At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Dallas Cowboys (476). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (4-7-1) has lost two in a row and five of their last six contests after their 24-17 upset loss to Pittsburgh as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday. Dallas (8-3) has won two in a row and four of their last five games after their 28-20 win against the New York Giants as a 10.5-point favorite on Thanksgiving.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts managed only 290 yards of offense against the Steelers. They have not scored more than 17 points in five of their last six games and seven of their last nine contests. They have not scored more than 21 points in ten of their 12 games. They are averaging only 15.8 Points-Per-game on the season — and in their five games on the road, they are scoring just 11.7 PPG and averaging 311.5 total Yards-Per-Game. Indianapolis has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 4 straight Unders when playing on a short week after a game on Monday. And while the Colts endured a -2 net turnover margin against Pittsburgh, they have played 6 straight Unders after playing a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. The Indy defense remains solid — they rank 5th in the NFL by allowing only 308.9 YPG and they rank in the top half of the league at 13th according to the Football Outsiders DVOA efficiency ratings. They have held four of their last six opponents to 20 points or less. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range including 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in that range. Indianapolis has played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 42 games played in December, 30 of these games finished Under the Total. Dallas has the top-ranked defense using the DVOA analytics. They have held eight of their 11 opponents to 20 points or less with four of their opponents failing to score more than 10 points. They lead the NFL in sacks which likely spells a nightmare for the immobile statue that is the aging Matt Ryan tonight. They held the Giants to just 300 total yards in their Thanksgiving game. They outgained New York by +130 net yards — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after outgaining their previous opponent by +100 or more yards. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Cowboys averaged 6.23 Yards-Per-Play against the Giants — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after averaging 6.0 or more YPP in their last game. Dak Prescott completed 21 of 30 passes for 261 yards in the win — but Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 or more yards in their last game. They stay at home where they are holding their opponents to 16.8 PPG and 313.5 total YPG — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Dallas Cowboys (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (321) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (322) in the ACC Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Clemson (10-2)  had their two-game winning streak end in a 31-30 upset loss to South Carolina as a 14-point favorite last Saturday. North Carolina (9-3) has lost two straight games after getting upset for the second-straight time in a 30-27 loss to North Carolina State in overtime as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Tigers have scored 30 or more points in three straight games and ten of their 13 contests this season. But their defense let them down last week against the Gamecocks as they surrendered 414 total yards. Clemson has given up 28 or more points in four of their games this season — they can be exposed. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while they did go into halftime with a 23-14 lead, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after scoring at least 20 points in the first half of their last game. Running back Will Shipley only ran the ball 15 times last week despite averaging 8.8 Yards-Per-Carry — expect a heavy load from Shipley tonight against this Tar Heels defense that allows 170 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Shipley averages 5.8 YPC — and he has 35 gains of 10 or more yards this season. Quarterback D.J. Uigalelei has been a disappointment this year — but he is at his most dangerous against defenses like North Carolina that give up big plays. Uigalelei has passes classified as Big Throws 22 times this season with 20 or more air yards — and the Tar Heels rank 109th in the nation in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. Wake Forest’s Sam Hartmann averaged 10.3 Yards-Per-Attempt against North Carolina earlier this year. Clemson running the football and then dropping long passes should generate plenty of points — they rank 19th in Rush Success Rate and 26th in Line Yards. They gained 237 rushing yards on the ground last week — and they have played 4 straight Overs the Total after rushing for 200 or more yards in their last game. And while the Tigers have played two straight Overs, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing two straight Overs. Clemson has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 10 points. The Tigers’ defense is vulnerable to giving up big plays — they rank 63rd in Explosiveness Allowed. North Carolina averages 4.75 Points-Per-Drive inside the opponent's 40-yard line which is the 4th-best mark in the nation. Quarterback Drake Maye ranks 4th in the country by Pro Football Focus with a passing grade of 91.1. On passes of 10 or more air yards, Maye has 40 passes classified as “Big Time” — and his PFF passing grade rises to 92. He leads an offense that has scored 31 or more points in nine of their 12 games. And in their six games away from home, the Tar Heels score 38.3 Points-Per-Game and generate 513.7 Yards-Per-Game. But this porous North Carolina defense gives up 35.0 PPG and 510.0 YPG in those six road games. They have given up at least 21 points in all but one of their games. The Tar Heels have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after an upset loss to a conference rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss to an ACC rival by seven points or less. Furthermore, North Carolina has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Back to that defense — the Tar Heels rank 112th in the nation by allowing their opponents to average 6.0 Yards-Per-Play. They rank 120th in Opponent Success Rate. They have played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in December.

FINAL TAKE: Don’t expect many field goals in this game — Clemson ranks 24th in the nation Finishing Drive Rate while North Carolina ranks 4th in that metric (and this dynamic becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy since both coaches know this). The Tigers have played 6 straight Overs on a neutral field with the Total set at 63 or higher — and North Carolina has played 4 straight Overs on a neutral field. 25* CFB ACC Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (321) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (322). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (327) and the Buffalo Bulls (328). THE SITUATION: Akron (2-9) snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 44-12 upset win at Northern Illinois as a 9.5-point underdog last Saturday. Buffalo (5-6) has lost three in a row after a 30-27 loss in overtime to Kent State as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game got rescheduled after the blizzard in Buffalo two weeks ago postponed this contest originally planned for November 19th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulls need to end their recent slide and get the victory this afternoon to become bowl eligible — so head coach Maurice Linguist’s team will be motivated to play well. Buffalo has played 5 straight Overs after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss at home. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home to a conference rival. And while that game finished Over the 50.5-point Total, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The Bulls have scored at least 24 points in ten straight games while averaging 29.5 Points-Per-Game on the season. But stopping their opponent has been an issue as they are allowing 28.5 PPG and 404.5 total Yards-Per-Game at home at UB Stadium — and they have surrendered 35.3 PPG and 422.0 YPG in their last three contests. Buffalo has played 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Akron has disappointed in their first year under head coach Joe Moorhead — but he will want to end the season on a high note. D.J. Irons was the starting quarterback for most of the season before missing the last two because of injury. Junior Jeff Undercuffler stepped up last week by completing 21 of 32 passes for 312 yards with three touchdown passes while leading the Zips offense to 512 total yards. Look for the offensive fireworks to continue as Akron has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Zips have scored 72 combined points in their last two games — and they have reached at least 27 points in five of their last seven games. Despite their nine losses, Akron has lost four of their last seven games by one possession. But their defense had surrendered at least 27 points in six straight games before their surprising performance against the Huskies last week. The Zips have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing no more than 20 points in their last contest — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last contest. Akron has allowed 36 PPG against FBS opponents — and they let their opponents generate 6.1 Yards-Per-Play and 8.7 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game which are both outside the top 115 marks in the nation. When playing on the road, the Zips give up 39.3 PPG and 461.7 total YPG. They have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Akron has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total on the road as an underdog — and Buffalo has played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total as a favorite laying 10.5 to 14 points. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (327) and the Buffalo Bulls (328). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (301) and the New England Patriots (302). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (8-3) has won six of their last eight games after their 28-25 victory at Detroit as a 10-point favorite on Thanksgiving. New England (6-5) had their three-game winning streak end in a 33-26 loss at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Buffalo held the Lions to just 326 yards in the victory last week. They will be without Von Miller who is dealing with a knee injury — but their defense is getting healthier with defensive ends Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa along with middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds full participants in practice this week. The Bills have played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up win. And while Buffalo has seen at least 53 combined points scored in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing two or more games with 50 or more combined points scored. The Bills have averaged 414.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — but they have played 5 straight Unders after averaging at least 400 YPG in their last three contests. Buffalo scores 28.1 Points-Per-Game and 415.9 YPG — but those numbers drop to 24.7 PPG and 393.4 YPG when playing on the road. The Bills have played 6 straight Unders on the road — and they have played 6 straight Unders as a road favorite. Buffalo’s defense remains elite even without Miller — they rank 3rd in the NFL according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. They have held their last three opponents to 310.0 YPG — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total after a point-spread loss. The Patriots have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while they gained 409 total yards against the Vikings, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. New England only gained 45 yards on the ground in that game — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after gaining no more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Patriots' defense is the real deal — they rank 2nd in the league in DVOA and first when weighting those defensive metrics to recent games. They hold their guests to just 15.2 PPG and 264.0 total YPG when playing at home. Additionally, in their last three games, they have held their opponents to only 13.0 PPG and 194.0 total YPG. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots rank just 25th in the NFL in DVOA on offense — ranking 24th with their running game and 22nd with their passing game. To compound matters on that side of the ball, they will be without running back Damien Harris and left tackle Isaiah Wynn. They are only generating 303.0 YPG in their last three games. New England has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in December.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots will want to slow this game down by running the football and likely playing two high safeties to dare the Bills to run the football and get out of their passing attack. New England has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — and the Bills have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against rivals from the AFC. 25* AFC East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (301) and the New England Patriots (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (37) and the Chicago Blackhawks (38). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (12-10-0) has won two in a row after their 4-3 win against Florida on Monday. Chicago (6-11-4) has lost seven in a row after their 7-2 win against Winnipeg on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blackhawks started the season getting better than expected results with a roster that many considered the worst in the league. But hard work can only go so far — and the injury to defenseman Seth Jones has left the team significantly undermanned on their blue line. Chicago is allowing 5.0 goals-per-game in their last five games. The Blackhawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a loss by two or more goals at home. Additionally, Chicago has played 7 straight Overs after a loss at home by three or more goals — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after allowing five or more goals in their last contest. The Blackhawks stay at home where they are giving up 3.8 goals-per-game. They have played 31 of their last 49 home games Over the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. Arvid Soderblom is between the pipes tonight. While he has a .918 save percentage in three starts on the road, his save percentage is .903 save percentage in five games (four starts) at home. Chicago has played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. Edmonton (12-10-0) has seen the Over go 3-1-2 in their last 6 games after a win — and they have played 25 of their last 35 games Over the Total after a win at home. They have also played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total after scoring four or more goals in a victory at home. The Oilers have scored eight combined goals in their last two games — and they have played 33 of their last 50 games Over the Total after scoring at least three goals in two straight contests. Edmonton is scoring 3.4 goals-per-game led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — but the defensive efforts from those superstar forwards have been less than desired this year which has played a role in them allowing 3.5 goals-per-game. Stuart Skinner is their goaltender tonight. He has a 2.62 Goals-Against-Average and a .921 save percentage at home — but those numbers decline to a 3.02 GAA and a .917 save percentage on the road. And in his seven starts this month, Skinner has a 3.47 GAA and a .899 save percentage. The Oilers have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Blackhawks will be looking to avenge a 6-5 loss at home to Edmonton on October 27th — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 meetings Over the Total -- and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Chicago. 25* NHL Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (37) and the Chicago Blackhawks (38). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-9) has won four of their last six games after their 114-100 upset win against Indiana as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (11-9) has lost five of their last six games after a 111-97 loss at Brooklyn as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be undermanned tonight with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall all out due to various ailments. As it is, Los Angeles ranks 29th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (but playing without George does not help their cause on that end of the court). The Clippers have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Portland is playing with Damian Lillard who is dealing with a calf injury. The Trail Blazers return home for one game after being on the road since November 20th. The Under is 16-7-1 in their last 24 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. The Under is 18-7-2 in Portland’s last 27 games at home — and the Under is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing against each other in Portland. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (273) and the Philadelphia Eagles (274). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (4-7) has lost six of their last seven games after their 27-17 upset loss to Tennessee as a 3-point favorite on November 17th. Philadelphia (9-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season by beating the Colts in Indianapolis by a 17-16 score as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers managed to generate just 271 yards against the Titans last week. The struggling Green Bay offense has not scored more than 17 points in three of their last four games — and they have not scored more than 22 points in six of their last seven games. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has conceded that he is playing with a broken thumb — but while that may explain how his once immaculate delivery has devolved into a wrist flick motion, his problems go way beyond this season. Even a broken thumb does not explain his bad decision-making — and he continues to struggle to develop chemistry with his wide receiving corps in the Brave New World without Davante Adams. I do not understand why this team simply does not run the ball more (although the deteriorating offensive line has not always made that easy — but they abandon the run too quickly: as Michigan demonstrated yesterday versus Ohio State, sometimes the ground game does not emerge until the second half). After running the ball at least 25 times in three straight games, they only ran the ball 19 times for 56 yards against the Titans. Green Bay has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. And while they allowed Tennessee to generate 6.69 Yards-Per-Play last week, they have then played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after giving up 6.69 YPP in their last contest. They go on the road where they are only scoring 15.0 Points-Per-Game and generating 328.8 total Yards-Per-Game. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played all 3 games on the road as an underdog this season Under the Total. Philadelphia has held five of their last six opponents to under 20 points. The Colts gained only 284 total yards against them last week. The Eagles have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning a game where they did not cover the point spread. After winning the turnover battle in their first eight games this season, Philly has seen the Regression Gods appear by losing the turnover battle in each of their last two games. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after enduring a -1 net turnover margin in two straight games. The Eagles' offense has taken a step back as of late as they are scoring just 22.3 PPG and 312.7 YPG in their last three games — -4.0 PPG and -57.3 YPG below their season average. But this Philly defense remains elite and is now bolstered on the interior of their defensive line with the acquisitions of Ndamukong Suh and Lineal Joseph. They hold their guests to 18.0 PPG and 285.6 total YPG when playing at home. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and Green Bay has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (273) and the Philadelphia Eagles (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). THE SITUATION: New York (7-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 31-18 upset loss to Detroit as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Dallas (7-3) has won three of their last four games after their 40-3 win at Minnesota as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants are decimated with injuries — especially on the offensive line. They will be without three starters and a rotational player with Evan Neal, Shane Lemieux, Jon Feliciano, and Joshua Ezeudo all declared out today. Left tackle Andrew Thomas is questionable as well with an illness — but he did take part in limited practice yesterday. New York is also thin at wide receiver with Wan’Dale Robinson out with an injury — and Sterling Shepard already out the season, Kadarius Toney traded to Kansas City, and Kenny Golladay being in the perpetual doghouse. New York is scoring only 18.3 Points-Per-Game in their last three games. The Under is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Additionally, the Giants have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Under is also 6-0-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. New York did generate 413 yards last week — but the Under is 20-6-1 in their last 27 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Dallas held the Vikings to just 183 total yards last week — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. They limited Minnesota to just 110 passing yards — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last game. The Cowboys have an elite defense that ranks 2nd in the NFL in the DVOA rankings at Football Outsiders. They have held seven of their ten opponents to less than 20 points — and they lead the league with 42 sacks. Daniel Jones is going to have a very difficult time passing the ball with his banged-up offensive line — and Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn can safely stack the box to stop Saquon Barkley given the limitations the Giants will have in the passing game. The Cowboys generated 458 yards of offense last week with Dak Prescott passing for 276 yards. But Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outgaining their previous opponent by 150 or more yards. The Cowboys have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. And while Dallas has scored at least 28 points in each of their last three games, they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in three straight games. The Cowboys return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This game is a rematch of Dallas’ 23-16 victory in New York as a 1-point underdog on September 26th. The Giants have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when avenging a same-season loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders when avenging a same-season loss by seven points or less. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). 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 San Francisco 49ers (475) and the Arizona Cardinals (476). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (5-4) has won two games in a row after their 22-16 win against the Los Angeles Chargers as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Arizona (4-6) had lost four of five games before their 27-17 upset win in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Chargers to just 238 yards in the victory last week — and that came after holding the Rams to 223 total yards. San Francisco has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing 250 or more yards in two straight games. They have played 6 of their last 7 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 loss. The 49ers lead the NFL by allowing just 280.6 total Yards-Per-Game. They hold their opponents to just 16.6 first downs per game — also the best mark in the league. The stout San Francisco defense starts with their ability to stop the run. The Niners hold their opponents to 3.43 Yards-Per-Carry and 82.7 rushing YPG — the lowest marks in the league. They held the Chargers to just 51 rushing yards. San Francisco has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after holding their previous opponent to 90 or fewer rushing yards. The 49ers did rush for 157 yards en route to the 387 total yards they generated against the Chargers. But, frankly, despite their offense loaded with weapons with skill position players getting healthy and the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, too often head coach Kyle Shanahan dials up gimmicky plays when simple plays do the trick. The Niners have not scored more than 23 points in three of their last four games. Some of that can be explained by Shanahan’s commitment to running the football — and they have held their last two opponents scoreless in the second half. San Francisco has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after rushing for at least 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, San Francisco has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against NFC opponents. Arizona has only covered the point spread once in their last three games — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after covering the point spread just once in their last three games. The Cardinals are riddled with injuries. Colt McCoy gets the start under center with Kyler Murray dealing with a hamstring. I think McCoy is solid — but he lacks Murray’s play-making and scrambling abilities. While he completed 26 of 37 passes last week in the win against the Rams, Arizona only gained 298 total yards in the game. Wide receiver Marquise Brown is still on Injured Reserve and tight end suffered a season-ending knee injury. The offensive line is also a mess with four protected starters from preseason camp not playing tonight. Left tackle D.J. Humphries and center Rodney Hudson have been declared out — and left guard Justin Pugh and right guard Will Hernandez have missed most of the season with injuries. The Cardinals' defense remains solid with stars line J.J. Watt and Budda Baker anchoring the unit. They hold their opponents to only 295.4 YPG when playing on the road. Arizona has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (475) and the Arizona Cardinals (476). 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 (469) and the Los Angeles Chargers (470). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (7-2) has won five of their last six games after a 27-17 win against Jacksonville as a 10-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-4) has lost two of their last three games after a 22-16 loss at San Francisco as an 8.5-point underdog last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs generated 486 total yards last week in their double-digit win against the Jaguars. They are scoring 30.3 Points-Per-Game and generating 504.7 Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests despite some injuries in their wide receiver corps. Patrick Mahomes will be without JuJu Smith-Shuster and Mecole Hardman due to injuries — but Marquez Valdes-Scantling returns to the field tonight and they acquired Kadarius Toney from the Giants at the trade deadline who should get plenty of reps tonight. And, of course, there is nothing wrong with Travis Kelce. Mahomes has seamlessly led the transition of this offense to one that is more balanced since they traded away Tyreek Hill in the offseason. They have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win at home by double-digits. Led by Isiah Pacheco’s 82 yards on 16 carries, the Chiefs churned out 155 rushing yards last week — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. The rookie from Rutgers has taken over the starting tailback job and he is poised for a big game against this Chargers defense that allows 5.3 Yards-Per-Carry and has surrendered 191 rushing YPG in their last three games. Kansas City has played two straight Unders — but they have then played  5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Chiefs running the football should make their offense even more dynamic since it will open up more opportunities in the passing game. I do worry about this KC offense when they become too pass-reliant. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 36.5 PPG — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against AFC West rivals. Los Angeles has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a loss by six points or less. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Quarterback Justin Herbert does hope to get his top two wide receivers back tonight after Mike Williams and Keenan Allen have practiced this week after missing multiple games apiece to injury. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Chargers have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total against AFC rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City and Los Angeles are completing 65.5% and 66.4% of their passes this season. The Chiefs have played 6 straight Overs on the road against opponents that are completing 64% or more of their passes — and the Chargers have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total against opponents that are completing 66.4% or more of their passes. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (469) and the Los Angeles Chargers (470). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). THE SITUATION: UCLA (3-0) has opened their season with three straight victories after an 86-56 win against Norfolk State as a 20.5-point favorite on Monday. Illinois (3-0) has won their first three contests after a 103-65 victory against Monmouth as a 28-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event tournament.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This is the first true test for both these teams that have aspirations to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins return Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell from the group that finished 27-8 last season. But head coach Mick Cronin does replace Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard who combined to score 28.4 Points-Per-Game last season. UCLA nailed 57.1% of their shots on Monday against Norfolk State which was the best shooting effort of their season. They allowed Norfolk State to make 47.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the year — so that end of the court will likely be an area of emphasis tonight for Cronin. The Bruins have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game where they made at least 55% of their shots. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And while UCLA has scored at least 76 points in all three of their games, they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in three straight contests. And in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, they have played 14 of these games Under the Total. Illinois replaces ten players from their team that finished 23-10 including their top five scorers headlined by Kofi Cockburn who departed early for the NBA. Head coach Brad Underwood hit the transfer window hard by bringing in Terrence Shannon, Jr. from Texas Tech and Matthew Mayer from Baylor. They have a talented point guard in Sky Clark but he is a freshman who will be tested for the first by an elite opponent. The Fighting Illini made 59.7% of their shots against Monmouth which was the best shooting effort of the season — but they allowed them to make 42.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season after holding their first two opponents to just 35.0% and 31.2% shooting. Illinois has played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first game away from home for both teams. Both of these teams are struggling to make their free throws with UCLA making only 67.5% of their shots from the charity stripe and Illinois only hitting 64.6% of their freebies. The Illini have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. The Bruins have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140-144.5 point range. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). 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 San Jose State Spartans (197) and the San Diego State Aztecs (198). THE SITUATION: San Jose State (6-2) has won two games in a row after a 28-16 victory against Colorado State as a 23.5-point favorite last Saturday. San Diego State (5-4) has won three of their last four games after a 14-10 victory against UNLV as a 5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans held their sixth opponent in their eight games to no more than 17 points in their victory against the Rams. The Under is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning a win against a conference rival. Additionally, San Jose State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. They did give up 468 yards in the game — but the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after giving up 450 or more yards in their last contest. They have played 8 straight Unders after winning multiple games in a row. The Spartans rank 17th in the nation in Opponent Offensive Success Rate. Led by Vilami Fehoko’s 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks, San Jose State ranks in the top ten in the nation in sacks and 13th in Havoc Rate. They hold their opponents to under 100 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Overall, they are giving up just 16.4 Points-Per-Game and 316.9 YPG. But while they score 27.1 PPG overall, that scoring average plummets by more than a touchdown to 19.7 PPG when playing on the road. The Spartans have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. San Diego State has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Aztecs are once again stout on defense — they hold their opponents to 21.3 PPG. But they struggle to move the football as they are averaging just 19.6 PPG and 309.8 YPG. They have not scored more than 23 points in seven of their nine games. They rank 108th in the nation in Offensive Success Rate — and they are only 113th in the FBS in Rushing Success Rate. San Diego State has played twenty-two of their last twenty-nine games Under the Total after not scoring more than 20 points in their last contest. They return home where they are scoring just 21.0 PPG — but they hold their guests to only 16.6 PPG. The Under is 40-19-1 in the Aztecs’ last 60 games at home — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total as an underdog. The Under is also 13-2-1 in their last 16 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 11-4-1 in San Diego State’s last 16 games against teams with a winning record — and San Jose State has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CFB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Jose State Spartans (197) and the San Diego State Aztecs (198). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (113) and the Carolina Panthers (114). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (4-5) has lost two of their last three games after a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. Carolina (2-7) has lost five of their last six games after a 42-21 loss at Cincinnati as a 7-point on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Falcons only managed 315 total yards last week in their loss to the Chargers. They are a run-first team under second-year head coach Arthur Smith — they are running the football on 61% of their offensive plays from scrimmage. This focus on running the football burns time off the clock and helps the Atlanta defense — they only allowed 336 total yards to the Justin Herbert-led offense. The Falcons rushed for 201 yards last week. They have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. Atlanta has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point-spread loss. The Falcons are allowing 450.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — but they have then played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing 450 or more YPG in their last three contests. Atlanta ranks 8th in efficiency on offense according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders — but they are only averaging 280.5 total YPG in their four road games which is resulting in just 21.5 Points-Per-Game. The Falcons have played 33 of their last 45 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 7 straight Unders in Weeks 10-13. They have also played 6 straight Unders playing on Thursday Night Football. Carolina only managed 228 yards last week in their loss to the Bengals. The Panthers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last contest. Carolina caught an angry Bengals team that got embarrassed on Monday Night Football by Cleveland. And while the Panthers traded away Christian McCaffrey, they did not unload their valuable assets on defense like defensive end Brian Burns. Carolina allows only 21.2 PPG when playing at home — but they are scoring just 19.6 PPG and generating a mere 285.0 total YPG. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home as an underdog. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is the team’s interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired on October 10th — and his teams have played 7 straight Unders when playing at home against conference rivals. The Panthers have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against NFC South divisional rivals.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 13-5-1 in the last 19 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 15-5-2 in the last 22 games between these teams when they are playing in Carolina. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (113) and the Carolina Panthers (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (17) and the Winnipeg Jets (18). THE SITUATION: Dallas (8-3-1) has won three straight games after their 6-2 win at Edmonton on Saturday. Winnipeg (7-3-1) has won two straight games after a 4-0 shutout win against Chicago on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has been dominant lately in their three-game winning streak. Not only have they scored at least five goals in each of those victories, but they have also held each of those opponents to just two goals in each of those contests. Their win on the road against the Oilers was preceded by a 7-2 win at Arizona. The Stars have played 39 of their last 55 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by at least three goals — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning two in a row on the road. Dallas has scored at least three goals in four straight games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least three goals in four straight games. They have played 46 of their last 63 games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in three straight games. Additionally, the Under is 7-3-2 in their last 12 games on the road — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road after winning three straight games. The Under is also 6-1-2 in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Scott Wedgewood gets this fifth start on the road this season as the team’s goaltender. He has been solid with a 2.75 Goals-Against-Average and a .919 save percentage in those four starts away from home. The Under is 5-1-1 in Winnipeg’s last 7 games after a win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last contest. The Under is also 6-0-2 in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. They stay at home where they are allowing only 1.4 Goals-Per-Game — and they have played 5 straight Unders on their home ice. Connor Hellebuyck has been sensational in the net so far this season. He owns a 2.09 GAA and a .936 save percentage this season with two shutouts among his nine starts. In his five starts at home, he sports a 1.19 GAA with a .959 save percentage — and both his shutouts were at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Jets will be looking to avenge a 4-1 loss at Dallas back on October 17th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (17) and the Winnipeg Jets (18). 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 Tennessee Titans (471) and the Kansas City Chiefs (472). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (5-2) has won five straight games after their 17-10 upset win at Houston as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (5-2) has won three of their last four games after their 44-23 win at San Francisco as a 1-point favorite two weeks ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We won’t know who the starting quarterback for the Titans will be until kickoff with Ryan Tannehill a game-time decision with his high ankle injury. If Tannehill cannot go, then it will be rookie Malik Willis under center. Frankly, both options are limited in the passing game, especially given the lack of reliable weapons the team has at wide receiver. It will be the Derrick Henry Show tonight for the Titans, especially since running the football will burn the clock and keep Patrick Mahomes off the field. Tennessee has played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread victory. Led by Henry’s 219 rushing yards last week with Willis as the starting quarterback, the Titans generated 354 total yards while having their offense on the field for 34:48 minutes of that game. Tennessee has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. Willis only passed 55 yards last week on 10 attempts — but the Titans have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total after not passing for at least 100 yards in their last game. They held the Texans to just 43 rushing yards — and they have played 4 straight Overs after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their last contest. Tennessee has played four straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Under is 12-3-1 in Kansas City’s last 16 games after their bye week. Mahomes passed for 423 yards while leading an attack that generated 529 yards of offense. But the Chiefs have played 4 straight Unders after gaining at least 500 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. And while Kansas City has passed for at least 265 yards in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in three straight games. The Chiefs return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Kansas City has played 38 of their last 58 home games Under the Total when laying 7.5 to 14 points — and they have played 14 of their last 18 home games Under the Total as a 10.5 to 14-point favorite. They have also played 4 of their last 6 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49-point range.

FINAL TAKE: I am not going to be surprised if the Chiefs exceed their 24 rush attempts per game average tonight — one way to neutralize the Titans’ rushing attack which wants to wear down your defense is to run the ball more yourself to fight back on the time of possession game. Kansas City is only averaging 25.7 Points-Per-Game at home this year with them playing more Unders. The Chiefs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow AFC foes. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (471) and the Kansas City Chiefs (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (459) and the Detroit Lions (460). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (3-5) has lost four games in a row after their 27-17 loss at Buffalo as a 10.5-point underdog last Sunday. Detroit (1-6) has lost five games in a row after their 31-27 loss to Miami as a 3.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Packers may have finally embraced the approach on offense that should give them success moving forward in the second half against the Bills. Green Bay ran the ball in the second half of that game — and that helped them generate 398 yards of offense against a stout Buffalo defense. The Packers trailed at halftime by a 24-7 score — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total after playing a game where they allowed at least 24 points in the first half. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point-spread loss. They stay on the road where they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They have also played 6 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. While the sputtering Packers’ offense has received most of the attention, their defense has been a disappointment as well. Green Bay ranks 22nd in the NFL in Defensive DVOA using the metrics at Football Outsiders. They are giving up 25.7 Points-Per-Game in their last three games. Surprisingly, the Packers' offense ranks 8th best in the league in Offensive DVOA. Nothing beats playing the Lions to help a team’s offensive numbers. Detroit is last in Defensive DVOA — and they are 30th against the run and last in the league against the pass using those analytics. They are giving up 32.1 PPG and 421.3 total Yards-Per-Game. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 28 of their last 40 home games Over the Total after four games in a row. They did gain 393 yards against the Dolphins last week — and quarterback Jared Goff completed 27 of 37 passes for 321 yards. Goff plays much better at home — Detroit averages 281 passing YPG. The Lions have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. Detroit is scoring 35.8 PPG and generating 431.0 YPG at home at Ford Field. Detroit has been dealing with injuries — but they do get running back D’Andre Swift back for this game and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is back in the mix. But the Lions are surrendering 36.0 PPG and 470.5 YPG in their four home games. Detroit has played 20 of their last 27 games at home Over the Total. They have also played 11 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Lions have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against NFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played two shootouts last season where 67 and 52 combined points were scored. Green Bay and Detroit have played 9 of their last 13 meetings against each other Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing at Ford Field. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (459) and the Detroit Lions (460). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-4) has won four of their last six games after a 106-88 win against Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston (4-3) has lost three of their last four games after a 114-113 upset loss at Cleveland on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are playing better defense this season led by Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. They held the Hornets to just 39.1% shooting after limiting Brooklyn to only 99 points in their previous game. Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 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. And in their last 13 games after playing a game where no more than 195 combined points were scored, the Bulls have played 8 of those games Under the Total. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Boston misses Robert Williams III who is out for a few months with an injury — but they are beginning to play better on defense. After holding Washington to 38.8% shooting, they limited the Cavaliers to just 42.0% shooting on Wednesday. Boston is still playing well in defending the rim even without Williams. They rank 4th in the NBA in preventing shots at the rim — and they are 9th in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage within four feet of the rim. The Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 120-102 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite on October 24th — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road as the favorite. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (309) and the Houston Texans (310). THE SITUATION: The Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 35-13 victory against Pittsburgh as an 11-point favorite last Sunday. Houston (1-5-1) has lost five of their last six games after a 17-10 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles held the Steelers to just 300 total yards last week -- they are tied for 3rd in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 298.1 total Yards-Per-Game. They have not allowed more than 21 points in six of their seven games — and they have held five of their seven opponents to 17 points or less. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, the Eagles have played a decisive 57 of their last 81 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Under the Total after scoring at least 35 points in their last contest. Now after playing their last two games at home, Philly goes back on the road where they are generating 342.0 total YPG which is over 50 YPG below their season average. The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total with the number in the 42.5 to 49-point range.  Houston only generated 71 yards before their final drive last week against Tennessee when they accumulated 90 of their 161 total yards in that game. Even at full strength, the Texans' offense is anemic as they score only 16.6 PPG and generate 288.7 YPG, ranking 29th and 31st in the league. The Offensive DVOA metrics used by Football Outsiders rank Houston as the second-worst offense in the league. Quarterback Davis Mills has not registered a Quarterback Rating of 100 or higher in any of his starts this season. He will be missing his weapons in the passing game with Nico Collins out with a groin injury and Brandin Cooks seemingly uninterested in playing after hoping he would get moved at the trade deadline. He was dealing with an injury — but he has not practiced the last two days because of an issue listed as personal. This leaves Mills to have to rely mostly on dink-and-dunk check downs in the passing game. Rex Burkhead and Dameon Pierce have combined to catch 44 balls on 55 targets for 223 yards — but they are only averaging 5.1 yards-per-catch and 4.1 yards-per-attempt. The Texans managed only 118 net yards in the passing game last week — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing a game where they did not pass for more than 150 yards. On the other side of the ball, the Houston defense has been solid. They are holding their opponents to 22.0 PPG. They have held five of their seven opponents to 23 points or less — and they have played held four of those seven opponents to 20 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: The Texans have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (309) and the Houston Texans (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Cleveland Browns (278). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (4-3) has won four of their last five games after their 35-17 win against Atlanta as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. Cleveland (23-20) looks to snap a four-game losing streak after their 23-20 loss at Baltimore as a 6.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cincinnati defense may be the most underrated unit on both sides of the ball (and special teams) in the NFL. They held the Falcons to just 214 total yards in their victory last week. They are 5th in the league by holding their opponents to 5.92 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game. They are limiting their opponents to a Red Zone conversion rate of just 38.9% — and they have stopped six of the seven 4th down plays of their opponents. The Bengals are the only team in the NFL to not allow a touchdown in the second half. They have not allowed more than 19 points in four of their last five games. This may not be the best defense in the league — but they are right up there. They rank 5th in the NFL using the Defensive DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. Cincinnati has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Bengals generated 537 total yards against the Falcons, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest (and now they will be without star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for four to six weeks given his hip injury). Cincinnati is struggling to run the football — they have only rushed for 75 and 78 yards in their last two games. They have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game — and they have played 10 straight Unders after not rushing for more than 100 yards in two straight games. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring only 22.8 Points-Per-Game while averaging just 305.8 Yards-Per-Game. The Bengals have played 12 of their last 15 road games Under the Total — and the Under is 19-6-1 in their last 26 games on the road against teams with a losing record at home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total when favored by up to seven points. Cleveland held the Ravens to only 254 yards in their loss last week. Turnovers are killing this team as they have lost the turnover battle in each of their games in their current four-game losing streak. The Browns have played 27 of their last 39 home games Under the Total after a -1 or worse net turnover margin in two straight games — and they have played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after a -1 or worse net turnover margin in three straight games. Cleveland has played 44 of their last 67 games Under the Total when they have lost four or more in a row — and they have played 4 straight Unders after losing four or five of their last six games. The Browns have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Cincinnati has played 8 straight Unders against AFC opponents. The Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games between these teams — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games played in Cleveland. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Cleveland Browns (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (75) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (76). THE SITUATION: Boston (7-1-0) has won four games in a row after their 5-1 win against Detroit last night. Columbus (3-5-0) has lost two of their last three games after a 6-3 loss to Arizona on Tuesday.

REASONS TO OVER THE TOTAL: The Bruins have scored at least five goals in five of their eight games this season despite not having Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy who started the season with injuries. The Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a victory — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a win by three or more goals. Additionally, Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last contest. The Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after allowing two goals or less in their last game — and the Over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 games played without a day of rest. They stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. And in their last 12 games against Eastern Conference foes, the Over is 9-1-2. Columbus scored at least three goals in five straight games while averaging 4.0 Goals-Per-Game in those contests — and now they have Patrik Laine back after he was out with an injury. The Blue Jackets signed Johnny Gaudreau as a free agent in the offseason — he is averaging a point per game. But the defense remains a problem as they have allowed at least three goals in seven of their eight games. They allowed 35.25 shots per game last year, the second most in the league. They also gave up 3.62 Goals-Per-Game last season — and it has been worse this year with them giving up 4.1 Goals-Per-Game. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has a 4.06 Goals-Against-Average and an .863 save percentage in five games after posting a 3.22 GAA and a .907 save percentage last season. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss by three or more goals in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 18 games at home Over the Total after playing a game where both teams scored at least three goals. The Over is 39-13-4 in their last 56 games at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 15-7-1 in the Blue Jackets’ last 23 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (75) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (76). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (1-2) enters this game coming off a 134-124 loss at Memphis as a pick ‘em on Monday. Milwaukee (2-0) is unbeaten so far this season after a 125-105 win against Houston as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets nailed 54% of their shots on Monday against the Grizzlies which was the best shooting effort this season. But they allowed Memphis to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance of the new campaign. Brooklyn has been a disaster on defense this season allowing their first three opponents to score 123.0 Points-Per-Game on 49.3% shooting — but I think much of this is explained by the level of intensity Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring to that end of the floor. These two played harder on defense in the playoffs against Boston last spring — and I expect a similar effort tonight in this nationally-televised game. As it is, the Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore,         Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 130 or more points in their last contest. And while they have allowed their three opponents to make 48.8% of their shots, they have then played 42 of their last 64 games Under the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field including ten of those last fifteen circumstances. What is perhaps more troubling for the Nets is their lack of efficiency on the offensive end of the court with their starting five. In the 73 possessions that Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neal, and Nic Clayton have been on the court together, they are scoring only 97.3 points per 100 possessions. As the Celtics exposed in the playoffs last year, this offense can be slow, stagnant, and predictable when Durant and Irving are playing “your turn, my turn” with the basketball. Adding Simmons and Claxton into the mix adds two players who do not present any scoring threat — making that starting five even easier to defend. Brooklyn has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total with the number set at 220 or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee shot a season-high 56.5% from the field in their win against the Rockets. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Bucks have also played 4 straight Unders when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court. Milwaukee is playing without two of their best shooters with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out with injuries. Their absences have allowed for Wes Matthews and Jelon Carter to play more minutes, who are more effective on the defensive end. The Bucks lead the NBA by allowing their opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. But the offense ranks 25th in Adjusted Net Efficiency despite playing two bottom-ten defenses in terms of efficiency. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing at a slower pace as they rank 26th in tempo this season after ranking 4th in that metric last year. Brooklyn ranks 24th in the league in pace.

FINAL TAKE: Simmons defended Giannis Antetokounmpo in an interesting matchup — he held the Greek Freak to just 6 of 21 shooting in the preseason (for what that is worth). The Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 meetings against each other — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games in Milwaukee Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). 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 Chicago Bears (475) and the New England Patriots (476). THE SITUATION: Chicago (2-4) has lost three in a row after their 12-7 loss to Washington as a 1-point underdog two Thursdays ago on October 13th. New England (3-3) is on a two-game winning streak after their 38-15 upset win at Cleveland as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: While many observers pre-judged Bill Belichick’s decision to have Matt Patricia, those of us who were willing to just wait and evaluate the evidence as it develops (and Week One does not offer enough “evidence”) are now not handcuffed by the need to confirm prior assumptions. And guess what? The Patriots’ offense is starting to purr under Patricia’s guidance — even with rookie Bailey Zappe at quarterback. After only scoring 24 combined points in their first two games, New England has scored at least 24 points in four straight games while averaging 28.8 Points-Per-Game during that stretch. They are getting it done by running the football behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL — they are generating 146.5 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their last four games. In their two home games, they are averaging 160 rushing YPG on 5.1 Yards-Per-Carry. That level of productivity affords the Patriots the luxury of not having either of their young quarterbacks have to do too much in the passing game — but the team has passed for over 300 yards in two of their last four games. Belichick has yet to name a starter for tonight — but it was Mac Jones working with the first team on Saturday, so that is who I expect gets the nod. Frankly, it does not matter as both are capable in this offense. Zappe completed 24 of 34 passes for 309 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. While Buffalo and Kansas City get most of the attention with their dynamic passing attacks, it is teams like Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, and the New York Giants who rank in the Football Outsiders' top ten in offensive DVOA with run-first philosophies on offense. New England generated 6.3 Yards-Per-Carry against the Browns after averaging 6.5 YPP the previous week against Detroit. The Patriots have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. The Patriots have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by 14 or more points — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Over the Total at home after a double-digit win. Additionally, they have played 4 straight Overs after passing for 250 or more yards in their last contest. The Patriots return home where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total in October. Chicago generated 392 yards in offense but were 0-for-3 in the Red Zone in their 5-point loss to the Commanders last week. But I am seeing improvement in second-year quarterback Justin Fields who is getting more aggressive with his legs to compensate for the lack of play-makers at wide receiver. Fields ran the ball 12 times for 88 yards against Washington while passing for 190 yards. It is too easy to criticize the Bears management for not getting Fields more weapons — these observers fail to appreciate that first-year general manager Ryan Poles inherited a salary-cap disaster courtesy of previous general manager Ryan Pace which will take two years to address. Fields is getting better after not being coached well last season under “offensive” head coach Matt Nagy. The Bears do have a solid running game with David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. They ran for 238 yards against a very good Washington defensive line last week. In fact, Chicago has rushed for 149 or more yards in four of their last five games — and that level of productivity will help put Fields in a better position to succeed in the passing game. Teams can run on the Patriots' defense —  they rank 27th in the league in Rushing DVOA Defense according to the Football Outsiders analytics (for what that is worth). New England is allowing their opponents to average 4.7 Yards-Per-Carry — and they have given up at least 100 rushing yards in three of their last four games. The Bears have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last contest — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing four of their last five games. Chicago will likely find themselves trailing in this game — so they will probably pass the ball more in the second half against this Patriots team that gave up 258 passing yards last week. New England has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing 250 or more passing yards in their last contest. Chicago held Washington to only 86 passing yards last week — but they have played 4 straight Overs after allowing no more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. On the road, the Bears are allowing 25.3 PPG and 392.0 YPG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings against each other Over the Total. While regulars know that I am quite willing to play Unders even when the number is at 40 or less, I find the number too low for this game given the Patriots’ offense and the likely game script that will follow. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the New England Patriots (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (473) and the Miami Dolphins (474). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (2-4) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 20-18 upset victory against Tampa Bay as a 10-point underdog last Sunday. Miami (3-3) has lost three in a row after their 24-16 loss at home to Minnesota as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers had not scored more than 20 points in any of their games during their four-game losing streak — they were scoring just 13.5 Points-Per-Game during that losing streak. And they only gained 270 yards against the Buccaneers last week — so it is not as if they discovered the keys to the offensive engine with rookie Kenny Pickett under center. But after an embarrassing 38-3 loss to Buffalo the previous week, head coach Mike Tomlin demanded a better effort from his defense — and they responded by holding Tom Brady and company to just 304 total yards. Despite being without T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh ranks a solid 15th in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders. But the offense remains a work in progress behind a          subpar offensive line. They rank 24th in Offensive DVOA — and they cannot get their ground game going to help out Kenny Pickett or Mitchell Trubisky as they rank second-to-last in Rushing DVOA. In their three games on the road, they are scoring 14.3 Points-Per-Game. The Under is 14-5-1 in their last 20 games after a straight-up win. And while they had not covered the point spread in three straight games before their upset win last week, they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Additionally, the Under is 45-19-1 in their last 65 games on the road — and the Under is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games in October. Miami gets Tua Tagovailoa back from concussion protocol for this game — but every Dolphins game now holds the risk that if he takes one big shot from a defender, then he will be removed from the game given the scrutiny the league is under regarding the implementation of their player safety policies. He is playing behind a shaky offensive line. Dynamic wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are both playing through injuries — and neither has scored a touchdown in four straight games. The Dolphins' defense did step up lack week by holding the Vikings to just 234 total yards. They gained 458 yards in the game but were held back by a -3 net turnover margin. Miami has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And while the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They stay at home where they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Additionally, Miami has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against AFC foes.

FINAL TAKE: Steelers’ senior assistant coach and linebackers coach Brian Flores may be Tomlin’s secret weapon in this game since he was Tagovailoa’s head coach in Miami in his first two seasons. The inside reports suggest Flores was not a fan of Tua. The Pittsburgh defensive approach will be interesting to watch. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (473) and the Miami Dolphins (474). 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 Mississippi Rebels (383) and the LSU Tigers (384). THE SITUATION: Mississippi (7-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 48-33 victory against Auburn as a 14.5-point favorite last Saturday. LSU (5-2) has won five of their last six games after their 45-35 upset win at Florida as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rebels have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring 40 or more points in their last game. Ole Miss racked up 448 rushing yards in the victory — but they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. The Rebels run the ball 65.5% of the time behind two dynamic rushers in Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins. Their talent makes up for a mediocre offensive line that will face their stiffest test of the season against the talent that LSU has on their defensive line. Quarterback Jaxson Dart’s season stats are propped up from two big games against Georgia Tech and Central Arkansas — but he completed only 9 of 19 passes for 130 yards against the Tigers last week. The Ole Miss defense plays aggressively with pressure on the quarterback and a good pass defense. They hold their opponents to just 6.6 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game. The Rebels front seven holds opposing rushers to 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry — and they rank 19th in sack rate. Head coach Lane Kiffin’s group of is one of three teams in the nation that have not allowed more than 25 plays of 20 or more yards this season. Mississippi goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and the Under is 41-17-1 in their last 59 games on the road against teams with a winning record at home. LSU has played 5 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last contest. The Tigers’ defense is limiting points when their opponents get into the Red Zone — they allow just 3.2 points per Red Zone trip by their opponent, ranking 19th in the nation. They return home to Baton Rouge where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: LSU has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Ole Miss has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against SEC rivals. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi Rebels (383) and the LSU Tigers (384). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:37 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (971) and the Philadelphia Phillies (972) listing both starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Ranger Suarez. THE SITUATION: San Diego (95-76) evened this best-of-seven series with their 8-5 victory in Game Two of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday. Philadelphia (93-77) had won three-straight games before this loss.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Padres have won five of their last seven contests — and they have played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total on the road after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games on the road — and the Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager Bob Melvin turns to Musgrove tonight who had a 14-5 record in the regular season along with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in  30 starts. The sabermetrics do call for some regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.45 and 3.47 from his regular season numbers. And despite two great starts in the postseason, his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.27 and 3.63 moving forward. In his 19 2/3 career innings in the playoffs, he has a 3.66 ERA — and his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.84 and 3.83 moving forward. Even including his seven shutout innings on the road against the Mets on October 9th in the NL Wildcard Series, he still has a 3.86 ERA in his last seven starts on the road. The Padres have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total with Musgrove on the mound priced in the +/- 125 range. He allowed six earned runs in six innings in his lone start against the Phillies this season. Philadelphia pounds right-handed pitching at home. Since June 1st — and since September 1st — the Phillies rank 1st and 2nd in MLB in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created at Citizens Bank Park against right-handed starting pitchers. They have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Philadelphia has played 14 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. They have played 5 straight home games Over the Total — and the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 home games against teams with a winning record. The Over is also 12-3-2 in their last 17 home games in the postseason. They counter with Suarez who had a 10-7 record with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in 29 regular season starts. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.11 and 3.82 moving forward. He demonstrated nerves in his first playoff appearance on October 11th where he walked five batters in 3 1/3 innings before being pulled. He has not been as effective at home where he owns a 4.27 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .272 in 13 starts as opposed to his 3.20 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .231 on the road. The Phillies have played 8 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with Suarez as their starting pitcher. He faces a Padres team that thrives against left-handed pitching. San Diego ranks 6th and 8th in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created since the start of the season on the road against left-handed pitching — and they rank 5th in those metrics since September 1st.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 12-3-1 in the Padres’ last 16 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 7-0-1 in their last 8 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. San Diego has also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (971) and the Philadelphia Phillies (972) listing both starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Ranger Suarez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (901) and the Philadelphia Phillies (902) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Noah Syndergaard. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (102-63) looks to force a decisive fifth game in this best-of-five National League Divisional Series after their 9-1 loss on the road against the Phillies yesterday. Philadelphia (91-76) can advance to the NL Championship Series with a victory today.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss by eight or more runs against an NL East rival. Atlanta has also played 21 of their last 32 games Over the Total after not scoring more than two runs in their last game including four of these last five circumstances. And while the Braves have not hit a home run in their last two games, they have then played 7 straight Overs after not hitting a home run in two straight games. Additionally, the Over is 19-5-2 in their last 26 games on the road — and the Over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games on the road with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. They have also played 19 of their last 29 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 125 price range. They give the ball to Morton who has a 9-6 record with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 31 starts. The right-hander has been most effective at home where he owns a 3.05 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in 16 starts — but those numbers rise to a 5.72 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .261 in 15 starts on the road. Atlanta has played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with Morton on the mound priced as a money-line favorite up to -150. The veteran has faded in the second half of the season with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in his last six starts. The Braves have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when Morton is tasked to end a team losing streak. He faces a Phillies lineup that ranks 1st and 2nd in MLB since both July 1st and September 1st in weighted on-base percentage and weighted Runs Created at home against right-handed pitchers. Philadelphia has played 4 straight Overs at home against right-handed starting pitchers. They have also played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after an upset victory as a home underdog — and they have played 25 of their last 36 games Over the Total after a win by four or more runs. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Phillies have played 5 of their last 6 games at home Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range — and the Over is 11-3-2 in their last 16 home games in the playoffs. They counter with Syndergaard who has a 10-10 record with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 25 games (23 starts). The sabermetrics call for regression with Syndergaard’s SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.39 and 4.29 moving forward. Thor has been clobbered in his two daytime starts this year with a 7.20 ERA, a 1.80 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .364. Atlanta has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Braves have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total when avenging a loss to their opponent where they did not score more than one run. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Philadelphia. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (901) and the Philadelphia Phillies (902) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Noah Syndergaard. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (187) and the Texas Longhorns (188). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (3-3) has lost three games in a row after their 10-9 loss to Kansas State as a 1-point underdog last Saturday. Texas (4-2) comes off a 49-0 shellacking of Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry as a 7.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cyclones’ offense has stalled by averaging only 15 Points-Per-Game in their three-game losing streak — and they have scored only 20 combined points in their last two contests. They have become one-dimensional due to a struggling rushing attack as they have averaged just 56 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their losing streak while generating only 2.0 Yards-Per-Carry. Iowa State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points. They are scoring just 23.2 PPG — and now they go on the road where they are scoring 10.5 PPG and averaging only 318.0 total Yards-Per-Game. The Under is 19-8-1 in their last 28 games on the road. The Cyclones’ defense is keeping them competitive — head coach Matt Campbell’s team is holding their opponents to 13.7 PPG and 277.8 total YPG. They have held five or six opponents to no more than 14 points. Iowa State has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games against teams with a winning record. Texas has held five of their six opponents to 20 or points or less. They rank 9th in the nation in opponent Rushing Success Rate Allowed — so they should continue to force the Cyclones into being too reliant on their passing attack to move the ball. Head coach Steve Sarkisian’s team got Quinn Ewers back at quarterback last week against the Sooners — and he completed 21 of 31 passes for 289 yards with four touchdown passes while leading the Longhorns to 585 total yards. But Texas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards. Additionally, they have played 35 of their last 51 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Longhorns have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 straight Unders in October.

FINAL TAKE: After Texas’ 30-7 win in Ames against the Cyclones last season, these two teams have played 7 straight Unders. These two teams have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Austin. 25* CFB Big 12 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (187) and the Texas Longhorns (188). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (105) and the Chicago Bears (106). THE SITUATION: Washington (1-4) lost for the fourth straight time on Sunday in a 21-17 loss at home to Tennessee as a 1-point underdog. Chicago (2-3) has lost two in a row after a 29-22 loss at Minnesota as a 10-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We are confronted with another low Total below 40 — but when it looks hard to just not take the Over, that is when we need to swallow hard and give the Under strong consideration. These are two of the worst offenses in the league playing on a short week. It would not be a surprise if at least one of these teams struggles to reach 14 points. The Total suggests this game is a race to 20 points — and both coaches will likely embrace the concept, making a lower-scoring game a self-fulfilling prophecy. Washington scores 18.0 Points-Per-Game — and they rank 30th in offense according to the DVOA metric at Football Outsiders. They have only scored 35 combined points in their last three games behind a mediocre offensive line that is now decimated by injuries. Three original starters, center Chase Roullier, right guard Wes Schweitzer, and right tackle Sam Cosmi, are all out for this game. The Commanders rank 28th in the NFL by averaging just 89 rushing Yards-Per-Game — and they rank 30th by giving up 20 sacks to Carson Wentz already this season. Wentz will be without two important targets in the passing game with both rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson and tight end Logan Thomas declared out for this game. As it is, the Commanders have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss. And while Washington managed to gain 385 yards last week against the Titans, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Commanders have played three straight Unders while not scoring more than 17 points in any of those three games. They have then played 6 straight Unders after not scoring more than 17 points in two straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. They have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 8 straight Unders after losing three in a row. And while Washington has not covered the point spread in their last four games, they have then played 20 of their last 24 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four straight games. Chicago is scoring only 17.2 PPG this season while averaging just 274.0 total YPG which is second-to-last in the NFL — and they rank 29th in Offensive DVOA. They managed only 271 yards last week against the Vikings. The Bears have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a point-spread win. The Vikings generated 429 yards against them last week — but they have played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. And while that game finished above the 43.5-point total, they have played 10 go their last 15 games Under the Total after playing their last game Over the Total. They return home where they have played 21 of their last 29 games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 17 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Chicago defense has been tough at home as they have held their first two opponents to only 15.0 PPG and 330.0 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Bears have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total in October — and the Commanders have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total. Expect plenty of punts and Red Zone failures — and both coaches will play conservatively. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (105) and the Chicago Bears (106). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (933) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (934) listing both starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Clayton Kershaw. THE SITUATION: San Diego (91-75) lost the opening game of the NL Divisional Series in a 5-3 loss to the Dodgers. Los Angeles (112-51) looks to take a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Despite the loss yesterday, the Padres are finally starting to score runs to meet the potential of their offense after trading for Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the trade deadline. San Diego ranks 6th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage on the road against left-handed pitchers — but they only rank 23rd in MLB in weighted Runs Created on the road against lefties for the season. But the Regression Gods may have already paid a visit to this team -- since September with them scoring more of these runners they are getting on base. Since September 1st, the Padres rank 5th on the road against left-handed pitching in weighted on-base percentage — and they also rank 5th on the road against left-handed starting pitching in weighted Runs Created during that span. The Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 25 road games Over the Total with the Total set no higher than 7. Additionally, San Diego has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total in October — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total in the postseason. And while the Dodgers score 5.2 Runs-Per-Game, the Padres have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total against teams who score 5.0 or more Runs-Per-Game. Darvish gets the start with his 16-8 record along with a 3.10 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 30 starts. He does his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.60 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .188 — but those numbers rise to a 3.50 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .222 in his 17 starts on the road. San Diego has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Darvish on the mound with the Total set no higher than 7. Darvish also has a career 4.50 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP in eight playoff starts. He faces a Dodgers team that struggled with their bats since September with their huge lead over their National League competition. But Los Angeles still led MLB in both weighed on-base percentage and weighted Runs Created at home against right-handed pitchers in the regular season — and they ranked 3rd and 1st in those metrics since July 1st. The Over is 7-1-1 in the Dodgers’ last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games in the playoffs. Los Angeles has also played 9 of their last 14 home games Over the Total with the number set at 7 or less. They counter with Kershaw who has a 12-3 record with a 2.28 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 22 starts. The veteran southpaw has not been quite as filthy at home this season where he has a 2.39 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a .221 opponent’s batting average in 11 starts as opposed to his 2.17 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .191 on the road. Kershaw was effective in the 2020 postseason — but he remains a future Hall of Fame whose playoff performances have been the lone blemish on his resume. He has a career record of 12-12 in the postseason with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Dodgers have played 7 of their last 10 home games Over the Total with Kershaw pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -175 to -250.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams in Dodgers Stadium. With the Total set just at 7, expect at least one of these pitchers to struggle against these potent lineups. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (933) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (934) listing both starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Clayton Kershaw. 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 (479) and the Kansas City Chiefs (480). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (1-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 32-23 win against Denver as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (3-1) comes off a 41-31 upset win at Tampa Bay as a 2-point underdog last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs demonstrated that their offense will continue to roll even without Tyreek Hill by overwhelming an outstanding Buccaneers last week. Patrick Mahomes is doing a great job in distributing the football to open receivers — and head coach Andy Reid is willing to dial up the running game against defenses that playing the in-vogue two high safety shell schemes to take away big plays in the passing game. Kansas City ran for 189 yards against the stout Tampa Bay run defense while generating 417 total yards. The Chiefs have scored at least 27 points in three of their four games while scoring 41 or more points twice. They are second in the NFL by averaging 32.3 Points-Per-Game. Kansas City has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Chiefs have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And while Tampa Bay ran the ball for only three yards last week, Kansas City has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after outrushing their previous opponent by 75 or more yards. The Buccaneers fell behind early and abandoned the running game completely (which played a big role in ruining our Under in that game). A similar game script will likely take place tonight. The Raiders will struggle to run the ball against the Chiefs' defense that leads the NFL by allowing only 66 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Admittedly, that number is lower because opponents abandon the ground game — but their opponents are averaging just 3.3 Yards-Per-Carry and they rank third in run defense DVOA at Football Outsiders. But teams can pass on the Chiefs' defense that replaced three starting defensive backs in the offseason including Tyrann Mathieu. Kansas City is giving up 264 passing YPG with opposing quarterbacks completing 70.4% of the passes against them. The Chiefs' pass defense ranks 20th in the league DVOA. The Bucs averaged a healthy 6.4 Yards-Per-Play against them last week while converting touchdowns on all three of their trips inside the Red Zone. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The 23 points that Las Vegas gave up to the Broncos were the fewest points they have allowed this season. They have played two straight Overs — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing their last two games Over the Total. Additionally, the Raiders have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing three of four contests. Two of their games have seen at least 52 combined points — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. The Las Vegas defense is allowing 25.0 PPG and 357.0 total YPG. They did hold Denver to just 299 total yards — but the Broncos only had 45 offensive plays in the game. They allowed Denver to average 6.64 YPP a week after allowing Tennessee to average 6.69 YPP the previous week. The Raiders have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.5 YPP — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing two straight opponents to generate at least 6.0 YPP. Furthermore, the Over is 8-3-1 in Las Vegas’ last 12 games in October. The Raiders have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total against AFC West rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City has averaged 36 PPG in their last nine games against the Raiders with Mahomes under center. These two teams have played their last four games Over the Total with the Chiefs scoring 48 and 41 points in both games last year. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (479) and the Kansas City Chiefs (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (301) and the Denver Broncos (302). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (1-2-1) looks to rebound from their 24-17 upset loss to Tennessee as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Denver (2-2) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 32-23 loss at Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Don’t blame the Colts' defense for the upset loss to the Titans — they held their AFC South Rivals to just 243 total yards. It was a -3 net turnover margin that did Indianapolis in for that game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after playing a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. Indianapolis is holding their opponents to just 297.0 total Yards-Per-Game. They have not allowed more than 24 points in any of their four games — and they are allowing just 21.3 Points-Per-Game. But the struggling Colts offense has not scored more than 20 points in any of their games this year — they are scoring 14.3 PPG and generating just 339.8 total YPG. Things will not get any easier for the Indy offense on a short week with running back Jonathan Taylor declared out for this game with an ankle injury. The Colts have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after an upset loss to an AFC South rival as a home favorite. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they have played 5 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing their last two games at home. Denver had only allowed 36 combined points in their first three games before a desperate Raiders team generated 385 yards and 32 points against them last week. But the Broncos have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing a game where they allowed at least 30 points — and the Under is a decisive 37-18-1 in their last 56 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. And while Las Vegas rushed for 212 yards in that game, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Denver defense is still allowing only 17.0 PPG along with 284.0 total YPG. But the offense has yet to gel with Russell Wilson under center as they have scored not more than 16 points in three of their four games — they are only generating 16.5 PPG and 335.8 total YPG. To compound matters moving forward, Denver lost their top running Javonte Williams to a torn ACL last week that will keep him out the season. The Broncos' offensive line is banged up with starting guard Quinn Meinerz out with a hamstring and starting right tackle Billy Turner questionable with a knee injury.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 8 straight Unders against AFC opponents — and the Under is 35-17-1 in Denver’s last 52 games against fellow AFC opponents. While this is another low total, it would not be terribly surprising if at least one of these teams struggles to score 14 points. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (301) and the Denver Broncos (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (277) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (278). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (2-1) looks to rebound from their 20-17 loss at Indianapolis as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Tampa Bay (2-1) comes off a 14-12 upset loss to Green Bay as a 2.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After Arizona inexplicably opted to play a single-high safety while blitzing Patrick Mahomes in Week One, we have seen how the Chiefs’ offense will operate without Tyreke Hill when facing defenses that play two-safeties to take away the big plays of Patrick Mahomes with his set of weapons that now is without the speedster Hill. Why are defensive coordinators still opting to blitz quarterbacks like Mahomes who punish these tactics by getting the ball out to play-makers quickly against a now undermanned secondary? He completed 30 of 39 passes for 360 yards against the Cardinals. Things then changed when facing the Brandon Staley-coached Chargers that are willing to kill explosive quarterbacks like Mahomes by a thousand cuts by daring him to settle for shorter plays and longer drives. KC gained only 319 yards in their 27-24 victory which turned on a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown by the Chiefs’ defense. Against the Colts last week, Kansas City only gained 305 total yards while only being on the field for 26:28 minutes. In his last two games, Mahomes has completed only 44 of 71 passes for 483 yards. Now the Chiefs face Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers’ elite defense that held him to completing 26 of 43 passes for 243 yards in the Super Bowl two years ago when they only scored nine points in that 22-point loss. Kansas City has certainly improved their offensive line since then, but the elite secondary of Tampa Bay will still take away big plays against a Chiefs’ set of targets that is now without Hill. As it is, Kansas City has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after getting upset on the road as a favorite — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The defense is playing quite well by holding their opponents to 21.7 Points-Per-Game along with 314.0 total Yards-Per-Game. They have held their last two opponents to 75 and 82 rushing yards — and they have then played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. But the Chiefs have not rushed for more than 98 yards in two straight games — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after not rushing for at least 100 yards in two straight games. Tampa Bay is getting healthy again at wide receiver with Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and Russell Gage all expected to join Mike Evans on the field after he was suspended for last week’s game. But those injured players have not practiced this week so the passing game may not be in synch quite yet for Tom Brady. The Buccaneers have not scored more than 20 points this season — they are scoring just 17.0 PPG while averaging 297.3 total YPG. They have played 7 straight Unders after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss. The Tampa Bay defense may be the best unit in the NFL. They held Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense to only 315 yards. They are giving up only 9.0 PPG along with 289.0 total YPG. But the issue for the Bucs is their beat-up offensive line. After the surprise retirement of All-Pro left guard Ali Marpet, the line is without Ryan Jensen, Aaron Stinnie, and Josh Wells — and Donovan Smith was limited in practice this week. They are using rookie Luke Goedeke at left tackle and the depth is razor thin. Tampa Bay cannot get their rushing game going as they have only gained 106 yards on the ground in the last two weeks after getting a mere 36 rushing yards last week. The Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game. Tampa Bay is averaging only 3.4 Yards-Per-Carry — and Kansas City has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams not generating more than 3.5 YPC.

FINAL TAKE: The Buccaneers have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total in expected close games when they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Don’t be surprised if both teams try to control the clock — that is the Tampa Bay formula to keep Mahomes off the field and the Buccaneers will dare the Chiefs to run against their elite run defense. Long drives are a great recipe to cash under tickets. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (277) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (921) and the Boston Red Sox (922) listing both starting pitchers Dean Kremer and Rich Hill. THE SITUATION: Baltimore (80-74) has lost three of their last four games after their 13-9 loss on the road against the Red Sox in the second game of this series. Boston (73-81) snapped their six-game losing streak with last night’s win.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Orioles have allowed at least six runs in four straight games — and they have scored at least six runs in four of their last five contests. The first two games of this series have both seen 22 combined runs after Baltimore won Game One by a 14-8 score. The Orioles have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Furthermore, Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least seven runs in their last two games — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total after allowing at least eight runs in two straight games. And in their last 7 games after playing two straight games where at least 15 combined runs were scored, they have then played 6 of those games Over the Total. They have played 20 of their last 31 road games Over the Total against division opponents — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Kremer gets the ball tonight with an 8-5 record with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 20 games (19 starts). The deeper sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.42 and 4.28 moving forward. And while the right-hander has a 2.67 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .237  when pitching at home, those numbers rise to a 3.47 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .282 in 10 starts on the road. Baltimore has played 3 of their last 4 road games Over the Total with Kremer pitching with the Total set in the 9-9.5 range. Boston has played 5 straight Overs against right-handed starting pitchers. The Red Sox have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 21 of their last 31 games at home Over the Total after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored. They have played 4 straight games at home Over the Total — and they have played 25 of their last 36 home games Over the Total in September. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Hill who has a 7-7 record with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 24 starts. The veteran lefty seems to be wearing down as the season closes since he has allowed four or five runs in four of his last five starts. In his last five starts, he has a 5.96 ERA, a 1.72 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .305. He has been less effective at home where he has been saddled with a 5.87 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .293 in 10 starts as opposed to his 3.80 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and a .240 opponent’s batting average in his 14 starts on the road. Boston has played 11 of their last 17 games at home Over the Total with Hill priced as a -110 or higher favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Manager Brandon Hyde is going with a right-handed dominant starting lineup tonight against Hill — and Baltimore is scoring 7.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .306 batting average, a .354 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .900. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (921) and the Boston Red Sox (922) listing both starting pitchers Dean Kremer and Rich Hill. 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 San Francisco 49ers (487) and the Denver Broncos (488). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-1) comes off a 27-7 win against Seattle as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Denver (1-1) got their first win of the season with their 16-9 victory at home against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Seahawks to just 216 yards in their victory last week. The Niners once again have one of the best defenses in the NFL. After ranking third in the league by allowing only 310.0 total Yards-Per-Game last season, they are giving up just 210.0 total YPG this year along with only 13.0 Points-Per-Game.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (345) and the Florida State Seminoles (346). THE SITUATION: Boston College (1-2) snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday with a 38-17 victory against Maine as a 31.5-point favorite. Florida State (3-0) remained unbeaten this season with a 35-31 victory against Louisville as a 2.5-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles got their first win of the season against an overmatched northeast FCS program — but this is a team that is going to struggle to move the football behind a retooled offensive line that replaced all five starters from last season. Boston College is scoring only 23.0 Points-Per-Game and generating 299.3 total Yards-Per-Game — and they are averaging just 4.7 Yards-Per-Play. The Eagles to struggling to run the football as they are averaging just 1.7 Yards-Per-Carry and they rank 125th in Rushing Success Rate. Against their two FBS opponents, Rutgers and Virginia Tech, BC has rushed for just 33 yards on 54 combined carries (which does include sacks). Head coach Jeff Hafley is relying on senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec — but he only completed 55% of his passes and averaged 6 yards per pass attempt against the Scarlet Knights and Hokies. He did complete 25 of 37 passes for 320 yards against Maine last week — but the Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Boston College has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and the Under is 39-18-2 in their last 59 games after not allowing more than 20 points. The Eagles' defense has been solid — they are allowing just 22.0 PPG and 328.0 total YPG. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in September — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against ACC opponents. The Under is also 50-22-2 in their last 74 games on the road. Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis rolled his ankle last week in the game against the Cardinals and had to leave the game. After being questionable all week, the reports this afternoon is that Travis will take the field tonight — but his effectiveness will remain a question particularly because he does rely on his legs to get yardage. The Seminoles gained 455 total yards last week — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. And while they gave up 495 yards to Malik Cunningham and the Cardinals’ offense, they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 or more yards in their last contest. Florida State is improved on defense with eight starters back from last year from a group that did not allow more than 30 points in their final eight games last year. They have held their three opponents to 20.3 PPG and 335.7 YPG. The Seminoles rank 22nd in the nation by running the football in 61% of their plays on offense — and they will likely eclipse that mark given Travis’ gimpy ankle. Florida State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in September.

FINAL TAKE: The Seminoles pulled off a 26-23 upset on the road against the Eagles as a 3-point favorite on November 20th with the Total set at 55.5 — these two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* College Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (345) and the Florida State Seminoles (346). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (301) and the Cleveland Browns (302). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (1-1) looks to rebound from a 17-14 loss to New England as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Cleveland (1-1) looks to bounce back from a 31-30 upset loss at home to the New York Jets as a 6.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The low total in this game is daring bettors to take the Over — but let’s not take the sugar. The Steelers managed only 243 total yards last week in the narrow loss to the Patriots — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not gaining at least 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 straight Unders after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. The Pittsburgh offense is held back by an offensive line that is still a work in progress — and they are not getting challenging defenses with their vertical passing game under quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Steelers are scoring only 18.5 Points-Per-Game — and seven of those points came from a pick-six in their opening week upset win at Cincinnati. Pittsburgh has only managed two offensive touchdowns from the 255.0 total Yards-Per-Game they are averaging. Pittsburgh has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after a narrow loss by three points or less. Furthermore, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now they go back on the road where the Under is a decisive 44-18-1 in their last 63 games. Additionally, the Steelers have played 6 straight Unders in the first month of the season — and they have played 4 straight Unders against fellow AFC North opponents. Cleveland has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 26 of their last 34 games at home Under the Total after losing their last game. And while their first two games of the season have finished Over the Total, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Browns are allowing 27.5 PPG despite holding both opponents to 331.5 total YPG. Cleveland still has an outstanding defense that ranked 5th in the NFL by holding their opponents to 311.5 total YPG. JaDeveon Clowney will miss this game due to injury but Myles Garrett is expected to play after missing practice on Thursday. Cleveland has held their first two opponents to 54 and 93 rushing yards — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. And while the Browns generated 405 yards against the Jets last week, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Cleveland returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total for Thursday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 encounters Under the Total when playing in Cleveland. It may be scary to play the Under with the number so low — but that is the point. Both teams will likely struggle to score touchdowns in the Red Zone. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (301) and the Cleveland Browns (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (291) and the Philadelphia Eagles (292). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (1-0) comes off a 23-7 victory at home against Green Bay as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Philadelphia (1-0) defeated the Lions in Detroit last Sunday by a 38-35 score as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Kirk Cousins completed 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in the victory against the Packers last week. He seems to be more comfortable under new head coach Kevin O’Connell who was his quarterback coach in Washington in 2017.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (287) and the Green Bay Packers (288). THE SITUATION: Chicago (1-0) won their opener with a 19-10 upset win against San Francisco as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. Green Bay looks to rebound from their 23-7 loss at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers should be more effective on offense this week after Aaron Rodgers was ineffective in his first game playing without his security blanket Davante Adams. But Rodgers is clearly not comfortable with the two rookies the team drafted, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and he does not have the same confidence in veterans like Sammie Watkins or Randall Cobb as he did with Adams. Unlike Patrick Mahomes who had his group of wide receivers spend time with him in Fort Worth, Texas to bond and develop some passing chemistry with him, Rodgers did whatever he does in the offseason that is away from football. His tough-love approach to freeze out Watson after he dropped a likely touchdown pass from a bomb from Rodgers in his first target in the game was not the best way to nurture his confidence. The passing game is going to be a work in progress for the Packers for a while. Green Bay’s formula for success will be to run the football behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon — and for Rodgers to continue their touches in the passing game. Expect longer possessions from them tonight as they burn the clock. But the Packers need to play better on defense after they allowed the Vikings to generate 6.5 Yards-Per-Play and 395 total yards against them. The Green Bay defense should be a strength after they drafted two of the hot shots from the Georgia defense in the first round of the NFL draft, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and linebacker Quan Walker, to help a group that ranked ninth in the league by allowing 328.2 Yards-Per-Game. The Packers have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. Kirk Cousins passed for 269 yards against them — just under 50 passing YPG above their season average last year. But Green Bay has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Chicago only gained 204 yards last week in their upset win against the 49ers. That mark along with their 3.8 Yards-Per-Play average was the lowest offensive numbers in the league last week. The Bears have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset win as an underdog. They have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The second-year quarterback completed 8 of 17 passes for 121 yards dealing with the rainstorm conditions in the south of Chicago during that game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. He lacks reliable weapons in the passing game outside of wide receiver Darnell Mooney. But expect more solid defensive efforts from this team moving forward under a defensive head coach in Matt Eberflus who inherited a defense that ranked sixth in the NFL by allowing 316.7 total Yards-Per-Game. The Bears have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. Chicago has played 37 of their last 58 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points — and Green Bay has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on December 12th when Green Bay won by a 45-30 score at Lambeau Field in a game that Fields was under center for the Bears. Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry can use that game tape to slow down Fields this time around. The Packers did respond to their 38-3 loss to New Orleans in the opener last year by returning home to Lambeau where they crushed Detroit by a 35-17 score — but he had Adams in that game who caught eight of his nine targets for 121 receiving yards. Rodgers is going to continue to eye-roll at his wide receivers failing him tonight because he wants the world to know that it is not his fault (it never is) — so expect more offensive drives that settle for field goals rather than five touchdowns. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (287) and the Green Bay Packers (288). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (103) and the Kansas City Chiefs (104). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (1-0) began the regular season with a 24-19 victory against Las Vegas as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas City (1-0) opened the season with a 44-21 win at Arizona as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers flexed their muscles on defense by holding the Raiders to just 320 yards of total offense. Linebacker Khalil Mack looked rejuvenated in a Chargers uniform after being signed in the offseason from Chicago. He joined linebacker Joey Bosa to combine for 16 hits on Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr. I am expecting a significant bump in the play of this Los Angeles defense in the second season under head coach Brandon Staley. The team hopes to have free agent cornerback J.C. Jackson take the field tonight after he missed Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. The former New England star is one of the best cover corners in the league. The Chargers have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total in September. The LA offense was not dynamic last week against the Raiders as they only gained 355 total yards — down more than 35 yards from their season average last year. They did control time of possession for 32:32 minutes in that game which will probably be their formula tonight. Wide receiver Keenan Allen has been declared out with a hamstring injury which will make Mike Williams the primary option and elevate Joshua Palmer into the starting lineup. Losing Allen is significant since Williams had seven drops last year and Palmer lacks down-the-field speed. Allen is the glue to this group. With the addition of Sony Michel who was cut by Miami, look for the Chargers to run the ball more with a rotation of Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and Michel. I definitely expect Staley to have his defense play a two-high safety zone that frustrated Patrick Mahomes last season. Inexplicably the Cardinals opted to play a single high safety and bring the blitz early and often against Mahomes last week. I like Arizona defensive coordinator Vance Joseph — but I would sure like to hear his rationale for bypassing the two high safeties and opting to blitz on 53% of the Chiefs’ dropbacks. Mahomes punishes the blitz. Opposing defenses found success against him by playing that two-high safety zone defense that takes away the deep ball. Now I do believe Mahomes put himself in a much better position than say, Aaron Rodgers, to be patient and take what the defense will give him this season in the first year without Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs generated 33 first downs and controlled the clock for 34:42 minutes in their easy win against the Cardinals. Mahomes had a fantastic statistical afternoon — going 30 of 39 for 360 yards with five touchdown passes — but the drives were not as quick-strike without Hill. And, hey, what do ya know? The defense benefited from the long drives as they held Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense to just 282 total yards. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 24 first downs while having the offense on the field for at least 34 minutes in their last previous game. The Chiefs ranked 8th in the NFL last year by allowing 21.4 Points-Per-Game — and they performed much better when they acquired Melvin Ingram midseason which allowed them to move Chris Jones back to defensive tackle. While Ingram is now gone, they drafted Purdue’s disruptive defensive tackle George Karlaftis in the first round to replace him and keep Jones at his preferred inside position. Additionally, Kansas City kicker (and fantasy gem) Harrison Butker is out for this game — they activated Matt Ammendola from the practice squad to kick field goals and extra points (which does not hurt our case for the Under).

FINAL TAKE: Both games between these two teams had at least 54 combined points scored — so I understand the arguments for the Over. But Staley is leaning-in to light boxes to defend against the pass which begs opposing offenses to run the ball. The Chargers allowed opponents to average 5.5 Yards-Per-Carry against their light boxes last year. I expect Kansas City to have success on offense — but with long drives and less explosiveness. It does not take much in the game script to get off the pace to finish Over 54 points. And then when you add the short week for both teams and my expectation that Staley calms down on his zeal to go for it on every fourth down, look for a lower-scoring game than expected. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (103) and the Kansas City Chiefs (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (301) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (302). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (0-0) returns 14 starters from last year’s team that finished 5-7. FAU (0-0) has 14 starters back as well from their team that finished 5-7 last year.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers need to improve a defensive unit that allowed 34.0 PPG and that ranked 120th in the FBS by giving up 465.0 total YPG — but head coach Will Nealy has reasons for optimism in his fourth year with the program. He brought a wily veteran with plenty of experience in the NFL and the FBS level in Greg Brown to coordinate his defense this season. Brown served as the defensive coordinator for Arizona in 2018 -- and he has over a decade of experience as a defensive coach in the NFL. He has experienced players that he should be able to coach up as eight seniors who played at least 250 snaps last year returned. Injuries did not help Charlotte’s cause last year with the team losing 46 total games to injuries from their starters. Getting Davondre “Tank” Robinson back at strong safety after the former East Carolina transfer suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week One will help. Healy also brought in a four-year player in defensive end Amir Siddiq from Central Michigan to add a pass rush threat to a line that has two starts returning. He joins defensive end Markees Watts to give the team an intriguing pass rush combination who combined for ten sacks last year. The 49errs offense returns Chris Reynolds at quarterback for his sixth year with the program and his fifth as a starter. At this point, we know what we are going to get with the fifth-year starter (with the COVID season where no player lost eligibility). He completed 215 of 337 yards for 2648 yards — but the offense only scored 27.2 PPG which ranked 79th in the nation. Charlotte has palled 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the first half of the season. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63-point range. And in their last 7 games, as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points, they have played 5 of those games Under the Total. FAU returns eight starters from their offense that only scored 25.4 PPG last year, ranking 84th in the FBS. Former Miami (FL) quarterback N’Kosi Perry returns under center after he completed only 60.7% of his passes for 2771 yards. Perry has demonstrated flashes of brilliance in his career — but his inconsistency is why he lost the starting job with the Hurricanes and eventually transferred to a Group of Five program. He plays behind an offensive line that allowed 35 sacks last year. The Owls' defense gave up 409.2 total YPG last year (90th in the FBS) but they only gave up 25.8 PPG which was tied for 58th in the nation. Third-year head coach Willie Taggart retooled his defense by bringing in Todd Orlando as the new defensive coordinator after previous stints with USC, Texas, and the University of Houston. The veteran has six returning starters plus a slew of transfers led by sophomore linebacker Jamie Pettway from Missouri. FAU held their first eight opponents to only 21.5 PPG last year — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the first half of the season. The Owls have also played 18 of their last 26 games at home Under the Total with the Total in the 56.5-63 point range — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. FAU dominated Charlotte last year by a 38-9 score as a 6.5-point favorite on the road with that Total set at 58. Healy has probably reminded himself every day in the offseason that his team has a 6-3 record in the last two seasons if they do not allow more than 35 points — but they are 1-8 in their last nine games when their opponent scores more than 35 points. The 49ers need to control the clock to help Reynolds stay within striking distance. 25* CFB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (301) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (115) and the Las Vegas Raiders (116). THE SITUATION: New England (1-1) comes off a 20-10 victory against Carolina as a 6-point favorite in their second preseason game last Friday. Las Vegas (3-0) remained unbeaten in their three preseason games after a 15-13 upset victory at Miami as a 1.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots come off a game where they scored a defensive touchdown by recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter — and they allowed the Panthers to score on a 50-yard interception touchdown in the third quarter. We lost our Under play on Monday after the Jets scored a defensive touchdown early in the fourth quarter — but I do not expect this minor rash of defensive touchdowns to continue. The bigger takeaway from New England’s second preseason game is that their defense did not allow an offensive touchdown while holding the Panthers to just 192 total yards. The Patriots have an outstanding defense that finished 2nd in the NFL by allowing only 17.8 Points-Per-Game — and this is a unit with depth. They enjoyed a +3 net turnover margin in the contest — and they have played 8 of their last 12 preseason games Under the Total after playing a preseason game where they had a +2 net turnover margin and they have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after generating a +3 or better net turnover margin in their last game. Now after playing their first two preseason games at home in Gillette Stadium, they go on the road for their lone road trip this month — and they have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total after a two-game home stand in the preseason. The Patriots took part in joint practices at the Raiders facilities here in Las Vegas (technically in Henderson, very close to the Hollywood Sports home offices, BTW). Head coach Bill Belichick has been ripped for not hiring an experienced offensive coordinator — instead, he is using longtime staff members and former (failed) head coaches, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, to work with the offense while auditioning for the play-calling duties. This development is making it difficult for their regular season opponents to scout against them since there is not a book on Patricia or Judge when calling offensive plays. Do not expect Belichick to offer any clues in this preseason game — and any of the more sophisticated plays he wanted second-year quarterback Mac Jones to work on probably took place in the joint practices with the Raiders. Jones played only three series last week against Carolina — don’t look for him to take the field in this final preseason game. Expect rookie Bailey Zappe from Western Kentucky to get most — or all of the snaps — since there is no urgency for Belichick to get 14-year veteran Brian Hoyer some snaps. The Patriots will probably not use either of their top two running backs, Damien Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson after Harris left the final joint practice with the Raiders on Wednesday with a minor injury. Las Vegas only managed 289 total yards of offense despite being on the field for over 33 minutes in their preseason game against the Dolphins last week. Derek Carr has not taken the field in any of the first three preseason games for first-year head coach Josh McDaniels — and after two good joint practices against the Patriots’ first-string defense, it would be a big surprise if the starting quarterback would risk injury now. With the Raiders playing four preseason games this year with their involvement in the Hall of Fame Game, the traditional dress rehearsal game for McDaniels if he wanted to get Carr some live action would have been last week. Las Vegas then traded away their veteran quarterback Nick Mullens to Minnesota earlier in the week — so it will probably be just Jarrett Stidham and rookie Chase Garbers under center for this one. Stidham played for McDaniels the previous two seasons when he was the offensive coordinator in New England — so this game may be mostly under Garbers’ leadership, the rookie QB from California, to see what he can do. Look for plenty of running plays from the Raiders offense as well — they have run the ball in 97 of their 198 snaps in their three preseason games (yes, I track run/pass ratios for these exhibition games to help find an edge) for a 49% clip which should help our Under play since the clock should continue to run all night when they are on offense. Las Vegas has averaged just 303.3 total YPG in their three preseason games — but their defense has shined by holding their three opponents to 14.7 PPG and only 303.7 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Preseason coaching trends are of particular interest to me — but with all the new coaches, the wiped-out preseason in 2020 because of COVID, and the reduction of four preseason games to three starting last year, the sample sizes to discover actionable evidence has declined. But New England offers the deepest sample size of exhibition games to digest with Belichick in his 23rd year leading the team. The Patriots have played 16 of their last 24 road games in the preseason Under the Total when an underdog getting up to three points. 25* AFCx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (115) and the Las Vegas Raiders (116). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (971) and the Oakland A’s (972) listing both starting pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Cole Irvin. THE SITUATION: Miami (54-69) has won two games in a row after their 5-3 victory against the A’s in the second game of their series. Oakland (45-79) has lost four of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Before Tuesday night’s game, the Marlins had not scored more than four runs in 23 straight games — and they did not score more than three runs in 21 of those games. The Under is 21-8-2 in Miami’s last 31 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Marlins have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road. They give the ball to Luzardo who has a 3-5 record with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 10 starts. The deeper sabermetrics are encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.32 and 3.15 moving forward. He comes off an impressive start in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Friday when he allowed only one run in 6 1/3 innings against the commanding MLB leader in runs scored. Miami has played 4 straight Unders this season when Luzardo is on the mound following up a start where he did not allow more than one earned run. In his last four starts this month since coming back from a forearm injury that kept him on the shelf since May, Luzardo has a 2.76 ERA with a 0.90 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .188. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he enjoys a 2.53 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .128 in six starts as opposed to his 4.87 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and .253 opponent’s batting average in four starts at home. Luzardo also sports a 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .154 in four starts. He faces an A’s team that has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Oakland has played 31 of their last 46 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. At home, the A’s are scoring only 2.8 Runs-Per-Game while posting a .205 batting average, .268 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .585. The Under is 28-13-1 in their last 42 games at home. They counter with Irvin who has a 6-11 record this season with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 22 starts. The left-hander has been much more effective at home where he enjoys a 2.12 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .199 in 12 starts as compared to his 4.88 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .270 on the road. Oakland has played 13 of their last 20 home games Under the Total with Irvin pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. He pitches against a listless Marlins lineup that is hitting just .188 in their last seven games with a .261 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .607 during that span.

FINAL TAKE: Since June 1st, Miami ranks 28th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage on the road against left-handed starting pitchers — and they rank 29th in MLB since June 1st in weighted Runs Created on the road against left-handed starting pitchers. Oakland ranks 29th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage when playing at home against left-handed starting pitchers since June 1st — and they rank 27th in weighted Runs Created at home against left-handed starting pitchers since June 1st. 25* MLB Getaway Game Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (971) and the Oakland A’s (972) listing both starting pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Cole Irvin. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (431) and the New York Jets (432). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (1-0) opened their preseason campaign with a 27-23 upset win at Detroit as a 2.5-point underdog on August 12th. New York (1-0) also pulled off an upset in their first preseason game with a 24-21 win at Philadelphia as a 1-point underdog on August 12th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jets will be playing their third and fourth string quarterbacks in this game tonight. Zach Wilson injured his knee last week which will keep him out for at least the rest of the regular season. Veteran Joe Flacco has looked good in practice — but second-year head coach Robert Saleh will not risk him getting injured in an exhibition game since he may be needed to quarterback the team to start the season. That means that Mike White and Chris Streveler will get the snaps for the Jets tonight. White completed only 10 of his 20 passes last week for 98 yards White was solid in four games and three starts last year — but too often he was a Check-Down Charlie as he averaged just 4.1 yards in the air per completion. Streveler is a former Grey Cup champion for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers but he has played in only two games in the NFL in his career with Arizona. The Jets only gained 302 yards last week against the Eagles — but the defense played well by holding Philadelphia to just 313 total yards. After allowing the Eagles to score 31 points in the opening preseason game last season, Saleh’s teams in the preseason have held their last three opponents to 14 PPG. Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith will play Marcus Mariota in the first quarter tonight — but rookie Desmond Ridder will likely get the majority of the snaps tonight. The former Cincinnati Bearcat was up-and-down last week in completing just 10 of 22 passes for 103 yards. Second-year pro Feleipe Franks is likely to get some snaps under center in the fourth quarter. Mariota played last week — but the Falcons only gained 307 yards on 18 first downs.

FINAL TAKE: The Falcons scored only 30 points in their three preseason games last year — they are averaging 14.3 PPG in the four preseason games under Smith. The Jets have averaged 19.7 PPG in their last three games under Saleh. 25* NFLx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (431) and the New York Jets (432). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (421) and the Minnesota Vikings (422). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-0) won their opening preseason game at home against Green Bay last Friday by a 28-21 score as a 2.5-point favorite. Minnesota (0-1) lost in Las Vegas to the Raiders as a 4.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These two teams completed two days of joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday of this week — so the most sophisticated offensive plays they were willing to show each other took place then rather than in this game which the remaining 30 teams in the league can access. The respective offensive game plans are not just going to be vanilla — they are going to be generic brand vanilla. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan already proclaimed earlier in the preseason that he would not use his starters for this second preseason game. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk claimed the joint practices were a “waste of time” because he was barely used. He may miss even that excitement for tonight’s game. Trey Lance is not likely to play — and Shanahan will not risk Jimmy Garoppolo getting injured since that would ruin his trade value. So, expect some Nate Sudfeld under center and plenty of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. The seventh-round pick out of Iowa State completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards against the Packers last week. The Niners are dealing with injuries at running back with Elijah Mitchell already out and now Trey Sermon dealing with a foot injury that he endured during the joint practices. The Niners’ offense will probably be plenty of rushing attempts for rookie Tyrion Davis-Price along with Jeff Wilson and JaMychal Hasty with the clock running constantly with Shanahan just wanting to escape the game without injuries. His teams have played all 5 of their preseason games Under the Total when playing on the road. Minnesota only managed to gain 298 yards last week in their loss to the Raiders — but they did hold Las Vegas to just 300 total yards. Rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell did not play the key offensive starters last week — and he has declared that he will sit quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Backup Sean Mannion will probably get some snaps — but the starter will be second-year pro Kellen Mond who will probably play the majority of the game.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams that could face each other in the NFC playoffs — frankly, I’m surprised that these coaches agreed to the joint practices earlier this week. O’Connell was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams — so the Sean McVay offensive system is already well-known to Shanahan. These two teams probably played the greatest hits from the established Shanahan/McVay playbooks during the week — and the backups on offense will be asked to execute those plays once again against defensive players who have working against them for two days already. That is a great formula for the Under. 25* NFCx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (421) and the Minnesota Vikings (422). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (969) and the Boston Red Sox (970) listing both starting pitchers Domingo German and Nathan Eovaldi. THE SITUATION: New York (71-41) has lost two straight games — and seven of their last eight — after their 4-3 loss in Seattle to the Mariners on Wednesday. Boston (55-58) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 4-3 win against Baltimore last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The slumping Yankees had scored nine runs in two straight games before getting shutout by a 1-0 score to the Mariners on Tuesday and then losing by one-run again on Wednesday. New York has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row by two runs or less — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row by one run. They continue their road trip where the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games when the Total is in the 9-10.5 range — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 16 games against divisional rivals, they have played 13 of these games Over the Total. Manager Aaron Boone gives the ball to German who has a 1-2 record with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP in four starts this season. After missing all of 2020 because of domestic abuse charges, he returned last season to generate a 4-5 record with a 4.58 ERA in 98 1/3 innings. His season was delayed this year due to a shoulder injury. Giving up gopher balls has always been an issue for the right-hander — and he has already served up four home runs in his 17 innings this year. German looked good in his rehab starts — but he has been saddled with a 5.68 ERA in his three starts on the road since his return to the mound. He has only pitched 106 innings from 2019 which was his best full season despite a 4.03 ERA. He has a career 4.56 ERA while allowing 1.68 home runs per nine innings. In his 25 career innings at Fenway Park, he has a 4.68 ERA. The Yankees have also played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total with German their starting pitcher at night. He faces a Red Sox team that has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams using a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Boston has played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total playing at home in Fenway Park. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against AL East rivals. They counter with Eovaldi who has a 5-3 record with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 17 starts this season. The right-hander missed about five weeks prior to the All-Star Break earlier this summer with back inflammation — and since his return, his velocity is down. While he did pitch surprisingly well two starts ago in Houston against the Astros recently, he still has a 7.29 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .304 in his four starts the second half of the season. He has pitched better on the road where he owns a 2.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in ten starts — but in his seven starts at home, he has been saddled with a 6.81 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and an opponents batting average .320 in seven starts at home. The Red Sox have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total with Eovaldi pitching with the Total in the 9-10.5 range. He faces a Yankees’ lineup that ranks 3rd and 2nd on the road against right-handed starting pitchers in MLB since June 1st in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created. New York has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games over the Total on the road against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Bronx Bombers have scored 14 runs in each of their last two games against Boston. These two teams have played 7 straight Overs — and they have played 5 straight Overs when playing in Fenway Park. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (969) and the Boston Red Sox (970) listing both starting pitchers Domingo German and Nathan Eovaldi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (961) and the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Sampson and Carlos Rodon. THE SITUATION: Chicago (41-59) has lost two of their last three games after their 5-4 loss to the Giants yesterday. San Francisco (50-51) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cubs had won six straight games before dropping two of three. They have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Under is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after losing their last game. Chicago has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Sampson takes the mound for the Cubs with his 0-1 record along with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 39 1/3 innings. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.53 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in 10 2/3 innings which includes two starts as opposed to his 3.45 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and .254 opponent’s batting average at home at Wrigley Field. Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total with Sampson on the hill priced as a money-line underdog at +150 or higher. He faces a slumping Giants lineup that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game with a .220 batting average, .270 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .624 in those games. San Francisco ranks 27th in MLB since June 1st in weighted on-base percentage when playing at home against right-handed starting pitchers — and they rank 24th in weighted Runs Scored at home against right-handed starting pitchers since the beginning of June. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. San Francisco has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and the Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. They have also played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. The Giants have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing at home. They counter with Rodon who has an 8-6 record with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 20 starts. The deeper sabermetrics validate his outstanding season with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.12 and 3.14 moving forward. The lefty has a 2.05 ERA in his eight starts at home as opposed to his 3.88 ERA on the road. His teams have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total when he is the starting pitcher priced in the -125 to -175 range. He faces a Cubs team scoring only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .224 batting average, .274 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .666 during that span. Since June 1st against left-handed starting pitchers, Chicago ranks 20th in weighted on-base percentage on the road and 23rd in weighted Runs Created. The Cubs have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 encounters against each other Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at Oracle Park. 25* MLB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (961) and the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Sampson and Carlos Rodon. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (917) and the Houston Astros (918) listing both starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and Jose Urquidy. THE SITUATION: Seattle (54-45) has won three games in a row after their 4-2 win against Texas yesterday. Houston (64-35) has lost three games in a row after their 4-2 loss at Oakland on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mariners have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after upsetting a divisional rival in their last game. Seattle has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning three games in a row against an AL West opponent. And in their last 7 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range, the Mariners have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Gilbert gets the start with his 10-4 record along with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 20 starts. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he sports a 2.42 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in 11 starts as opposed to his 3.19 ERA and a .248 opponent’s batting average in nine starts at home. Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with Gilbert starting on the road with the Total set in the 8-8.5 range. Houston has played 23 of their last 34 games Under the Total after losing their last game — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two runs in their last contest. And while the Astros have scored only five runs in their last two games, they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not scoring more than three runs in two straight games. Houston has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 18 of their last 27 home games with the Total set in the 8-8.5 range. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Urquidy who has a 9-4 record along with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 18 starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he enjoys a 2.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .237 as opposed to his 4.83 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .271 on the road. The Astros have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with Urquidy on the mound after losing their last game. He faces a Mariners team that has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against divisional rivals. 25* MLB Thursday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (917) and the Houston Astros (918) listing both starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and Jose Urquidy. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (917) and the Oakland A’s (918) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Frankie Montas. THE SITUATION: Houston (64-33) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 7-5 loss to the A’s last night. Oakland (36-63) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 40-19-6 in the Astros’ last 65 games after a loss — and the Under is 29-14-1 in their last 44 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Under is also 33-16-4 in Houston’s last 53 games on the road — and they have played 23 of their last 34 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. They have also played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 40%. Garcia gets the ball with his 8-5 record with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 17 starts. The sabermetrics confirm his good season with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.53 and 3.58 moving forward. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average in .193 in eight starts as opposed to his 4.89 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .219 in nine starts at home. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with Garcia their starting pitcher on the road priced at -110 or higher. He faces an A’s team that has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 6 straight Unders against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Oakland has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. And while the A’s have played their last two games Over the Total, they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs. At home, Oakland is scoring only 2.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .202 batting average, .264 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .580. Montas takes the mound for the A’s to further his 3-9 record despite a 3.16 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 18 starts. The right-hander has been outstanding at home where he owns a 2.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .203 batting average in 11 starts as compared to his 5.01 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .264 when pitching on the road. Oakland has played 10 of their 11 games Under the Total with Montas pitching at home — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total with Montas their starting pitcher with the Total set at 7 or less. The A’s have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Oakland has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams from the AL West — and the Astros have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against divisional foes.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Oakland. Lastly, Houston has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* MLB American League West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (917) and the Oakland A’s (918) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Frankie Montas. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (68-35) can win the NBA Championship tonight after taking a 3-2 lead in this series with their 104-94 win at home against the Celtics as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Boston (65-40) returns home looking to stave off elimination after losing three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I suspect the market has not adapted enough to the fundamental change that has occurred in this series. After holding the Celtics to just 97 and then 94 points in the last two games in this series, the Warriors have found the answers as to how to best deploy their defensive efforts. Golden State is playing tight and aggressive defense that is making things uncomfortable for both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics lack a consistent third scoring option or reliable 3-point shooting to counter these tactics. Let’s remember that Golden State ranked second in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 107 points per 100 possessions in the regular season — despite not playing with Draymond Green for a long stretch. Game Three of this series had 216 combined points scored after Game Two only had 195 combined points scored. The Warriors have held Boston to no more 88, 94, and 97 points in three of their last four games. The lone exception was in Game Three when Boston scored 116 points — fueled by a 47 to 31 edge on the boards. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr immediately made his team’s effort on the boards a high priority. After pulling down 15 offensive rebounds in that Game Three, the Celtics have only managed 11 and then 8 offensive boards in the two games since after Kerr cajoled his team to tighten things up. The last two games in this series have had only 204 and 198 combined points scored — and Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. The Warriors’ energy level of defense should continue with the extra day of rest — they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest including seven of those last ten occasions. Golden State was called for 28 personal fouls on Monday with Boston being whistled for only 16 fouls — and the Warriors have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after being called for at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent. Golden State is scoring only 105.2 points per game in this series with that average dropping to 103.7 PPG in the last three games. One of the dynamics that is contributing to this is the less of a role Jordan Poole is playing. Poole is a liability on defense which has compelled Kerr to give him less playing time. He is averaging just 17 minutes per game in the last two games after only being on the court for 14:17 minutes on Monday mostly to give Stephen Curry a spell. He did score 14 points in Game Five — but three of those points were that buzzer-beating 40-footer at the end of the third quarter. Golden State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They have also played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game. Additionally, the Celtics have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when committing at least 10 fewer personal fouls than their opponent in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge from two straight losses by double-digits to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning (11) and the Colorado Avalanche (12) in Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (63-28-8) has won four straight games after defeating the New York Rangers by a 2-1 score to end the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. Colorado (68-21-7) has won five games in a row after completing their four-game sweep against Edmonton with their 6-5 victory on the road in overtime back on June 6th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After showing some rust to begin their series with the Rangers, the Lightning tightened things up on defense by only allowing five combined goals over their last four games to take control of that series. Tampa Bay gave up only one goal in each of their last three games. The Lightning have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .928 save percentage in the playoffs with +12.7 goals saved above expectation. Tampa Bay goes back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 road games Under the Total as an underdog. The Lightning expect to get back forward Brayden Point who has not played since Game Seven in the opening round of the playoffs against Toronto. Point is a great two-way player — but his offensive game is predicated on his speed which will be difficult for him to regain given his time off and the lingering effects of his leg injury. Colorado has played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after winning their last game in overtime. The Avalanche have also played 4 straight Unders after allowing five or more goals in their last game. Colorado may be rusty after not playing for nine days after completing their sweep against the Oilers. Tampa Bay only scored two goals in each of the first two games last round which may have been a result of them not being sharp after an extended break after they swept Florida in the previous round. But the defensive pair of Cole Makar and Devon Toews should continue to play outstanding defense after holding the powerful Edmonton offensive attack led by Connor McDavid to just two goals in Games Two and Three of that series. Head coach Jared Bednar has the advantage of getting to play this pair against the Lightning top forward line of Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, and Steven Stamkos. This will present a problem for head coach Jon Cooper since his third forward line does not present much of a scoring threat. But that forward line of Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, and Alex Killorn has been stout on defense this postseason by allowing only 1.26 expected goals allowed per 60 minutes -- and they posted an expected goals share of 77.6% against the Rangers. The second forward line gets Point back — but I don’t expect him to regain his scoring prowess immediately. For the Avalanche, they are still without Nazem Kadri who had his thumb broken last round. He may return later in the series.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado won both regular-season meetings between these two teams — and Tampa Bay has played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge against their opponent. 25* NHL Wednesday Television Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning (11) and the Colorado Avalanche (12). 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 New York Mets (979) and the Los Angeles Angels (980) listing both starting pitchers Taijaun Walker and Patrick Sandoval. THE SITUATION: The New York Mets (39-22) have lost three of their last four games after their 11-6 loss in Los Angeles to the Angels in the second game of this series. Los Angeles (29-32) has now won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mets have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least five or more runs in their last game. New York has played three straight Overs — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after playing three or more straight Overs. The Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total as an underdog priced up to +150. The Mets are dealing with a tired bullpen that has pitched nine innings in the last two games — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after their bullpen has pitched nine or more innings in their last two games. New York’s receivers surrendered six runs last night — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when their bullpen allowed four or more earned runs in their last game. Walker gets the ball for them tonight. He has a 3-2 record with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 9 starts. The sabermetrics are not encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.94 and 4.58 moving forward. His ERA on the road rises to a 3.41 mark -- and that coincides with the disparate home/road splits he was saddled with last season. While Walker had a 3.46 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .198 in 16 games (15 starts) at home, those numbers rose to a 5.82 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .258 in 14 starts on the road. The Mets have played 5 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with Walker the starting pitcher and priced up to +150. Walker’s teams have also played 7 straight Over when he is the starting pitcher in Interleague play. Walker faces an Angels team that ranks sixth in baseball in both weighed On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created (wRC) when playing at home against left-handed starting pitchers. Los Angeles got Mike Trout back in the lineup last night — and he bashed two home runs to lead the scoring attack. The Angels banged out five home runs last night — and they have played 3 of their 4 games this season Over the Total after hitting four or more home runs in their last game. Los Angeles has also played 18 of their last 25 games at home Over the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. This team has played 25 of their last 37 games Over the Total in June. They counter with Sandoval who has a 3-1 record along with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. The left-hander is walking too many batters — and both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.31 and 4.08 moving forward. His ERA bumps up to 3.00 in five starts at home this season. Last season, Sandoval had a 3-6 record along with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 77 innings — but in his 48 1/3 innings at home, those numbers rose to a 3.91 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The Angels have played 7 of their last 10 home games Over the Total with Sandoval pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -110 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Mets are hitting right now — they are scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .270 Batting Average and a .754 OPS over that span. New York has played 4 straight Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against left-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the New York Mets (979) and the Los Angeles Angels (980). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Rangers (53) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (54) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (62-28-8) has won the last three games in this series after their 3-1 victory in Game Five on Thursday. New York (62-31-8) looks to stave off elimination to force a decisive Game Seven tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lightning have gained control of the series by being content in lower-scoring games where they control puck possession and limit the turnovers that were giving the Rangers odd-man rushes in the first two games of this series. Tampa Bay has only allowed two goals in the last two games — but they have scored only five goals at even strength in those two contests. Just as in Game Four, the final Lightning goal was an empty-netter with under a minute to go. Tampa Bay has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a victory — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last contests. Now the Lightning return home where they have played 4 straight Unders. They have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total when leading in a playoff series — and they have also played 7 straight home games Under the Total in the playoffs in closeout opportunities. Andrei Vasilevskiy has six shutouts in those seven close-out games for the Lightning. After having some early timing issues in this series with his blocker, he has been sensational during the three-game winning streak. In his seven starts at home in the playoffs, Vasilevskiy has a 1.79 Goals-Against-Average and a .946 save percentage. New York has seen the Under go 41-19-1 in their last 61 games after scoring two goals or less in their last game. They have also played 19 of their last 27 road games Under the Total after losing their last game at home. The Rangers have played 22 of their last 29 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than four combined goals were scored. They go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 21 of their last 29 games on the road Under the Total with the Total set at 5.5. Furthermore, New York has played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. The Rangers have allowed only 36 goals at five-on-five even strength in the playoffs despite the analytics projecting them to give up 3.53 expected goals per 60 minutes. Goalie Igor Shesterkin is the reason for New York's overachieving — he has +16.5 goals saved above expectation at five-on-five even strength in the postseason along with a .929 save percentage.

FINAL TAKE: The Rangers have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with triple revenge against their opponent -- including all four of those circumstances this season. 25* NHL Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New York Rangers (53) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (54). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (37) and the Edmonton Oilers (38) in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Colorado (66-21-7) took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 4-0 shutout victory on Thursday. Edmonton (57-33-6) returns home having been on a four-game winning streak before the setback.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Avalanche offensive attack kept rolling in Game Two as they scored at least four goals for the fifth time in their last six games. They have scored 12 goals against the shaky Oilers defense after their 8-6 victory in Game One of this series. Colorado has played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after winning their last two games at home. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning their last two games by two or more goals. They peppered Edmonton goalie Mike Smith with 40 shots — that was the fifth straight game where they generated at least 34 shots. The Avalanche have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after putting at least 33 shots on net in three straight games. Now they go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total. Colorado has only scored two goals in their nine Power Play chances in this series which is a bit lower than their 31.6% success rate with the man-advantage in the postseason. With Darcy Kuemper questionable with the upper-body injury that compelled him to exit early in the second period in Game One, it will likely be Pavel Francouz between the pipes again tonight. This will be his sixth career start in the playoffs on the road — and he has just a .901 save percentage in these six previous appearances on the road in the playoffs. Edmonton has played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a loss on the road by more than one goal. The Oilers have also played 12 of their last 15 games at home Over the Total after a loss by three or more goals. They return home where they have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total. They have scored at least four goals in four of their last five games on home ice. They have also played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Edmonton has played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from two straight losses to their opponent by more than one goal. 25* NHL Saturday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (37) and the Edmonton Oilers (38). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (13) and the New York Rangers (14) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Carolina (61-25-8) took a 3-2 lead in this series with their 3-1 victory at home on Thursday. New York (58-28-8) returns home to Madison Square Garden hoping to stave off elimination.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: All five games in this series have finished Under the Total with only one of the games even seeing five combined goals. Both teams are averaging just 1.8 Goals-Per-Game in this series. The Hurricanes have not scored more than three goals in seven straight contests. The Under is 3-1-1 in Carolina’s last 5 games after a win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a victory at home against a Metropolitan Division rival. The Under is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Head coach Rod Brind’amour is getting outstanding goaltending from Antti Raanta who has a 1.99 Goals-Against-Average and a .931 save percentage in the playoffs. Raanta has +4.6 goals saved above expectation in the postseason. But now the Hurricanes go back on the road where they have not scored more than two goals in five playoff games — and they only scored two goals in their two previous games at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. Carolina has now played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total in the second round of the playoffs. New York has played 22 of their last 28 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than four combined goals were scored. The Under is also 39-18-1 in their last 58 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Goalie Igor Shesterkin has a 2.05 Goals-Against-Average at home in six playoff games with a .949 save percentage. In 30 games (29 starts) at home in the regular season, Shesterkin posted similar numbers with a 1.85 GAA and a .940 save percentage.

FINAL TAKE: The Rangers only had 15 shot attempts in Game Five. They have only posted more than 28 shots once in this series. With these teams now very familiar with each other, expect another lower-scoring game tonight. 25* NHL Metropolitan Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (13) and the New York Rangers (14). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (63-35) has lost two straight and three of the last four games in this series after a 93-80 loss at home as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Boston (62-36) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After scoring only 82 points and shooting a season-low 33.3% from the field in their 20-point loss on the road in Game Four, Wednesday’s Game Five was the time that the Heat needed to step up. Instead, they made only 7 of their 45 shots (16%) from behind the arc and set a new standard in futility with their shooting for the season by making only 31.9% of their shots in scoring just 83 points in their seven-point loss. I don’t Miami is a fraud — my conclusion is that injuries have simply robbed the team of its offensive identity. Everything starts with Jimmy Butler — exemplified in Game One when he scored 41 points while getting to the free-throw line 18 times. The Heat scored 118 points against the top statistical defense in the NBA. And head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team shoot plenty of shots from behind the arc as they demonstrated by their dominant start to Game Three where they seized a 26-point lead in the second quarter. Then Butler re-injured the knee that has been nagging him for much of the season. Miami holds on to win Game Three — and Butler returns to the court to play in the last two games. But he is a shell of himself. In Game Four, he scores only 6 points on 3 of 14 shooting — and he is no drive in his game as he fails to get to the free-throw line even once. He was a bit better on Wednesday — but he still only got to three free throw line four times in scoring 13 points on 4 of 18 shooting. Since the injury, he has made only 7 of 32 shots for a 21.9% field goal percentage. Kyle Lowry was brought in during the offseason to be the second or third scoring option in the starting lineup — but he is far from 100% with the Hamstring that kept him earlier in the playoffs. He did not score in Game Five after scoring just 3 points in Game Four. Lowry has made only one shot in the last two games — and he has taken just 12 shots in those two contests. Tyler Herro won the Sixth Man of the Year Award by scoring 20.7 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench — but the Heat have been without their second-leading scorer since he injured his groin in Game Three. Even if he returns tonight, his effectiveness is in doubt since his injury usually puts players on the shelf for two to four weeks. Bam Adebayo has been fine — he scored 18 points on 8 of 15 shooting on Wednesday. But he is not a number one scoring option — and this clever Celtics team now knows to focus their energies on him. Miami has Victor Oladipo who can provide offense — but he scored only 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting coming off the bench in Game Five. Spoelstra cannot play Duncan Robinson because he is a liability on defense. That puts Max Strus in the starting line up who missed all nine of his shots from the field on Wednesday. Miami can’t flip a switch to make Butler or Lowry or Herro healthy again — and perhaps the flaw of this team is that they really need at least two of those guys performing well to complement Adebayo. Since Game Two of this series, the Heat are scoring 1.01 Points-Per-Possession — and they are scoring 0.84 Points-Per-Possession in the halfcourt. Granted, they should make more than the 13 of 39 clip-on uncontested shots from the field they endured in Game Five. But this is now a team that is likely to struggle to score even 90 points when playing on the road against the elite Boston defense. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing their last opponent to shoot 35% or better from the field. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. Back at home, Boston has played 12 of their last 16 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: While Miami’s ability to score points is in doubt, their commitment to making things difficult for the Celtics on the other end of the court is not. They have held Boston to just 35% shooting from 3-point land — and the Celtics have not scored more than 103 points in each of the last three games of the series. Spoelstra will no longer be interested in pushing the pace in this series — this needs to be a slog for his team to have a chance. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506). 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 Colorado Avalanche (71) and the St. Louis Blues (72) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Colorado (63-21-7) had won the previous two games in this series before dropping Game Five by a 5-4 score in overtime on Wednesday. St. Louis (55-27-11) now trails in this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blues rallied twice in Game Four — once by a 3-0 margin before tying the game in the third period and then once again after trailing by a 4-3 score with less than a minute left in the game. Head coach Craig Berube has had his team adopt the Vegas Golden Knights’ approach of heavy forechecking with the hopes of wearing down the Avalanche — and the strategy may finally be working. The Over is 18-7-1 in St. Louis’ last 26 games after a win — and they have played 17 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a win on the road. Additionally, the Blues have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a win by one goal — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a victory in overtime. St. Louis is second in the playoffs with a Power Play success rate of 32.4%. They return home where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total — and the Over is 24-8-2 in their last 34 home games as an underdog. Now that Jordan Binnington is out for the rest of the postseason, the Blues are stuck with Ville Husson between the pipes. He has a -5.7 goals save below expectation in the playoffs. But if Game Five demonstrated anything, it is that Colorado is not getting quality goaltending from Darcy Kuemper. He allowed five goals on 30 shots. He has a subpar .904 save percentage in the postseason with a -2.5 goals saved above expectation mark. Goaltending is in large part a function of the play of the defense — and the Avalanche suffered a huge blow in the season-ending injury to Samuel Girard who has anchored one of the top-two defensive pairs for years, despite his being 23-years old. Colorado has played 16 of their last 25 games Over the Total after allowing at least four goals in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing a game where both teams scored at least four goals. The Aves have also played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a loss to a Central Division rival — and they have played 21 of their last 32 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. Colorado has scored 15 goals in the last three games with at least four goals in each game — and they have then played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total after scoring at least four goals in three straight games. The Avalanche have also played 4 straight road games Over the Total when the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total in the Western Conference Semifinals going back to their series last year with Vegas. They have played 5 straight Overs in the playoffs with the opportunity to close out the series. St. Louis has played 9 of their last 12 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 8 of their last 11 playoff games Over the Total when trailing in the series. These two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings Over the Total including 5 straight Overs when playing in St. Louis. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (71) and the St. Louis Blues (72). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (64-32) has won six of their last seven games after their 109-100 upset victory on the road against the Mavericks on Sunday. Dallas (60-38) has lost four of their last six games after falling behind 0-3 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors’ zone defense is stifling the Mavericks in this series. Dallas is making only 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but they continue to live-or-die by the 3 as they are attempting 52% of their shots from the field from distance. The Mavericks’ lack of size is hurting them in this series as well — they are only pulling down 18.2% of their missed shots. Golden State won the rebounding battle by a 47-33 margin on Sunday — and they have outrebounded Dallas by at least 13 boards in each of the games in this series. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least 10 boards. And while Golden State has covered the point spread in four straight contests, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. Dallas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mavericks have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They have played 4 straight Unders after not covering the point spread in three straight games. Furthermore, Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. The Mavericks stay at home where the Under is 37-13-1 in their last 51 games —and they have played 20 of their last 27 home games when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 32 home games Under the Total when the Total is set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Leeds United (200005) and Brentford (200006). THE SITUATION: Leeds United (W8-D11-L18) needs a result to potentially pass Burnley to avoid relegation after settling for a 1-1 draw at home against Brighton and Hove Albion last Sunday. Brentford (W13-D7-L17) has won seven of their last ten matches after their 3-2 win at Everton last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Leeds has to play aggressively in this match — they trail Burnley by 13 goals in the differential department so they have to assume they need to register a victory to secure the three points since a draw by the Clarets at home against Newcastle would mean a draw in this match would not be enough for the Peacocks. The Whites did generate 2.37 expected goals (xG) against the Seagulls last week — but they surrendered 2.05 xG in the draw. Leeds is one of the worst defensive teams in the English Premier League. They have conceded the most Big Chances that have scoring likelihood of at least 35%. They have conceded 10 goals in their last four matches.  On the road, the Peacocks have allowed at least two goals in six of their last nine contests. They have allowed 2.05 expected goals allowed (xGA) in their 18 previous road matches. Brentford’s attack has been elevated since Christian Eriksen became a regular on the pitch. In those ten matches, the Bees have scored 2.0 Goals-Per-Game — and they rank fourth in Big Chances created during that stretch. Their xG of 1.99 in those ten matches suggests their improved scoring prowess is likely to be sustainable. In their last two matches, Brentford has scored six times with an xG of 5.20.

FINAL TAKE: In the reverse fixture at Leeds on December 5th, both teams scored twice in the 2-2 draw. Expect another higher-scoring contest with Leeds United desperate for the victory which should create scoring opportunities for Brentford in the counter-attack. The Bees will want to play hard in front of their home fans in their final home match in their first season back promoted in the English top flight. They also have a chance to finish in the top-ten with a result. 25* EPL Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Leeds United (200005) and Brentford (200006). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:37 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (39) and the Calgary Flames (40) in Game Two of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Edmonton (53-31-6) looks to rebound from a 9-6 loss on the road against the Flames on Wednesday. Calgary (55-25-10) has won four of their last five games after taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: 40-year-old goaltender Mike Smith got exposed early by allowing three goals on the first ten shots he faced in Game One. While head coach Jay Woodcroft quickly announced that Smith will get back between the pipes tonight, he has allowed three or more goals in four of his eight starts in the postseason (with seven of those games against a defensive-minded Los Angeles team in Round One). Smith had a middling 2.81 Goals-Against-Average with a .915 save percentage in 29 regular season starts. But the Oilers demonstrated they can be explosive with their offensive attack in this series after scoring four goals on 11 shots during a torrid stretch in the second period when they rallied from a 6-2 deficit. Edmonton has played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last game — and the Over is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games against an opponent that allowed at least five goals in their last game. The Oilers scored six times despite failing to score from any of their four Power Play chances. After ranking third in the regular season with a Power Play success rate of 26.0%, they converted on 7 of their 19 Power Plays in the first round against the Kings for a crisp 36.8% success rate. Edmonton led all playoff teams after the first round with 22 goals when playing at even strength five-on-five. They ranked third in the first round with 3.46 expected goals at five-on-five. Calgary has played 9 of their last 10 home games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. The Over is also 13-6-2 in their last 21 games after scoring at least five goals in their last game — and the Over is 5-2-2 in their last 9 games against an opponent that allowed at least five goals in their last game. The Flames generated 47 shots in Game One making it the sixth straight game where they peppered the net with at least 32 shots — and they have played 31 of their last 46 games Over the Total after playing at least five straight games where they had at least 30 shot attempts. Calgary is fourth in the postseason with just 2.23 expected goals allowed at five-on-five — but they just played seven games against an offensively-challenged Dallas team. Goalie Jacob Markstrom has a .918 save percentage in these playoffs — but his -0.4 goals saved avoid expectation suggests he is actually underachieving baseline expectations.

FINAL TAKE: Edmonton has played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. These two teams averaged 8.25 combined goals scored in their four regular-season meetings — including a 9-5 victory for the Flames in their final regular-season meetings on March 26th. Wednesday’s score may not have been as much of an outlier as it first appeared — and these two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games against each other. The Over is also 14-6-1 in the last 21 meetings between these teams when playing in Calgary. I think both teams should get to at least 3-3 before the end of regulation tonight. 25* NHL Pacific Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (39) and the Calgary Flames (40). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Liverpool (200161) and Southampton (200162). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (W26-D8-L2) returns to their English Premier League schedule after beating Aston Villa by a 2-1 score last Tuesday. Southampton (W9-D13-L14) has lost seven of their last ten matches after their 3-0 loss at Brentford back on May 7th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Liverpool comes off a 1-0 victory against Chelsea in the finals of the FA Cup on Saturday that was resolved via a shootout after 120 minutes of scoreless play. Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk left that match early with injuries that keeps them off the eligible roster for this match. Manager Jurgen Klopp has dug deep to his bench for this match — and the result is a starting XI that lacks many of their top attackers. Sadio Mane is also not playing — and their winter transfer, Luis Diaz, is on the bench. The top two attackers are Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino in the starting XI, but both are both limited. Jota is a poacher who has had success when joining Salah and Mane up top — but he is not a lead dog as he demonstrated in his time with Wolverhampton. Firmino appears past his prime for the last two seasons and has scored only nine goals this year. The Reds will also not have Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andre Robertson who play important roles in the attack on the wing. And because Klopp is relying on backups for his back line, expect a more cautious approach. Liverpool needs the win, not a blowout. Southampton only generated 1.32 expected goals in their loss to Brentford ten days ago. While the Saints have little to play for as they sit in 15th place in the EPL table but safe from relegation, don’t be surprised if they relish the opportunity to play spoiler and ruin Liverpool’s title aspirations. After Manchester City’s 2-2 draw at West Ham over the weekend, a Reds victory pulls them within one point with one match to go of the Cityzens. Southampton upset Liverpool at home last year by a 1-0 score — and they limited the Reds to just 1.35 expected goals despite Salah and company being on the pitch. But the Saints have scored only one goal in their last two matches and only four goals in their last six matches. They are not likely to score more than once in this match even against the B-team that Liverpool is sending out.

FINAL TAKE: Liverpool has seen six of their last seven matches accrue three or less combined goals — and Southampton has seen four of their last five matches generate three combined goals or less. 25* EPL Tuesday USA Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Liverpool (200161) and Southampton (200162). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:37 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (1) and the Calgary Flames (2) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (49-33-6) snapped a two-game losing streak in this series with a 4-2 victory on Friday. Calgary (53-25-10) hosts Game Seven on their home ice at the Scottiabank Saddledome.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Stars head coach Rick Bowness reunited Jason Roberson on the top line with Joe Pavelski and Rope Hintz on Friday — and Hintz scored a goal that Pavelski and Roberson assisted on while adding a second assist in the victory. The final goal was scored on an empty netter. But now back on the road, Calgary head coach Darryl Sutter can match up whatever two defensemen he wants against the top line that features Pavelski with the home team’s right to make the final line change. Dallas has scored only four times in the three previous games in Calgary in this series. The Under is 3-0-1 in the Stars’ last 4 games on the road. Dallas is getting outstanding goaltending from Jake Oettinger in this series. Oettinger has a .954 save percentage in the first six games — and he has a +7.3 Goals Save Above Expectation. The Under is 5-2-1 in the Stars’ last 8 games as an underdog — and the Under is also 5-2-1 in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. Calgary has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss on the road by more than one goal. The Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. The Flames have scored only four goals in their three games at home with three of them scored in their 3-1 victory in Game Five. While Oettinger’s efforts in this series are getting the most attention, Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom has been outstanding as well with a .945 save percentage and +4.1 goals saved above expectation. The Flames have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when favored — and the Under is 11-4-1 in their last 16 games in the playoffs when favored. Calgary has also played 7 of their last 10 playoff elimination games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Of the 24 combined goals scored in the six games in this series, only 13 of them have been scored at five-on-five even strength. The Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings between these teams when playing in Calgary. 25* NHL ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (1) and the Calgary Flames (2). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (59-35) forced a decisive Game Seven in this series with their 113-86 upset victory as a 2-point underdog on Thursday. Phoenix (71-23) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has steadily improved their defensive play in this series. After allowing the Suns to score 125 Points-Per-Game with a 1.32 Points-Per-Possession scoring rate, they have contained Phoenix to just 90 PPG with 1.05 PPG scoring rate in the last four games of this series. Granted, three of those four games were played in Dallas — but Phoenix scored 110 points in Game Five back at home with a 49.4% field goal percentage. The Suns average 115.5 PPG on their home court — so Dallas’ effort in Game Five was still pretty good. Phoenix began the playoffs by making at least 50% of their shots in their first eight games — including nailing at least 60% of their shots in two contests — while averaging 114.8 PPG during that span. The Mavericks have found a way to slow down Chris Paul who is only scoring 9.3 PPG in his last four games. Jalen Brunson has proven himself a gritty defender against Paul who is struggling against his physicality. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Mavs have also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. Dallas made 45.5% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Mavericks have been outrebounded by at least six rebounds in all six games in this series — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Dallas goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Phoenix has played 12 of their last 16 game Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Suns have also played 12 straight Unders after a loss on the road, in general. Additionally, Phoenix has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponents by at least five boards in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:37 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (77) and the Carolina Hurricanes (78) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (57-30-5) won their third game in the last four games in this series with their 5-2 victory at home on Thursday. Carolina (57-23-8) returns home to Raleigh to host this Game Seven.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bruins took a 2-0 lead entering the third period on Thursday before taking a 4-1 lead just over halfway through the period. The Hurricanes pulled their goalie early in an attempt to get back into the game — and Boston scored an empty netter before Carolina added the final goal with an empty netter. All six games in this series have seen at least six combined goals — and the Total has risen to 6 in the last two games after the first four games had a Total of 5.5. This situation offers us good value for Game Seven. The Bruins have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total after playing at least four straight Overs. Boston has also played 23 of their last 36 games Under the Total after allowing at least two goals in the third period of their last game. The Bruins have taken 37 minor penalties in this series which has helped contribute to five power-play goals by the Hurricanes. But in this Game Seven when the referees tend to swallow their whistles, Boston is not likely to not have their Power Play Kill Unit as active. Jeremy Swagman will once again be between the pipes for the Bruins after stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced on Thursday. In his four starts in this series after taking over for Linus Ullmark after the first two games, he has a 2.51 Goals-Against-Average and a .913 save percentage. The rookie did his best goaltending on the road during the regular season where he posted a 2.08 GAA and a .926 save percentage in 23 games (22 starts) as compared to his 2.81 GAA and .898 save percentage in 19 games (18 starts at home). Carolina has been held to two goals in three of their last four games since Swayman became the goaltender for the Bruins in this series. They have played 16 of their last 22 games at home Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. The Hurricanes have also played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total at home when playing their third game in five days. Carolina returns home where they have only given up four goals in the previous four games in this series. Antti Raanta has been outstanding in those three home games as he stopped 74 of the 76 shots he has faced for a .974 save percentage. In his 13 regular-season starts at home, Raanta had a 2.06 GAA and a .924 save percentage. Raanta has been better than I thought he would be in this series playing for the injured Frederik Andersen. Raanta has a 2.46 GAA and a .926 save percentage in his five starts while getting injured in Game Two and not playing in Game Three.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has played 17 of their last 27 games at home Under the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. Boston has played 8 of their last 13 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. 25* NHL 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (77) and the Carolina Hurricanes (78). 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 Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (57-34) has lost two of the last three games in this series with their 116-108 upset loss at home against the Celtics as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Boston (57-33) has won seven of their last nine games while evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee went into the fourth quarter in Game Four with a seven-point lead — but they surrendered a whopping 43 points in the final 12 minutes to get outscored by 15 points in the loss. That was the worst defensive effort for the Bucks in their last nine games. Milwaukee still leads all teams in the playoffs in Defensive Efficiency. The first item on head coach Mike Budenholzer’s agenda is to tighten things up on defense again. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Milwaukee misses Khris Middleton who remains out with a knee injury. Not only did he score 20.1 Points-Per-Game and 5.4 Assists-Per-Game in the regular season, but he is the team’s primary ball-handler which is critical for this team because he allows Giannis Antetokounmpo to exert less energy. Given the injury to Middleton, more is being asked of Jrue Holiday -- but he is more effective as a third scoring option rather than the primary complement to Antetokounmpo. Holiday is averaging 23 shot attempts per game in this series — but he is making only 33.6% of his shots and 30.9% of his shots from behind the arc. Brook Lopez becomes the de-facto third scoring option with Middleton out — but while he has scored 17 PPG in the playoffs when playing at home, he is only scoring 4.8 PPG on the road in the playoffs. Moving forward, Milwaukee has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston enjoyed their best shooting mark in their last five games with their 50% shooting clip on Monday. They got a huge effort from Al Horford who nailed 11 of his 14 shots from the field including 5 of 7 from behind the arc for 30 points. The Celtics’ 116 points was tied for the highest-scoring game in their last eight contests. But Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after an upset win. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. After leading the NBA in Defensive Efficiency in the regular season, they are third in the playoffs in defense while giving up the second-fewest points in the paint. The Celtics have played 30 of their last 44 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 13 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston has played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on their home court. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Boston. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (39) and the Edmonton Oilers (40) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (46-29-11) comes off a 4-0 victory at home against the Oilers on Sunday. Edmonton (51-30-5) returns home with this series tied at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Kings head coach Todd McClellan found success playing the Phillip Danault forward line against the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl line on Sunday. Danault is one of the best defensive forwards in the game. Los Angeles also got a vintage performance from goaltender Jonathan Quick who stopped all 31 of the shots he faced. The veteran was the team’s starting goaltender for their Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. After the Oilers scored six and eight goals in Games Two and Three, I think the tenor of this series has changed to be more defensive — and I suspect this may be the last game in this series where the Total is set at 6.5. The Under is 4-1-1 in the Kings’ last 6 games after a win — and they have played 6 straight Unders after shutting out their last opponent. Los Angeles has also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a win by three or more goals against a Pacific Division opponent — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road after a win by more four or more goals. The Kings were a good defensive team in the regular season where they ranked 11th in the NHL in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes. But scoring will be a problem for this team as they have only scored one power-play goal in their 15 chances in this series. Moving forward, the Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games in the playoffs as an underdog — and the Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games against Pacific Division foes. Edmonton has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by three or more goals — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home after a loss by four or more goals. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to score more than two goals — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games at home after not scoring more than one goal in their last contest. They are getting great play from goaltender Mike Smith who has a 2.27 Goals-Against-Average and a .942 save percentage in this series. Smith was red-hot last month with a .951 save percentage in April.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 18-8-4 in the last 30 games between these teams when playing in Edmonton. The Oilers have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when avenging a shutout loss to their opponent. 25* NHL 1st Round Pacific Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (39) and the Edmonton Oilers (40). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:37 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Calgary Flames (37) and the Dallas Stars (38) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Calgary (51-24-10) has lost four of their last five games after their 4-2 loss on the road against the Stars on Saturday. Dallas (48-31-6) has won five of their last seven games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We have seen Johnny Gaudreau’s offensive productivity dip in the postseason before. Despite prolific regular-season performances in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, Calgary flamed out in the first (full) round of the playoffs in both campaigns. The Flames have scored only three times in the first three games of this series. Part of the problem for Calgary is the lack of scoring depth after their top line of Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm. When playing at home in Dallas with the right to make the final line change, head coach Rick Bowness can make sure that his top defensive pair of Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter take the ice when the Gaudreau line is playing. Heiskanen has not seen a goal scored against the Stars in his 78 minutes of ice time so far in this series. And while the Gaudreau has scored twice, the other forward lines have scored just once in the first three games of this series. The Flames have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. The under is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two goals in two straight games. They are getting great goaltending from Jacob Markstrom who has kept them competitive in all three games in this series despite their lack of scoring. Markstrom has stopped 65 of the 69 shots he has faced in this series for a 1.36 Goals-Against-Average and a .940 save percentage. In his 25 starts on the road this season, Markstrom has a 2.31 GAA and a .929 save percentage. The Under is 6-2-1 in the Flames’ last 9 games on the road — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games as a road favorite. Dallas preceded their victory on Saturday with a 2-0 shutout win in Game Two in Calgary. They have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after going unbeaten in their last two games — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by more than one goal. The Stars have not allowed more than two goals in four straight games and six of their last seven. Rookie goaltender Jake Oettinger loves playing against Pacific Division teams against which he has a 2.24 Goals-Against-Average and a .925 save percentage in 16 games (15 starts). So far in this series, Oettinger has a 1.01 GAA and a .969 save percentage — and he has +3.7 saves above expectation. The Stars have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 9-3-1 in Calgary’s last 13 games in the playoffs when favored — and they have played 11 of their last 17 playoff games Under the Total when trailing in the series. 25* NHL 1st Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Calgary Flames (37) and the Dallas Stars (38). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:37 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (75) and the Colorado Avalanche (76) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Nashville (45-31-7) looks to rebound from their 7-2 loss in the opening game of this series. Colorado (57-20-6) snapped a two-game losing streak while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Entering the postseason, I wanted to attack these 6.5 totals with Under plays ahead of the market before the reality of playoff hockey generates lower scoring games — but here I am endorsing a 25* play with an Over despite the number being at 6.5. Well, these are both high-scoring teams — and the Predators have a serious problem with their goaltending situation given the injury to Juuse Saros. David Rittich did not last the first period on Tuesday as he allowed in five goals on 13 shots. Rookie Connor Ingram played better by stopping 30 of the 32 shots he faced which were enough for head coach John Hynes to give him the nod as the starter tonight. It’s one thing to “only” give up two more goals entering a game where his team was already trailing by five goals — it is quite another to be facing the pressure of starting in a hostile environment tonight in a brand new game. In his three regular-season starts, Ingram had a 3.71 Goals-Against-Average and a .879 save percentage. He is facing perhaps the most potent scoring attack in the NHL which generates 4.3 Goals-Per-Game when playing at home at Ball Arena. The Avalanche rank sixth in the league with a Power Play unit that has a 24.3% success rate. The Predators give up 4.78 penalties per game which are the most in the league. Nashville only wins this game by scoring their share of goals. They are led by Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg who both found the back of the net 40 times. They also boast a top-five Power Play unit in the NHL. The Predators have played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a loss by three or more goals. They have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road after playing a game where at least eight combined goals were scored. Furthermore, they have played 4 straight Overs after allowing at least five goals in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. On the road, the Over is 36-16-1 in their last 53 games — and they have played 15 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the total set at 6 or higher. And in their last 8 road games, Nashville has played 7 of these games Over the Total. Additionally, the Predators have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record — and they have played 22 of their last 27 games Over the Total against Central Division rivals. Colorado has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total at home after a victory against divisional opponents — and they have played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total after a win by three or more goals against a Central Division foe. The Avalanche have now played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Colorado is vulnerable on defense — they have allowed 3.6 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced on Tuesday — but in his ten starts last month, he registered a lukewarm 3.28 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 straight Overs — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Colorado. Nashville has also played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by two or more goals. The Predators can still feel very good about themselves with an upset win tonight — but they can only do that by pulling out a high-scoring game. 25* NHL 1st Round Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (75) and the Colorado Avalanche (76). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (224213) and Real Madrid (224214) in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Semifinals. THE SITUATION: Manchester City won the first leg of this semifinals showdown with a 4-3 victory at home at Etihad Stadium last Tuesday. Real Madrid hosts this rematch at their Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Man City is in potent offensive form with all of their attackers healthy and contributing. The Cityzens come off a 4-0 victory at Leeds United in the English Premier League on Saturday. Man City has scored 16 goals during their current four-game winning streak across all competitions. Manager Pep Guardiola deploys many starting XI lineups that lack a traditional number striker — and they still score plenty of goals with effective midfielders like Kevin DeBruyne, Phil Foden, and Raheem Sterling. But what has helped the Cityzens in this recent surge is the sudden great form of one of the true number nines on the roster in Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian has scored seven goals in his last five starts to offer this side the finisher up top that may be the final piece of the puzzle Guardiola needs to pull off the double of winning a Champions League and the EPL title. Jesus loves playing against Real Madrid — he has three goals with an assist in his three career matches against them. But while the attack is clicking on all cylinders, the Man City defense is not playing at its most optimal level. After Leeds United generated 1.06 expected goals (xG), the Cityzens have allowed four of their last seven opponents to produce at least 1.0 xG — and that does not include the 3-2 loss to Liverpool in the Semifinals of the FA Cup (where expected goals data is not tracked). Guardiola is dealing with an injured backline that is missing John Stones while Kyle Walker and Nathan Are are dealing with knocks. He will have to turn to Oleksandr Zinchenko at right-back who has been a liability on defense in the past. Joao Cancelo returns to the pitch after being suspended for the first match — and while he is a great defender, he also provides the Cityzens a threat in the attack. Real Madrid has won three of their last four matches after a 4-0 victory against Espanyol on Saturday. Los Blancos have scored 13 goals in their last four matches — but they have allowed six goals as well over that span. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is also dealing with injuries on his backline with David Alaba dealing with a knock. He may be available today but he has yet to return to training. The hopes of this Real Madrid side rest on the shoulders of attacker Karim Benzema who is on fire right now. Benzema scored twice in the first leg last week — and he leads all players in the Champions League with 14 goals in the competition. Los Blancos have scored at least one goal in every one of their home matches in the Champions League going back to December of 2018 — and they have to beat the Cityzens by one goal to force extra time to advance to the Semifinals.

FINAL TAKE: The pace was frenetic in the first meeting between these sides last week with Man City generating 3.08 xG and Real Madrid countering with 1.66 xG. Los Blancos have a -4.43 net expected goals differential in their last four matches in the Champions League — but be careful reading too much into that. With elite players like Benzema, Vinicius Junior, and Luka Modric, they have the talent that literally produces the positive outlier results from which expected goals data measuring league-wide averages derive. It’s kinda like expecting the Golden State Warriors to stop overperforming relative to the league (last night being an exception) with their 3-point shooting — the Regression Gods are not coming for the players that set the standard from which other player’s expected regression is measured. Another higher-scoring contest is likely. 25* UEFA Champions League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (224213) and Real Madrid (224214). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (59-28) has won three of their last four games with their 111-109 win at against the Timberwolves as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Minnesota (49-39) hopes to stave off elimination tonight trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This series has been trending to lower-scoring games. After Game One saw 247 combined points scored, the Total moved up from a closing number in the 238 range for the first game to a closing Total in the 240 range. Game Two saw only 220 combined points scored before Game Three saw the series-low of 199 points. Game Four’s final score upticked back to 237 combined points (thanks for a furious scoring pace in the final minute). Game Five’s final score dropped to 220. Memphis is finding success in this series by winning the battle on the boards. After outrebounding the Timberwolves by a 53-42 margin on Tuesday, the Grizzlies have outrebounded them by at least five boards in the last four games. Memphis has then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last opponent by at least five rebounds in fouur straight games. The Grizzlies go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road when favored. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. After exploding 130 points in Game One, the Timberwolves are averaging only 104.8 PPG in the last four games in this series on 42.5% shooting from the field. They have scored more than 109 points just once in these last four games — and they have not cleared 96 points twice in the last four. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. And while the Grizzlies outrebound their opponents by +7.0 Rebounds-Per-Game, Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams who outrebound their opponents by at least 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game. The T-Wolves have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing at Minnesota. 25* NBA Round One Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (54-33) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 103-88 loss at home against the Raptors as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (50-37) trails in this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers are not as potent on offense since Joel Embiid injured his right thumb on his shooting hand. Philadelphia had a 61.5% effective field goal percentage before the injury — but they have a collective 48.1% effective field goal percentage as a team ever since after making only 38.3% of their shots on Monday. Embiid still scored 20 points in the loss in Game Five — but he cannot carry the team on offense and his outside shot is now limited. He missed all four of his shots from behind the arc in Game Five and his diminished threat as an outside shooter disrupts the team’s spacing on the court. The 76ers’ route to victory tonight is to play better defense after allowing the Raptors to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They go back on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games — and the Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia has also played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Sixers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Toronto enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests after nailing 51.2% of their shots. But the Raptors have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory as a road underdog in their last game. They have also played 30 of their last 39 games Under the Total after winning their last two games against Atlantic Division rivals. And while they have only covered the point spread in two of their last seven games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Raptors will likely be without Fred VanVleet once again tonight. His absence helps Toronto on defense where he is a liability — but he is perhaps their most reliable scorer. They have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 meetings Under the Total when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA 1st Round Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (59) and the Seattle Kraken (60). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-27-10) has won four games in a row after their 4-2 victory against Anaheim on Saturday. Seattle (26-47-6) is on a three-game losing streak after their 5-2 loss at Vancouver last night.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings have clinched a spot in the Western Conference playoffs — but they are still jockeying for seeding. This is a defensive-first team that will want to maintain that focus in the final days of regular season before the intensity from the playoffs amps up. Los Angeles has seen six or fewer combined goals scored in eight of their last eleven games. They are only scoring 2.85 Goals-Per-Game in their last 13 contests. The Under is 4-1-1 in the Kings’ last 6 games after a win — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Jonathan Quick is the likely goaltender tonight for the Kings. The veteran is playing his best hockey entering the postseason — he has a 2.11 Goals-Against-Average in his seven starts this month. In his last four starts, he has a .944 save percentage — and he has not allowed more than two goals in any of these four games. They hit the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Seattle has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing without a day of rest. The Under is also 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after a loss by three or more goals. The Kraken have seen six or less fewer combined goals scored in seven of their last eleven games. They are likely to turn to Chris Dredger between the pipes tonight. He has allowed two or less goals in four of his last seven starts. He also has played quite well in his two previous starts against Kings against which he stopped 55 of the 58 shots he faced fora  .948 save percentage. This expansion team has been a solid defensive team that ranks ninth in the NHL in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes when playing at five-on-five full strength. Seattle has played 5 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles will be motivated to avenge a 6-1 loss at home to the Kraken on March 28th — and they have played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score more than one goal. 25* NHL Pacific Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (59) and the Seattle Kraken (60). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Chicago (47-39) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing by a 119-95 score at home to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (54-32) has a 3-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Chicago lost their second-best offensive player yesterday when Zack LaVine once again tested positive for COVID — he is out for tonight’s game. The Bulls will also be without Alex Caruso who is in the concussion protocol. Chicago will miss Caruso’s contributions on defense — but the net effect of losing both players is a net loss on the offensive end of the court. As it is, the Bulls are only scoring 94.2 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs which is the second-worst of all the teams in the first round of the playoffs. They are making just 39.8% of their shots in this series which is generating only 94.0 Points-Per-Game. Chicago has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home to a Central Division rival. And while they have lost seven of their last nine games, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Now they go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Bulls have played 5 straight playoff games Under the Total. And in their last 20 games against division opponents, Chicago has played 16 of these contests Under the Total while scoring just 102.4 PPG in those 20 games — but allowing only 105.1 PPG. Milwaukee has played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points on the road. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bucks will continue to playing without Khris Middleton who scored 20.1 PPG and averaged 5.4 Assists-Per-Game. Milwaukee has stepped up to nail 43.2% of their 74 shots from behind the arc in their last two games. The Bucks shoot 36.4% from 3-point range at home — so the Regression Gods are likely to make a visit. Milwaukee made 52.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last seven contests. The Under is 15-5-2 in the Bucks’ last 22 games in the playoffs when favored. They have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total against Central Division rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 straight Unders when playing in Milwaukee. Chicago has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on the road when avenging a 20-point loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (517) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (518) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (58-27) won their second straight game in this series with their 104-95 victory against the Timberwolves as a 2-point road favorite on Thursday. Minnesota (48-38) blew a 26-point lead in the game and now trail 2-1 in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Taylor Jenkins has made an important adjustment in this series which should generate lowering-scoring games. After the Timberwolves scored 130 points in their 13-point upset victory, Jenkins only played big man Steven Adams for less in three minutes in Game Two with the Grizzlies holding Minnesota to 96 points. Adams did not play in Game Three. Karl Anthony-Towns was too much for Adams to defend — but Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke have been a handful for Towns to handle. Towns scored only 8 points on Thursday while taking a mere four shots from the field. The T-Wolves scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter in their historic collapse which was the biggest blown lead in loss in the history of the NBA playoffs. Memphis has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than 105 points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after holding their last two opponents to no more than 100 points. The Grizzlies are a very good defensive team who ranked sixth in the NBA by holding their opponents to scoring just 108.9 points per 100 possessions — and they are better on that end of the court when benching Adams (while losing his significant offensive contributions). Memphis is fourth in Offensive Rating this season — but they score -2.0 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road at a 112.3 rate, dropping to tenth in the league. The Grizzlies have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. They have also played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total when favored. Furthermore, Memphis has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. Minnesota is seventh in the NBA by scoring at a 113.8 points per 100 possession rate — but their offensive efficiency at home drops to 111.8 points per 100 possession rate which is 19th in the league. The Timberwolves are scoring just 95.5. Points-Per-Game in the last two games in this series — and now their leading scorer, Anthony Edwards, might be slowed with a knee injury. Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The pace has slowed down in this series — and that is likely to continue. Memphis averages 94 shots per game — but they attempted only 83 shots on Thursday after taking 86 and 92 shots in the first games in this series. Minnesota averages 91 shots per game — but after taking 90 shots in Game One with Adams still in the rotation, the T-Wolves took only 76 shots in Game Two and 85 shots in Game Three. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games in Minnesota Under the Total. 25* NBA Saturday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (517) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (545) and the Golden State Warriors (546) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (48-35) looks to rebound from their 123-107 loss in the opening game of this best-of-seven series. Golden State (54-29) has won six games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors made 52.4% of their shots on Saturday while nailing 16 of their 35 shots from behind the arc. Stephen Curry returned from injury to play over 21 minutes and score 16 points. But it was Jordan Poole who led the way with 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting. Overall, Golden State scored a scorching 129.4 points per 100 possession rate. With Curry rejoining Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Poole, the Warriors are a dynamic scoring team. But it is too much to expect consistent performances like what they did to the Nuggets on Saturday. The Regression Gods are likely coming for this team tonight. While they are a great outside shooting team, a clip more like their 37.2% shooting percentage from behind the arc when playing at home is more likely tonight. And while Curry is a cheat code who unlocks scoring opportunities for others when he is not knocking down 3-pointers, Golden State scored at a 114.1 points per 100 possession rate with him on the court this season — so Game One’s numbers were definitely a high-end outlier. But the Warriors should play better on the other end of the court after allowing the Nuggets to make 46.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven games. Golden State is second in the NBA by holding their opponents to 107.6 points per 100 possessions — and much of those numbers were generating without an injured Draymond Green. They held their opponents to more than 3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Green on the court in the regular season. The Warriors were also third in the NBA by limiting their opponents to scoring at just a 91.2 points per 100 possession rate in the half-court where Denver does most of their damage via Nikola Jokic. Golden State has played 35 of their last 57 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — including 14 of their last 21 games after a win by 10 or more points. The Warriors have covered the point spread in six of their last seven games — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning six in a row. And in their last 23 games when playing for just the second time in five days, they have played 17 of these games Under the Total. In their last five games at home in Chase Arena, Golden State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They have also played 13 of their last 21 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 220 or higher. Denver should play better on defense as the 52.4% field goal percentage was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets have issues on defense — but their starting five does hold their opponents to just 106.5 points per 100 possessions which would rank second in the league if compared to overall regular season averages. Perhaps head coach Michael Malone will adjust by shortening his bench even more. The Warriors made Jokic work very hard on both ends of the court on Saturday. He scored 25 points but he also took 25 shots from the field. Green will continue to make his life difficult. While he did not play in any of the four games in the regular season between these two clubs, Green had held Jokic to just 15.7 Points-Per-Game with a 47.9% field goal percentage in his previous 18 games in his career to defend him. The Nuggets lack a reliable secondary scorer to complement Jokic with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter, Jr. still out with injuries. Denver only got to the rim for 20% of their shots in Game One — the Warriors may be able to reduce Denver to mostly a jump-shooting team. The Nuggets score 2.1 fewer PPG on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: While Game One finished Over the Total, these two teams have still played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games in Golden State Under the Total. 25* NBA Monday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (545) and the Golden State Warriors (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (531) and the Phoenix Suns (532) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New Orleans (38-46) has won seven of their last ten games after their 105-101 victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 1.5-point on Friday. Phoenix (64-18) has lost four of their last six games after their 116-109 upset loss as a 10-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans have proven they can ramp up their intensity on defense in the postseason after holding their two opponents in the Play-In Tournament to just 40.9% shooting which has resulted in just 102.0 Points-Per-Game. New Orleans has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and the Under is 33-16-2 in their last 51 games after a point spread victory. The Pelicans stay on the road to begin this series where the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. New Orleans has also played 25 of their last 34 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Phoenix allowed the Kings to nail 52.6% of their shots last week with their key players resting — that was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. The Under is 19-6-1 in the Suns’ last 26 games after a straight-up loss. Phoenix has also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. The Suns play outstanding defense — they rank third in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 106.6 points per 100 possessions. They host this game where they have played 4 straight Unders when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 40 games Under the Total in the with the Total set in the 220s. Additionally, the Under is 8-1-1 in their last 10 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on March 15th with the Suns winning in New Orleans by a 131-115 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Pelicans have played 22 of their last 33 games Under the Total when playing on the road attempting to avenge a home loss — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games on the road when playing with revenge from a  loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 25* NBA Sunday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (531) and the Phoenix Suns (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Senators (11) and the New York Rangers (12). THE SITUATION: New York (46-20-6) has won two straight games and six of their last eight contests after their 3-0 shutout victory against Pittsburgh on Thursday. Ottawa (26-38-6) had their three-game winning streak snapped with their 3-2 loss to Nashville on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have seen no more than six combined goals scored in eight of their last twelve games. They have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a victory. While the team improved their depth at the trade deadline with several additions to the team, New York still ranks 28th in the league in five-on-five scoring. Goalie Igor Shesterkin is the difference-maker for this team. He stopped all 30 shots he faced against the Penguins for that shutout. He has not allowed more than three goals in five straight starts. Shesterkin leads the league with a .935 save percentage — and he also leads the NHL in saves above expected saves rate. He thrives when playing at home in Madison Square Garden where he has a 1.89 Goals-Against-Average and a .940 save percentage in 25 starts. The Rangers have played 13 of their last 18 home games Under the Total when favored. They have also played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total against fellow Eastern Conference opponents — and the Under is 26-10-1 in their last 37 games against teams not winning more than 40% of their games. Ottawa has played 13 of the last 18 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. The Senators are just 22nd in the NHL in expected goals when playing at five-on-five even strength — and they will be missing two of their offensive threats with Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson out for tonight’s game with injuries. But Ottawa remains a feisty opponent given their physical defensive play. They are 12th in the league with their Power Play Kill Unit. They are also getting outstanding play from Anton Forsberg who will be between the pipes tonight. He has a .925 save percentage in his last nine starts while not allowing more than three goals in all nine games. In 19 starts on the road, Forsberg has a 2.42 Goals-Against-Average and a .925 save percentage. The Under is 10-3-1 in Ottawa’s last 14 road games as an underdog. Additionally, the Under is 18-7-1 in the Senators’ last 26 games as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. The Under is also 19-7-1 in their last 27 games against Eastern Conference opponents — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams from the Metropolitan Division.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played seven of their last eight encounters with no more than six combined goals scored. The Under is 19-6-4 in the last 29 games played between these two teams at Madison Square Garden. 25* NHL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Senators (11) and the New York Rangers (12). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (567) and the Chicago Bulls (568). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (48-30) has lost two games in a row with their 118-112 upset loss to Dallas as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Chicago (45-33) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 127-109 loss to Miami as a 2-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks allowed the Mavericks to make 51.3% of their shots on Sunday — and that was after they allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to nail 60.9% of their shots on Friday in a 153-119 upset loss at home as a 3.5-point favorite. Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez against the Clippers but they returned to the court on Sunday. With the playoffs looming and playing against a potential first-round opponent in the Bulls, this game is a good opportunity for the reigning NBA champions to re-embrace playoff intensity on the defensive end of the court. As it is, the Bucks have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Milwaukee has also played 4 straight Unders after losing two straight games at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after getting upset at home in their last two games. With Lopez back on the court after missing much of the season injured, he offers the team their best interior defender. His post-up ability also slows down their offense when they get into their half-court offense. With the potential of earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs still viable, the Bucks have plenty to still play for in the regular season. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. They have also played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Chicago allowed the Heat to nail 53.7% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They should tighten things up on defense tonight in this Central Division showdown. The Bulls have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Chicago has also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. After a great start to the season, the Bulls have cooled off significantly — and a rash of injuries has not helped matters. The Bulls have lost nine of their last fifteen games whole posting a 110.3 Offensive Rating during that span, ranking 28th in the league. They are making only 46.5% of their shots with a 33.2% shooting mark from behind the arc in their last 15 games as compared to their 48.0% field goal percentage and 36.8% clip from 3-point range for the season. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 games at home 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. The Bulls have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago will be looking to avenge a 126-96 loss in Milwaukee on March 22nd — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a 20 point loss. These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Chicago. The Bulls have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total against Central Division opponents — and the Bucks have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against fellow divisional rivals. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (567) and the Chicago Bulls (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Final Four game between the Villanova Wildcats (701) and the Kansas Jayhawks (702) in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Villanova (30-7) is on a nine-game winning streak after their 50-44 upset victory against Houston as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Kansas (32-6) has won nine games in a row after beating Miami (FL) by a 76-50 score as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats will have to play this game without their leader in minutes, Justin Moore. The junior is second on the team with a 14.8 Points-Per-Game scoring average while adding 4.8 Rebounds-Per-Game and 2.9 Assists-Per-Game. Villanova already plays at a snail’s pace — they average 19.9 seconds-per-possession, ranking 349th in the nation, and their games average only 62.6 possessions per game, ranking 345th in the country. Look for head coach Jay Wright to demand his team be even more patient on offense without Moore as a scoring option — they will probably average more than 20 seconds per possession. Wright will want to shorten this game — and then maybe Collin Gillespie and his veteran teammates can steal it late. This was the formula for success against Houston (even with Wright) as they only made 28.8% of their shots — but their defense stymied the Cougars who only made 29.8% of their shots. Villanova has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up victory — and they have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Wildcats rank 17th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency -- and that number improves to ranking 9th in the nation when evaluating Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on a neutral court. But in their ten games played on a neutral court, Villanova ranks 25th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency which is fine but -7.7 adjusted points per 100 possessions less than what they generate at home, where they rank 3rd in the nation. Incidentally, the Wildcats see their average possessions drop to a 61.7 average on neutral courts. Villanova has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. Kansas is playing their best defense of the season after holding the Hurricanes to just 34.5% shooting last weekend. That was the fourth straight game where they did not allow an opponent to make more than 35.6% of their shots from the field. Over their last ten games, the Jayhawks rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. They have also played 6 straight Unders after not allowing their last three opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field. Kansas thrives when getting out in transition to score baskets — but this will be easier said than done against Villanova. The Wildcats do not turn the ball over to allow for these opportunities — they rank 29th in the nation by turning the ball over just 15.5% of the time. Head coach Jay Wright’s team is also masterful in switches — so they are comfortable defending in transition. Look for the Wildcats to bypass offensive rebounding to get back on defense — not only will that help stifle the Jayhawks' attack, but it will also limit their own second-chance scoring opportunities. Villanova will try to make up the difference with 3-point shooting since they attempt 46.1% of their shots from downtown, ranking 26th in the nation. But Kansas holds their opponents to 29.6% shooting from behind the arc, ranking 17th in the country. By the way, while the Wildcats make 41.3% of their shots from 3-point range at home, ranking 6th in the nation, that proficiency plummets to a 31.9% clip when playing on a neutral court, ranking 183rd in the country — and those numbers include Moore’s contributions who is a 35.6% shooter from distance. The Jayhawks have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and Villanova has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. The Wildcats have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the Big Dance — and the Jayhawks have played 28 of their last 41 games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Final Four game between the Villanova Wildcats (701) and the Kansas Jayhawks (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (43) and the Calgary Flames (44). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (36-23-10) has lost three of their last four games after their 4-3 loss in overtime at Edmonton on Wednesday. Calgary (40-19-7) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to Colorado on Tuesday.

UPDATE (8:45 PM ET): I am seeing that the Kings are sending out Cal Peterson in goal, going against the earlier projections (although the LA goalie was never announced before pre-skate). The Over is still a 25* play — Peterson has a 2.83 GAA and an .899 save percentage since the All-Star Break and a 2.88 GAA with an .899 save percentage in 16 starts on the road this season.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Kings are ravaged with injuries on their blue line right now. Drew Doughty, Sean Walker, Matt Roy, and Mikey Anderson are all out. Not coincidentally, Los Angeles has allowed 3.6 Goals-Per-Game in their last five games. They have seen at least six combined goals in five straight games. But the Kings’ offense has stepped up as of late as they are averaging 3.5 Goals-Per-Game in their last four contests. For the season, Los Angeles is eighth in the NHL in expected goals at even strength five-on-five. The Kings have played 4 straight games Over the Total after going to overtime in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing a game on the road where both teams scored at least three goals. Furthermore, while Los Angeles has seen seven combined goals scored in two straight contests, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing two straight games where at least seven combined goals were scored. Jonathan Quick will be the goaltender tonight. For the season, he has a middling 2.68 Goals-Against-Average and a .909 save percentage in 38 starts — but his performance has dipped since the All-Star Break with a 2.83 GAA and a .898 save percentage in his last ten starts. Quick has a 3.23 GAA and an .873 save percentage in seven starts against Pacific Division rivals. Moving forward, the Over is 5-0-1 in the Kings’ last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Calgary has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss by one goal on home ice. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not scoring more than two goals — and the Over is 18-6-3 in their last 27 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last contest. And while the Flames have peppered at least 31 shots in five straight games, they have then played 30 of their last 43 games at home Over the Total after playing five straight games where they registered at least 30 shots. Calgary had seen at least six combined goals scored in four straight games before their contest with the Avalanche. They are fourth in the NHL in expected goals scored at even strength — and they are scoring 4.0 Goals-Per-Game in their last seven contests. They counter with Jacob Markstrom between the pipes tonight. While he has a 2.16 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 52 starts this season — but he carries an .889 save percentage in his last four starts. He also has a 2.61 GAA with a .909 save percentage in his 15 starts against Pacific Division rivals.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 5-0-1 in the Kings’ last 6 games against Western Conference foes — and the Over is 3-1-1 in the Flames’ last 5 games against Western Conference opponents. 25* NHL Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (43) and the Calgary Flames (44). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (649) and the Texas A&M Aggies (640) in the Semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: Washington State (22-14) won their seventh game in their last eight with their 77-58 upset victory at BYU as a 2.5-point underdog last Wednesday in the Quarterfinals of the NIT. Texas A&M (26-12) has won 10 of their last 11 contests with their 67-52 victory against Wake Forest as a 2.5-point favorite in their Quarterfinals match on Wednesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars made 43.9% of their shots against BYU which was their best shooting mark in their last five games. They are only making 38.3% of their shots in their last five games. Washington State finds success on the other end of the court where they rank 26th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While BYU made 41.1% of their shots against them last week, that was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Cougars have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. The Under is 12-4-1 in their last 17 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games after a point spread victory. Washington State has 75 and 77 points in their last two contests — but they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The Cougars cannot shoot — they rank 263rd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.1% while ranking 313th in the country by making only 46.2% of their shots inside the arc. Furthermore, they have played 16 of their last 18 games Under the Total when playing for just the second time in seven days — and they have played 7 straight Unders when playing for no more than the second time in the last eight days. Additionally, Washington State has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Texas A&M ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last four opponents to no better than 39.3% shooting after the Demon Deacons only made 34.0% of their shots against them last week. The Aggies have not allowed more than 65 points in six straight games — and their last two opponents in this tournament have not topped 60 points. Texas A&M has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in two straight games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a double-digit win at home. This play on defense has helped the Aggies play four straight Unders. They have then played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders — and they have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight Unders. Texas A&M wants to get their offense in transition by forcing turnovers — they rank eighth in the nation by triggering turnovers in 23.9% of their opponent’s possessions. But this is going to be tough against this Cougars team that only turns the ball in 16.4% of their possessions, ranking 50th in the nation. The Aggies can get bogged down in the half-court with their offense. They only make 32.7% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 231st in the nation — and they only made 29.0% of their 3-pointers in the SEC.

FINAL TAKE: Texas A&M has played 4 straight Unders when the favorite. Washington State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (649) and the Texas A&M Aggies (640). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (533) and the Houston Rockets (534). THE SITUATION: Washington (30-40) snapped their six-game losing streak with their 127-119 win against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Houston (17-54) has lost five games in a row with their 122-98 loss to Memphis as a 12.5-point underdog yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wizards’ losing streak likely played them out of a spot in the postseason — and their play on defense has illustrated their loss of ambition. Washington allowed the Lakers to make 52.7% of their shots which was the seventh time in their last eight games where they allowed their opponent to make at least 50% of their shots. Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Over is 14-3-1 in the Wizards’ last 18 games after a win — and they have played 5 straight Overs after a point spread victory. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total. Houston only made 43.0% of their shots against the Grizzlies which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last ten contests. The Rockies have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after a loss by 10 or more points on their home court. The Over is 21-10-1 in Houston’s last 32 games after a point spread loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They stay at home where the Over is 13-6-1 in their last 20 games at home — and the Over is 17-8-1 in their last 26 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and Washington has played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. 25* NBA Monday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (533) and the Houston Rockets (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (543) and the Utah Jazz (544). THE SITUATION: Chicago (41-27) lost their sixth game in their last eight with their 112-103 upset loss at Sacramento as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Utah (42-26) has lost two of their last three games with their 117-111 upset loss to Milwaukee as a 2-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss. They have also played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. DeMar DeRozan has cooled off as of late with his shooting as he is making only 40% of his shots in his last eight games. Zach LaVine is not 100% with his knee. But while Chicago still misses the defensive presence of Lonzo Ball, they did get back Alex Caruso who gives them a boost on that end of the court. The Bulls stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s. The Under is also 13-5-1 in Chicago’s last 19 games on the road as an underdog. They have also played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Utah has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in at least three straight games. The Jazz will be without their second-leading scorer tonight with Bojan Bogdanovic out with a wrist injury. They stay at home where they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games when favored. Utah has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on October 30th when the Bulls upset the Jazz at the United Center by a 107-99 score. That game finished well below the 219 point total — the Under is now 21-7-1 in the last 29 meetings between these two teams. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (543) and the Utah Jazz (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the First Four NCAA Tournament game between the Indiana Hoosiers (665) and the Wyoming Cowboys (666). THE SITUATION: Indiana (20-13) won their first two games in the Big Ten Conference Tournament before losing to Iowa by an 80-77 score as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Wyoming (25-8) comes off a 68-61 loss to Boise State as a 3-point underdog in the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hoosiers made 47.6% of their shots in their last-second heartbreaking loss to the Hawkeyes. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. First-year head coach Mike Woodson has his alma-mater playing outstanding half-court defense. Indiana led the Big Ten in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and that rank 24th in the nation in that metric. It starts from their interior defense as are seventh in the country by holding their opponents to just 43.4% shooting inside the arc. Woodson has two outstanding defensive players inside in the 6’9 Trayce Jackson-Davis and the 6’8 Race Thompson — and they will present problems against the Cowboys’ offense. The “Post Up Pokes” run their offense inside-out with Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike capable of scoring when posting up but happy to pass to an open teammate if they are double-teamed. This is a game where Woodson’s chops as a long-time NBA head coach will help with a few defensive maneuvers to disrupt the flow of the Wyoming attack. Indiana dealt with several injuries during the regular season so their numbers do not adequately represent the team playing on the floor tonight. The Hoosiers’ defensive presence improved for the Big Ten tournament with the return of Trey Galloway and Rob Phinisee — and Jordan Geronimo is expected to be available after getting injured in the Big Ten Tournament. But the Indiana offense is not dynamic as it relies on not turning the ball over and getting to the free-throw line to reach their 71.5 Points-Per-Game mark. They only pull down 27.0% of their missed shots, ranking 213th in the nation and they force turnovers in 17.5% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 229th in the country. They only make 44.6% of their shots away from Bloomington, so if their shots are not falling, the offense can stagnate. But Indiana holds their opponents to just 39.1% shooting which translates into 65.9 PPG to keep them competitive. Wyoming made 42.6% of their shots against the Broncos in a losing effort — and that was the best shooting effort in their last five games. That contest finished above the 128.5 point total — and the Cowboys have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Wyoming is making only 38.4% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in just 62.2 PPG. While the Cowboys rank 17th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, that ranking plummets to 124th in the nation when they are playing on the road. They make only 42.9% of their shots away from home which results in 67.0 PPG which is -6.0 PPG below their season average. But the Pokes’ defense does tighten up when away from Laramie. Wyoming’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency is 162dn in the nation when playing at home — but they improve to 43rd in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They hold their opponents to 40.7% shooting and 65.7 PPG away from home. The Cowboys defend the perimeter well as they hold their opponents to just 30.3% shooting from behind the arc, ranking 32nd in the nation. Their offensive profile is like Indiana in that they bypass creating extra scoring opportunities — and their offensive identity is predicated on protecting the basketball and getting to the free-throw line. Wyoming thrives with their inside scoring as they make 52.5% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 32nd in the nation — but they may not have played a team with a better interior defense this season than what they will face against this Hoosiers team.

FINAL TAKE: This shapes up to a slow-paced rock fight. Wyoming has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog on a neutral court. Indiana has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 4 straight Unders when favored on a neutral court. 25* CBB First Four NCAA Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the First Four NCAA Tournament game between the Indiana Hoosiers (665) and the Wyoming Cowboys (666). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At (now) 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Georgetown Hoyas (673) and the Seton Hall (674) in the first round of the Big East Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: Georgetown (6-24) limps into the Big East Tournament on a 20-game losing streak after their 97-75 loss at Xavier as a 13-point underdog on Saturday. Seton Hall (20-9) has won five games in a row with their 65-60 upset win at Creighton as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Patrick Ewing’s first priority for the Hoyas in this tournament is to tighten things up on defense after they allowed the Pirates to make 54.7% of their shots. That was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven games. Georgetown has played 4 straight Unders after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. The Hoyas have also played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a loss on the road to a conference rival — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss on the road. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 165 combined points were scored. The problems against Xavier started early as they went into halftime with a 54-30 deficit. Georgetown has played 8 straight Unders after trailing by at least 15 points at half-time of their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least 45 points in the first half in their last game. While the Hoyas should play better on defense, they still cannot shoot the basketball. Georgetown ranks 319th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 46.5%. They make only 43.7% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 346th in the country. Their shooting is even worse away from home where they rank 328th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 44.7%. The Hoyas make only 41.1% of their shots inside the arc on the road, ranking 357th in the nation — and their road 2-point shooting in the conference was even worse with a 40.9% mark. The Hoyas have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Seton Hall has held their last five opponents to 39.4% shooting which has resulted in those foes scoring only 63.6 Points-Per-Game. They rank 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are second in the Big East in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. The Pirates have played two straight Unders — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders in a row. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Seton Hall only makes 40.5% of their shots on the road which generates 70.8 PPG which is -3.4 PPG below their season average. The Pirates have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the number set in the 140s. Additionally, Seton Hall has played 27 of their last 37 games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when favored on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: The Pirates swept the Hoyas this season after beating them by a 73-68 score on March 2nd. Georgetown has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a same-season loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* CBB Big East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Georgetown Hoyas (673) and the Seton Hall (674). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the George Washington Colonials (635) and the Fordham Rams (636). THE SITUATION: George Washington (12-16) had their two-game losing streak snapped with a 98-93 victory in triple overtime as a 7-point favorite on Wednesday. Fordham (13-15) has lost two of their last three games with their 81-73 loss at Massachusetts as a 4-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colonials' three-overtime game earlier this week was tied at 59 after regulation — so that contest was going way Under the 137 point total. George Washington made 47.9% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. They have just the ninth-best offense in the Atlantic 10 Conference in terms of Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they drop to 12th in the conference in that metric when playing on the road. GW has played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road after losing two of their last three games. Additionally, the Colonials have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game — and the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last contest. George Washington has the 12th worst defense in the Atlantic 10 in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they do improve to seventh best in that statistic when playing on the road in conference play. The Colonials have played 22 of their last 28 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is 20-6-1 in their last 27 road games against teams with a winning record at home. George Washington has also played 6 straight Unders on the road with the Total set in the 135-139.5 point range. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Fordham allowed UMass to make 47.4% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last five contests. The Rams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 36-16-1 in their last 53 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 27-11-1 in their last 39 games after a point spread loss. Fordham ranks just 13th in the Atlantic 10 in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they are fourth in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They return home where they hold their opponents to 41.5% shooting which results in only 63.6 Points-Per-Game. The Under is a decisive 42-16-1 in the Rams’ last 59 home games when favored — and they have played 12 of their last 16 home games Under the Total as the favorite. They have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130-134.5 point range. Furthermore, they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Fordham will be looking to avenge a 64-55 loss at George Washington as a 1-point underdog on January 30th. They have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they did not score more than 60 points. 25* CBB Atlantic 10 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the George Washington Colonials (635) and the Fordham Rams (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (773) and the Idaho State Bengals (774). THE SITUATION: Southern Utah (18-10) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 69-53 loss at Montana State as a 3.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Idaho State (7-21) has lost three of their last four games with their 73-69 loss at Portland State in overtime as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This game between two subpar defensive teams should be higher-scoring tonight. The Thunderbirds have the fourth-best defense in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the Big Sky Conference — but they rank 232nd in that metric nationally. Southern Utah has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after failing to score more than 55 points in their last game. The Over is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with just one day of rest. They are making a healthy 47.4% of their shots in their last five games — but they have allowed their last five opponents to shoot 48.9% from the field. They stay on the road where they are scoring 75.1 PPG while allowing 75.6 PPG. They have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games when favored. The Thunderbirds have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140-144.5 point range. The Over is also 26-10-1 in their last 37 games when favored. Idaho State ranks 324th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They managed to hold Portland State to just 15 first-half points on Saturday — but they have then played 16 of their last 22 home games Over the Total after not allowing more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. Additionally, the Bengals have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread win. Idaho State has played four straight Overs — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last game. They have also played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing at least three Overs in a row. Now after playing those last three games on the road, they return home rehear they see their scoring average rise +6.1 Points-Per-Game to a 70.7 PPG mark. The Bengals have played 6 of their last 8 home games Over the Total — and they have played 17 of their last 21 home games Over the Total after playing their last three games on the road. Idaho State has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with the number set in the 140s.

FINAL TAKE: Southern Utah won the first meeting between these two teams by an 86-74 score as a 16.5-point favorite on January 22n. Idaho State has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from an earlier loss this season to their opponent. 25* CBB Big Sky Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (773) and the Idaho State Bengals (774). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack (717) and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (718). THE SITUATION: North Carolina State (11-18) has lost two in a row and eight of their last nine games after their 84-74 loss to North Carolina as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. Wake Forest (22-8) has won two of their last three games with their 99-77 win against Louisville as a 9-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Demon Deacons made 58.2% of their shots against the woeful Cardinals which was the best shooting mark in their last 21 games. But I do not consider that an outlier performance as much as it is evidence that this Wake Forest team will expose teams who are vulnerable on the defensive end of the court. The Demon Deacons now shot at least 53.7% from the field in seven of their last twelve games. Expect another higher-scoring game as they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win at home where they scored at least 85 points — and they have played 6 straight Overs at home after a victory at home where both teams scored at least 75 points. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by 20 or more points — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. The Demon Deacons did allow Louisville to make 50.8% of their shots which was the third time they allowed an opponent to shoot at that clip or higher in their last five games. Wake Forest plays at the fastest pace in the ACC — they average 16.8 seconds per possession. Their opponents play at the second-fastest possession in the conference by averaging 17.4 seconds per possession against them. The 69.9 average possessions per game in conference play leads the ACC as well. And when playing at home, the Demon Deacons play at the 25th fastest pace when looking at adjusted numbers (that eliminate garbage time). Wake Forest is 15-2 at home where they make 49.5% of their shots which generates 83.2 Points-Per-Game. They have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total at home — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40%. They have also played 17 of their last 21 home games Over the Total when favored by 9.5 to 12 points. NC State only made 37.9% of their shots in their loss to the Tar Heels on Saturday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. But the play of the Wolfpack defense is a bigger concern as the 51.8% shooting clip by North Carolina which was actually the sixth-lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last eight games. NC State ranks 15th in the ACC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 52.9% is the 296th worst mark in the nation. The Wolfpack have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 12 of their last 15 road games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 10 of their last 12 road games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. And while this is their second game since last Wednesday, they have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total when playing for just the second time in seven days. They go back on the road where they are 4-8 with an average combined score of 150.0 points due to allowing 76.2 PPG. While the Wolfpack ranks eighth in the ACC in pace, they get lulled into playing faster on the road where they are playing at the fifth-fastest pace in the conference. NC State has played 35 of their last 51 road games Over the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 18 road games Over the Total in conference play. They have also played 17 of their last 22 road games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: NC State is losing to avenge a 69-51 loss at home to Wake Forest on February 9th. The Wolfpack have played all 5 of their revenge opportunities this season Over the Total when getting beat by double-digits in their first meeting this season — and both games went Over this season when they were avenging a loss where they did not score at least 60 points. NC State has played 22 of their last 31 games Over the Total as an underdog — and Wake Forest has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total as the favorite. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack (717) and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (718). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the San Jose Sharks (16). THE SITUATION: Boston (30-17-4) has won three straight games with their 3-2 win at Seattle on Thursday. San Jose (23-22-6) snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory against the New York Islanders on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Boston has been outstanding defense — they are allowing only 2.04 expected goals (xGF) per 60 minutes this month. They have held their last five opponents to just 2.2 goals per game. And while they have peppered the opposing goalie with at least 33 shots in three straight games, they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after attempting at least 33 shots in three straight games. They are only scoring 2.6 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests as they continue to be held back with their secondary scoring after their “perfection line” of Patrice Bergeron (who is listed as probable tonight despite an illness), Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak. They continue their road trip where the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games on the road. Jeremy Swayman is their goaltender tonight. Swayman has a 2.09 Goals-Against-Average with a .925 save percentage — and he ranks seventh in saves above expectation for goalies with at least 10 games played this season. In his 11 games (10 starts) on the road, Swayman has a 1.59 GAA and a .945 save percentage. Moving forward, the Under is 5-0-1 in Boston’s last 6 games against teams with a losing record. San Jose has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game at home where both teams scored at least three goals. The Sharks’ victory against the Islanders was preceded by a 4-3 loss at Anaheim — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where at least seven combined goals were scored. Furthermore, San Jose has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after allowing at least three goals in two straight games — and they have played 15 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after scoring at least three goals in two straight games. The Sharks are missing Erik Karlsson to help out their attack. The defenseman is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury — and his absence exacerbates their lack of scoring punch from their bottom-six forwards. San Jose has a low 1.95 GF per 60 minutes this month — and they are scoring only 2.4 Goals-Per-Game in their last five games. They turn to James Reimer as their goaltender tonight who is having a solid season. Reimer owns a 2.90 GAA with a .913 save percentage — and he has made +2.9 saves above expectation. The Sharks have played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning record.

FINAK TAKE: San Jose has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against Eastern Conference opponents — and the Under is 3-1-1 in Boston’s last 5 games against Western Conference foes. The Sharks will be looking to avenge a 4-3 loss to the Bruins on October 24th — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. The Under is also 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two teams when playing in San Jose. 25* NHL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the San Jose Sharks (16). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (517) and the Los Angeles Lakers (518). THE SITUATION: The Los Angeles Clippers (30-31) went into the All-Star break winning three of their last four games after their 142-111 win against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite last Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers (27-31) snapped a three-game losing streak to go into the All-Star break with a 106-101 upset victory against Utah as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have been playing higher scoring games this month with head coach Tyronn Lue relying on Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann to give the team more minutes. Jackson and Mann give the team a boost on the offensive end of the court. The Clippers have a 50.6% field goal percentage in their last five games which has generated 112.2 Points-Per-Game. But that duo is not as effective on the other end of the court. The Clippers may rank seventh in the NBA in Defensive Rating — but they are just 20th in that metric this month. Not surprisingly, the Clippers have played 6 of their last 8 games this month Over the Total. The Over is also 6-1-1 in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And while the Clippers have covered the point spread in their last three games, they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. This team remains without their big two in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George — and they will be without their recent acquisition from Portland in Norman Powell who is out with a toe injury. Moving forward, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Clippers’ last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games as an underdog. The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis tonight as he is dealing with an ankle injury. That means more small-ball with LeBron James playing at the five position. The Lakers will likely try to play at a fast pace relying more on Russell Westbrook’s athleticism (with the hope he can finally break out of his “slump” — they are ride-or-die with him now after he was not dealt at the trading deadline). The Lakers went into the break making 49.4% of their shots in their last five games which were generating 112.8 PPG — but also allowed 114.2 PPG in those five contests. The Lakers have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win They have also played 7 of their last 10 games at Crypto.com Arena Over the Total when favored — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Over the Total when favored by no more than six points. And in their last 8 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Lakers have played 6 of these games Over the Total. Furthermore, the Lakers have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. And while the Clippers allow 107.7 PPG this season, the Lakers have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams who do not allow more than 108 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Against Pacific Division rivals this season, the Lakers are allowing these opponents to make 47.5% of their shots which is resulting in 116.3 PPG. The Lakers have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against Pacific Division foes. The Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two Los Angeles rivals. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (517) and the Los Angeles Lakers (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Belmont Bruins (825) and the Murray State Racers (826). THE SITUATION: Belmont (23-5) won their tenth straight game with a 73-62 victory against SIU-Edwardsville as a 22-point favorite on Saturday. Murray State (26-2) won their 15th straight game with a 62-60 victory at Tennessee-Martin as a 17-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Belmont needs to win this game to put themselves in a position to share the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title. Expected a lower-scoring game between the two best defensive teams in the conference in terms of Adjusted Efficiency. The Bruins have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win at home against a conference rival. Belmont has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. The Bruins are playing their best basketball of the season — and it has been led by their play on defense. Belmont has held their last five opponents to just 40.4% shooting which has resulted in just 59.2 Points-Per-Game. They go on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Additionally, the Bruins have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140s. Murray State has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played a decisive 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Racers have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. Murray State has not allowed more than 62 points in five straight games while holding their last two opponents to 60 or fewer points. They have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 60 points in two straight contests. The Racers are scoring less on offense lately as well. They are shooting 2.9% below their season average in their last five games — and that 45.0% field goal percentage over that span is resulting in -7.3 PPG below their 79.7 PPG scoring average for the season. They return home where they are holding their guests to 38.7% shooting which is resulting in just 63.1 PPG. Murray State has played 8 straight home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and they have played 28 of their last 36 games Under the Total with the Total set in the range overall. The Under is also 16-7-1 in the Racers’ last 24 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against winning teams. Murray State has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Murray State won the first meeting between these two teams back on January 15th by an 82-60 score as a  6-point underdog in Nashville. The Racers got 36 points in Justice Hill in that game who nailed eight shots from behind the arc in that game. Murray State made 51% of their shots in that contest while making 14 of their 25 shots from 3-point range in that game for a 56% clip. They are not likely to do that again tonight since they make only 33.2% of their 3-pointers in conference play — and their 3-point shooting drops to 29.9% at home in Ohio Valley play. Belmont holds their home hosts in conference play to just a 31.1% shooting mark from 3-point range when playing on the road. The Bruins have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total when avenging a same-season loss. 25* CBB Thursday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between Belmont Bruins (825) and the Murray State Racers (826). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Evansville Purple Aces (703) and the Drake Bulldogs (704). THE SITUATION: Drake (17-9) is on a three-game losing streak after their 68-59 loss at Bradley as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Evansville (6-18) has lost two straight and five of their last six games after their 69-62 loss at Southern Illinois as an 11.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs only made 35.7% of their shots on Saturday while missing 10 of their 13 shots from behind the arc in the loss. Drake has played 6 straight Overs after not making more than three shots from behind 3-point range in their last game. The Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after losing three of their last four games. And while they have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in three straight games. They return home where they are scoring +3.2 Points-Per-Game above their season average of 74.7 PPG. They lead the Missouri Valley Conference by pulling down 31.1% of their shots in conference play on their home court. Drake has played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total at home against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. They have also played 4 straight home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 120s. Additionally, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Evansville has played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road after a loss on the road to a conference rival.  And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 6 straight road games Over the Total after covering the point spread in at least two straight games. This is the Purple Ace’s third game since Thursday — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total when playing their third game in seven days. They stay on the road where they are allowing +5.4 more PPG than their season defensive average with home hosts nailing 49.4% of their shots which is generating 74.2 PPG. Evansville ranks 332nd in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 55.9% away from home with those teams making 38% of their 3-pointers and 55.3% of their shots inside the arc, both those marks rank 316th in the nation. The Over is 6-2-1 in the Purple Aces’ last 9 road games — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games against teams scoring at least 60% of their games at home. Evansville has also played 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total against winning teams.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Drake’s narrow 60-59 win at Evansville on January 8th. The Bulldogs have allowed their eight opponents to score at least 66 points — and they have played 6 straight Overs when favored at home by 12.5 to 18 points. Evansville has played 8 of their last 12 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting 15.5 to 18 points. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Evansville Purple Aces (703) and the Drake Bulldogs (704). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224201) and Paris Saint-Germain (224202) in the first leg of the Round of 16 matches in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. THE SITUATION: Real Madrid enters this match coming off a 0-0 draw at Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga action. Paris Saint-Germain last played on Friday in a 1-0 victory at home against Rennes in a Ligue 1 domestic match.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Expect the respective offensive attacks to be on display in this heavyweight showdown between European powers who both reached the semifinals of this tournament last year. Star power will be all over the pitch in this match — but this talent has been masking less-than-elite tactics on the defensive side of the pitch. PSG defensive numbers have improved lately — and they have only allowed one goal on with just 1.4 expected goals (xGA) in their last two matches. But those contests were in Ligue 1 play and the quality of competition in the French top flight is not nearly the same as it is in the other top European leagues. Les Parisiens’ defensive numbers in that league are probably overstated. While they have conceded 19 goals in Ligue 1, their xGA rises to a 22.50 mark. The defensive results in the Group Stage of the Champions League are likely more reflective of what to expect from manager Mauricio Pochettino’s side. PSG allowed eight goals in their six Group Stage matches — and their xGA was even worse at a 10.7 clip. They only registered a clean sheet once in those six contests (surprisingly against Man City who did generate 1.90 xG but still somehow got blanked). To make matters worse for Pochettino, he will not have center-back Sergio Ramos to anchor his backline for this match as he remains out with an injury. But PSG will have Neymar available after he was out for an extended period with an injury. I suspect Neymar will come off the bench as a sub given his fitness issues — but Les Parisiens still have their dream-team combination up top of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe which will become even more potent when Neymar joins this on the pitch. PSG will score in this match after registering 13 goals in their six Group Stage matches — and they will surrender at least once to Los Blancos. Real Madrid will have their star attacker, Karim Benzema, available for this match to join Vinicius Junior up top. Los Blancos are tops in La Liga in both goals scored and expected goals (xG). This side scored at least two goals in their final four Group Stage matches in the Champions League. The defensive play of Los Blancos under manager Carlo Ancelotti has also been superb — but I am not buying it against elite competition. Real Madrid had a relatively easy group with Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, and FC Sheriff). And they have been feasting on the lower end of the Spanish top-flight lately. But while Los Blancos have allowed just 20 goals to help them rest in first place in La Liga, they are just sixth in that league with their 25.35 xGA.

FINAL TAKE: These teams are playing higher-scoring matches against top competition. Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory against Barcelona in the Super Cup on January 12th is telling. Los Blancos also scored twice in December in league play against Atletico Madrid to overwhelm their elite defense. PSG followed up their two-goal win against Man City with a 2-1 loss in November in that reverse fixture in the Champions League. And in their two matches in the Champions League against a good but not great RB Leipzig side, they won by a 3-2 score and settled for a 2-2 draw. Expect more fireworks in this one — and these two powers have seen at least three goals scored in the last five meetings between them. 25* UEFA Champions League Round of 16 TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224201) and Paris Saint-Germain (224202). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals (102) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (101). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (13-7) advanced to the Super Bowl with their 27-24 upset win at Kansas City in overtime as a 7-point underdog on Sunday (January 30th). Los Angeles (15-5) joined them later that evening with their 20-17 victory against San Francisco as a 3.5-point favorite. This game takes place in the Rams’ SoFi Stadium, making them the de-facto home team.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford may get most of the attention for both these teams — but both of these offensive head coaches value their running game to help their underrated defenses. The Bengals controlled the Time of Possession by being on offense for 35:56 minutes against the Chiefs to hold them just under 40 yards below their season Yards-Per-Game average. Cincinnati has held five of their last seven opponents to no more than 21 points. The Bengals have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a close win by six points or less — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Cincinnati has covered the point spread in seven straight games — and they have payed 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least three games in a row. And while their game with Kansas City finished below the 54.5. point total, they have then played 8 of their 11 games Under the Total after playing their last game Under the Total. This is a true road game for the Bengals playing the Rams in their SoFi Stadium — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when the Total is set at 49.5 or higher. Los Angeles has held six of their last eight opponents to no more than 23 points after their victory against the 49ers — and they only gave up only 27 points in those other two contests. The Rams have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while Los Angeles has won six of their last seven games, they have then played 9 of their last 10 home games Under the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. The Rams have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 17 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when favored — and Cincinnati has palled 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals (102) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (101). 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 Wright State Raiders (881) and the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (882). THE SITUATION: Wright State (15-10) has won four straight games after their 79-62 win at Wisconsin-Green Bay as an 8-point favorite on Wednesday. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (7-18) has lost six in a row after their 75-39 loss to Northern Kentucky as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Panthers shot a season-low 27.3% from the field against the Norse on Wednesday. They should shoot much better tonight as they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after not scoring at least 50 points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not making more than 33% of their shots in their last game. Additionally, Milwaukee has played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 straight Overs after a loss by 20 or more points. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they make a modest — but certainly much better than on Wednesday — 44% from the field which is generating 68.7 Points-Per-Game.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Xavier Musketeers (701) and the Seton Hall Pirates (702). THE SITUATION: Xavier (16-6) had their two-game winning streak snapped with their 69-65 upset loss to DePaul as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday. Seton Hall (14-7) has won two games in a row with their 74-55 victory against Creighton as a 5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pirates shot 49.1% from the field on Friday against the Bluejays in what was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. Seton Hall has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They held Creighton to just 16 points in the first half after Georgetown to only 28 points in the first half in their last game. The Pirates have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. Head coach Kevin Willard’s team ranks 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. In their last five games, they are limiting their opponents to just 37.1% shooting which is resulting in only 67.2 Points-Per-Game — a -8.7 PPG drop from their season defensive average. At home, Seton Hall holds their opponents to just 39.5% shooting which is resulting in just 65.7 PPG. They have played 11 of their last 16 home games Under the Total when favored. They have played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total overall when the favorite — and they have played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Xavier allowed the Blue Demons to mark 47.5% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games. The Musketeers have played 22 of their last 31 games on the road Under the Total after a loss by six points or less. Xavier has also played 5 straight Unders after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Musketeers have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while Xavier has only covered the point spread once in their last eight games, they have then played 33 of their last 49 games Under the Total on the road after failing to car the point spread in at least five or six of their last seven games. Xavier has the 43rd best defense in the nation as measured by Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last five opponents to 42.6% shooting which has resulted in only 66.6 PPG — a -6.6 PPG drop from their defensive season average. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog. And in their last 4 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games, they have played all 4 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Xavier has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and Seton Hall has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total in the 140s. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Xavier Musketeers (701) and the Seton Hall Pirates (702). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (905) and the Montana Grizzlies (906). THE SITUATION: Southern Utah (15-6) is on a four-game winning streak after their 84-72 victory against Eastern Washington as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. Montana (15-8) has lost two games in a row after their 86-63 upset loss at Idaho State as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Thunderbirds have the top-rated offense in terms of Adjusted Efficiency in the Big Sky. They have scored at 75 points in eight straight games while reaching at least 81 points in six of those contests. They are scoring 81.2 Points-Per-Game in their last five games. They have played 25 of their last 36 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Southern Utah has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win at home by double-digits. Their triumph against the Eagles was preceded by a 16-point victory against Idaho last Thursday — and the Thunderbirds have played 6 straight Overs after winning their last two games at home by 10 or more points. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing their third game in seven days on the road. Now after playing their last three games at home, Southern Utah goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing their last three games at home. They are scoring 75.0 PPG on the road — but they are allowing 78.4 PPG in those nine games. The Thunderbirds have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Furthermore, Southern Utah has played 8 of their last 11 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. Montana has allowed 83.0 PPG in their last two games. They have played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total after an upset win against a conference rival. They return home where they are a perfect 11-0 while making 48.6% of their shots which is generating 79.0 PPG. The Grizzlies have played 24 of their last 34 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. They have also played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. Montana will likely give the Thunderbirds plenty of opportunities at the charity stripe tonight — they rank 333rd in the nation in putting their opponents on the free-throw line. Southern Utah is 53rd in the nation in getting to the free-throw line.

FINAL TAKE: Southern Utah has played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Montana has played 14 of their last 19 home games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* CBB Big Sky Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (905) and the Montana Grizzlies (906). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (861) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (862). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (11-8) has lost three games in a row after their 88-73 loss to Purdue as an 11-point underdog on Wednesday. Iowa (14-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 90-86 upset loss in double-overtime at Penn State as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Ignore the final combined score in the Hawkeyes’ loss to the Nittany Lions as the game went into overtime tied at a low score of 66-66. Iowa made only 35.1% of their shots in that game, their third-lowest field goal percentage of the season. The Hawkeyes have been cold with their shooting as of late as they have not made more than 40.7% of their shots in four straight games. But styles and opponents make fights — Iowa has played Penn State twice over that span who do everything they can for their games to devolve into rock fights. The other two games Iowa has played were against stout defensive teams in Purdue and Rutgers. The Hawkeyes still score 82.8 Points-Per-Game which is the sixth-highest mark in the nation — and they rank seventh in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. I expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance to help see more of their shots fall. The extended time off will help — Iowa has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing for just the second time in eight days. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. This team wants to play at a fast pace — they rank seventh in the nation by averaging just 15.2 seconds per possession. They return home where they make 47.6% of their shots which helps them generate 88.8 PPG. The Over is 24-9-1 in the Hawkeyes’ last 34 games at home — and they have played 7 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Iowa has played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Over is 16-5-1 in their last 22 games when favored. In theory, Minnesota will want to slow the pace — but, in practice, this will be difficult to accomplish if and when the Hawkeyes take a comfortable lead. The Golden Gophers are last in the Big Ten in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 54.5% is also last in the conference. Minnesota allowed the Boilermakers to make 55.6% of their shots on Wednesday — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total. They go back on the road where they are 5-3 this season — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total on the road. The Golden Gophers have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Minnesota has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Additionally, the Golden Gophers have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa will not have head coach Fran McCaffrey on the sideline today as he is in COVID quarantine but that should have much impact on today’s game (and the players may shoot the ball better without the hothead constantly screaming at them). Minnesota will be looking to avenge an 81-71 loss at home to the Hawkeyes on January 16th. The Gophers have palled 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 75 points including playing five of these six circumstances this season. Minnesota will be sped up in this one by Iowa, who should hold a comfortable lead — and this dynamic should produce our Over. 25* CBB Big Ten Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers (861) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (862). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the George Mason Patriots (651) and the LaSalle Explorers (652). THE SITUATION: George Mason (11-8) had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 92-90 upset loss to Saint Louis as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. LaSalle (6-13) is on a five-game losing streak after their 89-87 loss at George Washington as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Patriots are one of the best shooting teams in the nation. They are top-34 in the country in both 2-point and 3-point shooting — and their effective field goal percentage of 55.2% is 20th best in the nation. They only made 45.6% of their shots on Wednesday in their loss to the Billikens which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games — they had made at least 51% of their shots in their previous three games. George Mason has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Patriots have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. Now they go back on the road where their defense does wane a bit. The 73.3 Points-Per-Game they allow away from home is +6.0 PPG above their season average — and they allow their opponents to make 44.3% of their shots on the road as compared to the 41.6% of their shots they allow overall. George Mason has played 28 of their last 38 road games Over the Total — and they have played 15 of their last 16 road games Over the Total with the number in the 130s. Furthermore, the Patriots have played 19 of their last 26 road games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. LaSalle is just 5-6 at home — and they have played 11 of their last 14 home games Over the Total at home with the Total in the 130s. They rank 10th in the Atlantic 10 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have allowed at least 77 points in their last three games with all three of those contests seeing at least 146 combined points. The Explorers have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 75 points in three straight games. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread loss. And in their last 12 games when they have lost at least three in a row, LaSalle has played 10 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Explorers have played 4 straight Overs against teams with a winning record — and George Mason has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 20-40% range. 25* CBB Atlantic 10 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the George Mason Patriots (651) and the LaSalle Explorers (652). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Watford (200001) and Burnley (200002). THE SITUATION: Watford (W4-D2-L14) looks to rebound from a 3-0 loss to Norwich City on January 21st in their last match in the English Premier League and across all competitions. Burnley (W1-D9-L8) comes off a 0-0 draw at Arsenal in their last match on January 23rd.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After a pair of COVID cancellations delaying this match between two teams fighting off relegation, it looks like this match will finally take place this afternoon while the rest of the EPL takes the weekend off (for FA Cup competition). Watford plays their first match under new manager Roy Hodgson two took over after Claudio Ranieri was fired on January 24th. Ranieri was only the Hornets skipper since early October when Xisco Munoz was sacked after leading the team to promotion from the Champions League. The first order of business for Hodgson will be to shore up a leaky defense that is third to last in the EPL in expected goals allowed (xGA). Hodgson has a good reputation for installing defensive tactics — he led Crystal Palace to develop into a stingy defensive squad before losing that job last season. He inherits a Hornets side that will be undermanned in their attack today. Ismaila Sara remains unavailable as he continues to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations. Forward Emmanuel Dennis is suspended for this match after he picked up two yellow cards in that match against Norwich City. Sarr and Dennis have scored 18 goals between them — accounting for 78% of the team’s scoring production in the EPL this season. As it is, Watford had only scored five goals in their previous seven matches while getting blanked twice. In their last six matches, they are generating a mere 0.88 expected goals (xG) per match. Burnley is only averaging 0.63 xG per match in their last six games. The Clarets have only scored three goals in their last seven matches with four blanks in that span. Losing Chris Wood who transferred to Newcastle played a role in this scoring slump — but this is not a high-scoring team. The organization did acquire Wout Weghorst in the transfer window from Wolfsburg but the Dutch forward may need some time to get in synch with manager Sean Dyche’s system. While Weghorst had scored at least 16 goals in four straight seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie, he struggled when playing for a second-tier team in the Bundesliga which may not be a good sign for him in the EPL. But Dyche’s side plays quality defense. The Clarets have only allowed eight goals when playing at home at Turf Moor, the fifth-lowest in the EPL, and their xGA at home is third-best in the EPL.

FINAL TAKE: Watford has seen six of their 11 matches on the road this season finished Under 2.5 goals. Burnley averages only 2.29 combined goals per match in their seven home matches this season — and six of their last 11 home games have finished Under 2.5 goals. Expect a conservative approach from both teams who would rather register a point than concede three points to their opponent when trying to avoid relegation. 25* English Premier League Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Watford (200001) and Burnley (200002). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (515) and the Indiana Pacers (516). THE SITUATION: Chicago (32-19) had their two-game winning streak snapped with their 127-120 loss at Toronto as a 4.5-point underdog last night. Indiana (19-34) has lost five of their last seven games with their 119-118 upset loss to Orlando as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Injuries have significantly impacted both teams — and the result will be mostly small-ball tonight between two teams that playing higher-scoring games given the attrition that both teams are dealing with right now. Interestingly, the oddsmakers initially set the Total at 232.5 — about six points higher than any Pacers game this season. The market has considered this lunacy and bet it down a few points. But the line was set that high for a reason. Head coach Rick Carlisle may have no centers on his roster. After Goga Bitadze suffered a foot injury before Monday’s game with the Clippers, Carlisle had to rely on rookie Isaiah Jackson as his only center — and he did respond with 26 points and 10 rebounds in a 122-116 victory. But Jackson was then injured very early in the game with the Magic on Wednesday — and all Carlisle had left was to play rookie free agent Terry Taylor at center despite his 6’5 frame. Taylor did score 24 points with 16 rebounds in his 37 minutes as he looked to justify his two-way contract by flourishing in the frenetic pace of that game. Jackson will remain out tonight. So while Bitazde is listed as questionable with his ankle, Carlisle may have to use Taylor in significant minutes at the five spot tonight — and that is a recipe for a fast pace and little defense from the Pacers. How will Taylor defend Nikola Vucevic? The 6’10 behemoth is scoring 17.1 Points-Per-Game and averaging 11.5 Rebounds Per Game. Indiana is already without Damontas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, and Myles Turner — and they have seen three straight and five of their last six games generate at least 230 combined points. In their last five games, the Pacers are making a healthy 46.5% of their shots which is generating 116.8 PPG — but they are allowing their opponents to make 49.5% of their shots which is resulting in 127.0 PPG over that span. Not having Turner defend the paint significantly derails Indiana’s defensive foundation. It remains telling that Orlando put up 119 points despite only making 44.2% of their shots which was the Pacers’ best defensive effort in their last 12 games. The Over is 3-0-1 in Indiana’s last 4 games after a loss. Additionally, the Pacers have played 26 of their last 36 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home when they were favored. They have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total as the underdog. Chicago got 30 points from Vucevic last night in their losing effort to the Raptors — so he is poised for another big game. The Bulls only made 47.8% of their shots last night after generating a field goal percentage of 51.1% in each of their previous four games. But they did hold Toronto to just 42.5% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last five games — and their third-lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 13 contests. Chicago has now played four straight games where at least 246 combined points were scored. They are making 52.3% of their shots in their last five games which are producing 121.8 PPG but allowing their opponents to shoot 48.6% from the field and score 118.8 PPG. They are playing high-scoring games without Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso — and they might not play Zach LaVigne or Coby White tonight on the second of back-to-backs with them nursing nagging injuries. But head coach Billy Donovan will have DeMar DeRozan leading the way in the Bulls’ small-ball attack. Chicago has played 7 straight Overs when playing without rest — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total when playing their third game in four days. Additionally, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Bulls’ last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And in their last 12 games on the road when favored, Chicago has played 9 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulls have won the last two meetings between these two teams after their 108-106 road win on December 31st. Indiana has played 29 of their last 41 games Over the Total when avenging a loss — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (515) and the Indiana Pacers (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.