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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/13/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 13, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, and NCAAB.Week 14 in the National Football League concludes with the Arizona Cardinals hosting the Los Angeles Rams on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. Arizona won their second straight game with a 33-22 win at Chicago as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. A +4 net turnover margin helped the Cardinals overcome only needing 257 yards of offense in the victory. Kyler Murray completed 11 of 15 passes for 123 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Running back Chase Edmunds is a game-time decision to be activated off the injured reserve list with his ankle injury.Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak with a 37-5 win against Jacksonville as a 14-point favorite last week. The Rams outgained the Jaguars in yardage, 418-197, and they held a +2 net turnover advantage. Matthew Stafford completed 26 of 38 passes for 295 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. Running back Darrell Henderson is out tonight on the COVID list. Wide receiver Robert Woods is out the season with a torn ACL. Arizona goes into this game with a 10-2 record. That mark gives them a half-game lead over Green Bay and Tampa Bay for the best record in the NFL and top-seed in the NFC playoff race. Los Angeles’ 8-4 record places them two games behind the Cardinals in second place in the NFC West. The Rams would currently be the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs with the top wildcard spot. This is a rematch of Arizona’s 37-20 upset victory at Los Angeles as a 3.5-point underdog on October 3rd.  Arizona is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Cleveland plays at home against Miami as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 208.5. Golden State visits Indiana as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 213. Toronto is at home against Sacramento as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5. Two games start at 7:40 PM ET. Atlanta hosts Houston as a 10-point favorite with a total of 226.5. Milwaukee travels to Boston as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 222.5. Philadelphia plays at Memphis at 8:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 210.5. Dallas is at home against Charlotte as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 216.5. Denver hosts Washington at 9:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 215.5. Phoenix plays at Los Angeles against the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 211.5. There was one game on the slate in the National Hockey League before the Calgary Flames/Chicago Blackhawks contest at 7:38 PM ET got postponed due to a COVID outbreak on the Flames team.Sixteen games involving Division I teams are on the college basketball schedule. None of the games are on national television.

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

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 12, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, CFL, and the EPL.Week 14 in the National Football League continues with 12 games. Seven games kick off at 1 PM ET. Dallas travels to Washington as a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 48 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Tennessee plays at home against Jacksonville as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Seattle visits Houston as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 40.5. Kansas City is at home against Las Vegas as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. New Orleans plays at New York against the Jets as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 42.5. Carolina hosts Atlanta as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 41. Cleveland is at home against Baltimore as a 3-point favorite with a total of 42.5. Four NFL games take place in the second-afternoon window. Two games begin at 4:05 PM ET. The Los Angeles Chargers are at home against the New York Giants as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 43. Denver plays at home against Detroit as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 42. The final two-afternoon games start at 4:25 PM ET. San Francisco visits Cincinnati as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 49. Tampa Bay hosts Buffalo as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 54. Green Bay plays at home against Chicago for Sunday Night Football on NBC at 8:20 PM ET. The Packers are an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5. Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Milwaukee travels to New York to play the Knicks at 12:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 216. Brooklyn plays at Detroit at 6:10 PM ET as a 9.5-point road favorite. Two games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. San Antonio is at home against New Orleans as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219. Dallas visits Oklahoma City as a 4-point road favorite. Minnesota plays at Portland at 9:10 PM ET in a pick ‘em contest. The Los Angeles Lakers host Orlando at 9:40 PM ET as an 11.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:08 PM ET for two games. St. Louis is at home against Anaheim as a -155 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. The New York Rangers are at home against Nashville as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado hosts Florida as a -148 money line favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 6.5. Carolina travels to Vancouver at 10:08 PM ET as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Seven games are on national television in college basketball. Two games begin the card at noon ET. Colgate plays at St. John’s in a Gotham Classic contest on FS1. Florida State plays South Carolina on ESPN2 on a neutral court at the Rock Hill Sports and Events Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Virginia Tech travels to Dayton on ESPN2 at 2 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 127.5. Baylor hosts Villanova on ABC at 3 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5.Two more NCAA-B games begin at 4 PM ET. West Virginia plays at home against Kent State on ESPN2 as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 137. The New Jersey Institute of Technology plays at Northwestern on ESPNU. Seton Hall hosts Rutgers on FS1 at 7:30 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. The 108th Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League kicks off at 6 PM ET on ESPN2. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 43.5. Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League concludes with three games. Two games start at 9 AM ET. West Ham United travels to Burnley on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Leicester City plays at home against Newcastle United on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Crystal Palace hosts Everton on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/11/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 11, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and the EPL.Week 15 in the college football season has Army playing Navy at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on CBS at 3 PM ET. The Black Knights are a 7-point favorite with the total set at 35 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against Orlando at 3:40 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Utah visits Washington at 7:10 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 218. Three games tip-off at 8:10 PM ET. Cleveland hosts Sacramento as a 6-point favorite with a total of 216.5. Miami plays at home against Chicago as a 1-point favorite at BetRivers. Memphis is at home against Houston as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Philadelphia hosts Golden State on ABC at 8:40 PM ET as a 1-point favorite at BetRivers. Denver plays at San Antonio as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 216.5. The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Tampa Bay travels to Ottawa at 1:08 PM ET as a -225 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. St Louis plays at home against Montreal as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto hosts Chicago as a -260 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Washington visits Buffalo as a -220 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders are at home against New Jersey at 7:38 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Philadelphia visits Arizona at 9:08 PM ET as a -160 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Three NHL games start at 10:08 PM ET. Seattle is home against Columbus as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Edmonton plays at home against Carolina as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 6. Calgary hosts Boston as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two NHL games conclude the card at 10:38 PM ET. Dallas travels to San Jose as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Minnesota plays at Los Angeles against the Kings as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Seventeen games are on national television in college basketball. Auburn hosts Nebraska on ESPN2 at 11:30 AM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Three games begin at noon ET. BYU plays at Creighton on FS1 as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 140. Louisiana Tech is a 10-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Syracuse visits Georgetown on Fox as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 155.5. Oklahoma plays at home against Arkansas at 1:30 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 144. Two more NCAAB games start at 2 PM ET. Central Connecticut travels to Providence on FS1. Colorado State is at home against Mississippi State on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 145. UCLA plays at Marquette on Fox at 2:30 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 149.5. Kansas hosts Missouri on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET as a 22.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Two more NCAAB games begin at 4 PM ET. Connecticut plays at home against St. Bonaventure on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 135.5. Butler is at home against Eastern Illinois on FS1 as a 22-point favorite with an over/under of 120. Illinois hosts Arizona on Fox at 5 PM ET in a pick ‘em game with a total of 153.5. Kentucky travels to Notre Dame on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 144.5. LSU plays at Georgia Tech on ESPN2 at 6 PM ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 140. Michigan plays at home against Minnesota on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 134. Xavier is at home against Cincinnati on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 135. Alabama plays at home against Houston on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 146.Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League continues with five matches. Manchester City hosts Wolverhampton on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -2 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Three games start at 10 AM ET. Arsenal plays at home against Southampton on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea is at home against Leeds United on Peacock as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Liverpool hosts Aston Villa on the USA Network as a -2 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Manchester United visits Norwich City on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/10/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 10, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and the EPL.Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Sacramento visits Charlotte as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 228.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Indiana plays at home against Dallas as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 213.5. Toronto plays at home against New York at 7:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 229.5. Atlanta hosts Brooklyn at 7:40 PM ET in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN. The Hawks come off a 121-110 upset win at Minnesota as a 3-point underdog on Monday. The Nets dropped their second game in their last three in a 114-104 upset loss at Houston as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Atlanta is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5. Three games in the NBA start at 8:10 PM ET. Milwaukee travels to Houston as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 224.5. Minnesota plays at home against Cleveland as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at Oklahoma City as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 215.5. New Orleans hosts Detroit as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5. Phoenix plays at home against Boston in the nightcap on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET. The Suns won their 19th game in their last 20 contests with a 108-104 victory against San Antonio as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 215.5 on Monday. The Celtics dropped their third game in their last four in a 114-111 loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Phoenix is a 4-point favorite with a total of 213.The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. The New York Rangers visit Buffalo as a -185 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Washington is at home against Pittsburgh as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Nashville visits New Jersey at 7:38 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games in the NHL start at 9:08 PM ET. Colorado hosts Detroit as a -320 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Florida travels to Arizona as a -300 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games conclude the card at 10:08 PM ET. Vancouver plays at home against Winnipeg as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Vegas is at home against Philadelphia as a -235 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The college basketball card has 12 games involving matchups between Division I teams. None of these games are on national television. Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League begins with Brentford playing at home against Watford on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET. Brentford is a -0.5 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/09/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 09, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.Week 14 in the regular season of the National Football League kicks off with the Minnesota Vikings hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Fox and the NFL Network at 8:20 PM ET. The Vikings lost their second straight game with their 29-27 upset loss at Detroit as a 7-point favorite on Sunday. They dropped to 5-7 with the loss. The Steelers ended their three-game winless streak with their 20-19 upset win against Baltimore as a 4-point underdog last week. Pittsburgh improved their record to 6-5-1 with the victory. Minnesota is a 3-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Three games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Utah visits Philadelphia at 7:10 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. The Los Angeles Lakers play at Memphis at 8:10 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 222.5. Denver travels to San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite at BetRivers.The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Toronto is at home against Tampa Bay as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6. Chicago visits Montreal as a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Anaheim plays at Columbus as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders hosts Nashville at 7:38 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. St. Louis plays at home against Detroit at 8:08 PM ET as a -170 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games start at 9:08 PM ET. Calgary is at home against Carolina as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Edmonton plays at home against Boston as a -125 money line favorite with a total of 6. Winnipeg travels to Seattle at 10:08 PM ET with both teams priced as a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:38 PM ET. Dallas plays at Los Angeles against the Kings as a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 5. Minnesota is at Seattle as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.Three games are on national television in college basketball. Texas travels to Seton Hall on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET. The Longhorns won their fifth straight game with an 88-58 victory against Utah Rio Grande Valley as a 25-point favorite on Friday. They improved their record to 6-1 with the victory. The Pirates won their fourth straight game with a 113-67 victory against Nyack College on Saturday. Seton Hall has a 7-1 record. Texas is a 2-point road favorite with a total of 135.5.St. John’s hosts Monmouth in a Gotham Classic contest on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET. The Red Storm won their fourth game in their last five with an 84-69 win against Fordham as a 16-point favorite on Sunday. They improved their record to 6-2 with the victory. The Hawks won their seventh straight game with a 79-65 victory at Canisius as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Monmouth comes into this game with a 7-1 record. St. John’s is a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Iowa plays at Iowa State on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Hawkeyes dropped their second-straight game with their 87-83 upset loss to Illinois as a 3.5-point favorite on Monday. They have a 7-2 record. The Cyclones upset Creighton, 64-58, as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Iowa State is 8-0 this season. Iowa is a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 150.

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Home Is Where The Heart Is

by Ben Burns

Wednesday, Dec 08, 2021

In football, playing "at home" means more to some teams than it does to others. Some tend to thrive in a familiar setting. Others do not. The Packers and Bucs are both 5-0 at home. Yet, each is 4-3 on the road.  Meanwhile, the Cardinals and Patriots are a combined 13-0 on the road but only 6-6 on their home fields. The same is true for NBA teams. Let's take a closer look.  Overall, home teams are 200-165 (54.8%) on the season. They've only hit 48.1% (174-188-3) at the betting window though.  PortlandThe Blazers are a solid 10-4 at Portland but a dismal 1-10 on the road. IndianaThe Pacers enter Wednesday with a 7-6 home record. However, they're just 3-10 on the road. CharlotteThe Hornets are 7-3 at home but 7-9 on the road. AtlantaThe Hawks are 8-4 at Atlanta but 5-8 on the roadDenverThe Nuggets are 8-4 in the high altitude of Denver. On the road, they're 4-8.HoustonThe Rockets enter Wednesday's play with a winning (6-5) home record. They're an ugly 1-11 away from Houston.  ROAD WARRIORSThe Raptors are one team which hasn't fared well at home. They're 4-8 in games played at Toronto but 7-5 when on the road. The same is true of the Cavaliers and the Knicks. The Cavs are 8-5 on the road but only 5-7 at Cleveland. The Knicks are 5-8 at MSG but 7-4 on the road. DIG DEEPER Most have an idea whether or not a team has a strong home court advantage. Some may not look at the "type" of games which teams are playing at home, compared to on the road, though. Let's use the Spurs, as an example. At first glance, there's not much separating their home and road performances. They're 4-7 at home and 4-8 on the road. No big deal. However, if one digs deeper into the stats, it turns out that the Spurs are playing higher-scoring games at San Antonio than they are on the road. Much higher. (See below) This knowledge helped support my 'over' play when the Spurs hosted the Knicks on 12/7. (The O/U line was 211 and the teams combined for 230.) Here's an excerpt from my analysis of that game:".... The Spurs saw last night's game at Phoenix sneak below the total. We're working with a lower O/U number tonight but I'm expecting a considerably higher-scoring affair. San Antonio road games have been staying below the total all season. In fact, including last night's result, the 'under' is now 10-1-1 when the Spurs have played away from San Antonio. Entering last night, SA road games were averaging just 206.5 points. However, the complete opposite has been true in games played at the AT&T Center. Games here are averaging 225.5 points. That's nearly 20 ppg more than the Spurs' road games. The OVER is 7-1-2 here. There's a lot more to this play than just the venue. The Knicks aren't playing the same type of defense that they were last year. They were a top five defense last year. This year, they've been mediocre. Over their last four games, they're allowing 110.4 ppg and a high 47.9 field goal percentage. The last time that the Spurs played the second of b2b games, they combined with the Pacers for 249 points. Including that shootout, the OVER is 43-21-2 the past 2+ seasons, when SA has faced an Eastern Conf. opponent, 14-6-1 in games against teams from the Atlantic. With the OVER also 8-1-1 (or 9-1) the past 10 times that the Spurs hosted the Knicks ... "The Pacers are another team which has been playing higher-scoring games at home than on the road. The opposite is true for Sacramento. The Kings have played much lower-scoring games on their home floor. That's led to a 9-3 'over' record on the road but an 8-4 'under' record in games at Sacramento. There are many more examples but you get my point. Take the time to look at how teams are playing at home, as opposed to on the road. It's simple but important. 

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NFL Week 14 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Dec 08, 2021

BEST GAME – Los Angeles Rams at Arizona (-3) (Monday night)Los Angeles 8-4 SU, 5-7 ATSArizona 10-2 SU, 9-3 ATSAny team which puts more than 28 points a game on the board every weekend figures to be in Super Bowl contention, but what is most impressive about the Cardinals is the fact that they rarely turn the ball over. Like almost never. This past Sunday’s win over Chicago marked the fifth straight game in which Arizona was turnover-free. The Cards now have a chance to essentially put the NFC West in the duffle bag. The Rams, coming off a win over Jacksonville in what is as close to a bye week as it gets, need to avoid sluggish starts which led to three consecutive November losses. As the home team, Arizona gives the obligatory 3 points in this one, but there’s a real possibility that this contracts to 2.5, so Cardinal backers might want to hold off betting until at least mid-week.WORST GAME – Seattle at Houston (+7.5)Seattle 4-8 SU, 6-6 ATSHouston 2-10 SU, 5-7 ATSLike an empty-nest marriage that crumbles when the kids leave the house, it looks like the Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson union is headed for a breakup this off-season. Nine years of NFC West dominance has come to end in the Pacific Northwest, the losing has taken its toll and it’s hard to see management bringing back the old gang for another rodeo next season. You’ll pardon the Texans if they don’t attend the divorce party, as the lowest-scoring team in the NFL has problems of its own to deal with – namely offense, defense, and special teams. Houston’s shutout loss at home this past Sunday was evidence enough for early bettors to back the Seahawks despite the 7.5 line.BIGGEST SPREAD – Chicago at Green Bay (-12.5)Chicago 4-8 SU, 4-8 ATSGreen Bay 9-3 SU, 10-2 ATSThe Packers have had control of the NFC North for a few months now, and all that remains for them is to compete for playoff seeding. The Bears, who are a five-alarm fire disguised as a football team, should accommodate Green Bay. Full speed ahead in the Land of Cheese and Beer, where Aaron Rodgers has its eyes on the Super Bowl and another MVP Award now that the league is not going to bother him for fibbing about his Covid vaccination status. As of early this week, no one seems to know if Justin Fields’s aching ribs will keep him sidelined, though early bettors don’t seem to care and are heavy on GB.SMALLEST SPREAD – San Francisco at Cincinnati (-1)San Francisco 6-6 SU, 5-7 ATSCincinnati 7-5 SU, 6-6 ATSBlowing a two-score lead and losing in Seattle has taken a lot of the air out of the Niners’ balloon, and made this game pretty much a must-win if they want to play beyond mid-January. San Francisco rarely wins in Seattle, and SF made just enough mistakes to guarantee another loss there. The Bengals, meanwhile, are still very much alive in the playoff hunt despite their loss to the Chargers last weekend. The concern in the Queen City is QB Joe Burrow, who is nursing an injury to his throwing hand.LARGEST TOTAL – Buffalo at Tampa Bay (52.5)Buffalo 7-5 SU, 6-5-1 ATS, 6-6 O/UTampa Bay 9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS, 6-6 O/UAs if things aren’t bad enough (3-4 since Columbus Day) for Buffalo after tumbling to the brink of being on the outside looking in at the playoffs, they have to take on Tom Brady the week after a loss to the Patriots. Talk about seeing ghosts. Monday night’s loss to New England in a howling wind can be tossed out, but losing to Brady & the Bucs could prove damaging to the psyche of the team, its fans, and the entirety of western New York. Tampa Bay figures to do the heavy lifting in this one for Over bettors.SMALLEST TOTAL  -- Detroit at Denver (42)Detroit 1-10-1 SU, 8-4 ATS, 4-8 O/UDenver 6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS, 2-10 O/UNo one likes to go up against a team that is winless late in the season, but Detroit’s win over Minnesota took Denver off the hook in that regard. The Broncos are free to do what they do best – play solid defense, dominate field position and force the Lions to go on long drives that they have generally been not been able to do. Under players on Denver have cashed time and again this season, and Detroit scores on average fewer than 17 ppg.

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Big Al's Daily Angle, NHL, NBA, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 12/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 08, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and the UEFA Champions League.Thirteen games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Four games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Cleveland hosts Chicago as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 210 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Philadelphia visits Charlotte as a 7-point road favorite at BetRivers. Washington plays at Detroit as a 5.5-point road favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 208.5. Indiana is at home against New York as a 4.5-point favorite at BetRivers with a total of 212.5. Two games start at 7:40 PM ET. Milwaukee travels to Miami on ESPN as a 5.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. Toronto plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 7-point favorite.Four NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Brooklyn is at Houston as a 7.5-point road favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 225. Memphis hosts Dallas as a 5-point favorite at BetRivers. Utah visits Minnesota as an 8.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. Denver plays at New Orleans as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 215. Two more games start at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State is at home against Portland on ESPN as a 14-point favorite at BetRivers. Sacramento plays at home against Orlando as a 7-point favorite at BetRivers. Boston travels to Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. New Jersey hosts Philadelphia as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Colorado travels to New York to play the Rangers as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Boston plays at Vancouver at 9:08 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vegas is at home against Dallas on TNT at 10:08 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.Five games are on national television in college basketball. Xavier plays at home against Ball State on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 19-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5. West Virginia hosts UConn on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 138.5. UMBC visits Georgetown on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET. Two games tip-off at 9 PM ET. Ohio State is at home against Towson on ESPNU as a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 138. Kansas State plays at home against Marquette on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Matchday Six in the UEFA Champions League concludes with eight matches. Two matches start at 12:45 PM ET. Juventus hosts Malmo as a -2 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3. Chelsea travels to Zenit Petersburg as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Six matches conclude the card at 3 PM ET. Benfica plays at home against Dynamo Kyiv as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Bayern Munich is at home against Barcelona as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Manchester United hosts Young Boys as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Atalanta plays at home against Villarreal as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Sevilla visits Salzburg in a pick ‘em match with the total set at 2.5. Wolfsburg is at home against Lille as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.All eight Champions League matches are available on Paramount+. The CBS Sports Network’s “The Golazo Show” is an NFL Red Zone-inspired show that presents live updated highlights of all six games during the second window of matches.

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Big Al's Daily Angle - NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 12/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 07, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and the UEFA Champions League.Three games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Brooklyn plays at Dallas on TNT at 7:40 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite at BetRivers. New York visits San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total set at 212.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against Boston on TNT at 10:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite at BetRivers. Ten games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Four games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Toronto plays at home against Columbus as a -280 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay visits Montreal as a -200 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The New York Islanders play at Ottawa as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Nashville travels to Detroit as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Anaheim plays at Buffalo at 7:38 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two NHL games start at 8:08 PM ET. Florida visits St. Louis as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6. Carolina plays at Winnipeg with both teams listed at -110 and the over/under at 5.5. The New York Rangers play at Chicago at 8:38 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Edmonton hosts Minnesota at 9:08 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Calgary travels to San Jose at 10:38 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Seven games are on national television in college basketball. Providence plays at home against Vermont on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Two games start at 7 PM ET. Tennessee plays Texas Tech as a  3.5-point favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 138.5. Michigan plays at Nebraska as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 140.5. DePaul plays at home against Duquesne at 8:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Three games conclude the college basketball card at 9 PM ET. Villanova visits Syracuse on ESPN as an 8.5-point road favorite with the over/under of 144.5. Oklahoma is at home against Butler on ESPN2 as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 125. Tulsa is at home against Loyola-Marymount as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 135.5.Matchday Six in the UEF Champions League has eight matches. Two matches start at 12:45 PM ET. Paris Saint-Germain hosts Club Brugge as a 1.5-goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Manchester City visits RB Leipzig as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.5. Six matches conclude the card at 3 PM ET AC Milan hosts Liverpool as a -0.5 favorite with an over/under of 2.5. FC Porto play at home against Atletico Madrid as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Borussia Dortmund is at home against Besiktas as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Ajax hosts Sporting CP as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.5. Real Madrid is at home against Inter Milan as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Shakhtar Donetsk plays at home against Sheriff as a -1.5 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5.All eight Champions League matches are available on Paramount+. The CBS Sports Network’s “The Golazo Show” is an NFL Red Zone-inspired show that presents live updated highlights of all eight games.

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Seven NFL Teams Running the Ball More - and Winning

by Hollywood Sports

Monday, Dec 06, 2021

Beating the point spread in the NFL requires staying vigilant in staying aware of the evolving strategies and tactics teams are using to find success. While Pro Football Focus produced another article espousing the virtues of abandoning the run (this latest version made the argument that pass blocking is easier than run blocking — a claim I have heard many NFL offensive line coaches disagree with for what that is worth), I was paying attention to seven teams riding recent good runs that appear to be linked to their renewed commitment to running the football.(1) New England. The Patriots are on a six-game winning streak heading into Monday Night Football in Buffalo against the Bills. New England has averaged 144 rushing yards per game during this streak with nine rushing touchdowns. The emergence of rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson to compliment Damien Harris has played a big role The football analytics community tends to dismiss the importance of the Time of Possession battle. The Patriots have averaged being on offense for almost 33 minutes per game during this stretch, but what does Bill Belichick know? The coaches that value Time of Possession argue that keeping their defense off the field keeps those players fresh. New England has allowed more than 13 points only once during their winning streak.(2) Indianapolis. The Colts went into Week 13 having won five of their last seven games. They have averaged 166 rushing yards per game with 14 touchdown passes in that stretch. They averaged more than 31 minutes per game on offense. Indianapolis traveled to Houston yesterday where they ran the ball 48 times for 238 yards. They were on offense for 41:35 minutes of the game. In shutting out the Texans in their 31-0 victory, they only allowed 141 total yards. (3) Cincinnati. The Bengals had averaged 178 rushing yards during a two-game winning streak going into their showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers. They rushed for five touchdowns in those two wins against Las Vegas and Pittsburgh. They averaged a time of possession of 36:20 minutes in those games with Joe Mixon running the ball 58 times. Falling behind 24-0 to the Chargers got Cincinnati away from this formula for success. They ran the ball only 25 times for 96 yards in a 41-22 loss to Los Angeles.(4) Baltimore. The Ravens had been on a two-game winning streak traveling to Pittsburgh last week. They averaged 136 rushing Yards-Per-Game in those games while being on offense for 38 minutes per game in those two contests. They allowed only 23 combined points in those two victories. In their 20-19 loss to the Steelers, they ran the ball 25 times for 107 yards. They did hold Pittsburgh to just 321 yards while being on offense for 36:30 minutes. Who knows what happens if Baltimore chooses to kick the extra point to force overtime after scoring the tying touchdown with just 12 seconds left in the game. Keeping the Steelers off the field was crucial to keep the game close since Pittsburgh was averaging 5.73 Yards-Per-Play. (5) San Francisco. The 49ers were on a three-game winning streak going into their game with the Seahawks. They averaged 178 rushing yards per game in those three games with five rushing touchdowns. The Niners averaged 41.7 rushing attempts per game during this span with their offense on the field for over 38 minutes per game. But in their 30-23 loss to Seattle yesterday, San Francisco only ran the ball 25 times for 71 yards. The 49ers’ offense was on the field for just 26:48 minutes. (6) Washington. The Football Team traveled to Las Vegas to play the Raiders on a three-game winning streak. They averaged 145 rushing yards per game with three rushing touchdowns in those games. Their average Time of Possession in those three games was 38:49 minutes. In their 17-15 victory against Las Vegas, they ran the ball 30 times for 112 yards. Their Time of Possession was 33:43 minutes. In their four-game winning streak with this dedication to running the football, they have held those four opponents to 17.5 Points-Per-Game. (7) Philadelphia. The Eagles went into Week 13 having won three of their last five games. They were averaging 236 rushing Yards-Per-Game with 10 rushing touchdowns in those games. In their 33-18 victory in New York against the Jets yesterday, Philly ran the ball 41 times for 185 yards which helped them stay on the field for 35:36 minutes. The Eagles have now held four of their last six opponents to 18 points or less. In other news, the NFL analytics sites tend to not fare very well when picking point spread winners. I think there models are fundamentally flawed because they treat Yards-Per-Play like Points-Per-Possession in basketball. The fundamental difference in evaluating those efficiency statistics is the opportunity football teams have in getting a reset of downs from achieving a first down. A lower Yards-Per-Play average is not as significant if the offense is still getting first downs — and that approach has the additional benefit of keeping their defense off the field (and, presumably, fresher). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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Big Al's NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/06/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 06, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and the EPL.Week 13 in the National Football League concludes with Buffalo hosting New England on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. The Bills won their second game in their last three with a 31-6 victory at New Orleans on Thanksgiving. Josh Allen completed 23 of 28 passes for 260 yards with four touchdown passes and two interceptions in the win. The win improved their record to 7-4 on the season.The Patriots won their sixth straight game with a 36-13 victory against Tennessee on Sunday. Mack Jones completed 23 of 32 passes for 310 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in the win. New England is now 8-4 on the year. Snow and cold weather are in upstate New York, with temperatures dropping into the 20s with winds in the 25-35 miles per hour range and gusting up to 40 MPH. Buffalo is a 3-point favorite with the total set at 41. Ten games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Philadelphia visits Charlotte as a 5.5-point road favorite. Detroit plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 4.5-point favorite. Indiana is at home against Washington as a 5.5-point favorite. Miami hosts Memphis at 7:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite. Three more games in the NBA start at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against Denver as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 214. Milwaukee is at home against Cleveland as an 8-point favorite at BetRivers. Minnesota hosts Atlanta as a 1-point favorite. Phoenix plays at home against San Antonio at 9:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers are at Portland as a 1-point road favorite. Golden State is at home against Orlando as a 15-point favorite. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Colorado visits Philadelphia as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Washington hosts Anaheim as a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. New Jersey is at home against Ottawa as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 6. Dallas plays at home against Arizona at 8:38 PM ET as a -310 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:08 PM ET. Pittsburgh travels to Seattle as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Vancouver hosts Los Angeles as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. One game is on national television in college basketball. Iowa plays at home against Illinois on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Hawkeyes are a 3-point favorite with a total of 150.Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League concludes with Arsenal visiting Everton on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET. The Gunners are a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 05, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, CFL, and the EPL.Week 13 in the National Football League continues with 12 games. Seven games kick off at 1 PM ET. Miami hosts the New York Giants as a 6-point favorite with the total set at 39.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Indianapolis visits Houston as a 10-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Minnesota travels to Detroit as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. Philadelphia plays at New York against the Jets as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Arizona is at Chicago as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 42.5. Cincinnati plays at home against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 50. Tampa Bay visits Atlanta as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 50.5. Four games in the NFL start in the second-afternoon window. Two games begin at 4:05 PM ET. Las Vegas plays at home against Washington as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. The Los Angeles Rams host Jacksonville as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5. Two more NFL games kickoff at 4:25 PM ET. Baltimore travels to Pittsburgh as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 44.5. San Francisco plays at Seattle as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 45.5. Kansas City hosts Denver on NBC at 8:20 PM ET for Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs are an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 47. Four games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Utah visits Cleveland at 3:45 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 212. Two games tip-off at 6:10 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against Charlotte as a 4-point favorite with a total of 227.5. Toronto is at home against Washington as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5. New Orleans plays at Houston at 7:10 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 221. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two games drop the puck at 6:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay travels to Philadelphia as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Columbus is at home against San Jose as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. The New York Islanders are at home against Chicago at 7:38 PM ET as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two NHL games begin at 8:08 PM ET. Edmonton is at home against the Los Angeles Kings at 8:08 PM ET as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto visits Winnipeg as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Vegas is at home against Calgary at 10:08 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Six games are on national television in college basketball. Mississippi State is at home against Minnesota on ESPNU at 2 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129. North Carolina plays at Georgia Tech on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 150.5. Arizona travels to Oregon State on ESPNU at 4 PM ET as an 11.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Oklahoma State hosts Xavier on ESPN2 at 5 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 136. Wichita State is at home against Kansas State on ESPNU at 6 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 131. St. John’s plays at home against Fordham on FS1 at 7 PM ET as a 15-point favorite with a total of 144.5.The Canadian Football League has two games in their divisional playoff finals on ESPN News. Hamilton plays at Toronto at 1 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Winnipeg hosts Saskatchewan at 4 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 45.5.Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Three matches start at 9 AM ET. Leeds United is at home against Brentford on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester United hosts Crystal Palace on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Tottenham plays at home against Norwich City as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Leicester City travels to Aston Villa on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5.

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