Friday Trends and Indexes 01/11

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Friday, January 11

Good Luck on day #11 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]

Six-pack for Friday

-- Auburn dressed 11 players for its SEC opener Thursday, but four of them were walk-ons. Not good.

-- Forbes Magazine lists Louisville, at $23M, as having most revenue of any college basketball program.

-- George Washington 49, Saint Louis 20-- Horrible loss for Billikens, who had seven points at half.

-- Saint Louis' 20 points is the fewest scored in a D-I game since way back in 1986.

-- Washington State stayed unbeaten with an impressive win at USC; Cougars are a terrific defensive team.

-- USC starts out 0-3 in Pac-10 play in OJ Mayo era. They didn't play Jefferson for off-court reasons, as Tim Floyd struggles to make Trojans a cohesive unit.

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[pm530]

Friday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but............

13) Washington Capitals signed LW Alex Ovechkin to $124m 13-year contract Thursday; who said hockey was unhealthy?

12) Best part of Ovechkin's contract is that he negotiated it himself; no scumweasel agents to suck 4% out; good for him.

11) Golf Channel co-anchor Kelly Tilghman wasn't on the air Thursday for coverage of the Hawai'ian Open; unclear is she was fired (unlikely), ill (unlikely) or suspended (probable) for comments she made in reference to Eldrick Woods last week.

10) It has rained so much in Hawai'i this month, they couldn't mow the rough , so the course for Hawai'ian Open is tougher than it usually is. When they finally did cut the rough, they found 3,000+ golf balls lost by members there. Seriously.

9) Browns named Derek Anderson their '08 starter at QB, so were does that leave Brady Quinn? Can they get value for a guy who played part of the last regular season game against the lowly 49ers? They have cap room to keep both, but.........

8) Drake is one of feel-good stories of season, but they just lost their leading scorer. Josh Young, with a sprained ankle. Drake is 13-1 and atop the Missouri Calley Conference.

7) A guy who used to be mayor of Everett, WA promised to donate U of Washington $200,000 for law school scholarship, with one condition; they had to fire Ty Willingham and AD Todd Turner. When Turner resigned, the guy sent in half the money. Thats how crazy college sports has become.

6) If Pete Carroll takes the Falcons' job, does that mean there is trouble for USC, regarding the Reggie Bush investigation? Otherwise, why would Carroll leave an ideal situation?

5) West Virginia hasn't had player taken in NBA Draft since back in 1997; their last first-round pick was in 1966.

4) Not sure how many people stilll get TV off an antenna, but they said today that TVs won't work that way after Feb 2009. Hopefully that won't affect mostly poor people, but guess is it probably will, just like anything else.

3) Clemson followed up close loss to North Carolina with loss at home to Charlotte; Boston College lost to Kansas, then got beat at home by Robert Morris. You can get beat by team one time, but Clemson, BC got beat by those teams twice. Have to be able to bounce back from difficult defeats.

2) Mitt Romney's Presidential campaign spent $8.4M in New Hampshire on TV commercials, airing 8,093 of them. Imagine it must be great to be a TV ad exec every four years there.

1) Dodgers are leaving Florida to have spring training out in Glendale, AZ; Orioles are going to take their place in a town that used to be called Dodgertown, Vero Beach.

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[pm530]

Weekend Sports Preview

The NFL playoffs will grab most of the sports headlines again this weekend, but there is also plenty of NBA, college hoops and NHL action on the slate.

The NFL Divisional Round playoffs kick off on Saturday with Seattle at Green Bay (-8) and Jacksonville at New England (-13). Sunday’s NFL postseason action sees San Diego take on Indianapolis (-8.5) and the NY Giants face Dallas (-7.5).

The NBA begins the weekend with a very busy Friday night that includes 11 games. Some of Friday night’s top matchups include Washington at Atlanta, Boston at New Jersey, Orlando at Denver and Chicago at Philadelphia. Also on tap for Friday is Charlotte at Cleveland, Toronto at New York, Miami at New Orleans, Minnesota at Houston, Memphis at Golden State and Dallas at Seattle.

The NBA slows down a bit on Saturday with only seven games on the schedule, starting with Detroit at Charlotte, Boston at Washington, Minnesota at San Antonio and Milwaukee at Phoenix. The rest of the Saturday games include Orlando at Utah, Indiana at Sacramento and Dallas at the Clippers.

Sunday’s NBA action includes another six games with Portland at Toronto, Chicago at Atlanta, New Orleans at Houston, Detroit at New York, Indiana at Golden State and Memphis at the Lakers.

In college hoops this weekend all 10 of the Top 10-ranked schools take to the court. On Saturday eight members of the Top 10 club will be in action, including N.C. State at No. 1 North Carolina, No. 4 Washington State at No. 5 UCLA, Connecticut at No. 7 Georgetown, No. 2 Memphis at Marshall, No. 8 Tennessee at South Carolina, No. 6 Michigan State at Iowa and No. 3 Kansas at Nebraska.

The two Top 10 schools that play on Sunday include Illinois at No. 10 Indiana and Virginia at No. 9 Duke.

On the ice this weekend the NHL starts slowly on Friday with four games, including St. Louis at Columbus, Minnesota at Chicago, the Islanders at Calgary and Phoenix at Vancouver.

Ten games follow on Saturday highlighted by Pittsburgh at Atlanta, New Jersey at Buffalo, Detroit at Ottawa, Montreal at the Rangers, Colorado at Carolina and Nashville at Columbus. The rest of the Saturday NHL schedule includes Boston at Philadelphia, Dallas at Los Angeles, Tampa Bay at Florida and Toronto at San Jose.

The Sunday NHL slate is busier than usual with eight games on the docket. First up on Sunday is Philadelphia at Washington, Colorado at Florida, Vancouver at St. Louis and Phoenix at Minnesota. The rest of the Sunday games include the Islanders at Ottawa, Calgary at Edmonton, San Jose at Anaheim and Chicago at Nashville.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Dunkel Index

NFL
Dunkel Index

Seattle at Green Bay
The Seahawks took full advantage of their home field on Saturday, overcoming a fourth quarter deficit to beat Washington (35-14) behind an enthusiastic Qwest Field crowd. But Seattle won't get that kind of reception at Lambeau Field this Saturday and Mike Holmgren's team struggled to a 2-4 record in their last six road games this season. Green Bay, meanwhile, was 7-1 at home, winning its last four by an average margin of 25 points per game. The Packers are the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Green Bay favored by 12. Dunkel Pick: Green Bay (-7 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12

Game 101-102: Seattle at Green Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 130.187; Green Bay 142.001
Dunkel Line: Green Bay by 12; 45
Vegas Line: Green Bay by 7 1/2; 42 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Green Bay (-7 1/2); Over

Game 103-104: Jacksonville at New England
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville 136.585; New England 152.542
Dunkel Line: New England by 16; 52
Vegas Line: New England by 13 1/2; 49
Dunkel Pick: New England (-13 1/2); Over


SUNDAY, JANUARY 13

Game 107-108: San Diego at Indianapolis
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 136.087; Indianapolis 146.518
Dunkel Line: Indianapolis by 10 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: Indianapolis by 8 1/2; 46 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indianapolis (-8 1/2); Under

Game 109-110: NY Giants at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: NY Giants 130.646; Dallas 141.138
Dunkel Line: Dallas by 10 1/2; 43
Vegas Line: Dallas by 7 1/2; 47
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-7 1/2); Under

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[pm530]

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL
Long Sheet


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Saturday, January 12
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SEATTLE (11 - 6) at GREEN BAY (13 - 3) - 1/12/2008, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GREEN BAY is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
GREEN BAY is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
GREEN BAY is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points this season.
GREEN BAY is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in games played on a grass field this season.
GREEN BAY is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1992.

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

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JACKSONVILLE (12 - 5) at NEW ENGLAND (16 - 0) - 1/12/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ENGLAND is 116-86 ATS (+21.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
NEW ENGLAND is 75-51 ATS (+18.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
NEW ENGLAND is 52-28 ATS (+21.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1992.

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

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Sunday, January 13
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SAN DIEGO (12 - 5) at INDIANAPOLIS (13 - 3) - 1/13/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) against conference opponents this season.
SAN DIEGO is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) against AFC South division opponents since 1992.
SAN DIEGO is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) in dome games since 1992.
SAN DIEGO is 34-17 ATS (+15.3 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.

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

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NY GIANTS (11 - 6) at DALLAS (13 - 3) - 1/13/2008, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games this season.
NY GIANTS are 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road lined games this season.
NY GIANTS are 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 2-2 against the spread versus NY GIANTS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 4-2 straight up against NY GIANTS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 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
Short Sheet


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Saturday, January 12th
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NFC Divisional Round
TV: FOX
Seattle at Green Bay, 4:30 ET

Seattle:
1-9 ATS away off a home win by 10+ points
2-11 ATS off a home win by 21+ points

Green Bay:
6-0 ATS off a home win
8-1 ATS after winning 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

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AFC Divisional Round
TV: CBS
Jacksonville at New England, 8:00 ET

Jacksonville:
12-4 ATS off a road game
6-0 ATS off BB road games

New England:
1-5 ATS after winning 8+ of their last 10 games
10-1 Over off a win by 6 or less points

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Sunday, January 13th
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AFC Divisional Round
TV: CBS
San Diego at Indianapolis, 1:00 ET

San Diego:
11-2 ATS vs. AFC South opponents
21-7 ATS in dome stadiums

Indianapolis:
4-15 ATS at home off a loss by 6 or less points
10-23 ATS revenging a loss by 7 or less points

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NFC Divisional Round
TV: FOX
NY Giants at Dallas, 4:30 ET

NY Giants:
19-6 Under playing with double-revenge
10-1 Under away with a total of 45.5+ points

Dallas:
7-0 ATS off a road loss
20-8 ATS at home off BB ATS losses

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[pm530]

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up


Second Round Playoff Schedule

Saturday, January 12

Seattle lost in OT in playoff game here in '03; home side is 4-0 in last four series games, with Seattle beating Pack 34-24 LY, in last series meeting. Seahaeks actually have more playoff experience than mostly-young Packers, having been in Super Bowl couple years ago, but Pack has huge edge at QB. Seattle comes east of Mississippi for fifth time in last eight weeks; they're 6-2 in last eight games, with both losses by FG, in games they didn't need to win. Packers scored 27+ points in eight of last nine games.

Patriots look to go 17-0 vs hot Jaguar team that won seven of its last nine games, losing by FG at Indy, and in meaningless Wk 17 game at Houston. Jags are 5-3 vs spread as underdog; they lost 28-3 here two years ago, in last playoff appearance- this is fourth time these teams have met in playoffs, a lot, considering Jaguars are just 13 years old. Patriots won six of seven series meetings; Jags are 0-4 here, losing by 3-14-14-25. NE is 8-0 at home, but did not cover any of last four home games (1-5 vs spread in last six).


Sunday, January 13

Chargers won on this field in '05, when Colts were 13-0; they won rainy night game 23-21 in Week 10 (+3.5) in game where Indy had 385-177 edge in yardage, but Sproles ran both kick and punt back for TD, offsetting a Colt defensive score. Viniatieri missed simple FG at end that would have won game. Colts are defending champ and 4-2 as home favorite; Harrison is expected to play here, for first time in three months- they're 5-0 with him in lineup. Chargers will need more production from Rivers, which could be tough if star TE Gates (foot) misses the game.

Giants won last eight road games, amazing feat, but last loss was back in Week 1, on this field; in two games vs Dallas this season, Giants lost twice to Cowboys (45-35/31-20), giving up averages of 13.4/8.0 ypp. In 20 drives in the two contests, Dallas offense scored ten TDs against Big Blue. Pokes struggled down stretch, splitting its last four games (two TDs on last 33 drives); pressure on Romo to perform, after botching snap in playoff loss LY, and JessicaGate when they lost to Eagles in Week 15. Owens always a threat to implode, but he is expected to play.

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[pm530]

NOTE: There may be some repetition in the following reports. This is difficult to avoid as the information comes from various sources.

[pm530]

National Football League - Tips & Trends

NFL


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Tips and Trends
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Saturday, January 12

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
(FOX | 4:30 PM ET)

Green Bay has not advanced to the NFC title game since Mike Holmgren was the team's head coach. This time, he will be on the opposing sideline with the Seahawks, trying to get them there for the 2nd time in 3 years. Holmgren mentored future Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre and led the Packers to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 1997 and 1998. "Mike Holmgren has meant a lot, obviously, to my career," Favre said. "And that will never change." Favre has faced Holmgren once in the playoffs, beating Seattle 33-27 in overtime at Lambeau Field back in 2004. SLIGHT EDGE: PACKERS
Favre has dropped 6 of his last 8 playoff games but has an overall mark of 11-9 in the postseason. He has thrown an interception in 7 of his last 8 playoff games and has a passer rating of 69.3 in his last 5 with 9 TDs and 14 INTs. SLIGHT EDGE: SEAHAWKS
Green Bay has the more balanced offense between the teams, with rookie RB Ryan Grant stepping up big-time down the stretch. Grant had 5 100-yard games in the last 10 games and did not emerge as the team's top back until the 7th game of the season. "We've talked about the difference between the regular season and the playoffs," Packers running backs coach Edgar Bennett said. "And I think this is when he can become even more 'Ryan Grant' and make a name for himself." Meanwhile, 2005 NFL MVP Shaun Alexander has been a shell of his former self for the Seahawks, failing to break the century mark in rushing yards since Week 3. EDGE: PACKERS
Seahawks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Seahawks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games vs. NFC opponents.
Packers are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
Packersd are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games on grass.
Packers are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 games vs. NFC opponents.
The OVER is 6-2 in Seattle's last 8 games as a road underdog.


Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots
(CBS | 8 PM ET)

One of New England's main weaknesses at the end of the regular season was run defense, as the Patriots surrendered an average of 124.8 yards on the ground in 5 December games. Jacksonville's dynamic duo of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew ranked 2nd in the NFL behind Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor with 1,970 rushing yards between them. "They both have different qualities," New England DT Richard Seymour said. "Jones-Drew is a little short, bowling-ball type guy that runs hard, and Fred Taylor, he's shifty in the hole and brings a lot of power. He has the speed to give that home run hit." EDGE: JAGUARS
Jacksonville DE Paul Spicer became the latest player to give the Patriots bulletin-board material heading into this game, defending his early-season comments that he believes they are cheaters following the spying scandal. "Do like the NCAA and kick them out of the playoffs or something," Spicer had said. "Put them on probation; they can't go to no playoff games." Spicer doesn't care if he may have lit a fire under New England because he doesn't think that should determine motivation. "You shouldn't need what somebody else says to get you motivated," Spicer said. "This is the NFL. It's a playoff game. You guys are undefeated. We're coming up there. That's enough right there to get motivated. I know I'm motivated." EDGE: PATRIOTS
New England has a huge edge in the passing game with NFL MVP Tom Brady (league-record 50 touchdown passes) and WR Randy Moss (league-record 23 TD catches), who finished 1-2 in AP Offensive Player of the Year voting earlier this week. Add Wes Welker (tied for the league lead in receptions with 112) into the mix, and the Patriots should be able to pick apart a Jacksonville secondary that has struggled at times. EDGE: PATRIOTS
The Patriots covered their 1st 8 games of the regular season but finished on a 1-5 ATS run. They were a 6-0 against playoff teams, averaging 39 points per game.
The OVER is 16-6 in New England's last 22 games overall.
The OVER is 10-0-1 in Jacksonville's last 11 games and 17-5-1 in the last 23.
The OVER is 8-0 in Jacksonville's last 8 games as an underdog.
The OVER is 10-1 in Jacksonville's last 11 road games.
The OVER is 7-1 in Jacksonville's last 8 Saturday games.
The UNDER is 8-1-1 in New England's last 10 Saturday games.
The UNDER is 9-2 in New England's last 11 home playoff games.

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Sunday, January 13

San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts (CBS | 1 PM ET)

The San Diego Chargers are coming off their first playoff victory in more than 14 years. San Diego dominated the Titans in the Wild-Card round, holding them to 248 total yards on just 6 points. This has been the case over the last 14 weeks for the Chargers, as the team has posted an 11-2 record since Week 5 while holding opponents to just 14 points per game. EDGE: CHARGERS
The Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts enter this game as prohibitive favorites yet again. The Colts finished the season ranked third in the league in scoring an average of 28 points per game. Quarterback Peyton Manning recorded his eighth 4,000-yard passing season, and WR Reggie Wayne had a career year with 1,510 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. WR Marvin Harrison (knee), WR Anthony Gonzalez (foot), and TE Ben Utecht (shoulder) are all expected to play – making this Colts offense near 100 percent for the first time in months. EDGE: COLTS
Indianapolis is no longer the no-name Colts defense, as they finished as the NFL’s top ranked scoring defense yielding 16 ppg. The Colts have held five of their last seven opponents under 20 points, and with Bob Sanders anchoring the secondary no quarterback has thrown for more than 260 yards against team this season.The Chargers offese is expected to be down a man as well with their Pro Bowl TE Antonio Gates (toe) listed as doubtful for the game. EDGE: COLTS
The Colts will face a defensive scheme that has given them problems. Indianapolis' track record against 3-4 defenses is subpar. Pittsburgh eliminated the Colts from the playoffs in the 2005 season, and New England did the same in 2003 and '04. Indianapolis averaged just 13 points in those contests. Peyton Manning has thrown a total of 8 interceptions in the last two games against this Charger 3-4 defense. EDGE: CHARGERS
Chargers are 7-0 SU & ATS in their last 7 games.
Chargers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. AFC opponents.
Chargers are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
Colts are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning record.
Colts are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Colts are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on turf.
The OVER is 10-2-2 in San Diego's last 14 road games.
The UNDER is 6-2-2 in San Diego's last 10 games vs. AFC opponents.


New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (FOX | 4:30 PM ET)

The Dallas Cowboys will be trying for their first playoff win in more than a decade; the drought is the longest in team history. In order to end their playoff drought, the Cowboys will have to pull off a franchise first by beating the New York Giants for the third time this season. Dallas has never completed a three-game season sweep of a team, and lost to Arizona in a 1998 Wild-Card game at Texas Stadium when trying to do so in its last attempt. EDGE: GIANTS
The Giants only road loss on the season came on opening day, which was against this Cowboys team. Since then, New York has reeled off eight straight road victories, including a 24-14 win at Tampa Bay in the Wild-Card round. The G-Men are averaging 26 ppg on the road this season and Michael Strahan said “We perform better on the road, which is what we need here in the playoffs.” EDGE: GIANTS
Dallas doesn’t have much momentum coming into this game, as it went 2-2 in December and failed to score a touchdown in either loss. Cowboys QB Tony Romo has been nursing a thumb injury along with the tabloids, and WR Terrell Owens has missed practice time this week due to an ankle injury. After a thirteen-win season Coach Wade Phillips said “We are now in the big game, and we’ll be just fine.” EDGE: COWBOYS
Giants QB Eli Manning threw for 312 yards with four touchdowns on opening day against the Cowboys, but followed that performance with just one touchdown and two interceptions at Giants stadium. Cowboys QB Tony Romo threw for 8 touchdowns in those two games, with the team scoring a combined 76 points. EDGE: COWBOYS
Cowboys are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games on grass.
Giants are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. NFC opponents.
The UNDER is 7-1 in New York's last 8 road games.
The OVER is 14-6-2 in Dallas' last 22 games on grass.
The OVER is 7-3-3 in Dallas' last 13 games vs. NFC East.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Recent Trends

NFL


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NFL Recent Trends
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Saturday, January 12

Seattle (11-6) at Green Bay (13-3)

Seattle:
SEA are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
SEA are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs. NFC.
Over is 6-2 in SEA last 8 games as a road underdog.

Green Bay:
GB are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
GB are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games on grass.
GB are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 vs. NFC.

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Jacksonville (12-5) at New England (16-0)

Jacksonville:
Over is 8-0 in JAC last 8 games as a road underdog.
Over is 10-1 in JAC last 11 road games.
Over is 7-1 in JAC last 8 Sat. games.

New England:
Under is 8-1-1 in NE last 10 Sat. games.
Under is 9-2 in NE last 11 playoff home games.
Over is 16-6 in NE last 22 games overall.

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Sunday, January 13

San Diego (12-5) at Indianapolis (13-3)

San Diego:
SD are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. AFC.
Over is 10-2-2 in SD last 14 road games.
Under is 6-2-2 in SD last 10 vs. AFC.

Indianapolis:
IND are 10-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
IND are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on turf.
IND are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.

Head to Head:
SD are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.

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N.Y. Giants (11-6) at Dallas (13-3)

N.Y. Giants:
Under is 7-1 in NYG last 8 road games.
NYG are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.

Dallas:
DAL are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games on grass.
Over is 14-6-2 in DAL last 22 games on grass.
Over is 7-3-3 in DAL last 13 vs. NFC East.

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[pm530]

National Football League – In Depth Trends

NFL


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NFL In Depth Trends
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Red - Hot trends are trends 80% or higher.
Blue - Cold trends are trends 20% or lower.

Saturday, January 12

Trends - Seattle at Green Bay

ATS Trends

Seattle
Seahawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in January.
Seahawks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Seahawks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs. NFC.
Seahawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.
Seahawks are 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 road games.
Seahawks are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Seahawks are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Seahawks are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Seahawks are 7-20-3 ATS in their last 30 games following a SU win of more than 14 points.
Seahawks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.

Green Bay
Packers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Packers are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Packers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.
Packers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a home favorite.
Packers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
Packers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite.
Packers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Packers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Packers are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
Packers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU win of more than 14 points.
Packers are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games on grass.
Packers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a S.U. win.
Packers are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 vs. NFC.
Packers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Packers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS win.
Packers are 3-7-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Packers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as a favorite.
Packers are 1-4-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Packers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.


O/U Trends

Seattle
Under is 5-1 in Seahawks last 6 Saturday games.
Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 vs. NFC.
Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last 5 games as a road underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Over is 6-2 in Seahawks last 8 games as a road underdog.
Over is 23-8 in Seahawks last 31 games on grass.
Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 10-4 in Seahawks last 14 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 10-4 in Seahawks last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 games following a ATS win.
Over is 19-8 in Seahawks last 27 games as an underdog.
Over is 7-3 in Seahawks last 10 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.

Green Bay
Over is 5-0 in Packers last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 6-0 in Packers last 6 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Over is 5-0 in Packers last 5 games on grass.
Over is 5-0 in Packers last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in Packers last 4 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in Packers last 4 games following a SU win of more than 14 points.
Over is 6-0 in Packers last 6 games as a favorite.
Over is 7-0 in Packers last 7 games overall.
Over is 6-0 in Packers last 6 vs. NFC.
Over is 10-1 in Packers last 11 games following a ATS win.
Over is 4-1 in Packers last 5 games after accumulating more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Packers last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Packers last 5 playoff home games.
Over is 5-2 in Packers last 7 home games.
Under is 5-2 in Packers last 7 playoff games as a favorite.
Over is 5-2 in Packers last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 7-3 in Packers last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.


Head to Head
No trends available.

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Trends - Jacksonville at New England

ATS Trends

Jacksonville
Jaguars are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Jaguars are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Jaguars are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. win.
Jaguars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Jaguars are 8-2-2 ATS in their last 12 games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
Jaguars are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Jaguars are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Jaguars are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Jaguars are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. AFC.
Jaguars are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog.
Jaguars are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games as an underdog.
Jaguars are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games following a ATS loss.
Jaguars are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Jaguars are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.
Jaguars are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as an underdog.
Jaguars are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 playoff road games.

New England
Patriots are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 playoff home games.
Patriots are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
Patriots are 13-5-2 ATS in their last 20 games in January.
Patriots are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 vs. AFC.
Patriots are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Patriots are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on field turf.
Patriots are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 playoff games as a favorite.
Patriots are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Patriots are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home favorite.
Patriots are 44-19-2 ATS in their last 65 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Patriots are 41-19-3 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Patriots are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Patriots are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. win.
Patriots are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Patriots are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Patriots are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Patriots are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Patriots are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.


O/U Trends

Jacksonville
Over is 6-0-1 in Jaguars last 7 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 8-0 in Jaguars last 8 games as a road underdog.
Over is 6-0 in Jaguars last 6 games as an underdog.
Over is 6-0 in Jaguars last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 4-0 in Jaguars last 4 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 10-1-1 in Jaguars last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 10-1 in Jaguars last 11 road games.
Over is 7-1 in Jaguars last 8 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 7-1 in Jaguars last 8 Saturday games.
Over is 6-1 in Jaguars last 7 games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
Over is 13-3-1 in Jaguars last 17 vs. AFC.
Over is 4-1 in Jaguars last 5 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Jaguars last 5 playoff games.
Over is 8-2-1 in Jaguars last 11 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 17-5-1 in Jaguars last 23 games overall.
Over is 5-2 in Jaguars last 7 playoff road games.
Over is 5-2 in Jaguars last 7 games in January.

New England
Under is 7-0 in Patriots last 7 Divisional Playoff games.
Under is 8-1-1 in Patriots last 10 Saturday games.
Over is 5-1 in Patriots last 6 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Under is 9-2 in Patriots last 11 playoff home games.
Over is 4-1 in Patriots last 5 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 10-3 in Patriots last 13 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Over is 9-3 in Patriots last 12 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
Over is 9-3 in Patriots last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 19-7 in Patriots last 26 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 games as a home favorite.
Over is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 games on field turf.
Over is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 home games.
Under is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 playoff games as a favorite.
Over is 8-3 in Patriots last 11 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 16-6 in Patriots last 22 games overall.
Over is 13-5 in Patriots last 18 games as a favorite.
Over is 15-6 in Patriots last 21 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 5-2 in Patriots last 7 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 12-5 in Patriots last 17 playoff games.


Head to Head
Jaguars are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

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Sunday, January 13

Trends - San Diego at Indianapolis

ATS Trends

San Diego
Chargers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. win.
Chargers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
Chargers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
Chargers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. AFC.
Chargers are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Chargers are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Chargers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Chargers are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games as an underdog.
Chargers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Chargers are 10-3-2 ATS in their last 15 games as a road underdog.
Chargers are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
Chargers are 42-20-2 ATS in their last 64 games overall.

Indianapolis
Colts are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 playoff games.
Colts are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Colts are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 playoff games as a favorite.
Colts are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
Colts are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff home games.
Colts are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Colts are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Colts are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite.
Colts are 10-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Colts are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on turf.
Colts are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Colts are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Colts are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. AFC.
Colts are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.


O/U Trends

San Diego
Under is 5-0 in Chargers last 5 games in January.
Over is 4-0 in Chargers last 4 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 10-2-2 in Chargers last 14 road games.
Over is 4-1-1 in Chargers last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 6-2-2 in Chargers last 10 vs. AFC.
Over is 13-5 in Chargers last 18 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 5-2 in Chargers last 7 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 5-2-2 in Chargers last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 9-4-2 in Chargers last 15 games following a ATS win.

Indianapolis
Over is 4-0 in Colts last 4 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Under is 5-0 in Colts last 5 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Colts last 6 Divisional Playoff games.
Under is 5-1 in Colts last 6 games in January.
Over is 5-1 in Colts last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-1 in Colts last 6 playoff games.
Under is 4-1 in Colts last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Colts last 5 games as a home favorite.
Under is 4-1 in Colts last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-1 in Colts last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Over is 4-1 in Colts last 5 games as a favorite.
Under is 5-2 in Colts last 7 games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Colts last 10 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Colts last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.


Head to Head
Chargers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Indianapolis.
Chargers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
Underdog is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

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Trends - N.Y. Giants at Dallas

ATS Trends

N.Y. Giants
Giants are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Giants are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Giants are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Giants are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Giants are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as an underdog.
Giants are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on grass.
Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog.
Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in January.
Giants are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS win.
Giants are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.
Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 playoff games.
Giants are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.

Dallas
Cowboys are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a S.U. loss.
Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Cowboys are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games on grass.
Cowboys are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Cowboys are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite.
Cowboys are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC East.
Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.
Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in January.
Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a SU loss of more than 14 points.
Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC.


O/U Trends

N.Y. Giants
Under is 4-0 in Giants last 4 vs. NFC.
Under is 7-1 in Giants last 8 road games.
Over is 6-1 in Giants last 7 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Giants last 6 games as a road underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 vs. NFC East.
Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 games on grass.
Under is 4-1 in Giants last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 5-2 in Giants last 7 playoff games.
Under is 43-19-2 in Giants last 64 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.

Dallas
Under is 5-0 in Cowboys last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 5-0 in Cowboys last 5 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Cowboys last 6 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 games following a SU loss of more than 14 points.
Over is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 15-4-1 in Cowboys last 20 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
Over is 9-3-1 in Cowboys last 13 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Over is 12-4 in Cowboys last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 7-3-3 in Cowboys last 13 vs. NFC East.
Over is 14-6-2 in Cowboys last 22 games on grass.
Under is 13-6 in Cowboys last 19 games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 17-8-1 in Cowboys last 26 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.


Head to Head
Favorite is 4-1-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Bettor’s Need to Know

NFL
What bettors need to know…….


Saturday, January 12

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What bettors need to know: Seahawks at Packers
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Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (-8, 41)

Saturday Jan. 12 4:30 p.m. ET

Lambeau weather report (updated daily):

Early-week reports call for 20-degree temperatures at game time with a 20 percent chance of snow flurries. The forecast had yet to account for any winds for Saturday’s game.

"There was always the belief that the weather you get, that we will get probably, can affect the passing game more than the running game," Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren told reporters. "Yeah, we understand all this passing business, but when it comes down to December and January, you've got to be able to bang it around a little bit.

"I understand that. And there is some truth to that."

Bring on Branch

Seattle wide receiver Deion Branch is expected to start Saturday after missing last week’s game with a calf injury. Branch also had problems with a mid-foot sprain earlier in the year and missed six regular season games.

If he does start Saturday, it will be just the third time all year that he and D.J. Hackett are fit at the same time.

"To have all four (Branch, Burleson, Hackett and Engram) active at one time would be pretty special," Mike Holmgren told reporters. "When we put that out there, we have the ability to be pretty potent in the passing game. We haven't had that all season. I'm hoping."

Even still, Seattle’s wideouts put up some nice numbers. Bobby Engram caught 94 passes and Nate Burleson had nine receiving touchdowns, while D.J. Hackett and Branch combined for over 1,000 receiving yards and seven majors between them in limited action.

Life on the road

The Seahawks were 3-5 against the spread away from their storied home-field advantage at Qwest Field this season, though at least former Packer quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and ex-Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren know what they’re getting into at Lambeau Field.

Running for cover

If the weather becomes a factor on Saturday, both of these pass-happy teams may be forced to lean on the running game.

For Green Bay, that might be less of a concern than it would be for Seattle. Ryan Grant ran for 956 yards on 5.1 yards per carry in the regular season. He added eight touchdowns even though he didn’t begin carrying the rushing load until Week 7.

Holmgren was forced to abandon his running game near mid-season as Shaun Alexander struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness. Alexander missed three games and ended up with 716 yards on 3.5 yards a carry, while No. 2 back Maurice Morris gained 628 yards on 4.5 yards a carry.

Hasselbeck ready to go

Fred Smoot hit Hasselbeck hard enough to break the quarterback’s thigh pad last week, but that won’t keep Seattle’s signal caller out against the Packers. Hasselbeck will take treatment for a bruised thigh this week and shouldn’t miss any significant practice time.

He has already had problems with a strained oblique and quadriceps, bruised ribs, and a sore wrist this season.

Total toppers

The Green Bay Packers scored more than 27 points a game and played over the posted total in a dozen games during the regular season.

Seattle started the season by playing under in four of its first five games but has topped the total in four of its last six as the offense put more emphasis on the passing game.


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What bettors need to know: Jaguars at Patriots
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Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (-13, 49)

Saturday Jan. 12, 8 p.m. ET

New England weather report (updated daily)

Early forecasts predict a cool, clear night for Saturday's kickoff at Gillette Stadium. Temperatures could be as high as 43 degrees during the day, but will drop to 26 degrees overnight with a 10 percent chance of precipitation. Winds are expected to be light.

Unbeatable?

It's one thing to go a perfect 16-0 in the regular season, but it's something all together different when an undefeated club goes 10-6 against the number while seeing some of the highest pointspreads in NFL history. The Patriots covered six double-digit spreads and were favored by more than 20 points three times.

New England slumped a bit down the stretch, dropping five of its last six games against the spread, though it's worth noting the Pats were favored by an average of just over 18 points in those six games.

Can't stop the rush

If New England wasn't forcing teams to come from behind every week, it'd be much easier to notice the Pats' questionable run defense. New England allows only 98 yards per game on the ground but most opposing teams are forced to abandon their running game to air the ball out in hopes of keeping the Patriots within reach.

New England is allowing 4.4 yards per carry on the year and Jacksonville is running for almost 150 yards a game with its Fred Taylor-Maurice Jones-Drew combo.

Peterson doubtful

Jaguars linebacker Mike Peterson is doubtful for Saturday's game as he rehabs a broken right hand. Peterson has missed the last six games.

Jacksonville held Pittsburgh to just 48 rushing yards and recorded six sacks without the standout linebacker last week but yielded 337 passing yards to Ben Roethlisberger.

All about offense

With Tom Brady and Randy Moss lighting up the scoreboard and setting records all over the place it's easy to overlook what Jacksonville's offense has accomplished this year.

David Garrard usurped Byron Leftwich as the club's starting quarterback in preseason and finished the year with 2,509 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 12 starts.

Now Jacksonville owns the league's sixth-best scoring offense (25.7 points per game) and second-best rushing attack, helping over bettors to a 12-4-1 record on the year. New England, meanwhile, owns the league's top overall, scoring and passing offense and has played over in 11 of its 16 games.

Bulletin board material

"They finally got caught," Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer said of the Patriots in the middle of September's Spygate soap opera. "They're busted."

Time hasn't changed Spicer's feelings either.

"It's my opinion, that's all it was," he told reporters this week. "This is four months later. It's about the playoffs. It's about the Jaguars, what we can do to beat the Patriots. We haven't done research like they did, didn't go back and look at everything they said over the season and see if we can use that to get motivated to go play.

"You shouldn't need what somebody else says to get you motivated. This is the NFL. It's a playoff game. You guys are undefeated. We're coming up there (to Foxborough). That's enough right there to get motivated. I know I'm motivated."

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Sunday, January 13

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What bettors need to know: Chargers at Colts
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San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts (-8.5, 46.5)

Sunday Jan. 13, 1 p.m. ET

It's a Marvin miracle

Colts receiver Marvin Harrison went down in Week 3 with what the club initially called a "deep knee bruise" but he hasn't played since. Now that's a heck of a knee bruise. The heralded wideout is practicing again this week and may finally start on Sunday.

Harrison was supposed to start Week 16's game against the Titans after practicing leading up to the game but was held out by head coach Tony Dungy.

"He's a guy that if he didn't play this week, I wouldn't be worried about him,'' Dungy told reporters before that game "If he's feeling good and healthy two weeks from now, I'd think he'd have a great game."

Let's go streaking

San Diego dropped three of its first four games straight up and against the number to start the year. It took a while for the Chargers to wake up, but now they've covered in seven straight games, five of which they were favored by at least nine points, to sit at 12-5 against the number this season.

LaDainian Tomlinson was instrumental in the late-season surge, scoring seven rushing touchdowns and rumbling for more than 700 yards in the seven games.

Don't doubt the 'D'

The Colts proved that they can play some defense when it counts in last year's playoff run and didn't miss a beat this season. They allow a league-low 16.4 points a game and own the league's third-best total defense, thanks in no small part to super safety Bob Sanders, who was named the Associate Press Defensive Player of the Year.

He's the main cog in what has turned out to be a young, but bone-rattling secondary. Cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are a physical upgrade to last year's starting corners and Antoine Bethea is perfect fit beside Sanders.

"Nobody really knew anyone here besides Bob (Sanders), and I think we've all done that - made a conscious effort to be more physical," Jackson told reporters.

"We are aggressive guys," Jackson added. "There's a confidence there because I know we're all going to fly around the football and hit guys."

Peyton who?

Hey, don't forget about Peyton Manning. Tom Brady stole the spotlight by breaking his touchdown record, but Manning still had a great year even though he was often without some of the team's top offensive weapons.

Manning still threw for over 4,000 yards to go along with 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while helping Indy score 28.1 points a game, ranking just two spots behind the Pats.

Gates a no-go?

Chargers tight end and leading receiver Antonio Gates looks doubtful after spraining and dislocating his left toe in last week's comeback win over Tennessee.

"I took a hit," Gates told reporters. "At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. As I got up, it was weird. I tried to put pressure on it. We're searching for answers right now."

A report in Tuesday's San Diego Union-Tribune says the injury will "almost certainly" keep Gates on the bench.

Turn back the calendar

San Diego has taken the last two meetings between these two teams, dropping the Colts 23-21 as 3.5-point underdogs earlier this year. Peyton Manning was terrible in that rain-soaked contest, tossing a career-worst six interceptions.

Before that, the Chargers downed Indy 26-17 as seven-point underdogs back in December 2005.

"I think we're both really different teams," head coach Norv Turner told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I think we're a different team than when we played them, however long ago it was, eight weeks ago. I just think it's a new game, and it's a new matchup. Our guys I think will go into the game with confidence, but there's a great respect, too. We know what the challenge is."


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What bettors need to know: Giants at Cowboys
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New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-7.5, 47)

Sunday Jan. 13, 4:30 p.m. ET

Owens update

Terrell Owens will be a game-time decision three weeks after hitting the shelf with a high ankle sprain, though he is back on the practice field.

"It was a limpthrough for him," Dallas head coach Wade Phillips told reporters after Monday's workout, "and a walkthrough for others. He jogged some, but that was with the rehab people. He's favoring it."

However, a number of Cowboys, including Jason Witten, seemed confident that Owens would be in the lineup, so it could be a case of Phillips trying to keep his cards close to the vest.

Dallas downturn

The Cowboys head into Sunday's game on a four-game against the spread losing streak, including a pair of outright losses. Dallas' offense is catching most of the blame.

With Owens on the sidelines and Tony Romo's romantic life all over the headlines, the Cowboys have scored just 32 points in the last three games. By comparison, Dallas cracked the 30-point barrier in eight different games this season and is averaging more than 28 points a game on the year.

All Eli, all the time

It's tough being a Big Apple quarterback. Eli Manning had his struggles this season, throwing 23 interceptions, but it's hard to get a fair shake from the New York media.

Manning still makes mistakes that a young quarterback is going to make, like his late interception against the Patriots in Week 16. He showed poise in taking care of the ball in last weekend's win over Washington

"I thought he did an excellent job, one of the best I've seen with regard to his utilization of his eyes and his pump-faking and his ability to recognize what he was trying to do, pulling defenders out of position so he could then go to other voids in the zone coverage," Giants coach Tom Coughlin told the New York Post. "He had great confidence that his protection was going to allow him to and that followed through. A very, very impressive game."

Manning has completed better than 71 percent of his passes against two of the best defenses in the league over the last two weeks. If the Giants stick to their running game, he can be effective.

Open the Barber shop

Without much to play for down the stretch the Dallas Cowboys limited running back Marion Barber to just 42 carries for 179 yards over Dallas' last four games, so he'll be ready to go this weekend.

The third-year back rushed for 973 yards on 4.8 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns and added 203 receiving yards with two touchdown catches despite the slow finish. Expect to see a lot of Barber on Sunday, especially if Owens is out.

Road trippin'

Whether it's the nasty New York fans or the swirling winds of Giants Stadium that gets Coughlin's club down, it has been a much better home team this year. Last weekend's win at Tampa Bay pushed New York to 7-2 against the spread on the road.

Familiar foes

Dallas has won and covered both of its meetings with the Giants this year, recording a 45-35 win as a 6.5-point favorite in Week 1 and a 31-20 win as a two-point favorite in Week 10.

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[pm530]

NFL – Reports

NFL
Reports


For Saturday’s games (January 12)

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Reports: Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck says he'll play against Packers despite bruised
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(01-08-08) KIRKLAND, Wash. - Mike Holmgren walked into the Seahawks' training room and saw Matt Hasselbeck. Barely.

The coach joked his quarterback was so obscured by treatment machines Monday, all he could manage was an arm wave and a shout of assurance that he was fine for Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game at Green Bay despite his latest ailment: a bruised thigh.

''I don't even like to go in the training room anymore,'' Holmgren said, smiling. ''He's in this thing that you would swear ... I didn't even know it was him. His arm came out and (he said), 'I'm going to be OK. Don't worry.'''

Hasselbeck's latest pain is in his right thigh, though it is not expected to keep him from practicing Tuesday. He took a hard hit from the helmet of Washington's Fred Smoot during an open-field tackle in the third quarter of Saturday's 35-14 win over the Redskins in the wild card game.

Hasselbeck said the hit was so sharp it broke his thigh pad. Third-string quarterback Charlie Frye gave Hasselbeck his on the sideline so Hasselbeck could go back out for the next series. He did, then shook off two interceptions to throw for the go-ahead score in the final quarter. Hasselbeck, who set team records for yards (3,966), completions (352) and attempts (562), finished 20-for-32 for 229 yards.

Seattle's most indispensable player has also had bruised ribs, a strained oblique muscle, a strained quadriceps, and a sore wrist.

And now the sore thigh.

''He actually broke my thigh pad. Some guys don't wear thigh pads. I'm glad we wear thigh pads,'' Hasselbeck said after the game. ''It hurt for a little while, but I'm fine.''


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Reports: Packers ignoring Favre's shaky performances in most recent playoff games
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(01-10-08) GREEN BAY, Wis. --Maybe it's just a coincidence that since the departure of former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren, Brett Favre's playoff performances have been uneven at best. With a couple of true stinkers thrown in for bad measure.

Or maybe there's simply a statute of limitations on the relevance of past performances in pro football. After all, Favre is thriving under the new offense being run by second-year coach Mike McCarthy - so much so he's already talking about coming back next year.

Either way, the Packers aren't putting very much thought into Favre's recent playoff performances going into Saturday's divisional playoff game against Seattle at Lambeau Field. McCarthy said he and his assistants didn't watch film of those games, an indication they don't think it's relevant.

''I don't think it factors into how we're going to play this game, or how he's playing today,'' McCarthy said. ''It's not like we arrived here five or six weeks ago. We've been here. This is our second year. We have history with Brett. You can see the progress we've made with Brett running this style of offense. I don't really feel it's to our benefit to go back and look at those games.''

If coaches did want to dig up some of those tapes, they might want to try the ''horror'' section of the Packers' video vault.

Green Bay is 2-4 in playoff games since a first post-Holmgren playoff appearance in January 2002 - including two losses at Lambeau. The Packers failed to score more than 17 points in each of their four playoff losses.

Favre threw 14 interceptions in those six games, a number skewed greatly by his six-interception eyesore at St. Louis in '02, and a four-interception clunker in the Packers' most recent playoff appearance against Minnesota in January 2005.

But the man who coached Favre to two Super Bowl runs in the 1990s and who now is charged with stopping him as Seahawks head coach, didn't think those statistics tell a story worth listening to.

''I think it's hard to bunch them all together,'' Holmgren said. ''I would never do that. I think you look at what he's done most recently - and he's had a marvelous year. My goodness. He has really played well this year, and that's the Brett we're going to have to play against and prepare for. We know that.''

Favre, meanwhile, is more focused on how he's going to avoid Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney than getting caught up in some sort of morose history lesson.

But in the run-up to Saturday's game, Favre did concede having only one Super Bowl victory bothers him - keeping in mind, of course, that some great players never even win one.

''I'm disappointed we didn't win more Super Bowls,'' Favre said. ''But you know, I'm not ashamed by anything I did. I'm disappointed in some of those games.''

As much as Favre would like to change the results of some of those games, Favre said he wouldn't change much about the way he prepared for them.

''I'd like to think that we would have or should have won more playoff games, which in turn lead to a chance at the Super Bowl, at least,'' Favre said. ''But I don't know if I would have done anything much different. I think I would have prepared and played the same way. It's just, you have a tendency to remember those because of what they represent.''

Favre already has erased plenty of bad recent memories under McCarthy.

The career-worst 29 interceptions he threw in the 2005 regular season? Forgotten, replaced by a smarter, more disciplined - and ultimately more dangerous - quarterback playing in a system that usually depends on the quarterback to throw the ball quickly and accurately, putting his wide receivers in position to run for long gains after the catch.

Favre completed a career-high 66.5 percent of his passes this season. And after cutting his interception total to 18 in 2006, he threw only 15 in 2007.

Favre is even talking about returning for next season, telling his hometown paper he was leaning toward playing again.

''For the first time in three years, I haven't thought this could be my last game,'' Favre said, according to a story that was posted on the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald's Web site on Thursday. ''I would like to continue longer.''

McCarthy clearly has lassoed Favre's maverick, up-for-grabs tendencies, but is hesitant to take credit for making Favre play more carefully.

''Ultimately, he deserves it, because he's the one that actually did it,'' McCarthy said. ''Do we emphasize it? Yes. Does he want to hear about it publicly? Probably not. But it's something that's been emphasized since the day we got here.''

Favre's favorite receiver, Donald Driver, joked that the Packers are relying on their receivers to make plays because of Favre's advanced age.

''Oh, yeah. He's an old man now. He can't do the things he used to do,'' Driver said with a smile. ''We try to take the pressure off of him, so if he gets the ball to us, then we make sure that we capitalize on everything that we have to do.''

Tight end Bubba Franks said that an offensive scheme that emphasizes having receivers run for yards after the catch rather than throwing downfield makes Favre more likely to succeed.

''He's playing in a system,'' Franks said. ''He doesn't have to do too much. He just does his job and (we) make sure everybody else does their job. We won't have a problem. It's going to be a good game.''


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For Sunday’s games (January 13)

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Reports: Chargers' Gates questionable for Sunday
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(01-07-08) San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates is questionable for this week's game against the Indianapolis Colts after spraining a left toe Sunday's 17-6 wild-card victory over Tennessee.

Gates was taken off the field on a cart in the second quarter of the game after catching a low pass from quarterback Philip Rivers and then taking a hard hit as he tried to get up after the reception.

Gates called the injury a "dislocation" after the game.

"I took a hit," Gates told reporters. "At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. As I got up, it was weird. I tried to put pressure on it. We're searching for answers right now."

If Gates can't play, the Chargers will be without their leading receiver after the tight end piled up 984 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

Oddsmakers have the Chargers listed as nine-point underdogs for Sunday's game.


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Reports: Terrell Owens back at practice, appears on track for playoff game
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(1-10-08) IRVING, Texas --Terrell Owens ran routes and caught passes in his return to practice Thursday, showing only a slight limp at times. The All-Pro receiver seems on track to play in the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game against the New York Giants.

Owens, recovering from a sprained left ankle, didn't go against any defenders during the short period of practice open to the media. But he took part in some team drills after that.

While he was taking full strides running routes and making some cuts without any apparent problems, Owens had a slight limp at times when he jogged or walked.

''I thought that he moved well, and ran at the level that we were practicing, and those weren't half-speed,'' owner Jerry Jones said. ''He's in very good spirits, very competitive spirits, very focused on our success here Sunday.''

T.O. stopped and spoke with receivers coach Ray Sherman after completing one route. Owens then took off his helmet and could be seen smiling while talking to backup quarterback Brad Johnson.

Seen in the perimeter around the locker room during lunch before practice, Owens appeared to be walking fine, though he said little.

''You're not getting anything out of me,'' Owens said.

Owens hurt his ankle Dec. 22 in the game at Carolina, and sat out the regular-season finale at Washington. He took part in the team's light walkthrough Monday, but didn't practice Wednesday while doing rehabilitation.

''Obviously, he was better today because he practice some. It was limited,'' coach Wade Phillips.

Phillips insisted that the receiver is still a game-time decision.

''You think he's going to play, you don't think he's going to play, that's where I am. We'll see,'' Phillips said. ''No, I don't think it would be a surprise (if Owens plays), but it would be a nice present.''

Jones said it is a ''very legitimate game-time decision'' and that one consideration would be if playing could threaten Owens' availability for future playoff games if the Cowboys beat New York.

But Jones then made it clear that, ''Sunday is the major point of emphasis, and any decision will be made risking most anything to have success Sunday.''

Plus, Jones knows it would be hard to keep Owens out if the receiver wants to play.

''I haven't said 'no' to Terrell Owens since I gave him the check,'' Jones said. ''There's no question that he's going to say that he wants to play. ... Terrell knows his situation better than any trainer, or any doctor or certainly than Wade or anybody else. He knows his situation very well, and you're going to have to count on him to use a little bit of judgment.''

Fellow receiver Sam Hurd said Owens has spent ''like 19 hours out of his day'' trying to get back on the field and expects T.O. will play.

''He tells me all the time, opportunities like this don't come around every season, so he wants to take advantage of them,'' Hurd said. ''He believes in this team so much that he wants to get out there and help this team get to the Super Bowl.''

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association – Write up

NBA
Write-up


Friday, January 11

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Today's NBA analysis

Hot Teams
-- Charlotte won last two games, winning at Boston last game; they covered three of last four outings. Cavaliers won four of their last five games.
-- Wizards covered five of their last seven games.
-- Celtics are 3-0 vs spread in game following a loss. Nets won eight of their last ten games.
-- New Orleans won eight of its last ten games.
-- Rockets won last four games, covered nine of last eleven.
-- Nuggets won six of their last eight games.
-- Lakers won ten of their last twelve games. Bucks won four of their last five games.
-- Grizzlies covered four of their last five games.
-- Mavericks won last five games (4-1 vs spread).

Cold Teams
-- Bulls are 4-10 vs spread in their last fourteen games. Philly is 0-5 in last five games, failing to cover last four.
-- Hawks lost four of their last five games.
-- Knicks lost eight of their last nine games. Raptors are 3-8 vs spread in their last eleven games.
-- Heat lost their last nine games (1-8 against the spread).
-- Minnesota lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Magic lost three of their last four games.
-- Warriors lost three of their last four games.
-- Sonics lost their last five games (1-4 vs spread).

Previous meetings this season
-- 76ers won 96-85 at Chicago Nov 2 (+9.5).
-- Lebron-less Cavaliers (+8) lost 96-93 in Charlotte Dec 8.
-- Visiting team won both Atlanta-Washington games this year.
-- Nets lost twice to Boston this season: 112-101/91-69.
-- Lakers (-2.5) lost 110-103 at Milwaukee Nov 21.
-- Warriors (-4) won 125-117 at Memphis Dec 16.

Totals
-- Four of last five for games for both 76ers, Bulls went over.
-- Under is 9-1 in last ten Cleveland games.
-- Over is 4-1 in Atlanta's last five home games.
-- Last five Knick games all went over the total.
-- Last three Celtic games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1 in Hornets' last six home games.
-- Under is 13-5 in last eighteen Minnesota games.
-- Over is 8-3 in Denver's last eleven games.
-- Over is 5-2 in Lakers' last seven games.
-- Four of last five Warrior games went over the total.
-- Under is 12-2 in last fourteen Dallas games.

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