At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (569) and the Utah Jazz (570). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (18-3) enters this game coming off a 105-96 upset win at Denver last night as a 2.5-point underdog. Utah (12-9) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 103-94 loss at Philadelphia as a 5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers have played 5 straight games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Los Angeles has also played 25 of their last 34 games Under the Total after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Lakers have seen the Under go 18-6-3 in their last 27 games when playing a game without a day of rest — and they have also played 7 of their last road games Under the Total after playing the previous day also away from home. Anthony Davis is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year with him playing his best defensive basketball in his career. He has helped the Lakers hold their last five opponents to just 42% shooting from the field. Utah has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have also played 22 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now this team returns home where they are holding their visitors to just 42.1% shooting which is translating into just 103.4 PPG. The Jazz have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Utah has also played 15 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Jazz have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. And in their last 10 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range, Utah has played 8 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing in Utah. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (569) and the Utah Jazz (570). 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 New England Patriots (473) and the Houston Texans (474). THE SITUATION: New England (10-1) has won their last two games after their 13-9 win over Dallas last Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Houston (7-4) has won three of their last four games after their 20-17 win over Indianapolis two Thursdays ago as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots have played 5 straight games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The New England offense is not operating close to peak levels right now with Tom Brady lacking reliable vertical targets. The Patriots are scoring only 16.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 307.3 total YPG. Remember that New England has scored six non-offensive touchdowns this season from their defense or special teams — so while they are scoring 27.3 PPG, that number drops 23.5 PPG when only accounting for offensive touchdowns. The Patriots’ defense is leading the way for this team — that unit ranks number one in the NFL by allowing only 10.6 PPG and they are second in the league by giving up just 256.4 total YPG. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. They also have played 25 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing on the road. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Texans offense has slowed as of late as they are scoring only 17.7 PPG while averaging just 346.0 total YPG. New England’s shutdown cornerback, Stephon Gilmore will likely neutralize Texans’ wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins — and while Will Fuller has played better as of late, the Patriots’ discipline on defense should contain him. Houston does play better defense at home — they are holding their visitors to just 20.2 PPG along with only 325.0 total YPG. The Texans have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: In New England’s last 12 games in December, they have played 10 of these games Under the Total. And in the Texans’ last 11 games played in December, Houston has played 8 of these games Under the Total. 25* NFL Sunday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (473) and the Houston Texans (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (309) and the Atlanta Falcons (310). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (9-2) has won their last two games after their 34-31 win over Carolina last Sunday as a 10-point favorite. Atlanta (3-8) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last week with their 35-22 upset loss at home to Tampa Bay as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a game where at least 60 combined points were scored. And while New Orleans averaged 418 yards of offense last week while averaging 7.33 Yards-Per-Play, they have then played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game — and they have played 6 straight Unders after averaging at least 7.0 YPP in their last game. The Saints will look to run the ball more in this rematch of their 26-9 upset loss at home to Atlanta back on November 10th. New Orleans only ran the ball 11 times in that game with Drew Brees since commenting that the offense needs more balance this time around. Running the ball will not only burn more time off the clock but it will help the Saints defense that surrendered more than 300 yards offense in that game for the first time in five contests. New Orleans then gave up 351 yards last week to the Panthers — but the Saints have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The good news for the New Orleans defense is that they will get cornerback Marshon Lattimore who has missed the last few games since being injured in that first encounter with the Falcons where he exited the game holding Julio Jones without a catch. He will help a defense that still ranks 10th in the NFL by allowing 321.3 total YPG. But the Saints remain banged up with their offensive line with left tackle Terron Armstead and left guard Andrus Peat both out for this game. Remember that this New Orleans offense slowed down significantly last season when Armstead went down with an injury. New Orleans is averaging just 317.4 total YPG in their five games on the road which is -51.5 net YPG below their season average. Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Falcons had found success after their bye week to begin the month by running back to running the football. In their upset wins over New Orleans and Carolina, Atlanta ran the ball 34 and 26 times. The Atlanta defense also started playing better when head coach Dan Quinn relinquished the defensive play-calling to his assistants while moving Rakeem Morris from offense back to defense (where he built his reputation that eventually got the head coaching gig in Tampa Bay) to coach the defensive backs while calling plays on 3rd down. The Falcons have held their last three opponents to just 15.7 PPG. Atlanta did allow 446 yards last week to the Bucs, they have then played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Falcons stay at home where they are scoring only 17.2 PPG. They will have Devonta Freeman available to run the football but Jones is a game-time decision at wide receiver. Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Falcons have played 26 of their last 36 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing in Atlanta. The Under is also 7-0-1 in the Saints’ last 8 games played on a Thursday — and the Under is 3-1-1 in the Falcons’ last 5 games played on Thursdays. 25* NFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (309) and the Atlanta Falcons (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (769) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (770) in the Semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantic Tournament. THE SITUATION: Michigan (5-0) won their opening round game in this three-day tournament with their 83-76 win over Iowa State as a 2-point favorite. North Carolina (5-0) joined them in the Semifinals of this event with their 76-67 win over Alabama as a 10-point favorite yesterday. This game will be played on a neutral court in Nassau.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wolverines have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Michigan has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. The Wolverines made 10 3-pointers yesterday en route to a 57.7% shooting percentage from the field. That effort came on the heels of their 55.8% shooting mark at home against Houston-Baptist where they nailed 14 shots from behind the arc. This team is playing at a faster pace with the players having more of a green light to shoot under first-year head coach Juwan Howard. Howard is dialing up some nice schemes for this team — but this Wolverines group lacks a reliable go-to scorer. They are also settling for a bunch of lower percentage of 2-point shots. As it is, Michigan has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after making at least 55% of their shots in two straight games. The Wolverines have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after making at least 10 3-pointers in two straight games. Michigan will likely struggle to score while playing their worst offensive game of the season against this Tar Heels team that ranks 7th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Wolverines have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total on a neutral court. Michigan has also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. North Carolina has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. Additionally, the Tar Heels have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. North Carolina also pulled down 60 rebounds yesterday — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after grabbing at least 51 boards in their last game. The Heels allowed the Crimson Tide to shoot 38.2% from the field which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed all season. This is a team that has not scored more than 78 points this season which is uncharacteristic of recent Roy Williams teams in Chapel Hill. It is not surprising that the Tar Heels have struggled to find themselves on offense after they lost their top five scorers from last year’s team with three of those players drafted in the first round of the NBA. Williams has a star in freshman Chase Anthony — but he has a very tough assignment with the Wolverines’ Xavier Simpson likely getting the defensive assignment. The Wolverines also have an outstanding post defender in Jon Teste nicknamed the Big Sleep for his defensive abilities down on the block. Michigan ranks 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.

FINAL TAKE: Norther Carolina has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the ACC. The Tar Heels have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. 25* CBB Battle 4 Atlantic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan Wolverines (769) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (770). 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 Butler Bulldogs (673) and the Stanford Cardinal (674) in the championship game of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Missouri. THE SITUATION: Butler (6-0) reached the finals of this two-day tournament with their 63-52 upset win over Missouri as a 2-point underdog. Stanford (7-0) comes off a 73-54 upset win over Oklahoma yesterday as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Butler pulled the upset over the Tigers in large measure by making 47.8% of their shots which was the highest shooting percentage for them all season. The Bulldogs have three starters along with two other significant contributors from last year’s team that finished 16-17 after losing in the first round of the NIT. Third-year head coach LaVall Jordan also added three new big men into his rotation this season. Butler is thriving on the defensive end of the court as they rank 26th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Bulldogs have not allowed more than 61 points in a game this season — and they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in at least two straight games. Additionally, Butler has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big East — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as the favorite or as a pick ‘em. Stanford has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Cardinal pulled the upset over the Sooners despite making just 38.5% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort of the season. Not coincidentally, that was Stanford’s first game of the new season that they played away from home. The Cardinal has played 8 of their last 10 games on a neutral court Under the Total — and the Under is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games on a neutral court. Stanford has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Cardinal is also played solid defense under fourth-year head coach Jerod Haase. They rank 30th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Stanford has played three straight Unders — and they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight games Under the Total. The Cardinal has also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Pac-12.

FINAL TAKE: Stanford is living by the 3-point shot as they rank 8th in the nation by making 42.4% of their shots from downtown. But Butler ranks 5th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 23.0% shooting from the 3-point line. The Bulldogs have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total in November while the Cardinal has played 15 of their last 222 games Under the Total in November. 25* CBB Hall of Fame Classic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Butler Bulldogs (673) and the Stanford Cardinal (674). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (109) and the Houston Texans (110). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (6-4) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 33-13 win over Jacksonville as a 2.5-point favorite. Houston (6-4) saw their two-game winning streak end on Sunday with their 41-7 loss at Baltimore as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts have played been playing defense as of late. They are 11th in the NFL by allowing 325.6 total YPG but over their last three games that mark has lowered to just 270.0 total YPG — and they have held their last there opponents to only 18.3 PPG. But the Indianapolis offense will be hampered with injuries for this game being played on a short week. Running back Marlon Mack will also be out several weeks after fracturing his hand last week in the third quarter after leading the team with 108 rushing yards. And while wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Eric Ebron has practiced yesterday and are expected to play tonight, their respective effectiveness remains in question as they are dealing with their calf and ankle injuries. Even backup running back, Jordan Wilkins, is slowed with a hamstring injury. These are far from optimal conditions for an offense that ranks 21st in the NFL by averaging 343.8 total YPG — and that number drops to just 330.7 total YPG that they average on the road. The Colts have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Indianapolis has also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, Indianapolis has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total against fellow AFC South opponents. Houston has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by at least two touchdowns. The Texans managed only 232 yards last week — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after failing to generate at least 250 yards in their last game. Houston has also played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last contest. The Texans are scoring just 20.0 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 343.3 total YPG with both marks far below their 24.5 PPG and 380.2 total YPG season averages. Now Houston returns home where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Texans have been playing much better defense as those where they are holding their visitors to just 21.0 PPG along with only 332.2 total YPG. Houston has allowed 408.3 total YPG over their last three games — but they have then played 12 of their last 15 home games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 total YPG over their last three games. The Texans have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. And in their last 6 games against AFC South opponents, Houston has played 5 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Colts’ 30-23 victory over Houston back on October 20th. But despite that game finished above the 46.5 point Total, these team two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (109) and the Houston Texans (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (101) and the Bowling Green Falcons (102). THE SITUATION: Ohio (4-6) has lost their last two games are their 37-34 upset loss at home to Western Michigan last Tuesday as a 1.5-point favorite. Bowling Green (3-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 44-3 loss at Miami (OH) as a 17-point underdog last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bobcats are looking to salvage their season with a potential bowl bid still after getting upset in two straight games by a combined 6 points. Their loss to the Broncos finished well above the 59 point Total — and they have played 29 of their last 43 road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Ohio has also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. The Bobcats allowed 322 passing yards in that game to the Broncos — but they have then seen the Under go 24-10-1 in their last 35 games after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. Despite that effort last week, Ohio has been playing better defense as of late. They have held their last three opponents to 368.7 total YPG which is -63.9 net YPG below their season average. Now the Bobcats go on the road where they are scoring 24.0 PPG while averaging 359.5 total YPG — and those numbers are -5.8 PPG and -51.3 net YPG below their season averages. Ohio also holds their home hosts to just 23.5 PPG which is -6.2 PPG below their season defensive average. The Bobcats have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. Ohio did rush for 216 yards last week — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game. The Bobcats average 6.89 Yards-Per-Play in that contest — and they have played 25 of their last 36 road games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.25 YPP in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 5-2-1 in Ohio’s last 8 games against teams with a losing record. Bowling Green has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Bobcats have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on the road by at least three touchdowns. Despite last week’s result, the Falcons have also played a bit better on the defensive side of the football. While Bowling Green ranks 105th in the nation by allowing 441.1 total YPG, they have held their last three opponents to just 366.3 total YPG. The Falcons have played 7 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. Bowling Green does play much better defense at home where they hold their visitors to just 17.8 PPG along with only 313.6 total YPG in their five games this season. The Falcons have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total. The bigger issue for Bowling Green is their lack of productivity on offense as they rank 125th in the nation by scoring only 16.1 PPG. The Falcons have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after failing to score at least 20 points in their last game — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total after failing to score at least 14 points in their last contest. Bowling Green was trailing by a 37-3 score at halftime of that game — and they have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after trailing by at least 17 points at halftime of their last game.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. Expect another lower scoring game between these two teams. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Ohio Bobcats (101) and the Bowling Green Falcons (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (475) and the Los Angeles Chargers (476). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (6-4) has lost two of their last three games as well as four of their last six contests after their 35-32 upset loss at Tennessee as a 5-point favorite last week. Los Angeles (4-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped two Thursdays ago with their 26-21 upset loss at Oakland as a 1-point favorite. This game is being played on a neutral field at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Los Angeles has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Chargers have an underrated defense — they are 6th in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 19.4 PPG and they are also 6th in the league by limiting these foes to only 318.6 total YPG. Los Angeles has held its last three opponents to just 17.7 PPG along with only 283.3 total YPG. Improved run defense has been fundamental to Chargers’ playing even better on that side of the football. After getting gouged for 162 rushing yards at Chicago three weeks ago, Los Angeles held the Packers to only 45 rushing yards before limiting the Raiders last week to just 78 rushing yards. The Chargers have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. But Los Angeles has also averaged only 329.3 total YPG over their last three games which is over 25 YPG below their season average. The Chargers’ star left tackle, Russell Okung has been downgraded to doubtful for this game with his ankle injury. That is not a good turn of events for a team that is just 21st in the NFL by averaging 20.7 PPG. Los Angeles has then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in November — and they have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against fellow AFC West opponents. The Chargers have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. Kansas City had played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after an upset loss. Additionally, the Chiefs have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. The Chargers’ game plan will surely be to run the football against the Chiefs defense that ranks 30th in the NFL by allowing 148.1 rushing YPG. LA running the football will burn time off the clock while keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field. Kansas City allowed the Titans to rush for 225 yards last week — and they have then played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to rush for at least 150 yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played nine straight games where no more than 50 combined points have been scored. The Chiefs have played three of their last six games where no more than 49 combined points were scored. With this game being played in altitude of 7200 square feet, the Chargers will be looking to slow this game down to a crawl to tire out the Kansas City defense. They may not be able to stop down the Mahomes — but fewer possessions for the Chiefs offense should help this game finish below the number. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (475) and the Los Angeles Chargers (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (473) and the Los Angeles Rams (474). THE SITUATION: Chicago (4-5) snapped their four-game winning streak last week with their 20-10 win at home over Detroit as a 6-point favorite. Los Angeles (5-4) had their two-game winning streak end last week with their 17-12 loss at Pittsburgh as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky completed 16 of 23 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns passes — but if you think those numbers are a refection of a sudden improvement in his play, the ole eyeball test suggested otherwise during this game. The Bears only held a 7-6 lead at halftime against the Lions team playing without Matthew Stafford. Chicago only had 13 first downs in that game while being outgained by -131 net yards due to their stagnant offense that managed only 226 yards against a Detroit team that entered that game ranked second-to-last in total defense. Trubisky looks lost in his third season as a professional — and perhaps the bigger indictment of his development is that head coach Matt Nagy has clearly lost confidence in him as evidenced by his conservative play-calling. The Bears are 29th in the league by averaging 262.2 total YPG — and they are scoring just 16.7 PPG while averaging 259.3 total YPG over their last three games. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Bears have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not gaining at least 275 yards of offense in their last game. Chicago was outgained by 309 net yards in their previous game against Philadelphia — and they have then played 10 of their last 12 road games Under the Total after being outgained by at least 100 yards in two straight contests. The Bears have also played 4 straight road games Under the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams from the NFC. Chicago has also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Bears are still playing good defense this season — they rank 4th in the NFL by allowing only 17.4 PPG and they have held their last three opponents to just 320.3 total YPG. Los Angeles managed only 306 yards last week in their loss at Pittsburgh. Jared Goff completed only 22 of 41 passes for 243 yards in that loss with him struggling behind an injured offensive line. The Rams are also missing wide receiver Brandin Cooks which allows opposing defenses to double cover Cooper Krupp who did not have a reception last season. Los Angeles is getting better play from their defense since the acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey. They have held their last three opponents to just 12.3 PPG along with only 299.3 total YPG. The Steelers rushed for only 42 yards last week — and Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Rams return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Chicago’s 15-6 upset victory over the Rams last December 9th. That was the game where Bears’ defensive coordinator installed a 6-1 defensive front with six defenders on the line stymying the Rams play-action pass attack. The Sean McVay offense has not been quite the same since that contest in this copycat league. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (473) and the Los Angeles Rams (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (457) and the Indianapolis Colts (458). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (4-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped two weeks ago in London with their 26-3 loss to Houston as a 1-point favorite. Indianapolis (5-4) has lost two straight games with their 16-12 upset loss at home to Miami last week as an 11-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Indianapolis has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. The team does get Jacoby Brissett back under center after he missed the last two games. But he will be without his best weapon in wide receiver T.Y. Hilton who is out for this game — and his absence has had a significant impact on the ability of this offense to move down the field. The Colts defense has been keeping this team competitive — they have held their last five opponents to just 18.2 PPG with that number including an interception returned for a touchdown which was not the fault of the defense. Indianapolis is 10th in the NFL by allowing just 327.6 total YPG — and they have allowed their last three opponents to average just 260.3 total YPG. The Colts stay at home where they have played 21 of their last 31 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Indianapolis has also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in November. And in their last 15 games against fellow AFC South opponents, the Colts have played 10 of these games Under the Total. Jacksonville has played 4 straight games Under the Total against divisional rivals. The Jaguars have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, Jacksonville has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset loss as the favorite in their last contest. The team gets back Nick Foles at quarterback in this game — but it is not as if Gardner Minshew was playing bad for this team since Week One. He threw for 309 yards last week while leading an offense that generated 309 yards against the Texans — but the Jags have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Jacksonville has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring no more than 14 points in their last game. Foles threw only 11 passes in Week One before he suffered his injury. Now this team goes back not he road where they have played 7 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. This team will still rely on running back Leonard Fournette and their strong defense that has held their last three opponents to just 19.3 PPG along with only 304.7 total YPG. Moving forward, the Jaguars have played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: These teams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after last year’s 6-0 win by Jacksonville back on December 21st. While I expect more scoring than that, these two teams have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Indy. 25* AFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (457) and the Indianapolis Colts (458). 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 Georgia Bulldogs (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). THE SITUATION: Georgia (8-1) has won three straight games since their loss to South Carolina after their 27-0 shutout victory over Missouri as an 18.5-point favorite last week. Auburn (7-2) has won two of their last three games with their 20-14 win over Ole Miss two weeks ago as a 17-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a victory by at least 20 points. Georgia has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. The Bulldogs sport an elite defense that has not allowed more than 20 points all season. Georgia ranks 2nd in the nation by allowing just 10.1 PPG while also ranking 5th in the nation with a total defense of 260.3 YPG. Over their last three games, the Bulldogs are giving up a mere 5.7 PPG along with just 217.7 total YPG. Georgia is growing more and more reliant on their defense as their offense is scoring -4.0 PPG over their last four games than their season average up to that point. The Bulldogs have been exposed in lacking vertical threats in their passing game which has allowed their opponents to push one of their defensive backs into the box. Over their last three games, Georgia is scoring just 24.0 PPG along with averaging only 335.7 total YPG. The Bulldogs have played 4 straight games Under the Total against conference opponents — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Georgia has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total as the favorite. Auburn has seen the Under go 16-6-1 in their last 23 games after a point spread win. Freshman quarterback Bo Nix might have played his best game of the season last week by completing 30 of 44 passes for 340 yards while leading the Tigers offense to generate 507 total yards. But Auburn has played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Nix has still been up-and-down this season as he is completing only 56.5% of his passes. The Tigers put up big numbers against their weaker competition — but they are scoring only 20 PPG against ranked opponents while scoring just 16.5 PPG in their two losses. This Auburn team is also outstanding on the defensive side of the football. The Tigers rank 13th in the nation by allowing just 17.4 PPG while also ranking 28th in the FBS by giving up only 333.4 total YPG. In their four games at home, they are limiting their visitors to just 14.7 PPG and 286.0 total YPG. Auburn has played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They held the Rebels two weeks ago to 266 total yards — and they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Remember, Auburn limited an LSU offense that just torched Alabama to just 23 points. Moving forward, the Under is 23-10-1 in the Tigers’ last 34 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, Auburn has played 35 of their last 54 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams have defenses that are continuing to improve. Georgia has allowed -4.7 PPG over their last four games while Auburn has given up -4.0 PPG over their last four contests. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — expect another lower scoring game. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Georgia Bulldogs (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (309) and the Cleveland Browns (310). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (5-4) has won four straight games with their 17-12 upset win at home against the Los Angeles Rams as a 4-point underdog on Sunday. Cleveland (3-6) snapped their four-game losing streak on Sunday with their 19-16 win at home over Buffalo as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after point spread win — and with Pittsburgh having covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Steelers have also played 9 straight games Under the Total after playing a game against an NFC opponent. This is a team that became a defense-first run team after the season-ending injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steel Curtain defense had been playing better after a slow start — but this unit has gone to another level with the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins. Pittsburgh is allowing only 16.7 PPG along with just 288.0 total YPG over their last three games. But the Steelers are scoring only 23.3 PPG while averaging a mere 313.3 total YPG over those last three games. Overall, Pittsburgh is just 28th in the NFL by averaging 288.8 total YPG. Now after playing their last three games at home, this team goes back on the road where their offense struggles even more as they are scoring just 15.3 PPG while averaging 267.7 total YPG in their three games away from home. Surprisingly, this will be Mason Rudolph’s just second start on the road in his career after he completed just 14 of 27 passes for 174 yards in Week Three this season in their loss in San Francisco. The Steelers have played 15 of their last 18 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 17 of their last 22 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Pittsburgh has also played 12 of their last 13 road games Under the Total against teams from the AFC. Additionally, the Steelers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow AFC North opponents — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total as an underdog. Cleveland has played 22 of their last 31 home games Under the Total after losing four of their last five games. The Browns ranks just 26th in the league by scoring only 19.0 PPG — and they are scoring just 17.0 PPG over their last three games. The defense has played better as of late as they are allowing only 321.3 total YPG over those last three games which is almost 35 YPG below their season average. Cleveland stays at home where the are scoring just 18.2 PPG. The Under is 17-7-1 in the Browns’ last 25 games at home — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Cleveland has also played 31 of their last 43 home games Under the Total when favored by up to 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: Don’t be surprised if plenty of scoring drives end up in field goals. Pittsburgh ranks 28th in the NFL by scoring touchdowns in just 39.3% of their Red Zone drives — and Cleveland ranks 26th in the league with a TD rate of only 46.7% of their Red Zone drives after a meager 30% conversion rate over their last three games (including a brutal stalled drive inside the 10-yard line against the Bills’ last week). These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings in Cleveland Under the Total. 25* AFC North Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (309) and the Cleveland Browns (310). 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 Oregon Ducks (819) and the Memphis Tigers (820). THE SITUATION: Oregon (2-0) has won their first two games this season after their 106-75 win over Boise State on Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite. Memphis (2-0) has also won their first two games of the new season with their 92-46 win over Illinois-Chicago on Friday as a 20-point favorite. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Moda Denver in Portland.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ducks were on fire on Saturday as they shot 70% from the field to torch the Broncos. But Oregon has then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making at least 60% of their shots in their last game — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. The Under is also 10-3-1 in the Ducks last 14 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Oregon has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a win at home by at least 20 points. The Ducks have played very good defense so far this season — they held Boise State to just 42.9% shooting from the field after limiting Fresno State to just 34.5% shooting in their opening game. This will be Oregon’s first game away from their home court this season — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after playing two straight games at home. And while their win over the Broncos flew over the 136.5 total on Saturday, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total on the road after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Furthermore, Oregon has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total with the number set in the 140s — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games against teams outside the Pac-12. Memphis has played 7 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Tigers made 59.3% of their shots in their victory on Friday while holding the Flames to just a 24.% shooting mark. Memphis has then played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a game where they shot at least 57% while holding their opponent to no better than 43% shooting. Their victory over Illinois-Chicago was preceded by a 97-64 win over South Carolina State where they held them to just 36.2% shooting — and they have played 17 of their last 22 road games Under the Total after winning their previous two games by at least 20 points. Freshman James Wiseman will likely play in this game with the court-ordered injunction still in effect that has blocked the NCAA’s decision to make him ineligible — the seven-footer had five blocks on Friday. Wiseman should be dominant on defense inside the paint against this Ducks team that lacks size. Moving forward, the Under is 6-0-1 in Oregon’s last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Oregon has seen the Under go 8-3-1 in their last 12 games played on a neutral court — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Memphis has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB Phil Knight Invitational Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oregon Ducks (819) and the Memphis Tigers (820). 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 Seattle Seahawks (273) and the San Francisco 49ers (274). THE SITUATION: Seattle (7-2) has won two straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 40-34 win over Tampa Bay last week in overtime as a 4-point favorite. San Francisco (8-0) remained unbeaten two Thursdays ago with their 28-25 win at Arizona as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Seahawks have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Seattle has scored at least 27 points in seven of their last nine games. They are 5th in the NFL by averaging 395.5 total YPG — and they also rank 7th in the league by scoring 27.6 PPG. But the concern for this team is their defense as they have allowed at least 20 points in eight of their nine contests this season. The Seahawks rank 29th in the NFL by allowing 278.1 passing YPG. Atlanta’s aging backup quarterback, Matt Schaub, tore their defense up for 460 yards two weeks ago before Jameis Winston passed for 335 yards against them last week. Seattle has played 5 straight games Over the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Over their last three games, the Seahawks are allowing 28.0 PPG along with 423.3 total YPG. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 28.5 PPG — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road. Seattle has also played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Seahawks have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against fellow opponents from the NFC West — and they have played 4 straight games Over the Total in November. San Francisco has played their last two games Over the Total — and they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. The 49ers have played outstanding defense this season — they rank first in the NFL by limiting their opponents to just 241.0 total YPG. But the Niners lost the heart and soul of their defense last week with the season-ending chest injury to linebacker Kwan Alexander. San Francisco returns home where they are scoring 35.3 PPG while averaging 423.3 total YPG. They have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total as a favorite laying up to 7 points. Additionally, the 49ers have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against NFC West foes.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Over the Total. Hopefully, we will start seeing more Red Zone trips end in touchdowns rather than short field goals (and then maybe our Unders will start seeing some Red Zone drives stall and settle for field goals). Sooner or later, the Regression Gods always reappear! In the meantime, let's stick to solid fundamentals. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (273) and the San Francisco 49ers (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-3) looks to bounce-back from their 26-23 upset loss at Kansas City last week as a 5.5-point favorite that snapped their four-game winning streak. Dallas (5-3) has won two straight games with their 37-18 win in New York against the Giants last Monday as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys preceded their victory on Monday Night Football with a 37-10 win on Sunday Night Football two weeks prior against the Eagles. Dallas has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 28 points in a victory over an NFC East rival in their last game. Additionally, not only have the Cowboys played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games but they have also played 5 straight Unders after winning two straight games by double-digits. Dallas has had their offense cranking as of late — but they have then played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in two straight games. Dallas has averaged 6.6 and 6.4 Yards-Per-Play respectively in each of their last two games — but they have then played 37 of their last 56 games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in their last game. The Cowboys also rushed for 172 yards last week against the Giants — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. Dallas returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. Minnesota has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss as a road favorite. QB Kirk Cousins will be without wide receiver Adam Thielen who is out for this game with a hamstring injury. Look for the Vikings to run the football to keep the Cowboys’ offense off the field. That will be easier said than done — Dallas ranks 5th in the NFL by allowing just 17.8 PPG and they also rank 6th in the league by giving up just 318.1 total YPG. The Vikings will lean on their defense that ranks 4th by allowing only 17.6 PPG while also ranking 8th by giving up just 320.9 total YPG. Minnesota did allow the Chiefs to average 7.1 YPP — but they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.5 YPP. The Vikings have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to 7 points. Furthermore, Minnesota has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total against NFC opponents — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total playing on field turf.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 encounters Under the Total. Look for this game to resemble the Cowboys prime-time game in New Orleans at the end of September which resulted in a 12-10 score. 25* NFL Sunday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). 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 Vanderbilt Commodores (143) and the Florida Gators (144). THE SITUATION: Vanderbilt (2-6) has lost three of their last four games with their 24-7 loss at South Carolina last Saturday as a 15-point underdog. Florida (7-2) has lost two of their last three games with their 24-17 loss to Georgia last week as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Gators have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Florida’s offense sputtered last week as they managed only 278 total yards against the Bulldogs defense. The lack of a credible rushing attack is the Achilles’ heel of this Florida team — they average only 128.9 rushing YPG which is 70th in the nation. Over their last three games, the Gators are scoring 27.7 PPG while averaging just 363.0 total YPG which is far below their 30.8 PPG and 403.9 total YPG averages. Now this team returns home to Gainesville where they are 4-0 this season while playing outstanding defense. Florida has held their four guests to just 4.0 PPG along with only 237.5 total YPG. The Gators have played 6 straight games at home Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 17 home games when laying 21.5 to 28 points, Florida has played 13 of these games Under the Total. Vanderbilt has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Commodores only gained 189 yards last week against the mediocre Gamecocks defense. Junior quarterback Duece Wallace has been tapped as the starter for this game with Ball State transfer Riley Neal out for this game with a concussion. Wallace completed just 8 of 17 passes in relief last week against South Carolina  for just 30 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Vanderbilt managed only 76 passing yards overall last week — and the Under is 11-5-1 in their last 17 games after not passing for more than 170 yards in their last game. The Commodores will struggle to score points — they are averaging just 17.0 PPG while averaging just 317.1 total YPG which rank 123rd and 115th in the nation. The Vandy rushing attack is not likely to bail Wallace out in this game either as they are averaging just 125.9 rushing YPG which is 109th in the nation. Florida is 11th in the nation by allowing only 16.7 PPG — and they also rank 31st in the FBS by giving up just 123.6 rushing YPG. The Commodores particularly struggle to move the football on the road where they are scoring only 12.3 PPG while averaging 314.7 total YPG. Vanderbilt has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. And while the Commodores have played five straight Unders, they have then played 17 of their last 23 road games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. If there is a bright spot for Mason’s team as the season progresses, it has been the improved play of their defense. Over their last three games, Vanderbilt has allowed 24.0 PPG along with 370.3 total YPG which is more than 10 points and 80 YPG below their season averages. The Commodores have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow SEC opponents — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the month of November.

FINAL TAKE: Vanderbilt has played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as a big underdog getting more than three touchdowns. 25* CFB Saturday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores (143) and the Florida Gators (144). Best of luck for us — Frank (who also will have his 25* CFB Saturday Night ESPN Game of the Year and the LSU-Alabama ATS winner as part of his Saturday CFB card).

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (107) and the Oakland Raiders (108). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (4-5) has won two straight games after their 26-11 upset win at home over Green Bay on Sunday as a 4-point underdog. Oakland (4-4) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 31-24 win over Detroit as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a victory by at least two touchdowns. Los Angeles has also played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning two straight games. The Chargers were able to get their ground game going in this game with a simplified rushing attack relying on fewer plays under new offensive coordinator Shane Steichen who replaced the fired Ken Whisenhunt. Los Angeles rushed for 159 yards in that game against the Packers which helped them control the time of possession for 35:51 minutes which kept Aaron Rodgers off the field. Green Bay managed only 184 total yards in that game — and the Chargers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. The Los Angeles defense has been good once again this season as they rank 8th in the NFL by allowing just 18.7 PPG — and they also rank 8th in total defense by giving up only 322.8 total YPG. Over their last three games, the Chargers are allowing just 16.7 PPG along with only 325.0 total YPG. Los Angeles has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. But now LA goes back on the road where they are scoring only 19.2 PPG — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road. The Chargers have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in November. And in their last 11 games played on Thursday Night Football, the Under is 7-3-1. The Under is also 7-3-1 in Oakland’s last 11 games after a straight-up win. The Raiders have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. And while Oakland has seen at least 51 combined points scored in three straight games, they have then played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight games where at least 50 combined points were scored. The Raiders defense has allowed at least 388 yards in three straight games after they surrendered 473 yards last week to the Lions. But not only has Oakland played 18 of their last 25 home games Under the Total after allowing at least 375 yards in two straight games but they have also played 10 of their last 12 games at home Under the Total after allowing at least 375 yards in three straight games. The Raiders do play stout against the run as they rank 7th in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 92.5 rushing YPG. They stay at home for just their fourth true home game where they are scoring only 21.7 PPG — and they may be without their star right tackle, Trent Brown, who is questionable on this short week with a knee injury. Oakland has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Raiders have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total against AFC West opponents — and the Chargers have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing fellow AFC West foes. These two teams have also played 5 straight encounters Under the Total. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (107) and the Oakland Raiders (108). 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 Michigan State Spartans (689) and the Kentucky Wildcats (690). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (0-0) returns two starters from last year’s team that lost to Texas Tech in the Final Four. Kentucky (0-0) has one starter back from last year’s group that lost in overtime to Auburn in the Elite Eight. This game is the second contest in the two Champions Classic games being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans closed out last season having played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. This Michigan State team will once again be led by a Player of the Year candidate in Cassius Winston. But this team lacks a reliable second scoring option given the injuries to Joshua Langford that will keep off the court until at least January at the earliest. It looks like Kyle Ahrens will be able to play tonight but he will not likely be close to 100% given the high angle sprain he is dealing with. The Spartans closed out last season playing 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Michigan State has also played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have also played 11 of their last 17 games played on a neutral court when favored or listed as a pick ‘em. Kentucky is led by sophomore Ashton Hagans who was the co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC last year. The Wildcats closed out last season playing 6 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the SEC. Kentucky has also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Wildcats closed out last season playing 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court as an underdog getting no more than 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: I am comfortable putting some stock in these team trends because they reflect the core personality of the respective head coaches in Tom Izzo and John Calipari. Lastly, because the Spartans out-rebounded their opponents by +8.8 RPG last season, the Under is also supported by an empirical angle that has been 86% effective over the last five seasons. In games played on a neutral court in the first ten games of the season with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, when one team out-rebounded their opponents by at least +4.0 RPG last season and has two starters back from that team, these games then finished Under the Total in 24 of these last 28 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB Champions Classic Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Michigan State Spartans (689) and the Kentucky Wildcats (690). 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 Dallas Cowboys (475) and the New York Giants (476). THE SITUATION: Dallas (4-3) snapped their three-game losing streak back on October 20th with their 37-10 win over Philadelphia for Sunday Night Football as a 3-point favorite. New York (2-6) has lost four straight games after their 31-26 loss in Detroit to the Lions as a 6-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cowboys have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a victory by at least two touchdowns — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under there Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Cowboys are playing outstanding defense this season — they rank 5th in the NFL by allowing 17.7 PPG while ranking 8th in the league by giving up just 324.9 total YPG. In their three games on the road, Dallas is holding their home hosts to just 19.0 PPG along with only 301.0 total YPG. But the Cowboys offense slows down when away from AT&T Stadium. Dallas is scoring 27.1 PPG along with 437.9 total YPG this season — but those numbers drop to just 21.0 PPG along with 376.0 total YPG on the road this year. The Cowboys are averaging 454.3 total YPG in their last three games — but they have played 17 of their last 23 road games Under the Total after averaging at least 450 yards over their last three contests. Dallas did rush for 189 yards in their win against the Eagles — but they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. And in their last 8 games after scoring at least 30 points, the Cowboys have played 6 of these games Under the Total. A bright spot in New York’s loss at Detroit last week was that they held the Lions to only 59 rushing yards. The Giants have then played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The New York run defense was then fortified at the trade deadline with the Giants acquiring the 300-LB defensive lineman Leonard Williams from the Jets. New York has played much better on defense when playing at home this season — their four visitors are scoring just 17.2 PPG while averaging only 308.2 total YPG. But the Giants are scoring only 17.2 PPG at home in those games while averaging just 308.2 total YPG. New York is also scoring only 20.3 PPG over their last three games while generating a mere 281.0 total YPG in those contests. Not surprisingly given those numbers, the Giants have played 4 straight home games Under the Total. And in their last 5 appearances on Monday Night Football, the game finished Under the Total in 4 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Cowboys’ 35-17 victory at home over the Giants back on September 8th. The Total was set at 44 in that game with that result being just the second Over in the last seven meetings between these two clubs. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (475) and the New York Giants (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 New England Patriots (473) and the Baltimore Ravens (474). THE SITUATION: New England (8-0) remained undefeated last week with their 27-13 win over Cleveland as a 10-point favorite. Baltimore (5-2) returns off their bye week after winning their third straight game in a row with their 30-16 victory at Seattle as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. New England has covered the point spread in four straight games with all four of those victories being by at least 21 points. The Patriots have played 5 straight games Under the Total after winning at least three straight games by at least two touchdowns — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. This is an elite New England defense that is tops in the NFL in allowing just 7.6 PPG along with only 234.0 total YPG. The formula for success in this game is likely to concentrate on stopping the Ravens running game while spying on Lamar Jackson with his ability to run the football while relying on their outstanding cornerbacks to handle the young Baltimore wide receivers in single coverage. On offense, the Patriots are averaging just 342.5 total YPG over their last three games which is -27.4 net YPG below their season average that ranks just 16th in the league. New England has a banged-up offensive line — and they lack reliable deep threats from their wide receivers from a group that has moved on from both Antonio Brown and now Josh Gordon. Remember that the Patriots have scored four defensive touchdowns while adding another two special teams touchdowns this season. Take away those 42 points (with the extra point) — and the Patriots scoring average of 31.2 PPG drops to 25.95 PPG. They face a Ravens team that has not committed a turnover in four of their seven games — so they are unlikely to be gifted the ball the way the Browns, Jets, and Giants have over the last three weeks where New England forced 13 combined turnovers. The Patriots have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when they have won at least six straight games. Baltimore has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset win on the road by at least two touchdowns. The Ravens have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. Baltimore has also played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a bye week which includes them playing eight of their last eleven games Under the Total when given an extra day to rest and prepare. This Ravens defense should stuff the Patriots rushing attack and force Tom Brady to beat them with his depleted wide receiving corps — they rank 3rd in the league by allowing only 84.3 rushing YPG. Over their last three games, Baltimore has held its opponents to just 18.7 PPG along with only 288.7 total YPG. They return home where they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range.

FINAL TAKE: New England has also played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after the first month of the season — and this includes them playing 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in November. Baltimore has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total in November — and their likely strategy for this game will be to run the football to keep Brady off the field. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (473) and the Baltimore Ravens (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (453) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (454). THE SITUATION: Houston (5-3) has won three of their last four games after their 27-24 win over Oakland last Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Jacksonville (4-4) has won two straight contests with their 29-15 win over the NY Jets last Sunday as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Texans have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. Houston won their game last week despite surrendering 378 yards of offense to the Raiders. The Texans have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Houston’s defense is an issue as they rank 21st in the NFL by allow gin 5.9 Yards-Per-Play — and now they have lost their star linebacker, J.J. Watt, to a season-ending pectoral injury. But this Texans team is winning because of their offense that ranks 4th in the NFL by averaging 395.0 total YPG. Head coach and acting general manager Bill O’Brien was chastised by many for the trade with the Dolphins that brought over Laremy Tunsil but he has played like a top-ten left tackle in the league while stabilizing what has too often been a leaky offensive line for star quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston generated 388 yards of offense last week — and they have averaged 417 YPG over their last three games. Houston has then played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after averaging at least 375 YPG over their last three contests. Now the Texans go on the road to London averaging a healthy 27.2 PPG along with 413.2 total YPG away from home. Jacksonville has played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total — and this includes them playing four of these last five situations Over the Total. The Jaguars outgained the Jets in that game by +176 net yards — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Over the Total after outgaining their last opponent by at least 150 net yards. Jacksonville also benefited from a +2 net turnover margin in that game — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after enjoying a net turnover margin of +2 or better in their last game. And while the Jags have won four of their last six games, they have then played a decisive 50 of their last 78 games Over the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. Jacksonville is getting very solid play from quarterback Gardner Minshew who is completing 61.9% of his passes while throwing 13 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. He is leading an offense that has averaged 425.7 total YPG when they are playing away from home. Minshew should have success in this Texans defense missing Watt that was already allowing 276.1 passing YPG which is 28th in the NFL. The Jaguars are very familiar with these London road trips with this being their seventh time playing in one of these specialty neutral site games. Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral field.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the September 15th meeting between these two teams that Houston won at home by a 13-12 score as a 7-point favorite with the Total set at 43.5. The Jaguars have played 17 of their last 26 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 3 points or less. 5* NFL London Calling Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (453) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (454). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:44 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the SMU Mustangs (359) and the Memphis Tigers (360). THE SITUATION: SMU (8-0) remained undefeated this season with their 34-31 win at Houston as a 12-point favorite back on October 24th. Memphis (7-1) has won their last two games with their 42-41 win at Tulsa as a 10-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mustangs’ 34 points last week was their lowest scoring output all season — they had scored at least 37 points in each of their previous seven contests. SMU ranks 6th in the nation by scoring 43.0 PPG — and they rank 10th in the FBS by averaging 504.1 total YPG with a balanced offense that ranks 31st in the nation in averaging 202.8 rushing YPG and 17th in the nation in passing with their 301.4 passing YPG mark. Senior quarterback Shane Buechele has been a revelation for this team after transferring from Texas — he is completing 63.2% of his passes with 20 touchdown passes and seven interceptions with a loaded group of wide receivers. The Mustangs have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a game where at least 60 combined points were scored. This is a big-play offense that has registered plays of at least 40 yards sixteen times this season. The SMU defense has not been as sharp — they rank 68th in the nation by allowing 27.8 PPG while also ranking 60th in the FBS by allowing 387.6 total YPG. They allowed the depleted Houston offense with their top quarterback and wide receiver redshirting for next season to 510 yards of offense. The Mustangs have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. And while SMU enjoyed a +2 net turnover margin in that game, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a game where they had a +2 or better net turnover margin. The Mustangs stay on the road where they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Memphis has played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games at home Over the Total after winning at least two straight games. The Tigers generated 498 yards in that game — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. Memphis has also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last contest. Led by junior quarterback Brady White, the Tigers are 10th in the nation by averaging 39.5 PPG and they also rank 23rd in the nation by averaging 470.6 total YPG. Memphis has scored at least 35 points in six of their games while reaching at least 42 points in three of their last four games. Their lone loss was on the road at Temple against an Owls team that plays solid defense. The Tigers did surrender a whopping 584 yards last week to the Golden Hurricanes — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last contest. Memphis returns home for this big American Athletic Conference clash where they have played 35 of their last 52 home games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Tigers have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total in November while SMU has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in November. With ESPN’s Gameday crew taking place at Memphis for this nationally televised night game, expect a wild high scoring contest. 25* CFB Saturday Night ABC-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the SMU Mustangs (359) and the Memphis Tigers (360). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (275) and the Kansas City Chiefs (276). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (6-1) has won three straight games after their 42-24 win over Oakland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (5-2) snapped a two-game losing streak two Thursdays ago with their 30-6 win at Denver as a 3-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

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

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado State Rams (155) and the Fresno State Bulldogs (156). THE SITUATION: Colorado State (2-5) takes the field again after their bye week after their 35-21 win at New Mexico as a 5-point favorite back on October 11th. Fresno State (3-3) comes off a 56-27 win over UNLV last Saturday as a 16-point favorite.

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the USC Trojans (105) and the Colorado Buffaloes (106). THE SITUATION: USC (4-3) snapped their two-game losing streak last Saturday with their 41-14 win over Arizona at home as a 10.5-point favorite. Colorado (3-4) has lost there straight games after their 41-10 loss at Washington State as a 13.5-point underdog last week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOTAL DEFENSE: There is talent on the Washington defense who should feel pretty good about themselves after limiting the 49ers offense to just 283 total yards (albeit it in terrible weather conditions). The Skins have played 6 straight games Under the Total including their 33-7 loss to New England for Sunday Night Football back on October 6th. Expect a result similar to that finds a way to stay below the number. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (101) and the Minnesota Vikings (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between SMU Mustangs (103) and the Houston Cougars (104). THE SITUATION: SMU (7-0) remained undefeated this season with their 45-21 win at home against Temple as a 9-point favorite on Saturday. Houston (3-4) enters this game coming off a 24-17 win at UConn as a 21-point favorite last Saturday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (473) and the Dallas Cowboys (474). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (3-3) looks to bounce-back from their 38-20 loss at Minnesota as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday. Dallas (3-3) has lost three straight games after their 24-22 upset loss at New York against the Jets as a 7-point favorite last Sunday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are not swinging hot bats right now (a de-juiced baseball?). Houston is scoring only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .196 batting average, .265 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .618 over that span. The Yankees are hitting only .241 over their last seven games with a .760 OPS. 25* MLB American League Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (921) and the New York Yankees (922) listing both starting pitchers Justin Verlander and James Paxton. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (303) and the Denver Broncos (304). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (4-2) has lost two games in a row after their 31-24 upset loss at home to Houston on Sunday. Denver (2-4) has won their last two games with their 16-0 shutout win over Tennessee as a 1-point favorite.

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

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

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (305) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves (306). THE SITUATION: Louisiana (4-2) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday with their 17-7 loss at home to Appalachian State as a 1.5-point favorite. Arkansas State (3-3) had their two-game winning streak end back on October 5th with their 52-38 upset loss at Georgia State as a 6.5-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: Montreal has played 4 straight games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. 25* NHL Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning (17) and the Montreal Canadiens (18). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Lions (275) and the Green Bay Packers (276). THE SITUATION: Detroit (2-1-1) takes the field again after their 34-30 loss at home to Kansas City as a 7.5-point underdog two weeks ago back on September 29th. Green Bay (4-1) comes off a 34-24 upset win in Dallas as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (103) and the New England Patriots (104). THE SITUATION: New York (2-3) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 28-10 loss at home to Minnesota as a 5.5-point underdog. New England (5-0) returns home after playing their last two games on the road after their 33-7 win at Washington as a 15.5-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total — and the Over is 18-7-2 in the last 27 meetings between these two teams when playing in Minnesota. 25* MLB ALDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (907) and the Minnesota Twins (908) listing both starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jake Odorizzi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (2-2) looks to build off their 40-25 victory in Baltimore against the Ravens last Sunday night. San Francisco (3-0) takes the field again after their 24-20 victory over Pittsburgh as a 6-point favorite back on September 22nd.

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

FINAL TAKE: The Browns are scoring just 22.2 PPG this season even after putting up 40 points last week. Expect a lower scoring game tonight with both teams deploying run-first offensive game plans. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (2-2) looks to rebound from their 31-24 upset loss at home to Oakland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (4-0) remained undefeated last week with their 34-30 win at Detroit as a 7.5-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

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

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (323) and the Army Black Knights (324). THE SITUATION: Tulane (3-1) returns to the field after their 38-31 victory as a 4-point favorite over Houston back on September 19th. Army (3-1) looks to build off their 52-21 win over Morgan State two Saturdays ago as a 45.5-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (278). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (0-3) looks to bounce-back from their 21-17 loss at Buffalo last Sunday as a 5.5-point underdog. Pittsburgh (0-3) remained winless this season with their 24-20 loss at San Francisco last Sunday as a 6-point underdog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total when facing a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Washington Nationals (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (489) and the Washington Redskins (490). THE SITUATION: Chicago (1-1) looks to build off their 16-14 win in Denver last Sunday as a 3-point favorite. Washington (0-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-21 loss at home to Dallas as a 6-point underdog last week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: Chelsea has scored in nineteen of their last twenty matches with Liverpool across all competitions. Expect a higher scoring match. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200017) and Chelsea (200018). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Central Florida Knights (319) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (320). THE SITUATION: Central Florida (3-0) remained undefeated this season with their 45-27 clubbing at home against Stanford last Saturday as a 9.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 17-10 loss at Penn State last week as a 17-point underdog.

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: The A’s have won the last five meetings between these two teams — and the Rangers have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when looking to avenge at least four straight losses. 25* MLB American League West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (927) and the Oakland A’s (928) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Mike Fiers. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the USC Trojans (306). THE SITUATION: Utah (3-0) has won their first three games this season after their 31-0 shutout win over Idaho State last week as a 36.5-point favorite. USC (2-1) looks to bounce-back from their 30-27 upset loss at BYU in overtime last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite.

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: These two sides last played back on April 27th where Southampton hosted at St. Mary’s in a match that resulted in a 3-3 draw. Expect another higher-scoring match with at least three combined goals scored. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Bournemouth (20001) and Southampton (20002). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (301) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (302). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 19-17 upset loss at home to Indianapolis last week as a 3-point favorite. Jacksonville (0-2) also looks to rebound from a 13-12 loss at Houston on Sunday as a 7.5-point underdog.

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

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

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

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

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

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (289) and the New York Jets (290). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their embarrassing 43-13 upset loss at home to Tennessee as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. New York (0-1) also looks to rebound from an upset loss in their 17-16 setback at home to Buffalo where they were laying 2.5-points.

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

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

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

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

FINAL TAKE: I do not see four combined goals scored in this match with the Villains playing cautiously and quite content to register a point with a draw. Look for this match to have two goals (or less) scored with less than ten minutes left where we will then be sweating the win or living with the Push. 25* EPL Monday Afternoon NBC-Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between West Ham (200189) and Aston Villa (200190). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (287) and the Atlanta Falcons (288). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-0) won their opening game of the season last week with their 32-27 win over Washington as a 10.5-point favorite. Atlanta (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 28-12 loss at Minnesota last week as a 3.5-point underdog.

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

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

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

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

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

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). THE SITUATION: Ohio State (2-0) enters this game coming off their dominant 42-0 shutout victory over Cincinnati last Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. Indiana (2-0) is also undefeated so far this season after they crushed Eastern Illinois last week by a 52-0 score.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Buckeyes offense generated 508 yards of offense against what had been considered a stout Cincinnati defense last week. Sophomore quarterback Justin Fields has fit right into first-year teach coach Jason Day’s offense. The transfer from Georgia has passed for 561 yards in his first two games while throwing nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also added 42 yards on the ground last week against the Bearcats while finding the end zone two times in displaying in his dual-threat capabilities. The Over is 3-0-1 in Ohio State’s last 4 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Buckeyes also flexed their muscles on defense by holding Cincinnati to just 273 yards of offense. But this Ohio State defense has regressed as of late. They allowed 25.5 PPG last year which was the highest number they have allowed since 1999 while placing them a mediocre tied for 51st in the nation. Even worse, the 403.4 total YPG that the Buckeyes allowed last year was the most they have allowed in 50 years. Nine starters return from that unit that is now operating under new defensive coordinators in Jeff Hafley and Greg Mattison who was poached from Michigan to help with recruiting given his knowledge of the midwest as well as his Super Bowl ring coordinating the Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens over a decade ago. Frankly, there has been a drop off in recruiting over the years at linebacker and defensive back. So while the Buckeyes held the Bearcats to just 273 yards of offense last week, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Ohio State has also played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Buckeyes have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road. And in their last 5 games played on field turf, the Over is 3-1-1. Indiana has also been impressive on offense after gaining 555 yards last week against Eastern Illinois. The Hoosiers have then played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Indiana will push the tempo against Ohio State with the hopes of tiring out their athletes on defense. They averaged one play per 22.8 seconds last season which was the 20th fastest tempo in the FBS last year. The third-year head coach has quarterback talent at his disposal with junior Peyton Ramsey back after making all twelve starts last season along with freshman Jack Tuttle who was a four-star recruit who transferred from Utah. But Allen and offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer decided on freshman Michael Penix, Jr. to be their starter given his strong arm and dual-threat running capabilities. He played in three games last year before suffering a season-ending injury that allowed him to redshirt the season. All three quarterbacks played last week but it will likely be Penix under center for this game with Ramsey possibly getting in the game as a change of pace or in mop-up work. The Hoosiers only allowed 116 yards last week to that FCS opponent so let's take that with a grain of salt. Indiana has played 15 of their last 17 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game — and they have also played 25 of their last 32 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. The Hoosiers returned seven starters on defense but it was from a group that allowed their opponents to average +28 YPG above their offensive YPG season average last season which was 93rd worst in the nation. Indiana has played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They also have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in Big Ten play.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio State won last year’s meeting by a 49-26 score as a 27.5-point favorite in Columbus. While Indiana may need garbage time to do it, I do expect them to approach that 26 scoring figure at home this season in what looks like a more dynamic offense. But the Buckeyes will likely reach 40 points in this one — and the Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams when playing in Bloomington. With Indiana playing at a fast tempo and Ohio State happy to take the extra possessions, expect a higher scoring game. 25* CFB Fox-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (3-8) has lost four straight games as well as eight of their last nine games after their 46-17 upset loss at home Toronto despite being a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. British Columbia (1-10) looks to find a victory after losing at Montreal last Friday by a 21-16 score as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Redblacks are on the verge of losing complete control of their season after losing to Calgary in the Grey Cup last November. But this remains a proud franchise under head coach Rick Campbell who has been the skipper here since the football team was reformed in the Canadian Football League back in 2014. Expect this team to respond with a strong effort after being embarrassed by a bad Toronto team. Ottawa has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss at home. Campbell has been benched Dominique Davis at quarterback with the hopes that the veteran Jonathan Jennings could give his team a spark. Jennings completed 33 of 42 passes last week for 327 yards in the losing effort. Ottawa had 354 passing yards overall in that game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. The Redblacks now go back on the road where they are scoring only 18.6 PPG while averaging 303.6 total YPG. Over their last three games, this team is scoring only 14.0 PPG along with 338.0 total YPG. Last week’s game finished well above the 51 point total — but Ottawa has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. The Redblacks have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a game where at least 63 combined points were scored. Ottawa did allow 487 yards last week while allowing the Argonauts to average 8.1 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their last game. Turnovers are killing this team as they have endured a -13 net turnover margin this season after losing the turnover battle in two straight games. But the Redblacks have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after suffering a -1 net turnover margin in at least two straight games. Ottawa has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the month of September. British Columbia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in September. Despite their seven-game losing streak, this Lions team is playing better defense as they have held their last three opponents to just 22.0 PPG along with only 298.0 total YPG. But British Columbia is generating just 307.3 total YPG over their last three contests. The Lions have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total after a loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. Furthermore, BC has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss by 8 points or less. Now this team returns home where they have scored only 14.2 PPG while averaging just 230.7 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first time since Week Four when the Lions were favored on the road against Toronto — and they won that game by an 18-17 score. British Columbia has played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when favored. Expect a low scoring game with at least one of these offenses continuing to struggle to score. 25* CFL ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 31-17 upset loss at home to San Francisco on Sunday. Carolina (0-1) comes off a 30-27 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams where they closed as a small +1.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Jameis Winston was not magically transformed in his first game under new head coach Bruce Arians as he completed just 20 of 36 passes for 194 yards while throwing three interceptions in that loss to the 49ers. Arians has had success with some big names quarterbacks in the past — but the growth of Peyton Manning did not demonstrate itself until his second season with Arians while Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer did not see their big bumps in play until their third with the coach. The Buccaneers generated only 295 yards of offense in that game with one of their touchdowns coming from a 15-yard interception return. But the encouraging aspect of that loss to San Francisco was the improved play of the defense under first-year defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. After ranking 27th in the NFL by allowing 383.4 total YPG, Bowles defense limited the 49ers to only 256 total yards. This defense had nowhere to go but up after being at the bottom of the league over the last two seasons — but this group was also hit hard by the injury bug as they lost 92 adjusted games to injury according to the analytics (which was the most in NFL history using that measurement). Arians and Bowles also significantly remodeled this defense with draft picks and free-agent acquisitions headlined by bringing in Ndamukong Suh. The Niners put 31 points up on the board but two of those touchdowns came from two pick-sixes surrendered by Winston (which was clearly a topic of conversation with Arians this week). As it is, Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Buccaneers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total suffering an upset loss at home by at least two touchdowns. And in their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents, the Bucs have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. The Panthers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Quarterback Cam Newton was not very impressive in that loss as he completed 25 of 38 passes for just 239 yards with zero touchdown passes and an interception while failing to gain positive rushes with his legs. While head coach Ron Rivera claims Newton is completely healthy, he did injure his leg in the preseason which might be slowing him down now. Furthermore, Newton may not be fully recovered from the shoulder problems from last year which severely limited his effectiveness in the second half of last season — there was talk at one point of the team shutting down their franchise quarterback for the entire season like Indianapolis did with Andrew Luck two years ago. Newton enjoyed a sensational month of October in his first season under offensive coordinator Norv Turner before things went south when the team lost seven of their last eight games with Newton’s arm strength limited with his shoulder injury. But according to the DVOA metric used by Football Outsiders, the Panthers have only ranked in the top-ten in offensive efficiency just once in their last five seasons with their average finish being 16th in the NFL — so this will likely remain a middling offense. Moving forward, Carolina has played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games played in Carolina Under the Total. With the Total set in the high 40s, expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. THE SITUATION: Detroit (43-100) has won three of their last five games after their 12-11 win over the Yankees in the opening game of this series on Tuesday. New York (95-51) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with that loss. Yesterday’s game was postponed due to weather so this pitching matchup represents the second game of their afternoon double-header.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is now a decisive 51-25-3 in the Yankees’ last 79 games on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home. Additionally, New York has played 14 of their last 18 road games Over the Total when priced at least at -175 as the favorite. The Bronx Bombers have also played 35 of their last 56 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher. They give the ball to Sabathia who comes off the disabled list to make this start — he is 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in twenty starts this year. The veteran left-hander has struggled in the second-half of the season with a 7.77 ERA in his six starts since the All-Star break. He has been particularly ineffective on the road where he sees his ERA rise to a 6.75 mark along with a 1.62 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .312. New York has played 4 straight games Over the Total with Sabathia pitching on the road. He will be followed up by Domingo German with manager Aaron Boone looking to limit the innings of both pitchers going into the postseason. The right-hander has a 17-4 record with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP this season — and he has struggled on the road with a 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .257 as opposed to his 2.35 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and .197 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. They face a hot-hitting Tigers team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .282 batting average along with a .320 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .720 over that span (which all compare favorably to their 3.7/.240/291/.680 splits for the entire season). Detroit has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home. And in their last 7 second games of a double-header, the Tigers have played 5 of these games Over the Total. They counter with Turnbull who is 3-14 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he has a 4.92 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of .281 in fourteen starts. Turnbull also has a 5.07 ERA in his twelve starts during the day with a 1.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .296. The Over is 3-0-2 in Detroit’s last 5 games with Turnbull facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Yankees team that is scoring 6.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .264 batting average along with a .330 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .907.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams entering the opening game of this afternoon’s doubleheader. With bullpens strained a bit today (especially after last night’s scoring fest), except a high scoring second game in this double-header. 25* MLB American League Getaway Game Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. THE SITUATION: Seattle (59-86) snapped a six-game losing streak last night with their 4-3 win over the Reds. Cincinnati (67-78) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Reds have played 5 of the last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. And while Cincinnati has not scored more than four runs in each of their last three games, they have then played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in at least three straight games — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games on the road Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. The Reds have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is a decisive 34-16-1 in their last 51 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Gray who is 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The veteran right-hander has allowed only 12 combined earned runs over his last twelve starts. Gray has only allowed one earned run over his last two starts — and Cincinnati has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Gray pitching after not allowing more than one earned run in two straight starts. Gray has also been more effective on the road where he has a 2.58 ERA with an opponent’s batting average of .189 in thirteen starts as opposed to his 2.90 ERA with a .212 opponent’s batting average at home. The Reds have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total when his team is pitching as a favorite priced in the -100 to -150 range. He should thrive against this slumping Mariners lineup that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .172 batting average, .241 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .564 over that span. Seattle has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Mariners are hitting just .161 over their last five games — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not hitting better than .200 over their last five games. Furthermore, Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 4 games in Interleague play, the Mariners have played all 4 games Under the Total. They counter with Gonzales who is 14-11 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in thirty starts. The left-hander has been a bit better at home where he owns a 4.32 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .267 in fourteen starts as compared to his 4.42 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and .282 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Mariners have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Gonzales on the hill. He faces a Reds team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .234 batting average in those contests. Cincinnati has played 20 of their last 28 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing at Seattle. Expect another lower scoring game. 25* MLB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (63-81) snapped a two-game losing streak yesterday with their 6-4 victory over the Giants in the opening game of this series. They scored four runs in the top of the 9th inning to pull out that win. San Francisco (69-75) has no lost two straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pirates have seen the Over go 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after a win — and the Over is a decisive 41-18-4 in their last 63 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Pittsburgh has also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Keller who is 1-3 with an 8.18 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP in eight starts this season. The 23-year old right-hander has shuttled back and forth between the majors and minors this season but the Pirates want to use these September games as an opportunity to audition for next year. He has done his best pitching at home in the pitcher-friendly PNC Park where he owns a 4.76 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .262 — but those numbers skyrocket in his four starts on the road where he has an 11.81 ERA with a 2.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .423. The Over is 3-0-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 4 games on the road with Keller on the hill. He faces a Giants team that has seen the Over go 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Over is 5-2-1 in San Francisco’s last 8 games after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Giants are slumping with their bats as of late as they have not scored more than those four runs last night in three straight games. San Francisco is also hitting just .193 over their last five games — but they have then played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after hitting no better than .200 in their last five games. The Giants have also played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. Additionally, the Over is 3-1-1 in San Francisco’s last 5 games at home — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They counter with Cueto who is making his season debut after recovering from Tommy John surgery which has kept him on the shelf for thirteen months. The 33-year old right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in nine starts last year before suffering his elbow injury. The sabermetrics were not encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.47 and 4.52 from his peripheral numbers. Cueto was not as effective at home either where he had a 5.19 ERA with a 1.69 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .333 in five starts as compared to his 1.33 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and .125 opponent’s batting average on the road. Those disparate home/road splits were consistent with his numbers two years ago with a deeper sample size as he had a 4.60 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average at home in twelve starts as compared to his 4.44 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and .267 opponent’s batting average in thirteen starts on the road. The Over is 19-5-2 in the Giants’ last 26 home games with Cueto on the hill. The Pirates have played 5 of their last 7 road games against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 14-6-2 in their last 22 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 9-3-3 in the last 15 games between these two teams played in San Francisco’s AT&T Park. Expect a higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) takes the field again after an 11-5 season that ended with a 21-7 loss at home to Indianapolis in the first round of the AFC playoffs. New Orleans (0-0) enter this season coming off a 13-3 campaign that ended in bitter disappointment with the no-call pass interference in the NFC Championship Game that eventually ended in a 26-23 loss in overtime to deny their opportunity to return to the Super Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints averaged 30.4 PPG last season which is one of the reasons that the Total is set in the 50s for this contest. But New Orleans closed out last season playing 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total. Over their last three games, the Saints scored only 19.0 PPG while averaging just 334.7 total YPG. It appeared that quarterback Drew Brees tired as the season moved on. But this is also a team that relied on their ground game to burn time off the clock to keep their defense fresh and off the field. This was a possession-based offense under head coach Sean Payton — and this will likely continue tonight with Deshaun Watson the opposing quarterback. It was not just the home stretch of the season where the Saints’ offense slowed down — they averaged only 19.6 PPG over their last seven contests. Another problem for this offense was that it became apparent that the team lacked a reliable third option after wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. The organization attempted to address that situation with the free-agent signing of tight end Jared Cook after his breakout season with the Raiders. Maybe — but Cook was the beneficiary of an offense that lacked significant threats at wide receiver (which is why Oakland signed Antonio Brown and Tyrel Williams at that position in the offseason). The conventional was once that this New Orleans offense thrived when playing on field turf — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on turf. The Saints have also played 15 of their last 24 games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Houston started slowly last season as they scored only 19.7 PPG in their first three games of the season. The Under is 8-3-1 in the Texans’ last 12 games in the month of September under head coach Bill O’Brien — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the first two weeks of the season. Houston also scored only 19.0 PPG over their final three games last season culminating in their disappointing effort at home against the Colts in the playoffs. The offense suffered a big blow with the injury to running back Lamar Miller. Acquiring Duke Johnson was helpful but his skills are more as a receiver than as a rusher — and the recently added Carlos Hyde has failed to stick with his previous three teams in the league. The Texans will lean on their defense that was tied for 4th in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 19.8 PPG. This defense will still be good despite trading away Jadeveon Clowney as this move will allow the talented Whitney Mercilus to take over his role on the defense next to J.J. Watt.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games on the road Under the Total as the dog getting 3.5 to 7 points. 25* NFL Monday Night Football O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). 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 (477) and the New England Patriots (478). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (0-0) looks to get back to the postseason after they were left on the outside looking in after a 9-6-1 campaign last year. New England (0-0) lifted the Lombardi Trophy once again last year with their 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots won the Super Bowl on the strength of their outstanding defense that limited the powerful Rams offense to just 260 total yards. This young unit is only getting better. New England held their last three opponents to only 295.0 total YPG. The Patriots’ defense was also very tough to move the ball against when playing at home in Gillette Stadium where they limited the visitors to only 17.9 PPG along with just 321.2 total YPG. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as the favorite laying 7 or fewer points. But don’t be surprised if the Patriots are not crisp on offense. Tom Brady is adjusting to a new philosophy after the retirement of tight end Rob Gronkowski. It has not been a smooth preseason for Brady in getting comfortable with his wide receivers. Demaryius Thomas has been injured along with rookie first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry. Josh Gordon has been cleared by the NFL to be eligible to play once again in the league but he did not take much part of training camp. And then the team signed Antonio Brown yesterday who will not be eligible to play tonight since the league deadline for rosters this week already passed. As it is, New England uses the first few weeks of the regular season to continue to install their offense — so this will very much be a work in progress. Expect the Patriots to rely on their power running game to keep the Steelers offense off the field (and that will keep the clock moving). New England has played 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new season Under the Total. Pittsburgh had an underrated defense last season that led the NFL with 52 sacks. The Steelers limited their home hosts to just 22.5 PPG last year along with only 325.0 total YPG — and they held their last three opponents to just 311.3 total YPG. This defense will improve with the addition of rookie first-round draft pick Devin Bush who provides them the ball-hawking linebacker they have lacked since the career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier. Pittsburgh has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total — and this includes them playing 9 straight games on the road Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Pittsburgh has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams from the AFC — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against AFC rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on December 16th in Pittsburgh where the Steelers pulled off a 17-10 upset win as a 2.5-point underdog. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (477) and the New England Patriots (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). THE SITUATION: Tulane (1-0) enters this game looking to build off their 42-14 win over Florida International as a 3-point favorite back on August 29th. Auburn (1-0) eked out a 27-21 win over Oregon as a 4-point favorite last Saturday against Oregon.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Freshman quarterback Bo Nix was shaky in his collegiate debut — he completed only 13 of 31 passes for 177 yards. Head coach Gus Malzahn kept the playbook limited with his freshman with the team doing little to stretch the field against a Ducks defense that is certainly not elite. While I expect Nix to get more of the playbook tonight, it is telling that Malzahn did not feel comfortable in his quarterback to start airing the ball out — even when they were trailing for most of that game with Oregon. But perhaps that is because he had complete confidence in his defense that returned seven starters including an outstanding defensive line from a unit that ranked 14th in the nation last year by holding their opponents to just 19.2 PPG. The Tigers held the Ducks with their Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Justin Herbert to just 332 yards of offense in that victory. Moving forward, Auburn has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Now the Tigers return home from that game played in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta where they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total. Auburn has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September after last week’s game fell below the 55.5 point Total. Furthermore, the Under is 18-7-2 in the Tigers’ last 27 games against teams outside the SEC — and the Under is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games against teams with a winning record. Tulane has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with eight days of rest and preparation. The Green Wave generated 545 yards of offense against the Golden Panthers under senior quarterback Justin McMillan. Tulane has then played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after generating at least 450 yards in their last game. The Green Wave gained 350 of those yards on the ground as they flexed their muscles in controlling the line of scrimmage — and this will likely be the strategy in pulling this upset. Tulane plays at a fast tempo under new offensive coordinator Will Hall — but running the football still shortens the game with the clock continually moving. The Green Wave have played 5 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last game. Tulane has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as the underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Tulane has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams outside the American Athletic Conference — and they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams from the SEC. 25* CFB ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). 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 Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). THE SITUATION: Seattle (16-15) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 92-75 win over Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. Phoenix (15-16) saw their two-game losing streak snapped on Sunday with their embarrassing 105-78 loss at Chicago as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Seattle has played 14 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 10 points. The Under is also 13-3-1 in the Storm’s last 17 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 9 games after scoring at least 80 points, Seattle has played all 9 games Under the Total. The reigning WNBA champions made 58.5% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last twenty-six games. Regression on the offensive end of the court tonight is very likely as the Storm rank 9th in the twelve-team league in Offensive Efficiency — and they are 10th in the WNBA in Offensive Efficiency over their last ten games. Seattle goes back on the road where they are making just 41.8% of their shots. The Under is 12-5-1 in the Storm’s last 18 games on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the number set at 150 or higher. Seattle has also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Phoenix will be focused on playing better on the defensive end of the court after allowing Chicago to make 50.6% of their shots in what was the worst defensive performance in their last twelve games. The Mercury have played 30 of their last 41 home games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots. Phoenix has also played 8 of their last 12 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The Mercury return home where they limit their opponents to just 41.2% shooting from the field — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 40.3% shooting while ranking 5th best in the league in Defensive Efficiency during that span. Additionally, Phoenix has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Mercury have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when listed as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle and Phoenix remain in 7th and 8th place in the standings to determine the eight playoffs teams later this month — so this contest matters significantly to both teams. The Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams — and these two teams have played 8 of their last 11 meetings in Phoenix Under the Total. 25* WNBA ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (0-0) returns thirteen starters from the team that lost to Clemson in the National Semifinals by a 30-3 score. Louisville (0-0) has sixteen starters back from last year’s dumpster fire that limped to a 2-10 season record.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Fighting Irish return seven starters with an offense that might be the most potent in head coach Brian Kelly’s ten years with the program. Kelly’s decision to elevate Ian Book to be his starting quarterback despite a 3-0 start to the season was inspired as the team averaged 36.6 PPG in his eight starts. The move to Book gave the Notre Dame offense a legitimate passing threat that they have not had in years to balance their strong rushing attack. Book threw at least two touchdown passes in all eight of his regular-season starts. While the Irish are dealing with injuries to junior wide receiver Michael Young and junior tight end Cole Kmet, the Irish have depth at the running back and wide receiver skill positions. The offense also has the benefit of four returning starters on offense. However, the Notre Dame defense is likely to take a step or two back with the loss of three key members of last year’s unit that have moved on to the NFL. The middle of the defense appears vulnerable with the Irish replacing two good defensive tackles along with two good linebackers — that level of the defense is now inexperienced and lacking in depth. And while Notre Dame has two great safeties in seniors Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman, it will be tough to replace the elite cover cornerback Julian Love who bypassed his senior year to go to the NFL. The Fighting Irish have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total when laying 14.5 to 21 points. Notre Dame has also played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total with the number set in the 49.5 to 56 point range — and this includes them playing four of their last five games on the road Over the Total with the number set in that range. Louisville cannot help but be better on defense this season after they ranked 122nd in the nation by allowing 483.6 total YPG. While ten starters return from that group, new head coach Scott Satterfield and his defensive coordinator at Appalachian State, Bryan Brown, have a major rebuilding task to clean up the hot mess that Bobby Petrino left behind after being fired late in the season. The Cardinals surrendered at least 52 points in each of their last five games — so it will likely be a long road back for this group. Louisville’s improvement should happen faster on the offensive side of the football under Satterfield who emphasized more running in the spread offensive attacks as the head coach at Appalachian State. Satterfield has tapped junior quarterback Jawon Pass to be his starter with a simplified playbook from the 2007 NFL playbook Petrino was still relying on from his year with the Atlanta Falcons. Satterfield will likely also give reps to Malik Cunningham who led the team in rushing last year and can better execute the rushing attack under center. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on field turf. Louisville has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog — and this includes them playing four of their last five home games Over the Total as the dog. And in their last 22 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points, the Cardinals have played 14 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Louisville averaged just 19.8 PPG last year (tied for 121s in the nation) while Notre Dame surrendered just 18.2 PPG (13th in the nation). Look for the Cardinals to score at least 20 points tonight with their offense improved and the Irish defense losing three players to the NFL. With the Irish a favorite approaching 20 points, Louisville scoring 20 points should put this game way Over the number given the number the Notre Dame is likely to put up in this game. 25* CFB ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) returns twelve starters from a team that finished 8-5 after suffering a humiliating 70-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. Oklahoma (0-0) has twelve starters back from the group that lost to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinals by a 45-34 score.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sooners led the nation last year by averaging 48.4 PPG along with generating 570.3 total YPG. After seeing their offense improve their numbers in each of the last four seasons, the Regression Gods were likely to make a visit to Norman this year. But with Jalen Hurts the new starting quarterback for this team after his transfer from Alabama. Hurts has outstanding leadership skills as he led (the uber-talented) Crimson Tide to a 24-2 record as a starter. But Hurts does not have the same talent as Tua Tagovailoa nor Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray who have been the two Heisman Trophy winners that Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has had at his disposal over the last two years. In four playoff game appearances, Hurts completed just 43% of his passes for the Tide while averaging just 3.7 Yards-Per-Attempt. There is a reason he was benched at halftime of the 2017 National Championship game against Georgia. The Sooners are also almost completely rebuilding their offensive line with four starters from last year departed to play in the NFL. Mayfield had the benefit of five returning starters on the offensive line two years with Murray having three returning starters last year. Hurts is not getting the same good opening hand as his two predecessors at Oklahoma. Even if the Sooners just reach their 48.4 PPG scoring mark from last year in this game, the Under should still be in pretty good shape with them being 23 or so point favorites against the Cougars. Of course, the Oklahoma defense was a mess last year as they ranked last in the Big 12 by allowing 33.3 PPG along with 453.8 total YPG. This unit can probably not help but improve under new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch who oversaw a very good defense in a previous stint at Washington State. Grinch has installed a new “positionless” scheme that emphasizes aggressiveness and play-making. This may be a better fit than the staler ideas of previous coordinate Mike Stoops. The Sooners’ secondary should be better with three juniors returning as starters who have received a baptism by fire last year. Houston will be installing a new offensive Air Raid scheme under new head coach Dana Holgorsen. The Cougars are happy to have a fully-healthy D’Eriq King back under center after he suffered a season-ending injury in mid-November. But this is an offense that Oklahoma is very familiar with given its deployment by many of the teams in the Big 12. Houston also had defensive issues last season after allowing 37.2 PPG along with 496.4 total YPG. That unit was ravaged by injuries — they allowed a more manageable 28.0 PPG in their first six games before their depleted unit surrendered 45.0 PPG in their final seven games. This defense will have something to prove after their embarrassing effort against Army in their bowl game where the team had checked out on head coach Major Applewhite. Holgorsen has proclaimed that playing good defense is a “high priority” for him — he has hired a good defensive coordinator in Joe Cauthen whose attacking style running the defense at Arkansas State led to 146 sacks over the last four seasons. Holgorsen has added six junior college transfers to improve the talent of this group led by cornerback Damarion Williams who was a junior college All-American last year. The Cougars have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total in the first half of the regular season. Houston has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams from the Big 12.

FINAL TAKE: With the Total eclipsing the 80 point mark in some spots, it will take a high level of offensive production of both teams to reach the Over. Don’t be surprised if both of these potent offenses make some execution mistakes in this opening game. This logic helps to inform a historical angle supporting the Under that has been 75% effective since 1992. In games in the first two weeks of the season with the Total set at 63 or higher between two teams from major 1-A conferences, when at least one of the teams returns a starting quarterback from the previous season, the game finished Under the Total in 40 of these last 53 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). 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 Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). THE SITUATION: Ball State (0-0) returns seventeen starters from their team that finished 4-8 last season. Indiana (0-0) returns fourteen starters from last year’s 5-7 team. This game will be played on a neutral field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cardinals were hit hard by transfers in the offseason with six players leaving the program. The offense lost two incumbent starters from last year in senior quarterback Riley Neal who transferred to Vanderbilt and senior running back James Gilbert who moved to Kansas State. There is an argument to be had that perhaps both these players were going to lose their jobs this season. On the other hand, Neal had started 32 games for Ball State while throwing for 7393 yards and 46 touchdown passes while Gilbert rushed for 2806 yards in his career with the program — and that was good enough to entice two football programs in Power Five conferences. Ball State was just 102nd in the FBS last year by scoring just 4.2 points per trip inside the 40-yard line. Any improvements on offense will likely not materialize right away. As it is, the Cardinals have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. I do expect to see significant improvements from the Ball State defense that returns nine starters. This is the second year for this unit playing in a 3-4 formation. This move worked for the first seven games last year under defensive coordinator David Elson as they hold those first seven opponents to just 23.9 PPG. But injuries eventually took their toll as the Cardinals allowed their last five opponents to score 44.4 PPG as their lack of depth was exposed. Back at full health and with better depth from the experiences from last season, Ball State should be much improved in the second year playing in the 3-4 look. They return seventeen players who registered at teals ten tackles last year. The Cardinals have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the Mid-American Conference — and they have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against Big Ten foes. Ball State has also played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. The Hoosiers defense regressed last year with only three returning starters — they allowed 423.8 total YPG which was 83.7 YPG more than what they surrendered in 2017 when they ranked 27th in the nation in total defense. Don’t be surprised if this unit approaches those strong defensive numbers from two years ago with seven starters back along with eight of their top eleven tacklers from last year. Tom Allen feels confident enough with this group that he promoted linebackers coach Kane Wommack to defensive coordinator to free up his time focus exclusively with his head coaching duties. Allen has already made a big move by tapping redshirt freshman Michael Penix as the starting quarterback to replace returning starter Peyton Ramsey. Penix has a better runner with a stronger arm — but with this team playing in a new system under first-year offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, it might take some time for this unit to gel. The Hoosiers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored by 10.5 to 21 points. They also have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total with the number set in the 56.5 to 63 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana won last year’s rivalry game between these two schools by a 38-10 score with that result falling well short of the 62.5 point Total. 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 Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. THE SITUATION: San Diego (62-71) won the opening game of this series last night by a 5-3 score. San Francisco (65-68) has lost three straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Padres have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win. Additionally, the Under is 4-0-1 in San Diego’s last 5 games on the road against teams with a losing record. And in their last 25 road games in the season half of the season, the Padres have played 19 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Lamet who is 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has seen the velocity on his fastball approach 96 miles per hour which has helped him generate swinging strikes in 13.8% of his pitches. The sabermetrics are bullish with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.01 and 3.84 moving forward based off his deeper peripheral numbers. Over his last seven starts, Lamet has a 2-0 record with a 3.75 ERA. He also has been more effective on the road where he owns a 3.12 ERA along with a 1.19 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .214 in five starts. San Diego has played 3 of their last 4 road games Under the Total with Lamet pitching with the Total set in the 7 to 7.5 range. He faces a Giants team that scores only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .228 batting average along with a .289 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .651. The Under is 7-2-1 in the Giants’ last 10 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Under is also 13-5-1 in San Francisco’s last 19 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Furthermore, the Under is 13-3-2 in the Giants’ last 18 games after a loss. The Under is also 15-6-3 in San Fran’s last 24 home games against teams with a losing record. And in the Giants’ last 10 games when favored in the -125 to -175 price range, they have played 7 of these games Under the Total. They counter with Bumgarner who is 8-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The lefty has been on fire over his last twelve starts as he enjoys a 5-1 record with a 2.96 ERA over that span. The veteran also loves facing the Padres against which he sports a 3.47 ERA in 35 games (34 starts). Bumgarner has been much better at home where he owns a 2.95 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in fifteen starts. The Under is 5-1-2 in San Francisco’s last 8 home games with Bumgarner facing a team with a losing record. The Giants have also played 12 of their last 14 home games with Bumgarner facing a fellow NL West foe. The Padres are scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .185 batting average along with a .255 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .573.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego has played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). THE SITUATION: Miami (2-1) concludes their preseason coming off a 22-7 win over Jacksonville as a pick ‘em last Thursday. New Orleans (2-1) comes off a 28-13 win in New York against the Jets as a 3-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dolphins have played 13 of their last 20 preseason games Under the Total after an upset win in the previous week of the preseason — and they have also played three of their last four preseason games Under the Total after an upset victory by at least 10 points in the previous week. Miami has also played 28 of their last 44 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread cover in the previous week in the preseason. In theory, the Dolphins still have a battle to determine their starting quarterback with rookie head coach Brian Flores yet to name his starter for next week. With a difficult early schedule, I suspect Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the initial starter — yet he will not be playing tonight due to an illness. Josh Rosen will get the start and I expect him to the be starter for this team by midseason. But look for the majority of the snaps tonight to go to fourth-year veteran Jake Rudock who has played in only three regular-season games in his career. The former Michigan QB did not play last week. The Dolphins defense has played this preseason after holding the Jaguars to just 243 yards last week. Miami has held their three preseason opponents to just 16.7 PPG along with only 296.3 total YPG. Additionally, the Dolphins have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total after winning two of their last three preseason games. New Orleans held the Jets to just 300 yards of offense in a very nice defensive effort last week. QB Drew Brees will not play in this game — and with veteran Teddy Bridgewater and third-year pro Taysom Hill playing well this preseason, there is little for the offense to prove this week after averaging 24.0 PPG along with 355.3 total YPG in their three preseason games. The Saints have played 8 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Sean Payton when playing a team with a winning record in the preseason. And while the Dolphins are outscoring their preseason opponents by +6.7 PPG, New Orleans has played all 5 of these preseason games Under the Total. The Saints return back home to the Superdome after playing their last two preseason games on the road. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 8 preseason games at home Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total in the preseason with the number set in the 35.5 to 38 point range. Furthermore, the Saints have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after playing their last two preseason games on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total when playing with no more than six days between preseason contests.

FINAL TAKE: With both of these teams having little to determine tonight on the offensive side of the football, it should be a whole lotta vanilla from both groups with avoiding injuries being the clear top agenda item. 25* NFLx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). 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 Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (2-0) is undefeated so far this preseason after their 17-7 victory over Kansas City as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Tennessee (1-1) looks to rebound from their 22-17 loss at home to New England in a game that closed with them being a pick ‘em.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason. The Pittsburgh defense held the potent Chiefs offense to just 315 yards of offense in that game — and Patrick Mahomes did start that game. The Steelers have held their first two preseason opponents to just 17.5 PPG. Ben Roethlisberger will make his preseason debut in this game — but he is unlikely to play the first half as he has done in the past in previous dress rehearsal games in the third week of the preseason. Pittsburgh has played 17 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total as the underdog under head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have also played 7 of their last 11 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. And in their last 3 preseason games against fellow AFC opponents, Pittsburgh has played all 3 of these games Under the Total. Tennessee only managed 306 yards of offense in their loss to the Patriots last week. The Titans did allow New England to gain 363 yards in that contest with the Patriots averaging 6.2 Yards-Per-Play — so better play on that side of the football will likely be a priority for head coach Mike Vrabel. Tennessee has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in their last preseason game in the previous week. The Titans defense is still allowing just 16.0 PPG this preseason along with only 295.0 total YPG. They host this game where they have played 23 of their last 38 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is also supported by a preseason-specific angle that has been 66% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games involving a team coming off an upset win the previous week in the preseason (Pittsburgh) who have a winning record in the preseason, these games finished Under the Total in 47 of the last 71 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NFLx Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). 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 Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-1) won their first exhibition game in the preseason with their 30-23 win over Detroit as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Dallas (1-1) also earned their first victory in the preseason with a 14-10 win on the road in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Texans saw a high scoring game last week with 53 combined points being scored — but one of those touchdowns came from them allowing a 19-yard fumble recovery that the Lions returned for a touchdown. Houston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with six days of rest preseason games under head coach Bill O’Brien. O’Brien pulled his offensive starters after they had a successful opening drive against the Detroit defense. Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 5 of 7 passes for 60 yards. But Watson has a history of injury — so O’Brien will likely have a quick hook with his offense after he is satisfied with their execution tonight. The Texans have a solid backup in Joe Webb — but their third-stringer, Jordan Ta’Amu, has only thrown one pass in the preseason as a rookie out of Ole Miss. Houston has played 7 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total when playing on field turf under O’Brien. Additionally, the Texans have played 8 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total when favored under O’Brien. Dallas has only scored 11.5 PPG in their two preseason games while averaging just 272.5 total YPG in those contests. This is par for the course for head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys averaged only 10.7 PPG while generating just 280.5 total YPG in their four preseason games last year. QB Dak Prescott has thrown only nine passes this preseason. And with running back Ezekiel Elliott still holding out, the Cowboys are not likely to put their promising rookie running back Tony Pollard on the field much for this game. Dallas has played 3 of their last 4 preseason games Under the Total after scoring no more than 17 points in two straight games. The backup QB situation for Dallas is not one of the better situations in the league. Cooper Rush has looked solid this preseason — but the third-year pro out of Central Michigan has only played in three regular-season games without a start. The third-stringer is likely to be Mike White — the second-year QB has completed only 16 of 33 passes for 117 yards in this preseason.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have played 14 of their last 23 preseason games in the Garrett era Under the Total with the number set int he 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFLx NFL Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. THE SITUATION: Kansas City (45-83) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 8-1 loss in Baltimore against the Orioles. Cleveland (74-54) has won three straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 2-0 loss in New York to the Mets.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Royals have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. Additionally, Kansas City has lost 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least eight runs in their last contest. The Royals have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring no more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an off day. And in their last 7 games on the road, Kansas City has played 5 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Junis who is 8-11 with a 4.78 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander will be looking to complete at least 6 innings of work for the ninth straight start tonight. Junis has been more effective on the road where he has a 3.89 ERA along with a 1.33 WHIP and .260 opponent’s batting average in twelve starts as opposed to his 5.53 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .275 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. The Royals have played 4 straight road games Under the Total with Junis pitching against teams with a winning record. Kansas City has also played 22 of their last 33 games with Junis pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces an Indians team that is scoring only 4.4 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .244 batting average along with a .310 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .728. Cleveland has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss by two runs or less — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. The Indians return home to Progressive Field for the first time since August 14th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. Cleveland has also played 19 of their last 25 home games Under the Total when favored in the -125 to -175 price range. They counter with Plesac who is 6-4 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in fifteen starts. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he has a 3.25 ERA along with a 1.17 WHIP in eight starts as compared to his 3.86 ERA and 1.26 WHIP on the road. The Indians have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Plesac pitching as a money-line favorite priced in the -110 to -150 range. He should have success facing this Royals team that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .214 batting average along with a .264 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .550 during that span. Kansas City has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams since July 28th when the Royals upset the Indians at home by a 9-6 score despite being a +160 priced underdog. Cleveland has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Cleveland. 25* MLB American League Central Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). THE SITUATION: Washington (0-2) remained winless this preseason with their 25-13 upset loss at home to Cincinnati as a 2.5-point favorite last Thursday. Atlanta (0-3) lost their third straight game this preseason with their 22-10 upset loss at home to the New York Jets as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the Skins’ game with the Bengals finished Under the Total with 36 combined points, two touchdowns were scored by a pick-six by Washington along with a 75-yard punt return by Cincinnati. The Skins managed only 212 yards of offense against the Bengals — and they have averaged a mere 241.5 total YPG this preseason despite having one of the few legitimate quarterback battles to determine their starter this preseason. The Washington defense did play better this week as they limited Cincinnati to just 335 yards. The Skins have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Jay Gruden after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread defeat in the preseason in the Gruden era. Additionally, Washington has played 9 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden when playing with six days or less of rest. The Skins have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in the preseason as the favorite — and they have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden. Atlanta has now lost eleven preseason games under head coach Dan Quinn. After averaging just 6.7 PPG in their four preseason games last year, the Falcons are scoring only somewhat better this season with their 15.7 PPG clip. Don’t blame Atlanta not using their starting quarterback Matt Ryan either as he played well into the second quarter last week while completing 10 of his 14 passes for 118 yards. The Falcons have then played 8 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have played 8 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread preseason loss in the Quinn era. Further, Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after suffering two straight preseason losses — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after losing three straight games against the spread in the preseason. The Falcons defense has been stout this preseason as they are allowing only 249.3 total YPG. They have not allowed more than 96 rushing yards this preseason — and they have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in at least two straight preseason contests. Atlanta has also played 6 straight preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Falcons have played 7 straight preseason games Under the Total in expected close preseason games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in the Skins last 6 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents, the game finished Under the Total all 6 times. 25* NFLx NFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:20 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (75-62) has won three straight games with their 5-1 victory over the Marlins last night. Miami (45-79) has lost four straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a victory by at least four runs. The Over is also 6-2-2 in their last 10 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while Atlanta has not allowed more than three runs in three straight games, they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after not allowing more than three runs in their last game. Furthermore, while the Braves have played three straight games Over the Total, they have then played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Unders. They give the ball to Teheran who is 7-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-six starts this season. The sabermetrics are screaming that Teheran is high on the list of regression candidates for the rest of the season relative to those baseline numbers. Opposing hitters are generating a Hard-Hit Rate of 38.9% which is the highest in his career. The right-hander then adds to many walks to this volatile situation — he issues a base-on-balls to 11.0% of the batters he faces while averaging 4.29 walks per 9 innings of work. Unfortunately for Teheran, he is not much of a strikeout pitcher to help him get out of jams — he only strikes out 21.3% of the batters he faces. He also does not induce ground balls as only 39.8% of the batted balls he allows into play are grounders. Both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 5.13 and 5.27 moving forward based on his peripheral numbers like this. Teheran is not quite as effective a home either where he has a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .248 in twelve starts as compared to his 1.26 WHIP and .221 opponent’s batting average when pitching on the road. Atlanta has played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total with Teheran on the hill — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing a team with a losing record. The Braves have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing the Marlins. The Over is 10-3-2 in Miami’s last 15 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 10-3-2 in the Marlins’ last 15 games after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games after a loss to a divisional rival where they scored just one run. The Over is also 6-0-2 in Miami’s last 8 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Marlins have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the month of August — and the Over is 6-1-2 in Miami’s last 9 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Smith who is 8-6 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in twenty starts. The lefty has a concerning Hard-Hit rate of 41.7% that is a bit more manageable when pitching in the spacious Marlins Park for his home games. Smith has a 3.32 ERA in ten starts at home — but those numbers rise to a 3.95 ERA when he is on the road. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.08 and 4.34 moving forward. Miami has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Smith pitching on five days of rest — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 5 games with Smith facing a team with a winning record. After throwing 106 pitches in his last game (which only got him through 5 innings), the Marlins will be keeping a short lease on their young hurler as they build for the future. Expect the Miami bullpen to get plenty of action in this game with their 5.15 ERA and 1.46 WHIP this season — and that group has a 12.34 ERA with a 2.49 WHIP in their last seven games. Atlanta hits left-handed pitching hard — they average 5.6 Runs-Per-Game with a .812 OPS against left-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Expect another higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. 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 San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-0) won their opening preseason game last week by a 17-9 score over Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. Denver (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 22-14 upset loss at Seattle back on August 8th where they were 2-point favorites.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the headlines with this 49ers team usually relate to their offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan, their defense has been drawn attention in training camp for their strong play. San Francisco limited the Cowboys to just 294 yards of offense last week in that preseason victory. Furthermore, the 49ers held Dallas to averaging just 4.8 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt — and in preseason games involving a road team that did not allow more than 5.5 YPA in the preseason game in the previous week, these games finished Under the Total in 48 of these last 71 situations (68%) where these conditions applied. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did not play last week but he is expected to make his preseason debut tonight — although reports out of the San Francisco camp is that he will play only one or two series tonight before giving way to his backups. There is still a battle for the second string QB slot between C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens. Beathard injured his finger last week but he is expected to first off the bench after Garoppolo’s night is complete. San Francisco will likely rely on their deep bench at running back as well with Jerick McKinnon dealing with an injury. Shanahan did not risk playing Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman last week — so while they will both likely see snaps, they will likely not play much in this game to avoid risking another injury at the running back position. Denver has played 13 of their last 22 preseason games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss in the preseason in the previous week. The Broncos only gained 298 yards of offense last week despite it being their second preseason game after playing Atlanta in the Hall of Fame Game. Denver is averaging just 243.0 total YPG this preseason which has resulted in just 14 points in each of their games. Veteran QB Joe Flacco took his first snaps in live competition last week — he completed 3 of his 4 passes for 19 yards. It is not likely that he will play deep into this game. Expect the majority of the snaps to be given to rookies Drew Lock and Brett Rypien along with the fourth-year veteran Kevin Hogan. The former Stanford star has completed just 8 of his 15 passes for 54 yards with no touchdown passes in two preseason games. The Broncos have played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams conducted joint practices in the lead-up to this exhibition game. The Denver defense played extremely well in those controlled scrimmage events. The Broncos have allowed only 7 and 3 points in the first half of their two preseason games — and that triggers a preseason-specific angle supporting the Under that has been 81% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games with the Total set in then 35.5-42 point range, when one of the teams has not allowed more than a touchdown in their previous two preseason games, these games finished Under the Total in 21 of the last 26 games where these situations applied. 25* NFLx Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). 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 Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). THE SITUATION: Seattle (1-0) pulled off a 22-14 upset win at home against Denver back on August 8th as a 2-point underdog. Minnesota (1-0) pulled off an upset win the next night in New Orleans with their 34-25 win against the Saints as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Pete Carroll’s teams have played 20 of their 28 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up win in the preseason — and this includes his Seahawks teams playing ten of their sixteen preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason in the previous week. Carroll’s Seattle teams have also played 12 of their last 17 preseason games after a point spread win in the preseason. The Seahawks defense played well in that game as they held the Broncos (who already had a preseason game under their belts) to just 298 yards of offense. Seattle has played 7 of their last 10 preseason games in the Carroll regime Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last preseason game in the previous week. The offense was not much better as Seattle managed only 18 first downs which resulted in 301 yards. Geno Smith struggled at quarterback as he completed just 3 of 9 passes. Russell Wilson did not play in that opening game — he will likely play in this game but the veteran will not play long in this game. Carroll’s Seahawks teams have played 7 of their last 9 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Seattle has also played 6 of their last 9 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Minnesota has played 13 of their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after pulling off an upset victory in the preseason — and this includes them playing three of the four games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason under head coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings have also played 5 of their last 6 preseason games in the Zimmer era Under the Total after a preseason victory on the road. The Minnesota offense was crisp — led by starter Kirk Cousins who completed all four of his passes for 65 yards and a touchdown — as they generated 460 yards in that game. But while the Vikings averaged 8.5 Yards-Per-Play against the Saints, they have then played 3 of their 4 preseason games Under the Total. This game may see more of Jake Browning who attempted only three passes last week. The rookie from Washington is battling Sean Mannion and Kyle Sloter for a backup spot on the depth chart. Only Mannion has NFL experience with his ten-game appearances out of that group after Cousins.

FINAL TAKE: The Vikings backup quarterbacks will have a challenge facing this Seahawks team that held Denver to just 5.3 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt last week. Preseason games where the road team did not allow more than 5.5 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt in their previous preseason game have then gone Under the Total in 48 of these last 70 situations (69%). 25* NFLx Fox-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). 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 New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). THE SITUATION: New England (1-0) opened up their exhibition season by going on the road to crush the Lions in Detroit by a 31-3 score as a 2.5-point underdog. Tennessee (1-0) comes off a 27-10 upset victory in their first preseason game at Philadelphia where they were 1.5-point underdogs.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots flexed their muscles on defense against the Lions with the young talent they have assembled on that side of the field which has given them nice depth for deep playoff runs. New England held Detroit to just 93 yards of offense while limiting them to only 3.0 Yards-Per-Play. The Patriots have played 6 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. They went into halftime with a 20-0 shutout lead over the Lions as well — and they have then played 9 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the first half of their previous preseason game. These two teams have played two joint practices together with this exhibition game serving as the third encounter between these two teams this week. The last time the Patriots conducted joint practices before their second preseason game, Tom Brady only two series in that game. Don’t expect to see Brady out on the field very long tonight. I suspect that rookie Jarrett Stidham out of Auburn will get the majority of snaps to get him more opportunities against professional defenses. He was very effective last week in completing 14 of 24 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown against the Lions — but the Titans defense will benefit from both that game tape as well as two days of direct experience scrimmaging against him to now offer him come challenging looks. New England has played 22 of their last 37 preseason games Under the Total — and they have also played 13 of their last 21 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Tennessee’s defense also played quite well last week in holding the Eagles to just 227 yards of offense. The Titans were also able to control the time of possession by being on offense for 37:51 minutes of that game. Tennessee limited Philadelphia to just 37 rushing yards in that preseason game. The Titans have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their previous preseason game — and they have played both preseason games Under the Total in the Matt Vrabel era Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their previous preseason contest. Quarterback Marcus Mariota threw only 8 passes last week for just 24 yards — I do not expect him to see the field too much tonight. Backup Ryan Tannehill looked very good as a backup (with whispers that he could challenge for Mariota’s job) by completing 12 of 16 passes for 130 yards and two TD passes. Don’t be surprised if third-stringer Logan Woodside gets plenty of action tonight. It is a big dropoff to the third-year pro from Toledo who has yet to play in an NFL regular season contest. Tennessee has played their last 3 games against fellow AFC opponents Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: In preseason games between conference rivals, when the Total is set in the 42.5 to 49 point range, these games finished Under the Total in 22 of these last 28 situations (79%). With these teams already facing off with two joint practices, expect these two AFC playoff teams from last year to engage in an exhibition game that is pure vanilla. 25* NFLx AFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). THE SITUATION: Tottenham (W1-D0-L0) won their opening match last Saturday with their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa. Manchester City (W1-D0-L0) began the defense of their 2018-19 English Premier League championship with a 5-0 victory at West Ham.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tottenham is undermanned for this match with Dele Alli, Ryan Sessegnon, and Ben Davies all dealing with injuries while Juan Foyth and Son Heung-min ineligible to play as they finish out respective suspensions. The Spurs still have a healthy Harry Kane who scored twice in the final five minutes of their match with the promoted Aston Villa side to escape with that 3-1 victory. The Tottenham offensive attack was sluggish for most of that match until Christian Eriksen took the pitch to offer Kane a passing combination from the midfield. The Spurs scored only 10 goals in their ten EPL matches last season against one of the Big Six opponents. However, Tottenham’s defense was solid in those matches as they surrendered only 15 goals in those ten matches against the Big Six. Only two of those ten matches saw more than three combined goals scored with five of those matches seeing no more than two combined goals scored by both teams. Manager Mauricio Pochettino typically has his team embrace defensive tactics in these high-profile matches — and that will even more likely be the case given that his starting XI is not his best possible group. Manchester City produced another clean sheet last Saturday by blanking West Ham. The Citizens were second in the EPL last season by allowing only 29 goals in their thirty-eight matches all season. Man City’s defense plays consistently well even against the best competition in the league. Manchester City allowed only five goals in their ten matches against Power Six sides — and they surrendered a mere three goals in their five home matches against these Big Six teams. Pep Guardiola is also dealing with some injuries with Leroy Sane out as he prepares for knee surgery and Benjamin Mendy still working on his game fitness.

FINAL TAKE: These teams and managers are very familiar with each other. They faced off against each other three times in a twelve-day stretch last April with one EPL match and the two-legs of their Championship League Semifinals clash. Two of those matches ended in 1-0 results with Tottenham winning the opening match at home in that Champions League clash on April 9th before Man City avenged losing that semifinals showdown with a 1-0 victory in EPL play on April 20th. The Spurs advanced to the Champions League Finals by the road team goals scored tie-breaker after a 4-3 result at Man City on April 17th in a wild game where the Citizens needed to win by at least two goals. That result was a bit of an aberration given the urgency Manchester City had to win by two goals (after the Spurs registered a goal on the road). Expect the defensive tactics of those other two April matches serve as the template for this encounter. 25* English Premier League NBC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). THE SITUATION: Oakland (1-0) won their opening preseason game last Saturday in their 14-3 victory at home over the Los Angeles Rams as a 4.5-point favorite. Arizona (1-0) also won their first exhibition game this preseason with their 17-13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: One of the reliable sources of evidence in handicapping preseason games invokes the team trends tied to the head coach in various situations. Head coach Jon Gruden has seen his teams played 11 of their 14 preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason at home in his coaching career with the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden’s teams have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a preseason win at home by double-digits. Furthermore, the Raiders have played 4 straight preseason games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range in Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders. The Oakland offense generated 407 total yards last week — but they were able to churn out those yards by controlling the Time of Possession for 35:27 minutes of that game. The Raiders kept the chains moving by rushing for 149 yards — and they outrushed the Rams by +92 net yards. Oakland has then played 13 o their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after outrushing their previous preseason opponent in the prior week by at least 75 yards. Quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman combined to complete 26 of 37 passes for 266 yards. But inconsistency remains an issue for both signal-callers. Glennon threw two interceptions last week — and Peterman’s struggles with consistency are well-documented. Scoring only 14 points despite gaining over 400 yards and controlling the clock for almost 60% of the game is not a great sign moving forward. Second-year offensive lineman, Brandon Parker, struggled in pass protection — and the Raiders have played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. Incumbent starter, Derek Carr, did not play on Saturday. Carr only played in the first and third preseason games last August where he threw just seven combined passes — so Gruden’s likely approach this preseason will be to limit Carr’s exposure in these exhibition games. Besides, Gruden has the incentive to continue to observe Glennon and Peterman play against hostile competition since he is undecided on who will serve as Carr’s primary backup. The Raiders should feel encouraged by the play of their defense that limited the Rams’ offense (albeit, not playing their first unit) to just 190 yards of offense. Los Angeles averaged only 3.8 Yards-Per-Play — and Oakland has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 4.0 YPP in their previous preseason game. Additionally, the Raiders have played 11 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total on the road with the Total set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Arizona managed only 289 yards of offense in the debut of the Kliff Kingsbury offense last week against the Chargers defense. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray was on the field for only ten plays in that game. And while he looked pretty good, he did not lead the offense to any points. Kingsbury declared that Murray will play “longer” tonight — but I do not expect that to be significantly longer with Kingsbury falling under the Sean McVay new school of coaching that does not value playing the first-string offense in these exhibition games. That means that the majority of the quarterbacking will likely be handled by the law firm of Hundley, Anderson, and Kanoff — and with only Brett Hundley seeming to offer potential upside as opposed to rookie Drew Anderson from the FCS school, Murray State, and second-year man, Charles Kanoff, from another FCS school, Princeton. Those latter two FCS quarterbacks with zero game experience in the regular season will have to work behind the backups of an already suspect offensive line. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after a preseason straight-up victory — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their previous preseason game. And while Arizona was outrushed by -123 yards last week to the Chargers, they have then played 9 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total after being outrushed in the previous week in the preseason by at least 75 yards. The Cardinals gave up 357 yards in that game while allowing Los Angeles to average 7.0 YPP — but they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their previous preseason game in the previous week.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona stays at home to host their second preseason game — and they have played 22 of their last 36 home preseason games with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect both these teams to struggle to score 20 points apiece — despite the Total in the 40-point range. 25* NFLx ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). 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 Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. New York (71-39) has won four straight games after taking Game Three of their AL East series with the Red Sox by a 6-4 score in the second game of their double-header yesterday. Boston (59-54) has now lost seven straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. Additionally, Boston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And while the Red Sox have not scored more than four runs in four straight games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not scoring more than four runs in four straight games. Additionally, Boston has played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 29 of their last 43 road games Over the Total when priced as the favorite of at least -110. They give the ball to Price who is 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in twenty starts this season. The left-hander has allowed fewer runs at home in Fenway this year where he has a 3.46 ERA as opposed to his 4.13 ERA when he is pitching on the road. Price returns from paternity leave for this critical contest for the reeling Sox — but he has been part of the problem given his 6.52 ERA over his last four starts. And Yankee Stadium has been a house of horrors for Price — in his seven regular-season starts here since the start of the 2016 campaign, he has been saddled with an 8.59 ERA along with a 1.96 WHIP. Boston has played 5 straight games Over the Total with Price pitching in New York against the Yankees. He faces a hot-hitting Bronx Bombers team (despite being a M*A*S*H unit with their hitters) who are scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .274 batting average along with a .349 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .836 during that span. New York has played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a win by two runs or less — and they have also played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after winning at least four in a row. The Yankees have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while the New York bullpen logged in 8 innings of work yesterday with them using reliever Chad Green as their opener, they have then played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total when their bullpen pitched at least 7 innings in their last game. Additionally, the Yankees have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total when priced in the +/- 125 price range. They counter with Happ who is 8-6 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander is also returning from paternity leave but he has struggled in Yankee Stadium as well where he has a 5.64 ERA along with a 1.47 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .305 in twelve starts as compared to his 4.62 ERA along with a nice 1.19 WHIP and .238 opponent’s batting average on the road. New York has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with Happ facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Red Sox team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 21-10-1 in their last 32 games against starting pitchers. And while Boston has played 29 of their last 43 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher, the Yanks have played 21 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the total set at 10 or more.

FINAL TAKE: New York has won the last four games of this series going back all the way to the idyllic last few days in July last Sunday night. Boston has played 29 of their last 46 games Over the Total when playing with at least double-revenge — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when having lost at least four straight games against their opponent. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). THE SITUATION: Seattle (12-10) has lost two straight games after their 99-79 loss to Washington on Friday as a 5-point underdog. Los Angles (12-8) has their last two games as well as five of their last six contests with their 76-68 win over Las Vegas on Thursday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Storm played their worst defensive game of the season on Friday as they allowed the Mystics to nail 54.8% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in 2019. Head coach Dan Hughes will certainly get on his team to play better on the defensive end of the court tonight. As it is, Seattle has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots from the field. The Storm has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The reigning WNBA champions are one of the best defensive teams in the league this season even without Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird who have not played this year due to their respective injuries. Seattle is 3rd in the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 95.2 — and they hold their home hosts to just 41.7% shooting. The Storm made 40% of their shots agent the Mystics which may not sound much like but it was their best shooting mark in their last three games. Seattle has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game — and they may be without forward Kaleena Mosquera-Lewis who is questionable with a knee injury. That game with the Mystics flew over the 158 point Total on Thursday but the Storm have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Under is also 17-4-1 in Seattle’s last 22 games played with one day of rest. The Storm go back on the road they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Furthermore, the Under is 22-3-2 in Seattle’s last 27 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Storm have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total as the underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against Western Conference opponents. The Sparks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. LA’s 42.3% shooting percentage on Thursday was their worst shooting effort in their last three games — but they have played 25 of their last 33 games Under the Total after making at least 42% of their shots in three straight games. The Sparks will be understaffed in this game with Alana Beard out with a hamstring injury, Riquina Williams still serving her ten-game suspension and Nneka Ogwunmike listed as questionable with a jaw injury. Los Angeles stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 52 games — and they have played 17 of their last 22 home games Under the Total as the favorite. The Sparks have also played 11 of their last 12 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Look for LA to lean on their defense that has been bolstered by the return of Candace Parker in the middle. Over their last ten games, the Sparks’ Defensive Rating of 92.4 is second best in the WNBA — and they have held their last five opponents to just 37.9% shooting from the field. The Under is 20-6-2 in Los Angeles’ last 28 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Sparks will be motivated to avenge an 84-62 upset loss at Seattle where they allowed the Storm to nail 14 of their 26 shots from behind the arc for a sizzling 53.8% percentage. Los Angeles has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road to their opponent. The Under is 38-11-3 in the last 52 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 21-6-2 in the last 29 battles taking place in Los Angeles. 25* WNBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.