--Most sports books are listing Pittsburgh (7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread) as a six-point favorite with a total of 31. Gamblers can back the Bears to win outright for a plus-200 payoff (bet $100 to win $200).
--The Steelers can't afford a loss in this spot, especially after last week's 38-31 home loss to division-leading Cincinnati. They failed to cover the number as three-point favorites. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for three touchdown passes, but also tossed three costly interceptions, more than half of his season total (5) for picks. Hines Ward was brilliant in the losing effort, hauling in nine receptions for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
--Chicago (9-3 SU, 8-3-1 ATS) is riding high with an eight-game winning streak. The Bears have won three of their five road games, compiling a 3-1-1 spread record in the process.
--Lovie Smith's team captured a 19-7 win over Green Bay last week, notching the pointspread cover as a seven-point 'chalk.' Cornerback Nathan Vasher intercepted a Brett Favre pass and took it back to the house 45 yards to put the game away late.
--Despite the eight-game winning streak, there's a major QB controversy brewing in the Windy City. Rex Grossman has recovered from his broken ankle in the pre-season and has been listed as the No. 3 emergency QB the last two weeks. The Florida product got 20 percent of the snaps in practice this week and will be the No. 2 guy at Pittsburgh. Orton is off his second-worst game as a pro, completing only 6-of-17 passes for 68 yards and one interception. Smith and offensive coordinator Ron Turner didn't come out and say Orton's job was on the line, but neither did anything to discredit the notion, either. Remember, the Bears are dead last in the NFL in passing and 31st (out of 32 teams) in third-down conversions.
--Roethlisberger is one of only three QBs in the NFL with a passer rating better than 100 (101.3). He has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,702 yards, with 13 TDs and five interceptions. He has several nagging injuries right now, including a bad thumb on his throwing hand. Charlie Batch, listed as a question mark, is likely to move up to No. 2 at QB this week ahead of aging veteran Tommy Maddox.
--How good is Hines Ward? Not only is he one of the best blocking WRs in football, but he's also caught at least one pass in 115 consecutive games.
--Pittsburgh has uncharacteristically lost thee home games this year. Bill Cowher's club is just 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS at Heinz Field.
--Pittsburgh OT Matt Starks struggled mightily in last week's loss to Cincy. He'll have his hands full Sunday with his former college teammate, Chicago DE Alex Brown, who is most likely en route to his first Pro-Bowl appearance. Starks is "questionable" with a shoulder injury, but he participated fully in practices on Wednesday and Thursday. Don't expect him to miss this game, although his struggles are likely to continue.
--Chicago safety Mike Brown was added to the injury report Friday as "questionable," but according to Saturday's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times, the team doesn't think Brown will play due to a left calf injury that left him hobbling Friday in a walking boot. Brown is third on the team in tackles (89) and interceptions (3). Todd Johnson is expected to start if Brown is absent.
--The Bears will also be without two more starters, safety Chris Harris and OG Terrance Metcalf. Roberto Garza, an off-and-on starter for the Falcons the last few years, will sub for Metcalf, who is "out" with a shoulder injury.
--The 'under' has been a serious money maker for the Bears all year long, posting a 9-2-1 record. The 'under' is 3-1-1 when they go on the road. On the flip side, the 'over' has cashed at a 6-0 clip when the Steelers lace 'em up at Heinz Field.
**Buccaneers at Panthers**
--Most spots have installed Carolina (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS) as a 5 1/2-point favorite with a 36 1/2-point tally. The Buccaneers are plus 190 on the money line.
--The Panthers are in sole possession of first place in the NFC South, one game ahead of the Bucs and two ahead of Atlanta.
--Carolina beat Michael Vick for the first time ever last week, pulling away from the Falcons in the fourth quarter for a 24-6 win as a three-point 'chalk.' It was just the second win for the Panthers in their last 11 games against Atlanta. RB DeShaun Foster gained 131 yards on the ground, including a late touchdown dash that put the game out of reach.
--John Fox's squad has won eight of its last nine games. For the year, the Panthers are 5-1 SU at home, 4-2 ATS.
--Tampa Bay (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS) has won four of its six road games, compiling a 3-3 spread record. The Bucs are off a 10-3 win at New Orleans as 3 1/2-point favorites. Chris Simms hit Joey Galloway for a first-half touchdown pass and that was all the Bucs would need. Cornerback Rhonde Barber made three interceptions of the four Aaron Brooks threw to the team in pewter.
--With RB Stephen Davis suffering from a number of nagging injuries that have seemingly slowed him all year, Foster has emerged as the go-to back. Gamblers should expect Foster to get most of the touches this week and barring injury, for the rest of the season.
--Jon Gruden's team has been an underdog just twice this year, winning outright in both of those spots. The Bucs were six-point 'dogs at Minnesota and at Atlanta, beating the Vikings 24-13 in Week 1 while knocking off the Falcons 30-27 three weeks ago.
--The 'under' is 8-4 overall for the Bucs, 5-1 in their road assignments.
--The 'under' is 3-2 for the Panthers at home.
**Rams at Vikings**
--Most books have marked Minnesota (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) as a seven-point 'chalk' with a total of 45. Gamblers can back the Rams on the money line for a plus-250 payoff.
--St. Louis (5-7 SU, 4-8 ATS) has lost three of its last four games to fall out of playoff contention. The Rams are off a 24-9 home loss to Washington as three-point underdogs.
--With Brad Johnson as the starting quarterback, Minnesota has won five in a row to put itself into NFC mix for a playoffs spot. The Vikings won at Detroit last week by a 21-16 count, cashing tickets for bettors backing Minny as a 2 1/2-point 'chalk.' The 'under' cashed for the Vikings for the fourth straight time.
--Johnson threw for a pair of TD tosses at Detroit, including an 80-yard scoring strike to Koren Robinson, who finished with four catches for 148 yards.
--While Daunte Culpepper had a touchdown-interception ratio of 6/12 before suffering a season-ending injury, Johnson has posted an 8/2 ratio. The FSU product, who was mostly a back-up to Casey Weldon in college (when he wasn't stroking 3-pointers for Pat Kennedy's hoops team, that is), has completed 61.1 percent of his throws for 1,101 yards.
--The Rams have lost four of their six road games both SU and ATS.
--St. Louis has seen the 'over' cash at an 8-4 clip overall, 4-2 in its road games.
--The 'under' is 9-3 overall for the Vikings, 3-2 for their home games.
**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**
--Our friends at Sportsbook.com have released an early line for Super Bowl XL. The offshore website has the AFC representative listed as an 11 1/2-point favorite.
--The Colts are now the overwhelming 'chalk' with 2/3 odds to win it all.
--Seattle is 11/1, Carolina is 14/1, New York is 16/1 and Chicago is 18/1. (All of those numbers provided by Sportsbook.com.)
--The Eagles are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games. I'll be surprised if they show much fight down the stretch.
--New England has won nine of its last 10 head-to-head meetings against Buffalo. The 'under' is 12-1 in the last 13 games between these long-time division adversaries.
--Since 2003, the Patriots are 26-12-1 ATS when listed as favorites.
--Do you know who owns the all-time record for free-throw percentage at Florida State in college hoops? That would be Brad Johnson. He told me and John Michaels (fellow VI 'capper) that about a dozen times while taking our cash shooting hoops and downing Budweisers at (the now-defunct) Doc's Sports Bar on Tennessee Street in Tallahassee in the mid-1990s.
**Washington at Arizona**
-- Washington (6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) kept its playoffs hopes alive last week after ripping St. Louis 24-9 as a three-point road favorite.
-- The Redskins’ victory on the road was just their second of the season since the team was fortunate to beat Dallas 14-13 on Sept. 19. Last week’s win could be viewed lucky as well, considering they defeated the banged up Rams and rookie quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
-- Washington’s defense is holding opponents to 298 YPG on the season, ranked ninth overall. The ‘under’ has cashed in five of the last six games for the Skins and the total is 3-3 on the year.
-- After this game, Joe Gibbs and company finish the year with three crucial games against the NFC East, starting with Dallas at home next Sunday.
-- Arizona (4-8 SU, 4-8 ATS) is off a win last Sunday as a 3 ½-point road favorite against San Francisco, 17-10. The combined 27 points never threatened the closing total of 44.
-- The Cardinals have not won back-to-back games all year and the four victories have come against the hapless Titans (3-9), Rams (5-7) and the Niners (2-10) twice.
-- Calling the Cards one-dimensional is an understatement. The club is ranked first with 280 yards per game through the air, but last in rushing at 69.4 YPG.
-- ‘Zona was known to play better in the desert, but this year’s team is 2-4 both SU and ATS.
-- After seeing the ‘over’ go 8-2 in the first 10 games, the ‘under’ has cashed in Arizona’s last two contests.
**N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia**
-- New York (8-4 SU, 8-3 ATS) opened up a one-game lead in the NFC East last Sunday by stopping Dallas 17-10 as a three-point home favorite. The Giants opened up a 17-0 lead early in the third quarter and held off the Cowboys’ comeback.
-- The Giants have been labeled as inconsistent this year, which isn’t a fair label. The G-Men did get blown out by San Diego (45-23) in Week 3, but the other three losses were by a combined nine points. In fact, two of those three setbacks came in overtime.
-- N.Y. is only as good as its second-year quarterback Eli Manning. If Eli performs well, then so do the Giants. He’s completed less than 57 percent in all four losses and been picked off six times as well.
-- New York snapped a four-game losing streak to Philadelphia on Nov. 20 with a 27-17 win as a seven-point home favorite. Manning completed 65 percent of his passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
-- The Giants are technically 2-3 SU and 3-1-1 ATS on the road, but they beat the Saints (27-10) on Sept. 19 in New Jersey due to the rescheduling created by Hurricane Katrina.
-- This is a must-win game for Tom Coughlin’s team with Kansas City visiting Giants Stadium next Sunday before closing the year with a two-game road trip against Washington and Oakland.
-- Philadelphia (5-7 SU, 3-9 ATS) officially packed its bags last Monday. The Eagles were embarrassed as four-point home underdogs on MNF to Seattle, 42-0.
-- The Eagles surrendered three defensive touchdowns and allowed the Seahawks to set up another touchdown with an interception. Seattle led 35-0 at the break.
-- Quarterback Mike McMahon gets the start again this week after getting yanked last Monday in the second quarter. The former Rutgers’ grad completed 4-of-10 passes for 61 yards to go with two interceptions returned for scores.
-- The Eagles are 4-2 SU at home, but just 2-4 ATS. The ‘under’ is 3-2.
-- Five of the last six meetings between these two teams have gone ‘under’ the total.
**San Francisco at Seattle**
-- It’s safe to say that San Francisco (2-10 SU, 5-7 ATS) was on the clock for the first pick in the NFL Draft before the season even started.
-- The 49ers dropped its fifth consecutive game last Sunday as a four-point home underdog to Arizona, 17-10. The club’s effort is still present, considering they lost to the Cardinals by 17 (31-14) in Week 4.
-- San Francisco has been dominated by Seattle, losing five in a row to the ‘Hawks, including a 27-25 setback on Nov. 20. The Niners did save face with a backdoor cover as 12 ½-point home ‘dogs.
-- The Niners are allowing 35 points per game on the road this year en route to a 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS mark. The ‘over’ is 4-1.
-- Seattle (10-2 SU, 7-5 ATS) extended its winning streak to eight games last Monday after demolishing Philadelphia 42-0 as a four-point road favorite. The 42 points barely slipped ‘over’ the closing total of 41 ½ in some spots.
-- The Seahawks have seen the ‘over’ go 6-0 on the road with Monday’s winning ticket, but the ‘under’ is 4-2 at home.
-- Mike Holmgren’s team is 5-3 versus the number during this streak.
-- The Seahawks own an impressive 6-0 SU and 4-2 ATS record at home.
-- Considering Seattle has the Niners (2-10), Titans (3-9) and Packers (2-10) in three of its final four games, you can make a case that the NFC playoffs will go through the Great Northwest. The other contest not mentioned is against Indianapolis (12-0) in Week 16.
**Kansas City at Dallas**
-- Kansas City (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS) extended its winning streak to three games last Sunday by defeating Denver 31-27 as a one-point home ‘dog. The combined 58 points easily eclipsed the closing total of 46 ½.
-- The Chiefs are 3-0 ATS during this stretch and have covered four of their last five games.
-- Running back Larry Johnson tallied his fifth straight 100-yard rushing game after posting 140 yards and two scores against the Broncos. Johnson has ripped off 790 total yards in the last five games.
-- Kansas City is averaging 371 YPG of total offense, ranked first in the league. However, the defensive unit is giving up 333 YPG, ranked 27th in the league.
-- Despite the fireworks on offense lately for the Chiefs, the ‘under’ has prevailed to a 7-5 overall mark, including 4-2 on the road.
-- This will be the first of a two-game road trip for Kansas City before traveling to the N.Y. Giants next Sunday.
-- Dallas (7-5 SU, 4-7 ATS) suffered its second straight loss last Sunday as a three-point road underdog to the Giants, 17-10.
-- Bill Parcells’ troops just can’t catch a break this year, losing five games by a combined 20 points. Sure, they were fortunate to beat Philadelphia 21-20 on Nov. 14 in a Monday Night contest, but missed field goals, injuries and turnovers have cost them dearly.
-- The Cowboys are 4-2 SU and 3-2-1 ATS at Texas Stadium, while the ‘under’ has notched a 4-2 mark.
-- Dallas has been unable to crank out the running game this year, averaging 3.3 YPC. Surprisingly, the Cowboys are still ranked second in the league with 406 carries.
-- Following this game, the ‘Boys travel to Washington next Sunday for what could be a preliminary playoff game.
-- These two clubs haven’t faced each other since 1998, but the home team is a perfect 5-0 both SU and ATS in the last five meetings.
**Patriots at Bills**
–Las Vegas Sports Consultants installed New England as a 3 1/2-point road ‘chalk’ over Buffalo, with the total set at 37. This AFC East matchup is scheduled to kickoff at 1:00 p.m. ET, with CBS Sports providing the coverage.
–New England (7-5 straight up, 5-7 against the spread) improved to 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS its last four outings after dumping the New York Jets last weekend as a 10-point home favorite, 16-3. The combined 19 points never seriously threatened the 40 1/2-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash the fourth game in a row.
–The Patriots finished the game with advantages in first downs (24-12), rushing yards (146-41), passing yards (251-123), turnovers forced (1-0) and time of possession (38:10-21:50).
–Quarterback Tom Brady was 27-of-37 passing for 271 yards, while running back Cory Dillon had 16 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. Wideouts Troy Brown (five catches for 64 yards), Deion Branch (five receptions for 44 yards) and David Givens (five catches for 27 yards) all contributed in the victory.
–Buffalo (4-8 SU, 6-6 ATS) has dropped three consecutive games SU after falling to Miami last weekend as a five-point road underdog, 24-23. The combined 47 points eclipsed the 35-point closing total.
–The Bills jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead, and could only manage a safety after that. Buffalo still had a chance to win, but the Dolphins capped a 21-point fourth quarter with a touchdown pass in the last seconds.
–Signal caller J.P. Losman completed 13-of-26 passes for 224 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while Willis McGahee ran 27 times for 81 yards. Wide receiver Lee Evans stepped up with five receptions for 117 yards and three scores.
–New England is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS the previous four encounters with the Bills after prevailing Oct. 30 as a 10-point home ‘chalk,’ 21-16. The combined 37 points failed to topple the 44-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 8-1 the last nine games in this series.
–New England offensive tackle Nick Kaczur (shoulder), tight end Daniel Graham (shoulder) and fullback Patrick Pass (hamstring) are ‘questionable’ versus the Bills.
–Buffalo wide receiver Eric Moulds is suspended for this contest and will not play, while offensive guard Chris Villarrial (hamstring), offensive tackle Mike Williams (back) and tight end Mark Campbell (hamstring) are ‘questionable’ against the Patriots.
–New England follows this contest with a home date versus Tampa Bay before traveling to take on the New York Jets. Buffalo hosts Denver next weekend before ending the season with road games against Cincinnati and the New York Jets.
–Sunday’s forecast for Buffalo calls for snow showers, with a high of 35 degrees and a low of 24.
**Colts at Jaguars**
–LVSC has Indianapolis as an eight-point road favorite over Jacksonville, with the total listed at 42 ½. CBS Sports will provide coverage of this AFC South game beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.
–Indianapolis (12-0 SU, 9-3 ATS) continued its winning ways by throttling Tennessee last weekend as a 15 1/2-point home ‘chalk,’ 35-3. The combined 38 points failed to topple the 50-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ occur the second game in a row. The Colts have covered their last three matchups.
–Indianapolis was never threatened in the game, and finished with advantages in first downs (21-17) and rushing yards (105-40), while trailing in passing yards (220-187) and time of possession (32:57-27:03).
–Signal caller Peyton Manning was 13-of-17 passing for 187 yards with three touchdowns, and running back Edgerrin James had 28 carries for 107 yards and a score. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
–Jacksonville (9-3 SU, 7-4 ATS) is riding a five-game SU winning streak after holding off Cleveland last weekend as a three-point road favorite, 20-14. The combined 34 points went ‘over’ the 31 1/2-point closing total. Ironically this total opened at 35 points, but was bet down.
–The Jaguars entered halftime on the short end of a 14-3 score, but prevailed by scoring 17 points in the third quarter. Jacksonville ended the contest with advantages in first downs (17-15) and rushing yards (135-98).
–Quarterback David Garrard completed 11-of-20 passes for 116 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and Greg Jones stepped up with 27 carries for 103 yards. Wide receiver Jimmy Smith had three catches for 49 yards and a score in the victory.
–Indianapolis held off Jacksonville Sept. 18 as a nine-point home favorite, 10-3, while the combined 13 points never seriously threatened the 47 1/2-point closing total. The Colts are 5-2 SU, but 2-5 ATS their last seven meetings with the Jaguars.
–Indianapolis linebacker Cato June (groin) and cornerback Nick Harper (groin) are ‘questionable’ against the Jaguars, while strong safety Joseph Jefferson (knee) is expected to miss the game.
–Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich (ankle) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, while center Brad Meester (bicep) is expected to miss this game. Running back Fred Taylor (ankle) is ‘questionable’ versus the Colts.
–Indianapolis hosts San Diego next weekend before traveling to Seattle. Jacksonville hosts San Francisco following this contest before going to Houston.
–Sunday’s forecast for Jacksonville calls for partly cloudy skies, with a high of 61 degrees and a low of 33.
**Browns at Bengals**
–LVSC opened Cincinnati as a 12 1/2-point home ‘chalk’ over Cleveland, with the total set at 43. This AFC North contest is set to start at 1:00 p.m. ET, with CBS Sports providing coverage.
–Cleveland (4-8 SU, 5-7 ATS) has dropped back-to-back games both SU and ATS after Sunday’s setback to Jacksonville as a three-point home underdog, 20-14. The combined 34 points went ‘over’ the 31 1/2-point closing total, ending back-to-back ‘under’ outings.
–Quarterback Charlie Frye was 13-of-20 passing for 226 yards with two touchdowns, while running back Reuben Droughns had 30 carries for 88 yards. Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards caught five passes for 86 yards and two scores before leaving the game with a season-ending knee injury.
–Cincinnati (9-3 SU, 7-4 ATS) has won consecutive contests both SU and ATS after outlasting Pittsburgh last weekend as a three-point road underdog, 38-31. The combined 69 points soared ‘over’ the 41-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the third game in a row.
–The Bengals inched closer to their first division championship in 15 years after leading the Steelers in rushing yards (102-95) and turnovers forced (4-0). Cincinnati did trail Pittsburgh in first downs (28-21) and passing yards (379-222).
–Quarterback Carson Palmer was 22-of-38 passing for 227 yards with three touchdowns, and running back Rudi Johnson had 21 carries for 98 yards and a pair of scores. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had five catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns, while Chad Johnson contributed with five receptions for 54 yards.
–The Bengals have won the last two meetings with the Browns both SU and ATS after prevailing Sept. 11 as a four-point road favorite, 27-13. The combined 40 points went ‘under’ the 45-point closing total, ending back-to-back ‘over’ outings in this series.
–Cleveland quarterback Trent Dilfer (knee) is ‘questionable’ versus the Bengals, while backup Charlie Frye is expected to start. Defensive end Orpheus Roye (knee), linebacker Andra Davis (concussion), running back Reuben Droughns (knee), cornerback Michael Lehan (hamstring), free safety Brodney Pool (ankle) and offensive guard Joe Andruzzi (calf) are ‘questionable.’
–Cincinnati center Eric Ghiaciuc (undisclosed), linebacker Nate Webster (knee) and defensive end Duane Clemons (ribs) are ‘questionable’ against the Browns, while defensive tackle Bryan Robinson (foot) is expected to miss.
–The Browns travel to Oakland next weekend before closing out the regular season with home games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The Bengals go to Detroit following this contest before returning home to tackle Buffalo.
–Cincinnati’s Sunday forecast calls for snow showers, with a high of 36 degrees and a low of 24.
**Dolphins at Chargers**
–Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened San Diego as a 13 1/2-point home ‘chalk’ over Miami, with the total set at 45. CBS Sports will provide coverage of this contest starting at 4:15 p.m. ET.
–Miami (5-7 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) has put together back-to-back SU victories after dropping three games in a row. The Dolphins continued their modest winning streak by rallying past Buffalo Sunday as a five-point home favorite, 24-23. The combined 47 points eclipsed the 35-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to occur their second game in a row.
–Miami prevailed after scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, capped by a four-yard touchdown strike with just six seconds remaining. The Dolphins led the Bills in first downs (26-16) and passing yards (361-202).
–Signal caller Sage Rosenfels was 22-of-37 passing for 272 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while Gus Frerotte was 12-of-28 for 115 yards. Ricky Williams paced the ground game with 11 carries for 46 yards, and wide receiver Chris Chambers had an incredible game with 15 catches for 238 yards with a score.
–San Diego (8-4 SU, 8-3 ATS) is enjoying a five-game SU winning streak (4-1 ATS) after pounding Oakland last weekend as a 12-point home ‘chalk,’ 34-10. The combined 44 points failed to eclipse the 51-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 6-2 its last eight outings.
–The Chargers were ahead by just a touchdown at halftime, but dominated the second half to the tune of 17-0. San Diego finished the contest with advantages in first downs (19-16), rushing yards (126-81), turnovers forced (2-0) and time of possession (34:38-25:22).
–Signal caller Drew Brees completed 17-of-22 passes for 160 yards with two touchdowns, while LaDainian Tomlinson ran 25 times for 86 yards and had five receptions for 24 yards. Tight end Antonio Gates accounted for four receptions for 51 yards with a score.
–The Dolphins are 2-0 both SU and ATS the previous two encounters with the Chargers after winning the latest meeting in 2003 as a 6 1/2-point road ‘chalk,’ 26-10. The combined 36 points went ‘under’ the 38 1/2-point closing total.
–Miami quarterback Gus Frerotte (concussion) is ‘probable’ against the Chargers, along with defensive end Jason Taylor (leg) and linebacker Zach Thomas (ankle). Wide receiver Bryan Gilmore (neck), wide receiver Marty Booker (ankle) and offensive tackle Anthony Alabi (elbow) are ‘questionable.’
–San Diego offensive tackle Roman Oben (foot) is ‘questionable’ versus the Dolphins.
–Miami hosts the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans the next two weeks. San Diego has a two-game road trip following this contest against Indianapolis and Kansas City.
–Sunday’s forecast for San Diego calls for partly cloudy skies, with a high of 67 degrees and a low of 48.
**Ravens at Broncos**
–LVSC lists Denver as a 14-point home favorite over Baltimore, with the total set at 40. This contest is scheduled to kickoff at 4:15 p.m. ET, with CBS Sports providing coverage.
–Baltimore (4-8 both SU and ATS) slipped past Houston last weekend as a 7 1/2-point home ‘chalk,’ 16-15, while the combined 31 points went ‘under’ the 38-point closing total. The Ravens are just 1-4 ATS their past five outings.
–Baltimore pulled out the victory after kicker Matt Stover connected on a 38-yard field goal with just six seconds remaining. The Ravens finished the game leading the Texans only in passing yards (165-133).
–Quarterback Kyle Boller was 17-of-33 passing for 198 yards, while Chester Taylor ran 11 times for 40 yards. Wide receiver Mark Clayton stepped up with seven receptions for 86 yards, and tight end Todd Heap accounted for three catches for 51 yards.
–Denver (9-3 SU, 8-3 ATS) had won four games in a row SU and six consecutive ATS before falling to Kansas City last weekend as a one-point road underdog, 31-27. The combined 58 points toppled the 46 1/2-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 7-1 its last eight games.
–The Broncos finished the contest trailing the Chiefs in first downs (24-19), rushing yards (168-131) and time of possession (32:27-27:33), while leading in passing yards (276-253) and turnovers forced (3-2).
–Quarterback Jake Plummer was 18-of-29 passing for 276 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, while Mike Anderson ran 13 times for 37 yards and a score. Veteran wide receiver Rod Smith caught six passes for 79 yards in the setback.
–The Ravens are 3-0 both SU and ATS the previous three encounters with the Broncos after winning in 2003 as a 2 1/2-point home ‘chalk,’ 26-6. The combined 32 points failed to eclipse the 36-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 2-1 in this series.
–Baltimore offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo , offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden (hamstring), cornerback Chris McAlister (hamstring), offensive tackle Orlando Brown (back), offensive guard Keydrick Vincent (thigh) and fullback Justin Green (wrist) are ‘questionable’ against the Broncos. Linebacker Ray Lewis is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.
–Denver defensive end Courtney Brown (knee), linebacker Keith Burns (knee) and offensive tackle Cornell Green (shoulder) are ‘questionable’ versus the Ravens.
–Baltimore has a two-game homestand following this contest with Green Bay and Minnesota. Denver travels to Buffalo next weekend before returning home to tackle Oakland.
–Denver’s Sunday forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, with a high of 49 degrees and a low of 29.
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NFL Tip Sheet for sunday december 11, 2005
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