Sunday Trends and Indexes 01/06

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Sunday, January 6

Good Luck on day #6 of 2008!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Dunkel Index

NFL
Dunkel Index

Wild Card Weekend


SUNDAY, JANUARY 6

Game 485-486: NY Giants at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: NY Giants 131.027; Tampa Bay 132.909
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2; 42
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay by 3; 39 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (+3); Over

Game 487-488: Tennessee at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 129.151; San Diego 142.210
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 13; 37
Vegas Line: San Diego by 9; 40 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-9); Under

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[pm530]

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL
Long Sheet


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Sunday, January 6
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NY GIANTS (10 - 6) at TAMPA BAY (9 - 7) - 1/6/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY GIANTS is 1-0 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NY GIANTS is 1-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TENNESSEE (10 - 6) at SAN DIEGO (11 - 5) - 1/6/2008, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.
SAN DIEGO is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN DIEGO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in home games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in home lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) against AFC South division opponents since 1992.
SAN DIEGO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 2-0 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
SAN DIEGO is 2-0 straight up against TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

National Football League - Short Sheet

NFL
Wild Card Games
Short Sheet


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Sunday, January 6
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NFC Wild Card Round
TV: FOX
NY Giants at Tampa Bay, 1:00 ET


NY Giants:
12-4 ATS in road games
12-3 ATS after scoring 35+ points last game

Tampa Bay:
13-4 Under at home off home loss
26-11 Under vs. NFC East

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AFC Wild Card Round
TV: CBS
Tennessee at San Diego, 8:00 ET


Tennessee:
11-2 Over after BB wins by 6 or less points
15-3 Over after scoring 17 points or less BB games

San Diego:
8-0 ATS as a home favorite of 7.5 to 10 points
7-1 ATS in home games

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[pm530]

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up
Wild Card Games


Sunday, January 6

Giants lost their opener at Dallas, then never lost another game on foreign soil, even winning in England; my problem with them is, they played their hearts out in loss to Patriots last week, not sure they can muster another maximum effort, and to win playoff games on road, it takes a superior effort. Tampa basically took a couple weeks off to get ready for this spot; they were 6-1 at home before last week's loss. Giants lost to Garcia when he was on the 49ers and Eagles-- he goes for #3 here, trying to beat Giants as a Buccaneer. Not sure if Monte Kiffin's rumored move to Oakland to work with his son is a distraction. Figures to be low scoring.

Chargers trailed 17-3 in fourth quarter at Tennessee just 4 weeks ago, rallied to win sloppy OT game (was 3-0 Titans at half) where both sides started trio of drives in enemy territory. Chargers won and covered their last six games; they still don't have Neal as the fullback to block for LT, but they've run ball for an average of 176 yards per game over last five weeks. Unsure how healthy Vince Young's quad is; they need him to win this game. Titans are 1-5 when they allow more than 20 points, a figure Bolts reached in 11 of their last 14 games. If Young is healthy, Titans are dangerous.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Tips & Trends

NFL


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Tips and Trends
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Wild Card Weekend


Sunday, January 6

New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (FOX | 1 PM ET)

Tampa Bay was one of the best home teams in the NFC this season, going 6-2 both SU & ATS. One of the losses was 24-23 to Jacksonville and the other came in the regular-season finale against Carolina in a meaningless game. EDGE: BUCS
New York finished tied with Indy and Dallas as the 2nd-best road team in the NFL behind New England. The Giants were 7-1 away from home and their only loss came against the Cowboys in Week 1. Since then, they have won 7 straight, including a trip to London in Week 8 vs. Miami. That is the only road game they did not cover since losing to Dallas. EDGE: GIANTS
Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia will try to defeat the Giants in the playoffs with his 3rd different team after beating them last year as an Eagle and as a 49er in 2003, leading San Francisco back from a 24-point deficit en route to a 39-38 victory. EDGE: BUCS
Giants are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. NFC opponents.
Bucs are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. NFC opponents.
Bucs are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. teams with a winning record.


Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (CBS | 4:30 PM ET)

This is the other rematch of a regular-season meeting, with San Diego rallying back to win 23-17 in overtime at Tennessee back on December 9th. There is a lot of bad blood remaining from that game that saw Chargers defensive star Shawne Merriman take a shot on his knee while there was also a horse collar tackle on Tennessee RB Chris Brown. The Titans blew a 14-3 lead in the 4th quarter and remain bitter. "I don't think anybody's happy about the way that game ended,'' Tennessee DE Kyle Vanden Bosch said. ''We take a lead, we'd like to be able to finish a game. We give them credit. They made big plays when they had to to beat us. At the same time, there was definitely some unfinished business when they came to Nashville.'' SLIGHT EDGE: TITANS
Tennessee QB Vince Young is listed as day-to-day with a quad injury, but head coach Jeff Fisher is optimistic that he will play. "I can't really say right now if Vince is going to play this week,'' Fisher said. ''I have a good feeling he'll be back on the practice field, and we'll see how he goes.'' EDGE: CHARGERS
Chargers are 6-0 SU & ATS in their last 6 games.
Titans are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Matchup Notes

NFL


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NFL – Matchup Notes
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NFL game day buzz: Wild card edition

N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay (-3, 39 ½)

The Giants and Bucs have never met in the playoffs. New York has won two of the last three meetings, most recently a 17-3 home victory Oct. 29, 2006, and leads the series 10-6. Tampa Bay, though, has won five of nine matchups at home.


Tennessee at San Diego (-9 ½, 40)

San Diego has won five straight in this series, including a 40-7 win at home last season. The Chargers, though, are 0-3 in the postseason against the former Houston Oilers, including a 17-14 loss in their last playoff meeting on Dec. 29, 1979.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Previews

NFL


Sunday, January 6

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NFL Previews
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NFL wild-card betting previews

Sunday Football Previews


Preview: N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay

GAME: New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, January 06 - 1:00 PM EST
SPREAD: Tampa Bay -3 TOTAL: 39.5

The New York Giants haven't won a playoff game since 2001. Jeff Garcia has played a big part in that - and gets yet another chance to extend that drought Sunday.

Garcia leads the fourth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) against the fifth-seeded Giants (10-6) in a wild-card matchup at Raymond James Stadium.

Garcia will make his third playoff start against the Giants in as many uniforms, and the sight of the veteran quarterback likely won't be pleasing to New York. Garcia has engineered two playoff victories over the Giants in the past six seasons, most recently last year.

Filling in for an injured Donovan McNabb, Garcia completed 17 of 31 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown to help Philadelphia defeat New York 23-20 in a wild-card game last Jan. 7. That performance, however, is hardly his most memorable one against the Giants in the postseason.

On Jan. 5, 2003, Garcia helped lead the second-biggest playoff comeback in league history, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing seven times for 60 yards and a TD to help San Francisco rally from a 35-14 deficit and defeat New York 39-38.

Now the Giants again face the 37-year-old Garcia, who won the Bucs starting job this season after being signed away from the Eagles as a free agent in March. He threw for 2,440 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions to help Tampa Bay return to the top of the NFC South for the first time since 2002 - the season the team won its only Super Bowl.

Garcia posted a 94.6 quarterback rating, seventh in the league, as the Bucs returned to the playoffs after a year off. Tampa Bay was 4-12 in 2006.

"He certainly has done an outstanding job for them. He is the guy that you have to try to do something about," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. "You have to get pressure on him; you have to contain him; you have to get up in his face. You have to do all of those kinds of things. And of course they are always trying to create opportunities for him to be able to be in a position that he can take full advantage of.

"So we definitely know of the strengths of Jeff Garcia, how well he is playing. And we will spend a week trying to do something about it."

Coughlin will be counting on his team's formidable pass rush to keep Garcia in check. New York's 53 sacks topped the league, and led by defensive ends Osi Umenyiora (13), Justin Tuck (10) and Michael Strahan (nine), the Giants will look to generate heavy pressure on Garcia, whose short drops and quick release have given New York problems in the past.

"It's not just the four guys up front; it's the perimeter blitz package," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "They're a great overload blitzing team; you're going to see their cornerbacks have sacks, their linebacking corps has sacks, sacks are coming from all over the place. It's a credit to this scheme and to their personnel, they do an excellent job."

Along with New York's pass rush, Gruden may have to be concerned about rust. Tampa Bay clinched its division with two weeks remaining, then rested most of its starters over the past two games - including Garcia, who didn't play in last week's 31-23 loss to Carolina.

Gruden, though, felt it was more important to get time off for banged-up players such as receivers Joey Galloway (shoulder) and former Giant Ike Hilliard (knee) - not to mention Garcia, who missed two games this season with a back bruise. Gruden feels that playing at home will immediately give his team all the energy it needs.

"When you run out of the tunnel and you have 80,000 fans going crazy, you're going to have momentum," Gruden said.

If Galloway and Hilliard, who combined for more than 1,700 receiving yards, are healthy, they'll form a dangerous combination for a Giants secondary that has been prone to giving up big plays this season. That unit was weakened when starting cornerback Sam Madison aggravated a pulled stomach muscle in last week's loss to New England.

New York, though, has shown the ability to overcome such adversity this season after a turmoil-filled 2006. The Giants went 2-6 in the second half last year amid infighting between the players as well as Coughlin, but the team was much more harmonious this year.

New York was just 4-4 in the second half, but picked up road wins over Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia, and came close to knocking off the unbeaten Patriots before losing 38-35.

While their aggressive defense may be able to do enough to keep them in Sunday's game, the Giants' hopes of earning their first playoff win in five tries - a slide that started with a 34-7 defeat to Baltimore in the 2001 Super Bowl - rest largely with Eli Manning.

The fourth-year quarterback had a strong performance last week, going 22-for-32 for 251 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, but a lack of consistency has plagued him throughout his career. So have turnovers, as he threw a career-high 20 INTs this season to 23 TDs.

While New York boasts a versatile rushing attack led by the bruising Brandon Jacobs (1,009 yards) and emerging rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (8.3 yards per carry), Manning's ability to put together at the very least a steady, efficient performance will be critical to the Giants.

That, however, could be a tall order against a Bucs defense that was second in the league in yards allowed (278.4 per game), first in passing defense (170.5) and third in points allowed (16.9).

"They have veteran players and they are very sound with what they are doing," said Manning, who threw for 3,336 yards this season and will be playing in his third career postseason game. "They don't give up big plays by mental mistakes. They are able to get a good pass rush whether they bring a blitz or just on the four-man rush. They mix up what they do enough and they are very sound and disciplined in their technique and in their coverage.

"The more I look at them I will get a better feel, but I think they have talented players and they are confident in what they are doing."

Those talented players include linebackers Derrick Brooks and Barrett Ruud, cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Philip Buchanon and a pass rush led by rookie defensive ends Greg White (team-best eight sacks) and Gaines Adams (six), as well as tackle Jovan Haye (six).

While Tampa Bay has some injury issues, the Giants also could be missing some key players Sunday. Madison, along with center Shaun O'Hara and linebacker Kawika Mitchell, did not practice Wednesday, and Coughlin wouldn't speculate on their status.

New York is also without tight end Jeremy Shockey, who suffered a broken leg Dec. 16 against Washington and was placed on injured reserve.

The Giants and Bucs have never met in the playoffs. New York has won two of the last three meetings, most recently a 17-3 home victory Oct. 29, 2006, and leads the series 10-6. Tampa Bay, though, has won five of nine matchups at home.

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Preview: Tennessee at San Diego

GAME: Tennessee Titans (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (11-5)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, January 06 - 4:30 PM EST
SPREAD: San Diego -10 TOTAL: 40

For the second straight season, the San Diego Chargers are on a roll heading into the playoffs. This time around, they're trying not to be overconfident, especially with a matchup against a Tennessee Titans team that is thrilled to be getting another crack at the AFC West champions.

San Diego brings another long winning streak into the postseason on Sunday when it meets visiting Tennessee for the second time in five weeks.

The first matchup between these teams resulted in a 23-17 overtime victory for San Diego in Nashville on Dec. 9 - the Titans' only loss in their last five games.

In that contest, the Chargers (11-5) rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 17 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates with 9 seconds remaining. San Diego won on LaDainian Tomlinson's 16-yard TD run in overtime.

The game was extremely physical, with four players getting fined a total of $32,500 by the NFL and Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman accusing the Titans of a cheap shot that left him with an injured knee.

"I know that there's a lot of things that went on a few weeks ago when we played them at our place, a lot of bad blood in this game," said Tennessee center Kevin Mawae, who was docked $5,000 for a hit on Merriman. "So it'll be interesting to see. We're going to try to stay focused this week and not get caught up in the locker room trash talk and just focus on ourselves.

"We go out to San Diego and give them our best shot."

Tennessee (10-6) is still upset about the last meeting, believing it was on the wrong end of a call on a crucial fourth-and-5 play for San Diego during the final drive of regulation. Rivers threw a pass downfield to Chris Chambers, who had to dive back for the ball, and the officials ruled it a catch.

It was replayed because it came in the last two minutes, but not overturned because of a lack of camera angles.

"If people missed the first one that we played, tune in," Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said.

Rivers, though, isn't ready to label this wild-card game as a grudge match.

"Nah, I mean, we won the game. That's all that matters to us," he said. "It's a new game now. We get to play them at home. It's going to be another fun, physical game. I'm looking forward to it."

San Diego was also looking forward to its playoff opener last season after finishing on a 10-game winning streak and earning the top seed in the AFC. The Chargers, however, lost 24-21 at home to New England - their fourth straight defeat in the postseason since reaching the Super Bowl in 1995.

The Chargers now bring a six-game win streak into the playoffs and enter having won 10 of 12 following a 1-3 start.

"Last year, the season we had, it felt so easy throughout the year, winning something like 10 straight," said Tomlinson, who won his second consecutive rushing title this season with 1,474 yards. "You had to get to that point where we were kind of a little arrogant, and saying, 'You know what? We don't think nobody out there can beat us.' We won 10 straight. You can have a tendency as human nature to do that. We did that last year and we paid for it.

"This year things have come tougher for us. We have really been in some tough games. We have lost some tough games, some close games, and we have had games where we just got embarrassed. So I think all that, you go into the playoffs with a newfound respect, somewhat."

San Diego's recent playoff failures led to the firing of coach Marty Schottenheimer after last season. Norv Turner took over and he's coaching just his third postseason game, having gone 1-1 with Washington in 1999.

"By the nature of what both teams do, it's going to be an extremely physical game," Turner told San Diego's official Web site. "Then when you look at the players involved, there are some real physical players and very competitive players. I said it after that game (in Nashville), the intensity level was like a playoff game. The intensity level in this game I imagine will be even higher."

Tennessee needed a 16-10 win at No. 2 seed Indianapolis last Sunday night to secure its first playoff spot since 2003, but saw starting quarterback Vince Young get hurt in the process.

Young is day-to-day after re-injuring his right quadriceps muscle, but coach Jeff Fisher said Monday he expects Young to play in this game.

"I have a good feel that he will be back on the practice field," Fisher said. "We'll just see how it goes."

If he starts Sunday, the 24-year-old Young would become the youngest quarterback in franchise history to start a playoff game.

"Just talking to the veteran guys, they keep saying it's one of the greatest feelings ever," the second-year pro said of being in the playoffs. "The tempo, the fans, the people. It's like a different edge to the game. I'm just looking forward to being a part of it. I'm just happy."

San Diego did a good job against Young in the Dec. 9 matchup, picking him off twice and holding him to two yards on two carries.

The Chargers led the NFL with 30 interceptions and finished fifth in scoring defense, allowing 17.8 points per game.

"Their defense is playing very, very well," Fisher said. "They're healthy. They're getting turnovers. Their offense has a running back that's pretty good. They've got pretty good receivers and an All-Pro tight end, and a quarterback that knows what to do with the football."

San Diego has won five straight in this series, including a 40-7 win at home last season. The Chargers, though, are 0-3 in the postseason against the former Houston Oilers, including a 17-14 loss in their last playoff meeting on Dec. 29, 1979.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Mismatches

NFL


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NFL wild-card mismatches: Where to find the edge
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Looking for a betting edge in this weekend’s NFL playoff games? We’ve picked out two key mismatches in each game that could have a major affect on the outcome.

Sunday, January 6

New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1, 39 ½)

Buccaneers’ turnovers gained vs. Giants’ turnovers lost

Tampa Bay boasts one of the league’s best defenses, allowing just 278.8 yards and 16.9 points per game. But one of the team’s greatest strengths is its ability to take the pressure off by forcing opponents to turn over the ball.

The Bucs ranked third in the league with 35 takeaways this season – 16 interceptions and 19 recovered fumbles. Safety Jermaine Philips and defensive end Greg White are largely responsible for that success. Philips finished the season with four INTs and three forced fumbles, while White had a team-high seven forced fumbles and 8.5 sacks.

Protecting the ball has not been the Giants’ greatest strength this year. They have turned over the ball on 34 occasions – 20 intercepted passes and 14 fumbles that were recovered by opponents.

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora vs. Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia

The Giants had a league-leading 52 sacks this season, with defensive end Osi Umenyiora producing 14 of them. On Sunday, he gets the chance to add to that impressive total against veteran Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia.

Umenyiora finished third in sacks overall, but led the category for most of the year. His numbers are somewhat skewed by an amazing six-sack performance against the Eagles on Sept. 30, but he still managed at least one sack in eight of New York’s 16 games.

At 37 years old, Garcia is not as mobile as he used to be, and could be a sore man following this encounter. He has been sacked 19 times in 13 games. It’s not just Umenyiora that Garcia has to worry about – three other Giants players have more than five sacks this season.


Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (-9, 41)

Titans running back LenDale White vs. Chargers’ rush defense

These teams met on Dec. 9 and LenDale White caused San Diego’s defense problems. The Chargers won 23-17, but White ran for 113 yards and a touchdown.

The second-year pro ranks 12th overall with 1,108 yards and seven TDs this season. White has broken the century mark in five of his 16 games, including two of his last four. White also has 114 receiving yards.

The Chargers, meanwhile, are allowing 107.6 yards per game on the ground. They have allowed four different running backs to break the 100-yard mark against them this season, including Adrian Peterson’s record-breaking 296-yard game on Nov. 4.

White is unlikely to come close to that total, but should be able to repeat his performance of a few weeks ago.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers vs. Titans’ pass defense

The Chargers closed out the season with six straight wins thanks in large part to quarterback Philip Rivers. He averaged 183.3 yards per game over that time and had a combined 10 touchdown passes.

That includes the 23-17 win over Tennessee in early December in which Rivers threw for 228 yards and two TDs. The fourth-year pro has racked up 3,152 yards in 16 games this season, throwing for a total of 21 touchdowns.

The Titans’ pass defense ranks 10th in the league in yards per game (199.4), but has not finished the season well. In four of its final five games (omitting the final contest against a second-string Colts lineup), Tennessee’s pass defense allowed an average 232 passing yards per game and a combined six TDs through the air.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Gameday

NFL
Gameday



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NFL Playoff Gameday
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Sunday NFL Gameday

Wild Card weekend continues on Sunday with some warm-weather games down in Tampa Bay and San Diego. Here's a look at both of the matchups in NFL Gameday . . .

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New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) (Total 39.5)
Raymond James Stadium, 1:00pm ET (FOX)

The Giants will be looking to get some revenge on Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia, who has knocked them out of the playoffs during stints with both the Eagles and the Niners. New York got to finish out the regular season against the Patriots, and they held tough in that game before finally falling 38-35 at home. Eli Manning went 22-of-32 for 251 yards passing against the Pats with four touchdowns and one interception, and Giants fans will be looking for a similar performance by their quarterback on Sunday afternoon.

The Buccaneers enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, but they still managed to win the weak NFC South division by two games over the Panthers and Saints. Tampa Bay sat out Garcia in their regular-season finale against Carolina, with Luke McCown throwing two touchdown passes in the 31-23 home defeat. Joey Galloway also missed that game with a sore shoulder, but he's expected to be fine on Sunday. A bigger concern for the team is LB Cato June, who is hobbled by a foot injury right now.

The Giants and Buccaneers last met in October 2006 in New York, with Tampa Bay losing 17-3 in that contest. These teams last played in Tampa Bay in November 2003, with the Bucs winning 19-13. Tampa Bay is favored by 2.5 points at home on Sunday, and they went 9-7 against-the-spread on the season (6-2 ATS at home, 6-3 ATS as the fave). New York went 10-6 ATS overall, 6-2 ATS on the road, and 4-2 ATS as the dog.

Here are the official injury reports for both the Giants and Buccaneers for Sunday . . .

New York Injuries
Sam Madison CB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (stomach)
Shaun O'Hara C Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Kevin Dockery CB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (hip)
Kawika Mitchell LB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Dave Tollefson DE Questionable Wild Card Weekend (concussion)
Ahmad Bradshaw RB Probable Wild Card Weekend (calf)
Plaxico Burress WR Probable Wild Card Weekend (ankle)
Michael Matthews TE Probable Wild Card Weekend (illness)
Sinorice Moss WR Probable Wild Card Weekend (back)

Tampa Bay Injuries
Cato June LB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (foot)
Arron Sears G Questionable Wild Card Weekend (ankle)

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Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (-9.5) (Total 40)
Qualcomm Stadium, 4:30pm ET (CBS)

The Titans needed to get past the Colts last Sunday night to sneak past the Browns and into the playoffs - and they managed to pick up a 16-10 road victory over a second-string Indy squad that didn't put up much opposition. However, Tennessee quarterback Vince Young suffered a quadriceps injury in that contest, and he could come down to a game-time decision this weekend - veteran Kerry Collins is the backup. The Titans will definitely be without WR Roydell Williams on Sunday as he is out with a broken ankle.

And while Tennessee enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, San Diego has won six games in a row heading into this matchup. The Chargers had no trouble dispatching the Raiders in their regular-season finale, getting two touchdown passes from Philip Rivers in a 30-17 road victory. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 56 yards on 16 carries in that contest, and he ended up leading the league with 1,474 yards on the ground this season. Kicker Nate Kaeding has a bruised left leg, but will keep FG duties.

San Diego has already beaten Tennessee once this season, winning 23-17 on the road back in Week 14. Tomlinson ran for 146 yards and an overtime touchdown in that contest. The Chargers are 9.5-point favorites to win this weekend; San Diego went 11-5 against-the-spread this season, including 7-1 ATS at home and 10-3 ATS as the favored team. Tennessee went 8-8 ATS, 5-3 ATS on the road, and 4-4 ATS as the dog.

Here are the official injury reports for both the Titans and Chargers for Sunday . . .

Tennessee Injuries
Roydell Williams WR Out Wild Card Weekend (ankle)
Kevin Mawae C Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (calf)
Benji Olson G Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (back)
LenDale White RB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Vince Young QB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (quadriceps)
Chris Brown RB Probable Wild Card Weekend (back)
Albert Haynesworth DT Probable Wild Card Weekend (hamstring)

San Diego Injuries
Lorenzo Neal FB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (fibula)
Marques Harris LB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (hand)
Nick Kaeding K Probable Wild Card Weekend (left fibula)

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[pm530]

College Football - Dunkel Index

NCAAF
Dunkel Index


SUNDAY, JANUARY 6

Game 489-490: Bowling Green vs. Tulsa
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 83.544; Tulsa 84.741
Dunkel Line: Tulsa by 1; 69
Vegas Line: Tulsa by 5; 76
Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (+5); Under


MONDAY, JANUARY 7

Game 491-492: Ohio State vs. LSU
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 109.014; LSU 112.040
Dunkel Line: LSU by 3; 54
Vegas Line: LSU by 6; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (+6); Over

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[pm530]

College Football – Long Sheet

NCAAF
Long Sheet


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Sunday, January 6
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BOWLING GREEN (8 - 4) vs. TULSA (9 - 4) - 1/6/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Monday, January 7
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OHIO ST (11 - 1) vs. LSU (11 - 2) - 1/7/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LSU is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO ST is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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[pm530]

College Football – Short Sheet

NCAAF
Short Sheet

Sunday, January 6th

GMAC Bowl
Mobile, Alabama
TV: ESPN
Bowling Green vs. Tulsa, 8:00 ET

Bowling Green:
19-8 ATS off a home win by 17+ points
16-6 ATS after allowing 3 or less first-half points

Tulsa:
0-6 ATS after allowing 37+ points
0-8 ATS after having 475+ total yards


Monday, January 7th

BCS Championship Game
New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: FOX
Ohio State vs. LSU, 8:00 ET

Ohio State:
12-1 ATS off an Under
10-2 ATS off a road game

LSU:
1-5 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points
1-5 ATS off an ATS loss

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[pm530]

College Football – Tips & Trends

NCAAF
Tips and Trends


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Tips and Trends
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 6TH

GMAC Bowl - Mobile, AL
Tulsa vs. Bowling Green (ESPN | 8 PM ET)

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane are led by Conference-USA offensive player of the year Paul Smith, who threw for 4,753 yards and 42 touchdowns. This is Tulsa's 3rd straight bowl game - and according to head coach Todd Graham: "We are looking forward to win 10 games this year" - which would tie the school record for most wins. Bowling Green's defense is allowing 422 total yards per game on the road and will try to slow down the nation's most prolific offense, as Tulsa averages 542.5 yards per game.
Tulsa has been just as bad on defense as good on offense. The Golden Hurricane have the 11th-worst defense in the country, allowing 469 total yards per game. This should provide plenty of opportunities for the Falcons, who ranked near the top of the MAC in nearly every offensive category.
The Falcons averaged 38 points and 448 yards during their current four-game winning streak to close out the regular season
MAC bowl teams are 10-3 ATS off a SU win.
Tulsa is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
The UNDER is 9-4 in Bowling Green's last 13 games on grass.
The OVER is 9-4 in Bowling Green's last 13 non-conference games.


MONDAY, JANUARY 7TH

BCS National Championship - New Orleans, LA
#1 Ohio State vs. #2 Louisiana State (FOX | 8 PM ET)

Last year, the extended time off (51 days) between games really cooled off the previously unbeaten Buckeyes, and insiders feel that same problem will recur against the SEC's best team. The Tigers have the most NFL talent on their roster and will be able to make good use of the break to heal their wounds, just like USC did in last year's Rose Bowl. That's bad news for the Buckeyes and could very well lead to another ugly title game.
Ohio State will be without backup CB Eugene Clifford, but starting CB Donald Washington has been cleared to play after it was previously reported that he would be suspended as well.
LSU head coach Les Miles is 13-0 SU & 11-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents with Tigers.
Ohio State is 30-2 SU & 22-8 ATS in its last 32 games.
Ohio State is 6-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Ohio State is 23-8 ATS in its last 31 games overall.
LSU is 8-2 SU & 7-3 ATS in its last 10 bowl games.
LSU is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 games on turf.
LSU is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Underdog is 6-3 SU in BCS title games, winning 4 of last 5.
The OVER is 7-1 in LSU's last 8 games overall.
The UNDER is 7-3 in Ohio State's last 10 non-conference games.

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[pm530]

College Football – Preview, January 6

NCAAF
Preview


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GMAC Bowl preview: Bowling Green vs Tulsa
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Sunday, January 6

GMAC Bowl
Teams: Bowling Green Falcons vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Date: Sunday, Jan. 6, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama
Line: Tulsa -4, Total 75 ½ points

If the Rose Bowl is the granddaddy of them all, the GMAC Bowl is probably more like the illegitimate half-brother.

Nonetheless, it will be the opening act for the BCS Championship game, taking the prime time slot on Jan. 6, the night before the big game.

There are no big-time programs involved, but for those who like offense, this one will probably be a crowd pleaser. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane and Bowling Green Falcons are two teams that play full-throttle, all-out, shock-and-awe offense. That’s what happens when your defense is terrible.

That’s why this game has the highest over/under of all the bowl games at a whopping 75 ½ points.

The biggest star of the game is Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith. With 4,753 passing yards and 42 TD tosses this season, Smith was second in the nation to only Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell in passing stats. Smith was the biggest reason the Hurricane put up nearly 40 points per game.

The Tulsa offense is a sight to behold when it really gets humming, like when they went four games in a row in which they scored at least 48 points. That included a 56-7 win over Houston, though most of their games were much closer.

Allowing 469 yards per game meant that Tulsa couldn’t put opponents away. It also meant they weren’t a good bet and only covered the spread in four of 13 games this year.

Bowling Green couldn’t be in a better position coming into this game. They are fresh off a four-game winning streak, including a 37-10 win over Toledo in the final game of the season.

Quarterback Tyler Sheehan didn’t get the kind of press that Smith got this year, but with more than 3,000 passing yards, he was among the best QBs in the country. He has a couple of good receivers in Freddie Barnes and Jermiah Kelly, and running back Anthony Turner is a threat to run, catch, and even throw the ball with 500 yards rushing, 152 receiving yards and three touchdown passes this year.

Unlike Tulsa, Bowling Green was able to cover the spread in their last four games because their defense finally got its act together. After allowing 34 points per game in the first eight games of the season, the Falcons tightened up and held opponents to an average of 20 points per game in the last four contests.

The scary thing for the Bowling Green defense is that they have struggled against strong passing teams. Their worst losses of the season came against Boston College and Miami-Ohio, which are the two best passing teams they saw this season. But even those teams can’t match Tulsa’s aerial attack, which racked up 375 yards per game and ranked third in the country.

This will be the third consecutive bowl game appearance for the Golden Hurricane and 15th overall. This game marks Bowling Green’s eighth bowl appearance. The Falcons defeated Memphis 52-35 in the 2004 GMAC Bowl.

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