Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/27/2021

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA, and EPL.Week 16 in the National Football League concludes with the Miami Dolphins plays in New Orleans against the Saints on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. The Dolphins won their sixth straight game with a 31-29 victory against the New York Jets as a 10.5-point favorite on Sunday. They evened their record at 7-7 with the win. The Saints won their second straight game with a 9-0 upset victory as an 11.5-point underdog at Tampa Bay last Sunday night. New Orleans improved their record to 7-7 with the win. Miami is a 3-point road favorite with the total set at 37 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The college football bowl season continues with one game. The previously scheduled Military Bowl between East Carolina and Boston College at 2:30 PM ET got canceled due to a COVID outbreak in the Eagles program.Western Michigan plays Nevada on ESPN at 11 AM ET in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. The Broncos won two of their final three games in the regular season with a 42-21 victory at Northern Illinois as a 7-point favorite on November 23rd. They improved their record to 7-5 with the win. The Wolf Pack ended a two-game losing streak with their 52-10 victory against Colorado State as a 3-point favorite on November 27th. Nevada has an 8-4 record going into this bowl game. Western Michigan is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 56.Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Charlotte hosts Houston at 7:40 PM ET as a 6-point favorite. Chicago visits Atlanta at 7:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite. Boston plays at Minnesota at 8:10 PM ET as an 8-point road favorite. Utah travels to San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. Phoenix plays at home against Memphis at 9:10 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 218.5. Portland hosts Dallas at 10:10 PM ET as a 1-point favorite. Brooklyn is at Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League canceled the 14 games scheduled for Monday. The current plan is for the season to resume on Tuesday.Two games are on the schedule in college basketball (while only the Brown/Syracuse game has a point spread). Neither game is on national television.Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League concludes with Manchester United visiting Newcastle United on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. The Red Devils won their third match of their last four in the English Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Norwich City on December 11th in their most recent game before a COVID outbreak shutdown team operations. Man United is in 7th place in the EPL table with 27 points. The Magpies lost their third straight match in the English Premier League with their 4-0 loss to Manchester City on December 19th. Newcastle is in a tie for 19th place with 10 points. Manchester United is a -1 goal line favored with a total of 3.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 26, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, and EPL.Week 16 in the National Football League continues with 14 games. Eight games kick off at 1 PM ET. New England hosts Buffalo at 1 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all football odds from DraftKings). Philadelphia plays at home against the New York Giants as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 40.5. The Los Angeles Rams visit Minnesota as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 49. Tampa Bay travels to Carolina as a 9.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 43. The New York Jets are at home against Jacksonville as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Atlanta hosts Detroit as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5. The Los Angeles Chargers play at Houston as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 48. Cincinnati is at home against Baltimore as a 7-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Three more games start in the second-afternoon window. Seattle hosts Chicago at 4:05 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42. Kansas City is at home against Pittsburgh at 4:25 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 45.5. Denver visits Las Vegas at 4:25 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 40.5. Dallas plays at home against Washington for Sunday Night Football on NBC at 8:20 PM ET. The Cowboys are a 10-point favorite with a total of 47. Eight games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Miami is at home against Orlando as an 8.5-point favorite (all basketball odds from BetRivers). Three more NBA games begin at 6:10 PM ET. Philadelphia travels to Washington as a 3.5-point road favorite. Memphis plays at Sacramento as a 4.5-point road favorite. Toronto visits Cleveland. Two more NBA games start at 7:10 PM ET. New Orleans is at Oklahoma City as a 1-point road favorite. San Antonio hosts Detroit as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 217.5. Chicago plays at home against Indiana at 8:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite. Denver visits Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 9:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite. Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League begins on Boxing Day with six matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Manchester City hosts Leicester City on Peacock as a -2 goal favorite with a total of 3.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Arsenal visits Norwich City on Peacock as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham is at home against Crystal Palace on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5 (indications are this match will be postponed because of COVID). West Ham United plays at home against Southampton on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea travels to Aston Villa on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion host Brentford on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET as a 0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

MAC Dogs Don't Bite

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Dec 24, 2021

With College Football Bowl Season in full swing, it gives us games on every day of the week to gamble on. Even if you are not very familiar with the teams or players from some of the smaller schools, it still provides entertainment as well as money to be won. One conference in particular has been beaten up consistently when the calendar hits December. The MAC has proved to be a solid conference to fade over the past years. The MAC conference boasts a lifetime record of 45-77 (37%) in its bowl games. A shockingly low win percentage like that puts the MAC in the conversation of one of the worst conferences in FBS college football. It is hard to say if either they are outmatched by other FBS schools, or the MAC just plays terrible football during bowl season. Since 2004, the MAC has only had a winning record as a conference during bowl season two times. The last 59 bowl games that MAC teams have been underdogs have gone 20-37-2 against the spread. Additionally, they are 9-50 straight up in those games. This really shows how much MAC teams have struggled and yet the odds makers don’t seem to give MAC teams enough points year after year. 2021 has been no different as the conference is already 1-4 in bowl games and 2-3 ATS. Eight of the 12 teams in the conference qualified for bowl games, with 3 yet to play over the holidays. However, the more bowl games they play, the more they seem to lose. Northern Illinois won the conference but it was a very close season across the board. Looking at the last 3 MAC bowls in the coming days, it is risky to think any will cover. Western Michigan (-6.5) is the only team favored of the 3, but history is not on their side.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 24, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and NCAAB.Week 16 in the National Football League continues with two games. Green Bay hosts Cleveland on Fox and the NFL Network at 4:30 PM ET. The Packers are on a three-game winning streak after their 31-30 victory at Baltimore as a 9.5-point favorite last Sunday. They improved their record to 11-3 with the win. The Browns lost their second game in their last three with a 16-14 loss defeat to Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday. Cleveland’s record has fallen to 7-7. Green Bay is a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 47 (all odds from DraftKings). Arizona plays at home against Indianapolis on the NFL Network at 8:15 PM ET. The Cardinals lost their second-straight game with a 30-12 upset loss at Detroit as a 13-point underdog on Sunday. Their record dropped to 10-4 with the loss. The Colts won their fifth game in their last six with their 27-17 victory against New England as a 1-point favorite last Saturday. Indianapolis improved their record to 8-6. Arizona is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. The college football bowl season continues with Georgia State playing Ball State on ESPN at 2:30 PM ET in the Camellia Bowl at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The Panthers are on a three-game winning streak after ending their regular season with a 37-10 victory against Troy as a 6.5-point favorite on November 27th. They improved their record to 7-5 win the win. The Cardinals ended a two-game losing streak with a 20-3 victory against Buffalo as a 6-point favorite on November 23rd. Georgia State is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 51. The traditional Christmas Day card in the National Basketball Association features five games. New York is at home against Atlanta on ESPN 12:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 210. Milwaukee hosts Boston on ABC at 2:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 221. Phoenix plays at home against Golden State on ABC at 5:10 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 215.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against Brooklyn on ABC and ESPN at 8:10 PM ET laying 1.5-points as the favorite with a total of 225.5. Utah is at home against Dallas on ESPN at 10:40 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 214. The college basketball card has three games on the final day of the Diamond Head Classic at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Wyoming plays South Florida on ESPNU at 1:30 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 122. BYU goes against Liberty on ESPN2 at 6:30 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. The Northern Iowa/Hawaii consolation contest got canceled because of the Rainbow Warriors' inability to field enough players due to COVID and injuries.The championship game has Stanford battling Vanderbilt on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Cardinal reached the finals with a 79-76 victory against Liberty as a 2-point favorite on Thursday. The Commodores joined them in the finals with their 69-67 upset win at BYU as a 5-point underdog on Thursday. Vanderbilt is a 2-point favorite with a total of 139.5.

NFL Week 16 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Thursday, Dec 23, 2021

BEST GAME – Buffalo at New England (-2.5)Buffalo 8-6 SU, 7-6-1 ATS, 7-7 O/UNew England 9-5 SU, 9-5 ATS, 6-8 O/UThe Patriots had hoped to close the Bills’ coffin in Week 15, but NE’s loss in Indy and Buffalo’s victory over Carolina tightened things up again in the AFC East and set up this division showdown in Foxboro. Miami (7-7 and with six straight wins) still has a puncher’s chance if things break right, but mostly likely the East belongs to the Pats again if they can take care of business on Sunday in the final week of play in calendar year 2021. The season has been full of surprises, no smaller than Bill Belichick actually APOLOGIZING to reporters for his dour non-responsive post-Indy press conference. What Belichick would love for Christmas is a half-decent performance from rookie QB Mac Jones, who was pantsed by the Colts. Buffalo, still bitter from losing to Jones and the Pats in the wind a few weeks ago, no doubt took note. The long-term Sunday forecast for Foxboro on Sunday is sun and light winds. Sorry, Bill.WORST GAME – Jacksonville at New York Jets (-2.5)Jacksonville 2-12 SU, 4-12 ATS, 3-11 O/UNew York 3-11 SU, 4-10 ATS, 8-6 O/UWith negative Urban Meyer stories seemingly every week this season, overall No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence has been able to pretty much escape scrutiny. Turns out Lawrence has taken more than his share of lumps as well. After a decent start Lawrence has struggled as the season has worn on, and last Sunday’s loss to the also-woeful Texans highlighted the regression – 210 yards passing and no touchdowns. In fact, he has just two TDs in his last six games, and his numbers are pretty much down across the board when compared to the first half of the season. If anyone needs the season to end (hopefully without serious injury), it’s Lawrence and the Jags. The Jets are giving a few in this one because the game is in East Rutherford, and the early bettors seem to like their chances of covering.BIGGEST SPREAD – Tampa Bay at Carolina (+10.5)Tampa Bay 10-4 SU, 7-7 ATS, 7-7 O/UCarolina 5-9 SU, 5-9 ATS, 7-7 O/UJob One for Tom Brady and the defending champs is to figure out what the offense is going to look like without wide receiver Chris Godwin, whose ACL tear has sidelined him for the rest of the season. Lots of his targets will no doubt now go to Antonio Brown, who is back from his latest suspension. But can Brown even be counted on going forward, and should the Bucs even go balls to the wall in the final three games to get the top seed in the NFC? Carolina is not likely to get much betting action despite being a double-digit home dog. Since their 3-0 start, the Panthers have won only twice, and have lost five straight home games.SMALLEST SPREAD – Denver at Las Vegas (-1)Denver 7-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 3-11 O/ULas Vegas 7-7 SU, 5-9 ATS, 7-7 O/UThere are just too many tiebreaker hoops for the Broncos to jump through to get to the playoffs this season even though they are still technically in the hunt. A red zone fumble by QB Drew Lock last week in a loss to Cincinnati just about nailed down the coffin. The Raiders, OTOH, stayed very much in the hunt thanks to their last-second field goal win over the Covid-ravaged Browns on Monday night. Yes, the delayed game does give the Raiders less prep time for the Broncos, but at least they are still in the playoff picture. Not much early money down yet, but what there is has been mostly on LV.LARGEST TOTAL – Indianapolis at Arizona (49.5)Indianapolis 8-6 SU, 9-5 ATS, 8-6 O/UArizona 10-4 SU, 9-5 ATS, 7-7 O/UEvery team should be able to take a week off, right? Well, last week against Detroit was Arizona’s, and you have the figure that the Cardinals playing at home in Week 16 will move heaven and earth to win this one. They still have a chance to catch Green Bay for the best record in the NFC, and the Colts may be primed for a letdown after their huge win over New England. Arizona figures to emphasize offense after getting shut down by the Lions, and the Cardinal defense will have its hands full with NFL leading rusher Jonathan Taylor. If you prefer to bet the side, bear in mind that the Cardinals have beaten a decent team at home only once this season (Oct. 3, Rams).SMALLEST TOTAL – Miami at New Orleans (38.5)Miami 7-7 SU, 7-6-1 ATS, 6-8 O/UNew Orleans 7-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 6-8 O/UA rare total in the 30s in a season in which handicappers regularly set multiple totals in the 50s every week. Much of the number reflects Miami’s top-notch defense, which has fueled the Dolphins’ six-game winning streak. But don’t overlook New Orleans’s offensive problems, including ragged QB play from Taysom Hill.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/23/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 23, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and NCAAB.Week 16 in the National Football League begins with San Francisco visiting Tennessee on the NFL Network at 8:20 PM ET. The 49ers won their fifth game in their last six with a 31-13 victory against Atlanta as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They raised their record to 8-6 with the win. The Titans lost their third game in their last four with a 19-13 loss at Pittsburgh as a 1-point underdog last week. Tennessee’s record fell to 9-5 with the defeat. San Francisco is a 3-point road favorite, with the total set at 44.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The college football bowl season continues with two games, both on ESPN. Miami (Ohio) plays North Texas at 3:30 PM ET in the Frisco Football Classic at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The RedHawks had their two-game winning streak end with a 48-47 upset loss in overtime at Kent State as a 1-point favorite on November 27th. They ended their regular season with a 5-6 record. The Mean Green are on a five-game winning streak after a 45-23 upset win at UTSA as a 9.5-point underdog on November 27th. North Texas has a 6-6 record. Miami (Ohio) is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 55.Florida plays Central Florida at 7 PM ET in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Gators won their second game in their last three with a 24-21 win against Florida State as a 4-point favorite on November 27th. They improved their record to 6-6. The Knights won their fifth game in their last six with a 17-13 victory against South Florida on November 26th. Central Florida raised their record to 8-4 with the win. Florida is a 7-point favorite with a total of 55.5.Eleven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Indiana plays at home against Houston as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219. Philadelphia hosts Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. New Orleans travels to Orlando as a 5-point road favorite. Two more games start at 7:40 PM ET. Miami is at home against Detroit as a 10-point favorite. Washington visits New York as a 1-point road favorite. Milwaukee plays at Dallas at 8:40 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite. Three NBA games begin at 9:10 PM ET. Denver hosts Charlotte as a 3-point favorite with a total of 229. Phoenix is at home against Oklahoma City as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 215. Utah plays at home against Minnesota as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 225. Golden State hosts Memphis at 10:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 217.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against San Antonio at 10:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5.Five games are on national television in college basketball. Liberty plays Stanford in a semifinals contest on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET in the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Northern Iowa goes against Wyoming on ESPNU at 6:30 PM ET in a loser’s bracket game in the Diamond Head Classic. St. John’s hosts Butler on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. BYU faces Vanderbilt on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET in the second semifinals game in Diamond Head Classic. South Florida battles Hawaii on ESPN2 at 12:30 AM ET in a loser’s bracket match in the Diamond Head Classic.

NHL Off the Post: Holiday pause edition

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Dec 22, 2021

The NHL has hit the pause button, at least until after Christmas as Covid, and more specifically the Omicron variant, has once again taken hold. The good news is, this disruption is likely to be short-lived as the other professional sports believe the way forward is to 'play through' and adjust testing protocols. Science tends to agree, at least to a certain extent. Here's a look at four teams to keep an eye on when the action (hopefully) resumes next week.Bad Hab-itsWith just seven wins in 31 games this season and only one so far in December (that came by way of a shootout against the Flyers), the Montreal Canadiens have been one of the league's biggest disappointments. While a return to Earth was certainly expected after the Habs unbelievable run to the Stanley Cup Final last Spring/Summer, this big of a drop-off comes as a surprise. The good news is, Carey Price should be back between the pipes sooner rather than later (he has resumed practicing with the team). The bad news is, a pre-trade deadline sell-off is probably in the cards. With that being said, I do think we will see some value backing the Habs going forward as their young nucleus is too talented to continue to wallow near the bottom of the NHL standings. Excellent Pen-manshipThe Pittsburgh Penguins enter the holiday pause as one of the league's hottest teams - winners of seven games in a row. They've been doing it despite missing a number of key contributors including Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. For a team that is presumed to be lacking in scoring depth, their run has certainly been impressive. Credit goaltender Tristan Jarry who is enjoying a tremendous turn-around season after a dismal 2020-21 campaign. Jarry has posted a stellar 1.94 goals against average and .932 save percentage in 24 games this season, certainly warranting early-season Vezina Trophy consideration. As always, the Pens are likely to be active 'buyers' in the January-March trading window as they gear up for perhaps one of Sidney Crosby's last runs at Lord Stanley's Cup. Long Island bluesYou have to feel for the New York Islanders. Thought to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender entering the season, it didn't take long for the wheels to fall off. Most of their issues have been Covid-induced, however, as they dealt with a string of postponements before getting back on the ice with a skeleton crew. The Isles currently find themselves sitting in 29th place in the NHL but do have at least two games on hand on every other team (and in most cases three or four). Barry Trotz's squad certainly has its work cut out for it but I'll be buyer coming out of the break as the Isles have certainly shown signs of life, collecting at least a point in seven of their last nine games and have scored at least three goals in five of their last six contests. They'll hope to have Mat Barzal back from Covid protocols next week. Crown themFew believed the Los Angeles Kings would be anywhere close to playoff contention this season but as we near the end of December, they sit just three points back of the fourth-place Oilers in the Pacific Division - and only seven points behind the division-leading Golden Knights with two games in hand. Veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts, posting a 2.19 GAA and .930 save percentage in 18 games. Anze Kopitar has been a workhorse up front, averaging over 21 minutes per game while posting almost a point-per-game pace (he's played in all 30 games which is an accomplishment given the current state of affairs). While I'm not convinced the Kings are a true contender in the West, I'm also not going to be 'selling' them come January as I do like the core they've built with a nice mix of youth and experience.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/22/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 22, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, and NCAAB.The college football bowl season continues with the Armed Forces Bowl on ESPN at 8 PM ET. Army plays Missouri at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The Black Knights had their four-game winning streak end with their 17-13 upset loss to Navy as a 7-point favorite on December 11th. Their record dropped to 8-4 with the loss. The Tigers ended a two-game winning streak with a 34-17 loss at Arkansas on November 26th. Army is a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 54.5. Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against Orlando as an 8-point favorite. Boston hosts Cleveland as a 6-point favorite. Three more NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against Toronto at 8:05 PM ET as a 9-point favorite. Milwaukee is at home against Houston as a 10-point favorite. Denver visits Oklahoma City as a 5-point road favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers travel to Sacramento at 10:10 PM ET as a 6-point road favorite. The National Hockey League shut down their scheduled games on Wednesday due to COVID. They return to play after the holiday break on Monday.Eight games are on national television in college basketball. Three games are on ESPNU for the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Northern Iowa plays Liberty at 3 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 125.5. Stanford battles Wyoming at 5:30 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 139.5. BYU faces South Florida at 9:30 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 128.5. Kentucky hosts Western Kentucky on ESPN at 6 PM ET. The Wildcats won their eighth game in their last nine with a 98-69 victory against North Carolina as a 3-point favorite on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. They improved their record to 8-2 with the win. The Hilltoppers have won seven of eight after their 82-72 upset victory against UMass as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Western Kentucky has an 8-4 record. Kentucky is a 10-point favorite with a total of 142.5Tennessee plays at home against Arizona on ESPN2. The Volunteers won their second straight game in a 96-52 win against the University of South Carolina Upstate as a 35.5-point favorite on December 14th. They improved their record to 8-2. The Wildcats are unbeaten in 11 games with their 84-60 victory against Cal-Baptist as a 28-point favorite on December 18th. Tennessee is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5Kennesaw State visits Nebraska on ESPNU at 7:30 PM ET. Duke is at home against Virginia Tech on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with a total of 139. Vanderbilt travels to Hawaii on ESPN2 at 11:59 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 134.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAB, NBA, NHL and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 12/21/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.Week 15 in the National Football League concludes with two games on Fox (regional coverage) at 7 PM ET. Philadelphia hosts Washington on Fox for 70% of the country. The Eagles won their third game in their last four with a 33-18 victory in New York against the Jets as a 5-point favorite on December 5th. They went into their bye last week with a 6-7 record. The Football Team had their four-game winning streak end in a 27-20 loss at home to Dallas as a 6.5-point underdog on December 12th. Washington has a 6-7 record. Philadelphia is a 6.5-point favorite, with the total set at 42.5. The Los Angeles Rams play at home against Seattle on Fox for 30% of the country. The Rams won their second straight game with a 30-23 upset victory at Arizona as a 3-point underdog last Monday. They improved their record to 9-4. The Seahawks won their second straight game with a 33-13 win at Houston as a 10-point favorite last Sunday. Seattle raised their record to 5-8 with the victory. Los Angeles is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. The college football bowl season continues with two games on ESPN. Wyoming plays Kent State at 3:30 PM ET in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. The Cowboys ended their regular season losing two of their last three games after a 38-14 upset loss to Hawaii as a 13-point favorite on November 27th. They have a 6-6 record. The Golden Flashes lost to Northern Illinois, 41-23, as a 3.5-point favorite in the Mid-American Conference championship game on December 4th. Kent State has a 7-6 record. Wyoming is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 59.San Diego State battles the University of Texas-San Antonio at 7:30 PM ET in the Frisco Bowl at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The Aztecs had their four-game winning streak end in a 46-13 upset loss to Utah State as a 6.5-point favorite in the Mountain West Conference championship game on December 4th. They have an 11-2 record. The Roadrunners won the Conference USA championship game with a 49-41 upset win against Western Kentucky as a 3.5-point underdog on December 3rd. UTSA raised their record to 12-1 with the victory. San Diego State is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Five games are the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Indiana visits Miami in a pick ‘em contest. New York plays at home against Detroit as a 9.5-point favorite. Portland travels to New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite. Minnesota is at Dallas at 8:40 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite. Phoenix plays at Los Angles against the Lakers at 10:10 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite. The Washington/Brooklyn game got canceled because of a COVID outbreak. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. Washington travels to Philadelphia at 7:08 PM ET as a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Vegas hosts Tampa Bay at 10:08 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Eight games got canceled because of COVID outbreaks: St. Louis/Ottawa; Carolina/Boston; Winnipeg/Nashville; New Jersey/Pittsburgh; Florida/Chicago; Anaheim/Calgary; Arizona/Seattle; Vancouver/San Jose.Three games are on national television in college basketball. Villanova plays at home against Xavier on FS1 at 7 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 137. Two games start at 9 PM ET. Kansas visits Colorado on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 144. UConn plays at Marquette on FS1 as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 144.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAB, NHL, NCAAF and NBA Previews and Odds - 12/20/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 20, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.Week 15 in the National Football League continues with two games. Las Vegas visits Cleveland on the NFL Network at 5 PM ET. The Raiders lost their fifth game in their last six contests with a 48-9 loss at Kansas City as a 10-point underdog last Sunday. Las Vegas’ record has fallen to 6-7. The Browns won their second game in their last three with a 24-22 win against Baltimore as a 3-point favorite on December 12. They improved their record to 7-6 win the win. Las Vegas is a 3-point road favorite with the total set at 41.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Minnesota travels to Chicago on ABC and ESPN at 8:15 PM ET for Monday Night Football. The Vikings ended a two-game losing streak with a 36-28 win against Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite on December 9th. Minnesota brings a 6-7 record into this game. The Bears lost their seventh game in their last eight with a 45-30 loss at Green Bay as an 11.5-point underdog on Sunday. Their record has dropped to 4-9. This is the first meeting between these NFC North rivals this season. They split their two games last year. Minnesota is a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 46.5. The college football bowl season continues with Tulsa playing Old Dominion in the Myrtle Beach Bowl at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina. The Golden Hurricane is on a three-game winning streak after a 34-31 upset win at SMU as a 3-point underdog on November 27th. They have a 6-6 record. The Monarchs are on a five-game winning streak after a 56-34 win against Charlotte as a 9-point favorite on November 27th. Old Dominion has a 6-6 record. Tulsa is a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 50.5. The kickoff is at 2:30 PM ET on ESPN.Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Boston hosts Philadelphia at 7:40 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 213.5. Two games tip-off at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against Houston as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 222.5. Memphis hosts Oklahoma City as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 214.5. Utah plays at home against Charlotte at 9:10 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 237.5. Golden State is at home against Sacramento at 10:10 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. The Los Angeles Clippers host San Antonio at 10:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 217. The Orlando/Toronto game got postponed because of COVID outbreaks.The National Hockey League has one game on its slate. Dallas plays at home against Minnesota as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Four games got postponed because of COVID outbreaks: Columbus/Buffalo; Montreal/New York Islanders; Colorado/Detroit; Anaheim/Edmonton.Sixteen games are on the college basketball card tonight. There are no games on national television.

NCAA Football Championship and Semi-Final Games: A Point Spread Review

by Al McMordie

Monday, Dec 20, 2021

Dating back to the first BCS Championship Game -- Florida State vs. Tennessee, on January 4, 1999 -- there have been 37 College Football games in the semi-final or championship round. Let's take a look at how these games have shaken out from a point spread perspective.First, it's worth noting that all but one of the games was played at a completely neutral site. The lone exception was the BCS Championship Game played at the Rose Bowl, on January 4, 2006 between USC and Texas. The Trojans had the advantage of playing in their home city of Los Angeles (though the game was played at the home field of UCLA). Unfortunately for Angelenos who attended the game, the Longhorns upset USC, 41-38, as a 7-point underdog.The majority (23 of 37) of games had point spreads of 7 points or less, while a minority (14 of 37) were above a touchdown, with 10 involving spreads of 10 or more points.The games have been roughly split evenly between favorites and underdogs. The underdogs do have a slight edge, at 19-18 ATS.In 32 of the 37 games, the straight-up winner has covered the point spread. The five exceptions were:Florida St. (-12, 34-31) vs. Auburn, BCS Championship, Jan. 6, 2014Alabama (-6, 45-40) vs. Clemson, NCAA Championship, Jan. 11, 2016Alabama (-3.5, 26-23) vs. Georgia, NCAA Championship, Jan. 8, 2018Alabama (-14.5, 45-34) vs. Oklahoma, NCAA Semi-Final, Dec. 29, 2018Alabama (-18.5, 31-14) vs. Notre Dame, NCAA Semi-Final, Jan. 1, 2021The point spread ranges have had the following results:Pk to -3 (Favorites 4-2 ATS; Underdogs 2-4 ATS)-3 to -6.5 (Favorites 6-8 ATS; Underdogs 8-6 ATS)-7 to -9.5 (Favorites 3-4 ATS; Underdogs 4-3 ATS)-10 to -12.5 (Favorites 5-3 ATS; Underdogs 3-5 ATS)-13 or more (Favorites 0-2 ATS; Underdogs 2-0 ATS)Here are some other situations of note:Teams playing with revenge from a loss in the current season have gone 1-0 ATSTeams playing with revenge from a loss in the prior season have gone 4-1 ATSTeams off an upset win in its previous game have gone 6-1 ATSTeams off a loss in its previous game have gone 2-2 ATSTeams that played in their Conference Championship game have gone 10-3 ATS against opponents that did not play in their Conference Championship game.Teams off a double-digit win have gone 9-9 ATS vs. opponents not off a double-digit winTeams off a double-digit cover have gone 10-9 ATS vs. opponents that did not cover the spread by 10+ points in their previous gameTeams off an ATS win have gone 11-7 ATS vs. opponents not off an ATS winTeams with the greater scoring margin have gone 14-23 ATSTeams that gave up less points on defense have gone 21-16 ATSTeams that scored more points on offense have gone 17-20 ATSGood luck, as always,Al McMordie

Time To Crank It Up A Notch

by Tom Stryker

Sunday, Dec 19, 2021

It’s getting late in the NFL season and there are a number of teams that need to crank their game up a notch. Each team in the league is playing their 14th game (out of a 17-game season) and those squads that are hovering around the .500 mark need to make a move. With that thought in mind, I took a look at game 14 teams that held a 7-6 SU and 6-7 SU records. With only four games remaining, those are the ones I felt really needed to put the pedal to the metal and pick up a victory. The best of what I discovered can be found in the NFL system below. Since 1980, PLAY ON any NFL game 14 competitive underdog priced at +7 or less provided they take the field with a 6-7 SU record. 41 Year ATS Record = 41-23-3 ATS for 64.1 percent This Week’s Plays = WASHINGTON & LAS VEGAS At 6-7 SU and with four games left on their schedule, these teams understand that a loss puts them two games under the .500 mark with only four games left to play. That means the best they could do if they dropped this contest would be to finish a game over the .500-mark at 9-8 SU. More than likely, postseason play would be difficult with that record. There are a couple of tighteners that can be added to this general system that really make it pop. If our “play on” side is not off a blowout loss of 19 points or more and currently matched up against an opponent that takes the field off a tough division game, this system tightens up to a sensational 20-5-1 ATS for 80.0 percent. Of the two teams that fit the general part of this system, only the Raiders apply to the tightener. Good luck with Las Vegas on Monday.

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