducks have not allowed more than 7 points in each of their last four games after that first game against the Tigers — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 9 points in two straight games. Oregon stays at home where they have played 4 straight games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Buffaloes will want to avoid a shootout on the road at Autzen Stadium against this Ducks team — and Cristobal seems to be mimicking the identity of Nick Saban where he used to war as an assistant. Expect a lower scoring game led by the still underrated Oregon defense. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Buffaloes (113) and the Oregon Ducks (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (902) versus the Washington Nationals (901) listing both starting pitchers Miles Mikolas and Anibal Sanchez. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (94-73) enters the NLCS with tons of momentum after winning Games Four and Five of the NLDS with the Braves that was finalized with their dominant 13-1 victory in Atlanta on Wednesday. Washington (97-71) comes off a dramatic 7-3 come-from-behind victory in Los Angeles against the Dodgers in Game Five of that series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: St. Louis should build off their momentum as they have won 7 of their last 9 games are a win — and they have won 16 of their last 22 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Cardinals have also won 21 of their last 30 games at home — and they have won 25 of their last 36 games after being priced as a favorite in the -110 to -150 range. They give the ball to Mikolas who was 9-14 in the regular season with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in thirty-two starts. The right-hander does his better pitching at home where he owns a 3.01 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .247 in fifteen starts. St. Louis has won 16 of their last 23 home games with Mikolas on the mound — and they have won 15 of their last 21 games with Mikolas facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Nationals team that is scoring 4.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .247 batting average along with a .316 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .704 with all those numbers being below their season average. Washington may be due for an emotional letdown after removing the jinx their franchise has endured from failing to advance out of the NLDS. The Nationals have lost 4 of their last 6 opening games to a new playoff series. They counter with Sanchez who is 11-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in thirty starts. But this will be the Nationals’ third straight game on the road — and they have lost 11 of their last 16 road games with Sanchez pitching as a road underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. Sanchez’s teams have also lost 6 of their last 8 games when he is making the starting the playoffs. The Cardinals are scoring 5.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .247 batting average along with a .331 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .724 over that span with all those numbers better than their season average. St. Louis has won 16 of their last 22 home games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinals have won 7 of their last 9 games against the Nationals — and they have won a decisive 37 of their last 42 games at home when hosting St. Louis. Look for the Cardinals to take a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series. 25* MLB Friday Night Special Feature with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (902) versus the Washington Nationals (901) listing both starting pitchers Miles Mikolas and Anibal Sanchez. 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 (103) and the New England Patriots (104). THE SITUATION: New York (2-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 28-10 loss at home to Minnesota as a 5.5-point underdog. New England (5-0) returns home after playing their last two games on the road after their 33-7 win at Washington as a 15.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots had plead 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win  — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning at least five games in a row. Additionally, New England has played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road. The Patriots have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. New England have one of their best defenses in the Bill Belichick era as they are allowing a mere 6.8 PPG while holding their opponents to just 238.4 total YPG. The Patriots will be leaning on their defense for this game given the injuries this team is experiencing on offense. Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett is out with a hamstring injury while wide receivers Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman are both listed as questionable with a knee and chest injury. The targets for Tom Brady in the passing game were already a big question mark for this team as they transition away from the Rob Gronkowski era. The lack of an elite weapon in the passing game is why the team took a chance on Antonio Brown before he proved to be too much trouble for what he offered. It was the Brown signing that compelled the Patriots to trade away wide receiver Demaryius Thomas early in the season when it looked like they had too many bodies at that position. Now this team could use a reliable healthy body at that position with their first-round draft choice, N’Keal Harry, on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. Brady was still able to complete 28 of 42 passes for 348 yards last week against the Skins en route to 442 total yards of offense — but New England has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game while also playing 4 straight games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. The Patriots return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. New York managed only 211 total yards last week with just 147 net yards in the passing game. The Giants were already without star running back Sequon Barkley with his knee injury but the injuries began to mount in that game with the carry-over being significant for this game being played on a short week. Barkley’s backup, Wayne Gallman, is out tonight having not cleared the concussion protocol leaving the rushing duties to Jon Hillman who came off the practice squad a few weeks ago. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones is also without his top two receiving threats in wide receiver Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram as they deal with a concussion and MCL injuries respectively. As it is, the Giants have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 passing yards. New York also allowed 211 rushing yards in that contest — and they have played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. The Giants have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the month of October.

FINAL TAKE: With the Giants riddled with injuries, expect a similar score as their 28-10 loss last week to the Vikings. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and New York has played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing the Patriots in Foxboro. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (103) and the New England Patriots (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Syracuse Orange (107) and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (108). THE SITUATION: Syracuse (3-2) takes the field again after their 41-3 win over Holy Cross back on September 28th as a 40-point favorite. NC State (3-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-13 loss at Florida State as a 7-point underdog on September 28th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Orange have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Syracuse has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a win by at least five touchdowns. The Orange’s victory over Holy Cross from the FCS came after a 52-33 win at home over Western Michigan — and they have then played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by at least 17 points. Syracuse has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. The Orange have struggled with their offensive line against bigger defensive lines from Power Five conferences. Syracuse only had two starters back from last year’s offensive line. The Orange are averaging just 3.4 Yards-Per-Carry this season while allowing 18 sacks already. The Wolfpack have two starters back from last year’s defensive line — but this unit has reloaded from year-to-year under head coach Dave Doeren as of late. Despite losing four players on their defensive line to the NFL last year, the NC State defense still produced a Havoc Rate of 10.8% which was a slight drop from their 11.3% Havoc Rate in 2017 with those four future NFLers. Now after playing their last two games at home, Syracuse goes back on the road where they are scoring only 22.0 PPG. The Under is 26-12-1 in the Orange’s last 39 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And int her last 7 games after not allowing more than 20 points, Syracuse has played 5 of these games Under the Total. NC State has played 21 of their last 30 home games Under the Total after a loss on the road to a fellow ACC opponent. The Wolfpack have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. Doeren will be sticking with sophomore quarterback Bailey Hockman who made his first career start in that game against the Seminoles. Hickman completed only 21 of 40 passes for 208 yards with a touchdown in that game taking over for redshirt sophomore Matthew McKay who started the first four games of the season. Finding the replacement for three-year starter, Ryan Finley, remains a work in progress for this team. NC State returns home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. The Wolfpack defense has played much better at home where they are allowing just 9.7 PPG and only 264 total YPG. Furthermore, NC State has played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total against teams from the ACC. And in their last 20 games played on a Thursday night, the Under is 18-1-1 for the Wolfpack.

FINAL TAKE: While I am not sure how effective this nascent NC State offense will be with just four starters back from last season and with Hockman making only his second career start, Doeren should have his defense ready to roll tonight. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Syracuse Orange (107) and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:02 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (913) versus the Atlanta Braves (914) listing both starting pitchers Jack Flaherty and Mike Foltynewicz. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (93-73) forced a decisive fifth game of this series on Monday with their 5-4 victory in 10 innings over the Braves. Atlanta (99-67) returns home to host this climactic game.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Atlanta was winning that game by a 4-3 score with two outs in the 8th inning before they allowed St. Louis to tie the game. The Braves earned the right to host Game Five with their better record than St. Louis — but home has been a house of horrors for this team in the playoffs as of late. Atlanta has lost 18 of their last 26 playoff games at home — and they have lost 9 of their last 10 playoff games at home when facing elimination. While their fans will be hopeful, they have also been conditioned to expect disappointment. That is a bad environment for a young team that has yet to learn how to win while having a superstar in Ronald Acuna who continues to make mental mistakes by running out base hits. The Braves have lost 5 straight fifth games in a series. Additionally, Atlanta has lost 4 of their last 5 games after an off day. And the Braves have lost 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Foltynewicz who is 8-6 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in twenty-one regular-season starts this season. The right-hander was a mess for most of the season before finally being sent down to the minors. He returned to the big leagues in August with improved velocity which helped him produce a 4-1 record with a 1.73 ERA. But he still has a rough 4.58 ERA along with a 1.31 WHIP in ten regular-season starts at home. Foltynewicz pitched 7 shutout innings in Game Two of this series on Friday — but Atlanta has still lost 12 of the last 17 home games with Foltynewicz on the mound facing a team with a winning record. The Cardinals will benefit from that recent experience against Foltynewicz in this rematch. St. Louis has won 6 of their last 8 games after a win — and they have won 15 of their last 21 games are scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Cardinals have also won 10 of their last 12 games on the road after a victory by just one run. Furthermore, St. Louis has won 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have won 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. They counter with Flaherty who is 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in thirty-three regular-season starts. The right-hander may have been the best pitcher in baseball over the second half of the regular season where he enjoyed a 0.93 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings of work. Flaherty was solid but not spectacular in Game Two where he allowed three runs in 7 innings of work. The Cardinals have won 7 of their last 10 games with Flaherty pitching with four days of rest. He faces a slumping Braves lineup that is scoring only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .230 batting average along with a .299 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .664. Atlanta has lost 5 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: St. Louis has won 10 of their last 14 games played in Atlanta. Look for the Cardinals to find a way to win this game — or the Braves to find a way to lose it. 25* MLB NLDS Game of the Year with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (913) versus the Atlanta Braves (914) listing both starting pitchers Jack Flaherty and Mike Foltynewicz. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the Vegas Golden Knights (16). THE SITUATION: Boston (2-0-0) has won their first two games this season after their 1-0 win in Arizona against the Coyotes on Saturday. Vegas (2-0-0) comes off a 5-1 victory at San Jose on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bruins have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a victory. Boston has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals this season. The Bruins are already playing defense at a championship level after losing in the Stanley to St. Louis last June. Boston has allowed only one goal this season after opening the season with a 2-1 win at Dallas. The Bruins stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Boston has also played 4 straight games Under the Total as an underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Additionally, the Bruins have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to score more than two goals in two straight games. Vegas has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win. The Golden Knights have also played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a win by at least three goals — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least three goals against a fellow Pacific Division rival. Vegas opened their season with a 4-1 win at home against the Sharks as they avenged their playoff series loss to that San Jose team. The Golden Knights have then played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after being unbeaten in their last two games. Vegas has also played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in two straight games. The Golden Knight have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 home games when priced as the favorite in the -110 to -150 range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played four previous times in history in the first two years of the Vegas franchise — and those games all finished Under the Total with no more than five combined goals scored. Expect another lower-scoring game. 25* NHL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the Vegas Golden Knights (16). Best of luck for us —  Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (907) and the Minnesota Twins (908) listing both starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jake Odorizzi. THE SITUATION: New York (105-59) took a 2-0 lead in this series on Saturday with their 8-2 victory over the Twins. Minnesota (101-63) has lost three games in a row as they look to stave off elimination.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have scored eighteen runs in this series with their 10-4 victory in the opening game of this series. New York has then played 16 of their last 22 road games Over the Total after scoring at least seven runs in two straight games. The Yankees have also had their bullpen pitch 4 innings in three straight games totaling 15 1/2 innings overall — and they have then played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total when their bullpen has pitched at least 4 innings in three straight contests. Now New York goes back on the road where they have played 27 of their last 41 road games Over the Total as a money-line favorite priced at least at -125. The Yankees have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Over is 5-2-1 in New York’s last 8 games in the ALDS — and the Over is 21-5-1 in the Yankees’ last 27 games against teams from the AL Central. They give the ball to Severino who is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 12 innings of work this year after coming back from a right-shoulder and lat injury from last season. Looking at the right-hander's numbers from last season, Severino was not as effective on the road where he had a 3.99 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average .257 as compared to his 2.74 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and .217 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. The Yankees have played 7 straight games Over the Total on the road with Severino on the mound — and they have also played 32 of their last 49 games Over the Total with Severino pitching at night. Furthermore, New York has played 5 straight games Over the Total with Severino pitching against a team with a winning record. Minnesota has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams that did not allow more than two runs in their last game. The Twins return home for the first time since September 22nd — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. The Over is also 7-1-2 in Minnesota’s last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They counter with Odorizzi who is 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in thirty starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 1.25 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .244 in fifteen starts as compared to his 1.17 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .223 when on the road. Odorizzi also has a 4.01 ERA in night games with a 1.28 WHIP. The Twins have played 4 straight games Over the Total with Odorizzi facing a team from the AL East.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total — and the Over is 18-7-2 in the last 27 meetings between these two teams when playing in Minnesota. 25* MLB ALDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (907) and the Minnesota Twins (908) listing both starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jake Odorizzi. 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 Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (2-2) looks to build off their 40-25 victory in Baltimore against the Ravens last Sunday night. San Francisco (3-0) takes the field again after their 24-20 victory over Pittsburgh as a 6-point favorite back on September 22nd.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan may get the headlines with the Niners 3-0 start — but it is the play of the defense that has led the way for this team. San Fransisco is third in the NFL by holding teams to just 283.3 total YPG — and they are allowing only 18.0 PPG. The 49ers defense has been helped by Shanahan calling running plays in 57% of their plays from scrimmage which burns clocks and keeps that defense fresh and off the field. San Francisco held the ball for 36:17 minutes against the Steelers which helped them limit the Pittsburgh offense to just 239 total yards of offense. The Niners have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The 49ers have outgained their last two opponents by +197 and +256 net yards — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after outgaining their last two opponents by at least +150 net yards in two straight games. San Francisco went into halftime of that game trailing by a 6-3 score — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 3 points in the first half of their last game. Jimmy Garappolo did pass for 277 yards in that contest — but the Niners have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. San Francisco stays at home for this game where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Cleveland has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win over an AFC North rival. The Browns have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit upset victory as a road underdog. That game flew over the 47-point Total — and Cleveland has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Browns have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Cleveland committed to running the football to win on the road against the Ravens — they generated 193 rushing yards en route to their 528 total yards of offense. The Under is 3-1-1 in the Browns’ last 5 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last contest. Cleveland has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: The Browns are scoring just 22.2 PPG this season even after putting up 40 points last week. Expect a lower scoring game tonight with both teams deploying run-first offensive game plans. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). 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 Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (2-2) looks to rebound from their 31-24 upset loss at home to Oakland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (4-0) remained undefeated last week with their 34-30 win at Detroit as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Patrick Mahomes had thrown at least two touchdown passes in fourteen straight games before getting shutout from touchdown passes last week against the Matt Patricia-coached Lions defense. Yet the Chiefs still put up 34 points while generating 438 yards of offense. Kansas City has then played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. The Chiefs have also played 6 straight games Over the Total after generating at least 350 yards in their last game. This Kansas City team under head coach Andy Reid has scored at least 25 points in a remarkable twenty-five straight games. They return home for just the second time this season where they have averaged 32 PPG with Mahomes as their quarterback. The problem for this Chiefs team remains their defense. Kansas City is allowing 259 passing YPG this year. The Chiefs have been even worse with their run defense as opposing rushers are averaging 5.9 Yards-Per-Carry which is translating into 150 rushing YPG. Detroit outgained KC last week with 447 total yards of offense — and the Over is 4-1-1 in the Chiefs’ last 6 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. And in their last 11 games against fellow AFC opponents, the Over is 7-3-1 for Kansas City. Indianapolis will be challenged to slow down Mahomes and the dynamic Chiefs’ passing attack with defensive backs Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers out with injuries. The Colts are allowing 25.5 PPG this season. But Jacoby Brissett has proven himself as a legitimate starting quarterback with over 900 passing yards in his first four starts with 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. It looks like Brissett will have the benefit of his wider receiver T.Y. Hilton on the field for this game with the reports indicating he will play despite his quad injury. Indianapolis has played 31 of their last 41 games Over the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. Additionally, the Colts have played 36 of their last 53 games in the month of October Over the Total — and this includes them playing six straight Overs on the road in October.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total when playing on a grass field (as opposed to the field turf at Lucas Oil Field). The Chiefs will be hard to stop on offense in this game — don’t be surprised if they approach the 40 point threshold against the banged-up Colts defense. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (955) and the Washington Nationals (956) listing both starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Anibal Sanchez. THE SITUATION: Washington (95-70) evened this best-of-five series at 1 game apiece on Friday with their 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. The Nationals used Max Scherzer for an inning of relief in that game — so his planned start for Game Three will be pushed back until tomorrow with Sanchez taking the start instead. Los Angeles had won eight straight games before that loss.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 3-0-1 in the Nationals’ last 4 games against an opponent that did not score more than two runs in their last game. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Washington has also played 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs Over the Total with the series tied. Sanchez is 11-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in thirty starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 4.24 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .250 in fifteen starts. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Dodgers’ last 8 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 5-2-1 in Los Angeles’ last 8 games after an off day. Additionally, the Over is 21-9-1 in the Dodgers’ last 31 road games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 26 road games with the Total set at 8 to 8.5, Los Angeles has played 18 of these games Over the Total. They counter with Ryu who is 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in twenty-nine starts this year. But while the left-hander was nearly unhittable at home this year with a 1.93 ERA along with a 0.94 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .21 in fourteen starts, those numbers rose to a 2.72 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and a very pedestrian opponent’s batting average of .253 in his fifteen stars on the road. Ryu also sees his ERA rise to a 3.11 mark during night games with a 1.13 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in twenty starts. Ryu does not have a glowing postseason history either givens 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 26 2/3 innings in the playoffs. The Dodgers have played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with Ryu facing a team with a winning record. He faces a hot-hitting Nationals team that is scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .273 batting average and an On-Base Percentage of .343 over that span.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Over the Total when playing in Washington. Expect a higher scoring game with at least one of these offenses breaking out for a big game. 25* MLB NLDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (955) and the Washington Nationals (956) listing both starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Anibal Sanchez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (958) versus the Atlanta Braves (957) listing both starting pitchers Adam Wainwright and Mike Soroka. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (98-66) evened this series at 1-1 with their 3-0 win against the Cardinals on Friday. St. Louis (92-72) had won two in a row before that loss.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: St. Louis has rebounded to win 12 of their last 17 games after a loss. They return home to Busch Stadium where they have won 20 of their last 28 home games — and they have won 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Cardinals have won 9 of their last 13 home games in the playoffs. They give the ball to Wainwright who is 14-10 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in thirty-one starts. The right-hander does his best pitching at home where his ERA drops to a 2.56 mark along with a 1.29 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .253 in sixteen starts. Wainwright has also been nasty during day games where he owns a 1.61 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .210 in eight starts. The veteran also has 89 innings of postseason experience where he has posted a 3.03 ERA along with a 1.09 WHIP. St. Louis has won 15 of their last 21 home games with Wainwright pitching against a team with a winning record. The Cardinals have also won 4 of their last 5 games with Wainwright looking to stop a losing streak. And in their last 14 games against the Braves with Wainwright on the mound, St. Louis has won 10 of these games. He should have success against this Atlanta team that has lost 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Braves have lost 4 straight games after an off day — and they have lost 5 of their last 7 games after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, Atlanta has lost 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have lost 4 straight games on the road against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Braves have lost 4 straight playoff games on the road — and they have lost 12 of their last 16 games in the NLDS. They counter with the rookie Soroka who has a 13-4 record with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in twenty-nine starts. The right-hander sees his ERA rise to a 3.14 mark with a 1.15 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .247 in nine starts during the day. Atlanta has lost 4 of their last 5 road games with Soroka on the hill.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinals have won 20 of their last 28 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 5 straight games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Look for St. Louis to take a 2-1 lead in this series. 25* MLB Sunday Afternoon Special Feature with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (958) versus the Atlanta Braves (957) listing both starting pitchers Adam Wainwright and Mike Soroka. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Astros (954) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Tampa  Bay Rays (953) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Blake Snell. THE SITUATION: Houston (108-55) won the opening game of this best-of-five series yesterday afternoon with their 6-2 victory. The Astros have won four straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests. Tampa Bay (97-67) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Houston should build off the momentum from their victory yesterday. The Astros have won 35 of their last 52 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 41 of their last 53 games after allowing two runs or less in their last contest. Additionally, Houston has won 11 of their last 15 home games in the playoffs — and they have won 16 of their last 23 home games this season against teams with a winning record on the road. They give the ball to Cole who is 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in thirty-three starts this season. The right-hander has been pitching his best as of late — he is 5-0 over his last five starts with a 1.00 ERA along with 60 strikeouts and just 5 bases-on-balls over those 36 innings. Cole has registered 326 punch-outs this season. The Astros have won 26 of their last 30 home games with Cole on the mound — and they have also won 11 of their last 12 games with Cole facing a team with a winning record. He faces a slumping Rays lineup that is scoring only 3.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .212 batting average along with a .276 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .675 over that span. Tampa Bay has lost 6 of their last 7 games as a money-line underdog priced at +150 or higher. The Rays have also lost 7 of their last 10 games in the playoffs — and they have lost 4 straight games on the road in the ALDS. They counter with Snell who is 6-8 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in twenty-three starts. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner has taken a step or two back this year in a season marred with a toe and then shoulder injuries with the latter requiring surgery. The left-hander has struggled on the road where he owns a 5.82 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .270 in twelve starts. Tampa Bay has lost 6 of their last 8 road games with Snell pitching with the Total set at 7 to 8.5. He faces a healthy Astros lineup that scores 6.0 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .284 batting average along with a .359 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .875. Houston has won 22 of their last 28 home games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The team trends referenced above do not take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we will be laying in this game — but because Snell is averaging only 4.7 innings per start, the Astros are supported by empirical angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 68% effective over the last five seasons. Houston has a bullpen WHIP of 1.21 this season — and teams with a bullpen WHIP of 1.25 or lower now facing a starting pitcher who does not average at least 5 innings per start have then covered the -1.5 Run-Line (priced at +100 to -190) in 90 of these last 132 situations where these conditions applied. 25* MLB ALDS Run-Line of the Year with the Houston Astros (954) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Tampa  Bay Rays (953) listing both starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Blake Snell. 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 Tulane Green Wave (323) and the Army Black Knights (324). THE SITUATION: Tulane (3-1) returns to the field after their 38-31 victory as a 4-point favorite over Houston back on September 19th. Army (3-1) looks to build off their 52-21 win over Morgan State two Saturdays ago as a 45.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Green Wave raced out to a 28-14 halftime lead over the Cougars for that Thursday night game over two weeks ago — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 24 points in the first half of their last game. Tulane has also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a victory over a fellow American Conference West opponent. The Green Wave rushed for 325 yards in that game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 300 yards. Tulane is 26th in the nation with their run-first offense by averaging 6.56 Yards-Per-Play. But they only scored 6 points in their lone road game this season at Auburn. But head coach Willie Fritz’s team is underrated on the defensive side of the football — they held the Tigers to only 24 points in their first road game of the year. Overall, they are holding their opponents to just 18.7 PPG along with only 340.2 total YPG. Tulane has eight starters back from last year’s team that played both Army and Navy — so this is a group experienced in dealing with the spread triple option. The Green Wave also returned all but one of their rotation players on their defensive line from last year’s group. Getting more than two weeks to prepare for this unique offense will certainly help. And Tulane has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 37 points in their last game. Now the Green Wave go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 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. Furthermore, Tulane has placed 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against non-conference opponents. Army has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a victory by at least 20 points — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. The Black Knights have also played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. And while Army generated 483 yards of offense in that game, they have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. This team does look to get their starting quarterback, Kelvin Hopkins, back for this game after he missed the last two games with a leg injury since the Black Knights heartbreaking 24-21 overtime loss at Michigan. Army plays outstanding defense — they are limiting their opponents to only 16.2 PPG along with just 287.7 total YPG with those numbers dropping to just 14.0 PPG when playing at home along with only 275.5 total YPG that they allow. The Black Knights thrive with their run defense as well as they are limiting their opponents to allow only 104 rushing YPG along with just 3.1 Yards-Per-Carry. Army limited Michigan to just 108 rushing yards three weeks ago — and they have had two weeks to prepare for the Green Wave run-oriented spread offense. The Black Knights have played 22 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a bye week. Moving forward, Army has played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total as an underdog of 3 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: Tulane won last year’s meeting between these two teams by a 21-17 score in New Orleans. Expect another low scoring game. 25* CFB CBS Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (323) and the Army Black Knights (324). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the New York Yankees (924) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Minnesota Twins (923) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Jose Berrios. THE SITUATION: New York (103-59) enters the postseason having lost two straight games as well as four of their last five games after their 6-1 loss in Texas to the Rangers on Sunday. Minnesota (101-61) saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 5-4 loss in Kansas City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE YANKEES MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: New York has bounced-back to win 21 of their last 24 games at home after a loss. The Yankees have also won 24 of their last 31 games after failing to score at least two runs in their last game. They return home where they have won 52 of their last 69 games — and they have also won 7 of their last 9 home games in the playoffs. They give the ball to Paxton who is 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in twenty-nine starts this season. The left-hander left after just one inning of work in his last start with tightness in his glute — but he looks too good to go tonight after that precautionary measure. Paxton has been sensational since the start of August where he is 10-0 with a 2.36 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 61 innings with 69 strikeouts over that span. Paxton has also been more effective at home where he owns a 3.35 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .211 in fifteen starts. The Yankees have won 5 straight games with Paxton pitching at home — and they have also won 5 of their last 6 home games with Paxton facing a team with a winning record. Minnesota has not had success in the playoffs in recent memory. They have lost 22 of their last 27 games in the playoffs while also losing 6 straight playoff games on the road. Additionally, the Twins have lost 17 of their last 24 games in the ALDS. And in their last 32 road games, as an underdog priced in the +175 to +250 price range, Minnesota has lost 24 of these games. They counter with Berrios who is 14-8 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in thirty-two starts. The right-hander sees his ERA rise to a 3.84 mark on the road — and he has a 3.91 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .262 when pitching at night. The Twins have lost 7 of their last 8 games with Berrios facing a team with a winning record — and they have lost 19 of their last 24 road games with Berrios facing a team with a winning record. Furthermore, Minnesota has lost 7 straight road games with Berrios pitching as a money-line underdog priced in the +150 to +200 price range. He does face a Bronx Bombers lineup that is hitting just .209 over their last five games — but the Yankees have won 17 of their last 18 games after not hitting better than .225 over their last five games.

FINAL TAKE: New York owns the Twins in the postseason as they have won ten straight games against them in the playoffs along with thirteen of their last fifteen encounters in the playoffs. Lastly, while none of the team trends referenced above take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we will be laying in this game, the Yankees are supported by an empirical angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 63% effective over the last five seasons. American League teams using a starting pitcher with an ERA of 4.20 or lower who have not hit better than .225 over their last five games have then covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 46 of these last 73 situations where these conditions applied. 25* MLB Network Run-Line of the Year with the New York Yankees (924) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Minnesota Twins (923) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Jose Berrios. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (3-1) looks to bounce-back from their 55-40 loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday as a 9-point favorite. Seattle (3-1) comes off a 27-10 win at Arizona on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rams have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Los Angeles defense could not stop Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers offense — they surrendered 464 yards in that game. This team had entered the Week Four having allowed the second-fewest points in the league to the Patriots — and they are still only allowing 330.2 total YPG even after what the Bucs did to them. The Rams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. Look for head coach Sean McVay to commit to getting running back Todd Gurley involved in this game early. McVay claimed he wanted Gurley to get around 25 touches last week against the Buccaneers — but falling behind early in that game lulled the LA offense into relying on their passing attack. Gurley did not even get his first touch in that game until their fourth possession in the eighteenth offensive play of the game. In fact, Gurley has rushed the ball only 19 times in the first half in the first four games of the season with that mark rising to 30 combined carries in the second half so far this year (with a nice 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry mark). Jared Goff completed 45 of 68 passes in that game for 517 yards — but the Rams only ran the ball 11 times all game for a mere 28 yards. The Rams have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after they attempted at least 50 passes in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. Getting Gurley involved earlier in the game will also help Goff sell the play-action pass — he has a low 60 Passer Rating on play-action passes this season because defenses are not taking the bait on the potential handoff to the running back. More running will also help Goff in the passing game where he is not nearly as effective as he is when playing at home. Los Angeles is averaging 298 passing YPG this season with Goff completing 64.2% of his passes while averaging 6.9 Yards-Per-Attempt — but those marks drop to just 219 passing YPG into their two road games this season with Goff completing just 61.7% of his passes while averaging just 5.7 YPA. The Rams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Seattle rebounded from their upset loss at home to the Saints by being on offense for 33:24 minutes of their game with the Cardinals. The Seahawks will want to continue to control the clock to keep the Rams offense off the field while keeping their defense fresh. Seattle has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Seahawks have scored at least 27 points in each of their last three games — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in three straight games. Furthermore, Seattle has averaged 6.78 and 6.18 Yards-Per-Play in each of their last two games — and they have then played 6 straight games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. Additionally, the Seahawks have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in Weeks 5 through 9.

FINAL TAKE: Both teams will likely look to establish their ground game tonight — and that will burn time off the moving clock. The possibility of thunderstorms may also play a big role in this contest being a battle of the respective rushing attacks. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 encounters in Seattle Under the Total. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Temple Owls (305) minus the points versus the East Carolina Pirates (306). THE SITUATION: Temple (3-1) looks to build off their 24-2 victory over Georgia Tech last Saturday as a 9.5-point favorite. East Carolina (3-2) has won three of their last four games after they upset Old Dominion on the road on Saturday by a 24-21 score as a 3-point dog.

REASONS TO TAKE TEMPLE MINUS THE POINTS: First-year head coach Mike Houston deserved credit for already matching East Carolina’s win total from last season. But two of the Pirates’ wins so far this season were against FCS opponents in Gardner Webb and William & Mary. The Monarchs are not a very good team this year either — and it is likely that their 32-point loss to Navy along with their 28-point loss to NC State is more indicative of where this team is at after winning only six games in their previous two seasons. This football program made a mistake in letting Ruffin McNeil go after six seasons back in 2016 after a disappointing 5-7 record in a year where they outgained their American Athletic Conference opponents by +26.5 net YPG while suffering three net close losses decided by one scoring possession. The subsequent Scottie Montgomery era was a failure with three straight 3-9 seasons. Houston inherited fourteen starters but the talent level of this roster needs to be upgraded to hang with the better teams in the conference. East Carolina is just 9-31-1 ATS in their last 41 games against American Athletic Conference opponents — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 40 of their last 53 games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, this Pirates team is due for a letdown after their upset win last week as they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. They return home for this contest where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Temple should build off the momentum of their victory last week as they have over the point spread in 21 of their last 28 games after a point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a double-digit victory. Their lone loss was at Buffalo this year — but they have still covered the point spread in 43 of their last 63 games on the road which includes them covering the point spread in six of their last eight road games against teams with a winning record at home. First-year head coach Rod Carey inherited fourteen starters from last year’s team that finished 8-5 with a loss in the Independence Bowl under an interim head coach to Duke. The Owls are outscoring their opponents by +13.3 PPG while also outgaining these foes by +149.5 net YPG due. Temple is allowing only 17.2 PPG while holding their opponents to just 283.7 total YPG. They have also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 28 games against conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Owls should overwhelm the Pirates even as a double-digit favorite on the road. Temple has covered the point spread in their last 6 meetings with East Carolina — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played on a Thursday night. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Game of the Month with the Temple Owls (305) minus the points versus the East Carolina Pirates (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:09 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Oakland A’s (914) versus the Tampa Bay Rays (913) listing both starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Charlie Morton. THE SITUATION: Oakland (97-65) enters the postseason having lost two of their last three games after their 3-1 loss in Seattle on Sunday. Tampa Bay (96-66) has lost two straight games after their 8-3 loss in Toronto to the Blue Jays as a money-line favorite priced in the -220 range.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MONEY-LINE ON THE A’S: Oakland has bounced-back to win 26 of their last 32 games after a loss — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the A’s have won 10 of their last 13 games after an off day. Now this team returns home where they have won a decisive 45 of their last 76 games — and they have won 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Oakland has also won 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record. Manager Bob Melvin has tapped Sean Manaea to be his starting pitcher tonight after the talented left-hander returned from a twelve-month hiatus after recovering from a torn labrum to produce a 4-0 record with a 1.21 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP in five starts last month. Before his injury last year, Manaea had a 12-9 record with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The A’s have won 10 of their last 14 home games with Manaea pitching as a favorite priced at -110 to higher. He will then likely give way to Mike Fiers who had a 15-4 record this season with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in thirty-three starts. I like Fiers coming into this game since he had a 2.90 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .217 in his seventeen starts at home. The Rays enter this single-elimination game swinging cold bats as they are scoring only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game with a .233 batting average along with a .298 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .735. Tampa Bay has lost 16 of their last 24 games after a loss by at least four runs. This is also a team that has lost a decisive 66 of their last 97 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Rays have also lost 6 of their last 8 games in the playoffs. They give the ball to their ace in Morton who is 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in thirty-three starts this season. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he has a 2.59 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .194 — but those numbers all rise to a 3.59 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .238 in his sixteen starts on the road. Even worse, over his last five starts on the road, Morton has a rough 7.52 ERA. Tampa Bay has lost 4 of their last 5 road games with Morton making the start against a team with a winning record — and they have also lost 5 of their last 6 road games with Morton pitching with the Total set at 7 to 7.5.

FINAL TAKE: The A’s have won 7 of their last 8 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Oakland has also won 20 of their last 28 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB ESPN Game of the Year with the money-line on the Oakland A’s (914) versus the Tampa Bay Rays (913) listing both starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Charlie Morton. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (911) and the Washington Nationals (912) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Max Scherzer. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (89-73) plays in this single-elimination game having lost three straight games over the weekend in Colorado that culminated in a 4-3 loss to the Rockies on Sunday. Washington (93-69) has won eight in a row after their 8-2 victory at home over Cleveland on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nationals have been crushing the baseball during this winning streak — they have scored at least eight runs in their last three games. Over their last seven games, Washington is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .302 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .891. The Over is 3-0-1 in the Nationals’ last 4 games after a victory —and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, Washington has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total. They stay at home to host this playoff game where the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Over the Total with the number set at 7 to 7.5. The Over is also 7-3-1 in the Nats’ last 11 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They give the ball to Scherzer who is 11-7 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-seven starts this season. But the ace right-hander has not been the same since coming off the disabled list with a back injury. In his seven starts since his return, Scherzer has a 4.74 ERA over 38 innings of work. Scherzer also has a surprising 4.00 ERA in his 27 innings of work at home in playoff games with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .243 which are all numbers much higher than what he usually produces. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total with Scherzer on the hill — and they have also played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total with Scherzer pitching at night. Milwaukee has played 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new series Over the Total. They counter with Woodruff who is 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in twenty-two starts. The right-hander was out for two months with an oblique injury and has only pitched twice in two two-inning stints since his return from the disabled list. Woodruff has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 3.06 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and .227 opponent’s batting average — but those numbers rise to a 4.41 ERA along with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .258 in his nine starts on the road. The Brewers have played 4 straight games Over the Total with Woodruff on the mound when facing a team with a winning record. Woodruff will not likely pitch more than a couple of innings before giving way to Jordan Lyles. He has a 12-8 record this season with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in twenty-eight starts — but his ERA rises to a 4.36 mark in his fourteen starts on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on August 18th in Washington where the Nationals won by a 16-8 score. Milwaukee has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when avenging a road loss by at least eight runs. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 encounters Over the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Washington. 25* MLB Wildcard Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (911) and the Washington Nationals (912) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Max Scherzer. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Washington Mystics (604) minus the points versus the Connecticut Sun (603). THE SITUATION: Washington (29-9) won the opening game of the WNBA Finals on Sunday with their 95-86 victory over the Suns as an 8.5-point favorite. Connecticut (26-12) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with the loss. This series returns to Connecticut for Game Three and potentially Game Four of this five-game series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MYSTICS MINUS THE POINTS:  Washington has been the best team in the WNBA this season as they look to climb the mountain to claim the championship after losing to Seattle in last year’s WNBA Finals. The Mystics may have won the title last year if not for the knee injury that Elena Delle Donne suffered in the semifinals that limited her play for the remainder of the playoffs. This team has great chemistry with a core group of players in Dell Donne, Kristi Tolliver, and LaToya Sanders. But it was the integration of Emma Meeseman into the starting lineup by their head coach (and general manager) Mike Thibault that triggered this team to take it to another level this season. Meeseman did not play at all last year as she played for her national team in Belgium in the FIBA World Cup. She missed the first part of the season this year playing in Europe before returning to Washington and slowly being integrated into the rotation. The Mystics have now won nineteen of their last twenty-two games. Delle Donne entered the Finals scoring 19.5 PPG while pulling down 8.3 Rebounds-Per-Game in the playoffs with Meeseman scoring 21.3 PPG in the postseason. Washington should build off the momentum of their win on Sunday as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. The Mystics are very tough at home where they are 17-3 this season with an average winning margin of +16.1 PPG based on their high-powered offense that averages 93.1 PPG while making 48.5% of their shots. Washington is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games when laying 6.5 to 9 points. The Mystics have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning record. That opening game was the one I was nervous about since the Sun would be motivated to avenge an ugly 102-59 loss to the Mystics back on June 29th. Connecticut has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a point spread setback. The Sun made 48.5% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But this Connecticut team could not keep up with the scoring prowess of the Mystics who shot 54% against them. The Sun committed 21 personal fouls against Washington in a futile attempt to slow them down — and that resulted in a net difference to 6 points at the charity stripe that made a big difference in the 9-point final margin in that game. Connecticut owns the best record in the WNBA with a 15-2 mark at home — but they are just 9-10 on the road where they make only 40.5% of their shots. It is hard to imagine how the Sun will be able to keep up with the scoring juggernaut which is the Mystics. While Connecticut has shot at least 42.3% of their shots in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after shooting at least 42% from the field over their last four games. The Sun are just 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. I like this gritty Connecticut team that rallied together this season after Chiney Ogwumike dumped them for Los Angeles in the offseason. But the Sun are better collectively than the sum of their parts — and the talent differential will likely play itself out against this loaded Washington team. Over their last thirteen games, the Sun ranks just 6th in the league in Offensive Efficiency and 7th in the WNBA in Defensive Efficiency. The Mystics, on the other hand, are tops in the WNBA in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency over their last twelve games.

FINAL TAKE: Connecticut has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when attempting to avenge a loss. 25* WNBA Game of the Year with the Washington Mystics (604) minus the points versus the Connecticut Sun (603). 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 Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (278). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (0-3) looks to bounce-back from their 21-17 loss at Buffalo last Sunday as a 5.5-point underdog. Pittsburgh (0-3) remained winless this season with their 24-20 loss at San Francisco last Sunday as a 6-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals fell behind to the Bills by a 14-0 score at halftime while only managing 306 total yards of offense in that game. Cincinnati has then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after trading beat last two touchdowns at halftime in their last game — and the Under is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. The Bengals have also played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after losing a game where they covered the point spread as the underdog. Furthermore, this team has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after losing three straight games. The problems with the Cincy offense starts with the ground game. After managing to average 3.5 Yards-Per-Carry against the Bills last week, they actually raised their YPC mark for the season to just 2.4 YPC which remains dead last in the league. The Bengals running backs are not getting much help at all from their offensive line — they are averaging just 0.3 yards before contact which is also last in the NFL. These limitations in their rushing attack have made Cincinnati one-dimensional. Quarterback Andy Dalton is averaging 43.3 passing attempts per game which is well above his previous season-high of 36.6 passing attempts per game. The Bengals stay on the road where the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The defense has also been an issue for this team after they allowed Buffalo to generate 416 yards last week. Cincinnati has played 31 of their last 46 road games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game — and they have played 31 of their last 47 games Under the Total after giving up at least 400 YPG over their last three games. Pittsburgh has played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. Mason Rudolph struggled in his first start for this team after the season-ending injury to Big Ben Roethlisberger. He completed just 14 of 27 passes for 174 yards against the Niners last week. San Francisco was also able to concentrate on slowing down James Connor — the Steelers managed to rush for only 79 yards on 22 carries last week. Pittsburgh has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. With the Steelers struggling with their offensive line, head coach Mike Tomlin will need more from his defense that is better than how they have played this season. The addition of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will certainly help. Pittsburgh surrendered 168 rushing yards along with 268 passing yards last week — but they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. Moving forward, the Steelers have played 8 straight games Under the Total after playing a non-conference opponent — and they have also played 38 of their last 56 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 meetings in Pittsburgh Under the Total. Expect a low-scoring game between these two desperate divisional rivals. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Arsenal (200045) with the Goal-Line versus Manchester United (200046). THE SITUATION: Arsenal (W3-D2-L1) enters this seventh week of the English Premier League season coming off a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa last Sunday. Manchester United (W2-D2-L2) looks to bounce-back from a 2-0 loss at West Ham last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE ARSENAL WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Manchester United is a M*A*S*H unit right now — they are ravaged with injuries. The Red Devils opened the season with plenty of optimism after a dominant 4-0 victory at home against Chelsea. The scoring combination of manager’s Gunnar Solskjaer’s young forwards Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial offered optimism for this side this season. But Martial has not played since Week Three after he suffered a thigh injury that has kept him off the pitch for over a month. Rashford suffered a groin injury last week that pulled him off the pitch after 60 minutes in their loss to West Ham — he has been declared out for this match. And then a sprained ankle to star midfielder Paul Pogba on Wednesday in their Caribou Cup match with Rochdale leaves him very much in doubt for this match. With the Red Devils top three offensive players likely out for this match, who is going to score for Solskjaer? This is an opportunity for Mason Greenwood at forward yet he has only played 47 minutes this season — and he has not registered a point nor an assist in that time in his first year on the roster. Solskjaer was already dealing with a host of injuries headlined by defenseman Luke Shaw has not played since Week Three when he left the pitch with a hamstring injury. Familiar names like Alexis Sanchez and Chris Smalling were loaned out for the year with the expectation of the youth movement taking hold. The fact is that this is a roster of a second-tier team — and that assumes that mostly everyone is healthy. It is telling that the Red Devils could only manage a 1-1 draw with an underwhelming Rochdale side despite the match being played at home at Old Trafford. West Ham surgically tore Man United apart last week. As it is, the Red Devils were just W1-D4-L4 against fellow Big Six teams last year while scoring only eight times and allowing 18 goals. And on their home pitch last season against the Big Six teams, Man United was winless with a W0-D3-L2 mark with just three goals and eight goals conceded. This is an organization that collapsed under the weight of their moody manager Jose Mourinho last fall. They finished in sixth place to end the season in large part because they feasted on the lesser teams in the league. But those accomplishments still required their best players to healthy. Arsenal is dealing with their own health issues Alexandre Lacazette out with an ankle injury. And it does not help that Ainsley Maitland-Niles is suspended for this game after he was issued a red card in their victory over Aston Villa last week. The Gunners deserve credit for rallying from a 2-1 deficit despite playing with only ten men on the pitch given that red card penalty late in the first half. The best two players on the pitch for this match — by far — will be Arsenal’s forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and midfielder, Nicolas Pepe. Aubameyang scored 22 times last season and has already scored six goals this year with his game-winner at the 84-minute mark last Sunday in that win over the Villains. The Gunners were then in fine form midweek with their 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in Caribou Cup action. Arsenal is W1-D1-L1 in their three matches on the road this year with a 3-1 loss to Liverpool sandwiched by a 1-0 win over Newcastle and a 2-2 draw with Watford. Last year, the Gunners were W7-D4-L8 in their nineteen road matches. And they fared better than Man United against Big Six sides last year with a W3-D3-L4 overall record.

FINAL TAKE: These are similar teams in that they are two Big Six organizations that are in rebuild mode having taken a step (or two) back from Manchester City and Liverpool. But the Gunners are still relatively healthy and probably six months ahead of schedule in their reorganization after moving on from their longtime manager Arsene Wagner to bring in Emery last summer. Keeping Solskjaer seemed to be a stop-gap measure this summer after he was able to coax better efforts from players like Pogba and Rashford after Mourinho was sacked. What is the Red Devils plan with those two players (and Martial) unavailable? Arsenal will have a significant talent edge in this match after defeating them by a 2-0 score at home after earning a 2-2 draw against them in their two EPL matches last season. 25* English Premier League Match of the Month with Arsenal (200045) with the Goal-Line versus Manchester United (200046). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Dallas Cowboys (275) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (276). THE SITUATION: Dallas (3-0) looks to continue their winning ways after their 31-6 win over Miami as a 22-point favorite last week. New Orleans (2-1) comes off a 33-27 upset victory at Seattle as a 5-point favorite.

THE SITUATION: The Cowboys offense amped up in the second half of last season after they acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Raiders as he offered the team the reliable weapon in the passing game that opened things up for running back Ezekiel Elliott. The elevation of Kellen Moore to offensive coordinator has now opened up the playbook to better take advantage of quarterback Dak Prescott’s talents. Prescott has passed for 920 yards in his first three games with nine touchdown passes. The deeper metrics are bullish on Prescott as well. Prescott is second in the NFL by averaging 9.8 Yards-Per-Passing Attempt. He is completing 74.5% of his passes — and his adjusted completion rate of 81.4% is the best in the league. Dallas has scored at least 31 points in all three of their games and they are second in the NFL in Expected Points Added Per Play. Furthermore, with the weapons Prescott has at his disposal in what is now a diverse offense with added pieces like Tony Pollard, Reggie Cobb and the (thankful) return of tight end Jason Witten from the television booth, the Cowboys lead the NFL in 3rd and 4th Down Success Rates. Needless to say, Jerry Jones team is at its best when their offense is humming. Dallas has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 30 points in two straight contests. Furthermore, the Cowboys have generated at least 474 yards of offense in all three of their games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after gaining at least 400 yards in three straight games. They should build off the momentum of their easy win over the Dolphins as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Dallas is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a win by at least two touchdowns. The defense has also been quite good for this team as they are allowing only 14.6 PPG along with just 336.0 total YPG. The Cowboys defense has registered 20 hits on the quarterback this season which should start producing more than the five sacks they have tallied this year. Additionally, Dallas has not allowed more than a touchdown in the first half all season — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 7 points in the first half of two straight games. New Orleans may be due for a letdown after their dominant win on the road in Seattle as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up win. Teddy Bridgewater may have won thirteen of his last nineteen games as a starting quarterback but I think he limits how this Saints offense can operate. He did not attempt a pass of more than 20 yards last week. And with him playing in seven of the team’s twelve quarters this season, New Orleans is just 21st in the league by averaging 339.7 total YPG. But perhaps the more surprising aspect of this Saints team has been the disappointing play of their defense. The Football Outsiders metrics’ ranks New Orleans 28th in the league in Defensive DVOA. They upset the Seahawks last week despite getting outgained by 249 net yards after they surrendered 514 total yards with 450 of those yards coming in the air. New Orleans is 30th in the NFL by allowing 301.7 passing YPG. The Saints have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards. Furthermore, while Seattle averaged 6.76 Yards-Per-Play last week, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 43 home games after allowing at least 6.5 Yards-Per-Play in their last game. The Saints benefitted from a punt return for a touchdown along with a fumble recovered for a touchdown — but special teams and defensive touchdowns are difficult to rely on to overcome massive yardage deficits. This New Orleans team has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Will hosting this game in the Superdome make the difference for the Saints? They have failed to cover the point spread in their last 5 games at home. Dallas has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games as the favorite. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Dallas Cowboys (275) minus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (276). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Denver Broncos (274) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (273). THE SITUATION: Denver (0-3) is still looking for their first win of the season after they lost in Green Bay last Sunday by a 27-16 score as a 7-point underdog. Jacksonville (1-2) comes off a 20-7 upset victory at home to Tennessee as a 1.5-point underdog back on September 19th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS MINUS THE POINTS: It is surprising that Denver has not won a game considering that they are outgaining their opponents by +28.0 net YPG. The Broncos controlled the clock for 35:34 minutes last week at Lambeau Field and were only outgained by 2 yards in that 11-point loss. In their lone game at home against Chicago this season, Denver dominated the Bears in yardage by a 372 to 273 margin yet still lost by a 16-14 score. As if these results represent enough of an outlier, the Broncos are doing well in the yardage battle despite not registering a single turnover or a single sack in their first three games this season. Considering they have Von Miller and Bradley Chubb who combined for 26.5 sacks last year along with a defensive guru in first-year head coach Vic Fangio, I am expecting a visit from the Regression Gods in this game for this Denver defense who is still playing well this year. The Broncos are allowing only 22.3 PPG while limiting their opponents to just 314.0 total YPG without the benefit of a turnover nor sack. On offense, Denver is doing a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage behind their one-two punch in their backfield of Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. The Broncos lead the NFL by averaging 7.61 plays per drive — and this remains a reliable formula for success. Expect Fangio to dial up a game plan to make life very difficult for the Jaguars’ rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew. The Titans had a short week to prepare for the former Washington State quarterback last week but the Broncos defensive coaching staff has almost three full games of game tape on him now running the Jacksonville offense with ten days to dissect. Minshew is not mobile — and the Jaguars lack dynamic receivers so do not surprised if the sacks finally start coming in for this Denver defense. Jacksonville upset Tennessee despite being outgained by 38 net yards — they only gained 292 yards of offense with Minshew under center. The Jaguars have 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 24 of their last 33 road games after a double-digit victory. And while Jacksonville had a 14-0 halftime lead in that game, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after enjoying a halftime lead of at least two touchdowns. Now this team goes back on the road where they are just 2-5-1 ATS. This team is getting outgained by -27.0 net YPG this year. They also are just 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. Run defense has been an issue for this team as they are allowing 109.3 rushing YPG which is just 16th in the NFL — and opposing rushers are averaging 4.0 Yards-Per-Carry while scoring five times this year. To compound matters, star cornerback Jalen Ramsey has been a distraction all week with his litany of excuses that he has deployed to miss practice. He still wants to be traded and his status for this game is questionable.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville was the desperate team two Thursdays ago — and they won that home game over the Titans. Now it is Denver who needs the victory — and this is a franchise with its first 0-3 start since 1999. Look for this solid Broncos team to finally earn a win by running the football combining with a dominant defensive performance. 25* NFL Game of the Month with the Denver Broncos (274) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (273). Best of luck for us — Frank (and check out his 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month to close his Sunday card).

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (150) minus the points versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (149). THE SITUATION: Nevada (3-1) has won two straight games with their 37-21 win at UTEP last week as a 14-point favorite. Hawai’i (3-1) also comes off a victory with their 35-16 win at home against Central Arkansas as a 17.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: Nevada’s season stats are skewed right now after they endured a 77-6 loss at Oregon in their second game of the season. But the Wolf Pack also have a nice upset victory over Purdue in Reno that opened up their season. Third-year head coach Jay Norvell had eleven starters return from last year’s 8-5 team that closed out their season by defeating Arkansas State by a 16-13 score. Norvell had to replace a three-year starter in Ty Gangi to operate his Air Raid offense. Redshirt freshman Carson Strong was tapped the opening day starter — and he orchestrated the comeback victory over the Boilermakers. After getting beat up in the next two games against the Ducks and Weber State, Strong did not play last week against the Golden Hurricanes but he will get the start tonight. Norvell has indicated that last week’s starter in senior Cristian Solano and former 4-star recruit at Florida State in Malik Henry may get the chance to play. The Wolf Pack are good at home where they have held their two opponents to just 328.0 total YPG. Nevada has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home. The Wolf Pack have also covered their last 4 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games in expected close contests with the point spread in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, Nevada has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in Weeks Five through Nine of the season. Hawai’i has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a win at home. Additionally, the Rainbow Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Hawaii has eighteen starters back from last year’s team that finished 8-6 — and this returning experience helped them defeat Arizona and Oregon State in their opening two games of the season before they were crushed at Washington in their lone road game this season by a 52-20 score. The Rainbow Warriors are led by junior quarterback Cole McDonald who ran their Run-and-Shoot offense last season. But turnovers have plagued him this season as he has thrown nine interceptions already this season — and Hawai’i leads the nation with 15 turnovers this year. Turnovers will likely play a big role in this game as they face a Nevada defense that has forced 10 turnovers already this year. The Rainbow Warriors have committed at least two turnovers in all four of their games this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after turning the ball over at least two times in three straight games. And while Hawai’i has forced only one turnover in their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after not forcing more than one turnover in their last game. The Rainbow Warriors are just 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games played in Week Five to Nine of the regular season. Hawai’i has also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Hawai’i has lost eight of their last nine trips to Reno to face the Wolf Pack — and they will be in for a rude awakening regarding the weather. The forecast is for rain and temperatures dipping into the low-30s which will make operating that Run-and-Shoot offense that thrives in the balmy Maui weather difficult (while making turnovers even more likely). Nevada can lean on the ground game — and they will be facing a Rainbow Warriors that are allowing their opponents to average 6.0 Yards-Per-Carry. 25* CFB Mountain West Conference Game of the Month with the Nevada Wolf Pack (150) minus the points versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (149). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami (OH) Redhawks (124) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (123). THE SITUATION: Miami (OH) (1-3) looks to bounce-back from their embarrassing 76-5 loss at Ohio State last Saturday as a 38.5-point underdog. Buffalo (2-2) comes off a 38-22 upset win over Temple last Saturday as a 14-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Miami has endured a brutal non-conference schedule so far this season with losses at Iowa, Cincinnati and then the Buckeyes last week sandwiched by their Week Two win at home over Tennessee Tech. This has been par for the course for head coach Chuck Martin in his sixth year with the program. Martin has communicated that his team was hit hard with injuries after their encounter with Ohio State — but he was also able to rest most of his starters for half of that game after what was a good first quarter where they at one point had a 5-0 lead before they fell off the proverbial rails. Look for Martin to have his team ready to play this afternoon in their first conference game of the season. The Redhawks return for the first time in three weeks after losing at Cincinnati by a 35-13 score before last week’s loss in Columbus. Miami has rebounded to cover the point spread in 8 straight home games after losing their last two games on the road by double-digits. And while the Redhawks have yet to cover the point spread this season, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight contests. Dealing with injuries is nothing new for Martin after his team endured 39 starts lost to injury last season which was ninth-most in the FBS. Miami still finished 6-6 overall after going 6-2 in conference play. Martin has been masterful in getting his team ready to play against fellow Mid-American Conference competition as the Redhawks have won sixteen of their last twenty-two conference games. Miami has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against MAC foes. Expect his team to play tighter on defense after surrendering 601 yards to the powerful Ohio State offense. The Redhawks have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last contest. This is just the second home game for this team — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home. Buffalo has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after pulling off an upset as a double-digit underdog in their last game. The Bulls limited the Owls to just 31 rushing yards and 289 total yards overall — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last contest. Fifth-year head coach Lance Leipold led this program to its first ten-win season in school history — but this year’s group returned just eight starters with the roster decimated by graduation, early departures to the NFL and some untimely transfers. The Bulls were a talented team last year but most of that All-Conference talent is now gone which makes this a rebuilding year for Leipold. Buffalo defeated Robert Morris to open the season before losing at Penn State and then being upset as a 5.5-point favorite at Liberty before last week’s triumph. The Bulls go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. And they are dealing with some injuries as well with the most notable being their lone returning starter at linebacker in James Patterson. In this expected close game, Buffalo also has issues in special teams with their punter averaging just 32.6 yards per kick and their placekicker having already missed four kicks.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has freshmen at quarterback in Brett Gabbert (Blaine’s brother) and Jackson Williamson but so too does Buffalo with redshirt freshman Matt Myers who completed 9 of 15 passes last week for just 62 yards with an interception. Buffalo has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to pass for more than 75 yards in their last game. While both Redhawks’ quarterbacks were banged up last week, in head coach Martin we trust in this one. Look for him to have his team ready for their conference debut on their home field after their gauntlet of a non-conference schedule. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Game of the Month with the Miami (OH) Redhawks (124) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (123). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Air Force Falcons (110) minus the points versus the San Jose State Spartans (109). THE SITUATION: Air Force (2-1) looks to bounce-back from their 30-19 loss at Boise State last week as a 7.5-point underdog last Friday. San Jose State (2-1) looks to build off their 31-24 upset win in Fayetteville against Arkansas as a 20-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FALCONS MINUS THE POINTS: The Spartans surprising upset victory was validation for a football program under head coach Brent Brennan that had lost twenty-three of their last twenty-five games in his first two seasons with the program. Brennan has played 48 freshmen in those two years in completely rebuilding this program. Yet this remains a team that returned thirteen starters from last year’s group that was outgained by -148 net yards in Mountain West Conference play. Improvement should have been expected from this team — but they have still have a long way to go. A big emotional letdown is likely for this team after they pulled off their first victory over a Power Five conference team since 2006 when they knocked off Stanford. San Jose State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. Senior quarterback Josh Love enjoyed the best passing day in his career by completing 32 of 49 passes for 402 yards against the Razorbacks — but the Spartans are just 4-14-1 ATS in their last 19 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. San Jose State has also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games in the month of September. I hate this situation for this team now. This is a very challenging travel schedule for this west coast team who had to travel east last week and now has to play on a short week on the road again. And one less day to prepare for the Air Force spread triple option certainly does not help things. San Jose State was torched by Army’s similar offense last year in a 52-3 loss where they allowed 341 rushing yards on 65 carries for a 5.2 Yards-Per-Carry average. The Spartans have been vulnerable against aggressive rushing attacks this season as well — Tulsa generated 256 rushing yards against them on 54 carries and three touchdowns back on September 7th. Air Force is averaging 316 rushing YPG this season behind junior quarterback Donald Hammond III who has jumpstarted this offense. In his five starts last season, Hammond III led an offense that averages 470 YPG with the team also running at a 5.6 Yards-Per-Carry clip. Hammond III is a great fit for the spread triple option of head coach Troy Calhoun given his arm strength and quick release which compliments his speed and power as a runner. There is no shame losing at Boise State on their blue field — and they matched the Broncos 355 yards of offense while controlling the football for 34:12 minutes. The Falcons held Boise State to just 95 rushing yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after not allowing more than 100 rushing yards in their last game. Air Force ranks 22nd in the nation by allowing just 91.7 rushing YPG — and they are limiting opposing rushers to only 3.0 Yards-Per-Carry. The Falcons run defense that returned four of their top five tacklers from last season should make the Spartans one-dimensional with their passing attack tonight. Air Force also has a geographical on their home field in the high altitude of Colorado Springs, Colorado where they are 54-20 in their last seventy-four games. The Falcons have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams who are winning at least 50% of their games at home. This is just Air Force’s second game at home this season — and hosting this Spartans team playing with one less day of rest gives them a nice advantage.

FINAL TAKE: The Falcons were 5-7 last year with their seven losses determined by just -6.3 PPG. Five of their losses were determined by one scoring possession — so they could have finished with a much better record. Fourteen returning starters for a military academy football team is a very high number — and this team demonstrated their big potential this season with their 30-23 upset victory at Colorado earlier this month. Air Force is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when laying 10.5 to 21 points as the favorite. While I am cautious in laying this many points, I think the Falcons grinding and tricky rushing attack will overwhelm this Spartans team due for a letdown who are playing on a short week. 25* CFB CBS Sports Network Game of the Month with the Air Force Falcons (110) minus the points versus the San Jose State Spartans (109). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles (101) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (102). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-2) has lost two straight games after their 27-24 upset loss at home to Detroit on Sunday as a 4-point favorite. Green Bay (3-0) remained unbeaten on Sunday with their 27-16 win over Denver as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia will be desperate tonight to not fall to 1-3 this season. They have suffered two straight upset losses — both decided by one scoring possession — after they lost to the Falcons in Atlanta the week before for Sunday Night Football by a 24-20 score where they were laying a 1-point favorite. Injuries have battered this team — they will be without wide receiver DeSean Jackson, defensive tackle Marlin Jackson, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, and cornerback Ronald Darby for this game. Dealing with injuries is not new for head coach Doug Pederson and his coaching staff as the Eagles lost 198.5 adjusted games to injury last season which was the most in the NFL. Yet this Philly roster is one of the deepest in the league — and the quality of their overall roster helped them return to the playoffs last season to avoid becoming the ninth team in the last nineteen seasons to miss the playoffs after winning the Super Bowl the previous season. Philadelphia will be getting wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey back for this game which will help after quarterback Carson Wentz saw seven of his passes dropped last week against the Lions. The Eagles dominated the Lions last week by outgaining them by +86 net yards. Philly has been tough with their run defense this season as they have held their three opponents to just 57 rushing YPG on only 2.9 Yards-Per-Carry. The Eagles have not allowed more than 86 rushing yards in any of their three games — and they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in at least two straight games. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games away from home with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Additionally, the Eagles have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog. Green Bay benefited from a +3 net turnover margin last week in their win over the Broncos — that made up for them only outgaining the Denver by 2 yards. But the Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a point spread win. On the short week, the Eagles have a significant edge with their coaching staff preparing for this game versus the Green Bay rookie head coach Matt LaFleur. Defenses have been adjusting to the Packers in the second half as they have only scored 13 of their 58 points this year in the second half. Green Bay has scored 21 and 17 points in the first half of their last two contests — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 36 games after scoring at least 17 points in the first half of their last two games. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has not yet clicked with the LaFleur’s system as the Packers are scoring only 19.3 PPG while averaging just 286.7 total YPG which is 28th in the league. The Green Bay defense has been a pleasant surprise this season — but they have also had Mitchell Trubisky, Kirk Cousins, and Joe Flacco as their opposing quarterbacks. The Packers are just 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games against fellow NFC foes.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has won their four Thursday night games with Pederson as their head coach. The Eagles won three of those games outright as the underdog — and they have covered the point spread in all 4 of those games. Expect a close game with Philly having the chance to pull out this game even in Lambeau Field. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month with the Philadelphia Eagles (101) plus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Memphis Tigers (104) minus the points versus the Navy Midshipmen (103). THE SITUATION: Memphis (3-0) looks to build off their 42-6 win at South Alabama back on September 14th as a 20.5-point favorite. Navy (2-0) comes off a 42-10 win over East Carolina two Saturdays ago back on the 14th as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Midshipmen are looking to rebound from just their second losing season since 2003. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo has eight starters back from last year’s 3-10 team that lost nine of their last ten games after a 2-1 start to the year. Navy has lost sixteen of their last twenty-one games after starting the 2017 season 5-0 which ranked them 25th in the nation which was their highest national standing in Niumatalolo’s twelve years with the program. Perhaps part of the problem is fellow American Athletic Conference opponents are getting come comfortable defending their unique spread triple-option attack? Talent may be an issue on defense after this team surrendered 33.5 PPG which was the most points they have allowed since 2007. Niumatalolo hired a new defensive coordinator in Brian Newberry who ran the defense for the previous four seasons at Kennesaw State. Newberry wants to deploy an aggressive and attacking system — but he may not have the playmakers yet to execute this scheme against the better teams in the conference. The Midshipmen opened the season with an easy one against Holy Cross who they crushed by a 45-7 score before their big victory over the Pirates. But Navy may be due to a letdown now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 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 winning their previous two games by at least four touchdowns. Furthermore, the Midshipmen are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. This will be Navy’s first game away from home this season — and they are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games on the road. Memphis has started the season strong with an opening 15-10 victory over Ole Miss laying 3 points and then an easy 55-24 victory over Southern before their road games against the Jaguars. The Tigers generated 530 yards of offense at South Alabama while holding them to just 248 yards of offense. Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. This offense does not seem to have missed a beat with junior quarterback Brady White back as the starting quarterback from last year’s team that scored 42.9 PPG while ranking 4th in the nation by averaging 523.1 total YPG. White is completing 72.2% of his passes while averaging 10.2 Yards-Per-Attempt while throwing five touchdowns to two interceptions. But the exciting thing about this team in head coach Mike Norvell’s team in his fourth season with the program is the improved play of the defense. Memphis is allowing only 13.3 PPG along with just 226.3 total YPG this year. The Tigers were young on that side of the ball last year — they have eight starters back from that group that allowed -37.9 fewer Yards-Per-Game than in 2017. This year’s defense is allowing only 3.1 Yards-Per-Carry which is very encouraging when facing the Navy spread triple option. The extra days to prepare for this defense will also help defensive coordinator Adam Fuller for the Midshipmen attack — and Memphis has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games when playing off their bye week. Additionally, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games when favored by 10.5 to 21 points including seven of these last eight situations.

FINAL TAKE: Norwell should have his team chomping at the bit to play this game after they suffered three net close losses determined by just one scoring possession last year. Memphis was 8-6 last year with three of those losses decided by a combined 5 points. One of those defeats was at Navy where they lost by a 22-21 score as a 6.5-point favorite. Look for the Tigers to get their revenge tonight. 25* CFB American Athletic Conference Game of the Month with the Memphis Tigers (104) minus the points versus the Navy Midshipmen (103). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Colorado Rockies (961) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Tim Melville and Jeff Samardzija. THE SITUATION: Colorado (68-89) has won two of their last three games after defeating the Giants in the opening game of this series last night by an 8-5 score. San Francisco (75-82) has lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKIES PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Colorado has won 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have also won 15 of their last 24 games after scoring at least eight runs in their last contest. The Rockies have also won 7 of their last 9 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Additionally, Colorado has won 4 straight games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 5 of their last 7 games against NL West foes. They give the ball to Melville who is 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in six starts this season. The journeyman right-hander has been much better in his two starts on the road with a 2.13 ERA along with a 0.87 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .159. He faces a slumping Giants team that is hitting just .223 over their last seven games with a .283 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .614 during that span. San Francisco has lost 4 of their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Giants have also lost 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. San Francisco has struggled at home where they have lost 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a losing record — and they have lost 17 of their last 23 home games with the Total set at 8.5 to 10. The Giants have also lost 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a losing record. They counter with Samardzija who is 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in thirty-one starts. The sabermetrics are bearish on the right-hander with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.94 and 5.05 moving forward. The former Notre Dame tight end has not been as effective at home either where he owns a 3.81 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP in fifteen starts. San Francisco has lost 10 of their last 12 home games with Samardzija on the hill — and they have lost 4 straight home games with Samardzija facing a team with a losing record. The Giants have also lost 5 of their last 7 home games with Samardzija facing the Rockies.

FINAL TAKE: None of the team trends identified above take into the account the +1.5 Run-Line we are taking in this game. Because the Rockies’ bullpen has pitched a combined 16 2/3 innings over their last two games, they are supported by an empirical angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 73% effective over the last five seasons. National League teams with a starting pitcher with an ERA in the 4.70 to 5.20 range along with a bullpen that has pitched at least 9 combined innings over their last two games have then covered the +1.5 Run-Line in 85 of these last 117 situations (when priced in the -190 to +165 range). 25* MLB National League West Run-Line Underdog of the Year with the Colorado Rockies (961) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Tim Melville and Jeff Samardzija. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (967) and the Toronto Blue Jays (968) listing both starting pitchers Gabriel Ynoa and Jacob Waguespack. THE SITUATION: Baltimore (52-106) won the second game of this series last night by an 11-4 score. Toronto (64-94) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Orioles have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored. Baltimore has also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after scoring at least 10 runs in their last contest. Additionally, the Orioles have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total again teams with a losing record — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams from the AL East. They give the ball to Ynoa who is 1-9 with a 5.65 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 106 2/3 innings this season. The right-hander particularly struggled on the road with a 6.34 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .284 in 49 2/3 innings of work in seventeen appearances which include six starts. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Ynoa on the mound. And while their bullpen has thrown 13 1/3 innings of work over their last two games, they have then played a decisive 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total after their bullpen pitched at least 9 combined innings over their last two games. Ynoa has surrendered 27 gopher balls this season — and he faces a Blue Jays team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Over is also 9-1-1 in Toronto’s last 11 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Blue Jays’ bullpen has pitched a whopping 11 and 8 innings apiece in their last two games — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total when they have pitched at least 5 innings in two straight games. Furthermore, the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a win — and the Over is 7-0-1 in their last 8 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 5-0-1 in Toronto’s last 6 games at home — and the Over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They counter with Waguespack who is 4-5 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in twelve starts (fifteen games). The right-hander has struggled at home where he owns a 5.96 ERA along with a 1.71 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .308 in four starts (six games). The Over is 3-0-1 in the Blue Jays’ last 4 games with Waguespack pitching on astroturf. He faces a Baltimore team that has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Orioles have scored 26 combined runs over their last two games — and they are scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games. Toronto is averaging 6.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games themselves. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (967) and the Toronto Blue Jays (968) listing both starting pitchers Gabriel Ynoa and Jacob Waguespack. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Washington Mystics (625) minus the points versus the Las Vegas Aces (626). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (23-14) kept this best-of-five series alive on Sunday with their 92-75 upset win over the Mystics as a 4-point underdog. Washington (27-9) is still up 2-1 in this series and can advance to the WNBA Finals tonight with a victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MYSTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Washington has been the best team in the WNBA this season as they look to climb the mountain to claim the championship after losing to Seattle in last year’s WNBA Finals. The Mystics may have won the title last year if not for the knee injury that Elena Delle Donne suffered in the semifinals that limited her play for the remainder of the playoffs. This team has great chemistry with a core group of players in Dell Donne, Kristi Tolliver, and LaToya Sanders. But it was the integration of Emma Meeseman into the starting lineup by the head coach (and general manager) Mike Thibault that triggered this team to take it to another level this season. Meeseman did not play at all last year as she played for her national team in Belgium in the FIBA World Cup. She missed the first part of the season this year playing in Europe before returning to Washington and slowly being integrated into the rotation. The Mystics have won eighteen of their last twenty-one games. They made just 38.6% of their shots on Sunday after shooting at least 44.7% of their shots in the first two games of this series. With the 6’5 Delle Donne along with the 6’4 Meeseman and the 6’3 Sanders, this team has three post players in their frontcourt who can also go outside to the perimeter. Washington should bounce-back with a strong effort as they are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They also have covered the point spread in 6 straight games when playing with one day of rest. Additionally, the Mystics have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 road games when laying 3.5 to 6 points. Las Vegas may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a win by at least 15 points. The Aces are also just 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 14 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight home games after a home game where they scored at least 85 points in their last game. And while the Aces have scored at least 91 points in five straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games after scoring at least 80 points in three straight games. This Las Vegas team was considered the favorite to win the title after they acquired Liz Cambage from Dallas at the beginning of the season. But head coach Bill Laimbeer conceded after his team lost the first two games of this series that his team may be a year away from being a true contender for the championship. The Aces have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams from the Easter Conference.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games when playing the Aces in Las Vegas. They also have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* WNBA Semifinals Playoffs Game of the Year with the Washington Mystics (625) minus the points versus the Las Vegas Aces (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Washington Nationals (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer. THE SITUATION: Washington (87-69) won the opening game of their doubleheader today with the Phillies by a 4-1 score. The Nationals have now won four of their last five games while Philadelphia (79-76) has five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 3-1-1 in the Phillies’ last 5 games on the road — and the Over is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Nola who is 12-6 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in thirty-three starts. The sabermetrics indicate that Nola is overachieving this season with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.14 and 3.83 respectively moving forward. The right-hander has not been as effective on the road where he has a 4.99 ERA along with a 1.32 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in fourteen starts as compared to his 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and .219 opponent’s batting average at home. The Phillies have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Nola facing a team with a winning record. Washington has seen the Over go 5-2-2 in their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record. The Nationals have also played 17 of their last 23 home games Over the Total in the month of September. They counter with Scherzer who is 10-7 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-six starts this season. Scherzer does not seem to be 100% right now as he has a 4.50 ERA since coming off the disabled list back on August 25th. The right-hander has been not quite as good at home as well where he has a 2.97 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .225 opponent’s batting average in fourteen starts as opposed to his 2.64 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and .218 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Over is 17-6-1 in Washington’s last 24 games with Scherzer pitching against fellow NL East opponents. The Nationals have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total with Scherzer pitching against the Phillies.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total when facing a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Washington Nationals (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer. 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 (489) and the Washington Redskins (490). THE SITUATION: Chicago (1-1) looks to build off their 16-14 win in Denver last Sunday as a 3-point favorite. Washington (0-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-21 loss at home to Dallas as a 6-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The biggest problem for this team has been with their offense as they have managed only one touchdown. Third-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky looks like he has taken a step back this season — he is completing only 58.3% of his passes. Perhaps in what is more telling, head coach Matt Nagy does not seem to trust Trubisky to move the ball with his arm given his play-calling in the first two weeks of the season. The Bears are averaging a mere 265.3 total YPG this season — and defenses are quickly adapting to the lack of a vertical passing attack given Nagy’s apparent discomfort in enabling Trubisky to take chances down the field. Trubisky’s best passing games last year were at home — so expect another conservative game plan from Nagy tonight as Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. This is likely the smart move given the outstanding defense that the Bears possess. Chicago is 4th in the league in total defense while also ranking 6th in rushing defense — and they have registered seven sacks in their first two games. The Bears held the Broncos to only a field goal in the first half last week — and they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the first half of their last game. Chicago has also played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. The Bears did allow 372 total yards last week as they bent frequently to the Broncos while rarely breaking — but they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after allowing more than 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total wit the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. The Bears have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September — and they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents. Washington has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing two straight games. The Skins are ravaged with injuries on both sides of the football. The offense is on their third quarterback with Alex Smith out the year and Colt McCoy out with a leg injury. Case Keenum is solid but not spectacular — but he lacks dynamic weapons with running back Derrius Guice once again on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and tight end Jordan Reed still in the concussion protocol. And this offense really misses left tackle Trent Williams who continues to hold out — his absence has left the Skins’ offensive line a mess. They gained only 255 yards of offense last week against the Cowboys while rushing for only 47 yards. Washington has attempted only 30 rushing plays this season for a mere 75 yards. The Skins have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game. Furthermore, Washington was outrushed by -166 yards last week — and they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after being outrushed by at least 100 yards. The Skins have also played 18 of their last 25 home games Under the Total after being outrushed by at least 100 yards. Frankly, Washington needs to play better on the defense. Missing Reuben Foster and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who are both injured hurts — but there is still talent on that side of the ball. The Skins have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams will be looking to establish their ground game to help put their quarterbacks in better positions to succeed. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (489) and the Washington Redskins (490). Best of luck for us — Frank. (Follow Frank on Twitter @FrankSawyer_HS where today he posts his Monday Morning Handicapper post regarding what team “identity” means and its connection to have a method for handicapping.)

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (487) and the Cleveland Browns (488). THE SITUATION:  Los Angeles (2-0) looks to build off their 27-9 win over New Orleans last week as a 2-point favorite. Cleveland (1-1) comes off a 23-3 win in New York against the Jets on Monday Night Football.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Browns have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. And despite gaining 375 yards of offense last week, the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield is experiencing some growing pains in this offense executing the passing game. He completed only 19 of 35 passes for 325 yards with a touchdown and an interception last week. He is dropping too far deep in the pocket on too many of his passing attempts. And when he stays in the pocket, he is too often bailout out with his left leg in his follow-through which is impacting is accuracy. Both of these bad habits can be attributed to his concerns about the opposing team’s pass rush. One of the big costs in acquiring wide receiver Odell Beckham was that had to ship off their solid right guard, Kevin Zeitler, to the Giants to complete the deal. Mayfield has been sacked eight times already this season — he has been sacked once in every ten pass plays this season as compared to his being sacked once every twenty pass plays last year. Those are ominous numbers when now facing Aaron Donald and this Rams defense. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is one of the best in the business — expect him to take Beckham away as a deep threat while daring Mayfield to be willing to be patient with his targets underneath. The Browns have a dynamic pass rush as well led by emerging star Myles Garrett who already has registered five sacks this season. Cleveland has held their first two opponents to just 300.5 total YPG. They return home where the Under is 15-6-1 in their last 22 games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Browns have also played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Los Angeles is also playing outstanding defense after limiting the Saints to just 244 total yards last week (while knocking Drew Brees out of that game). The Rams have held their first two opponents to just 18.0 PPG along with only 293.5 total YPG. They have become a run-heavy team behind Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown who are both averaging over 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry this season. But this Rams team is being challenged with their depth on their offensive line with a rash of injuries at that position. Rookie Jamil Demby, a sixth-round pick, may have to make his first professional start at right guard for Austin Blythe who is out with a left ankle. The LA offense is not as dynamic on the road where they scored a nice 28.4 PPG last season but averaged only 387.6 total YPG — and that was -4 PPG below their season average along with over -30 YPG less than their overall average. QB Jared Goff averaged 342.1 passing YPG at home last year — but that number dropped to just 238 passing YPG on the road. The Rams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams have outstanding defenses. Both of these offenses have dynamic playmakers but are limited a bit given the respective state of their offensive lines. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (487) and the Cleveland Browns (488). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (485) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (486). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (0-2) remained winless this season after their 28-26 upset loss at home to Seattle as a 4-point favorite. San Francisco (2-0) comes off a 41-17 blowout victory at Cincinnati last week as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS PLUS THE POINTS: Pittsburgh was beating the Seahawks before Big Ben Roethlisberger suffered his season-ending elbow injury in that game. Now this organization is in a desperate situation with their franchise quarterback out and with them winless so far this season with a challenging trip out west on deck against an undefeated team. But the reason why we should have confidence that this football team has not thrown in the towel is that they traded valuable draft picks this week for Dolphins’ cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick who will offer the team an immediate upgrade in their secondary. The Steelers have a 10-6 straight-up record in their last sixteen games played without Roethlisberger — they are essentially a playoff team without him still. This team feels good enough about backup Mason Rudolph running the offense that they traded away their other young backup in Joshua Dobbs after the preseason. Rudolph completed 12 of 19 passes last week against Seattle for 112 yards with two touchdown passes. He will have the benefit of a strong offensive line as well. Look for the Steelers to rally around each other and head coach Mike Tomlin in this moment of adversity — they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 43 games after an upset loss. Pittsburgh has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 road games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. Additionally, the Steelers have covered the point spread in a decisive 62 of their last 103 road games as the underdog — and this includes them covering the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as the dog. And while Pittsburgh has allowed 61 points this season, they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 25 points in their last game. San Francisco returns home after a successful two-game road trip out east with wins in Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. But this team has not enjoyed much of a home-field advantage at Levi Stadium where they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 home games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. This is a young team that does not have much of a track record handling success — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games as the favorite. Even without running back Tevin Coleman, the 49ers rushed for 259 yards last week against the Bengals defense — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after rushing for at least 150 yards. Coleman will still be out this week with his ankle injury — but the bigger concern is with the fibula injury to left tackle Joe Staley that will keep him out for the next six to eight weeks. San Fran also has injuries on their defensive line after allowing the Bengals to pass for 291 yards. The Niners have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco is committing too many penalties right now — they are averaging 10 penalties per game which is accounting for 80 Yards-Per-Game. The 49ers may win this game — but this should be a dog fight against a desperate but veteran Steelers team with a winning culture. 25* NFL Underdog of the Month with the Pittsburgh Steelers (485) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (486). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles (464) minus the points versus the Detroit Lions (463). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-1) looks to bounce-back from a 24-20 upset loss in Atlanta last Sunday night as a 1-point favorite. Detroit (1-0-1) looks to build off a 13-10 upset victory at home against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Detroit should be 2-0 if not for their 4th quarter collapse in Arizona where they allowed rookie quarterback Kyler Murray to rally his team from a 24-6 4th quarter deficit to eke out a tie. The Lions then upset the Chargers playing in an early 1 PM ET kickoff game despite getting outgained by a 424 to 339 yardage margin. Detroit is likely due for a letdown now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games after a narrow win at home by no more than a field goal. The Lions have also failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 29 of their last 43 road games after a win by 6 points or less. Detroit has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. The biggest issue with this team is their lack of playmakers on both sides of the football. Quarterback Matthew Stafford remains solid if not spectacular and a bit of a disappointment as a former number one pick in the league. He lacks targets in the passing game that demands a double-team. The Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. Detroit’s defense has been built of capable playmakers but none strike fear in an offense. They are just 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. Furthermore, the Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against fellow NFC opponents. Philadelphia will be looking to get back their winning ways after laying an egg in Atlanta. The Eagles are dealing with a host of injuries including their top two wide receivers in DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery are both likely out for this game and defensive tackle Tim Jernigan out for four to six weeks. But this Philly team has one of the deepest rosters in the NFL — particularly on both lines of scrimmage. Quarterback Carson Wentz still has tight end Zack Ertz as well as a deep cadre of running backs. The Eagles enter this game 2nd in the NFL in 3rd down offense. And while they surrendered 310 passing yards last week to the Falcons, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 250 passing yards in their last game. Philly did hold the Falcons to just 58 rushing yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Eagles have held their first two opponents to just 42 rushing YPG which is third-best in the NFL. Detroit has become a run-first offense under head coach Matt Patricia with Stafford becoming more of a game-manager. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. And don’t underestimate the value of the inside knowledge defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz possesses on Stafford after serving as his first head coach in his tour of duty as the Lions head coach from 2009 to 2013.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Philadelphia. The Eagles would likely be laying at least a touchdown if not for their injuries. While I don’t love the fact that they did not scrimmage in pads on Wednesday, the effect of that is probably overvalued. The Philadelphia depth along with their edges in coaching should lead them to a relatively easy victory. 25* NFC Game of the Month with the Philadelphia Eagles (464) minus the points versus the Detroit Lions (463). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200017) and Chelsea (200018). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (W5-D0-L0) remained perfect so far in the English Premier League last Saturday with their 3-1 win at home over Newcastle. Chelsea (W2-D3-L1) comes off a dominant 5-2 win at Wolverhampton last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blues were led by Tammy Abraham who registered a hat trick to lead the way in that big victory over the Wolves. Abraham has already scored seven times for Frank Lampard’s side to give this Chelsea team a scoring threat at forward they have not had since Diego Costa helped them win an EPL championship a few seasons ago. The Blues have scored ten goals in their last three matches as they are finding plenty of scoring opportunities in Lampard’s system. Chelsea is third in the EPL by averaging 16.5 shots per match — and that number rises to 18.7 shots per game when they play at home at Stamford Bridge. But the Blues have also allowed eleven goals this season which is the second-most in the EPL. Lampard’s tactics are leaving this Chelsea team vulnerable in the midfield when they are not possessing the football — and that is a terrifying prospect for them when now facing Mo Salah and Sadio Mane of this powerful Liverpool team. The Reds have scored fifteen goals this season — and the reigning Champions League titleholders are second in the EPL by averaging 18.2 shots per game. Liverpool has seen six combined goals scored in their two road matches this season where they are average 15 shots per match which is also second in the league. An area of concern for this Reds team this season as they strive to win the EPL championship has been the play of their backline which has not been quite as stout as their play of last year. Liverpool has only one clean sheet this season as they have been relying on their prolific scoring attack that has netted at least three goals in four of their five matches.

FINAL TAKE: Chelsea has scored in nineteen of their last twenty matches with Liverpool across all competitions. Expect a higher scoring match. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200017) and Chelsea (200018). 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 Central Florida Knights (319) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (320). THE SITUATION: Central Florida (3-0) remained undefeated this season with their 45-27 clubbing at home against Stanford last Saturday as a 9.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 17-10 loss at Penn State last week as a 17-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knights have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a point spread win. UCF is using their third-string (or fourth string) quarterback this season with freshman Dillon Gabriel getting the snaps. Senior QB McKenzie Milton is out the season with a knee injury and his backup, Darriel Mack, missed all of training camp with an ankle injury. Second-year head coach Josh Heupel brought in Brandon Wimbush from Notre Dame as a transfer student to compete for the starting job but Gabriel’s ability to operate the up-tempo RPO system inspired by the Art Briles school of offense has kept him on the field. But this is still a true freshman playing in a hostile environment for this contest. The Knights have played 4 straight games on the road Under the Total. Gabriel led an offense that generated 545 yards of offense against the Cardinal — but UCF has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Knights have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. While the offense has been getting most of the headlines for this UCF team, they have been outstanding on defense. The Knights limited the Cardinal to just 349 yards of offense last week. While they have allowed just 41 points in their three games this season, most of those points have been surrendered in garbage time in the season half. UCF has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have also played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Junior QB Kenny Pickett completed 35 of 51 passes for 372 yards in a losing effort last week — but the Panthers have played 5 straight games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Fifth-year head coach Pat Narduzzi received plenty of criticism for going for a field goal in the 4th quarter on a 4th-and-one play on the one-yard line — an attempt that was missed — rather than going for the potential game-tying touchdown. While he deserves all the heat for that decision, it demonstrated his confidence in his defense since he assumed his offense would get the ball back again. The former Michigan State defensive coordinator is overseeing a defensive unit this year that is allowing only 19.0 PPG along with just 303.7 total YPG — and that number drops to 261.0 total YPG in their two games at home. The Panthers have played 4 straight home games Under the Total — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. But a troubling observation about this team is that they have not scored an offensive touchdown in the second half of their last six games.

FINAL TAKE: Pitt has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 17 of their last 21 games Under the Total as an underdog. They will be looking to avenge a 45-13 loss at UFC last season as a 13.5-point dog. The Total of that game was in the 65.5 range — expect another lower scoring game in this one. 25* CFB Television Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Central Florida Knights (319) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (320). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Syracuse Orange (340) minus the points versus the Western Michigan Broncos (339). Syracuse (1-2) looks to bounce-back from their 41-6 loss at home last Saturday night to Clemson as a 28-point underdog. Western Michigan (2-1) comes off a 57-10 win over Georgia State as a 9-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ORANGE MINUS THE POINTS: Syracuse should respond with a strong effort this afternoon as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by at least 20 points. There is no shame to losing the reigning National Champions —but that setback came after a brutal 63-20 loss at Maryland the previous week. Expectations were high entering the season in what was considered the best roster yet for head coach Dino Babers in his fourth year with the program. Thirteen starters returned from last year’s 10-3 team that crushed West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl by a 34-18 score. Perhaps the loss to the Terrapins will help the team recover from the disappointment of not pulling the upset over the Tigers last week in a game they had circled on their calendar. The Orange need to get back to playing good football with sophomore quarterback Tommy Devito making good decisions, his wide receivers hanging on to the football, and the offensive line doing a better job of blocking. Syracuse has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after losing two straight games by at least three touchdowns. They should get their offense going after only managing 187 yards against Clemson. The Orange have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not generating more than 275 yards of offense in their last game. And while the Syracuse defense allowed Clemson to average 8.6 Yards-Per-Play for 612 total yards last week, they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.75 YPP — and they are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games after surrendering at least 475 yards in their last contest. The Orange do stay at home where they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games. The Broncos may be just what the doctor ordered with their porous defense that allowed 50.8 PPG in their six losses last season. Western Michigan allowed 51 points along with 582 yards of offense in their 41-point loss to a Michigan State team that could not move the football last week in their meager 10-7 loss at home to Arizona State. That was the only Power Five conference opponent that the Broncos have faced so far this season. They did crush the Panthers last week with the help of a +3 net turnover margin — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after not committing more than one turnover in their last game. Western Michigan has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. Now the Broncos go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning losing record at home. Additionally, Western Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in expected shootouts with the Total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as the underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Syracuse is also 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams outside the ACC — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 16 of their last 19 games against teams from the Mid-American Conference. The Orange soundly defeated the Broncos in Kalamazoo last August 31st by a 55-42 score. Look for a similar result this afternoon. 25* CFB Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Syracuse Orange (340) minus the points versus the Western Michigan Broncos (339). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (927) and the Oakland A’s (928) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Mike Fiers. Texas (74-79) has lost five straight games after their 3-2 loss in Houston yesterday. Oakland (92-61) has won two straight games as well as eight of their last nine contests with their 1-0 win over Kansas City on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have played 6 straight games Under the Total after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. The Under is also 16-5-1 in their last 22 games after a victory — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an off day. Texas goes back on the road where the Under is 33-16-2 in their last 51 games — and they have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total in the second half of the season. The Rangers have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. And in their last 28 games against teams with a winning record overall, Texas has played 19 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Minor who is 13-9 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in thirty starts. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.63 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .218 in sixteen starts as compared to his 4.22 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and .264 opponent’s batting average at home. The Under is 19-6-1 in the Rangers’ last 26 road games with Minor on the mound — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games with Minor pitching as an underdog. He faces an A’s lineup that is hitting just .235 over their last seven games with a meager .310 On-Base Percentage during that span. The Under is 3-1-1 in Oakland’s last 5 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. The A’s have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and they have also played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than four runs. Oakland defeated the Royals by a 2-1 score on Tuesday — and they have then played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning two straight games just one run. The A’s have also played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 8 or 8.5. They counter with Fiers who is 14-4 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in thirty-one starts. The right-hander has been at his best at home where he owns a 3.15 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .227 in sixteen starts. Oakland has played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total with Fiers pitching with the Total set at 8 to 8.5. They also have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total with Fiers pitching as a big favorite priced at -175 to -250. He faces a Rangers’ team that is hitting just .246 over their last seven games with a .307 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .697 during that span. The Under is 26-8-1 in Texas’ last 35 road games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The A’s have won the last five meetings between these two teams — and the Rangers have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when looking to avenge at least four straight losses. 25* MLB American League West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (927) and the Oakland A’s (928) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Mike Fiers. 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 Utah Utes (305) and the USC Trojans (306). THE SITUATION: Utah (3-0) has won their first three games this season after their 31-0 shutout win over Idaho State last week as a 36.5-point favorite. USC (2-1) looks to bounce-back from their 30-27 upset loss at BYU in overtime last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Utes have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Utah has also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. The Utes have scored at least 30 points in all three of their games this season in what have been all easy victories by at least 18 points. The ceiling is higher for this Utah offense led by senior quarterback Tyler Huntley and senior running back Zack Moss. Those two helped the Utes score at last 40 points in four straight games during a stretch last year before they both suffered season-ending injuries. Moss has rushed for 371 yards in his three career contests against the Trojans. Huntley is completing 78% of his passes behind an offensive line that has not allowed a sack this year. Huntley has also not thrown an interception. This offense should put up plenty of points against a suspect USC defense that allowed BYU to generate 430 yards last week. The talent at the defensive line has declined under head coach Clay Helton’s tenure — and the secondary had no returning starters from last year along with eight newcomers at cornerback in the fall. Greg Johnson was the only cornerback on the roster with starting experience but he is listed as questionable as he goes through the concussion protocol. And the Trojans’ best defensive lineman, Christian Rector, is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury after not playing last week. The USC defense struggled against dual-threat QB Jorge Reyna to open the season so Huntley is poised to have a big night. Utah has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 13 of their last 19 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. USC has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Trojans did generate 452 yards against the Cougars defense in that loss with freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis completing 24 of 34 passes for 281 yards. Slovis did throw three interceptions in that game — and USC has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a game where they committed at least three turnovers. The Trojans have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. This team is left with Slovis being under center after sophomore Jack Sears entered the transfer portal window after losing the starting gig to J.T. Daniels who then suffered a season-ending knee injury in that opening game against Fresno State. Slovis demonstrated he can operate the new Air Raid offense under head coach Graham Harrell in his first start two weeks ago as he passed for 377 yards three touchdown passes against Stanford. Additionally, the Over is 21-9-2 in the Trojans’ last 32 home games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight contests against each other Over the Total. USC will be feisty to win this game — but they may not be able to keep up with the Utah offense. Expect a higher scoring game. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the USC Trojans (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Bournemouth (20001) and Southampton (20002). THE SITUATION: Bournemouth (W2-D1-L2) looks to build off a 3-1 win over Everton last Sunday. Southampton (W2-D1-L2) comes off a 1-0 win over Sheffield City.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Bournemouth has seen each of their last four matches combine for at least three goals scored. The Cherries have scored seven times in those four matches while conceding eight times. With forwards Callum Wilson and Joshua King along with midfielder Ryan Fraser, this Bournemouth team has three players who can score goals — they ranked 7th in the EPL in goals scored last season. But the Cherries are porous on defense. Last season, Bournemouth allowed the third-most goals in the English Premier League. In their nineteen road matches, the Cherries scored 26 times while conceding a whopping 45 goals. Furthermore, in their thirteen road matches against non-Big Six sides, Bournemouth scored 23 goals while conceding 23 times. This season, the Cherries have allowed 15.2 shots per match which is fifth-most in the EPL. That number gets worse on the road where Bournemouth has allowed 19 shots per match which is fourth-most in the league. Southampton also gives up a ton of shots — they allow 15 shots per match which is 6th most in the league. At home, the Saints allowed 18 shots per game which is the second-highest number in the EPL. Southampton conceded the sixth-most shots in the EPL. In their nineteen home matches last year, the Saints scored 27 goals while conceding 30 times.

FINAL TAKE: These two sides last played back on April 27th where Southampton hosted at St. Mary’s in a match that resulted in a 3-3 draw. Expect another higher-scoring match with at least three combined goals scored. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Bournemouth (20001) and Southampton (20002). 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 Tennessee Titans (301) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (302). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 19-17 upset loss at home to Indianapolis last week as a 3-point favorite. Jacksonville (0-2) also looks to rebound from a 13-12 loss at Houston on Sunday as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans managed only 242 yards of offense last week in their loss to the Colts despite playing on their home field. Quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 19 of 28 passes which is efficient — but they generated just 154 passing yards. Tennessee seems to have abandoned all hope in even demonstrating a drop-back passing game with Mariota — and that likely means that the whispers to have Ryan Tannehill replace him under center are legitimate since at least the former Dolphins quarterback can matriculate the football down the field. Defenses are already adapting to these tendencies by crowding the box to slow down the horizontal passing game along with the rushing attack led by Derrick Henry. These are not encouraging developments for an offense that scored only 19.4 PPG last season (27th in the NFL) while averaging just 312.6 total YPG (25th in the NFL). Head coach Mike Vrabel is likely to continue to rely on his defense that was 8th in the NFL last year by allowing only 333.4 total YPG while also ranking 3rd in the league by giving up just 18.9 PPG. The Titans limited Indianapolis to only 288 total yards last week. Tennessee has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game against an AFC South rival. The Titans have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against AFC South foes. And in their last 7 road games when favored by no more than 3 points, Tennessee has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Furthermore, the Jaguars have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 3 points or less. And in their last 7 games after a point spread victory, Jacksonville has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Jacksonville is playing with a backup quarterback Gardner Minshew who was solid last week by completing 23 of 33 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown pass. But as the regular-season game tape begins to accrue on the rookie quarterback from Washington State, Minshew will experience growing pains. And he is a QB who could certainly use the benefit from a full week of practice given his inexperience at the professional level. He led an offense that managed only 281 yards last week. Now the Jags return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Jacksonville has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow AFC South opponents. Head coach Doug Marrone will also be happy to lean on his defense that allowed only 19.8 PPG last year (4th in the NFL) while giving up just 311.4 total YPG (5th in the league). The Jaguars held Deshaun Watson and the prolific Texans passing attack to only 137 passing yards while registering four sacks — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey has requested for a trade this week — but he looks likely to remain on the roster for at least this game and he should be very motivated to play in front of a nationally televised audience as he auditions for his next team.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing in Jacksonville last season. These two teams split their two meetings last year with the Jaguars winning by a 9-6 score last September 23rd before the Titans avenged that loss on December 6th with a 30-9 victory. Expect another low scoring game. 25* AFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (301) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (313) and the Tulane Green Wave (314). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-24 loss to Washington State last Friday played on a neutral field at NRG Stadium. Tulane (2-1) comes off a 58-6 blowout win at home over Missouri State last Saturday as a 31.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars are allowing 32.6 PPG along with 506.0 total YPG in their first three games this season — but two of those games were against two of the most potent offenses in the nation in the Cougars and Oklahoma. I have actually been a bit encouraged by the play of this unit that returned only four starters. An influx of six junior college transfers has helped new defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen begin to stabilize this unit. Houston has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. The bigger concern for the Cougars has been integrating senior quarterback D’Eriq King into the first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid offense. Houston is averaging only 146 passing YPG this season (which includes a cupcake game against Prairie Valley A&M) which is 120th in the nation. King is completing only 54.5% of his passes which is almost a 10% decline from last season. King passed for just 128 yards last week against Washington State — and the Cougars have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 170 yards in their last game. Houston did rush for 239 yards last week — they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. The Cougars are averaging 239 rushing YPG this season with an incredibly consistent output of 241, 236, and 239 rushing yards this season — so expect more of the same from this team with the added benefit of a ground game moving the clock and keeping the Green Wave offense off the field. The Under is 7-3-1 in Houston’s last 11 games in the month of September. Tulane has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Green Wave held the Tigers last week to just 182 yards of offense — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Tulane defense has played well this season — they limited Auburn to 379 total yards which include a mere 207 yards in the air so their ability to limit the Cougars passing attack is pretty good. On offense, senior quarterback Justin McMillan has passed for only 424 yards in his three games with just two touchdown passes. The Green Wave have played 6 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Tulane rushed for 298 yards in that contest last week — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last contest. Furthermore, the Green Wave have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight games Under the Total after Houston’s 48-17 victory last season fell Under the 68 point Total. The Cougars offense is still working out some kinks this year — expect a lower scoring contest. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (313) and the Tulane Green Wave (314). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the New York Mets (903) versus the Colorado Rockies (904) listing both starting pitchers Noah Syndergaard and Jeff Hoffman. THE SITUATION: New York (78-73) snapped a two-game losing streak yesterday with their 6-1 victory over the Rockies. Colorado (66-86) saw their four-game winning streak end with that defeat.

REASONS TO TAKE THE METS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: New York should build off their momentum as they have won 22 of their last 31 games after a loss — and they have also won 17 of their last 24 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Mets have also won 17 of their last 24 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. New York remains motivated to keep winning as they are still alive in the National League playoff race — they are four games out of the second wild-card spot with eleven games left in the season. The Mets have won 19 of their last 26 games against teams with a losing record — and they have also won 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a losing record. Furthermore, New York has won 33 of their last 51 road games when priced at least at -125 as the favorite. They give the ball to Syndergaard who is 10-8 with a 4.15 ERA and a  1.19 WHIP in twenty-nine starts. Thor should be happy this afternoon as he got his wish to not have Wilson Ramos serve as his backstop — he has a 5.20 ERA in his sixteen starts with Ramos calling his pitches. Syndergaard prefers Rene Rivera or Tomas Nido as his battery mate — and the proof is in the pudding as he owns a 2.20 ERA in his eleven combined starts with one of those catchers. The right-hander has been more effective during day games where he enjoys a 2.59 ERA with a 0.81 WHIP and a nasty opponent’s batting average of just .184. Syndergaard has also been better on the road where he owns a 3.20 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .239 in thirteen starts as compared to his 4.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and .255 opponent’s batting average at home. The Mets have won 6 of their last 7 road games with Syndergaard when priced as a favorite in the -100 to -150 range. The faces a Rockies team that has lost 11 of their last 16 games against right-handed starting pitchers. Colorado has lost 12 of their last 16 games after a loss — and they have lost 14 of their last 20 games after failing to score more than one run in their last game. The Rockies have lost 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning record — and they have also lost 11 of their last 16 home games as a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 range. They counter with Hoffman who is 2-6 with a 7.03 ERA with a 1.67 WHIP in twelve starts. The right-hander has been crushed in afternoon affairs where he has a 1.96 WHIP along with an opponent’s batting average of .329 in four starts. Hoffman also struggles at Coors Field where he has a 7.24 ERA along with a 1.73 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .328 in seven home starts. Colorado has lost 6 of their last 7 home games with Hoffman pitching as the underdog priced in the +125 to +175 range. He faces a Mets team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .504 Slugging Percentage and an OPS of .804.

FINAL TAKE: The Mets have lost 14 of their last 20 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score more than one run. With the Rockies not making the playoffs this season, look for Syndergaard to pitch well against an overmatched Hoffman. 25* MLB Getaway Game of the Year with the money-line on the New York Mets (903) versus the Colorado Rockies (904) listing both starting pitchers Noah Syndergaard and Jeff Hoffman. Best of luck for us — Frank (and follow Frank on Twitter at @FrankSawyer_HS where he has posted his Wednesday Worries which identifies two NFL side situations this weekend of which he is staying far, far away).

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Milwaukee Brewers (954) versus the San Diego Padres (953) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Chris Paddack. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (81-69) has won thirteen of their last sixteen games with their 5-1 win over the Padres in the opening game of this series. San Diego (68-82) has lost five games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BREWERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Milwaukee has won 8 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have won 19 of their last 24 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Brewers have won 10 of their last 11 games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 4 straight home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They give the ball to Woodruff who is coming off the disabled list after dealing with an oblique injury. The right-hander has an 11-3 record this season with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in twenty starts. Woodruff had been enjoying a breakout season this year with increased velocity and spin on his fastball which saw him strikeout 28.3% of the batters he faced. Woodruff has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.24 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .236 in eleven starts. Milwaukee has won 12 of their last 13 home games with Woodruff on the hill — and they have won 10 straight home games with Woodruff pitching with the Total set at 8.5 to 10. Woodruff will be on a pitch count tonight with his first start off the DL — he will be followed up by Gio Gonzalez who is 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA in sixteen starts this year. The left-hander has been more effective at home where he has a 1.25 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of .209 in seven starts as opposed to his 1.44 WHIP and .269 opponent’s batting average when on the road. San Diego has lost 8 of their last 10 games after not scoring more than two runs in their last game. The Padres have also lost 8 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record — and they have lost 7 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. They counter with Paddack who will be making his last start of the season before San Diego shuts him down for the year. The rookie right-hander has a 9-7 record with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in twenty-five starts this season. He comes off a great start where he did not allow an earned run in 6 innings of work at home against the Cubs — but the Padres have then lost 5 of their last 6 games with Paddack looking to follow up a Quality Start. Despite that nice effort, Paddack has shown signs of tiring out this summer. After posting a sparkling 2.84 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP in the first half of the regular season, he saw those numbers decline to a 4.22 ERA and 1.13 WHIP since the All-Star break. He has already pitched 45 2/3 more innings than he did last year between Class-A and Double-A. Paddack has also been more effective at home in spacious Petco Park where he enjoys a 3.06 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .188 — but in his fourteen starts on the road, those numbers increase to a 3.65 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .226. San Diego has lost 4 of their last 5 road games with Paddack on the mound.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has won 8 of their last 9 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 5 of their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. 25* MLB National League Game of the Year with the money-line on the Milwaukee Brewers (954) versus the San Diego Padres (953) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Chris Paddack. 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 Cleveland Browns (289) and the New York Jets (290). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their embarrassing 43-13 upset loss at home to Tennessee as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. New York (0-1) also looks to rebound from an upset loss in their 17-16 setback at home to Buffalo where they were laying 2.5-points.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jets are a hot mess of M*A*S*H Unit right now with a couple of suspensions making this attrition even worse. Quarterback Sam Darnold is out weeks while he loses weight dealing with mono. Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is on Injured Reserve with a neck issue. Running back Le’Veon Bell is dealing with a bum shoulder. Three starters on the offensive line are questionable. Trevor Siemian will be the starting quarterback tonight — and with check down Charlie in Adam Gase calling the plays, don’t be surprised if the former Denver starting quarterback never throws a pass past the first down marker. Even with Sam Darnold under center last week, the Jets offense managed just 223 yards in their first regular-season under Gase who is the master of 8-yard pickup on 3rd-and-12. The defense is also dealing with some tough injuries headlined by linebacker C.J. Mosely and rookie defensive tackle Quinnen Williams out with a groin and an ankle. But I still expect an inspired effort from this group led by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who will be chomping at the bit to have his defense go after the quarterback he served as the interim head with last season. Bell has been upgraded to probable so expect the Jets to give a healthy dose to the running back as they look to control the clock and keep the Browns’ offense off the field. New York has played 14 of their last 31 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss to an AFC East rival as a home favorite. The Jets have also played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of September. Gase’s teams in Miami also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total in September — and they played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss to a divisional rival. Cleveland has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Additionally, the Browns have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a loss at home by at least three touchdowns. The Cleveland defense did not play bad last week — they allowed only 339 total yards. But with eighteen penalties that produced another 182 negative yards accompanying a -3 net turnover margin, the Titans were able to put up 43 points on the board. The Browns should respond with a strong defensive effort after all that — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. On offense, Mayfield may not be 100% after suffering a thumb injury in that game. Moving forward, the Under is 5-1-1 in Cleveland’s last 7 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: With both of these teams coming off upset losses last week, the Under is supported by an empirical angle that has been 77% effective over the last ten seasons. In games involving a team that suffered an upset loss facing an opponent that comes off a double-digit upset loss, these games then finished Under the Total in 30 of these last 39 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (289) and the New York Jets (290). Best of luck for us — Frank (follow on Twitter @FrankSawyer_HS where today he posts his Monday Morning Handicapper where he looks back to explain why he, fortunately, passed on a tempting CFB situation on Saturday that perhaps looked too good to be true).

At 7:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the St. Louis Cardinals (904) plus the points versus the Washington Nationals (903) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Stephen Strasburg. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (83-66) has lost their last two games after their 7-6 loss to Milwaukee. Washington (82-66) snapped a two-game losing streak yesterday with a 7-0 win at home over Atlanta.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: St. Louis stranded only three runners yesterday while scoring six runs — and they have won 28 of their last 40 games after not leaving more than three runners on base in their last game. They have also bounced back to win 9 of their last 11 games after a loss. The Cardinals have also won 9 of their last 12 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. St. Louis stays at home where they have won 23 of their last 32 games — and they have also won 11 of their last 16 home games as the money-line underdog. They give the ball to Hudson who is 15-7 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in twenty-nine starts (30 appearances). The ground ball pitcher has been outstanding as of late with a 5-1 record over his last six starts along with a 1.41 ERA spanning those 38 1/3 innings where he has surrendered a mere 16 base hits. Hudson was saddled with a 1.56 WHIP in the first half of the season but he has a 1.25 WHIP after the All-Star break along with a 0.84 WHIP over those last six starts. Hudson has been more effective at home where he owns a 2.92 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .231 in fifteen starts as compared to his 3.93 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and .270 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Cardinals have won 5 straight home games with Hudson on the mound. And while he comes off a strong start where he allowed only two earned runs on the road at Coors Field against the Rockies in 6 innings of work — and St. Louis has won 11 of their last 14 games with Hudson following up a Quality Start. He faces a Nationals team that has lost 5 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers. Washington has lost 4 of their last 5 games after a win — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. This team has also lost 4 straight opening games to a new season. They counter with Strasburg who is 17-6 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in thirty starts. But while the right-hander has a 3.33 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .202 at home in thirteen starts, those numbers rise to a 3.61 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .223 on the road. He faces a Cardinals team that has won 20 of their last 27  home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Nationals have also lost 5 of their last 6 games against St. Louis.

FINAL TAKE: I considered taking the Cardinals as the underdog but I remain concerned a bit in going against Strasburg who has a 2.25 ERA over his last three starts. But Washington’s bullpen has an ERA of 5.87 this season which helps to place the Nationals into an empirical “play-against” angle specific to the Run-Line that has 57% effective over the last five seasons. Teams with a bullpen ERA of 5.50 or higher using a starting pitcher with an ERA of 2.50 or lower over his last three starts have then failed to cover the -1.5 Run-Line in 74 of these last 131 situations where these conditions applied. With the price of the +1.5 Run-Line below my -150 price threshold, let's invest in the insurance of getting +1.5 Runs with this very live dog. 25* MLB Run-Line Underdog of the Month with the St. Louis Cardinals (904) plus the points versus the Washington Nationals (903) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Stephen Strasburg. Best of luck for us — Frank (follow on Twitter @FrankSawyer_HS where today he posts his Monday Morning Handicapper where he looks back to explain why he fortunately passed on a tempting CFB situation on Saturday that perhaps looked too good to be true).

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between West Ham (200189) and Aston Villa (200190). THE SITUATION: West Ham (W2-D1-L1) returns to English Premier League after the international break after defeating Norwich City by a 2-0 score on August 31st. Aston Villa (W1-D0-L3) looks to bounce-back from their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace back on August 31st in EPL action.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: West Ham’s clean sheet against Norwich City looks even more impressive now after the promoted upstarts upset Manchester City on Saturday while scoring three goals against the two-time defending champions. After an opening week 5-0 loss at home to Man City, the Hammers have conceded only two goals in their next three matches. Now West Ham goes back on the road where they fifteen of their last seventeen games on the road in EPL action have not seen more than three combined goals. Furthermore, West Ham is averaging just 1.5 Goals-Per-Game in their last fourteen games on the road against the non-Big Six teams in the EPL going back to the start of last season — and they are conceding just 1.29 Goals-Per-Game in those contests. Aston Villa has seen three of their four matches this season see three or less combined goals scored with the lone exception being against one of the Power Six sides in Tottenham. The Villains were promoted from the Championship League last year via their playoffs. Aston Villa conceded more goals at home than the last-place team in that league so management realized that upgrading the backend was essential for the team’s return to the EPL after a three-year absence. The Villains added left-back Matt Targett from Southampton while received center back Tyrone Mings on loan from Bournemouth. They also made a nice upgrade with their keeper by adding Tom Heaton from the crowded goalie situation at Burnley. Manager Dean Smith is probably playing his star man midfielder, Jack Grealish, 10 to 15 yards too far back on the pitch — but that demonstrates his commitment to defensive tactics for this team. Aston Villa has scored only three times in their four matches — but they have only allowed three combined goals in their three matches outside their 3-1 loss to the Spurs. The Villains rank a respectable 11th in the EPL in Expected Goals Allowed (xGA)— but this has come at a cost of offense as they also rank second-to-last in Expected Goals (xG). In their two home matches this season, Aston Villa has allowed only two goals while scoring just three times.

FINAL TAKE: I do not see four combined goals scored in this match with the Villains playing cautiously and quite content to register a point with a draw. Look for this match to have two goals (or less) scored with less than ten minutes left where we will then be sweating the win or living with the Push. 25* EPL Monday Afternoon NBC-Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between West Ham (200189) and Aston Villa (200190). 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 Philadelphia Eagles (287) and the Atlanta Falcons (288). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-0) won their opening game of the season last week with their 32-27 win over Washington as a 10.5-point favorite. Atlanta (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 28-12 loss at Minnesota last week as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Eagles where slugging on offense in the first half by scoring only 7 points. Perhaps Carson Wentz and company were rusty after not getting much playing time in the preseason — but they exploded in the second half by scoring 25 points en route to 436 yards of offense against an underrated Washington defense. Philadelphia has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Eagles defense also held the Skins to just 28 rushing yards last week — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after holding their last opponent to no more than 30 rushing yards. But the Philly pass defense was torched by the mighty Case Keenum who passed for 380 yards against them. This is an area of concern for the Eagles after they ranked 30th in the NFL last season by allowing 269.3 passing YPG. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 total yards in their last game. Those are ominous numbers when facing this Falcons team behind Matt Ryan who was 4th in the NFL last year by averaging 290.8 passing YPG. Philadelphia goes on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have also played 13 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Additionally, the Over is a decisive 13-3-1 in the Eagles’ last 17 games in the opening two weeks of a new season. Atlanta has played 32 of their last 48 games Over the Total after a loss on the road by at least two touchdowns. They also have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. While putting their rookie right guard, Chris Lindstrom, on Injured Reserve derails some of the plans this team had with their offensive line, Ryan oversaw a potent offense last season even with the deficiencies on their offensive line. The Falcons were 6th in the NFL in total offense by averaging 389.1 total YPG — and they have a healthy Devonta Freeman back in their backfield after he missed all but two games. The Falcons were also burdened with the third-worst starting field position in the NFL with their average starting point at their 26.3-yard line. Atlanta averaged 37.97 Yards-Per-Drive which was 4th best in the NFL. Ryan was more effective at home where he completed 72.7% of his passes while averaging 8.82 Yards-Per-Pass-Attempt — and he tossed 18 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. The Falcons scored a robust 29.6 PPG when playing at home last year.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the month of September. Atlanta has also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total. Expect a higher scoring game. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (287) and the Atlanta Falcons (288). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (276) minus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (275). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 33-3 loss at New England last Sunday night as a 5.5-point underdog. Seattle (1-0) looks to build off their 21-20 win at home over Cincinnati as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS MINUS THE POINTS: Pittsburgh should respond with a strong effort after being embarrassed on national television. The Steelers have won eight of their nine games in the Ben Roethlisberger era straight-up after enduring a loss by at least 20 points. That number does not take into account the point spread — but it does point to the resolve this team should have this afternoon under his leadership. Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a loss by at least 21 points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss on the road by at least three touchdowns. I just think they got caught by a good team with a great defense — and playing in Foxboro did not help matters as that is a place where they have always struggled in the Roethlisberger and head coach Mike Tomlin era. The Steelers have a good defense that should take the next step this season after they drafted linebacker Devin Bush out of Michigan who gives them the speed in the middle of the field that they have lacked since the career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier. Pittsburgh allowed the Patriots to generate 465 yards last week with a 7.01 Yards-Per-Play clip — but they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after allowing their last opponent to average at least 7.0 YPP. The Steelers have also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. There is a concern that JuJu Smith-Shuster does not have the skills to take over the number one receiving job for the departed Antonio Brown. I think he will be fine — especially when Pittsburgh gets their rushing attack going. The Steelers only ran the ball 13 times last week for a meager 32 rushing yards. Look for Pittsburgh to get back to running the football behind their big offensive line — they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for at least 50 yards. This remains a team that has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Steelers have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams from the NFC. Seattle faces a situational challenge having to fly to the east coast to play in the 1 PM ET window of games. Head coach Pete Carroll has done a good job of preparing his team for the body clock issues of these early Sunday games out east. However, the Seahawks have been poor starters under Carroll when it comes to meeting point spread expectations in the early part of the season. Seattle is just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games in the month of September — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games in the second week of the season. Furthermore, the Seahawks have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 road games in the month of September. They were fortunate to escape last Sunday with a victory considering that they were outgained by a 429 to 233 yardage margin. Cincinnati dominated the Time of Possession — an aspect of the game that Carroll finds very important — as they held the ball for almost 36 minutes of that game. Seattle was able to survive given a +2 net turnover margin — yet they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after enjoying at least a +2 net turnover margin in their last game. It is not a good sign for the Seahawks defense that they allowed Andy Dalton to shred them apart for 418 passing yards with him averaging 8.2 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt even without an injured A.J. Green at wide receiver. Dalton had a Passer Rating of 143.9 when targeting Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers — expect James Washington or Donte Moncrief to have a big game this afternoon depending on who Seattle elects Flowers to cover (I doubt they will have him assigned to Shuster). Seattle is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games gains teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. Despite their 10-6 record last year, they were a team that did not outgain their opponents in total yardage last year as they averaged 353.3 total YPG while allowing the same number. Look for an angry Pittsburgh team to take out their frustrations against the traveling Seahawks. 25* NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Pittsburgh Steelers (276) minus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (275). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (200193) and Norwich City (200194). THE SITUATION: Manchester City (W3-D1-L0) returns from the international break coming off a 4-0 victory at home over Brighton and Hove Albion two Saturdays ago. Norwich City (W1-D0-L3) looks to bounce back from a 2-0 loss to West Ham back on August 31st.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Norwich City was prompted from the Championship League after finishing in first place in that league. The Canaries accomplished that feat with an aggressive attack with manager Daniel Farke emphasizing shot volume. Their average match last season saw 3.26 combined goals which is the highest number for a promoted side into the English Premier League in ten seasons. But this style of play had consequences as this side was leaky on defense — they conceded 57 goals last year which was the third most in that league. Farke has not backed down with this style of play against EPL competition — they rank tied for 6th in the EPL with six goals. Furthermore, the Canaries average 5.3 shots per game on target which is 6th best in the league — and that number rises to 6.5 shots on target per game when playing at home which ranks 4th best in the EPL. They are led by their feisty forward, Teemu Pukki who has scored five times already this season. Don’t be surprised if Norwich City scores a goal in this game. But they will likely concede at least four goals against the reigning EPL champions. The Canaries have allowed ten goals in their four matches this season which is the most in the EPL. The 47 shots they have allowed in the box also tops the league. Playing at home did not make much of a difference last season either as the 34 goals they allowed which was 15th worst in the league. To compound matters, this Norwich City side is ravaged with injuries in their midfield and their defense. Defensemen Max Aarons has a knock from international play over the break while Ben Godfrey who is out with a groin injury — and that challenges the limited depth of this promoted side on their backline. And here comes Manchester City with a rested Sergio Aguero who did not play for Argentina over the break with that national team going young after years of disappointment in international play. A rested Aguero — who will absolutely play with fellow forward Gabriel Jesus dealing with a thigh injury — should have a field day against this defense. Aguero has scored in all four of the Citizens matches this season. Man City is 2nd in the EPL in goals scored with 14 — and they lead the EPL in Expected Goals scored (xG). Additionally, Man City leads the EPL with 19.35 shots per game — and they lead the league with 7.5 shots per game on target. As scary as this sounds, this team maybe even better than last year’s group with midfielder extraordinaire Kevin DeBruyne now fully healthy again after he dealt with injuries last season. DeBruyne is an assist machine who may have the best foot 40 yards away in the world. Manchester City scored 75 goals last season in their 29 matches against the non-Big Six sides last season. If there is a weakness with this side, it is with their backline with manager Pep Guardiola still searching for four reliable starters who play well together. An injury to Aymeric Laporte takes away one of their best defenders for this match. 

FINAL TAKE: To Farke’s credit — or demise — he will not deviate from his strategy of attacking the opposition and having his defensive line play aggressively up the pitch. Norwich City will not play for a nil-nil draw — but they are likely to see a 4-1 (or worse) result. 25* English Premier League Saturday NBC-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (200193) and Norwich City (200194). Best of luck for us — Frank.