Originally posted by daggerkobe
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SATURDAY
25 DIME - RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS - This game today is about 2 teams heading in opposite directions and heading there fast.
Let me first talk about Rutgers, and just how good Greg Schiano has this team playing right now.
They come off a complete and utter domination of South Florida at home 31-0 in a game the Scarlet Knights defense that forced 4 turnovers, held them to 159 yards total offense including just 30 yards on the ground.
Now this Rutgers defense steps way down in class to take on a Syracuse team that has not only the 95th ranked rush offense in the country but the 110th ranked overall.
In other words folks, there are only 9 teams in all of division 1A with a worse offense than Syracuse.
Allow me to put this into it's proper prospective for you.
When you can't run the football and you are forced to throw, and the defense knows you are gonna throw, turnovers are going to happen and they are going to happen in bunches.
Of their 4 road games this year, Rutgers has beaten Maryland 34-13 forcing 5 turnovers, beat Army 27-10 forcing 3 turnovers, beat Uconn 28-24 forcing 4 turnovers.
This does not bode well for a Syracuse team that has turned it over 25 times facing a Rutgers team that is 2nd in the nation at forcing turnovers getting 29 of them.
Only Ohio has forced more and it's just one more at 30.
The Orangemen are seeing the wrong team at the wrong time. Nothing more and nothing less, and just like Maryland and Army before them, they will lose this game by 17 points or more.
Unlike Syracuse, which can't get out of it's own way, Rutgers has suffered 2 losses this year and they just happen to be against the two teams battling for the Big East championship in Pitt and Cincinnati.
If a former point guard from Duke, or his back up a redshirt freshman play well enough against this Rutgers defense to keep this game within single digits, then I will take my hat off to them, take my loss like a man and move on.
For my money, I say they can't. End of story.
10 DIME - STANFORD CARDINAL - There is no stopping Stanford right now.
And it sure isn't going to be Cal coming anywhere close to shutting them down with their 71st overall defense in college football.
The last 2 weeks have shown me that Stanford is playing at a level unmatched in the history of their school, and I am talking about the days of John Elway included.
You start putting up over 50 back-to- back weeks on the likes of Oregon with the 22nd best defense, and USC on the road with their 48th best defense, trust me when I tell you things have really clicked.
Let me take this one step further.
At home Stanford has won by margins of 25 over San Jose State, 20 over Washington, 8 over Ucla, 19 over Arizona St, and 9 over Oregon.
What is even more impressive is against the 15th overall defense in the country in Arizona State they scored 33, against the 22nd best defense in the country in Oregon they put up 51, and against the 49th best in USC they put up 55.
If you think it has anything to do with being at home, let me point out they went on the road versus the 18th best defense in Arizona and put up 38 and at Oregon State against the 58th best defense they put up 28.
Cal comes in with the 71st overall defense in the country. Somebody please say, "Watch out below!!!!!!!"
Of all the defenses in the Pac-10 Stanford has faced this year, Cal has the worst. Juggle that around in your head for a minute...you have time.
One last point. At the end of the USC game last week Stanford scored to make it 53-21 and Jim Harbaugh went for 2 to stuff it in Pete Carroll's face due to the fact in recruiting circles Carroll has been telling players being recruited by both USC and Stanford, "Why do you want to go there, we beat them everytime."
Well, ask Jim Harbaugh what you think of him now.
If Harbaugh did that to USC, what do you think he is going to do to his arch-rival Cal in a game that for one of the few times has the superior team.
You do the math. Stanford beats USC and Oregon by a combined score of 106-63. Cal lost to those two schools by a combined score of 72-6, and they have to face Stanford without star tailback Jahvid Best.
Are you ready for the river card? The ace on the river? The flush on the river? The full house on the river?
Stanford is going for their 12th straight home cover which is the best mark in the entire country, and I see nothing that leads me to believe they won't win this game by double digits as well.
5 DIME - ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS - So let me get this straight.
I have the 102nd ranked run defense in the entire country who in their 5 home games this year allowed almost 1,000 yards rushing to shut down Army's option attack?
A defense that in their last 2 home games versus the 30th, and 38th ranked rushing attacks in UL Monroe, and Western Kentucky they allowed 281 and 172 yards respectively.
Now they take on a rush offense ranked 16 spots better at Army at 14th in the country.
The bottom line is a 2-8 team shouldn't be favored over a service academy any time anywhere.
I mean, Army knocked off an SEC school earlier this year in Vandy for crying out loud so that right there shows you what this team is capable of.
Furthermore, this could be a home game for Army as 18 kids on their roster are from the state of Texas and you don't think there is some magic going on here.
Army has covered 8 in a row in the Lonestar State. I'm talking about 8 in a row.
I have no problem grabbing any kind of points in a game I feel Army can win outright. Simple as that.
FREE SELECTION - KENTUCKY WILDCATSComment -
10 dime profit for fading lang not counting Kentucky.... I hope he's right on that one cuz I'm all over it for 1K.....Comment -
THANKSGIVING
NOTE:
First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Enjoy being with your family and friends. I realize as I get older how important these holidays are. To take a moment and embrace them just a little while longer than I would in my younger days.
And speaking about embracing something, how about embracing 13-1-2 the last 3 weeks in the NFL including a perfect 7-0-2 run the last 3 Sundays?
Or how about my 2nd biggest NFL release in 2 years banging home the 75 dime winner on the Colts over the Ravens last Sunday?
Just flat out dialed in right now and I am seeing the board with a very nice clarity. I have been in "zones" like this in the past, been doing this way to long not to know when I am in the "zone".
13-1-2 tells you I am in another one of those "zones" and over the next 4 days I feel I am going to expand the zone he best way I know how right now.
BY WINNING.
Let's push it to 14-1-2 in the NFL with this Thursday night winner.
20 DIME - DENVER BRONCOS - (Buy up the 1/2 point if you have 6, or 6 1/2 on Denver)
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Or have they?
After starting 6-0 the Broncos were the toast of the NFL. Their 33-year old head coach attained immediate rock star status. He was the media's flavor of the month as far as coaches were concerned.
Then came a trip to Baltimore off a bye week against a Ravens team that had lost 3 in a row, and they too were coming off a bye week.
Bottom line is Denver was just at the wrong place at the wrong time versus the Ravens. In fact, I'm not so sure any team who played the Ravens that day wouldn't have suffered the same fate.
Off their first defeat the Broncos come home to face the Steelers on Monday night and just flat out got beat by a better team.
All of a sudden at 6-2 they have to travel to Washington and battle the Redskins and I don't care who you are, any team loses their starting QB on the road in the NFL in the first quarter, you are going to struggle.
And finally, now at 6-3, the Chargers come to town facing back up Chris Simms. It is safe to say Simms wasn't the answer as the first drive of the game would lead you to believe.
Winning the coin toss and getting the ball first at their own 26 the Broncos run the ball 7 straight times picking up 3 first downs and arriving at a 2nd and 2 at the San Diego 17 yard line.
They decide to drop Simms back to pass for the first time and he is sacked, fumbles, and the Chargers recover.
The next 2 Broncos drives are stalled by penalties while the 4th, with Kyle Orton pulling a Willis Reed off the bench with the bad ankle, immediately sparks the offense.
Starting from his own 36 he completes a 22 yarder to Marshall, 38 yarder to Gaffney and had them at 1st and goal at the 4 yard line. Touchdown here and game on.
Nope. Rookie Moreno fumbles and pretty much all the momentum in the world was gone with it.
So as you can see, it may look like 4 straight losses, but it wasn't as if those 4 losses were against the Lions, Browns, Bucs or Rams.
The world is all wrapped up in this 4 game losing streak but as you can see, little more to it than that.
Who are the Giants, on an 0-5 ATS run their last 5 and who's defense still can consistently stop anybody for an entire 60 minutes, to be laying a full touchdown on the road against an AFC opponent?
It's not like Denver is going to just lay down in this spot here. Quite to the contrary. I believe they are going to step up and play one of their best games of the year.
The points are too good to pass up for me and it wouldn't suprise me to see the Broncos get consistent pressure on Eli Manning and for Eli to throw up a Thanksgiving clunker and for Denver to win the game outright.
FREE SELECTION - TEXAS-TEXAS A&M OVERComment -
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SATURDAY
NOTE: Amazing.
It was only a 5 dimer, but winning games like Colorado on the last play of the game is why you put the friendly wager on games.
Forget the fact they should have covered easily, and you could make a case they deserved the cover and it should have never come down to that.
But it did, and I got it and I've always said when you are going good, you are going to win games like that, and I think it's pretty obvious things are going good.
Really in the zone. My NFL run has been the talk of the industry the last 4 weeks at 14-1-2 off of the 75 dime winner on Indy last Sunday, Titans Monday, and Denver Thursday.
All I needed was to catch fire in college to match the pro's, and we are home free.
Folks, I did that yesterday with the top play on Wyoming and the miracle cover with Colorado.
Now I need to come right back with 2 more winners, make it 4 straight winners in college football, and look to improve on the 7-0-2 run the last 3 Sundays.
Are you ready? Are you ready to be a winner today? I hope so because I have 2 games that just like yesterday I feel will get the job done.
Let's get it on.
20 DIME - SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES - Live dog here today.
After their heartbreaking loss to Louisville on the road 25-23, and their season slipping away, the Golden Eagles flat-out found it.
They came home to blow out Memphis by 20, Tulane by 37, and off a heartbreaking loss at Houston in the final seconds 50-43, they turn right around and go back on the road and beat Marshall 27-20.
They return home to beat Tulsa by 10, and all of a sudden they are a game away from the Conference USA Championship Game.
What makes this team even more appealing to me, other than the fact Southern Miss is playing their best ball of the entire year right now, is the fact they are playing in a venue they love.
They have won 11 of the last 13 games played at ECU, including 7 in a row!
They have had that kind of success here and I am getting close to a touchdown?
This line is a bit inflated off the big win by ECU last week over UAB, but a closer look tells a different story.
UAB had a 24-14 first down edge and a 520-325 yard edge as well.
In the first half UAB went on an 11 play, 85 yard drive, and settled for a 27-yard field goal. They missed a 47-yard field goal, fumbled at their own 45, and were stuck on downs at the ECU 19 yard line.
ECU had a field goal drive kept going with a roughing the punter penalty, and with 8 seconds to go in the half and UAB going in, an 89 yard INT set up a late ECU field goal.
So despite a 241-201 yard edge, UAB was down 23-3 and in the 2nd half, they missed a 42 yard field goal and after another 12 play 80 yard drive they settled for another 33 yard field goal making it 23-6.
ECU promptly returns the ensuing kickoff 99 yards and for all intets and purposes, game over.
This line should be no more than 3 points, but I believe off the inflated final score of ECU over UAB, you are getting great value here and it's value I won't pass up.
If UAB, with the # 32 best offense in the country can outgain ECU by almost a 2-1 margin, I'm confident Southern Miss can do the same with the # 31st best offense.
And the bottom line is it wouldn't suprise me if Southern Miss won the game outright and is off for their rematch with Houston in the Conference USA Championship game.
5 DIME - OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS - The bottom line is this is one of the few times Oklahoma State is flat-out the better team.
They come in here 9-2, including a perfect 3-0 on the road, and they are catching the Sooners in a rare bad year.
If ever there was a time for the Cowboys to handle their business against their arch nemisis, this is the day.
Disappointment comes in many forms, and for the Sooners of Oklahoma, who had dreams of playing for a National Championship with their Heisman Trophy winning QB, this season is a huge disappointment.
What is Bob Stoops using for motivation in this game? Win this game today, get to 7-5, and let's go play in the Big Blue Bucket of Chicken Bowl Game against the 4th best team in the PAC-10, after playing in the National Championship Game last year!?!?!!?
I know all about the trends favoring the Sooners here, winning the last 6 SU, and covering 4 straight, and 5 of the last 6 in this series.
But, and this is a very big but, the Cowboys bring the better all around team into this matchup.
Just to let you know how this flat-out isn't the same Oklahoma team we are used to seeing, the only reference you need is last weeks 41-13 loss to Texas Tech.
They got drilled, humiliated, which tells me they have mailed it in and will struggle to cover this number today.
My feeling is Oklahoma State takes them down to the wire and your value is with the dog getting more than a touchdown.
5 DIME - SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS - (Note: If line is 3 you buy the 1/2 and get 3 1/2) - If you can battle the best team in the country at home, you can do one better and beat Clemson today.
We are seeing a trend this weekend with teams who are playing their rivalry game with their conference championship game waiting for them next week failing to cover the number.
So far Texas, Alabama, and Nebraska all failed to cover, and considering the old ball coach has had extra time to prepare and is 2-0 as a home dog this year, I will take my chances.
I wasn't very impressed with the effort of Clemson against Virginia last week, as the Cavaliers gave the Tigers a game in Death Valley.
I am talking about a Virginia that was blown out all over the place this year to the tune of 35 at Miami, and 24 at home to Georgia Tech.
This South Carolina team has been competitive in every single game this year with exception of their back-to-back road efforts at Tennessee, and Arkansas.
Love the number, the situation and the spot in which South Carolina catches Clemson in today, and just like the other 3 teams who failed to cover with a guaranteed spot in the conference championship games locked up win or lose, I will gladly take the home dog.
FREE SELECTION - ARKANSAS RAZORBACKSComment -
SUNDAY
NOTE:
Forget 20 dime winner #5 in a row Thursday with the Denver Broncos.
Forget the 2-0 sweep Friday highlighted by the 15 dime winner Wyoming outright.
Forget about 20 dime winner #6 in a row with Southern Miss on Saturday.
Today is about one thing and one thing only.
14-1-2 paid and comp play run in the NFL..
Just take a moment to digest that number. 14-1-2.
My only loss in this run the last 4 weeks was the Monday night affair between the Ravens and the Browns as I teased the Ravens down to single digits and took the total down and went over.
Ravens got there easily while the total didn't.
I am a hiccup away from being a perfect 15-0 in the NFL over the past four weeks heading into today and looking for a 4th straight perfect Sunday.
The fact of the matter is I am just that hot right now. I am in the zone. I have put myself in the moment in the NFL like never before.
The numbers above don't lie. You want favorites that have won by 20, you've gotten them. You want dogs that have won outright, you've gotten them.
And now, with a 7-0-2 Sunday run at stake, a 14-1-2 overall NFL run at stake, I plan on doing exactly what I have done the last 3 Sundays and that is deliver perfection again.
Are you ready for 9-0-2? Are you ready for 16-1-2?
I hope so because here it comes.
30 DIME - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
(Note: If the line is 3, you buy the 1/2 and get 3 1/2; if the line is 3 1/2, you buy the 1/2 and get 4)
Great spot for the Jags to continue their winning ways today.
First and foremost, I really don't think the Niners are playing well enough right now to be a favorite over anybody.
Secondly, with the AFC being a far superior conference, I have been jumping on the AFC getting points from the NFC, just like the 20 dime winner on the Broncos over the Giants on Thursday.
Bottom line is the Jaguars are surging right now - winners of 3 in a row - and have worked their way back into the AFC playoff picture. This team is improving by the week and I like what I am seeing from Jack Del Rio's squad.
The Niners are off a very misleading final last week as they trailed 23-3 before rallying in the 4th to get the pointspread push at Green Bay.
Alex Smith is not the answer at QB for the Niners and they just are not a good enough football team to beat the Jags today.
People are jumping on the Niners in this spot based on the fact this Jags' team went to Seattle earlier this year and got destroyed by a count of 41-0, but like I said above, this is a completely different Jags' team.
The Jags have the better QB, the better run defense and - with no disrespect to Frank Gore - the best running back on the field today in Maurice Jones-Drew.
I truly believe this game today comes down to which QB makes the most plays and for my dollar that QB is David Garrad.
30 dime winner Jacksonville.
FREE SELECTION - MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Niners & Bears.
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I had a small play on the jag's.... now I"m not sure what to do with it. But he has been on fire.Comment -
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
NOTE:
Implosion. Complete implosion.
I flat-out can't stand losing a game the way I lost the Jags game yesterday.
Some of the most horrific play calling I have ever seen, and good old David Garrard still hasn't devoloped an ounce of pocket presence to save his life.
I made my bed with the Jags on Sunday, and then I had to sleep in that uncomfortable bed thinking about the flat out ignorance of this Jacksonville team.
As frustrating a game to watch as I can remember and to see my free pick on the Vikings destroying the Bears at the same time didn't make it any easier.
What I learned from yesterday is this; as long as Jack Del Rio and David Garrard are part of the Jaguars, they will never be a top play for me.
No, I haven't lost my objectivity not at all. I just won't let Laurel and Hardy ever cost me big again.
Now I said that last year after their Sunday night game at home against the Steelers but I decided to give them one more shot.
They were the right side of that game no questions asked, but then the element of human error got involved and it was all over.
Still, 15-2-2 is 15-2-2 anyway you slice it and I am still confident nobody on the planet is this hot the last 4 weeks.
Today I close out winning week #3 of the last 4 with Monday night winner 3 of the last 4.
And make it 16-2-2 right along with it.
20 DIME - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - Lost in the shuffle of the their near win at Indy is the fact the Patriots defense couldn't stop Indy giving up 35 points.
Yes, Tom Brady looked really good in that game, but let's also not lose sight of the fact New England was playing an opponent they were and are very familiar with.
Tonight they take on a completely different beast in the New Orleans Saints.
Now I was right on the money when I took the Patriots over Indy, and amazingly enough catching 2 points was just enough to get the ATS win.
Amazingly enough, this line much like the New England-Indy line, opened at -3 and has steadily come down.
In doing my radio shows prior to the New England-Indy game I kept saying the same thing over and over again.
You don't go against Tom Brady or Peyton Manning when they are catching points anywhere on the planet earth simply because they are not underdogs very often.
You also match up Belichick and Brady versus the NFC and you will see the fact they have gone 25-2 SU their last 27.
However, there are exceptions to every rule, not only in sports gambling, but in life and in this game tonight the exception is this:
No disrespect to Peyton Manning, but New England is facing perhaps the hottest QB in the NFL right now in Drew Brees with an offense that can not only throw it but they can run it to.
I also can't get by the fact this Saints team has won every single game they have played this year by 8 points or more.
They have found a way to win every single game by a touchdown or more.
Indy has had close games. Patriots have had close games, and even lost 3 games on the road to Denver, Jets and the aforementioned Indy.
With this line coming down, which tells me the world is betting the Patriots, I am going against the public money and backing the Saints at home.
The bottom line for me is this. The overall body of work by the Saints this year and the consistency of their offense and the margins of their wins over everyone tells me they are the right side.
Patriots didn't play all that well last week against the Jets and in fact it was a 20-10 game in the 3rd quarter when Sanchez threw another of his INT's to allow New England to pull away.
I will say it again, every single Saints win this year has been by a margin of more than a touchdown, and getting them in a near pick-em at home against a still young and learning defense is good enough for me.
Lastly, if you don't get pressure on Drew Brees, you are done and considering the fact the Patriots are 28th in the NFL at sacking the QB and the Saints are 3rd best in protecting Drew Brees, expect a great night from the Purdue grad.
It's going to be a great game but at the end of the day in my opinion, the right side of this game is the Saints at home.
FREE SELECTION - DALLAS MAVERICKSComment -
Why?????????
Why would he take my team!!!!!Comment -
I like the free pickComment -
SATURDAY
NOTE:
Man I feel good about everything right now.
I feel great about the Florida Gators today. I flat out love the NFL card on Sunday, and that is a very scary statement considering I am on a 17-2-2 run paid and comp plays the last 5 weeks.
All season long people were waiting for this kind of run from me and I think it's safe to say it's here and it's a huge winning run at that.
I've said all along it's a long season, and I have been doing this way too long not to know it was going to turn good, and when it did I was going to go on a winning streak of a lifetime.
Well I am smack dab in the middle of it, and now it's my job once again to step up big and deliver big on this Saturday card and keep this thing moving in a positive direction.
I was able to do that in November. Now I have to do that in December. I am as confident as ever I will continue to feed off the winning November and once December has come and gone, I will have closed out 2009 exactly the way I said I would.
With back to back winning months.
Now sit back and enjoy my breakdown of why the Florida Gators take care of the Alabama Crimson Tide by 10 points or more.
40 DIME - FLORIDA GATORS - Tim Tebow.
This entire game and whether or not Florida covers the number doesn't come down to Florida's defense or Alabama's defense. It comes down to one guy and one guy only.
Tim Tebow.
If he plays well, executes the spread against Alabama's defense, no doubt in my mind Florida wins this game by 10 points or more.
First and foremost, let's start with this pointspread number of under a touchdown the Gators will try to cover.
Over their last 40 wins, 38 of them have been by 6 points or more. Juggle that number around in your head for a minute you have some time.
Last year Alabama played about as well as they possibly could and still lost by 11 and that was with an experienced QB in John Parker Wilson. This year it's first year starter Greg McElroy, who now plays the biggest game of his entire life.
The bottom line is he hasn't seen a defense like this all year long. I am talking about the # 1 overall defense in the entire country in the Florida Gators.
Last week at Auburn the Crimson Tide struggled in their running game to the tune of just 72 yards rushing and that was against the # 80th run defense in the entire country. Now they step up to face the 8th best run defense in the country.
Yes, I am fully aware of Alabama's # 2 overall defense in the country but it's a defense Tebow has seen and will be ready for.
Folks, you can't discount the experience of Tim Tebow in this game. You just can't, and as this game unfolds right before your every eyes you will see what that experience will do for Florida in this football game.
Getting the Gators at this kind of value is value I can't pass up.
Since they lost to Georgia laying 7 1/2 back in 2007, the Gators have been a favorite of 7 points or less 4 times and they are a perfect 4-0 ATS.
They laid 7 1/2 at South Carolina at the end of the 2007 season and won 51-21. In 2008 they laid 7 1/2 at Tennessee and won 30-6, 3 games later they laid 6 1/2 at home to LSU and won 51-21 and in a payback game against Georgia laying 6 1/2 they won 49-10.
Other than that, you haven't gotten Florida laying single digits again.
This year you have had to lay 16 points or more in every single game except the -10 at LSU.
You have gotten no value with the Gators this year when you have been asked to lay 37, 30, 20 1/2, 24 1/2, 22, 16, 35, 17 1/2, 47 and 25.
I want you to think about the value you are getting with the Gators today. It's basically 3 years full of value and it's value I am willing to step out 40 dimes on.
Congrats to the Florida Gators as they deliver the double digit win and now get ready to face the Texas Longhorns in the National championship game.
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5 DIME - TEXAS LONGHORNS - (if line is 14 1/2, you buy the 1/2 and lay 14.) - Blowout. Absolute blowout.
This is as big of a mismatch as you can have all the way across the board.
Nebraska offensively has been a disaster all year long, and now they have to step up and find an offense against the best defensive opponent they will have faced all year long? It's a reciepe for a blowout.
Did you know 6 of the last 7 Big 12 Championship Games have been decided by 21 points or more? You might as well make it 7 of the last 8 because that is exactly where we are heading tonight.
What has Nebraska shown you this year offensively that leads you to believe they can so anything in this game to keep up with Texas?
In Big 12 play they were completely shut down at Missouri for 3 quarters until the Tigers offense turned it over 3 times in the 4th that got them to 27 points.
They scored 10 against Texas Tech, 9 points at home to Iowa State, a game they turned it over 8 times, 20 at Baylor, 10 against Oklahoma and 17 at Kansas State.
Their two biggest offensive outputs were 31 at Kansas, who's defense is ranked 74th overall and 28 last week at Colorado, who's defense is ranked 60th.
Let's see how they execute against the 5th best defense in the country for 60 minutes.
I am not the least bit worried about the Nebraska defense because the only offense they faced that comes near Texas is Texas Tech and the Cornhuskers were beaten soundly at home 31-10.
The bottom line folks is you don't struggle to score 10 points at home against the 48th ranked overall defense in Texas Tech, and go on to compete against the 2nd best team in the country who is playing to get into the biggest game of them all.
Longhorns roll with complete focus and get set to play the Gators for the National championship.
5 DIME - CONNECTICUT HUSKIES - (Note: If line is 7 1/2, you buy the 1/2 and get 7 ) - There is no way South Florida competes for 60 minutes in this game.
They just lost at home to their in-state rival Miami-Florida, 31-10 and now have to get on a plane and fly to the cold weather of Uconn and face a surging Huskies team.
I am talking about a UConn team that has one of the best ATS marks in the entire country this year.
Uconn has covered every single game this year with exception of their home game versus Rutgers. That is absolutely correct.
The Louisville game was bet down to 12 1/2 and 12 in some places and their 13 point win was enough to get the cover.
They have handled everyone and if you thought for one second there would be a letdown after their huge win over Notre Dame 2 weeks ago, you thought wrong.
They only came back home and completely hammered Syracuse to the tune of 56-31, and I fully believe it will be all systems go for Randy Edsalll's team in this game as well.
If South Florida some how shows up and competes and covers the number against one of the best pointspread teams in all of college football this year, so be it.
My dollar says they don't.
Uconn rolls large.
FREE SELECTION - CLEMSON TIGERSComment -
Solid Saturday for Loser Lang.
0-3 -56 Dimes.
SUNDAY
50 DIME - DALLAS COWBOYS - (if your line is 2 1/2 you buy the half and lay 2, if it's 1 1/2 you buy the 1/2 and lay 1. Don't ever get beat by the hook. - All Cowboys today.
First and foremost, when the Giants barely won the first meeting in Dallas on Sunday night week two, they were given 4 turnovers by the Cowboys, had a pair of 100 yard receiveing games from Manningham and Smith and still only won the game by 2 points 33-31.
Lost in the shuffle of Tony Romo's 13 of 29 performance for a 129 yards and 3 INT's, was the fact the Cowboys rushed for 251 yards against a pretty healthy Giants defense.
Now facing a Giants team that is reeling, and I do mean reeling as they have lost 5 of their last 6 SU and 0-6 ATS, this game today is flat out a case of two teams heading in opposite directions.
The big change for Dallas is offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and his decision to run the ball more and get Tony Romo in more favorable passing situations.
Also favoring the Cowboys here is the emergence of Austin at wide receiver thus opening up the middle for Witten.
The Giants are having huge problems on the defensive side of the football and you saw just how far they fell last Thursday at Denver.
You factor in Eli Manning not being 100% and you can see where things just weren't meant to be for the Giants this year.
Dallas has all the momentum in the world where New York doesn't and you can use all the pep talks you want but reality is reality, and when you have lost 5 of your last 6 games the reality is you are just not a very good football team.
Folks, you get to the 2nd half of the season and you have lost 5 of your last 6 games that tells me you just don't have it. Teams are attacking you where you are most vulnerable and there just isn't anything you can do to stop it.
There is a reason the Giants have allowed 14 sacks in their last 5 games. There offensive line is beat up and injured and their QB is masking the fact his foot is causing all kinds of problems.
As I already said above, this game today is about two teams heading in opposite directions and I will jump all over the team going the right way.
My 50 dimer today is on the Dallas Cowboys as they handle their business and get the job done against a free falling Giants team that will fall further into the abyss with this loss today.
25 DIME - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - (if line is 4 1/2 you buy the 1/2 and lay 4. - Feel sorry for the Dolphins today.
One of the worst things you can have to face as a football team in the NFL is facing a Bill Belichick team off a loss.
In their last 21 games off a SU loss the Patriots have won 18 of those. Think about that, 18-3 SU their last 21 off a loss.
Just look at this year and what they have done after their first 3 losses.
Off a 16-9 loss to the Jets they came back home and handled the Falcons 26-10 covering the 4 1/2 number. Off their 20-17 loss at Denver they came back home and just destroyed Tennessee 59-0.
And off their 35-34 loss at Indy, they came home to hammer the Jets 31-14.
Now they face a Dolphins team who starts 2 rookies at cornerback and an angry Tom Brady. Not a very good situation for the Dolphins at home.
In the first meeting 4 weeks ago, the Patriots won 27-17 in a game that really wasn't that close.
New England had 432 yards to the Dolphins 334, and it was only a broken play with Pat White at QB that set up the covering TD for the Dolphins.
I fully expect the blown coverages and assignments by the New England secondary on Monday night to be fully corrected against Chad Henne and an average at best receiving core of the Dolphins. This game sets up very well for New England.
Here is one more mind blowing statistic for you: New England has covered 13 of their last 15 conference road games. 13 of 15 folks.
That is good enough for me as Randy Moss and Wes Welker run wild on this very young and very beatable Miami secondary, Tom Brady has a huge day and New England runs away with a double digit win.
FREE SELECTION - ATLANTA FALCONSComment -
MONDAY
NOTE:
Not going to spend one second lamenting on the actions of Sunday.
Usually I will point out a few of my thoughts about games but not today.
After a 17-2-2 run the last 5 weeks I flat out imploded on the 3 games I isolated for the website and they were most certainly not the right ones.
As Bryan Gumbel says on Real Inside Sports, "Time to move on."
That is exactly what I plan on doing and I plan on rallying here in December, much the way I did in November after a really tough start to that month.
Nothing much else. Nothing at all.
Just have to win tonight. Simple as that and I have been flat out dialed in on Monday nights the last 4 weeks.
I am 3-1 but deep down I know I should be 4-0, but it is what it is.
I hammered home the Steelers over the Broncos as Pittsburgh dominated the 2nd half and got the huge win.
Yes, I dropped the Ravens/Cleveland game because I got cute with a teaser taking the Ravens down from double digits an brought the total down and went over when I should have just stuck with the Ravens.
I followed that up with the Titans outright over the Texans and then last week delivered the Saints destroying the Patriots.
So here I come looking for my 4th Monday night winner in the last 5 weeks.
25 DIME - BALTIMORE RAVENS - (If line is 3 you buy the 12 and get 3 1/2) - I am going to war with the Ravens tonight.
When the Green Bay Packers have been asked to step up and play against the best of the best in the NFL, they have failed miserably.
In their 4 games versus winning teams this year they lost to the Bengals, the Vikings twice and beat the Cowboys, who after their latest implosion at New York, you can throw that win out the window.
The bottom line is the Packers haven't beaten anybody, and I am talking about all year long.
This is a Ravens team playing for their life. Playing for their season and getting more than a field goal in what I feel will be at worst a field goal game is the only way to go in this game.
You get to this point in the season and strength of your schedule means a ton and the Ravens have clearly played a much tougher schedule and that my friends will be the difference.
The Packers have one major problem and it's a problem they have had all year long and it's sacks allowed, 44 and counting which leads the NFL.
Now against a blitzing team like the Ravens against a QB who holds the ball two long it all adds up to a recipe for disaster.
I backed the Packers against the Vikings and lost on Monday night. I backed the Packers at home at Lambeau against the Vikings and lost. They have failed miserably against quality opponents this year.
Anytime you can get this Ravens team +3 or better, you have to take it because it hasn't happened often, and when it does they normally get the money.
They were +3 at Minnesota this year and lost by 2 in a game they should have won but their old kicker couldn't convert from inside 40 yards for the win.
The bottom line is if you look at the Ravens 5 losses this year, you will see just what quality football they have played.
Lost by 6 at New England, 3 at home to Cincinnati, 2 at Minnesota, 10 at Cincinnati and 2 at home to Indy.
This is a very hard football team to blow out let alone cover against and asking the Packers to cover a 3 1/2 number based on their easy schedule not only the last few weeks but for the year is asking too much.
I will go to war with the better team, from the stronger conference, catching more than a field goal, playing for their season.
FREE SELECTION - SETON HALLComment -
SUNDAY RECAP
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50 Dime - Dallas - Loser
25 Dime - New England - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -85 Dimes
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*
SATURDAY RECAP
*
40 Dime - Florida - Loser
5 Dime - Texas - Loser
5 Dime - Connecticut - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -56 Dimes
*
*
FRIDAY RECAP
*
15 Dime - Central Michigan - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -16.5 Dimes
Another fine weekend from Mr Lang
0-6 -157.5 DimesComment -
whats a dime?Comment -
Lang's been on fire the past 5 days.
TUESDAY RECAP
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15 Dime*Butler - Loser
5 Dime - Temple - Winner
5 Dime - Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -17 Dimes
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*
MONDAY RECAP
*
25 Dime - Baltimore - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -27.5 Dimes
*
*
SUNDAY RECAP
*
50 Dime - Dallas - Loser
25 Dime - New England - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -85 Dimes
*
*
SATURDAY RECAP
*
40 Dime - Florida - Loser
5 Dime - Texas - Loser
5 Dime - Connecticut - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -56 Dimes
*
*
FRIDAY RECAP
*
15 Dime - Central Michigan - Loser
*
Net for the Day: -16.5 Dimes
*
1-9 -202 Dimes.
Comment -
THURSDAY
25 DIME - ORLANDO MAGIC - All is not well with the Utah Jazz.
When you face your arch-rival on the road the night before, and score a total of 6 points in the 4th quarter and get routed by 24, I don't care who you are, it is going to leave a mark both mental and emotional.
Now you have to get right back after it and face a surging Magic squad that not only won 6 in a row, and 11 of their last 12, but how about 7 straight road wins.
They took care of the Warriors and Clippers on this road trip so far, and what makes this even a tougher spot for the Jazz is the Magic are well rested.
They played the Knicks on the 2nd, the Warriors on the 5th and the Clippers on the 8th. Talk about a cake walk of a road trip. Most people roll into Utah on back- to-back nights but not Orlando.
It is very rare that an East Coast team gets this much time off between games on a west coast road trip, and because of this and Orlando being red hot, I have to make them my biggest NBA play of the entire year.
In a game that sees the Magic being the small favorite, I just can't see the Jazz getting over what happened last night in LA.
15 DIME - PITTSBURGH STEELERS - The Browns are just what the doctored ordered for an ailing Pittsburgh Steelers team.
When you have beaten a team 12 in a row and covered 10 of those, I've learned over the years that when these two meet, you lose with the Steelers simple as that.
In the first meeting the Steelers dominated this Browns team to the tune of 543 yards of total offense in a 27-14 win but didn't cover the 14 point number courtesy of a Joshua Cribbs kickoff return for a TD.
Big Ben threw for over 400 yards on this Browns defense and he had guys open all night long and I don't see the Browns doing anything to stop him again tonight.
Cleveland got the miracle cover last Sunday putting up 2 fourth quarter TD's on the Chargers after trailing 30-7 and even in that game Rivers threw for almost 400 yards on them.
Don't be fooled by anything Brady Quinn and this Browns offense has done the last few weeks. Yes, he was good against the Lions but remember folks, we are still talking about the Detroit Lions.
How soon we forget 2 weeks ago at Cincinnati the Browns had 169 yards total offense, 58 on the ground and 111 in the air.
I fully expect the Steelers to get their swagger back against a team they flat out own, and if you think the defending Super Bowl champs are going to lay an egg here then you don't know their head coach very well.
Tonight the Steelers do what they always do against the Browns and that is beat them by 2 touchdowns or more and keep their playoff hopes alive.
FREE SELECTION - SYRACUSE ORANGEMENComment -
Langster lost 7 of last 8 days..... Down -253 Dimes. Perfect day for a fade.
SATURDAY
30 DIME - NAVY MIDSHIPMEN - This is another Navy rout waiting to happen.
Over the last 10 years, Navy has won 9, and all but one of those 9 wins has been by double digits.
You focus on the last 5 years and you will see Navy wins by margins of 29, 19, 12, 35 and 34.
Folks, only 1 game in the last 10 years has been close, and what is even more impressive is in 4 of the last 5 years Navy has been laying double digits.
The only non-cover was 2006 when as a 18 point favorite, Navy won the game 26-14 as Army punched in a touchdown with just 2 seconds on the clock for the backdoor score.
Take a deep breath because the following number is even more alarming.
Navy has won the last 8 meetings by a combined score of 312-74.
They both played 4 bowl teams but as you are about to see, Navy not only played the better of the 4 teams, they were competitive in everyone.
The Midshipmen played Ohio State on the road to start the season putting up 27 points on the Buckeyes defense and were sniffing the outright win before finally losing 31-27. They battled Pitt to a 27-14 game, beat Air Force 16-13 and lost to Temple 27-24.
Conversely, Army lost to Iowa State 31-10, Rutgers 27-10, Air Force 35-7 and Temple 27-13.
So as you can see the Knights were blown out by an average margin of almost 20 points a game, and that will not bode well for them again today facing this Navy squad off a loss to Hawaii which was a homecoming of sorts for head coach Ken Niumatalolo.
You had better believe it's been a long couple of weeks after the embarrassing loss 24-17 in good old Honolulu.
Folks, it's just to much of an uphill battle facing this Army team considering Navy is going to score with the 3rd best rush offense in the country that has really destroyed some people this year.
There is no question Navy is the better team. No question at all, and if Air Force can hammer this team 35-7 I feel sorry for this Army team today facing a Navy squad that destroyed Rice 63-14, and has margin of victories this year by 18, 16 and 19.
You really look at Army's 5 wins this year and you will see a 13 point win at Eastern Michigan, 7 point win at home over Ball State, 3 point win at home over Vandy, 5 point win at home over VMI, and a 4 point win over North Texas.
The only signature win for Army was Vandy but again, when you struggle to score 17 points at North Texas, who ranks 104th in run defense and in the bottom 20 nationally in total defense, how much of a signature win can that be.
Bottom line is this. Do you really trust Army plus the points in a rivalry game they have lost 9 of the last 10 years and all but one of those Navy wins has been by double digits? Enough said.
15 DIME - NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS -Sometimes your reputation precedes you, and such is the case with Siena.
Last year they made some noise in the big dance last year advancing to the 2nd round and proceeded to scare #1 seed Louisville. Siena returns 4 starters from that squad but lost top scorer Kenny Hasbrouck.
They have gotten off to a 6-3 start SU and an impressive 5-3 ATS, but now they step up to face the best team in the Missouri Valley conference in Northern Iowa, a team that returns their entire starting 5 from a year ago.
They too have gotten off to a rock solid start going 6-1 SU and 4-3 ATS, but bottom line is I am just a lot more impressed with their early body of work than I am Siena.
The Panthers have beaten Iowa State out of the Big 12 by 13 on the road as a 5 1/2 point dog, and Iowa out of the Big 10 by 17 at home as an 11 point favorite.
This is a step up for Siena as their only wins this year are against Albany, Brown, Iona, Delaware, Northeastern and Tennessee State.
Last but not least you throw in Northern Iowa's 8-1 ATS mark when facing a team with a winning SU record and this is great value with the Panthers at home.
Roll with Northern Iowa
5 DIME - UNLV REBELS - Like this Lon Kruger squad.
They have gotten off to a fast start going 7-0 SU and covering 3 of their 4 lined games this year.
Now they get the 8-1 Kansas State Wildcats coming to town and you had better believe Lon will have the Rebels ready.
Already on a Saturday this year Unlv took care of Louisville after blowing a 20 point 2nd half lead.
What I like about this squad that returns 2 starters but is more of a "TEAM" than Kruger has had in the last couple of years.
Personally, I feel Kansas State is living off the Michael Beasley hype of last year and I really don't think this is value you can pass up with the Rebels at home.
Not only is Unlv 7-3 ATS last 10 Saturday games but you add Kansas State a dismal 8-20 ATS last 28 facing a team with a winning home record and this has a Unlv home win and cover written all over it.
Ride the Running Rebels today.
FREE SELECTION - NEW MEXICO LOBOSComment -
I so knew Lang would be all over this game I had told friends early this week that. I've been saying wait until game time and TAKE the points. SweetComment -
THURSDAY
25 DIME - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - (if 3 you buy to 3 1/2, if 2 1/2 you buy 3. Make sure you get 3 to 3 1/2 if you can.) - I have a home underdog playing for their season against a foe they are very familiar with. Points are at a premium.
So many times the NFL season is about motivation. Who has it and who doesn't.
For my dollar, 100% of the motivation of this football game falls squarely on the shoulders of this Jags team.
Win and playoff hopes are alive. Lose and for all intents and purposes your season is over.
The blood, sweat, and hardwork you put forth all year long comes down to one home game against your arch rival who you always play tough.
The Jags are 7-2-1 ATS last 10 versus Indy. They played them very tough week one and most certainly will play them tough here.
Trust me folks, this Jags team has buried me. They did last year at home against the Steelers, and earlier this year at San Francisco.
But I won't let that take away from the 100% belief they are the right side of this game and I am going down swinging on what I feel is the right side.
Let us first start with the fact that the Jags have only lost back-to-back games once this year and that was their first 2 games of the year against Indy and the Arizona Cardinals week 2.
While Indy will rest injured players most notably Freeney and Mathis, only their two best pass rushers, the Jags get back their 2 best defense players in Rashean Mathis and John Henderson.
I have made big money with the Colts this year. They were my 75 dime winner over the Ravens. They were my 40 dime winner over the Broncos last week. They were a 15 dime winner over the Patriots.
However they are in a really bad emotional flat spot here facing a team playing in front of their biggest crowd of the year playing for season and I am getting points.
It's no secret the Jags are a terrible home favorite as evidenced by their 2-12 ATS run last 14 time laying points at home but they are not the favorite tonight, they are the home dog.
The Jags have been a home dog twice this year and they took care of business in both contests.
They were catching 3 from the Titans and blasted them 37-17, and they were catching 2 from the Texans and took care of them 23-18.
People, all things considered, I just can't see the Colts matching the intensity the Jags will have in this game for 60 minutes after accomplishing every regular season goal they had to start the year.
Division title. First round bye. Homefield advantage to the Super bowl. Mission accomplished last week over Denver.
After this game the Colts have a home game versus the physical Jets #1 defense and #1 run game in the NFL then go to cold Buffalo to finish the season.
If you accept the fact 16-0 was never a goal and isn't something they are hanging their hat on, it is then you realize the home dog is the play in this game tonight.
NFL is about intensity. Who has it to start with, who can match it and who can sustain it for 60 minutes.
The intensity for this game across the board is with the Jags and I will grab the 3 1/2 points with the home dog against an opponent they are very familiar with and comfortable playing against and covering against.
I've always said for whatever reason the Jags matchup well with Indy. They did in week one and they will here tonight.
Last point. The last 6 times Indy has tried to sweep the Jags in the regular season, they are 0-6 ATS. That is good enough for me.
Call this "Custard's Last Stand" and I will call for Jacksonville to fair a bit better than good old Custard did against the Indians.
FREE SELECTION - NEW YORK KNICKSComment -
Damn it, I was going to take the Jags but cause Lang is on them I can't take them now, BASTARD knows how to ruin a Wet Dream!If it seems to good to be true it usually is!!
I have a natural instinct to exploit market ineffieciencies!!Comment -
I liked the jags and the knicks tonight, not as sure now. He has been pretty sharp in NFL lately though, he even had the niners last MNF.Comment -
Where I come from it's a small bag of weed..... but it grows very quickly fading lang.Originally posted by ShahbucksComment -
25 DIMES - JAGUARS - LOSER
-30 DIMES
BRANDON "MUSH" LANG
2009
390-441-15
-1,342.5 DIMES
September: -312.25 Dimes
October: -405 Dimes
November: +98.5 Dimes
December: -293.5 Dimes
Cant wait to fade this loser throughout the bowl season and the NFL playoffs.Comment -
dammit, I didn't see Lang's picks yesterday. Jackass screwed me over.
[quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
[/quote]
[quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]Comment -
I seen he was on Jags. Took the colts. smart move.Comment -
SATURDAY
40 DIME - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - (if 7 1/2 you buy the 1/2, and lay 7. Never get beat by the hook) - The nightmare gets worse for the Cowboys tonight.
This Dallas team is going down in history as one of the worst December teams ever in the NFL.
First let's start with 3-15-2 ATS their last 20 games played in this month, including 0-2 already this year with the loss at New York against the Giants, and last week at home to the Chargers.
Let me also point out they are 3-10 ATS last 13 on the road.
The biggest thing that now jumps out at me about this football team is the fact they have only beaten one team this year with a winning record and that was Eagles 20-16 when Philly wasn't playing very well.
They have had one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this year, and for them to struggle the way they have going 8-5 SU and 6-7 ATS is insane. This is an overrated football team that has imploded on the road this year.
Yes, they beat the Bucs to open the year on the road, the aforementioned Eagles and the Chiefs - a game they should of lost before just getting by in OT.
Other than that, they have been flat out embarrassing.
Terrible effort at Green Bay in a horrific offense display 17-7. At Denver 17-10, and the implosion 2 weeks ago at New York against the Giants.
Now they have to travel on a short week to take on the best team in the NFC that has waited 2 weeks to get back home and hammer somebody after 2 lackluster efforts on the road at Washington and Atlanta.
This is going to be a long night for the Dallas defense.
In their 6 home games this year they have been flat out dominante, winning by margins of 18, 14, 21, 8, 10 and 21.
Inside those wins you will see the Jets and the # 1 defense in the league lose 24-10, the Giants 48-29 and lastly the Patriots 38-17. They did have Atlanta down 23-9 at the start of the second half before falling asleep at the wheel, and allowing the Falcons to make a game of it.
The Dallas Cowboys just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and if you think Tony Romo is going to have a great day, he needs to call Tom Brady and have a quick conversation based on what happen to Tom Terrific a couple of Mondays ago.
I have no reservations whatsoever laying this number in what I feel will be a double digit win by the Saints, and a game I feel will go just about the same way the Patriots game did and that is a 3 touchdown blowout.
10 DIME - WYOMING COWBOYS - Just don't trust Fresno State laying double digits in a bowl game.
You look at this team as a bowl favorite and you will see lack of effort every time.
In their 3 roles as a favorite they were beaten 40-35 last year by Colorado State as a 2 1/2 point favorite, in 2005 lost to Tulsa 31-24 as a 7 point favorite, and in 2000 they lost to Air Force 37-34 as a 4 1/2 point favorite.
Hard motivating kids to play a bowl game when they had bigger plans when the season started, and they go play in New Mexico against a team like Wyoming.
As for the Cowboys, they have played hard all year long as since the 4th week of the season only 3 teams have beaten them by more than 10 points and that was Utah, BYU and TCU. Not exactly 3 bad teams to get beat by.
This Wyoming team will play this game like it's their Super Bbowl, will clearly have more motivation and will be glad to be here.
I am going to grab the double digits with the team that has gone a very nice 8-3 ATS this year and look to cash in with them one more time.
10 DIME - GONZAGA BULLDOGS - I will gladly look to cash in on this inflated Duke public line all day long.
Across the board I can't think of a team that matches up this good with Duke, and won't be intimidated by playing at Madison Square Garden.
Only two teams have beaten the 'Zags this year, and that was Wake Forest by 2, and Michigan State by 4. That is how competitive this Gonzaga team has been.
Duke is Duke, and they are crusing along with just 1 loss this year and that was at Wisconsin and although I know the 'Zags have to play great basketball to win this game outright, they most certainly match up well with the Blue Devils in what I feel will be a fantastic game wire to wire.
There is value with the Bulldogs here, and the public continues to have a fantastic fascination with the Dookies and because of that, I will gladly grab the line value with the 'Zags in a game I feel goes right down to the wire.Comment -
good info, thanksComment -
Lang lost a 40 dimer and a 10 dimer and won a 10 dimer..... another solid profit day. He could have gone 2 and 1 and still lost money with his management of his dimes.Comment -
i think lang is playing with real dimesComment -
None the less, he is after all one of the most consistent cappers!!!Comment -
SUNDAY FADES
40 DIME - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - (if 7 1/2 you buy the 1/2, and lay 7. Never get beat by the hook) - It just won't be there today for the Bengals.
If you struggle offensively at Minnesota, and only throw for 97 yards against the 16th rated pass defense of the Vikings, what are you going to do against the 10th pass defense in the Chargers? A defense that is getting better week-in and week- out.
Fact of the matter is the Bengals offense hasn't really been all that dynamic all year and when you start throwing for less than a 100 yards in week 14, I just can't trust you back to back on the road against anybody anywhere.
It was a very physical game at Minnesota, and they were completely shut down and now they face an even hotter team in the Chargers winners of 11 in a row in December under Norv Turner and if that isn't enough for you, get a load of this:
Philip Rivers is 18-0 SU, and 15-3 ATS when facing a team off a loss at home, which of course is the case with the Bengals last week at Minnesota.
My gut feeling right now is you can pencil in the AFC Championship game right now in Indy between the Chargers and the Colts because you are going to see just how outclassed this Bengals team is against what I feel is the 2nd best team in the AFC and right now the 3rd best team in the NFL.
And folks, you can't discount the Chris Henry factor on the hearts and minds of these Bengals players and if they were at home it might be a different story but on the road in this situation, I will gladly lay the number in what I truly feel will be a double digit home win for San Diego.
The Chargers are the play.
20 DIME - GREEN BAY PACKERS -"Unleash hell" in December.
Famous words of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin days before his team took the field at home against the Raiders, this after his team lost to the Chiefs in Kansas City the week before.
"Unleash hell" was a 27-24 home loss to Oakland as a 13 1/2 point home favorite.
Ok Mike, we will give you a mulligan and let you go to Cleveland and face a Browns team you had beaten 13 in a row and another chance for you to "unleash hell."
You then proceed to lose 13-6 in one of the most embarrasing, lethargic efforts I personally have ever seen since I've been a handicapper.
Let's be honest here, this team should have never won the Super Bowl and they should never have been put up on that holy pedestal they were put on because then this fall they were on wouldn't have been as shocking.
Fact of the matter is this is an average football team playing average football, and once you really accept them for who they are, then losses like at Kansas City, home to Oakland and at Cleveland won't seem so shocking.
Green Bay on the other hand is playing solid football and from an X's and O's standpoint, they propose some serious matchup problems against this very beatable Steelers defense.
The bottom line for me is the fact when the Steelers returned home to face the Raiders and QB Brad Gradkowski, they were playing for their season and they failed. Then they went on the road with their season even more on the line facing Brady Quinn and they failed.
Now against the best team they have faced in weeks and a hot QB in Aaron Rodgers, I just don't see them having the will power nor emotion to step up with 60 minutes of football if they weren't able to do it the last 3 weeks against 3 of the worst teams in football.
I am going to war with the Packers all day long.
10 DIME - CLEVELAND BROWNS - The bottom line is the Kansas City Chiefs shouldn't be favored over anybody in the NFL. Simple as that.
They were a home favorite once this year and that was at home to the Raiders and they lost outright 13-10.
This Cleveland team is playing perhaps their best ball of the year right now and with the extra time off since beating the hell out of the Steelers 13-6, a game they sacked Big Ben 8 times, it is going to be a long day for Matt Cassel.
If Cassel plays well enough against this improving Browns defense to get the win, so be it, I will take my loss and move on but for my dollar I say no way.
Since their super bowl type win at home over the Steelers 3 weeks ago, they have proceeded to get destroyed by the Chargers 43-14 and back-to-back games at home by Denver 44-13, and the Bills 16-10.
Head coach Todd Haley now realizes Matt Cassel isn't the answer, but then again as bad as this team is they have no answers and I will take the Browns in this spot who have at least shown some consistent play the last few weeks.
Cleveland has covered 4 in a row, and 7 of their last 10, and I really like what I am seeing from Brady Quinn at QB, and the wildcat with Joshua Cribbs.
I will go to war with the small dog here and call for the Browns to get their 2nd straight win here
Cleveland is the play.
FREE SELECTION - ARIZONA CARDINALSComment -
Last 7 days:
4-8 -127 Dimes
Setting new records in futility every week.
Comment
