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

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS MINUS THE POINTS: I consider the Steelers a bit overrated — and they are ravaged with injuries for this one. Big Ben Roethlisberger will play after being removed from the COVID list — but he has not practiced in a couple of weeks. Granted, Roethlisberger is not a gym rat — but I still expect him to be rusty after being in quarantine. Left guard Kevin Dotson is out with a foot injury. The Pittsburgh defense is without their three best players in linebacker T.J. Watt, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and cornerback Joe Haden. Those losses on defense are devastating. As it is, Pittsburgh is being outscored and outgained this season. They are getting outgained by -46.7 net Yards-Per-Game on the road. The Steelers winning record is due to their 5-0-1 record in games decided by one-scoring possession. Mike Tomlin’s team could easily be 3-6 instead of 5-3-1. Their record is also skewed when considering that six of their nine games have been at home at Heinz Field. They are scoring just 18.3 PPG and averaging 301.3 total YPG in their three road games. Pittsburgh did game 387 yards last week against the Lions — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Steelers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning four or five of their last six games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after playing their last game Under the Total including failing to cover the point spread in four of their five games this season after an Under. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 games after an upset loss at home as the favorite. The Chargers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Los Angeles gave up 278 passing yards to the Vikings last week — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 250 yards in their last game. The good news for the Chargers is that they expect defensive end Joey Bosa to be back on the field after being on the COVID list. On their home field, Los Angeles is scoring 27.2 PPG while averaging 380.6 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against fellow AFC opponents. Against a depleted Steelers’ defense, Los Angeles should reach their home scoring average in the high-20s — and that is a mark that will be hard for Pittsburgh to match. The Steelers have not scored more than 17 points in five of their games. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Chargers (476) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (475). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (513) plus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (514). THE SITUATION: Indiana (6-10) has lost two in a row after their 97-89 upset loss at Detroit as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Charlotte (9-7) has won four in a row with their 97-87 win against Washington as a 1-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS PLUS THE POINT(S): Indiana should respond with a strong effort under head coach Rick Carlisle in his first-year back with the organization. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after an upset loss to a Central Division rival as a favorite laying at least six points. Indiana has not had their shots fall in their last two games as they have not even reached 90 points in their last two games. They are still averaging 106.3 PPG. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after failing to score at least 105 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to score in triple digits in two straight games. Indiana started the season slow by losing five of their first six games. Since Caris LeVert was healthy enough to take the court in their seventh game, the Pacers have ranked 13th in the league in Net Efficiency Margin. Five of their losses have been by four points or less — and they did upset Utah and Philadelphia last week before this recent rough patch. Carlisle has this team playing better on defense. They have held five of their last eight opponents to 100 or fewer points — and only one of their last six opponents has made more than 43.0% of their shots. Indiana has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games against teams with winning records. Charlotte had pulled off three straight upset wins against Memphis, New York, and Golden State before their victory against the Wizards on Wednesday. We had Washington in that game — and the expected shot quality data from that game projected the Wizards to win by 11 points (for what that is worth). While the Hornets’ defensive field goal percentage of 36.7% in that game was their best mark of the season, the shot quality data suggests that had more to do with Washington having a bad night shooting the basketball than it being about the play of the Charlotte defense. The Hornets rank just 25th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. A letdown is likely. Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit win at home. The Hornets have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. And in their last 11 games after winning at least three in a row, Charlotte has lost 7 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: In their last ten games, the Hornets only rank 20th in Net Efficiency Margin. They did beat the Pacers at home on October 20th by a 123-122 score — but Indiana has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when motivated by revenge. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Underdog of the Month with the Indiana Pacers (513) plus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE FALCONS PLUS THE POINTS: The Falcons have lost two of their last three games after catching an angry Cowboys team that was coming off their worst game of the season in an upset loss at home to Denver. Despite Atlanta being hit hard by injuries, rookie head coach Arthur Smith has done a good job with this team. After losing their first two games of the season by 49 combined points, the Falcons won four of their next six games with each of those contests decided by one-scoring possession. If there was a silver lining from Sunday’s blowout loss, it was that Matt Ryan left the game in the third quarter. The veteran quarterback will be rested and ready for this game on a short week. Atlanta went into halftime trailing by a 36-3 score — but they have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after trailing by at least three touchdowns at halftime in their last game. The Falcons have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. A blocked punt returned for a touchdown and a -2 net turnover margin did not help matters — but Atlanta has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after suffering a -2 or worse turnover margin in their last game. The Falcons only gained 214 total yards in the loss — but they are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games after not gaining more than 250 yards in their last game and they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last contest. And while the Cowboys gained 431 yards against them last week, Atlanta has then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after giving up at least 350 yards in their last game. New England is peaking in terms of market value after their 38-point win against the Browns — but they are just 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a straight-up win. The Patriots have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a win at home — and they are just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread win. Additionally, New England is 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Patriots have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning four or five of their last six games. Now they go back on the road where they are 4-0 — but they are gaining just 309.3 total YPG in those contests. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones has played much better than expected under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — but New England has supported him with a quality rushing attack. The Patriots rushed for 184 yards last week after gaining 151 yards on the ground in their previous game at Carolina. The Patriots are just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: After playing their last two games on the road, Atlanta returns home which gives them a situational edge in this matchup. The concept of selling high and buying low when handicapping football gets thrown around too loosely in my opinion — but this is a genuine opportunity to take advantage of that axiom fading a Patriots team that opened around a 4-point favorite but has been bet up to a touchdown or so favorite on the road on a short week. The market is overreacting to the blowout results both teams incurred last week. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month on the Atlanta Falcons (312) plus the points versus the New England Patriots (311). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the Minnesota Wild (16) versus the Dallas Stars (15). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (10-5-0) has lost two of their last three games after their 4-1 loss to San Jose on Tuesday. Dallas (6-6-2) has won two in a row with their 5-2 win against Detroit two days ago.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILD WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Dallas is overvalued by the market just over a year ago from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in the bubble. They did not make the playoffs last season — and their record this year is propped up by them winning four of their six games in overtime or shootout. The Stars have only won two of their eight games decided in regulation time. Dallas has lost 5 of their last 7 games after a win — and they have lost 10 of their last 11 road games after a win or tie in their last game. They go back on the road where they have lost 5 of their last 7 games — and they have lost 19 of their last 27 road games with the Total set at 5.5. Anton Khudobin is the confirmed goalie for the Stars tonight. He has a 3.03 Goals-Against-Average and an .897 save percentage in five starts and six games this season. In his four games and three starts on the road, Khudobin has a 3.39 GAA and .891 save percentage. The Stars have lost 4 of their last 5 games against fellow Central Division rivals. Minnesota is off to a fast start despite only getting three goals in their best player, Kirill Kaprizov. They took a tough loss to the Sharks on Tuesday — but they have rebounded to win 19 of their last 26 games after a loss at home. The Wild have also won 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by at least three goals — and they have won 8 of their last 11 games after a loss by three or more goals on home ice. Minnesota has won 6 of their last 7 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Goalie Cam Talbot has underwhelmed so far this season with a 2.91 GAA and a .902 save percentage. Talbot was the goalie on Tuesday — and he does have a 2.36 GAA and .927 save percentage in his three starts when playing with one day of rest this year. The Wild stay at home where they have won 24 of their last 32 games — and they have won 35 of their last 51 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has won 16 of their last 23 games against teams with a losing record — and Dallas has lost 22 of their last 32 games against teams with a winning record. 25* NHL Central Division Game of the Month with the money-line on the Minnesota Wild (16) versus the Dallas Stars (15). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (559) plus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (560). THE SITUATION: Washington (10-3) has won five games in a row with their 105-100 win against New Orleans as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. Charlotte (8-7) has won three straight games with their 106-102 upset win against Golden State as a 5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: Washington has been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA this season. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Rookie head coach Wes Unseld, Jr. has done a great job with this team — especially on the defensive end the court. Washington is fourth in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency — and they are seventh in the league in Net Rating. Washington has won their last two games with Bradley Beal who has taken personal time after the death of his grandmother. Beal returns to the court tonight — and he should be playing with extra emotion. As it is, the Wizards have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they are 18-8-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a point spread victory. And while their game with the Pelicans finished Under the 208 Total, they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after playing Under the Total in their last game. And while Washington has won eight of their last ten games, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. They go back on the road where they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games. Charlotte has pulled off three straight upset wins after beating Memphis by 10 points and Golden State by 8 points before their 4-point win against the Warriors. But the Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after pulling off three straight upset wins. Charlotte made 47.7% of their shots against the Warriors in what was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. The Hornets are second in the NBA by making 37.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but the Wizards lead the league by containing their opponents to just 30.7% shooting from downtown. Charlotte stays at home where they are 4-2 this season — but they are outscoring their guest by only +1.9 PPG. They are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 home games with the Total set in the 220-229.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Hornets need to being hitting their 3s since they rank 26th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. Charlotte has been inconsistent this season — but they are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* NBA Southeast Division Underdog of the Month with the Washington Wizards (559) plus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Eastern Michigan Eagles (302) plus the points versus the Western Michigan Broncos (301). THE SITUATION: Eastern Michigan (6-4) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 34-26 upset loss to Ohio as a 6-point favorite last Tuesday. Western Michigan (6-4) ended their two-game losing streak with a 45-40 win against Akron as a 26-point favorite last Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: Eastern Michigan still has plenty to play for this season even if their 3-3 conference record likely has them out of contention to play in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. Reaching eight wins would be a milestone for this program as would winning the Michigan MAC Title involving the four directional teams from the state in the conference. Reaching a fourth bowl in the last six seasons under head coach Chris Creighton would cement his legacy. The Eagles have bounced back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after an upset loss. Eastern Michigan has also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss at home to a conference rival. Ben Bryant complete 41 of 57 passes for 354 yards in the losing effort to the Bobcats. The graduate transfer quarterback from Cincinnati is completing 69.7% of his passes and has thrown for at least 300 yards in four straight games. He leads an offense ranked 27th in the nation by scoring 34.0 PPG. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games after passing for at least 280 yards. They return home where they are outscoring their guests by +8.8 PPG. Eastern Michigan rarely gets soundly defeated — they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning record. They have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 39 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when getting 3.5 to 10 points. Western Michigan has been inconsistent under head coach Tim Lester. They are just 6-15-1 ATS in their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a win against a conference rival. The defensive play of the Broncos has been holding them back. They are tied for 91st in the nation by allowing 30.0 PPG — and they surrender 34.8 PPG and 413.3. total YPG in their four games on the road. Western Michigan has allowed at least 31 points in five straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after giving up at least 31 points in their last two contests. The offense has taken a step back this year as well. Quarterback Kaleb Eleby led the team to score 41.7 PPG last season — but the loss of two players to the NFL from that group may be playing a role in their averaging 11.0 fewer PPG this season. On the road, the Broncos are scoring just 24.3 PPG. Western Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after scoring at least 37 points in their last contest. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games when favored by 3.5 to 7 points.

FINAL TAKE: Western Michigan was a favorite to win the MAC West Title — so their 3-3 record in the MAC has been another disappointment under Lester. It could be worse — the Broncos have won all three of their games decided by one scoring possession. Eastern Michigan has played an incredible 45 of their last 58 games within one scoring possession. They are 2-3 in their five one-score games this year continuing a string of tough luck where they have won only four of their last fourteen games decided by eight points or less. Eastern Michigan has upset Miami (OH) and Toledo this year making it 15 upset wins under Creighton in the last six seasons. Getting 5.5 to 6 or so points offers a nice cushion in a game where the Eagles should be in a position to pull the upset. 25* CFB Tuesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the Eastern Michigan Eagles (302) plus the points versus the Western Michigan Broncos (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (150) plus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (149). THE SITUATION: Baylor (7-2) looks to rebound from a 30-28 upset loss at TCU as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oklahoma (9-0) remained unbeaten with their 52-21 victory against Texas Tech as a 19.5-point favorite as a 19.5-point favorite on October 30th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: The Sooners are right in the heart of the College Football Playoff conversation with their unbeaten record — but this will be the most difficult game they have played so far this year when considering that their eight FBS opponents have combined for a 28-45 record (not including their victory against Western Carolina from the FCS). Their best win up to this point is probably their six-point win against a 6-3 Kansas State team. Five of their victories have been by a touchdown or less. Even with this soft schedule, the play of the Oklahoma defense once again appears to be a liability. They allow 24.2 Points-Per-Game and 383.9 total Yards-Per-Game — ranking 60th and 63rd in the nation. Injuries have not helped matters — but this remains a defense that is allowing 8.1 Yards-Per-Attempt from opposing quarterbacks while ranking 113th in the nation by giving up 272.9 passing YPG. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch lost two cornerbacks to the NFL from last year — and sophomore cornerback Woodi Washington has been out with an injury — but these are ominous numbers heading into the most difficult part of their schedule. They do come off a bye week — but they are just 6-6 ATS in the 12 games under Lincoln Riley with an extra week to prepare. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by 20 or more points. And while freshman quarterback Caleb Williams passed for over 400 yards against the Red Raiders to lead an offense that generated 541 yards, the Sooners have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 375 yards — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Oklahoma has scored at least 37 points in seven straight games after their narrow 16-13 escape at home against West Virginia in early September — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 31 points in five straight games. Baylor may have been caught looking ahead to this showdown last week in their upset loss to a Horned Frogs team motivated to play for head coach Gary Patterson who resigned after their previous game. The Bears can remove the bad taste in their mouth from that disappointing performance by stunning the undefeated Sooners — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss to a Big 12 rival where they were laying at least six points. Baylor has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. The Bears need to tighten up on defense after allowing TCU gain 570 yards. Baylor has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 450 yards. Head coach Dave Aranda has talent on defense with ten starters back from the COVID-marred rookie campaign with the team last year. The Bears had not allowed 30 points before last week with only Iowa State scoring more than 24 points against them. Baylor has a potent rushing attack that averages 5.9 Yards-Per-Carry and ranks seventh in the nation by generating 230.9 rushing YPG. By not asking junior quarterback Gerry Bohanon to do too much, the Bears are averaging a healthy 8.8 Yards-Per-Attempt. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games as an underdog. Furthermore, Baylor has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Aranda schemed a defense last year that limited the Sooners to just 269 total yards and 10 points in the first half in a 27-14 Oklahoma victory in Norman. Now the Bears host Oklahoma in Norman where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Sooners. The inexperience of Williams at quarterback may lead to some nervy moments for the National Championship aspirations of Oklahoma. 25* CFB Big 12 Underdog of the Year with the Baylor Bears (150) plus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (149). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (555) minus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (556). THE SITUATION: New York (7-5) has lost four of their last six games with their 112-100 upset loss to Milwaukee as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Charlotte (6-7) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 118-108 upset win at Memphis as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: New York should rebound with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. The Knicks added scoring punch to their playoff team last year by acquiring Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The new starting backcourt for head coach Tom Thibodeau has created scoring depth for this team — they rank fifth in the league in Offensive Efficiency. New York goes on the road where they are 5-1 this season. They have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Charlotte played their best defensive game of the season by holding their opponents to just 42.5% of their shots. The Hornets still rank 28th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They also made 45.6% of their shots which was the second-highest shooting percentage in their last six games. But Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread victory. They return home where they have failed to cover the pint spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games with the Total set at 220 to 229.5 point range. Furthermore, Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Knicks have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 38 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Road Warrior of the Month with the New York Knicks (555) minus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (547) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (548). THE SITUATION: Miami (7-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 113-96 upset loss at Denver as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles (6-5) has won four of their last six games with their 126-123 win against Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: The Heat made only 39.7% of their shots against the Nuggets in what was the second-worst shooting performance in their last six games. But Miami still ranks third in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Tyler Herro has bounced back from a sophomore slump last year to lead the team in scoring in the preseason and carry over that momentum into the regular season. He is scoring 20.3 PPG after his first ten games giving the Heat a scoring punch off the bench. Frankly, the Heat should be given a pass for taking a step back last year after their surprising run to the NBA Finals in the bubble in the fall of 2020. The shortened offseason did not help a team that was later hit hard by COVID and injuries — and then they caught a Milwaukee team in the playoffs motivated to avenge their playoff loss to Miami in the bubble. The Heat also made a couple of nice additions in the offseason to add Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker which gives the team toughness and more defensive acumen. The Heat rank sixth in the NBA Defensive Efficiency. This group is a serious contender to win the Eastern Conference and get back to the NBA Finals. Miami has rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread loss. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when favored. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. The Lakers are playing without LeBron James who is out indefinitely with an abdominal injury. LA is significantly worse without James. Entering the week, the Lakers were outscoring their opponents by +2.9 points per 100 possessions with James on the court — but they are getting outscored by -4.7 points per 100 possessions when James is not on the court. Los Angeles is scoring 10 points fewer per 100 possessions without James on the court. The play of the Lakers’ defense has also been a problem even with James healthy. After leading the league in Defensive Efficiency last season, Los Angeles ranks just 14th in efficiency this season. They are allowing their opponents to pull down 28.8% of their missed shots ranking 24th in the NBA — and the Heat is fourth in the league by rebounding 30.3% of their missed shots. LA also ranks last in the league in opponent free throw rate — and Miami is third in free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home in the Staples Center — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are dealing with injuries — but the allure of playing on national television should help some of these players listed as questionable to take the court. Jimmy Butler is ready to roll. The Lakers are still without Talent Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza who are important for both depth and better play on defense. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when getting the points. Miami is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games when favored. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Miami Heat (547) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Florida Panthers (13) versus the New Jersey Devils (14). THE SITUATION: Florida (10-1-1) had their two-game winning streak snapped last night with a 4-3 loss at New York against the Rangers. New Jersey (5-3-2) had their three-game losing streak snapped with a 3-2 victory at San Jose on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: I have been waiting on the determination of the starting goaltender for Florida with Sergei Bobrovsky questionable with the upper-body injury that kept him out of the final two periods of his last game against Washington on Thursday. If the Panthers would have turned to Evan Patrick, I would have likely passed on this game — but Spencer Knight is going to start again tonight after giving up four goals last night. He should be feisty to redeem himself from last night’s subpar effort. He still has a 2.29 Goals-Against-Average and a .915 save percentage in his three other starts on the road. He starred in the playoffs last year with a 2.06 GAA and a .933 save percentage in two starts last year. Florida has won 17 of their last 23 games after a loss — and they have won 21 of their last 29 games after a loss on the road. The Panthers have won 17 of their last 22 games after allowing at least four goals in their last game. And in their last 5 games played without rest, Florida has won 4 of these games. They are scoring 4.1 Goals-Per-Game — and they have won 7 of their last 10 games on the road. New Jersey has lost 4 of their last 5 games after a win — and they have lost 12 of their last 15 games after a win by just one goal on the road. The Devils have lost 12 of their last 14 games on home ice after losing three of their last four games. They do return home where they have lost 23 of their last 31 games. MacKenzie Blackwood is the confirmed goalie for New Jersey after making his first start of the season on Friday when he allowed three goals on 29 shots in Los Angeles against the Kings. In 19 starts at home last year, Blackwood had a 3.32 GAA and an .882 save percentage.

FINAL TAKE: Florida has won 7 of their last 10 road games when favored. The Devils have lost 37 of their last 51 home games as an underdog. 25* NHL Eastern Conference Game of the Month with the money-line on the Florida Panthers (13) versus the New Jersey Devils (14). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 9:00 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Tottenham (200149) with the goal-line versus Everton (200150). THE SITUATION: Tottenham (W5-D0-L5) looks to rebound in the English Premier League after a 3-0 loss to Manchester United last Saturday. Everton (W4-D2-L4) has lost three in a row after a 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE TOTTENHAM WITH THE GOAL-LINE: This is half an “In Antonio Conte We Trust” —  but the manager has earned this level of respect when taking over clubs. The Hotspurs sacked Nuno Espirito Santo last week after he failed to achieve results with this squad. I like Nuno — but perhaps his style is not a good fit with the blue bloods on the Hotspur squad. Dealing with egos has not been a problem with Conte who has had an immediate impact on his new teams in the past. He won the EPL title in his first season with Chelsea winning 30 of 38 matches. He then took over Juventus an improved team from 7th place to winning the Scudetto Serie A title. The Conte impact is instantaneous. In his first 10 matches with Chelsea, the team went W7-D1-L2 with four clean sheets. They scored 16 goals and allowed nine. In his first ten matches with Juventus, he went W5-D5-L0 with four clean sheets. They scored 16 goals and allowed seven. In his first ten matches with Inter Milan in his last stint, they went W8-D1-L1 with four clean sheets. They scored 21 goals and allowed 10 goals. This remains a talented Hotspurs squad that reached the UEFA Champions League Finals only two years ago. Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min still lead a talented side that seems uninspired under Nuno. The Spurs' first match under Conte resulted in a 3-2 win against Vitesse in the Europa League on Thursday. They should play better in this match. Everton has lost three in a row with injuries mounting to expose a roster lacking in depth. The Toffees have lost the expected goals battle in four straight English Premier League matches. They remain with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.

FINAL TAKE: Everton has lacked a home pitch advantage with their 9 points derived from a W3-D0-L2 record betrayed by an expected points mark of 7.63. Tottenham has the talent edge — and I expect a Conte bounce. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with the Tottenham (200149) with the goal-line versus Everton (200150). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (340) minus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (339). THE SITUATION: North Carolina (4-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 44-34 loss at Notre Dame as a 3.5-point underdog last Saturday. Wake Forest (8-0) continued their unbeaten season with their 45-7 victory at home against Duke as a 16-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS MINUS THE POINTS: The Demon Deacons raced out to a 28-0 halftime lead last week against the Blue Devils — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after taking at least a 24 point lead at halftime of their last game. Wake Forest has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. Additionally, the Demon Deacons have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a win by at least four touchdowns — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a win at home by 28 or more points. Quarterback Sam Hartman had another big game as he completed 24 of 37 passes for 402 yards with three touchdown passes while leading an offense that generated 677 total yards. But Wake Forest has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after gaining at least 525 yards in their last game. Turnover luck has helped the Demon Deacons cause as they have not committed more than one turnover in five straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after not committing more than one turnover in five straight games. Wake Forest has benefited from a soft schedule up to this point. Only Virginia and Army are FBS opponents that they have beaten that currently have winning records. While the Demon Deacons score plenty of points, that has overshadowed their suspect play on defense. They rank 99th in the FBS by allowing 421.5 total YPG. They have allowed their last three opponents to score 33.3 PPG and 474.4 total YPG. In their three road games, they have allowed their home hosts to score 36.7 PPG and average 538.3 total YPG. Wake Forest has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on grass (with their home games at Truist Field being played on field turf). North Carolina may possess the most potent offense that they placed all season. The Tar Heels are 12th in the nation by averaging 482.8 total YPG. Sam Howell completed 24 of 31 passes for 341 yards and added another 101 yards on the ground in their loss in South Bend. North Carolina has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss on the road. The Tar Heels did outgain the Fighting Irish last week by 39 yards by generating 564 yards of offense. They should be able to move the ball at will against the Demon Deacons. This team began the season with National Championship aspirations but an opening loss to Virginia Tech changed their realistic expectations. Ruining Wake Forest’s perfect season would give this group something to hang their hats on. North Carolina has not covered the point spread in four of their last five games — but they have then covered the point spread in 33 of their last 50 games after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Tar Heels return home where they are 4-1 this season with an average winning margin of +17.2 PPG. They average 45.2 PPG and 512.5 total YPG at home — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 34 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Wake Forest could not stop Howell and the Tar Heels’ offense last season — they lost in Chapel Hill by a 59-53 score. The Demon Deacons have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at North Carolina. 25* CFB ACC Game of the Year with the North Carolina Tar Heels (340) minus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (339). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (538) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (537). THE SITUATION: Washington (5-3) has lost two in a row after their 109-100 upset loss to Toronto as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Memphis (5-3) has won three of their last four games after pulling off their second straight upset win against Denver on Wednesday in a 108-106 upset victory as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS MINUS THE POINTS: Washington should rebound with a strong effort tonight. The Wizards have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. Washington is also 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. And while the Wizards have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Washington stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 home games with the Total set at 220 to 229.5 point range. Additionally, the Wizards have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games when favored. Memphis made 51.9% of their shots on Wednesday to pull off their second-straight upset win against the Nuggets this week. That was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. But the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset win as a home underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a close win by three points or less at home. Memphis goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Grizzlies have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Memphis is playing without Dillon Brooks who is out with a hand injury. The team misses his impact on defense — the Grizzlies rank last in the NBA in Defensive Rating. Their struggles on the defensive end of the court have pulled down their Net Rating so far this season to just 24th in the league. Washington ranks 11th in the NBA with their Net Efficiency Rating entering this season.

FINAL TAKE: Kyle Kuzma has been upgraded to probable after leaving Wednesday’s game with a wrist injury. The Wizards have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Washington Wizards (538) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Ajax (224249) with the goal-line versus Borussia Dortmund (224250) in Group C of the UEFA Champions League. Ajax (W3-D0-L0) leads Group C with a perfect 3-0 record after their 4-0 victory at home in Amsterdam against Borussia Dortmund in the reverse fixture on October 19th. Borussia Dortmund (W2-D0-L1) is in second place in Group C with the top two teams advancing to the Knockout Stage.

REASONS TO TAKE AJAX WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Borussia Dortmund will have revenge on their mind after getting embarrassed two weeks ago — but they are ravaged with injuries. The Blue and Yellows are dependent on their superstar Erling Haaland but he has missed the last three matches with a thigh injury. Haaland averages 1.36 expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes this season — there may not be another team in the Champions League this season who is more dependent on one player. His substitute at striker, Donyell Malen, averages only 0.25 expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes. But Borussia Dortmund will be out another three players and four more players are in doubt to play this match. The Blue and Yellows have won three straight matches since the Haaland injury — but the competition has been soft. Two of the victories were against FC Cologne (on Saturday) and Arminia who are in 11th and 19th place in the Bundesliga — and their third win was against a lower-tiered domestic team in German Cup action. Ajax will not be looking past this team after enduring a disappointing 0-0 draw at Heracles on Saturday. The Sons of Gods have still won four of their last five matches with four clean sheets over that span. Ajax is a possession-dominant machine under manager Erik ten Hag. They have won eight of their first eleven matches in the Eredivisie top-flight league in the Netherlands. But this side is not just a domestic league giant. The Soccer Power Index at FiveThirtyEight ranks them 5th in the world. They have scored 11 goals in the Champions League which is just behind Bayern Munich. They lead all Champions League sides with 8.8 expected goals — and they lead all teams in this competition in expected goals differential. They are fourth in shots per 90 minutes and are tied for the lead in the competition in overall average shot quality. They crushed Sporting Lisbon by a 5-1 score on the road in Champions League earlier this season — a side that Borussia Dortmund won by just a 1-0 score with a healthy Haaland on the pitch. Sporting Lisbon is good — they won the Portugal Premier League last year that included a quality Porto side that reached the Quarterfinals of the Champions League.

FINAL TAKE: Borussia Dortmund has scored 27 goals in the Bundesliga — but their expected goals drop to 21.13. That is the impact of the technical prowess of Haaland. He accounted for four of the Blue and Yellows ten shots in the first meeting between these teams last month. 25* UEFA Champions League Group C Match of the Month with Ajax (224249) with the goal-line versus Borussia Dortmund (224250). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Houston demonstrated their resolve by overcoming a first-inning grand slam on the road in Game Five to outscore the Braves by a 9-1 margin the rest of the way. The Astros have won 13 of their last 19 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Houston has also won 59 of their last 81 games after an off day — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They return home where they have won 7 of their last 9 playoff games at Minute Maid Park. They have also won 28 of their last 40 home games when priced in the -125 to -175 price range. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Garcia who had an 11-8 record with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in the regular season. The right-hander was more effective at home where he had a 2.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .210 in 15 games (13 starts) as compared to his 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .252. The Astros have won 8 of their last 10 home games with Garcia pitching with the Total set from 7 to 8.5. Atlanta blew their chance to win the World Series at home — and now they go on the road where they have lost 5 of their last 7 playoff games on the road. The Braves have lost 7 of their last 9 games in Interleague play on the road — and they have lost 6 of their last 8 games against American League teams as an underdog. They counter with Fried who had a 14-7 record with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 28 regular season starts. The lefty was better at home where he had a 2.94 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .219 in 14 starts — but those numbers rose to a 3.14 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .235 in 14 starts on the road. Fried has struggled in these playoffs. In his last two starts, he has a 10.24 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP spanning 9 2/3 innings. The Braves have lost 6 of their last 8 road games with Fried pitching as a money-line underdog priced up to +150. He faces an Astros team that has won 6 of their last 8 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 5 of their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has won 9 of their last 13 playoff games when trailing in the series — and they have won 5 of their last 7 games when facing elimination. Atlanta has lost 6 of their last 9 playoff games with the opportunity to close out a playoff series. 25* MLB Tuesday Television Game of the Year with the money-line on the Houston Astros (962) versus the Atlanta Braves (961) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Max Fried in Game Six of the World Series. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Houston Astros (959) versus the Atlanta Braves (960) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Tucker Davidson in Game Five of the World Series. THE SITUATION: Houston (103-73) finds themselves on the brink of elimination after losing last night by a 3-2 score. Atlanta (98-77) has won four of their last five games to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Don’t count Houston out just yet — and win tonight takes the World Series back to Minute Maid Park for the final two games. The Astros have won 6 of their last 8 games after a loss — and they have won 12 of their last 19 games after a loss by just one run. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Framber Valdez tonight who had an 11-6 record in the regular season with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 22 starts. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he had a 2.88 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 11 starts. In his last start on the road in the playoffs, Valdez pitched eight innings of one-run ball to clinch the ALCS at Boston on October 20th. In his last three starts away from home, Valdez has a 0.83 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP spanning 21 2/3 innings. Houston has won 5 of their last 7 road games with Valdez pitching as the favorite — and they have won 12 of his last 18 starts at night. Atlanta will be relying on yet another bullpen game tonight. Manager Brian Snitker will use Tucker Davidson for the first time since June 15th as his opener — this will be just his sixth career MLB start. He had a 3.60 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 20 innings in the regular season — but he sported a 5.14 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 14 innings at home. I thought this was the case last night — but I now highly suspect that Davidson is disguising a Drew Smyly bulk-inning outing after he allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings in the team’s bullpen game in Game Four of the NLCS against the Dodgers. The lefty had an 11-4 record in the regular season but with a 4.48 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 29 games (23 starts). In his 39 innings including the playoffs since the beginning of August, Smyly has a 4.85 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Despite winning three of the first four games in this series, the Braves have lost 10 of their last 14 games in Interleague play as an underdog. They have also lost 11 of their last 14 home games against American League teams.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has lost 5 of their last 8 opportunities in the playoffs to close out the series — and Houston has won 8 of their last 12 playoff games when trailing in the series. The Astros have won 19 of their last 30 games when playing with double-revenge against their opponent. And while Houston has scored only two runs in the last two days in the World Series, they have won 13 of their last 21 games when avenging two losses to their opponent where they did not score more than two runs. 25* MLB Game of the Year with the money-line on the Houston Astros (959) versus the Atlanta Braves (960) listing both starting pitchers Framber Valdez and Tucker Davidson. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New Orleans Saints (274) plus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (273). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (4-2) has won two games in a row — both on the road — after a 13-10 win at Seattle as a 6-point favorite on Monday Night Football. Tampa Bay (6-1) has won four in a row after their 38-3 victory against Chicago last Sunday as a 12.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SAINTS PLUS THE POINTS: Tampa Bay benefited from an overwhelmed rookie at quarterback in the Bears Justin Fields who helped them earn a +4 net turnover margin in that game. But the Buccaneers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least 14 points. Now this team goes on the road where they are being outscored this season by -0.6 net Points-Per-Game. Tom Brady and company lost by 10 points in Los Angeles against the Rams before beating New England in overtime by two points and defeating Philadelphia by just six points 2 1/2 weeks ago on Thursday Night Football. The high-powered Patriots offense is scoring only 23.7 PPG in their three road games this season. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 road games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games when favored. The reigning Super Bowl champions have been piling up style points against weak competition — they have played Miami, the Eagles, and the Bears in the last three weeks after the Brady versus Bill Belichick overtime thriller in Foxboro that began their winning streak. The Bucs are not at full health with Antonio Brown out at wide receiver and the secondary banged up including last year’s starting cornerbacks, Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting on IR. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, cornerback Richard Sherman, and linebacker Lavonte David are among the players listed as questionable. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 home games after winning their last two games on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. Head coach Sean Payton has transformed this team into a defense-first group that is risk-averse on offense. The Saints defense is allowing only 16.8 Points-Per-Game — and they rank third in the Football Outsiders DVOA metric for defense. Jameis Winston has been underappreciated at quarterback this season — he has not turned the ball over in his six of his games and he has 10 touchdown passes without an interception in the red zone. The organization made a savvy trade this week by re-acquiring veteran running back Mark Ingram from Houston to spell Alvin Kamara who cannot keep touching the ball 30 times per game. Now New Orleans returns to the Big Easy for just the second time all season given a front-loaded road schedule compounded by them playing their opening game in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida. The Saints have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. They have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 52 games as an underdog including seven of their last eight games. And in their last 9 home games as an underdog, New Orleans has covered the point spread 7 times.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints' defense did a good job of containing Brady in their three games last year. While the Buccaneers beat New Orleans in the playoffs last year by a 30-20 score as a 2.5-point underdog, they lost both regular-season games while scoring just 26 combined points. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Buccaneers — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against NFC South opponents. 25* NFL Underdog of the Month with the New Orleans Saints (274) plus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (273). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the North Carolina State Wolfpack (126) minus the points versus the Louisville Cardinals (125). THE SITUATION: North Carolina State (5-2) had their four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 31-30 loss at Miami (FL) as a 3.5-point favorite. Louisville (4-3) has won four in a row after a 28-14 win against Boston College as a 4.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLFPACK MINUS THE POINTS: NC State suffered their second upset loss this season with their loss to the Hurricanes. But the Wolfpack have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss on the road by three points or less. NC State has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Quarterback Devin Leary completed 24 of 42 passes for 310 yards with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in the loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Leary is completing 65% of his passes with 17 touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Wolfpack also has a stout defense. They are fourth in opponent’s Rush Success Rate — and they are allowing only 93.3 rushing YPG which is the tenth lowest in the nation. NC State is also 22nd in the nation in opponent’s Pass Success Rate. They return home where they are 4-0 this season with an average winning margin of +24.0 PPG. They are holding their guests to just 13.8 PPG and 290.3 total YPG — and they are scoring 37.8 PPG and 458.5 total YPG at home. The Wolfpack have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in all 6 games at home against ACC opponents. Louisville held the Eagles to just 266 total yards last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Despite that good effort, the Cardinals are still allowing 27.0 PPG ranking 76th in the nation — and they have given up at least 30 points four times this season. They lack a pass rush to put pressure on Leary. They also go on the road where they allow their home hosts to average 34.3 PPG and 507.7 YPG. Louisville is just 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games on the road — and they are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Cardinals are 10-24-1 ATS in their last 35 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games in October.

FINAL TAKE: NC State did not force a turnover last week — but they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after not forcing at least one turnover in their last game. Louisville committed four turnovers last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 44 games after committing at least four turnovers in their last game. 25* CFB Game of the Month with the North Carolina State Wolfpack (126) minus the points versus the Louisville Cardinals (125). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (139) minus the point(s) versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (140). THE SITUATION: Rutgers (3-4) return to action on a four-game losing streak after their 21-7 upset loss at Northwestern as a 2.5-point favorite two weeks ago. Illinois (3-5) has won two of their last three games after their 20-18 upset win at Penn State in nine overtimes as a 24.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SCARLET KNIGHTS MINUS THE POINT(S): The bye week could not come soon enough for head coach Greg Schiano in his second year back coaching the Rutgers program. Injuries had hit both sides of the ball including quarterback Noah Vedral who played against Northwestern despite a nagging arm injury. The Scarlet Knights have already endured most of the brutal part of the Big Ten schedule against the powers in the East Division having played Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State during their recent losing streak. Rutgers has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss as a road favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset loss to a conference rival. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. And while they managed only 222 total yards against the Wildcats, they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games. The Scarlet Knights thrive at defending against the run — they rank 21st in the nation in opponent’s Rushing Success Rate. Illinois is one-dimensional on offense running the ball 58% of the time. They lost quarterback Artur Sitkowksi to a season-ending broken arm in the upset win against the Nittany Lions last week. The former Rutgers transfer took the starting job away from Brandon Peters early in the season. Peters, a former transfer from Michigan, is completing under 49% of his passes while averaging just 5.0 yards per attempt this season. He has not thrown for more than 200 yards this season. There is a reason he left the Wolverines program. The Fighting Illini have passed for just 280 combined yards in their last four games. This group may be due for an emotional letdown after surviving the 2-point contest that their overtime game with Penn State devolved into. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset win as a double-digit road underdog. The Fighting Illini ran the ball 67 times for 357 yards in the victory — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games at home after rushing for at least 300 yards. They only gained 38 yards in the air last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not passing for more than 75 yards in their last game. They host this game at Memorial Stadium where they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games with the Total set at 42 or less.

FINAL TAKE: First-year head coach Brett Bielema caught Penn State relying on quarterback Sean Clifford who was not 100% dealing with an undisclosed injury that clearly limited his mobility. Rutgers may be winless in Big Ten play — but they swept their three non-conference games including an impressive victory at Syracuse. The Scarlet Knights have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored. 25* CFB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (139) minus the point(s) versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (140). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (537) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (538). THE SITUATION: Washington (2-1) won their first two games of the season before losing at Brooklyn by a 104-90 score on Monday as a 6-point underdog. Boston (2-2) has won two games in a row with their 140-129 win at Charlotte as a 1.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: Washington only made 34.7% of their shots against the Nets which was their worst shooting effort of the young season. The Wizards have bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss — and they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up loss. Washington has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games when playing with one day of rest. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Washington stays on the road where they are 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games as an underdog. Boston made 49.5% of their shots on Monday to return to a .500 record — that was their best shooting effort of the season. But the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a double-digit victory. Boston has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 4 games after scoring at least 125 points, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread all 4 times. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games when playing with one day of rest. It is a new regime in Boston with Danny Ainge gone from the front office with Brad Stevens moving upstairs to replace him with Ime Udoka replacing him on the sideline. The rookie head coach has been shaky in his debut with some of his rotation decisions. They lost by 32 points in their first game at home this year. The Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored. Boston has their big two in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — but is there enough support? They traded their first-round pick to bring back Al Horford and they also signed Dennis Schroeder who was a locker room problem with the Lakers last year. This group remains a work in progress — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: Washington will remember their 118-100 loss the last time they played the Celtics which was in Boston on May 18th when they were a small 1.5-point underdog. The Wizards remain 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Boston. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Washington Wizards (537) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (520) minus the point(s) versus the Philadelphia 76ers (519). THE SITUATION: New York (2-1) had their two-game winning streak to start the season end with a 110-104 upset loss at home to Orlando as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (2-1) has won two of their first three games with their 115-103 win at Oklahoma City as a 10-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: After making 48.6% and 50% of their shots in their first two games, New York only made 37.0% of their shots against the Magic. The Knicks should bounce-back tonight. They have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point spread win. New York has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss as a double-digit favorite. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games when favored overall. They are also 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games when playing a team with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Philadelphia has 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 6 games after a point spread victory. The 76ers continue to play under the shadow of the Ben Simmons drama — he is not playing for the team right now with him demanding a trade. The Sixers stay on the road where they are 6-21-1 ATS in their last 28 road games as an underdog. They are also 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: New York has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 34 expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 22 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Game of the Month with the New York Knicks (520) minus the point(s) versus the Philadelphia 76ers (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Seattle started slowly against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football last week as they went into the locker room trailing by a 14-0 deficit. But the Seahawks remained resilient to outscore Pittsburgh in the second half by a 20-6 score to force overtime. Geno Smith was solid under center as the proverbial “game manager.” He completed 23 of 32 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He did lose the football in overtime paving the way for the Steelers’ winning field goal — but that play had a lot more to do with the greatness of linebacker T.J. Watt than it did Smith making a mistake. Smith now has 32 career starts in the NFL under his belt. He will be supported by a Seattle rushing attack that gets former first-round pick, Rashaad Penny, back from injury tonight. Alex Collins was very effective last week as the lead back for the Seahawks as he ran the ball 20 times for 101 yards with a touchdown. While he has been slowed in practice all week with a groin injury, head coach Pete Carroll says he is “ready to go” tonight. This is a “gotta have it” game for Seattle with four losses in their first six games. The Seahawks are 34-15-4 ATS in their last 53 games after a straight-up loss with seven-point spread covers in their last ten games after getting beat in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a narrow loss by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a loss on the road. We had Seattle last week. One of my arguments was the absence of Russell Wilson would actually help the defense since there would be less pressure to “Let Russ Cook.” The Seahawks went into that game averaging just 25:16 minutes per game on offense. The bad defensive numbers the team was putting up were made worse by requiring them to be on the field for almost 35 minutes per game. Seattle did lose the time of possession battle to Pittsburgh last week — but they did hold Pittsburgh to just 345 total yards of offense. The 5.8 Yards-Per-Play they held the Steelers to was half a yard less than the 6.3 YPP their opponents were averaging entering that game. The 20 points allowed in regulation and 345 yards allowed was the Seahawks’ best defensive effort since the opening week of the season when they beat Indianapolis on the road by a 28-16 score. Carroll is happiest when he can run the football to control the time of possession and keep his defense off the field. Seattle has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games as an underdog. New Orleans returns to action after their bye week having beaten the Football Team despite getting outgained in yardage in that game. The Saints also lost the first down battle by a 26 to 18 margin. New Orleans is 3-2 but they are getting outgained by -58.2 net Yards-Per-Game. The Saints have been outgained in four of their five games this season. They are averaging just 295.2 total Yards-Per-Game with head coach Sean Payton keeping a short leash on quarterback Jameis Winston. New Orleans is running the ball in 54.9% of their plays on offense — and they are averaging only 24 pass attempts per game. Payton is trying to keep Winston from reverting back to his form with Tampa Bay when he was an interception machine. Keeping Winston from making mistakes in the Bomb Cyclone conditions tonight may be impossible. Like last night in Santa Clara, rain is expected all game with winds averaging 18 miles per hour and gusting to 23 miles per hour. Payton will not have his short-yardage specialist Taysom Hill tonight who is out as he recovers from a concussion. Wide receiver Michael Thomas is also still on Injured Reserve leaving the Saints without threats at wide receiver. New Orleans’ elite left tackle, Terron Armstead is also out indefinitely with an elbow injury. Even with the bye week, the Saints continue a challenging stretch of game with this being their second straight and fifth of their first six games away from New Orleans.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on Monday Night Football -- and Seattle owns MNF. Not only are the Seahawks 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games on Monday Night Football, but they have won eleven of their thirteen appearances on MNF in the Carroll regime. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Game of the Month with the Seattle Seahawks (474) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (473). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS MINUS THE POINTS: The 49ers need a victory desperately in the uber-competitive NFC West after losing at home to Seattle before their loss to the Cardinals. San Francisco has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after losing two in a row to division rivals. Additionally, the 49ers have covered the point spread in their last 3 games after a bye week under head coach Kyle Shanahan. San Francisco is the only team with a losing record in the league to be outgaining their opponents in yardage. They have a +38.4 net YPG mark due to their defense that is holding their opponents to just 329.8 total YPG. And while they are winless at home in their first two games, they have outgained Green Bay and the Seahawks by +84.0 net YPG while holding them to just 293.5 total YPG. They get Jimmy Garoppolo back under center for this game. The main reason why the franchise felt the need to trade up in the draft to select Trey Lance is because of Garoppolo’s injury history. When he is healthy, he is good. Garoppolo has a 24-10 record as a starting quarterback since 2017 with a 98 Passer Rating and a completion percentage of 67%. The Colts average 4.7 Rushing Yards-Per-Carry this season — but the Niners have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games against teams who average at least 4.5 YPC. Indianapolis has covered the point spread in three straight games as well as four of their last five contests. But the Colts have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in two straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. This is a tough spot for Indianapolis with them playing their fourth game on the road in their last five games. And with a showdown with Tennessee on deck, the urgency of this game is lessened. Sure, Indy wants to win this game — but having already lost to the Titans earlier this year, being ready to play that game is of higher importance. That could impact the playing time for some of their injured players. As it is, safety Julian Blackman is out for the rest of the season with an Achilles’ injury. Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin is also out tonight. The offense is without T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell at wide receiver. Right tackle Braden Smith is also out. Quarterback Carson Wentz has been playing better — but perhaps his four straight games without an interception only indicate he is well overdue. The weather forecast calls for a bomb cyclone on the west coast tonight — meaning high winds and perhaps lots of rain. Wentz does not handle adversity very well.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games against teams winning 40-49% of their games. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the San Francisco 49ers (472) minus the points versus the Indianapolis Colts (471). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 8:08 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (923) versus the Atlanta Braves (922) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Ian Anderson. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (112-61) pulled within a 3-2 margin in this series on Thursday with their 11-2 victory against the Braves at home. Atlanta (94-76) has lost two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Two things happened within the last 12 or so hours that put this 25* side opportunity into play. First, Max Scherzer was pulled as the Dodgers starting pitcher with his continued arm issues. I don’t know how to assess the “dead arm” he claimed to have on Sunday (that, hopefully, is a Tomorrow Problem). Second, with Buehler being tapped as the starting pitcher on three days rest, the money-line price has dropped below my -150 price threshold. I’m not as worried about the short rest — he pitched on three days rest against San Francisco in the NLDS on October 12th where he allowed just one run in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander had a 16-4 record with a 2.47 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 33 starts in the regular season. He had a 2.47 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average in 27 starts at night. He has a reliable 3.32 ERA in 13 starts in the postseason. He has a 3.37 ERA in his two starts against Atlanta this season including his 3 2/3 innings against them on Tuesday. Buehler did have seven days off after pitching on three days rest and his start in Game Three of the NLCS. He has thrown just 8 innings since October 8th. The Dodgers should build off the momentum they established on Thursday when they banged five home runs. They have won 4 of their last 5 games after hitting at least five home runs in their last game. They have won 36 of their last 52 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 11 of their last 16 games after scoring at least 10 runs in their last contest. They have also won 38 of their last 56 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They go back on the road where they have won 8 of their last 11 games — and they have won 5 of their last 7 playoff games on the road. Atlanta has lost 7 of their last 11 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least ten runs in their last game — and they have lost 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least eight runs. They counter with Anderson who has a 9-5 with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 24 regular season starts. After giving up two runs in 3 innings last Sunday where he allowed three hits and walked three batters, he now has a 4.01 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP in his last nine starts this season. He has a 7.40 ERA in 7 1/3 innings against the Dodgers this year. LA also has a bullpen edge tonight — especially coming off the day of rest. The Dodgers have a 3.08 ERA and 1.16 WHIP this season — and they have a 2.57 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in their last seven games. The Braves bullpen has a 4.36 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in their last seven games — and they have a 3.94 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP for the year.

FINAL TAKE: While the Dodgers are dealing with a long list of injuries, they still have superstars like Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and Cody Bellinger leading a core of players with tons of deep postseason experience. Atlanta has Freddie Freeman and then younger talent and retreads. It matters. The Braves have lost 5 of their last 7 close-out games in the playoffs. Los Angeles has won 5 of their last 6 potential elimination games in the playoffs (including all three this season). 25* MLB National League Game of the Year with the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (923) versus the Atlanta Braves (922) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Ian Anderson. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Army Black Knights (358) plus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (357). THE SITUATION: Army (4-2) has lost two games in a row after their 20-14 loss at Wisconsin as a 14-point underdog last Saturday. Wake Forest (6-0) returns to action after surviving a 40-37 win at Syracuse in overtime on October 9th as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLACK KNIGHTS PLUS THE POINTS: Army opened the season winning their first four games before getting upset at Ball State two weeks ago before their challenging trip to Madison to play the Badgers. The Black Knights managed only 266 total yards last week against the stout Wisconsin run defense — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 straight games after not gaining at least 275 yards in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not scoring more than 20 points in their last game. Army once again is one of the best rushing teams in the nation as they are averaging 295 rushing Yards-Per-Game with a 4.7 Yards-Per-Carry. Now Army returns home where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Black Knights have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog. Army also plays tough defense. They are allowing only 20.7 PPG along with 281.7 total YPG — and they have held four of their six opponents to 21 points or less. Army limited Wisconsin to just 310 yards last week. Wake Forest remained unbeaten two weeks ago with their victory at Syracuse despite being outgained by -88 net yards. The Demon Deacons were also outgained by Louisville three weeks ago but also survived that game with a narrow win by a field goal. Wake Forest has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win by three points or less on the road. Quarterback Sam Hartman did complete 19 of 32 passes for 330 yards against the Orange — but the Demon Deacons have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last  8 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The play of the Wake Forest defense is a significant cause for concern after allowing the Cardinals and Orange to each generate over 500 yards. Both Louisville and Syracuse exposed the Wake Forest run defense by generating 213 and 354 rushing yards. Head coach Dave Clawson does have the extra week to prepare for the unique Army spread triple offense — but how much can be done to fix a defense that is allowing 4.4 Yards-Per-Carry? The Demon Deacons have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams outside the ACC. Wake Forest stays on the road for the second straight game where they are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 road games with the Total set in then 52.5 to 56 point range. Additionally, the Demon Deacons have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: Army has been an underdog against a Power Five conference team 9 times since 2016. They have covered the point spread in 7 of these games with two upset victories. 25* College Football Underdog of the Month with the Army Black Knights (358) plus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (357). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Houston Astros (922) versus the Boston Red Sox (921) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Nathan Eovaldi. THE SITUATION: Houston (101-70) took a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series with their 9-1 win against the Red Sox on Wednesday. Boston (98-74) looks to stave off elimination tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Houston has all the momentum in this series after winning the last two games on the road at Fenway Park by a combined 18-3 run margin. They usually feed off this positive energy. The Astros have won 5 of their last 7 games after a win — and they have won 13 of their last 18 games after a win by at least eight runs. Houston has plated nine runners in two straight games. They have won 12 of their last 16 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 18 of their last 26 games after scoring at least eight runs in two straight contests. The Astros return home to Minute Maid Park where they have won 35 of their last 51 games against teams with a winning record. They have also won 15 of their last 23 home games when priced in the +/- 125 range. Manager Dusty Baker gives the ball to Garcia after he was bombed for five runs in just one inning in his start on Saturday. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he had a 2.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .210 in 15 appearances (13 starts) in the regular season — as compared to his 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and .252 opponent’s batting average in 15 starts on the road. Garcia’s start on Saturday was during the day — and he had a 4.24 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in seven regular-season afternoon appearances (six starts). Under the lights, Garcia pitched better with a 3.02 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .223 in 23 games pitched at night (22 starts). Baker will have a quick hook for Garcia if he struggles — and he has the benefit of a rested bullpen that has only pitched one inning in the last two days with the off-day and Framber Valdez’s eight innings on Wednesday. The Astros bullpen has a 3.59 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP at home this year. Boston has lost 13 of their last 18 games after losing two in a row by four or more runs — and they have lost 4 of their last 6 games after losing their last two games by at least six runs. Manager Alex Cora has had to lean heavily on his bullpen given his faltering starting pitchers. The Red Sox pen has pitched 3 2/3 and 4 innings in their last two games — and they have allowed four and seven earned runs in those games. Boston has lost 38 of their last 60 games after their bullpen allowed at least four earned runs in their last game including losing 13 of those 21 circumstances this season. Eovaldi pitched out of the bullpen on Tuesday — and in his 24 pitches, he got crushed for four runs. He is pitching on short rest because Cora is out of options. In theory, Eovaldi’s outing on Tuesday was on his normal bullpen workout day between starts. In practice, the mental and physical stress of pitching in the playoffs is much more grueling than a mere bullpen session to work out some kinks. And that appearance was at home at Fenway Park where he had a 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .241 in 19 regular season starts. Now Eovaldi pitches on the road where he was saddled with a 4.21 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .271 in 13 regular season starts. Boston has lost 6 of their last 9 road games with Eovaldi pitching as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. He faces a hot-hitting Astros team that is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .271 Batting Average and a .341 On-Base Percentage in their last seven games.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has lost 5 of their last 7 games at Minute Maid Park in Houston. 25* MLB American League Game of the Year with the money-line on the Houston Astros (922) versus the Boston Red Sox (921) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Nathan Eovaldi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Appalachian State Mountaineers (308) plus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (307). THE SITUATION: Appalachian State (4-2) looks to bounce-back from their 41-13 upset loss at Louisiana-Lafayette as a 4-point favorite last Tuesday. Coastal Carolina (6-0) remained unbeaten this season by winning their seventh game in their last eighteen since the start of last season with their 52-20 victory at Arkansas State as a 20-point favorite back on October 7th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS PLUS THE POINTS: Appalachian State was flat on the road against a Ragin’ Cajuns team motivated to avenge a loss against them last year. We had Louisiana last week in that spot — and that loss sets up a nice situation for the Mountaineers. Head coach Shawn Clark can still have his team in the driver’s seat to win the Sub Belt East Division with a victory tonight. Appalachian State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss to a conference opponent. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss by 20 or more points — and in their three losses by at least four touchdowns in program history, they have responded to cover the point spread all 3 times. The Mountaineers have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. Appalachian State returned ten starters and their top seven tacklers from their defense that was 18th in the nation by allowing only 328.8 total YPG. The bigger concerns may be on offense after former Clemson and Duke transfer quarterback Chase Brice may have played the worst game of his career by throwing two interceptions to the Ragin’ Cajuns while completing 15 of 27 passes for only 135 yards. The Mountaineers are banged up at running back as well with Camerun Peoples missing the last two games and Daetrick Harrington and Nate Noel questionable. Former Notre Dame transfer Jahmir Smith is healthy — so Appalachian State still has talent at the position even if all three of those other backs cannot take the field. The Mountaineers rank 20th in the nation in Offensive Success Rate. They should play better. Coastal Carolina had failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. And while sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall completed 18 of 23 passes for 365 yards against the Red Wolves — but the Chanticleers have failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games after passing for at least 325 yards in their last game. Coastal Carolina has benefited from a soft early schedule — their wins have come against one FCS program in The Citadel and just one FBS team in Kansas. Their Group of Five campaign so far has been against Massachusetts, UL-Monroe, Buffalo, and then Arkansas State. This is — by far — their biggest test this season after being a two-touchdown favorite or better in their first six games. The Chanticleers are playing their second straight game on the road — and playing in hostile environments is not a normal occurrence for this team that benefited from limited crowds in their road games during the pandemic in their 11-1 season a year ago. Coastal Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as a favorite laying 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: Appalachian State is not an underdog often when playing at home at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone. The Mountaineers have lost only five times at home since 2015. Appalachian State has covered the point s spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 10 points. 25* CFB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the Appalachian State Mountaineers (308) plus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (307). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 7:37 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers (907) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Ian Anderson. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (110-59) lost the opening game of this best-of-seven series in the National League Championship Series with their 2-1 loss to the Braves on Saturday. Atlanta (92-74) has won six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LIKNE: Los Angeles has still won 22 of their last 28 games — and 19 of those 22 victories were by more than one run. The Dodgers have still won 30 of their last 40 games after playing a game where neither side scored more than three runs. Los Angeles has not allowed more than four runs in nine straight games — and they have won 14 of their last 17 games after not allowing more than four runs in at least six games. And while the Dodgers have played their last two games Under the Total, they have then won 50 of their last 67 games after playing two straight Unders. Additionally, Los Angeles has won 44 of their last 58 games when favored — and they have won 39 of their last 55 games against teams with a winning record. Manager Dave Roberts gave Scherzer an extra day of rest after he got the save in Game Five of the NLDS with a 13-pitch ninth inning on Thursday. The right-hander had a 15-4 record with a 2.46 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP in the regular season with the Dodgers and Washington Nationals. Since being acquired by Los Angeles, Scherzer posted a 7-0 record with a 1.98 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP in 11 regular season starts. In his three appearances in this postseason, Scherzer has a 1.46 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings. His teams have won 13 of their last 14 games on the road as a money-line favorite priced at -125 or higher when he is making the start. He faces a Braves team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .236 Batting Average, .297 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .688. Atlanta has lost 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog priced at +150 or higher. They have also lost 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have lost 4 of their last 6 games in the playoffs as an underdog. And in their last 7 home games in the NLCS, the Braves have lost 5 of these games. They counter with Anderson who has a 9-5 record with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 24 starts. He has regressed a in the second half of the season a bit with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in his last eight starts. The deeper sabermetrics have been calling for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.38 and 3.96 moving forward. Anderson did pitch five scoreless innings in his last start on Monday in the NLDS against Milwaukee — but Atlanta has lost 5 of their last 6 games with Anderson following up a start where he did not allow an earned run. The Braves have also lost 5 of their last 7 games with Anderson pitching as a money-line underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has won 5 of their last 7 playoff games when trailing in the series. They have covered the -1.5 Run-Line spread in 18 of their last 21 victories when favored at a -155 or higher price including nine of these last ten situations. 25* MLB Sunday TBS-TV Run-Line of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers (907) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Ian Anderson. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Cleveland Browns (268) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (267). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (3-2) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with their 47-42 loss in Los Angeles against the Chargers as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. Arizona (5-0) remained undefeated this season with their 17-10 victory at home against San Francisco as a 6-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BROWNS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland lost to the Chargers despite outgaining them by +38 net yards. The Browns have won the yardage battle in all five of their games this season — but two blown double-digit leads represent the two blemishes on their record. Cleveland has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Browns have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after playing a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. This is a bad matchup for the Cardinals who allowed their opponents to average 5.4 Yards-Per-Carry. Cleveland leads the NFL by averaging 188 rushing YPG and 5.4 Yards-Per-Carry. Granted, the Browns are missing Nick Chubb for this game — but this is an opportunity for Kareem Hunt to be the featured back. Cleveland’s ground game thrives from one of the best offensive lines in the league. They rushed for 230 yards last week against the Chargers — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. And while they outrushed the Chargers by +118 rushing yards, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after outrushing their last opponent by at least +100 yards. Cleveland has also covered the point spread in 6 straight games against non-conference opponents. Arizona may be due for a letdown after their undefeated start to the season. They have covered the point spread in three straight games with their last two games against the Rams and 49ers. But the Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning their last two games against NFC West opponents. Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. And in their last 36 games after winning three games in a row, they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of these games. As if traveling east was enough of a challenge, the Cardinals are dealing with a COVID outbreak that will keep not only head coach Kliff Kingsbury but also their quarterbacks' coach from traveling with the team. My cynical reaction to this news is that Arizona may be better off without Kingsbury — but he is the play-caller for the team. The loss of the QB coach is also big since he is the one who communicates Kyler Murray’s in-game thoughts and preferences to the play-caller. The loss of these coaches on the sidelines creates chaos — the Saints got beat badly by 19 points at Carolina in Week Two after their COVID outbreak left them without some coaches on the sidelines. Their best pass rusher Chandler Jones is also out with COVID. Murray is not 100% either as he is dealing with an arm injury. Murray only ran for one yard last week while dealing with that injury. Arizona is just 1-7-1 straight-up when Murray does not rush for at least 15 yards.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. To compound matters even more for the Cardinals, high winds in the 20 miles-per-hour range are expected in Cleveland this afternoon — making a good rushing attack even more valuable with the wind impacting balls in the air. 25* NFL Game of the Month with the Cleveland Browns (268) minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals (267). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Mercury (607) plus the points versus the Chicago Sky (608). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (25-17) finds themselves on the brink of losing the WNBA title after their 86-50 loss on the road against the Sky as a 3-point underdog on Friday. Chicago (23-18) can win the championship this afternoon with their 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MERCURY PLUS THE POINTS: After consistently betting the WNBA for the first time in 2019 (with a 13-6 ATS mark — confirming that the fundamentals that I look for in the NBA and CBB tend to apply in this league as well), I have not followed the league as closely in the last two seasons — and I don’t invest in situations if the technical evidence does not support my qualitative assessment of the situation. This is primarily because of the WNBA changing their schedule because of the pandemic — following the league closely enough to invest is too low on my long list of Things To Do during football season (in 2019) or the thick of the NBA/NHL season (earlier this year). I have paid a bit of attention to the WNBA over the last few weeks since I do follow the Las Vegas team — and I almost pulled the trigger on a play then. This situation today is simply too good to pass up — and I would regret it if I did not get down on it. Phoenix only made 25.8% of the shots on Thursday in what was the worst shooting effort of their season. Their loss by 36 points was the largest losing margin in the history of the WNBA playoffs. The Mercury are good — they have a big three of Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Skylar Diggins-Smith who are as good a trio as any team in the league. They outlasted a very good Aces team in the Semifinals in five games. And this is a veteran group that won the WNBA title in 2014. With the 3-point shot, sometimes these lopsided games just happen. Taurasi and Diggins-Smith combined to make just 3 of 19 shots (15.8%). They should shoot better today which will open up space for Griner down low. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. What caught my eye about the Mercury is that they have played better on the road this season where they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games. Phoenix has a 15-6 record on the road but just a 10-11 record on their home court. Furthermore, the Mercury has covered the point spread in 36 of their last 52 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Chicago played their best defensive game of the season since their first game of the year. They allow their opponents to make 40.2% of their 3-point shots when playing at home even after Phoenix made only 5 of their 20 shots from behind the arc on Friday. The Sky have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with one day of rest. Chicago is a much better team with a healthy Candace Parker — they have a 20-9 record with her healthy and just a 1-8 mark without her this season. Realizing this kept me from fading the Sky off a big win in the Semifinals against Connecticut, but I am comfortable taking Phoenix in this spot (especially after such an embarrassing effort). The Sky are just 10-10 on their home court after Friday — and have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 home games when favored. Chicago is also just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Mercury are a veteran team with plenty of playoff experience. Taurasi is like Chris Paul at this point in their careers — if he ever won an NBA Title. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 playoff games as an underdog. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in the WNBA Finals. The Mercury should keep this game very close with a good chance to force a climactic fifth and final game to determine the WNBA champion. 25* WNBA Game of the Year with the Phoenix Mercury (607) plus the points versus the Chicago Sky (608). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Kansas State Wildcats (198) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (197). THE SITUATION: Kansas State (3-2) has lost two games in a row after their 37-31 loss to Oklahoma two weeks ago on October 2nd as a 12-point underdog. Iowa State (3-2) has won two of their last three games after their 59-7 win against Kansas as a 34.5-point favorite two Saturdays ago.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS PLUS THE POINTS: Kansas State lost to the Sooners despite outgaining them by +28 net yards. Quarterback Skylar Thomson completed 29 of 41 passes for 320 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a losing effort. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Kansas State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their las 5 games after losing two of their last three games. This program under head coach Bill Snyder and now Chris Klieman have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a bye week. They stay at home where they are scoring 33.3 PPG and outgaining their guests by +66.3 net Yards-Per-Game. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home as an underdog. Kansas State has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games as a dog overall — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games against Big 12 opponents. And in their last 55 games in October, the Wildcats are 37-16-2 ATS. Iowa State may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by 28 or more points. Additionally, the Cyclones have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 50 points in their last game. Iowa State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. After committing four turnovers in their showdown with Iowa last month, the Cyclones have not committed more than one turnover in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not committing more than one turnover in three straight games. Now this team goes on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas State has likely had this game circled after getting embarrassed in Ames last year where the Cyclones crushed them by a 45-0 score. The Wildcats will have revenge on their mind — and they upset Iowa State two years ago in Manhattan by a 27-17 score as a 4-point underdog. 25* CFB Saturday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Kansas State Wildcats (198) plus the points versus the Iowa State Cyclones (197). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: The Eagles pulled off a nice win against a solid Panthers team last week. They held Carolina to just 267 yards in the win. Philadelphia had lost three games in a row where they did not cover the point spread — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after only covering the point spread once in their last four games. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing two of their last three games. And in their last 65 home games after only covering the point spread once in their last three games, the Eagles have covered the point spread a decisive 42 times. Philly is winless at home this year in difficult games against San Francisco and Kansas City — but they outgained both those teams by a combined +6.0 net Yards-Per-Game. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games when an underdog getting 7.5 to 10 points. Tampa Bay may be due for a letdown after their blowout win against the Dolphins. The Buccaneers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by 14 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after playing a game where at least 60 combined points were scored. Tampa Bay has enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning the turnover battle in two straight games. The Buccaneers have a stout run defense — but they are allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 72.9% of their passes for a whopping 314 Yards-Per-Game in the air. The Tampa Bay defense will be without two important starters in linebacker Lavonte David and free safety Antoine Winfield as they are dealing with injuries. Now they go on the road where they are getting outscored by -4.0 PPG. They are scoring just 21.5 PPG in their first two games away from home — and quarterback Tom Brady is dealing with an injured right hand which may slow him down in the passing game. His safety valve in Rob Gronkowski is also still out tonight with a rib injury. The Buccaneers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Tampa Bay is also 4-13-1 ATS in their last 18 games in October.

FINAL TAKE: The Buccaneers have been inconsistent this season which is not a big surprise for teams coming off Super Bowl triumphs. These are the types of games where these champions tend to underachieve — especially when on a short week. Tampa Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games played on a Thursday night. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a Thursday. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month with the Philadelphia Eagles (110) plus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (109). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAVENS MINUS THE POINTS: Baltimore is dealing with injuries — but head coach John Harbaugh has instilled the “next man up” culture with his team. The Ravens outgained the Broncos by +152 net yards by holding Denver to just 254 total yards. Baltimore has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a win by 14 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after outgaining their last opponent by +150 or more yards. Quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to improve in the passing game. He leads the NFL by averaging 12.1 air-yards per pass attempt — and his 14.4 yards-per-completion also leads the league. He completed 22 of 37 passes for 316 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions while only running for an additional 28 yards — he beat the tough Broncos defense with his arm. Now after playing their last three games on the road, the Ravens return home for just the second time this season. Baltimore has covered the point spread in 4 straight home games — and they have coiffed the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when favored. Additionally, the Ravens have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record. Baltimore has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after the first month of the season under Harbaugh. Indianapolis has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. And while they held the Dolphins to just 35 yards, they have then lost 6 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last contest. This Colts team is riddled with injuries — and they do not have the quality of depth that the Ravens do. Twelve players are on  Injured Reserve — and starting guard Braden Smith and cornerback Rock Ya-Son and first-round draft pick defensive end Kity Paye are all out for tonight. Indianapolis is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis is being outgained and outscored this season — and Baltimore is outgaining their opponents by +61.2 net Yards-Per-Game. The Ravens have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games on Monday Night Football. 25* AFC Game of the Month with the Baltimore Ravens (480) minus the points versus the Indianapolis Colts (479). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 4:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (688) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (687). THE SITUATION: Hamilton (4-4) looks to rebound from their 23-20 upset loss in overtime to Montreal as a 3.5-point favorite back on October 2nd. Toronto (5-3) has won two in a row after their 35-16 win against Ottawa as a 9.5-point favorite last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGER-CATS MINUS THE POINTS: The situation offers Hamilton simply a huge advantage — they have not played in nine days and they host an Argonauts team that just played five days ago. The Tiger-Cats have much to prove after blowing a 14-point lead to the Alouettes. Hamilton has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. The T-Cats play tough defense — they are holding their opponents to just 17.7 Points-Per-Game and 326.1 total YPG. That loss broke an eleven-game winning streak at home at Tim Horton’s Field. They are still outscoring their guests by +5.3 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games when favored by seven points or less. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after the first month of the season. Toronto scored three non-offensive touchdowns on Wednesday against the Redblacks — they scored on 71 and 82-yard interceptions returned for touchdowns and they scored on a 23-yard blocked punt returned for a touchdown. Those scores obscured the fact that they were outgained by -153 net yards while gaining just 253 total yards. The Argonauts are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after winning two in a row against East Division opponents. Despite their 5-3 record, Toronto is being outscored and outgained this season. Now they go back on the road where they are 1-3 this season and getting outscored by -9.3 net PPG because they only score 16.2 PPG away from home. They are 11-25-1 ATS in their last 37 games on the road — and they are 9-22-1 ATS in their last road games as an underdog. The Argonauts have not fared well on these special Monday games for Canadian Labour Day or Thanksgiving — they are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 games on a Monday.

FINAL TAKE: Former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli will benefit from the extended time to practice and prepare for this game after being rushed back from injury to get back under center with quarterback Dane Evans out with an injury since mid-September. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 223 yards in the loss to Montreal. Hamilton will be looking to avenge a 17-16 loss at Toronto in a pick ‘em game back on September 10th — and the Tiger-Cats have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when motivated by revenge. 25* CFL Monday Game of the Year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (688) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (687). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 8:07 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Chicago White Sox (934) versus the Houston Astros (933) listing both starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Luis Garcia. THE SITUATION: Chicago (93-71) has lost three games in a row after their 9-4 loss in Houston against the Astros on Friday. Houston (97-67) has won four games in a row after taking a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WHITE SOX WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Chicago has won 12 of their last 17 games after a loss — and they have won 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The White Sox have also won 4 of their last 5 games after an off-day. They return home where they have a 53-28 record this season at Guaranteed Rate Field. Chicago has won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record — and they have won 4 of their last 5 playoff games at home. They have also won 12 of their last 16 home games when priced in the +/- 125 range. Furthermore, the White Sox have won 6 of their last 7 games when favored — and they have won 7 of their last 9 playoff games when favored. Manager Tony LaRussa taps Cease as his starting pitcher. The right-hander had a 13-7 record in the regular season with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 32 starts. The right-hander was more effective at home where he owned a 3.18 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in 16 starts as compared to his 4.69 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .241. Chicago has won 16 of their last 24 games with Cease pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -110 or higher. Houston has lost 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have lost 7 of their last 8 games in the playoffs in potential close-out situations. The Astros have lost 4 straight games on the road — and they have lost 7 straight road games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. And in their last 53 road games when priced in the +/- 125 range, they have lost 33 of these contests. Manager Dusty Baker counters with Garcia who has an 11-8 record with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 30 appearances (28 starts). The right-hander does his best pitching at home in Minute Maid Park where he owns a 2.39 ERA,1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .210 — but those numbers rise to a 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in 15 starts. The Astros have lost 6 of their last 8 games with Garcia pitching on the road priced in the +/- 125 range. He faces a White Sox team that scores 5.1 Runs-Per-Game at home — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has lost 4 of their last 5 games in Chicago against the White Sox — and the White Sox have won 22 of their last 32 home games when motivated by double-revenge. 25* MLB Divisional Series Game of the Year with the money-line on the Chicago White Sox (934) versus the Houston Astros (933) listing both starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Luis Garcia. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (927) versus the San Francisco Giants (928) listing both starting pitchers Julio Urias and Kevin Gausman. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (107-57) looks to rebound from losing the opening game of this best-of-five series last night by a 4-0 score. San Francisco (108-55) has won nine of their last ten games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Los Angeles entered the postseason on an eight-game winning streak — and they have still won 42 of their last 54 games. The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 13 games after a loss by four or more runs. Additionally, Los Angeles has won 8 of their last 9 games after a loss to a divisional rival where they did not score more than one run. The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 11 games after getting shutout in their last game including winning four of their five games after getting shutout this season. Los Angeles has won 49 of their last 67 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. And while they have not allowed more than four runs in four straight games, they have then won 28 of their last 26 games after not allowing more than four runs in four straight games. The Dodgers have still won 19 of their last 28 games on the road — and they have won 36 of their last 51 games against teams with a winning record. They have also won 8 of their last 11 games in the playoffs. Manager Dave Roberts gives the ball to Urias who has a 20-3 record with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 32 starts. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.71 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 18 starts as compared to his 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP at home. The Dodgers have won 15 of their last 17 road games with Urias pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -110 or higher. In his last 11 starts since the start of August, Urias has a 1.77 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. He also has plenty of postseason experience with 16 appearances in the playoffs with two starts in 27 1/3 innings. He has a 6-2 record in the postseason with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. San Francisco has lost 4 of their last 6 games after an upset victory as a home underdog against NL West opponent. The Giants counter with Gausman who has a 14-6 record with a 2.81 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 33 starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 3.44 ERA in 14 starts as opposed to his 2.33 ERA on the road. Gausman has not been the same pitching since the All-Star Break where he has a 4.42 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .276 in his last 15 starts. San Francisco has lost 10 of these last 15 starts with Gausman on the mound. His teams have also lost 11 of their last 17 games with Gausman the starting pitcher in games where his team is the money-line underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 12 games when avenging a shutout loss against their opponent including four of five of these situations this season. 25* MLB National League West Game of the Year with the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (927) versus the San Francisco Giants (928) listing both starting pitchers Julio Urias and Kevin Gausman. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the LSU Tigers (359) plus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (360). THE SITUATION: LSU (3-2) had their three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 24-19 upset loss at home to Auburn as a 3-point favorite. Kentucky (5-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 20-13 upset win at home against Florida as a 7.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINTS: LSU suffered their second upset loss this season after opening the year with an upset loss at UCLA. The Tigers have been resilient under head coach Ed Orgeron. LSU has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after an upset loss to an SEC rival as a home favorite — and they have covered the point spread 16 of their last 22 games on the road after an upset loss. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, LSU has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. The Tigers are scoring 31.4 PPG this season. They are getting good play from sophomore quarterback Max Johnson who is completing 62.4% of their passes with 16 touchdowns. He completed 26 of 46 passes for 325 yards in the loss to Auburn. LSU’s defense gave up 453 yards to Auburn — but they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. Despite the loss, they have not given up more than 25 points in four straight games. The Tigers go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 road games against teams with a winning record at home. LSU has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games in October. Kentucky enjoyed their biggest victory of the season buy upsetting the Gators — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games after an upset victory against an SEC rival where they were getting at least six points. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a win at home against a conference rival. Kentucky pulled off the upset despite getting outgained by -158 net yards and losing the first down battle, 21-13.3 The Wildcats upset a Florida team that was competitive against Alabama — but they also only beat UT-Chattanooga by five points despite being a 31-point favorite. Kentucky is living dangerously with a -9 net turnover margin. They have only forced three turnovers all season with one takeaway in three games. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not forcing more than one turnover in five straight games.

FINAL TAKE: This is an important game for this LSU program since they will likely be underdogs in the subsequent three games over a difficult stretch where they play Florida then at Mississippi and at Alabama. 25* CFB SEC Underdog of the Month with the LSU Tigers (359) plus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (360). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders (664) minus the points versus the Calgary Stampeders (663). THE SITUATION: Saskatchewan (5-3) looks to avenge a 23-17 upset loss at Calgary as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. Calgary (3-5) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROUGHRIDERS MINUS THE POINTS: Saskatchewan has rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. The Roughriders outgained the Stampeders in that game by +90 net yards — but they could not overcome the two-touchdown deficit they spotted them in the first quarter. Saskatchewan did hold the Stamps to just 268 yards in the game — 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. Now they return home where they are 4-1 this season with a +6.6 net Points-Per-Game margin. They are holding their visitors to just 17.2 PPG and 326.2 total YPG. Saskatchewan has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. They are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games in October. Calgary is just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after winning at least two of their last three games. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was not able to complete the game with a shoulder injury but he is expected to start tonight — although he may not be at 100%. It is been an up-and-down year for the veteran — he has thrown eight interceptions already while getting sacked 25 times. The Stampeders appear to have taken a step back since the lost season last year from the pandemic. They are being outgained by -28.2 net YPG. They have averaged only 273.5 total YPG in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after not averaging more than 275 YPG in their last two games. Calgary has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games in October — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against West Division opponents.

FINAL TAKE: This game looms large for the Roughriders since the Stampeders have been the thorn in their sides for years. Saskatchewan has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 opportunities to exact same-season revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when avenging a loss where they were upset as a road favorite. 25* CFL West Division Game of the Year with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (664) minus the points versus the Calgary Stampeders (663). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers (940) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the St. Louis Cardinals (939) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (106-56) enters the playoffs having won seven straight games after beating Milwaukee by a 10-3 score on Sunday. St. Louis (90-72) lost their final two games of the regular season with a 3-2 setback against the Chicago Cubs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: It may appear dangerous to spot a Cardinals team +1.5 runs after they won 17-straight games in a row last month — but hot streaks in September do not correlate with playoff success. There has never been a team that won 12 or more games in a row in the regular season after August 31st who then reached the World Series. Besides, while St. Louis finished the season on a 22-7 run since the start of September, Los Angeles also won at a .700+ clip over that span with a 23-9 mark. The Cardinals have lost 6 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog — and they have lost 19 of their last 26 playoff games on the road. They send out Wainwright who has a 17-7 record with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP this season. The deeper sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.13 and 3.87 moving forward. The right-hander was more effective at home where he owned a 2.74 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in 19 starts — but his ERA and WHIP rise to 3.58 and 1.14 marks in his 13 starts on the road. In his last four starts, Wainwright has a 3.68 ERA. He last pitched last Tuesday against the Brewers — and the Cardinals have lost 4 of their last 6 games with Wainwright pitching with seven or more days of rest. St. Louis has lost 10 of their last 15 games with Wainwright pitching in the playoffs. He faces a red-hot Dodgers lineup that has scored at least eight runs in five straight games. Los Angeles has won 12 of their last 17 games after scoring at least six runs in five straight games — and they have won 11 of their last 16 games after scoring at least nine runs in their last game. The Dodgers are scoring 7.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests with a .285 Batting Average, .368 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .987. Los Angeles has won 40 of their last 53 home games when favored. Additionally, the Dodgers have won 38 of their last 47 games this season when priced at -200 or higher — and they have won 83 of their last 103 games going back to last season when priced at -200 or higher. They counter with Scherzer who has a 15-4 record with a 2.46 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. The right-hander has a 7-0 record in 11 starts since being acquired by the Dodgers with a 1.98 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. His teams have won 20 of their 24 games this season when priced as a -110 or better favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles led MLB with a +269 run differential this season. They have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 42 of their 52 victories this season when priced at -200 or higher — and this includes them covering the -1.5 Run-Line in seven straight and eleven of these last twelve circumstances. St. Louis has failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in 11 of their 16 losses this season when priced as a money-line underdog at +145 or higher. 25* MLB Wildcard Playoff Run-Line of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers (940) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the St. Louis Cardinals (939) listing both starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Chicago White Sox (924) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Detroit Tigers (923) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Matt Manning. THE SITUATION: Chicago (92-68) has won five games in a row after their 8-1 win against the Tigers in the opening game of this final weekend series of the regular season. Detroit (76-84) has lost five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WHITE SOX MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Chicago has clinched the American League Central title — but they are playing with a sense of urgency with home-field advantage still at stake in their upcoming ALDS showdown with the Houston Astros next week. The White Sox are one game behind the Astros — so a loss clinches the home-field edge for the Astros. Chicago has won 41 of their last 57 home games after winning four or five of their last six games. The White Sox have also won a decisive 62 of their last 89 home games when favored. And while Chicago has given up only one run in three straight games — and they have won 11 of their last 17 games after not giving up more than one run in at least two in a row. Manager Tony LaRussa gives the ball to Giolito who has an 11-9 record with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP this season. The right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in eight straight starts going back to August 9th. Since the All-Star Break, Giolito has a 2.71 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in 12 starts — and he had a 2.35 ERA in his three starts in September. He did not give up an earned run in his last start at Cleveland on September 26th — and Chicago has won 7 of their last 10 games when Giolito is following up a start where he did not allow an earned run. He faces a Tigers team that has lost 5 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers. Detroit has lost 15 of their last 21 games when attempting to avenge a loss where they did not score more than one run. And while the Tigers lost by an 8-7 score in their previous meeting with the White Sox on September 27th, they have lost 49 of their last 62 games when playing with double-revenge from losses where they allowed at least eight runs in both contests. Detroit has also lost 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. They counter with Manning who has a 4-7 record with a 6.16 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP in 17 starts. The rookie right-hander is fading down the stretch with an 8.41 ERA and 1.71 WHI in five starts last month. Manning is also saddled with a 7.67 ERA in his seven starts on the road. The Tigers have lost 5 of their last 7 games with Manning pitching on the road as an underdog. Chicago has won 5 in a row against right-handed starting pitchers. The White Sox have also won 20 of their last 26 opportunities to host Detroit. 

FINAL TAKE: Chicago has covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 35 of their 43 victories this season when priced at -155 or higher — and this includes them covering the -1.5 Run-Line in nineteen of these last twenty-three circumstances. The Tigers have failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in 32 of their 39 losses this year priced at +145 or higher — and this includes them failing to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in eighteen of these last twenty-two situations. 25* MLB American League Central Run-Line of the Month with the Chicago White Sox (924) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Detroit Tigers (923) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Matt Manning. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAGUARS PLUS THE POINTS: Successful long-term gambling in football requires the willingness to back bad teams — the ones that the betting public does not want to touch. Two bad teams are playing tonight — so taking the one getting a touchdown in points offers value. This is just the fourth time in head coach Zac Taylor’s three-year year tenure as the head coach of the Bengals — and this is the first time that Cincinnati is laying more than a field goal. The Bengals lost the two games they were favored in Taylor’s rookie season. Their lone win and point spread cover as a favorite under Taylor was their 33-25 win against the Jaguars last October as a 1-point favorite. With Urban Meyer now the head coach and Trevor Lawrence under center, this is a different Jacksonville team. Frankly, the Bengals are primed for a letdown after their triumph against their heated AFC North rival in the Steelers. Did Cincinnati win that game — or did Pittsburgh lose it? The Bengals gained only 268 yards. They ran only 42 plays while the Steelers took 77 snaps under center. Cincy converted only three of nine of their third-down opportunities — a disturbing continuation from last season when they were 30th in the NFL by converting 36.2% of their third-down opportunities. But the Bengals pulled off their second upset victory of the season after beating Minnesota in Week One as an underdog. Cincinnati has 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 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. I like quarterback Joe Burrow — and would like him even more if played behind an even average offensive line. The Bengals allowed 48 sacks last season — and they have surrendered 10 sacks so far this season despite the Steelers failing to sack Burrow even once. Cincinnati got the memo to run the ball more after Burrow’s season-ending injury last year just to keep Burrow out of harm’s way. The Bengals are running the ball 52% of the time. But that also means that they are scoring only 22.7 Points-Per-Game while averaging just 291.0 total YPG. I am not sold on Taylor as a head coach, yet another beneficiary of once being in the same room as Sean McVay. With offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, he has assembled a support staff that will not threaten his authority. The Bengals are dealing with injuries in their secondary as well. Two starters are likely out with cornerback Chidobe Awuzie doubtful with a groin and free safety Jessie Bates out with a neck injury. Backup safety Ricardo Allen, a free agent signing from Atlanta in the offseason, is on IR. Cincinnati gave up 297 passing yards last week (after surrendering 336 passing yards to the Vikings in Week One) — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Jacksonville held a 19-10 lead against an undefeated Arizona team midway through the third quarter. A 29-yard interception returned for a touchdown near the end of the third quarter gave the Cardinals the lead for good. Turnovers are killing the Jaguars — their nine giveaways are most in the NFL. Lawrence has thrown seven interceptions already this season after not having a problem with picks in his college career at Clemson. Jacksonville had five net close losses within one scoring possession last season. They lost at home to Denver the previous week by a 23-13 score — but the Jaguars have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing two in a row by double-digits at home. Jacksonville did rush for 159 yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. Running the football will protect Lawrence from trying to do too much — and Chicago was able to rush for 123 yards against the Bengals in their only loss so far this season. Cincinnati was 29th in the NFL last year by allowing 148.0 rushing YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Meyer is not used to losing — and this is one of the most getable games on the Jacksonville schedule. With veteran offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and former Baltimore defensive backs coach Joe Cullen as the defensive coordinator, Meyer has a veteran staff with experience operating on a short week. This should be a close game against a Bengals team feeling very good about themselves. And Burrow is without one of his important weapons in wide receiver Tee Higgins who is out with a shoulder injury. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month with the Jacksonville Jaguars (101) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bengals (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the Toronto Blue Jays (918) versus the New York Yankees (917) listing both starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Corey Kluber. THE SITUATION: Toronto (88-70) has won three of their last four games after their 6-5 win against the Yankees in the second game of their series last night. New York (90-68) had their seven-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE JAYS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Toronto has won 22 of their last 31 games as they make a furious push to take a wildcard spot in the American League playoffs. The Blue Jays are two games behind the Yankees, one game behind the Boston Red Sox, and a half-game behind the Seattle Mariners for the two spots entering the day. Toronto’s gotta have it — but they send out their ace in Ray (more on that below). The Blue Jays have won 10 of their last 15 games after a win by just one run. Toronto has also won 12 of their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 8 of their last 10 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. The Blue Jays have now won 9 of their last 12 games at home — and they have won 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. Ray has a 13-6 record with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 31 starts. The lefty has a 2.28 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .194 in 16 starts at home. Ray has made his case for the American League Cy Young Award with his 2.16 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .203 since the All-Star Break. Toronto has won 8 of their last 10 games with Ray pitching as a money-line favorite priced up to -150. New York has lost 12 of their last 18 games on the road after a loss by two runs or less. Furthermore, the Yankees have lost 13 of their last 18 road games after winning four or five of their last six games — and they have lost 15 of their last 23 road games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They counter with Kluber who has a 5-3 record with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 15 starts. In his five starts since his return from the disabled list, he has a 5.72 ERA. In his five starts on the road, he has a 5.00 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .250 as compared to his 2.75 ERA and .231 batting average in eight starts at home. The deeper sabermetrics are not encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.29 respectively. The Yankees have lost 9 of their last 13 games with Kluber pitching as a money-line underdog priced from +125 to +175. New York has lost 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Blue Jays.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto scores 5.4 Runs-Per-Game at home — and they have won 9 of their last 12 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Blue Jays have also won 7 of their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB Game of the Month with the money-line on the money-line on the Toronto Blue Jays (918) versus the New York Yankees (917) listing both starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Corey Kluber. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:20 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (958) versus the Philadelphia Phillies (957) listing both starting pitchers Max Fried and Aaron Nola. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (84-72) has won four straight and eight of their last nine games after their 2-1 victory in the opening game of their series with the Phillies last night. Philadelphia (81-76) has lost two in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRAVES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Atlanta has won 6 of their last 7 games after a win — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Braves have won 5 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have won 24 of their last 33 games against NL East opponents. They give the ball to Fried who has a 13-7 record with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 27 starts. The left-hander has been a bit more effective at home where he owns a 3.09 ERA and a .224 opponent's batting average in 13 starts as compared to his 3.14 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .235 on the road. Fried has been spectacular in the second half of the season. In his last ten starts since the beginning of August, Fried has a 1.48 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 67 innings. Atlanta has won 14 of their last 16 games with Fried pitching as a money-line favorite priced up to -150. He faces a Phillies team that has lost 4 straight road games against left-handed starting pitchers. Philadelphia has lost 27 of their last 40 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game — and they have lost 15 of their last 22 games after a game where no more than four combined runs were scored. The Phillies have lost 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record — and they have lost 4 straight road games as a money-line underdog. They counter with Nola who has a 9-8 record with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 31 starts. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 3.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .223 — but those rise to a 5.32 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .246 in 17 starts on the road. Nola has struggled in his five starts this month with a 6.58 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .260. The Phillies have lost 21 of their last 32 games in September with Nola making the start.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has lost 8 of their last 11 games played at Truist Park in Atlanta. The Phillies trail the Braves in the NL East title race by 3 1/2 games with just five to play — so a loss tonight all-but eliminates them from the playoff race. The writing has been on the wall for Philly for a while now. 25* MLB National League East Game of the Year with the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (958) versus the Philadelphia Phillies (957) listing both starting pitchers Max Fried and Aaron Nola. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the San Francisco Giants (914) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Arizona Diamondbacks (913) listing both starting pitchers Logan Webb and Luke Weaver. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (102-54) has won three straight games — and five of their last six contests — after their 6-2 win at Colorado on Sunday. Arizona (50-106) has lost six of their last eight games after their 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GIANTS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: San Francisco had a 2-1 lead after five innings on Sunday before their bullpen allowed the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. The Giants won the game with four runs in the top of the ninth inning. San Francisco has won 18 of their last 24 games after blowing a save in their last game. Additionally, the Giants have won 43 of their last 61 games after a win — and they have won 44 of their last 58 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. San Francisco has also won 20 of their last 27 games after an off day. The Giants are two games ahead in the NL West — but they have plenty to play for still since finishing in second place in the division relegates them to single-elimination wild-card playoff games. San Francisco won the first two games of their series with the Rockies by 7-2 scores. They have won 15 of their last 19 games after winning two games in a row by at least four runs — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games after winning three games in a row by at least four runs. They give the ball to Webb who has a 10-3 record with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 25 games (24 starts). The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 1.76 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .208 in 11 games (10 starts). The deeper sabermetrics are encouraging for Webb with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.10 and 2.85 respectively. The Giants have won all 10 games Webb has started at home this year. He faces a cold-hitting Diamondbacks team that is scoring only 3.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .225 Batting Average, .290 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .665. Arizona has lost 42 of their last 53 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Diamondbacks have lost 12 of their last 14 games after getting shut out in their last game. Furthermore, they have lost 26 of their last 28 games after not scoring more than one run in their last game -- and they have lost 25 of their last 29 games after not scoring more than two runs in their last contest. They go back on the road where they have lost 50 of their last 61 games on the road. They counter with Weaver who has a 3-6 record with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 12 starts. While the right-hander has a 2.31 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .188, those numbers skyrocket to a 7.94 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .299 in his five starts on the road. Arizona has lost 7 of their last 10 road games with Weaver pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Weaver also has a 5.55 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in seven starts at night. He faces a Giants team that is scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games. San Francisco has won 40 of their last 53 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 23 of their 32 victories when priced at -155 or higher this season — and they have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 19 of these last 24 situations. Arizona has failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in 47 of their 62 losses when priced at +145 or higher including 25 of these last 30 circumstances. 25* MLB National League West Run-Line of the Month with the San Francisco Giants (914) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Arizona Diamondbacks (913) listing both starting pitchers Logan Webb and Luke Weaver. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: Dallas is highly valued by the betting public right now after following up their nationally-televised 2-point loss at Tampa Bay to open the season with an upset win on the road against Justin Herbert’s Chargers. But the Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 47 of their last 69 home games when laying the points. Even if you like the potential of this Cowboys’ team, they have already been hit hard by injuries. Starting defensive linemen DeMarcus Lawrence and Neville Gallimore are both on IR. So is cornerback Kelvin Joseph, their second-round draft pick from Kentucky. Three more depth defensive linemen are out with injuries. Starting strong safety Donovan Wilson is doubtful with a groin injury. A COVID outbreak will keep linebacker Keanu Allen and defensive end Bradley Anae out tonight. On offense, right tackle La’el Collins is suspended for missing drug tests and backup tackle Ty Nsekhe is out with an illness. Wide receiver Michael Gallup is on IR and fellow starting wide receiver Amari Cooper is dealing with a ribs injury (but it looks like he will play). This is just a bunch of attrition for an organization that has not met point spread expectations in situations like this. Dallas did gain 419 yards last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game. The Cowboys allowed 408 yards to the Chargers — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. The Dallas defense gave up 431 yards to the Buccaneers — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 375 yards in two straight games. Philadelphia outgained the 49ers last week by a 328-306 margin despite only having the ball for 25:06 minutes of the game. They averaged 6.2 Yards-Per-Play while holding the Niners to just 4.0 YPP. They crushed Atlanta on the road in their opening game by a 32-6 score. This appears to be a well-coached team. Rookie head coach Nick Sirianni may not be ready for prime-time when it comes to televised press conferences, but his game plans have been sound — and the players seem to have completely bought in. Coordinators Shane Steichen and Jonathan Graham have been effective. Graham’s defense is allowing only 11.5 Points-Per-Game and 283.0 total Yards-Per-Game. Steichen’s offense is generating 381.0 total YPG. They have schemed well for quarterback Jalen Hurts who has been effective with his passing and his rushing. The Eagles hit rock bottom last season but the impact of injuries should not be underestimated. Philadelphia was last in the NFL in adjusted games lost to injury on offense with the wide receiver and offensive line unites decimated. While right guard Brandon Brooks went on IR this week, the line is in much better shape now as is the wide receiver room which was bolstered with the drafting of DeVonta Smith in the first round. Sirianni inherited a pretty good roster. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 road games played on Monday Night Football. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 appearances on Monday Night Football. And in the Cowboys’ last 6 games against NFC East rivals, they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games. 25* NFC East Game of the Month with the Philadelphia Eagles (498) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (497). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS MINUS THE POINTS: The 49ers are dealing with injuries which is situation normal for head coach Kyle Shanahan. San Francisco had 161.6 adjusted games lost to injury last season — and that is before looking at lost time because of COVID — which was the most games lost since the Chicago Bears in 2017. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have done a great job in establishing depth and developing a next-man up mentality. The 49ers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games when favored under Shanahan’s leadership. While San Francisco led the NFL with 32 players in Injured Reserve last season, it was the loss of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that was the biggest loss. Much was made of the Niners selected quarterbacks Trey Lance as the third pick in the NFL, that pick said more about Garoppolo’s propensity to get injured than it did about his talent. Garoppolo led this team to a Super Bowl — and he is healthy right now. Lance offers the team a threat with his legs under center. After not playing much last week, don’t be surprised if Shanahan rope-a-doped the Packers’ coaching staff and will have some special Lance packages for this showdown. The 49ers have been hit hard with injuries at running back — but this is the position on the field most resilient to injuries. Ohio State rookie Trey Sermon oozes with talent after being picked in the third round — and Shanahan has claimed he has looked great in practice this week. The running game is predicated on the offensive line — and this unit is heathy and clicking for the Niners. San Francisco has allowed only one sack so far this season. The 49ers will be playing with revenge from their 34-17 loss at home to Green Bay last year — but that game was played on November 5th when the team was already decimated with injuries. San Francisco not only swept the Packers in their two meetings at Levi’s Stadium in the 2019-20 season, they overwhelmed them by a 74-28 scoring edge. The 49ers controlled the line of scrimmage in both games — and they rushed for 285 yards on 42 carries in the NFC Championship Game that year. Green Bay is soft — they struggle against physical teams. Their best chance of fighting back has been their good offensive line — but injuries and free agent defections leaves them without their three best lineman from the 2019-20 team that got embarrassed. ,b>All-Pro center Corey Linsley was allowed to sign with the Chargers. All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered on December 31st. And now their emerging stud at left guard (playing left tackle for Bakhtiari), Elgton Jenkins, is out with an ankle which leaves them relying on Yosh Nijman on the left side. I think the Aaron Rodgers drama is a distraction that is eroding the chemistry and morale of this team — but do not underestimate the simple loss of talent on the offensive line for this team. Here comes Nick Bosa and three other former first round picks on the offensive line. In Rodgers’ last four games against the Niners since October 2018, he has been sacked 12 times while losing four fumbles. The Packers were losing at halftime against Detroit on Monday before the Lions’ failed fourth down within field goal range changed the momentum of that game. Green Bay’s defense has surrendered 17 points in the first half in each of their first two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after giving up 17 or more first half points in two straight contests. The Packers’ defense has registered only one sack this season. Cornerback Kenny King has become a liability after getting burned at the end of the first half against Tampa Bay in last year’s NFC Championship Game. Green Bay is also missing their second-best defensive player (to cornerback Jaire Alexander) in linebacker Za’Darius Smith who is on IR with a back injury. Former Michigan first-round draft pick Rashan Gary has disappointed in his development as a pass rusher. Now Green Bay goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: The weight of losing two straight NFC Conference Championship Games seems to be too much for the Packers. General manager Brian Gutenkunst poured gasoline on this situation by wasting a precious first round draft pick (and the traded draft picks) for quarterback Jordan Love. Head coach Matt LaFleur demonstrated a lack of confidence in Rodgers by electing to kick a field goal down 8 points late in the NFC Championship Game against Tampa Bay despite being inside the 10-yard line. And now after the team claimed to “not ready to play” in San Francisco in the 2020 NFC Championship Game, this group is going to rally with all this going on — on a short week? I don’t think so. San Francisco has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NFC Game of the Month with the  San Francisco 49ers (496) minus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (495). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami Dolphins (487) plus the points versus the Las Vegas Raiders (488). THE SITUATION: Miami (1-1) looks to pick themselves off the mat after a 35-0 loss at home to Buffalo as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday. Las Vegas (2-0) pulled off their second-straight upset victory in their 26-17 upset win at Pittsburgh as a 5.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DOLPHINS PLUS THE POINTS: This is a situation too good to pass up despite some injury and offensive line concerns. I am trusting the process — and the wisdom of the point spread — in this one. The Dolphins were completely flat last week in their divisional loss to the Bills. They may have been suffering the hangover of returning from New England where they just beat the Patriots. The early injury to Tua Tagovailoa did not help matters. But Miami ran into a buzzsaw that was an angry Bills team coming off an upset loss to Pittsburgh. There is nothing like an NFL team getting shut out that will generate attentive minds in practice the next week. In Brian Flores, I Trust in righting the Dolphins’ ship this week. Miami has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after a loss by 14 or more points. The Dolphins have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 11 games after surrendering at least 30 points, Miami has covered the point spread 10 times. The Dolphins have a good defense that was tied for fifth in the league by allowing 21.1 PPG last season. Miami led the NFL in third-down defense, three-and-outs, and yards allowed per drive, and takeaways last season. They were also fourth in the league in Red Zone points allowed. They held the Bills to just 314 yards last week despite the 35 points. After gaining only 214 total yards, the Dolphins need to reconfigure their offense. Flores has overseen the reshuffling of their offensive line. Getting wide receiver Will Fuller into the mix after the former Houston Texan missed the opening two games help — he is a speedster who had eight touchdowns in eleven games last year. Fuller alongside rookie Jaylen Waddle could be a game-changer for this offense. Jacoby Brissett completed only 24 of 40 passes for 169 yards in relief last week — but the veteran is one of the better backups in the league with 32 career starts. He has tossed 31 career touchdown passes to just 14 interceptions — and he adds a threat with his legs. Miami has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. The Dolphins have also covered the point spread in 5 straight road games with the Total set at 42.5 to 45 — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. Miami has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Las Vegas may be due for an emotional letdown after pulling off two straight upset victories. We had the Raiders in their home opener with fans finally in Allegiant Stadium in their Monday night upset win against Baltimore. And while most of the world faded Las Vegas last week at Pittsburgh, we successfully avoided that trap (the Steelers' side of that situation was unappealing). Now the Raiders return home triumphant heroes — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after two straight upset wins. Las Vegas has not been a reliable favorite under head coach Jon Gruden. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. They will likely be without starting running back Josh Jacobs and right guard Richie Incognito. Missing Jacobs will put more pressure on Derek Carr.  the Raiders only rushed for 52 yards last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. And while Carr has passed for at least 373 yards in his first two games, Las Vegas has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after passing for at least 300 yards in two straight games. The Raiders’ defense has played better (the August acquisitions of linebackers K.J. Wright and Denzel Perryman was massive for this team to overcome general manager Mike Mayock’s whiffs in the draft) — but I am not sold that this is an elite unit quite yet. Baltimore gained 406 yards against them before Ben Roethlisberger passed for 292 yards last week.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog — and they are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games against the Raiders. 25* NFL Underdog of the Month with the Miami Dolphins (487) plus the points versus the Las Vegas Raiders (488). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the TCU Horned Frogs (390) minus the points versus the SMU Mustangs (389). THE SITUATION: TCU (2-0) is undefeated so far this season after their 34-32 win against California two weeks ago as an 11.5-point favorite. SMU (3-0) is also unbeaten this year after their 39-37 win at Louisiana Tech last Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNED FROGS MINUS THE POINTS: TCU outgained the Golden Bears by a 505-442 yardage mark two weeks ago — but Max Duggan throwing an 84-yard interception that was returned for a touchdown helped Cal stay competitive in the game. TCU controlled possession for 36:23 minutes in the game which is a good sign for head coach Gary Patterson. The extra week to rest and prepare for the Mustangs will help the defensive mastermind shore up a unit that gave up an uncharacteristic 442 total yards. TCU has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 43 of their last 68 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. The Horned Frogs gained 505 total yards against Cal — and they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after gaining at least 475 yards in their last game. TCU’s offense had to overcome many injuries early in the season last year. After a rough 1-3 start, the Horned Frogs finished strong by winning five of their last six games — so they enter this contest on a seven of eight-run overall. Duggan is a third-year sophomore quarterback who looks poised for a breakout season. He completed 17 of 31 passes for 2234 yards with three touchdowns against Cal while adding 71 rushing yards with another touchdown on the ground. Running back Zach Evans added 190 rushing yards in that game. The Horned Frogs’ defense should play better with seven starters back from the unit that allowed 24.2 PPG and 351 total Yards-Per-Game. TCU hosts this game where they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games when favored. SMU got a 33-yard hail mary touchdown pass from quarterback Tanner Mordecai on the final play of the game to avoid being upset by Louisiana Tech last weekend. But the Mustangs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road after a victory where they did not cover the point spread — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 21 games after a close win decided by three points or less. The defense for head coach Sonny Dykes looks to be a problem once again this season. After giving up 506 yards to North Texas two weeks ago, Louisiana Tech generated 483 yards. Now they face another spread offensive attack but now with Power-Five conference recruits. The deeper metrics indict the unit. The Mustangs are just 88th in the nation in Adjusted Line Yards allowed indicating their struggles in stopping the run. They rank 74th in opponent’s Success Rate against the pass — and they are just 96th in Havoc Rate on defense. They have allowed 384 and 351 passing yards in their last two games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 325 passing yards in their last game. SMU stays on the road for the second straight week where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 road games as an underdog getting 7.5 to 10 points. The Mustangs have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games in expected high-scoring games with the Total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Patterson has had two weeks to pound into his team the memory of their 41-38 loss at home to SMU back on September 21st in the last meeting between these two teams. TCU was a 7.5-point favorite in that game. 25* CFB Saturday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the TCU Horned Frogs (390) minus the points versus the SMU Mustangs (389). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Boston Red Sox (920) versus the New York Yankees (919) listing both starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Gerrit Cole. THE SITUATION: Boston (88-65) has won seven games in a row with their 12-5 victory against the New York Mets on Wednesday. New York (86-67) has won three straight games after their 7-3 victory against on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED SOX WITH THE MONEY-LINE: These American League East rivals are in a heated battle for the wild card spots for the playoffs — and Boston has the upper hand with a two-game lead over the Yankees along with a three-game lead over Toronto and a four-game over Seattle who is sticking around in the final ten days of the season. The Red Sox are rolling right now — and they have won 36 of their last 56 games after winning at least two in a row. Boston has also won 6 straight games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 12 runs n their last contest. The Red Sox have also won 4 of their last 5 games after an off day. Boston stays at home at Fenway Park where they have won 36 of their last 52 games — and they have won 6 straight home games with the Total set in the 9-9.5 range. Eovaldi gets the ball with his 10-8 record with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 30 starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 2.99 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .233 in 18 starts. Boston has won 6 of their 8 games at home this season with Eovaldi pitching when priced in the +/- 125 range. Eovaldi has thrived over his last seven starts where he has not allowed more than three runs — he has a 2.27 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in those seven starts since August 11th. He will be supposed by a bullpen that has a 1.99 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in their last seven games. He faces a Yankees team that does not hit right-handed pitching as well as lefties. They are scoring 4.3 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .232 Batting Average, .312 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .711. New York has lost 12 of their last 17 games against right-handed staring pitchers — and they have lost 7 of their last 8 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Now after playing their last six games at home in Yankee Stadium, they go back on the road where they have lost 6 of their last 8 road games with the Total set from 9-10.5. New has lost 6 games in a row to teams with a winning record — and they have lost 7 of their last 9 games against fellow AL East foes. The Yankees are the favorite because they have Gerrit Cole on the mound — he has a 15-8 record with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP this season. But the right-hander has taken a step back in his four starts this month with a 4.64 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .277. Workload may be an issue — Cole has pitched 169 1/3 innings this year after the shortened season last year limited him to 73 innings. He faces a hot-hitting Red Sox team that is scoring 8.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .310 Batting Average, .378 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .947. Boston scores 5.9 Runs-Per-Game at home at Fenway Park with a .281 Batting Average, .346 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .831. 

FINAL TAKE: Boston has only been an underdog at home 8 times this season — and they have pulled the upset 5 times. The Yankees have lost 7 of their last 8 games played at Fenway Park. 25* MLB American League East Underdog of the Year with the money-line on the Boston Red Sox (920) versus the New York Yankees (919) listing both starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Gerrit Cole. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Virginia Cavaliers (308) minus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (307). THE SITUATION: Virginia (2-1) lost the first game of their season last Saturday with their 59-39 loss at North Carolina as a 7.5-point underdog. Wake Forest (3-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 35-14 victory at home against Florida State as a 4.5-point favorite as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Virginia was facing a Tar Heels team already with one loss on the season highly motivated to avenge a loss from last year — so that was a tough situation (and we had North Carolina in that one). The Cavaliers have rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Virginia generated 574 yards against the Tar Heels defense in the loss — and they have then covered the point spread in 5 straight games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Now the Cavaliers return home where they have won 19 of their last 21 games under head coach Bronco Mendenhall. Virginia may have been just 5-5 last year in the season impacted by COVID following their big 2019 campaign where they made it to the ACC Championship Game and played in the Orange Bowl — but they were 5-1 straight-up at home. The Cavaliers are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home when favored. Virginia is also 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Mendenhall has 14 starters back plus some high-profile transfers back this season that won four of their last five games after a rough 1-4 start in an injury-riddled campaign. Junior quarterback Brennan Armstrong is back after he passed for at least 200 yards while rushing for at least 45 yards six times last year. He completed 39 of 54 passes for 554 yards with four touchdown passes against North Carolina last week. The play of the Virginia defense should improve under Mendenhall who is one of the best defensive teachers in the nation. The Cavaliers are 37-18-1 ATS in their last 56 games against teams with a winning record. Wake Forest comes off a big win against a reeling Seminoles team that remains winless this season — and they benefited from a +4 net turnover margin in that contest. Now the Demon Deacons play their first game away from Winston Salem this season — and they are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games on the road this season. Wake Forest has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Demon Deacons are tough to beat at home where they now have an 11-2 straight-up record in the last three seasons — but they have only won three of their last eleven games on the road during that span. Head coach Dave Clawson has 19 starters back from the group that finished 4-5 last year after a 45-28 loss to Wisconsin in the Mayo Bowl. Wake Forest was 3-4 in ACC play — but they were outgained by -55 net Yards-Per-Game. They were also outscored by -23 Points-Per-Game in their eight games against FBS opponents last year. They allowed 37 or more points five times last season. Their first two games this season were against Old Dominion and Norfolk State before their victory against Florida State last week. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in September.

FINAL TAKE: Virginia will be motivated to avenge a 40-23 loss at Wake Forest as a 2.5-point underdog last season on October 17th. After the Cavaliers lost to a one-loss Tar Heels team playing at home with the opportunity to avenge a loss from last year, now Virginia finds themselves in that same spot. While that scenario is certainly not an auto-bet situation, the Cavaliers are tough at home at Scott Stadium and the Demon Deacons struggle on the road. 25* CFB Friday Television Game of the Month with the Virginia Cavaliers (308) minus the points versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (307). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boston Red Sox (928) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Mets (927) listing both starting pitchers Chris Sale and Taijuan Walker. THE SITUATION: Boston (87-65) has won six in a row after winning the opening game of this two-game series last night by a 6-3 score. New York (73-78) has lost six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED SOX MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Boston has won 5 straight games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Everything has become crucial for the Red Sox with them currently holding the first wild card spot in the American League playoff race — but they are just 1 1/2 games ahead of the Blue Jays and 2 games up on the Yankees with a weekend series with New York looming. Boston has won 36 of their last 52 games at home when the money-line favorite — and they have won 5 straight games with the Total set at 9-10.5. Additionally, the Red Sox have won 23 of their last 32 games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 12 of their last 16 games in Interleague play. They give the ball to Sale who has a 4-0 record with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in six starts after spending most of the year on the disabled list. Sale has five starts at home in Fenway Park where he owns a 2.25 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has also sports a 2.11 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in four starts at night under the lights. He will be supported by a red hot bullpen that has a 1.21 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in their last seven games. He faces a cold Mets’ lineup that is scoring only 3.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .229 Batting Average, .291 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .650. New York struggles against left-handed pitching — they score just 3.1 Runs-Per-Game with a .236 Batting Average, .299 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .664 against left-handed pitchers. The Mets have lost 39 of their last 55 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. New York is playing out the string out of the playoff hunt. They have lost 4 of their last 5 games after a loss — and they have lost 10 of their last 12 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Furthermore, the Mets have lost 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have lost 9 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record. New York has lost 9 of their last 12 road games with the Total set from 9-10.5 — and they have lost 8 of their last 11 road games in Interleague play. They counter with Walker who has a 7-10 record with a 4.27 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 28 (27 starts). The right-hander has done his best pitching at home in Citi Field where he has a 3.55 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .206 — but he is saddled with a 5.18 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .246 in 13 starts on the road. Walker has lost steam this month — he has a 7.63 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in three September starts. He faces a hot-hitting Red Sox lineup that is scoring 7.3 Runs-Per-Game with a .286 Batting Average, .352 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .882. Boston scores 5.8 Runs-Per-Game at home in Fenway with a .280 Batting Average, .345 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .826. They have won 18 of their last 26 home games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Mets have lost 22 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning record. The Red Sox have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 18 of their 22 victories this season when priced at -155 or higher — and they have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 12 of these last 14 circumstances. Boston has also covered the -1.5 Run-Line in all 4 of Sale’s starts at home this season when priced at -150 or higher. 25* MLB Run-Line of the Year with the Boston Red Sox (928) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Mets (927) listing both starting pitchers Chris Sale and Taijuan Walker. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (186) minus the points versus Virginia Cavaliers (185). THE SITUATION: North Carolina (1-1) bounced-back from their opening week loss to Virginia Tech by crushing Georgia State by a 59-17 score as a 26-point favorite last Saturday. Virginia (2-0) is unbeaten after their 42-14 win against Illinois as a 10.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS MINUS THE POINTS: I was not terribly surprised that North Carolina got upset on the road against the Hokies two weeks ago. Mack Brown’s team may have been a bit overrated after returning 21 of the 22 starters that played in the Orange Bowl against Texas A&M last season. But this is a talented team that Brown has assembled — he is recruiting great in Chapel Hill. Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell rebounded by completing 21 of 29 passes for 352 yards with two touchdown passes as he continues to get more comfortable with his new set receivers after Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome went pro in the offseason. North Carolina absolutely dominated the Panthers by gaining 607 yards and allowing only 271 yards. The Tar Heels averaged 8.54 Yards-Per-Play while holding Georgia State to 3.61 YPP — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a game where they averaged at least 6.75 YPP and held their opponent to 3.75 YPP. Furthermore, North Carolina has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last contest. The Tar Heels returned ten starters and 82% of their production on defense from last season. Furthermore, North Carolina has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favored. Virginia has dominated their first two opponents in William & Mary and the Illini. But this is a program that does not fare well after consecutive dominating performances. The Cavaliers gained 545 and 556 yards in their first two games but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after gaining at least 475 yards in their last two games. And while Virginia outgained those two opponents by +382 and +221 net yards, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after outgaining their last two opponents by at least +125 yards. Now this team plays their first road game of the season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as the underdog.

FINAL TAKE: North Carolina’s dreams of a perfect season may be gone — but they can still earn the right to play in the ACC Championship Game. They can also avenge their 44-41 loss at Virginia last season where they were 8-point road favorites. The Tar Heels were second in the ACC last year by outgaining their opponents by +148 net Yards-Per-Game. They tend to be reliable favorites (despite the upset loss on the road to the Cavaliers last year). 25* CFB ACC Game of the Month with the North Carolina Tar Heels (186) minus the points versus Virginia Cavaliers (185). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 9:45 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders (674) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (673). Saskatchewan (3-2) has lost two games in a row after a 33-9 loss at Winnipeg as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Toronto (3-2) has won two of their last three games after a 17-16 win against Hamilton in a pick ‘em contest last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROUGHRIDERS MINUS THE POINTS: Saskatchewan has scored only 17 combined points in their last two games as they demonstrated that they are not at the level of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in that home-and-home series. But the Bombers are the class of the Canadian Football League right now. This remains a team that was stable during the lost season from COVID last year. Second-year head coach Craig Dickenson is back after taking this team to West Division Finals in 2019 where they lost to Winnipeg after a 13-5 campaign where they won the West Division. Former Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo is also back from that team after his breakout campaign in 2019 when he was finally given the keys to be a team’s clear starting quarterback. Fajardo was a question this week dealing with a possible concussion — but after taking part in limited practices this week, he will be the starter. Saskatchewan has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. They return home where they are 3-1 this season with an average winning margin of +6.0 Points-Per-Game. They have held their four visitors to just 17.5 PPG and 310.0 Yards-Per-Game. The Roughriders led the CFL in 2019 in total defense while ranking second in points allowed. While there was turnover in their front seven, they returned their top six defensive backs from that group. Saskatchewan is 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games when favored. Toronto only gained 330 yards in their one-point win against the Tiger-Cats last week. The Argonauts are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a straight-up win. And while they have covered the point spread in two of their last three games, Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three. This is a team that made significant changes from the 2019 group that finished 4-14. Calgary’s former quarterback coach Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the new head coach in 2020. Dinwiddie decided on the 33-year-old McLeod Bethel-Thompson as his starting quarterback in the opening game this season before he turning to former Georgia State QB Nick Arbuckle. The shuffling suggests uncertainty around Arbuckle who they signed to be their presumed starter in February of this year before adding Bethel-Thomson in May. Arbuckle completed 23 of 37 passes for 236 yards last Friday — but he threw two interceptions. Now the Boatmen hit the road where they are just 11-24-1 ATS in their last 36 games — and they are 9-21-1 ATS in their last 31 road games as a money-line underdog. The Argonauts are 1-2 on the road this season where they are scoring only 16.3 PPG — and they are getting outscored by -7.7 PPG. The team is dealing with turmoil with their defensive coaching staff after defensive coordinator Glen Young was placed on personal leave in a situation that sounds like he is refusing to get a COVID vaccination. Rich Stubler has been brought in as the new co-defensive coordinator while former Saskatchewan head coach Chris Jones is rumored to be heading to the team as a consultant or analyst.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has been inconsistent this season which is not a surprise for a group that has experienced so much turnover since their bad 2019 campaign (and then not playing last year). This is a “gotta-have-it” situation for the Roughriders — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing a team from the (inferior) East Division. Saskatchewan should overwhelm the Argonauts back at home. 25* CFL Friday Television Game of the Year with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (674) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (673). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Brewers (960) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Houser and Zach Davies. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (89-57) had won five in a row before dropping their last two games in Detroit this week after a 4-1 loss on Wednesday. Chicago (66-81) has lost two in a row and five of their last six after a 17-8 loss at Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BREWERS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Milwaukee returns home after a quick five-game road trip. The Brewers have won 7 of their last 9 games after an off day. They have also won 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have won 8 of their last 10 home games when favored. Additionally, Milwaukee has won 16 of their last 21 home games against teams with a losing record. The Brewers usually take care of business against the bad teams in the league — they have won 43 of their last 59 games against teams with a losing record. They have also won 17 of their last 21 games when priced at -200 or higher. They give the ball to Houser who is 9-6 on the season with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 25 appearances. He has not allowed an earned run in his 15 innings this month over two starts. Since the All-Star Break, Houser has a 2.21 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .151 in eight games (seven starts). Houser has also done his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .209 in 13 games (11 starts). he will be supposed by a red-hot bullpen that has a 0.86 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP in their last seven games. Milwaukee has won 7 of their last 9 games with Houser pitching in the second half of the season. He should thrive against this Cubs team that has only scored 4.0 Runs-Per-Game on the road with a .227 Batting Average, .285 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .676. Chicago has lost 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers. They have also lost 36 of their last 53 games after a loss. And in their last 36 games on the road, the Cubs have lost 25 of these games. They counter with Davies who has a 6-11 record with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP in 30 starts. The right-hander may be tired as his mediocre numbers are fading fast. In his last eight starts since the beginning of August, Davies has an 8.73 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. Chicago has lost 9 of their last 13 games with Davies pitching in the second half of the season. He will likely struggle against this Brewers team that is scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games — and they have won 40 of their last 56 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Cubs have lost 26 of their last 33 games against teams with winning records — and they have lost 39 of their last 52 games as a money-line underdog. The Cubs have lost nine in a row to Milwaukee — with seven of these losses by more than one run — after a 17-4 loss at home on August 12th. Chicago has lost 9 of their last 11 games when avenging a loss at home by at least six runs — and they have lost 5 of their last 6 games against opponents that have beaten them at least five times in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Brewers have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 23 of their 30 victories this season when priced at -155 or higher — and this includes them covering the -1.5 Run-Line in 15 of these last 19 situations. The Cubs have failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in 10 of their last 13 losses when priced at +145 or higher. 25* MLB National League Central Run-Line of the Year with the Milwaukee Brewers (960) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Houser and Zach Davies. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Real Madrid (224253) with the goal-line versus Inter Milan (224254). THE SITUATION: Real Madrid (0-0-0) begins their Champions League campaign coming off a semifinals loss to Chelsea in this European competition last season. Inter Milan (0-0-0) failed to advance out of the Group Stage in last year’s Champions League in a group that included these Los Blancos.

REASONS TO TAKE REAL MADRID WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Los Blancos are a pick ‘em or a +0.25 goal-line underdog in this match because of injuries. Left-back Ferland Mendy and midfielder Dani Ceballos have yet to take the pitch for them this season. Real Madrid was also missing Gareth Bale, David Alaba, Toni Kroos, and Luka Jovic from their 5-2 victory at home against Celta Vigo in La Liga action on Sunday. To compound matters, veteran left tackle Marcelo suffered a thigh injury in Monday’s training session. New manager Carlo Ancelotti will likely be without seven starters for this match. But this is still Real Madrid — they are one of the few clubs in the world where their B-team backups would be serious threats to reach the Knockout Stage of this competition. And they still have regular starters Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard, and Vinicius Jr. as a scoring threat, the sublime Luka Modric patrolling the midfield along with new signee Eduardo Camavinga. Los Blancos have an embarrassment of riches of talent up and down their roster — and the bench players salivate at the opportunity to prove themselves in moments like this. Real Madrid’s form has been quite good despite the injuries. They are in first place in La Liga with three wins and a draw in their first four matches. Los Blancos dealt with a bevy of injuries last season so the roster is experienced. The club did move on from legendary manager Zinedine Zidane but they replaced him with another legend in Carlo Ancelotti who led this franchise to the Champions League title in 2013-14. Ancelotti proved his managing chops are still sharp with Everton in the English Premier League last season. Inter Milan comes off winning their first Serie A campaign in over a decade last season. But this team lost their best player, Romelu Lukaku, who signed a big contract to return to Chelsea in the offseason. Lukaku was Nerazzuri’s offense last season — the forward scored 30 goals in Serie A. Yet Inter Milan was just third in Serie A in expected goals and fifth in Shot Creating Actions — not great numbers in the less competitive Italian top flight. They have a new manager as well in Simone Inzaghi who replaced a former EPL champion manager in Antonio Conte. Inter Milan won the Champions League in 2009-10 — but this franchise has not been at the same level ever since. They have only qualified for this event five times — and they have reached the Knockout Stage just twice since 2010. Nerazzurri had won their first two Serie A matches before settling for a 2-2 draw at Sampdoria on Sunday. Inter Milan is just fifth in the league in expected points — and they are just seventh in expected goals which fuel my concern that their offensive attack takes a big step back without Lukaku. Inzaghi is without starting defender Alessandro Bastoni with a thigh injury. Perhaps the market is influenced by Inter Milan defeating Real Madrid in four of their last six opportunities to host them. But Los Blancos have won four of their last five meetings with Nerazzuri in European competitions. Real Madrid was good on the road last year in La Liga with a W12-D1-L6 record and the best-expected goal differential in the league.

FINAL TAKE: Real Madrid won both matches against what seems like a better Inter Milan side in the Group Stage last season — and they controlled the expected goals by a 3.30-0.94 mark. La Liga is the second-best professional league in the world while Serie A is probably fourth. The worst-case scenario for Los Blancos is likely a draw. Let’s take our chances. 25* UEFA Champions League Group D Match of the Month with the Real Madrid (224253) with the goal-line versus the Inter Milan (224254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Houston Astros (923) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Texas Rangers (924) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Jordan Lyles. THE SITUATION: Houston (84-59) has won five of their last seven games after their 15-1 victory against the Rangers in the opening game of this series. Texas (53-90) has still won six of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ASTROS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Houston should build off the momentum of their easy win last night. The Astros have won 16 of their last 20 games on the road after scoring at least eight runs in their last game. Houston clubbed five home runs last night — and they have then won 5 of their last 6 games after hitting at least four homers in their last game. The Astros have won 21 of their last 31 games on the road when favored — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games. They give the ball to Greinke who has an 11-5 record with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 27 starts. The veteran right-hander has been more effective on the road with a 2.89 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .225 in 13 starts. Houston has won 5 of their last 7 road games with Greinke pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -110 or higher. He faces a Rangers team that scores only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game on the road — and they have lost 6 of their last 8 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. Texas has lost 49 of their last 71 games after a loss — and they have lost 38 of their last 55 games after scoring no more than two runs in their last game. They have also lost 17 of their last 25 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And they have lost 6 of their last 7 games after winning six or seven of their last eight. The Rangers have lost 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record — and they have lost 7 of their last 10 home games as a money-line underdog. They counter with Lyles who has an 8-11 record with a 5.43 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP this season. The right-hander comes off a rare strong outing where he only gave up one earned run in seven innings of work at Arizona last Tuesday. But Lyles was saddled with a 7.60 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .329 in his six starts in August. The Rangers have lost 12 of their last 17 games with Lyles pitching on at least seven days of rest. He faces a hot-hitting Astros team that is scoring 7.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .319 Batting Average, .394 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .935 during that span. Houston has won their last 4 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Astros have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 35 of their 44 victories when priced at -155 or higher — and they have covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 20 of these last 24 circumstances. The Rangers have failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line in 37 of their 45 losses this season when priced at +145 or higher — including 29 of these last 32 circumstances. 25* MLB American League West Run-Line of the Year with the Houston Astros (923) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Texas Rangers (924) listing both starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Jordan Lyles. Best of luck for us — Frank.