COMBINATION FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL ISSUE!

Transcription

1 Volume 32, Issue 16 December 7-11, 2017 Marc s Conference Championship GOY: Georgia - WINNER! COMBINATION FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL ISSUE! Marc s NFL Game of the Month: Seahawks - WINNER! Analysis on Every Lined Game Incredible Stat of the Week Best Bets and Key Plays Full Schedule with Opening Lines Awesome Angle & Tremendous Trends Wise Guys Contest GET SMART GET PLAYBOOK GET EVERY EDGE IMAGINABLE COPYRIGHT NOTICE - All materials in this newsletter are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, rebroadcast, displayed, or otherwise published without the prior written permission of Playbook.com. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice, nor may you offer for sale or resale the material included herein. VegasInsider.com

2 FINAL 2017 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS Top 25: 1 CLEMSON 2 OKLAHOMA 3 GEORGIA 4 ALABAMA 5 OHIO STATE 6 WISCONSIN 7 AUBURN 8 USC 9 PENN STATE 10 UCF 11 MIAMI FLA 12 WASHINGTON 13 TCU TRIVIA TEASER THIS WEEK'S AMAZING SITUATIONAL PLAY This coach cooks at home against foes coming off a SUATS win, going 14-2 SU and 13-3 ATS, including 13-0 SU and 12-1 ATS against non-division foes. Who is this week s master chef? For the Trivia Teaser answer, turn to page 4. AWESOME ANGLE OF THE WEEK PLAY ON any NFL division home team on Thursday off a SU home favorite loss. Play ON: ATLANTA FALCONS 14 NOTRE DAME 15 STANFORD 16 LSU 17 OKLA STATE 18 MICHIGAN ST 19 MEMPHIS 20 NORTHWESTERN 21 WASH STATE 22 VIRGINIA TECH 23 USF 24 MISS STATE 25 BOISE STATE Marc Lawrence s award-winning football selections are available all season long at: VegasINSIDER.com HOUSE OF HORRORS ATS W-L Record Since 1980: 12-3 (80%) 2-MINUTE HANDICAP FOR A COMPLETE 2-MINUTE HANDICAP OF EVERY GAME ON TODAY'S CARD, VISIT ATS = Against The Spread A = Away Con = Conference D = Dog F = Favorite H = Home Rev = Revenge R = Road SU = Straight-Up All results are ATS Against The Spread and most recent, unless noted otherwise. Content contained in this report remains the exclusive private property of PLAYBOOK and PLAYBOOK.COM and may not be reused or disseminated in any form without express written consent of the publisher. TEAMS New Orleans ATLANTA Week 14 NFL Games KEY FACTS, STATS & ATS TRENDS Thursday, December aft Carolina > Thursday 1-4 Away Six Ser: 1-3 L > H off home vs foe off home Detroit > off AFC vs non-div 1-8 Away Seven vs foe w/ rev TAMPA BAY Ser: 0-5 L5H 1-9 1st BB home 2-9 H vs.500 > foe Chicago 6-1 A vs <.500 AFC 1-5 Away Six off non-div vs foe w/ rev CINCINNATI 5-0 <.500 H vs NFC 0-4 favs 3rd of 3Home Indianapolis 7-1 aft Jacksonville 6-1 off BB div 0-5 Away Seven BUFFALO Ser: 3-1 L div sandwich vs foe w/ rev Seattle 5-1 Away Seven > A vs AFC foe w/ rev JACKSONVILLE Ser: 1-4 L > Home Six 0-5 2nd 3Home Oakland 0-5 off home vs div foe off away 0-5 RD s off NFC KANSAS CITY Ser: 3-8 L11H 4-0 bef LA Chargers 2-10 H 1st BB div Minnesota 12-0 bef AFC 7-1 Away Six off non-div vs non-div w/ rev CAROLINA Ser: 1-3 L4 5-0 aft New Orleans 4-1 1st 3Home Green Bay 1-8 Away Six vs non-div 1-4 RF s 2-9 vs <.500 AFC CLEVELAND Ser: 1-3 L4 0-7 vs NFC 2-9 off Away vs foe off home San Francisco 9-2 2nd BB away & 2nd BB non-div 1-10 vs AFC HOUSTON 9-1 <.500 off BB away 9-2 Home Seven w/ rev Washington 8-1 <.500 dogs aft Dallas 6-1 vs non-div bef BB home LA CHARGERS 13-1 favs off non-div home vs <.500 off away NY Jets 5-1 Away Six vs non-div 1-7 A off BB home vs non-div DENVER Ser: 4-1 L5 0-4 off non-div away vs foe off home Tennessee 5-1 away 1st NFC 1-7 Away Seven 2-9 aft Houston ARIZONA 7-0 <.500 aft Rams 1-5 off div vs AFC w/ rev Philadelphia > 2nd BB NFC West 1-4 off away vs foe off A LA RAMS Ser: 0-4 L w/ quadruple rev vs.500 > foe Dallas 4-1 Away Six vs < A 2nd BB div NY GIANTS Ser: 3-0 L3H 4-0 Home Six dogs 7-1 H off AFC vs div Baltimore 9-0 w/ rev aft score 40 > pts 4-0 1st BB div PITTSBURGH Ser: L6 1-6 off MNF vs div foe off BB SU wins Monday, December 11 New England 4-0 MNF RF s off DD SU win 12-2 aft allow 3 < pts MIAMI Ser: 4-1 L5H 9-1 <.500 HD s w/ rev vs.500 > div INCREDIBLE STAT OF THE WEEK The Carolina Panthers are 13-1 ATS during the final four games of the season against opponents coming off a SU underdog win. page 2

3 THIS WEEK IN FOOTBALL DECEMBER 7-11 Remember: You Have A PLAYBOOK Recommendation Whenever Our Predicted Margin Of Victory Is 6 Or More Points Off The Opening Line NCAA FOOTBALL Saturday, December 9 Army over Navy by 3 It s a good thing this traditional contest is the sole matchup on today s CFB schedule. Otherwise, it would undoubtedly be passed over by most viewers in favor of the current spate of pass-happy college offenses that light up the scoreboard for points per outing. Yes, these military squads do own the top two rushing attacks in the land but sometimes the run-run-run mentality of these schemes makes for a game that has all the excitement of a 3-hour practice session by Georgia Tech. Until lately, that is. The arrival of head coach Jeff Monken at West Point in 2014 re-energized a Cadets team that was pretty much Navy s punching bag for many of the previous years. Monken lost his first two meetings with Middies HC Ken Niumatalolo by only 7 and 4 points, covering both, but broke through last year with a upset of the Naval Academy. The momentum from 2016 s 8-5 bowl-winning campaign has continued this season as Army stands 8-3 SU in 2017, one of the few times the Black Knights have owned the better record when squaring off with the swabbies. In fact, the last dozen times the Cadets were in that role, they went 8-4 SU (including 4-0 SUATS when not favored by 2 or more points). Army s current 6-1 SU win streak stands in stark contrast to Navy s miserable 1-5 SU skein, a week-to-week failure that torpedoed an outstanding 5-0 start for the Mids this year. Those results have Army poised to claim its first Commander-In-Chief s Trophy since 1996 but a 2-10 SU log in its last 12 games versus fellow service academies says it won t be easy. Trophy or not, the Black Knights are 7-5 ATS against winning foes under coach Monken, including 3-0 ATS against those coming off a loss. And if you choose to tune in, we can t say for sure that you ll be bored to tears by one run from scrimmage after another: a check of season statistics reveals that Army has actually passed the ball on 60 occasions this year while Navy has come dangerously close to being labeled Air Niumatalolo by putting the pig in the air an astounding 99 times! Don t look for such fireworks this afternoon, though, as both teams should stick to what got them here a ground-and-pound rushing attack that eats clock and wears the opposing defense down. Today, that team belongs to Army. PRO FOOTBALL Thursday, December 7 3 BEST BET ATLANTA over New Orleans by 10 Week 14 in the league where they play for pay kicks off in Hotlanta but Mercedes-Benz Stadium has been anything but sizzling for the dirty birds as they have already dropped three games at home this season. However, none of them have been on Thursday and we don t look for that to change tonight as our AWESOME ANGLE on page 2 tells us that Thor s Day has been a House of Horrors for road teams on the division highway when facing a host off a SU home favorite loss. Even worse for New Orleans is their ATS mark on this night from Game Eleven out and the Falcons 10-2 ATS log on Thursdays, including 7-1 ATS in division play. It also doesn t take Captain Obvious to tell us that a loss all but seals Atlanta s division fate as they already trail the Saints by two games. We should point out, too, that our NFL Quarterback Club not only fades New Orleans signal-caller Drew Brees (3-5 ATS against the Falcons when Atlanta arrives off a loss) but also headlines THE CLINCHER: Falcons QB Matt Ryan is 12-4 ATS in December against opponents coming off a SUATS win, including 7-1 ATS when his team is coming off a loss. Marc Lawrence s award-winning football selections are available all season long at: VegasINSIDER.com Detroit over TAMPA BAY by 6 The Lions valiant comeback in Baltimore last week (pulled within a touchdown twice after spotting the Ravens a 20-point halftime lead) fell short when they ran out of gas in the final stanza and will now need plenty of help to reach the postseason for the second straight year. It should come this week at the New Sombrero in the form of a 4-8 Tampa team that is 1-13 ATS during the final four games of the season when seeking non-division revenge, 1-9 ATS in the first of consecutive home games and 2-6 SUATS in its last eight games versus the NFC North. However, with QB Matthew Stafford (his 20 straight completions fueled last week s comeback) looking like a human piñata these days, we can t completely snap the rubber band with the desperate felines. Stafford is listed as questionable after bruising his throwing hand last week (sprained his knee two weeks ago) but is likely a go as X-rays came back negative. That has us singing Detroit s praises especially with the Motown Men 5-0 ATS of late as a visitor in this series. We suggest you hum along. CINCINNATI over Chicago by 3 The Bengals (5-7) blew a 17-point lead on Monday against Pittsburgh and now are squarely on the outside of the AFC playoff picture looking in. Is it time for Marvin who hasn t won a playoff game in his 14 years on the Cincinnati sidelines to once again whip out the uncompromising photos he has of the Brown family? We say there is no better time as the striped ones are 1-7 ATS as favorites after squaring off with the Steelers, 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS as a pick or favorite of less than 7 points when coming off a Monday night game, and 0-4 ATS at home when coming off consecutive homers. Yes, the lowly Bears (3-9) are back in the running for the second pick in the draft after falling to the Niners at home last Sunday but we can t overlook the fact that they are 6-0 SU and ATS in their last six games against AFC North foes, and 16-3 SU and 15-4 ATS before facing Detroit, including 9-1 SUATS away. Our NFL Coaches League also suggests fading the Red Water Pistol (Cincy QB Andy Dalton) as Chicago head coach John Fox is a clever 10-6 SU and 11-5 ATS away when coming off a SU loss as a favorite and facing.500 or less opposition. Can you say Kodachrome? BUFFALO over Indianapolis by 4 Like the Bengals, the Bills (6-6) are also chasing the Jaguars and Ravens for an AFC Wild Card spot. They should be able to make up some ground in the next few weeks with Indy and Miami coming to town but with QB Tyrod Taylor day-to-day with a patella tendon contusion and Nathan Peterman (his QB play has gotten more laughs than J. Peterman) on standby, we re more in limbo than Chubby Checker. It s probably a good thing as our database reminds us that both squads bring surprisingly good numbers into this fray. The Colts are 15-5 SUATS following the Jags, including 7-1 ATS the last eight, 6-1 ATS off consecutive division games and 19-8 ATS as underdogs off a loss, including 15-1 ATS against non-division opposition. They are also 8-3 SUATS during the final four games of the season when playing with revenge against a foe coming off a loss. Not to be outdone, the Bills are 22-8 SUATS at home after facing the Pats, including 15-2 SU and 14-3 ATS as a favorite of 7 or fewer points, and an inhospitable 16-5 SU and ATS at home in this series since the Colts left Baltimore. Still, the hosts need a Taylor before we fit into this one. Pass for now. Seattle over JACKSONVILLE by 4 We know the Jags haven t been rags under 1st-year head coach Doug Marrone but the NFC West isn t where their games have been won as evidenced by an all-time 6-16 ATS mark, including 0-11 ATS the last 11 and 0-2 SUATS this season. And we can t see neither technical nor situational handicappers liking their chances today of besting the West. For starters, J-Town is 3-8 SU and 2-9 ATS at home all-time in division sandwiches. They are also 0-5 ATS at home in the middle of a 3-game home stand exact. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are ATS when coming off a win against the Eagles while QB Russell Wilson is 18-5 SU in December. As for the situational aspect, Marrone s men are tied for the division lead, have a comfortable 2-game lead over the final Wild Card spot (read: mulligan) and have a favorable remaining schedule with the season-ender at Tennessee likely deciding the AFC South. That s not the case for a Seattle squad that has less margin for error (a 1-game lead over Atlanta for the final playoff spot in the NFC) and a date with the divisionleading Rams and a trip to Dallas still on the docket. In other words, however you chose to handicap this matchup, the result is the same: Carroll s crew improves to 6-2 SUATS all-time in this series. A must take. page 3

4 KANSAS CITY over Oakland by 6 After opening the season 5-0 SUATS and a mortal lock to reach the playoffs, the Chiefs are now tied with the Raiders and Chargers for the AFC West lead. They still control their own destiny regarding the division with both Oakland and Los Angeles visiting Arrowhead the next two weeks but a 1-6 SUATS freefall now suggests it s division or bust. The numbers are conflicting as KC is 5-0 ATS at home after facing an AFC East opponent but 5-12 ATS in the first of consecutive division affairs, including 1-5 ATS at home. Meanwhile, the Raiders are 1-13 SU and 2-12 ATS away following consecutive wins but the series visitor is a comfortable 15-7 SU and 16-6 ATS since We could say that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is a dandy SU and ATS during December, including 7-2 ATS off a SU favorite loss, and be done with it. But we also remember that incredible Bye Week number that fell by the wayside following their woeful loss to the Giants after a week of rest. Nonetheless, we ll lean to the Chiefs as they make amends for a loss they suffered at Oakland in mid-october. 4 BEST BET CAROLINA over Minnesota by 10 If the Case isn t closed on who should be starting in Minnesota these days, then the Bridge-jumpers apparently haven t been watching a Vikings group that has reeled off eight straight wins and has basically locked up the NFC North. With that being said, we still don t trust Case Keenum as road chalk and his 1-4 ATS mark as a road favorite of 2 or more points attests to that. Yes, the Norsemen are a merry 17-5 ATS in their last 22 December duels but this is their third consecutive roadie and they re a tiring 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in this spot and we expect Cam and company to take full advantage! As it is, the Panthers are 6-1 ATS following an away game against a foe coming off an away game. And like the Jacksonville/Seattle contest, Minny has many more mulligans left in their bag than a Carolina crew that is fighting for their lives in the rugged NFC South. Even our NFL Coaches League sides with the Cats as head coach Ron Rivera is 17-8 SU and ATS versus non-division foes coming off an ATS win of 7 or more points. More importantly, the INCREDIBLE STAT OF THE WEEK resides in THE CLINCHER: the Carolina Panthers are 13-1 ATS during the final four games of the season against opponents coming off a SU underdog win. CLEVELAND over Green Bay by 3 We know the Browns bring some butt-ugly numbers into this fray (0-6 SUATS against foes coming off a win and 3-11 SU and 4-10 ATS all-time versus NFC North opponents, including 0-5 SUATS the last five) but if we re not willing to support Case Keenum in a road-favorite role, then we sure as hell aren t ready to back Brett Hundley. Yes, Green Bay is 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS away versus sub.500 opposition (thank you Mr. Rodgers) but they are just 1-5 ATS as non-division road favorites when coming off a win and facing winless opponents (where else can you get this kind of info?). The Packers are also 2-5 SU and 1-6 ATS versus sub.444 AFC North opposition and just 2-9 ATS versus less than.500 AFC foes in general. The feeling here is that this game or the one two weeks from now in Chicago is Cleveland s best chance of matching last season s 1-15 record (don t worry, Hue, sooner or later there will be a job opening in Cincy). We re betting on you this week especially having Josh Gordon weed-free as opposed to Brandon Weeden behind center. FYI: this from Mike Mains, our NFL guru who authors the NFL previews in the PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide magazine each year Cleveland is ATS with Gordon in the lineup, and ATS without him. Do it. HOUSTON over San Francisco by 8 Better learn how to spell the guy s name correctly: Jimmy Gar-opp-olo. Making his first start at QB for pitiful San Francisco last Sunday, Jimmy G wowed his teammates with a 26-for-37, 293-yard performance while leading the 49ers to a win over the Bears at Chicago. Just look at him, gushed WR Marquise Goodman. Some people are winners and he s a winner. Running back Carlos Hyde took it a step further when he said, He reminded me of a young Tom Brady out there. Yes, the Niners haven t had a locker room lovefest like that since Warren Beatty showed up a few years ago offering a Master Class in how to pick up women. And while we like Jimmy G and expect him to get more and more comfortable behind center for San Francisco, one victory does not a coronation make. Thus, we ll fade him off his first NFL win, especially since Frisco won the game with FIVE field goals and nary a touchdown. Meanwhile, it s been a hugely disappointing season for the 4-8 Texans, falling victim to NOTE: Home team is shown in ALL CAPS. PLAYBOOK selection is Underlined and Bold. Should we pass or not have a strong opinion on a game, neither team will be bolded. major injury problems and bad luck after reaching the AFC playoffs the past two years. And with two road games against division foes Jacksonville and Indianapolis sandwiched around a home game with bully Pittsburgh remaining on the docket, this looks like Houston s best shot to bag Win No. 5 before the season mercifully ends. It s a tall order, considering the Texans have won only once in their last six outings, but HC Bill O Brien stands 21-4 SU as a favorite, including 11-1 SU and 10-2 ATS versus non-division opponents. Compare that to San Fran s dismal 0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS failure following a win since 2014, and their equally awful 1-11 SU and ATS mark versus AFC foes. That s all we need to lay the field goal against a 49ers squad that averages only 16.8 PPG even if we have to go against Jimmy G. Washington over LA CHARGERS by 1 Okay, we ll actually admit to guffawing loudly when we saw the Chargers open as touchdown favorites over Washington. We think it s an overreaction to the Skins getting blown out at Dallas last Thursday and L.A. s 3-game win streak over Buffalo (the Great Nathan Peterman Experiment), a discombobulated Dallas squad reeling from the Ezekiel Elliott suspension, and the crumbling Cleveland Browns. In fact, Washington s defense acquitted itself well in other recent defeats, losing by 8 points to 10-2 Minnesota and 3 points to 9-3 New Orleans (although the Redskins did blow a 15-point lead late in the game to lose in OT against the Saints). Amazingly, QB Philip Rivers and company are tied atop the AFC West with Kansas City while compiling a mediocre 6-6 SU record in That means the pressure will increase exponentially for the Bolts here, who are just 3-10 SU and 2-11 ATS before facing the Chiefs. Meanwhile, Washington takes the field with a ATS mark away following a division game when facing an AFC West opponent, and a ATS record as a dog when coming off a loss to the Cowboys. With the Redskins offense gaining 415 yards against Minnesota and 460 yards versus New Orleans, we think they can keep the chains moving enough today to ring the ATS register. DENVER over NY Jets by 3 OMG. Is there any franchise in the NFL currently floundering worse that the sad-sack Broncos? Apparently not. Not when the crash-and-burn NY Jets have gone from 1-point dogs to 1-point chalk on Denver s home field! Broncos GM John Elway has almost exhausted any good will left among fans after presiding over the team s current 0-8 SUATS losing run. Note: Elway fired HC John Fox after a 12-5 season in 2014, then ditched Gary Kubiak after a year run that included a Super Bowl victory! Now he s stuck with rookie Vance Joseph, who along with his staff should start getting fitted for coffins after this year s disastrous 3-9 effort to date. Still, nothing is etched in stone when teams as bad as the Jets are involved. Would you believe 0-7 SUATS in their last seven away games against AFC West opponents? And let s not forget QB Josh McCown s 1-10 SU and 3-8 ATS mark away following a SU win. Denver can at least claim a 11-3 SU and ATS record as a home dog against.666 or less non-division foes while Bowles is just ATS as a road favorite with the Flyboys, with both wins coming against the Browns. Simply put, if the Broncos can t pull this one out in front of the home folks, they need to be put down. 5 BEST BET ARIZONA over Tennessee by 10 The Cardinals 2017 swoon has not been a big surprise. Before being injured and replaced by several second-rate journeymen at quarterback, Carson Palmer s career was essentially over, his confidence shattered ever since Arizona was blasted by Carolina in the 2015 NFC Championship game. The league also seems to have caught up with HC Bruce Arians play-calling tendencies, plus the Cards have been continually victimized by a disappointing offensive line that can neither open holes for running backs nor provide any sort of protection when the QB drops back to pass. Truth is, though, we probably wouldn t be so critical if Big Red hadn t let down in a big way in last week s drubbing at the hands of division foe Los Angeles. And since Zona is still mathematically alive to reach post-season play (how is that even possible?), we ll give the Cardinals one last shot before owner Bill Bidwill decides to clean house. The 8-4 Titans are tied with Jacksonville atop the AFC South but they ve had terrible luck following games against division foe Houston, going 2-9 SU and ATS away after tangling with the Texans. On the flip side, Arizona stands 19-5 SUATS as a home dog versus non-division foes, and a perfect 7-0 ATS with a losing record when coming off the Rams. Most important, our MIDWEEK ALERT reminds us that these two teams stats practically mirror one another, both offensively and defensively. The oddsmakers have noticed, tabbing Tennessee as a FG favorite instead of by the TD line many expected to see. Thus, it s now or never for beleaguered Cardinals boss Arians, who gets major support from THE CLINCHER: See this week s TRIVIA TEASER on page 2. page 4

5 Marc Lawrence s award-winning football selections are available all season long at: VegasINSIDER.com Philadelphia over LA RAMS by 6 Disparate results from last week set the stage for this huge NFC matchup after the Eagles were shot down by Seattle and the Rams ran roughshod over the Cardinals. But while Los Angeles has won six of its last seven contests to improve to 9-3 SU on the year, the Rams are just 3-2 SUATS in their new digs at the Coliseum. They also drag a raft of bad numbers into this fray: 4-11 SUATS against NFC East opponents since 2011, 1-6 SUATS from Game 7 out in division sandwiches, and 3-9 SU and ATS in this series, including 0-4 SUATS the last four games. While the Eagles may have gone down against the Seahawks, they actually outgained Russell Wilson and company, They re also 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS away following the Seahawks, and 15-6 SUATS away following an away game, including 13-2 SUATS from Game 6 out. We could go on but the bottom line here is we don t think Los Angeles can stack up with Philly in all phases of the game. With the visitors now 5-0 ATS with a.500 or greater record in the second of back-to-back NFC West games, look for the Eagles to return to their winning ways this afternoon in La-La Land. UPSET GAME OF THE WEEK UPSET NY GIANTS over Dallas by 3 Note to departed Giants head coach Ben McAdoo: it didn t work. After a solid 11-6 SU effort last season, McAdoo ditched his librarianwith-mustache-and-glasses look in favor of a new mafioso style hair slicked back with product, tough-guy stubble for his beard and mustache. And while the new look changed McAdoo s appearance to the point that he probably could ve crossed the border into North Korea without incident, it failed to resonate with his team: after debuting the new look, the Giants immediately dug themselves into a 0-5 hole that just got deeper as the season wore on. Now that owner John Mara has stepped in to give Ben the boot, the only question is what took so long? This from NFL statistical guru Warren Sharp: The Giants under McAdoo ranked 32nd worst in 1st downs, 30th in points scored, 29th in total yards, and 29th in time of possession. However, now that McAdufus is gone and Eli Manning is back behind center where he belongs, we expect a mini-rally of sorts from the New Yorkers in their final four games at least versus the pointspread. Interim HC Steve Spagnuolo is 13-8 ATS in his career versus.500 or less opponents, including 11-4 ATS when his team is coming off a loss. That should be enough to dry Eli s tears, along with the Cowboys money-burning ATS mark as division road favorites, including 3-13 ATS against foes coming off a loss. Yes, the Boys pummeled Washington last week, 38-14, but scored only 6, 9 and 7 points in their previous three games (all SU losses). Now Dallas is road chalk over a division rival? Hah! It s Big Blue or bust according to THE CLINCHER: NYG QB Eli Manning is ATS in December when the Giants are off consecutive losses, including ATS the last 14 games. PITTSBURGH over Baltimore by 10 Never let it be said that Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger isn t a team player. With his team trailing in a cold rain at Cincinnati last Monday night, Big Ben dropped back to pass on a crucial 3rd down play. And when he found his receivers covered, he did the unthinkable: he took off on one of the creakiest old-guy runs in recent memory, and somehow gained enough yards to keep the ball for four more plays. After that, it was essentially over for the Bungles, as the Steelers fought back from a 17-0 deficit to win on a field goal as time expired. The victory enabled Pittsburgh to join three other NFL teams with 10-2 records Minnesota, New England and Philadelphia (Steelers take on the Pats following tonight s division scrum with Baltimore). The Ravens arrive at Heinz Field with some serious momentum, having won four of their last five games while pitching two shutouts and not allowing more than 20 points in the other two victories. Unfortunately for coach John Harbaugh and his Black Birds, our MIDWEEK ALERT informs us that they were outyarded in all three contests since their Bye week. They re also a piddling ATS in this series when coming off a SUATS win, a number that wilts even more against the Steelers 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS success in their past eight Sunday Nighters. Toss in Pittsburgh s 16-1 SU and 12-5 ATS record at home following the Bengals when facing division foes, and it looks like the Ravens will get their wings clipped here. Monday, December 11 New England over MIAMI by 7 With the Patriots one of the hottest teams in the league winning AND covering six consecutive games you re probably not interested in lying down on the tracks as New England s runaway train gets closer. But the Brady Express is not bulletproof, and like most machines, needs its parts to be in working order to successfully continue the journey. Cue stud TE Rob Gronkowski, who was suspended for tonight s game after a vicious late hit on defenseless Buffalo CB Tre Davious White last Sunday. That loss figures to hurt New England here, especially with the Brady Bunch probably somewhat complacent after thrashing the Dolphins two weeks ago in Foxborough, Yes, the Patriots show up with their usual array of good numbers Brady is 25-2 SU in December versus.400 or less foes and the Pats are 12-2 ATS after allowing 3 or fewer points but the Dolphins actually showed signs of life last Sunday when they humiliated Denver, They ve also brought their best effort in recent series meetings at home against New England, cashing in four of the last five clashes. Need more? Miami owns a solid 9-1 ATS mark as a division home dog with revenge, and a losing record against.500 or better foes, plus a 7-2 ATS record as a double-digit underdog coming off a win, including 4-0 ATS versus foes off back-to-back wins. No, we re not going to call for the outright upset here (Dolphins now 1-7 SU in last eight games on Monday night) but we think the Patriots may be sneaking a look at next week s showdown with the Steelers for No. 1 seed positioning in the AFC playoff race. Must take doubles in this division payback. page 5

6 NCAA & NBA BASKETBALL Saturday, December 9 Marquette over WISCONSIN by 7 As good an avenging road dog as there is on the NCAA hardwood (40-21 ATS since 1991), the Golden Eagles are out for revenge here as last year s home loss to Wisconsin cost the men from Milwaukee a 20- win season. And it looks like there s no better time for payback as the Badgers are as barefoot as they ve been in recent memory with only one starter returning to Madison. In fact, Greg Gard s 4-5 group is in danger of snapping a 19-year NCAA Tournament streak, something that obviously never happened in the Bo Ryan era. However, even under Bo, the Badgers had trouble with Marquette, logging a 7-8 SU record, including 2-6 ATS as home favorites and 1-5 ATS the last six. Thus, the Eagles won t need much Badgering to come out and play tonight in Wisky. A must take. Wichita St over OKLAHOMA ST by 10 It s no surprise to find the Shockers storming out of the gate this season (6-1 at press time with their only setback a 1-point loss to Notre Dame in the Maui Invitational final) as Gregg Marshall s men are loaded, returning ALL five starters from last season s 31-win squad. Revenge from a home defeat as 7-point chalk to the Cowboys last year their ONLY HOME LOSS of the season is just icing on the cake tonight in Stillwater as Okie State, picked by the pundits to finish near the bottom of the rugged Big 12, figures to be another notch in Wichita s bedpost. Sure, the Cowboys are off to a 7-1 start, but they have feasted on a diet of cupcakes, including the likes of Houston Baptist, Austin Peay and Mississippi Valley State since Thanksgiving. That will not prepare them for a Shockers squad that is averaging 87 PPG on 50% shooting while limiting foes to 66 PPG and 36.1 % from the field. Hence, we ll back the visitors as they improve to 4-1 ATS in this matchup when arriving off back-to-back SU wins. OHIO U over W Kentucky by 16 Like their gridiron brethren who lost more than half of their starters to graduation and their head coach, Jeff Brohm, to Purdue, the cupboard is also bare for the WKU hoopsters as ZERO starters return to Bowling Green from last year s squad while 2nd-year head coach Rick Stansbury overhauled the coaching staff as well. Ironically, the Hilltoppers defeated Purdue on the hardwood in the Bahamas just before Thanksgiving but we don t think they have enough experience or cohesiveness at this time to win their first true road game of the season. Especially against an Ohio team that is led by one of the top 3-point shooters in the conference (JR G Jordan Dartis), and is seeking revenge from a loss they suffered last season as 7-point road chalk. Needless to say, we ll be Bobbing with the hosts who catch Rick s rookies at just the right time. Lay it AND play it. Friday, December 8 SAN ANTONIO over Boston by 14 Boston HC Brad Stevens may look like the guy who had sand kicked in his face in the old Charles Atlas comic book ads but he s proved he can hunt with the big dogs since leading the Celtics to a SU mark and an Atlantic Division title last season in his third year at the helm (lost to Cleveland in the playoff finals). Hey, we didn t even mention that Brad has his Celts playing like a bunch of scalded dogs so far in 2017, posting an NBAbest 21-4 record as of December 4. But even though the Beantown Boys are currently living the dream, they have a date with destiny against the true Zen Master of all NBA coaches, San Antonio s Gregg Popovich. Now in his 22nd season (think about that) with the Spurs, the 5-time NBA champ does not take it lightly when his team is embarrassed and embarrassed they were in a beatdown at Boston back on Halloween Eve. So after the Celtics have their way with lowly Dallas on Wednesday, payback will come due at the AT&T Center on Friday night. Fridays have been good to Pop and his squad as the Spurs have compiled an outstanding 17-3 SU and 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games on this day. We re not saying that Boston s earlier win over San Antonio was a fluke but realistically that victory snapped an 11-game series losing streak by the Celtics. With the Spurs 11-2 SU and ATS at home this season at press time and Boston playing its first road game after a 5-game home stand don t look for Brad to get the better of Pop tonight. NOTE: Home team is shown in ALL CAPS. PLAYBOOK selection is Underlined and Bold. Should we pass or not have a strong opinion on a game, neither team will be bolded. Marc Lawrence s award-winning football selections are available all season long at: VegasINSIDER.com Saturday, December 9 Philadelphia over CLEVELAND by 3 So much for all that LeBron wants out and the Cavs are done talk from earlier this season. It turns out that King James really wanted to kick ass and take names instead: Cleveland currently rides a red-hot 12-game SU winning streak and was last seen running the Bulls out of the United Center, But while LeBron and his buddies are back in their familiar position atop the Central Division, their resurgence actually brings a game like this into value playability. For one thing, the Sixers are 12-5 ATS the last 17 times they ve faced Cleveland, including 5-1 ATS with revenge from a loss of 7 or more points. That loss came last month as the Cavs visited the city of brotherly love and lowered the boom on the Sixers, bashing them by 22 points despite the fact that Philly was a 2.5-point favorite in the contest. Coming off a home loss to Phoenix on Monday with the Lakers on deck, we think the visitors will be much more at home tonight in a familiar underdog role. Philadelphia also catches Cleveland off a 17-point sameseason revenger at Indiana last night, one of only three defeats suffered by the Cavs since November 1. Hey, we ll even call for the outright win here as Joel Embiid and company find themselves in the right place at the right time. Grab the points. NEW YORK over Atlanta by 11 You knew it was too good to be true, right Knicks fans? Owners of a Big Apple Bulls-eye for years now, New York shook off a 0-3 start to the 2017 season to climb to 10-7 before a 1-5 SU losing skein (punctuated by a rout at Indiana) shoved the Knicks back under.500 at press time. Well, good news for New Yorkers: we re throwing you a much-needed bone here. Wait, didn t Atlanta beat the Knicks by a dozen points down south three weeks ago? Sure did, but when it comes to paying the bills for long-suffering NY backers, the Hawks are one of the few teams that has contributed to any SU and ATS success they ve enjoyed lately. The Knicks have cashed in six of the last seven meetings with the Hawks, including three straight on this court, and they own a whipsmart 12-2 SU and 13-1 ATS mark when playing with same-season double-digit loss revenge versus Atlanta. Bad timing for the Birds, too, as they show up here after back-to-backers with Orlando, and they re a ATS long term fade as dogs after Magic meetings. Fact: without Carmelo around to harsh everyone s buzz, the Knicks are a much-improved ATS at home this season. Again. 2-MINUTE HOOPS HANDICAP (All Stats are ATS - Against The Spread - unless noted otherwise) TEAMS, KEY FACTS, STATS & ATS TRENDS Friday, December 8 NBA Hornets: ATS with same season revenge vs Bulls Cavaliers: 4-0 ATS on Fridays this season Warriors: 3-8 ATS with same season revenge vs Pistons Pelicans: 6-2 SUATS vs Kings. COLLEGE Oklahoma: 0-2 ATS away vs PAC-12. Saturday, December 9 NBA Heat: 10-1 SUATS vs Nets, including 6-0 at Brooklyn Lakers: ATS as dogs vs Hornets Knicks: 5-0 SUATS vs Bulls Bulls: 0-4 ATS on Saturdays this season Jazz: 12-2 ATS vs Bucks, and 5-0 ATS on Saturdays this season. COLLEGE Duke: 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS vs Eagles Minnesota: ATS vs SEC Alabama: ATS vs PAC-12, including 7-0 L7. NBA Kings: 17-3 SU and ATS home vs Raptors Pacers: ATS vs Nuggets 76ers: 0-3 SUATS with no rest vs Pelicans. COLLEGE Arizona State: 5-0 ATS vs Big 12. page 6

7 WISE GUYS CONTEST A $10,000 Contest Sponsored by PLAYBOOK.com Now in its 31st year, the WISE GUYS CONTEST is a $10,000 winnerstake-all handicapping event sponsored by PLAYBOOK.com. All plays are graded against the lines posted after 4:00 PM Mondays on the WISE GUYS CONTEST page at PLAYBOOK.com. Each week below we'll post Single Plays from the Top 20 point-earners. Following the play is their overall Win-Loss record / Double Play record / Total Points earned to date. Below are the current Top 20 Contestants from the 2017 Wise Guys Contest (three others with 20 pts not shown) One Point Single Plays Listed Andy Iskoe thelogicalapproach.com Billy Coleman billy2313@sbcglobal.net Billy The Kid Bob Dietz integritysports@aol.com Brad Powers Doc s Sports docsports.com JH-Sportsline jhsportsline.com Joe Lisi goforthe2.com Joe Nelson nellysports.com Ken Thomson sportsxradio.com FALCONS (pick) CARDINALS (+3) JAGUARS (-3.5) Sea-Jax OVER 39.5 FALCONS (pick) SEAHAWKS (+3.5) BRONCOS (+1.5) Sea-Jax OVER ERS (+2) SEAHAWKS (+3.5) / / 23 pts / / 25 pts / 7-6 / 20 pts 18-8/ 8-5 / 26 pts / 8-5 / 22 pts / 7-6* / 21 pts / / 22 pts / *7-6 / 25 pts / 6-7 / 21 pts / 8-5* / 24 pts Marc Lawrence Mike Muzyka mjmsportsline.com Richard Witt Special K Sports specialksports.com Stan Lisowski Statfox Dave statfox.com Stormin Norman freesportsinfo.com TD Tony ashnetwork.com Universal Sports Weekly Wizard EAGLES (+2.5) BROWNS (+3.5) RAVENS (+6.5) SEAHAWKS (+3.5) EAGLES (+2.5) TEXANS (-2) RAVENS (+6.5) EAGLES (+2.5) CHARGERS (-6.5) PACKERS (-3.5) / 8-5 / 23 pts / 8-5 / 22 pts / 7-6 / 20 pts / *10-3 / 26 pts / / 23 pts / 7-6 / 22 pts / / 22 pts / 6-7 / 20 pts / 11-2 / 23 pts / 9-3 / 24 pts GAME MATCHUPS New Orleans ATLANTA Detroit TAMPA BAY Chicago CNCINNATI Indianapolis BUFFALO Seattle JACKSONVILLE Oakland KANSAS CITY Minnesota CAROLINA Green Bay CLEVELAND THE 2-MINUTE HANDICAP: O/U STYLE AN 'OVER / UNDER' REPORT ON THIS WEEK'S NFL CARD BY VICTOR KING The first 8 games of the NFL schedule are listed below. As always, the number listed first is the OVER and the number listed second is the UNDER. *This week s Playbook O/U TREND play: Jaguars OVER the TOTAL NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE WEEK FOURTEEN KEY OVER/UNDER STATS 2-0 O/U vs Atl LY (73.5 ppg) O/U as fav/dog 3 < pts... but 0-5 O/U Thursdays O/U aft Car O/U L4 div RG 4-0 O/U L4 div HG O/U bef Mon gm... but 0-3 O/U aft Min O/U aft score 10 < pts O/U bef TBay 5-0 O/U bef Sat gm O/U vs NFC South O/U off SU loss 20 > pts O/U L5 vs TB (48.8)... but 2-6 O/U as RF s 5-0 O/U home off OT loss O/U in 1st of BB HG O/U vs NFC North O/U bef Atl... but 1-5 O/U aft GBay 3-0 O/U bef Sat gm O/U vs AFC North O/U vs opp off Mon gm O/U L12 non-conf RG O/U bef Det 5-0 O/U vs NFC North O/U Gm but 0-4 O/U in 3rd straight HG O/U off div HG O/U aft Mon gm 9-1 O/U aft Jac O/U away vs AFC East O/U in 2nd of BB RG... but 1-5 O/U L6 vs Buf (36.5) O/U bef Thur gm 4-0 O/U aft NEng O/U in 2nd of BB HG O/U bef Mia O/U aft score < 7 pts... but 1-8 O/U Gm O/U L11 non-conf RG O/U aft allow 10 < pts O/U vs Jac (46.2) O/U as non-div RD s 6-0 O/U vs NFC West O/U Gm O/U bef Hou O/U home aft allow 10 < Pts O/U vs.650 > opp 4-1 O/U aft NYG... but 0-6 O/U L6 div RG O/U Gm O/U off non-conf HG O/U L4 vs KC (42.8) 3-1 O/U L4 div HG O/U bef Sat gm... but 0-4 O/U in 1st of 3 straight HG O/U Gm O/U bef LAC 3-0 O/U aft Atl O/U aft allow 10 < pts O/U Gm but 0-8 O/U away vs NFC South O/U 2nd of BB RG 4-0 O/U bef GB O/U aft NOrl... but 0-3 O/U L3 home vs Min (36.7) O/U L9 as HD s O/U Gm O/U in 1st of BB RG O/U L4 non-conf RG O/U bef Car... but 0-2 O/U L2 vs Cle (39.0) O/U Gm O/U vs NFC North... but 0-10 O/U L10 home games O/U bef Balt O/U Gm O/U aft LAC page 7

8 THIS WEEK'S BEST BETS FOR WEEK ENDING MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2017 NFL UPSET GAME 3 BEST BET A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STAR-RATED BEST BET SELECTIONS 4 BEST BET 5 BEST BET FALCONS PANTHERS CARDINALS GIANTS SUBSCRIBE TO PLAYBOOK TODAY: Your purchase of the information in this publication is intended strictly for the private use of the subscriber and/or purchaser. The redistribution of any portion of this information, in any form, without the express written consent of Preferred Picks (or Playbook or Playbook.com ) is strictly prohibited and is subject to the laws of the jurisdictions involved COLLEGE & PRO FOOTBALL - DECEMBER 7-11 Listed next to the games below are two entries: OL is the SportsOptions.com opening line on the contest and PB is the PLAYBOOK margin. You have a PLAYBOOK Recommendation whenever our predicted margin of victory is 6 or more points off the opening line. Remember, opening lines are subject to change so always check YOUR CURRENT LINE against the PLAYBOOK line to determine a final play THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 NEW ORLEANS 8:25 PM ATLANTA NBC 2 10 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9 ARMY 3:00 PM (Philadelphia) NAVY CBS 3 3 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 DETROIT TAMPA BAY CHICAGO CINCINNATI All times listed are Eastern Standard Time Games in Official International Rotation sequence Dates & times subject to change OL PB OL PB OL PB NL INDIANAPOLIS BUFFALO SEATTLE 4:25 PM TIME CHANGE JACKSONVILLE OAKLAND KANSAS CITY MINNESOTA CAROLINA GREEN BAY CLEVELAND SAN FRANCISCO HOUSTON WASHINGTON 4:05 PM LA CHARGERS NL NY JETS 4:05 PM DENVER TENNESSEE 4:05 PM ARIZONA PHILADELPHIA 4:25 PM LA RAMS DALLAS TIME CHANGE NY GIANTS BALTIMORE 8:30 PM PITTSBURGH NBC MONDAY, DECEMBER NEW ENGLAND 134 8:30 MIAMI ESPN page 8