Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 12/20 (NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, December 20

Today's Top Trends For College Basketball

SAMFORD is 0-11 ATS after playing a game as a home favorite (vs Kentucky)

ARIZONA is 0-9 ATS at home after a game where they failed to cover the spread (vs Oakland)

OAKLAND is 18-5 ATS after a game where they covered the spread (vs Arizona)

COLL OF CHARLESTON is 21-5 ATS in road December games (vs Louisville)

ILLINOIS ST is 16-2 UNDER in all home games (vs Ark-Little Rock)

C MICHIGAN is 16-3 UNDER as a road underdog (vs Nebraska)

SOUTHERN UTAH is 9-0 OVER after playing a game as a road underdog (vs Troy)

[Udog]

NFL odds: Week 16 opening line report

Leave it to Rex Ryan to hype a matchup of teams coming off embarrassing losses.

“I didn’t come here to be anybody’s little brother,” the Jets coach said of Saturday’s game vs. the Giants at their shared stadium.

“I came here to win, to be looked at that way and to take over not just this city, even though it’s the city to take over, but also this league. I haven’t accomplished that yet. Saturday, I think, will go a long way toward doing that.”

Ryan said his Jets, who imploded in Sunday’s 45-19 loss at Philly, were clearly superior to the Giants his first two years as coach.

“We made the playoffs, went to the championship game,” Ryan said. “To say that a team is better than you that never made the playoffs is ridiculous.”

Maybe Ryan’s bombast will motivate the G-Men. Nothing else seems to.

The Giants came out flat at home Sunday, losing 23-10 to Washington.

The Giants should be happy they’re technically the road team Saturday: Their own season-ticket holders can’t boo them.

Coughlin’s crew is 3-4 at home, 2-4-1 against the spread, compared to 4-3 SU and ATS on the road.

Oddsmakers opened the Jets as 3-point favorites. Playoff implications abound for both teams.

“You figure there’s no homefield advantage so it’s basically a true power number,” Todd Fuhrman, senior race and sports analyst for Caesars Entertainment, told ***********. “The Giants struggle when they play at MetLife Stadium. I’m willing to bet they’d rather travel.

“I can’t figure this team out,” he added. “It’s got to be leadership or coaching because every time they’re expected to win, they fall flat on their face.”

The Jets “beat themselves” with four turnovers Sunday, Fuhrman said, adding there may be some value in Gang Green.

MGM Mirage sportsbook manager Jeff Stoneback noted the Jets won three straight before the disaster in Philly.

“But the Giants, you can’t figure out what team is going to show up,” he said. “They throw in these stinkers, losing at home to the Redskins and losing at home to the Seahawks when Seattle wasn’t playing well.”

Lucky’s oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro said the Jets and Giants “went on a picnic somewhere Sunday – they didn’t show up. The Giants being so flat was incredible. I still think the Jets are the better team. Nothing spectacular, though.”

Vaccaro said he has no idea where this line will go.

“Who the hell knows with two dysfunctional teams?”

Giants-Jets and Eagles-Cowboys will draw the most action on Saturday’s 13-team card, oddsmakers said.

You can find Dallas anywhere from a 3- to a 1.5-point home favorite. Not only have the Eagles righted themselves, they’re somehow still alive in the NFC East.

“That’s a tough one,” said Stoneback, who opened Dallas at -2.5 (-120). “We’re going to give Philadelphia a little bit more credit. The sharps would come in on Philly if we opened at 3.”

Fuhrman, who opened Cowboys -2.5, called this line “one of the trickier numbers to set.”

“Right now the buzz around Philly is quite extensive and this is the healthiest they’ve been in some time,” he said. “You go back to what the Cowboys have done in big divisional games. They haven’t exactly been a good bet.”

BIGGEST SPREADS OF THE WEEK

St. Louis at Pittsburgh (-15.5, 37.5), Cleveland at Baltimore (-13.5, 39), Miami at New England (-10, 48.5), Jacksonville at Tennessee (-9.5, 40)

The Rams-Steelers line hinges on Big Ben’s status.

Pop quiz: What are 38-24, 41-14 and 38-7? Scores of the last three Pats-Dolphins games, all easy New England covers.

SMALLEST SPREAD OF THE WEEK

Oakland at Kansas City (1, 42), San Diego at Detroit (-1.5, 50.5)

This line opened at K.C. -1 and immediately flipped to Oakland -1.

The Chiefs are on letdown alert after ending Green Bay’s perfect season. But it’s obvious players want interim coach Romeo Crennel to get the permanent gig; they’re going all out.

The Raiders are 5-2 ATS on the road.

San Diego has won and covered three straight after an 0-6 SU and ATS skid. The Chargers are 23-2 in December with Rivers starting.

BIGGEST TOTALS OF THE WEEK

Atlanta at New Orleans (-7, 53), Philadelphia at Dallas (-3, 50.5), San Diego at Detroit (-1.5, 50.5)

Drew Brees could break Dan Marino’s single-season passing yards record on Monday night. He’s 305 yards away -- a subpar game for him. Brees has thrown for at least 322 yards in five straight, with 16 TDs and no INTs.

SMALLEST TOTALS OF THE WEEK

St. Louis at Pittsburgh (-14.5, 37), Cleveland at Baltimore (-13.5, 39), Arizona at Cincinnati (-4.5, 40), Jacksonville at Tennessee (-9.5, 40), Houston at Indianapolis (6, 40.5)

Four of the last five Cleveland-Baltimore games have stayed under, including the Ravens’ 24-10 win three weeks ago. Baltimore ran 55 times for 290 yards and controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes.

The Jaguars have given up an average of 31 points the last three games. All easily sailed over.