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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/13/2026

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. The Miami Heat host the Phoenix Suns at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 230.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Four more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks play at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Houston Rockets are home against the Chicago Bulls as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 224.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs on NBC as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Denver Nuggets travel to New Orleans to play the Pelicans as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 235.5. The Atlanta Hawks play in Los Angeles against the Lakers at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on NBC at 11:10 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 224.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Washington Capitals are home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Calgary Flames as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators play at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 7:37 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes visit the St. Louis Blues as a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Boston Bruins are home against the Detroit Red Wings on TNT as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets host the New York Islanders as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in Nashville against the Predators as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Utah Mammoth play at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are on the road in Anaheim against the Ducks on TNT as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET with 35 games involving Division I opponents. Seven games are on major national television. Villanova travels to Providence on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.5. Louisville is at home against Virginia on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 154.5. Houston hosts West Virginia on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 128.5. Two NCAAB games are on major national television at 9:00 p.m. ET. Florida plays at Oklahoma on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 156.5. Iowa State is on the road against Kansas on ESPN as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 148.5. USC plays at home against Maryland on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Saint Mary’s visits San Francisco on ESPN2 at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/12/26

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 12, 2026

The Monday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League continues its postseason with the final game in the wildcard playoff round. The Houston Texans travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 Manningcast at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Texans are on a nine-game winning streak after their 38-30 victory against Indianapolis as a 9.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Steelers had won four of their last five games after their 26-24 upset victory against Baltimore as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Houston is a 3-point road favorite with a total set at 38.5 (all odds on DraftKings).The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Utah Jazz as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 250.5. Two NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia 76ers play at Toronto against the Raptors as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 221.5. The Boston Celtics are on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Peacock as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the Brooklyn Nets at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 222.5. The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Sacramento Kings as a 9.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227. The Los Angeles Clippers are home against the Charlotte Hornets at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers host the Seattle Kraken as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the Florida Panthers with both teams priced as a-110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are on the road against the Detroit Red Wings as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens are home against the Vancouver Canucks at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild hosts the New Jersey Devils at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars play in Los Angeles against the Kings as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche plays at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -265 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET with 17 games involving Division I opponents. One game is on major national television. Navy is on the road against American on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.5.

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NFL System of the Week - 01/12/26

by Al McMordie

Monday, Jan 12, 2026

The NFL Playoffs are underway, and the post-season offers great opportunities to make money.  Indeed, through last night's action, I'm 12-1 my last 13 in the NFL Playoffs, dating back to last season.  Although I won't be in action tonight, our NFL System of the Week does fade one of the two teams.  Let's take a look.The match-up tonight is the Houston Texans at the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Houston is riding a nine-game win streak, and enters off a 38-30 win over Indianapolis to end the regular season.  Pittsburgh, meanwhile, won an 'elimination game' vs. rival Baltimore, 26-24.  The Texans have been installed as a 3-point road favorite for this Monday Night Football game.Our NFL System of the Week goes against DeMeco Ryans' Texans, who scored 38 points last week.  What we want to do is play against any NFL team in the Playoffs, if they are NOT playing at home, and scored 35 (or more) points in winning their previous game, provided their opponent scored LESS than 35 points in its most recent game.  Since 1980, our teams that came off a high-scoring victory have fallen flat the next week, going just 30-54 ATS, including a Winner this past Saturday on the Carolina Panthers +10 over the Los Angeles Rams (who had tallied 37 in a win over Arizona last week).Tonight's Play:  Steelers +3Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/11/26

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 11, 2026

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League continues its postseason with three games in the wildcard playoff round. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Jaguars are on an eight-game winning streak after their 41-7 victory against Tennessee as a 12.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Bills won for the fifth time in their last six games in their 35-8 win against the New York Jets as a 13-point favorite on Sunday. Jacksonville is a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 51.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Eagles play at home against the San Francisco 49ers on Fox at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Eagles had won three games in a row before their 24-17 upset loss at home against Washington as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. The 49ers had won six games in a row before their 13-3 loss at home against Seattle as a 2.5-point underdog last Saturday. Philadelphia is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5. The New England Patriots are home against the Los Angeles Chargers on NBC at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Patriots have won three games in a row after their 38-10 victory against Miami as a 14.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Chargers are on a two-game losing streak after a 19-3 loss at Denver as a 15-point underdog last Sunday. New England is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 45.5. The National Basketball Association has 10 games on its docket. The Orlando Magic host the New Orleans Pelicans at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Brooklyn Nets at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 220.5. Two NBA games tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Toronto against the Raptors as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. Two more NBA games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Miami Heat as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 232.5. Two NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Phoenix Suns host the Washington Wizards as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Milwaukee Bucks are on the road against the Denver Nuggets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Atlanta Hawks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Houston Rockers visit the Sacramento Kings at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 222.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the New Jersey Devils at 2:07 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in Boston against the Bruins at 5:07 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Utah Mammoth host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road against the San Jose Sharks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 20 games involving Division I opponents. Four of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Iowa plays at home against Illinois on Fox at noon ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Florida Atlantic is home against Memphis on ESPN2 at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. Oakland hosts Wright State on ESPN2 at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 159.5. Central Florida plays at home against Cincinnati on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/10/26

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 10, 2026

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League kicks off its postseason with two games in the wildcard playoff round. The Los Angeles Rams travel to Carolina to play the Panthers on Fox at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Rams ended a two-game losing streak with a 37-20 victory at home against Arizona as a 14-point favorite on Sunday. The Panthers lost for the third time in their last four games after a 16-14 loss at Tampa Bay as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Los Angeles is a 10.5-point road favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Green Bay Packers play in Chicago against the Bears on Amazon Prime Video at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Packers are on a four-game losing streak after a 16-3 loss at Minnesota as a 13-point underdog on Sunday. The Bears are on a two-game losing streak after their 19-16 upset loss at home against Detroit as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Green Bay is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Amazon Prime Video at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 238.5.The Miami Heat are on the road against the Indiana Pacers at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 236.5. The Detroit Pistons play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 220.5. Two NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bulls are home against the Dallas Mavericks as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Boston Celtics host the San Antonio Spurs as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 228.5. The Charlotte Hornets visit the Utah Jazz at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 238.5. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. The Boston Bruins play at home against the New York Rangers on ABC at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are home against the Calgary Flames at 3:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -185 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -298 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Seven NHL games start at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Montreal Canadiens play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Seattle Kraken as a -290 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators host the Florida Panthers as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild host the New York Islanders as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the St. Louis Blues as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 149 games involving Division I opponents. Eight of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games tip off at noon ET. Florida plays at home against Tennessee on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Kansas travels to West Virginia on Fox as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Michigan is at home against Wisconsin on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 19.5-point favorite with a total of 165.5. Arizona plays at TCU on ESPN at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 152.5. Auburn hosts Arkansas on ESPN at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 172.5. Two more NCAAB games begin at 8:00 p.m. ET. Alabama plays at home against Texas on ESPN as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 176.5. UCLA is home against Maryland on Fox as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. BYU is on the road against Utah on ESPN at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 165.5.  

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/09/26

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 09, 2026

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. The college football bowl season continues with the final game in the college football playoff semifinals on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News at 7:30 p.m. ET. Indiana plays Oregon in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Hoosiers reached the semifinals with a 38-3 victory against Alabama as a 7.5-point favorite on January 1st. The Ducks made it to the semifinals with a 23-0 upset win against Texas Tech as a 1-point underdog on January 1st. Indiana is a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 48.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association has 10 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics host the Toronto Raptors as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The Philadelphia 76ers travel to Orlando to take on the Magic as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 240.5. The New Orleans Pelicans play in Washington against the Wizards as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The Los Angeles Clippers are on the road to face the Brooklyn Nets at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 214.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Memphis Grizzlies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Two more NBA games start at 9:10 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks play in Phoenix against the Suns as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 230.5. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Atlanta Hawks as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. Two NBA games begin at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Golden State Warriors are home against the Sacramento Kings as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Houston Rockets are on the road to play the Portland Trailblazers as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 220.5. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Milwaukee Bucks at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings travel to Winnipeg to challenge the Jets as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Washington Capitals play in Chicago against the Blackhawks as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Utah Mammoth play at home against the St. Louis Blues at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET with 15 games involving Division I opponents. Three of these NCAAB games are on the CBS Sports Network. Miami (OH) is on the road against Toledo at  6:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 163.5. Akron visits Bowling Green at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 164.5. Colorado State is home against UNLV at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/08/2026

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 08, 2026

The Thursday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The college football bowl season continues with the first game in the college football playoff semifinals on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News at 7:30 p.m. ET. Miami (FL) plays Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Hurricanes advanced to the semifinals with their 24-14 upset victory against Ohio State as an 8-point underdog last Wednesday. Mississippi reached the semifinals with a 39-34 upset victory against Georgia as a 6-point underdog on Thursday. Miami (FL) is a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. The Charlotte Hornets host the Indiana Pacers at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 240.5. The Miami Heat travel to Chicago to play the Bulls as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241.5. The Dallas Mavericks play in Utah against the Jazz at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5. The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Seven NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Flyers are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New Jersey Devils as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are on the road in New York against the Rangers as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Vancouver Canucks as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers visit Montreal to face the Canadiens as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers play in Winnipeg against the Jets as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the New York Islanders as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche are home against the Ottawa Senators at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild are on the road against the Seattle Kraken as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.  The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 12:30 p.m. ET with 57 games involving Division I opponents. Four of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Liberty travels to Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Middle Tennessee plays at  UTEP on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 134.5. Loyola-Marymount plays at home against San Francisco on the CBS Sports Network at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Gonzaga is at home against Santa Clara on ESPN2 at 11:30 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 164.5. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Arsenal hosts Liverpool at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.  

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NFC Wildcard Round-up

by Jazz Ray

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

A look at NFC Wild Card Weekend:HOT TEAM – Five of the six NFC teams playing on Wild Card Weekend lost in Week 18, with only the Rams winning (over 3-win Arizona). Only Seattle, which earned the NFC bye by winning its final seven games and won two more games than anyone else in the conference, is on any heater.COLD TEAM – SOMEBODY had to win the NFC South, so why not the Panthers? Carolina did have a signature win over the Rams in late November, but has been a big barrel of blah since then, ending the year with three losses in the final four games.BEST QUARTERBACK – LA’s Matthew Stafford is poised to win the MVP award based on numbers that are slightly better than those posted by New England’s Drake Maye. Stafford led the league in passing yards (4,707) and in touchdown passes (46). Stafford is a -135 favorite to win.BEST COACH – Of the teams playing this weekend, you could do a lot worse than Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni. What Siriani did to the Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl is still reverberating in Kansas City. The Eagles always seem to be in the mix and look to have no challengers in the NFC East.BIGGEST SPREAD – The Rams are rightly 10-point road favorites over the just-happy-to-be-here Panthers. Carolina’s pass defense is ranked in the bottom seven in the league, and if the Panthers can’t get decent pressure on Strafford, the 10 points could be covered quickly.LARGEST O/U – Books set this number at 46.5, and LA might have to do most of the heavy lifting on this one. Carolina’s offense failed to crack 20 points nine times this season and had 24 total points in the final two games.The games:(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago BearsSaturday, Jan. 10 – 8pmLine – Packers -1.5Rubber game this season between the top two teams in the NFC North. They met twice late in the season, split the two games, and only one point separated them. Chicago’s Caleb Williams is a completely different QB from the one who struggled as a rookie last season. Then numbers aren’t significantly better, but there weren’t any QBs better late in games – he led the Bears to six fourth-quarter comeback wins.(6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia EaglesSunday, Jan. 11 – 4:30pmLine – Eagles -4.5The NFL has stolen load management strategy from the NBA. Many of the Eagles’ starters on both sides of the ball sat out Week 18. San Francisco, meanwhile, went belly up in the final game against Seattle, hoping to steal the No. 1 seed. That didn’t work, so the Niners (whose highly ranked offense didn’t even score a touchdown against the Seahawks), have to fly across the country to take on the rested Eagles. Not an easy task.(5) Los Angeles Rams at (4) Carolina PanthersSaturday, Jan. 10 – 4:30pmLine – Rams -10A few teams with losing records have won a playoff game, and one of them was the 2014 Panthers, who beat the Cardinals on WC Weekend. It will take a superhuman effort (and probably a significant letdown by the Rams) to duplicate that feat. Carolina simply cannot match up with LA position by position.

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AFC Wildcard Round-up

by Jazz Ray

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

A look at the AFC playoffs, Wild Card weekend:HOTTEST TEAM – Left for dead on the side of the road after starting the season with back-to-back-to-back losses to the Chargers, Bucs, and Jaguars, the Texans defied overwhelming (1 in 50) odds, reeled off nine straight victories, and enter the playoffs on the mother of all heaters.COLDEST TEAM – Chargers start the tournament after falling a spot in the seedings by dropping their last two, but there’s no crime in losing to red-hot Houston and to No. 1 seed Denver. Protecting the health of QB1 Justin Herbert was more important to LA than sneaking into the 6 seed.BEST QUARTERBACK – Josh Allen, Bills. In the most important half of the Bills’ season (to that point), Allen outplayed New England’s Drake Maye. The Bills won that game, in Foxboro, kept their division hopes alive, and in the end, cost New England the top seed.BEST COACH – Mike Vrabel, Patriots. The previous two Pats coaches (Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo) won a combined total of eight games. Vrabel, basically building an offense AND defense almost from scratch, got the Pats to 14-3. He has experience both as a coach and a player.BIGGEST SPREAD – Houston is favored by 3.5/4 points over a Pittsburgh team that is still in the mix only because of a missed field goal on the last play of the final game. Can Aaron Rodgers get it done on a pair of old legs?LARGEST O/U – 51.5 is a large number for a playoff game, but all the ingredients are in place for a shootout in Jacksonville. Buffalo is good for 30 a game, and the Jags AVERAGED almost 33 in winning their last eight in a row. Seat belt time.The games:(7) Los Angeles Chargers at (2) New England PatriotsSunday, Jan. 11 – 8pmLine – Patriots -3.5New England has been hearing “Yeah but strength of schedule” ever since it  shook off a 1-2 start and starting beating everyone who stood in their way. But if you have a QB who will finish no worse than second in the MVP voting and a solid defense with particular strength in the secondary, what’s not to like? Justin Herbert is coming off a load management personal bye week and can make all the plays, but his completion percentage was a middling 66 percent this season. How will he perform in what will probably be a cold January night in Foxboro?(6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville JaguarsSunday, Jan. 11 – 1pmLine – Bills -1.5So here’s the question the Bills need to answer: How fast can they patch up their leaky defense against the run? It’s been an unexpected problem most of this season, and Josh Allen’s playmaking ability has been able to cover things up so far. The Jags might be a different animal, though, as Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie Bhayshul Tuten are a two-headed beast. And that Trevor Lawrence guy ain’t so bad, either. This one looks like it could be the pick of the litter in the AFC end of things.(5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh SteelersMonday, Jan. 12 – 8:15pmLine – Texans -4What to make of the Texans, who enter the playoffs with the NFL’s top-ranked defense? Does Aaron Rodgers have enough left in his legs and arm to deal with Houston, which earned its spot in the playoffs by controlling the line of scrimmage and not making too many mistakes with C.J. Stroud calling signals? Not too many people are looking for a high-scoring game here, and that will make covering the 4 even more difficult.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/07/26

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics host the Denver Nuggets on ESPN as a 9.5-point favorite with the total set at 229.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Washington Wizards as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. The Toronto Raptors travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 229.5. The Detroit Pistons are home against the Chicago Bulls as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 241.5. The New York Knicks play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The Orlando Magic play in Brooklyn against the Nets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5.Two NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Brooklyn Nets as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 242.5. The Phoenix Suns are on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The San Antonio Spurs host the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5.  Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Rockets visit the Portland Trail Blazers as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 224.5. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Milwaukee Bucks as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Washington Capitals are home against the Dallas Stars on TNT at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens host the Calgary Flames at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL  games drop the puck at 9:37 p.m. ET. The Utah Jazz play at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The St. Louis Blues play in Chicago against the Blackhawks on TNT as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the St. Louis Blues at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -290 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET with 54 games involving Division I opponents. Five NCAAB games are on major national television. Two of these games tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Kentucky hosts Missouri on ESPN2 as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. Marquette plays at home against Xavier on FS1 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 158.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television start at 9:00 p.m. ET. Arizona is home against Kansas State on FS1 as a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 169.5. Vanderbilt hosts Alabama on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 178.5. Boise State plays at home against Grand Canyon on FS1 at 11:00 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League continues with eight matches. Six EPL matches start at 2:30 p.m. ET. Bournemouth is home against Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brentford hosts Sunderland as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is on the road against Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Everton plays at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Chelsea travels to Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City is home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Two more matches conclude the EPL card at 3:15 p.m. ET. Manchester United plays at Burnley on the USA Network at 3:15 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Newcastle United hosts Leeds United at 3:15 p.m. ET as a -0.5 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 - 01/06/26

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2026

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic travel to Washington to play the Wizards as a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 233.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Indiana against the Pacers as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 234.5. Three NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Miami Heat on NBC as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 237.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The San Antonio Spurs visit the Memphis Grizzlies as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 237.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at Sacramento against the Kings on NBC at 11:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Dallas Stars as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche are on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers host the Anaheim Ducks as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games begin at 7:37 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils travel to New York to face the Islanders as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Florida Panthers play in Toronto against the Maple Leafs on TNT as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road to take on the Winnipeg Jets at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The  Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Nashville Predators at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Columbus Blue Jackets visit San Jose to challenge the Sharks as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play in Seattle against the Kraken as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET with 29 games involving Division I opponents. Ten NCAAB games are on major national television. Ohio is home against UMass on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. West Virginia hosts Cincinnati on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Duke is on the road against Louisville on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 162.5. Michigan travels to Penn State on FS1 as a 22.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 164.5. Dayton plays at home against George Washington on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Three more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Houston is home against Texas Tech on FS1 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Tennessee hosts Texas on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 153.5. Kansas plays at home against TCU on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Wyoming is home against UNLV on the CBS Sports Network at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. Nevada hosts San Diego State on FS1 at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League begins with one match. Nottingham Forest plays on the road against West Ham United on the USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/05/26

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 05, 2026

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The New York Knicks travel to Detroit to play the Pistons on Peacock at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Knicks have lost three games in a row after their 130-119 upset loss at home against Philadelphia as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. The Pistons have won two of their previous three games with their 114-110 upset victory as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. New York is a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 234.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Toronto Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Chicago Bulls as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 235.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Houston Rockets host the Phoenix Suns as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Denver Nuggets on Peacock at 8:40 p.m. ET. The 76ers are on a three-game winning streak after their upset win against the Knicks on Saturday. The Nuggets lost for the fourth time in their last five contests with a 127-115 upset loss at Brooklyn as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Philadelphia is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Portland Trail Blazers host the Utah Jazz as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 245.5. The Los Angeles Clippers are home against the Golden State Warriors on Peacock. The Clippers won for the fourth time in their previous five games in a 115-110 upset victory at San Antonio as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. The Warriors had won six games in a row before their 146-115 upset loss at home against Boston as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. The Warriors have won three of their previous four games after their 123-114 victory against Utah as a 12.5-point favorite on Saturday. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The New York Rangers play at home against the Utah Mammoth as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Washington Capitals are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators host the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -155  money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Calgary Flames play at home against the Seattle Kraken at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the Minnesota Wild at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET with 19 games involving Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Ohio State hosts Nebraska on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 155.5. Two more NCAAB games tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Charlotte plays at home against William & Mary on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 162.5. Oregon plays at Rutgers on Peacock as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 142.5. Michigan State is home against USC on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. 

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