The Bum's NFL December Best Bets !

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Monday Night Football: Giants at Redskins

New York Giants at Washington Redskins (2.5, 50)

With a pair of victories over division rivals, the Washington Redskins kept alive their slim hopes for a trip to the playoffs. They try for a third straight win over an NFC East rival on Monday night when they host the division-leading New York Giants. Washington appeared to be far out of the playoff picture after a string of three straight losses that began with a 27-23 road setback against the Giants in Week 7. But after their bye week, the Redskins manhandled the Philadelphia Eagles and jumped out to a huge lead in Dallas on Thanksgiving before holding on for a 38-31 triumph over the Cowboys. With star rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III at the helm, Washington is just one game behind Seattle for the second wild card in the conference but also has Tampa Bay and Minnesota in its way.

New York avoided a major downward spiral last Sunday night, when it posted a convincing 38-10 home victory over the surging Green Bay Packers. Prior to the win, the Giants suffered losses at home to Pittsburgh and in Cincinnati. New York, which is two games ahead of both Washington and Dallas in the division, ranks fourth in the NFC but trails San Francisco by 1 1/2 games for second place and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Giants -2.5, O/U 50

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the high-50s with partly cloudy conditions. Winds will blow out of the SSE at 4 mph.

ABOUT THE GIANTS (7-4): Quarterback Eli Manning owns a 7-2 record in his last nine starts against Washington. In his only previous Monday night meeting with the Redskins on Dec. 21, 2009, Manning threw three touchdown passes without an interception. Not everything that came out of Sunday's win over the Packers was good as running back Andre Brown suffered a broken leg and is out for the remainder of the season. David Wilson could see more playing time in place of Brown, who is second in the NFC with eight rushing touchdowns.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (5-6): Griffin performed well in his first career game against the Giants, completing 20 of 28 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns while running for 89 yards on nine carries. Griffin was even better in his next two divisional games as he threw four TD passes against both the Eagles and Cowboys, becoming the first rookie in league history to do have at least four scoring strikes in consecutive games. Running back Alfred Morris is second among rookies with 982 yards. Washington is allowing an average of 301.4 passing yards, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

TRENDS:

* Giants are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games on grass.
* Redskins are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. NFC East foes.
* Under is 6-1 in Giants’ last seven road games.
* Under is 4-1 in Redskins’ last five games overall.
* Giants are 0-4 ATS in their last four meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Giants have won 10 of the last 13 meetings between the teams but were swept in the season series in 2011.

2. Washington is second in the league with an average of 162.9 rushing yards.

3. With three TD passes against Green Bay, Manning became the first Giant with 200 career scoring tosses.

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Tale of the tape: Giants at Redskins

Take a quick glance at the tale of the tape for Monday night’s NFC East showdown between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins.

Offense

Eli Manning owns a 7-2 record in his last nine starts against Washington. In his only previous Monday night meeting with the Redskins on Dec. 21, 2009, Manning threw three touchdown passes without an interception. Running back Andre Brown suffered a broken leg last week and is out for the remainder of the season. David Wilson should see more playing time in place of Brown, who is second in the NFC with eight rushing touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw is listed as probable with a foot issue and should also see some touches in the backfield.

Robert Griffin III performed well in his first career game against the Giants, completing 20 of 28 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns while running for 89 yards on nine carries. Running back Alfred Morris is second among rookies with 982 yards on the ground and leads a rushing attack that ranks second in the
league with an average of 162.9 yards per game.

Edge: Redskins

Defense

Back in Week 7, Griffin mastered the Giants defense leading Washington to 480 total yards — the most Big Blue has allowed this season. This time, New York may have to stop him without S Kenny Phillips and possibly DE Jason Pierre-Paul. Phillips is listed as doubtful and Pierre-Paul is listed as questionable after missing practice for a second straight day on Saturday with a back problem.

Washington has buckled under the late-game pressure this season and ranks dead last in fourth-quarter defense, giving up an average of 10.5 points in the final 15 minutes. The Redskins, who allow 11.7 points per first half, have softened for more than two touchdowns in the second half of games. Washington is yielding an average of 301.4 passing yards, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

Edge: Giants

Special teams

The Giants have one of the most reliable kickers in the league in Lawrence Tynes, who ranks among the leaders in nearly every statistical category this season. New York has failed to return a kick or punt for a TD this season, but David Wilson has a respectable 25.3 kick return average.

Mike Shanahan recently said he and his coaching staff will “take a hard look,” at struggling punt/kick returner Brandon Banks’ decision making. A year after averaging 9.1 yards per punt return, Banks is averaging 6.8-yards per attempt this season (24th in the NFL), and 24.1 yards per kick return (23rd in the league).

Edge: Giants

Word on the street

“I’d say that he’s more a down-the-field passer than I think that people expected him to be. He’s got good poise in the pocket and he can also extend the play and look to get the ball down the field, not just the runner that everybody knew that he was coming out.” - Giants LB Mathias Kiwanuka on RG3.

"We had five receivers last week, (in win against Dallas), that played at a different level than they have all year. Five receivers not on the starting roster a year ago...We've played better collectively as a team." – Redskins coach Mike Shanahan on the evolution of his WR corps.

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NFL Week 13 Preview: Giants at Redskins

NEW YORK GIANTS (7-4)

at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-6)


Kickoff: Monday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -2.5, Total: 51

A pair of NFC East teams coming off huge confidence building wins will close out Week 13 when the Giants visit the Redskins on Monday night.

Eli Manning snapped out of a slump by throwing for 249 yards and 3 TD in last week’s blowout win over the Packers. The Redskins have also completely snapped out of a midseason funk, topping 30 points each of the past two weeks. In these teams’ first meeting in Week 7, Robert Griffin III and the Redskins offense torched the Giants for 480 yards of offense, including a go-ahead TD with less than two minutes left. The Giants avoided an upset thanks to an Eli Manning-to-Victor Cruz 77-yard TD with a little more than a minute to go. Washington has covered in its past four meetings with New York (2-2 SU), but is just 3-10 SU (5-7-1 ATS) versus New York since 2006.

Can the Redskins close the gap in the race for the NFC East crown? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the ******* Experts picks for every NFL game throughout the 2012 season and playoffs.

Manning is 11-5 versus the Redskins in his career with 224 passing YPG, but he's thrown more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13) over this span. However, this Redskins team is allowing the 2nd-most passing yards in the NFL (301 YPG) and Manning's 337 passing yards against them in Week 7 was the most he's ever had in this series. Cruz was the hero in that most recent meeting, as his 77-yard TD gave him 131 yards on seven catches for the game. Manning's other starting wideout, Hakeem Nicks, is starting to find his groove after a mostly injury-riddled season, catching 14 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. While New York's air attack appears to be in fine shape, their ground game was dealt a real blow with RB Andre Brown (8 TD in 10 games) breaking his leg in last week's win. That puts more pressure on starting RB Ahmad Bradshaw (733 rush yds, 5 TD), who has been slowed by a foot injury for the past month. The good news is that he has rushed for 4.0 YPC and 7 TD in his past seven meetings with the Redskins. Rookie RB David Wilson (4.3 YPC this year) may see some significant carries in this game, but Washington's run-stop unit is quite stingy, allowing just 89 rushing YPG this year (3rd in NFL). New York also has some offensive line injuries with C David Baas (shoulder) and OT David Diehl (shoulder) both questionable for Monday's game.

Griffin III has been unbelievable in his past two games, both wins over division foes Philadelphia and Dallas, completing 33-of-42 passes (79%) for 504 yards (12.0 YPA), 8 TD and just 1 INT. He's also rushed for 113 yards on 5.9 YPC. In the Week 7 matchup with New York, he threw for 258 yards (71% completions, 9.2 YPA) and ran for 89 yards on 9.9 YPC. Griffin hasn't been the only outstanding offensive rookie in Washington, as RB Alfred Morris has 982 rushing yards (4.7 YPC) and six touchdowns. He ran for 113 yards in last week's win in Dallas, marking his fourth game of 110+ rushing yards in his past eight games. It hasn't been just the youth going wild for the Redskins though, as 33-year-old WR Santana Moss has caught 5 TD passes over the past five games. He also has 1,048 yards and 11 TD in 16 career meetings with the Giants, whose passing defense is usually much better than they are this year (253 passing YPG allowed, 25th in NFL). New York's rushing defense is right at the middle point of the league, ranking 16th with 114 YPG allowed. Although Washington hurt itself by committing four turnovers against the Giants in Week 7, the team has just one turnover combined in four games since.

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Monday, December 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

N.Y. Giants - 8:30 PM ET Washington +2.5 500

Washington - Over 49.5 500

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Raiders Host Broncos In AFC West Battle On Thursday

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
NFL Betting Preview
Date: 12/06/2012 at 8:20 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Broncos -10, O/U 50½
Television: NFL Network

Denver Broncos: With the AFC West Division title already wrapped up, Denver (9-3 straight-up, 7-4-1 against the spread) sets its sights on securing one of the top two records in the conference to earn a first-round bye. The Broncos clinched the division crown with a 31-23 thumping of the Buccaneers on Sunday, their seventh consecutive victory that just covered the 7½-point spread. Quarterback Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes in the contest, two to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, and linebacker Von Miller all but sealed the triumph with a third-quarter interception return for a TD. Denver backers are 5-1-1 ATS during the seven-game winning streak, and "over" bettors have cashed in six of the Broncos' last eight trips to the gridiron. The Raiders and Broncos met Week 4 in the Mile High City, and Denver coasted to an easy 37-6 win as 6½-point favorites. The Broncos have won seven of their last nine in Oakland.

Oakland Raiders: Another dismal season for the Raiders (3-9 SU, 3-8-1 ATS) finds the home team just one game out of the division cellar and in the throes of a five-game losing skid. The latest setback came at home on Sunday when the Browns held on for a 20-17 decision that "pushed" a 3-point spread. The Black & Silver rank near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories, including total yardage (29th) and scoring, where the Raiders are dead-last in allowing 31.3 points per game. Starting QB Carson Palmer is seventh in the league with over 3,500 yards passing, a product of Oakland playing from behind so often and having an anemic rushing attack. The Raiders could get running back Darren McFadden back for Thursday's contest after he has missed the last four games with an ankle injury (click to check updated NFL injury report). Oakland's last three games have stayed below the total, but four of the last five in this series played at The Coliseum have gone "over" the number.

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NFL Week 14 Preview: Broncos at Raiders

DENVER BRONCOS (9-3)

at OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-9)


Kickoff: Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
Line: Denver -10, Total: 48

Two teams moving in opposite directions collide on Thursday night when sizzling-hot Denver visits the slumping Raiders.

The Broncos have a chance to keep rival Oakland’s misery going. The Raiders have lost five in a row, SU and ATS, and are 1-5 ATS at home this season. When these teams met in Week 4, it was a complete mismatch, with the Broncos piling up 503 yards of offense in a 37-6 win. Oakland did have a string of four straight wins over Denver spanning from late 2009 to early last season, but that was all pre-Peyton Manning. The Broncos enter this one on a seven-game SU win streak (5-2 ATS). They’ve topped 30 points in six of those seven games. The good news for Oakland is that RB Darren McFadden (ankle) could be ready to return.

Can the Broncos continue their win streak with a double-digit victory? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the ******* Experts picks for every NFL game throughout the 2012 season and playoffs.

Manning continues to amaze, ranking second in the NFL in passer rating (104.6) and tying for second with 29 touchdown passes. Last week he threw three touchdowns for the seventh time in the past nine games, helping beat Tampa Bay 31-23. Manning also tossed 3 TD in a 37-6 win over Oakland in Week 4, connecting on 30-of-38 passes (79%) for 338 yards. WR Eric Decker had 79 yards and a touchdown on seven catches, while Demaryius Thomas had a team-best 103 receiving yards in that win over the Raiders. Both wideouts have eight touchdowns this season, while Thomas has 1,114 receiving yards, which is tied for fourth in the NFL. Both receivers are excited to face Oakland's porous pass defense, which not only ranks 25th in the league, but has three key players in the secondary all listed as doubtful with concussion symptoms -- CB Phillip Adams and safeties Matt Giordano and Mike Mitchell. A big reason Denver was able to win easily in Week 4 was the ground game that chewed up 165 rushing yards, including 112 from Willis McGahee. But McGahee (knee) is now out for the season, and the Broncos are really struggling to run the football without him, gaining just 3.5 yards per carry and failing to reach 100 yards in either of the two games since his injury. Denver won't completely abandon the run though, as Oakland has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL this year (130 YPG). The Raiders defense has been dreadful during the five-game losing skid, allowing 37.8 PPG on 441 total YPG. They have forced just four turnovers during this stretch as well.

Neither McFadden nor Goodson has played since Nov. 4, but McFadden is having his worst season as a pro with just 3.3 yards per carry. He gained just 34 yards on 13 carries (2.6 YPC) in the Week 4 loss to Denver. Goodson has nearly twice McFadden's season average (6.5 YPC), including 7.3 YPC against the Broncos, but has gotten a total of just 17 rushing attempts in his eight games this season. RB Marcel Reece has been a nice fill-in with 114 total YPG in four games since the pair of injuries, but he is listed as questionable for Thursday with a hamstring injury. This could make for a long evening, as Denver's rushing defense ranks seventh in the NFL with 96 YPG allowed. Raiders QB Carson Palmer will try to move the football through the air, but the Broncos also have an outstanding pass defense (212 YPG, 6th in NFL) led by future Hall-of-Fame CB Champ Bailey. Palmer has been pretty poor in his career versus Denver (71.3 passer rating, 6 TD, 8 INT), but he did throw for 332 yards, 3 TD and 3 INT in last year's home game against the Broncos, a 38-24 defeat. The Denver defense also has some key injuries though, with LB Wesley Woodyard (ankle) and CB Tracy Porter (head) both questionable for Thursday's game.

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NFL
Dunkel

Week 14

Denver at Oakland
The Raiders look to build on their 9-4 ATS record in their last 13 meetings with Denver. Oakland is the pick (+10 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Broncos favored by only 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+10 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

Game 101-102: Denver at Oakland (8:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 133.693; Oakland 126.244
Dunkel Line: Denver by 7 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: Denver by 10 1/2; 48 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+10 1/2); Under

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NFL
Long Sheet

Week 14

Thursday, December 6

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DENVER (9 - 3) at OAKLAND (3 - 9) - 12/6/2012, 8:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 43-69 ATS (-32.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1992.
DENVER is 28-48 ATS (-24.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1992.
OAKLAND is 24-44 ATS (-24.4 Units) in the last 4 weeks of the regular season since 1992.
OAKLAND is 20-39 ATS (-22.9 Units) in home games versus division opponents since 1992.
OAKLAND is 25-46 ATS (-25.6 Units) in December games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
OAKLAND is 3-2 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 14

Broncos (9-3) @ Raiders (3-9)—Oakland lost last five games (0-5 vs spread), allowing 37.8 ppg; they’re 1-3 as home underdog this year, 9-14-1 since ’08. Denver won last seven games (5-2 vs spread), scoring 30+ points six times, with road wins by 11-8-22-8 points; they’re 2-1 as road favorites this year, 6-4 since 2009. Fox’s defense is creating shorter fields for his offense; eight of last 11 Denver TD’s were on drives of less than 60 yards. Broncos (-6.5) crushed Raiders 37-6 in Week 4, outrushing Oakland 165-56 (TY 503-237)- they were 10-16 on 3rd down, Oakland 1-12. Manning was 30-39/338 passing. Denver won three of last four visits here, but haven’t swept Raiders since ’06. Eight of last 10 series games were decided by 14+ points. AFC West home teams are 3-5 vs spread in division games; home dogs are 1-2. Six of last eight Denver games, five of last seven Bronco games went over the total. Note: Raiders' coach Allen has been away from team this week, due to the death of his father.

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NFL

Week 14

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Trend Report
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Thursday, December 6

8:20 PM
DENVER vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Oakland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Denver
Oakland is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games

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NFL

Thursday, December 6

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Thursday Night Football: Broncos at Raiders
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Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (+10.5, 48)

With a division title already in their pocket, the Denver Broncos still have a first-round bye in their sights as they prepare for Thursday night's road game against the AFC West-rival Oakland Raiders in the Week 14 opener. Denver secured its 12th division crown with a 31-23 home triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Broncos, who have repeated as AFC West champions for the first time since 1986-87.

With four contests remaining, Denver is tied for the second seed in the conference with the AFC East champion New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, who all are two games behind the top-seeded Houston Texans. The Broncos manhandled the Raiders in Week 4 as Peyton Manning threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns while Willis McGahee rushed for 112 yards and a score. Oakland enters the rematch hoping to end its losing streak, which reached five games with a 20-17 setback against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Raiders have allowed an average of 37.8 points during their slide.

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network.

LINE: Denver opened as high as a 12-point favorite and has been bet down to as low as -10. The total has moved from 49.5 to 48.

WEATHER: The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 50s. Winds are expected to blow west at 5 mph.

CONSENSUS: Covers Consensus is siding with the Broncos, with 54 percent on Denver. As for the total, 51 percent of consensus picks are on the under.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (9-3, 6-6 ATS): Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway was elated to acquire Manning last offseason. The former Broncos superstar quarterback has watched Manning pass him on two lists in the last two weeks. After moving past Elway for second place on the NFL's all-time list for victories by a starting QB, Manning set the franchise record for most touchdown passes in a single season on Sunday with three scoring tosses that raised his total to 29. He eclipsed the previous mark shared by Elway and Jake Plummer. The Broncos are not satisfied with winning the division title, a sentiment echoed throughout the locker room following Sunday's win. "That's not our biggest goal," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "It's just one thing out of the way." Coach John Fox added, "It's just a starting point, really."

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (3-9, 3-9 ATS): Oakland's losing streak is its longest since the club dropped six in a row in 2007 under first-year coach Lane Kiffin. Tight end Brandon Myers had 14 receptions Sunday against Cleveland, matching the franchise record set versus Jacksonville on Dec. 21, 1997, by Tim Brown. Myers now has 69 catches on the season, the most by a Raiders tight end since Todd Christensen hauled in 95 passes in 1986. Quarterback Carson Palmer has thrown for 300 yards in seven games this season. It's the most 300-yard performances by an Oakland signal-caller since Rich Gannon had 10 in 2002. Coach Dennis Allen believes RBs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson will be in the lineup Thursday. Allen left the Raiders following Sunday's game to be with his father, who is dealing with a serious medical issue, but is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Oakland.
* Broncos are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 meetings.
* Underdog is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 meetings.
* Road team is 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Fox is the second coach in NFL history to inherit a last-place club and guide it to division titles in his first two years.

2. Oakland K Sebastian Janikowski's 51-yard field goal on Sunday was the 40th of his career of at least 50 yards, tying him with Morten Andersen for third place on the all-time list in that category.

3. Janikowski has converted 124 consecutive extra points and is 24-for-26 on field-goal attempts this season. His only two misses were from 64 and 61 yards.

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Thursday, December 6

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Denver - 8:20 PM ET Oakland +10 500

Oakland - Under 48.5 500

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Bengals, Cowboys Looking To Stay In NFL Playoff Picture

Dallas Cowboys at Cincinnati Bengals
NFL Betting Preview
Date: 12/09/2012 at 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Bengals -3, O/U 45½
Television: FOX

Dallas Cowboys: Still a solid fade against the NFL odds, the Cowboys (6-6 straight-up, 4-8 against the spread) have nonetheless climbed back into the NFC East title hunt with three wins in their last four games. The latest came this past Sunday against the Eagles, who have been the victims in two of Dallas' three wins in the last month. Quarterback Tony Romo helped rally the 'Boys with two touchdown passes in a 21-point fourth quarter to help them to a 38-33 win as 10½-point home favorites. It was the third straight contest that Dallas failed to cover the spread and fifth in the last six games. The Cowboys rank eighth in the league in total offense (379.1 yards per game) and a middling 15th in scoring (23.3 ppg) while the defensive unit is 11th and 21st in those two columns. Dallas won the most recent meeting with the Bengals in 2008, a 31-22 decision in the Lone Star State as 16-point chalk.

Cincinnati Bengals: A fourth consecutive win has the Bengals (7-5 SU, 6-5-1 ATS) tied with Pittsburgh for second in the AFC North, two games behind the front-running Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati overcame three turnovers in San Diego last week and rallied back with 10 fourth-quarter points to slip past the Chargers, 20-13. The victory also marked the Bengals' fourth straight cover and fourth consecutive "under." Defense has been a big factor during the winning streak, allowing just 42 points (10.5 points per game) during the stretch compared to the team's season average of 21.7 ppg. The stop unit ranks eighth overall (331.3 ypg) and 11th in both passing (221.5 ypg) and rushing (110.3 ypg). Six of the last eight meetings between Dallas and Cincinnati have exceeded the total, but "under" trends are heavy for this year's clash. Seven of the last nine road games for the Cowboys have fallen short of the total while four of the Bengals' last five at home have finished below the mark.

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Giants, Saints Both Trying To Rebound From Losses

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants
NFL Betting Preview
Date: 12/09/2012 at 4:25 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Giants -4½, O/U 53½
Television: FOX

New Orleans Saints: Postseason hopes took a hit last week for New Orleans (5-7 straight-up, 6-6 against the spread) with a 23-13 loss at Atlanta. The defeat was the second straight for the Saints, who were 3-point road 'dogs and also the second consecutive setback against the odds after dropping a 31-21 decision to the San Francisco 49ers at home the previous week, also as 3-point underdogs. Quarterback Drew Brees was intercepted five times in the loss to the Falcons (seven in the last two games) and saw his NFL record of games with at least one touchdown pass end at 54. New Orleans is 2-4 on the road, 3-3 vs. the spread, and 3-5 when facing NFC squads (4-4 ATS). Four of the Saints' last six games have stayed below the total after they began the season 5-1 "over." Their last two matchups against the Giants have gone past the total, but four of the last five played in East Rutherford have finished "under."

New York Giants: Coming off their 17-16 loss at the Redskins on Monday night, the Giants (7-5 SU, 5-6-1 ATS) need a win Sunday to ensure they stay at least one game ahead of Washington and Dallas in the NFC East title race. New York's third loss in four games was also the third point spread defeat in four games for Giants backers, who were giving up three points to the 'Skins. All four games in this stretch have stayed "under" the total. The Giants are 4-2 at MetLife Stadium this campaign, but they have covered just two of their six home tilts while four of the six failed to reach the total. The Giants have lost their last three meetings with the Saints, also failing to cover the spread in those matchups. New York is 5-2 at home vs. New Orleans since 1994, and four of the last five on this field have stayed below the scoreboard hurdle.

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Packers, Lions Battle In NFL Sunday Night Football Game

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
NFL Betting Preview
Date: 12/09/2012 at 8:20 p.m. (ET)
Opening Lines: Packers -6½, O/U 52½
Television: NBC

Detroit Lions: Four consecutive losses, including the last three at home, have the Lions (4-8 straight-up, 4-7-1 against the spread) in freefall as they head to face their division rivals in Green Bay. Detroit's latest defeat came to Indianapolis as Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck tossed two touchdown passes in the final few minutes for a dramatic 35-33 triumph. Luck finished the game with four scoring strikes to offset three picks, and the Colts amassed 372 yards through the air, the second most allowed by the Lions this season. Detroit was favored by a touchdown in the contest, and the 68 combined points sailed well past the total, leaving the Lions 9-3 "over" for the year. One of the defeats during this four-game slide came to the Packers on Nov. 18, a 24-20 decision at Ford Field where the Lions were getting three points. It was Green Bay's third straight win in the series, with all three also ending with Packer backers enjoying a payday.

Green Bay Packers: Coach Mike McCarthy and the Pack (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS) rebounded from their road loss to the Giants in Week 12 with a 23-14 home victory over Minnesota last week. Green Bay scored 13 unanswered points in the second half and easily won the time of possession battle with a 17-minute advantage on the clock, thanks in large part to an 11-minute drive in the fourth quarter. It was the Packers' sixth win in the last seven games, with them going 5-2 ATS during that span, and kept them perfect at 3-0 vs. NFC North foes. Bettors will want to keep an eye on the injury report that finds linebacker Clay Matthews questionable and wide receiver Jordy Nelson doubtful for Sunday due to hamstring injuries (click to check updated NFL injury report). Green Bay has won the last 21 home games vs. Detroit, including a victory in the 1994 NFC Wild Card playoffs, and the Packers are 14-5-2 ATS in those contests. Four of the last five meetings at Lambeau Field have finished above the total.

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NFL Week 14 Preview: Lions at Packers

DETROIT LIONS (4-8)

at GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-4)


Kickoff: Sunday, 8:25 p.m. EDT
Line: Green Bay -6.5, Total: 50

Slumping Detroit not only tries to end a long losing skid this season, but it also seeks its first win at Lambeau Field since 1991, when it visits Green Bay on Sunday night.

The Lions, who have dropped 20 straight meetings at Lambeau, continue to find new ways to lose games. They’ve lost four in a row SU (1-3 ATS) this season, and after having a habit of falling behind early in games, they’ve now blown double-digit leads in each of the past two weeks. Their offense is running out of receivers, as rookie WR Ryan Broyles (ACL) is out for the year, and so is fellow WR Titus Young (knee). The Packers have major issues on their offensive line, but overcame it in beating the Vikings last week. They’ve beaten the Lions three in a row, SU and ATS, though their cover at Detroit in Week 11 was backdoor, as a field goal with 19 seconds left game them a four-point win.

Can the Packers score another comfortable win over their NFC North rival on Sunday night? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the ******* Experts picks for every NFL game throughout the 2012 season and playoffs.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford has lost all four career starts against the Packers, throwing 8 TD and 11 INT. However, he was on fire in his lone trip to Lambeau Field, completing 36-of-59 passes for a career-best 520 yards, 5 TD and 2 INT in a wild 45-41 loss in last year's season finale. Although his team has lost four straight, he's been pretty effective with 1,349 passing yards (337 YPG), 8 TD and 4 INT. He'll continue to look mostly to stud WR Calvin Johnson, who not only leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,428 yards), but has 16 catches for 387 yards and 2 TD in the past two meetings with Green Bay. Johnson has five straight games of 125+ receiving yards, which ties the NFL record. The gaggle of injuries to Lions wideouts will also provide more opportunities for TEs Brandon Pettigrew (556 rec. yds, 3 TD) and Tony Scheffler (112 rec. yds in past 2 games) to shine. Pettigrew has 37 targets over the past four weeks and caught seven passes for 116 yards in his last trip to Green Bay. The Lions throw the ball more than any team in the NFL, but they still rush for 104 YPG led by Mikel Leshoure (591 rush yds, 7 TD). The whole offense should benefit from an injury-riddled Packers defense that will be still without LB Clay Matthews (hamstring), CB Sam Shields (shin) and S Charles Woodson (collarbone). Green Bay ranks 17th in the NFL in passing defense (234 YPG) and 15th in rushing defense (115 YPG).

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is 7-1 in his career versus the Lions with a 70% completion rate, 2,112 passing yards, 18 TD and 5 INT. The only game he lost was a 7-3 game in Detroit in 2010 when he suffered a concussion in the first half and was forced to leave the game for good. Rodgers has five 300-yard games against the Lions, and has thrown at least two touchdowns in all seven wins, including three weeks ago when he finished 19-of-27 for 236 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT in the 24-20 win at Ford Field. He connected with Randall Cobb with 1:55 in regulation for the game-winning touchdown. Although the Packers still plan to employ a heavy air attack, Rodgers could see more pressure than usual with RT Bryan Bulaga (hip) and OT T.J. Lang (ankle) both injured. He has already taken 39 sacks this year, including three in Detroit in Week 11. Rodgers will also be missing starting WR Jordy Nelson (hamstring), but he finally has top WR Greg Jennings back healthy (46 rec. yards last week), and other great talents in Cobb (team-high 675 rec. yards) and James Jones (team-high 9 TD). Green Bay's rushing attack continues to be weak (105 YPG, NFL-low 3 rush TD), but the team added former star RB Ryan Grant to help shoulder the workload with underachieving Alex Green (3.3 YPC). James Starks, who has carried the football 65 times in the past four weeks, is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Detroit's defense is mediocre in both key areas, allowing 234 passing YPG (18th in NFL) and 119 rushing YPG (19th in league). But the Lions have been burned badly in the past two games, allowing 69 points and 960 total yards.

[StarDust Bum]

NFL Week 14 Preview: Ravens at Redskins

BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-3)

at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-6)


Kickoff: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Washington -2.5, Total: 47.5

Sizzling-hot Washington looks for a fourth straight victory when it welcomes Baltimore to town on Sunday afternoon.

The Ravens continue to be the NFL’s most underwhelming nine-win team. A week after a miracle win in San Diego, keyed by a 4th-and-29 conversion, they got beat at home by the Charlie Batch-led Steelers. Their previous four-game win streak included wins over the Chargers, Browns, Raiders, and Byron Leftwich-led Steelers. They’ve won eight of their last 10 SU, but their point differential during that stretch is just +31, and that’s boosted by a 35-point win over Oakland. The Redskins, who have won three straight (SU and ATS), all versus NFC East foes, have not played well against AFC teams the past two years, going 0-6 SU and 0-5-1 ATS in inter-conference games.

Can Washington keep its win streak alive on Sunday? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the ******* Experts picks for every NFL game throughout the 2012 season and playoffs.

Despite a 4-2 SU record, Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been pretty poor on the road this season, completing just 55% of his passes for 1,238 yards, 4 TD and 4 INT. He also struggled at home last week, completing just 47% of his passes (season low) for 5.5 YPA, 188 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. However, Washington has the league's second-worst pass defense at 299 passing YPG and has allowed 25.1 PPG this season (10th-most in NFL). The Redskins do have a great run-stop unit (92 rush YPG, 4th in NFL), while the Ravens rank 23rd in the NFL in rushing yards (102 YPG). However, top RB Ray Rice is starting to pick up the pace with 175 yards on 34 carries (5.1 YPC) plus 72 receiving yards over the past two games. In six road contests in 2012, Rice has 685 total yards (114 YPG). And a big reason for Baltimore's road success has been its ability to protect the football, as the club has played three straight away games without committing a single turnover.

Robert Griffin III continues to amaze as a rookie, piling up 852 total yards with 9 TD throws and just 1 INT during his team's three-game win streak. Not only does that give him 17 TD and 4 INT through the air, but he's also run for 714 yards (6.8 YPC) and six scores, although none since Week 6. He should be able to beat the Ravens with both his arm and his legs this week, as they rank 23rd in the NFL both against the pass (247 YPG) and the run (126 YPG). Baltimore's defense has been ravaged by injuries, most notably the long-term losses of LB Ray Lewis (triceps) and CBs Lardarius Webb (knee) and Jimmy Smith (hernia), and now LB Terrell Suggs (biceps) is out indefinitely as well. Washington has another star rookie in RB Alfred Morris (1,106 rush yds, 4.8 YPC) who has galloped for two straight 100-yard games, totaling 237 rushing yards on 46 carries (5.2 YPC). The Redskins' league-leading rushing offense (167 YPG) is a big reason why the team has so few turnovers, with just two giveaways in the past five games combined.

[StarDust Bum]

NFL Week 14 Preview: Bears at Vikings

CHICAGO BEARS (8-4)

at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-6)


Kickoff: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Chicago -3, Total: 39

Slumping Chicago looks to get back on the winning track as it tries to retain its dominance over division foe Minnesota on Sunday.

With their grip on the NFC North slipping after three losses in four games, the Bears won’t mind a trip to **** of America Field considering they’ve won six in a row, SU and ATS, over the Vikings. Just two weeks ago in Chicago, the Bears fell behind 3-0 early then scored 25 unanswered in an eventual 28-10 win. They had only 296 yards of offense in the win, but in true Bears fashion they held Minnesota to 258 and forced three turnovers. Chicago blew a lead late and then gave up a TD on the first drive of overtime in a 23-17 home loss to Seattle last week. The defense is really hurting with LB Brian Urlacher out (hamstring) and NFL interception leader CB Tim Jennings (shoulder) doubtful. The Vikings lost at Green Bay last week, dropping them to 1-4 (SU and ATS) in their past five games. They have turned it over multiple times in seven of their past eight games, and had to place top WR Percy Harvin (ankle) on season-ending IR earlier this week.

Which slumping team will earn the victory on Sunday? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the ******* Experts picks for every NFL game throughout the 2012 season and playoffs.

Bears QB Jay Cutler has been outstanding in his career versus Minnesota, going 6-1 with a 98.8 passer rating. He's completed 67% of his passes for 1,552 yards (222 YPG), 16 TD and 7 INT. Two weeks ago, he completed 74% of his throws (23-of-31) for 188 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT, and took only one sack for the third straight meeting with Minnesota. Cutler also played very well last week (17-of-26, 233 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT), marking Chicago's first game of 200 net passing yards since Week 5. Cutler has been relying heavily on WR Brandon Marshall (91 catches, 1,182 yards), who has 49% of his team's receiving yards this year. Marshall caught 12 passes for 92 yards against the Vikings two weeks ago, and followed that up with a season-best 165 yards on in the overtime loss to Seattle last Sunday. He'll be loaded up with targets again with WRs Earl Bennett and Devin Hester doubtful with concussions and rookie WR Alshon Jeffery questionable with a knee injury. The Bears have done a nice job with their ground attack this season (123 rush YPG, 10th in NFL), and will continue to pound the football with Matt Forte and occasionally Michael Bush. Forte has just 3.9 YPC in eight career meetings with the Vikings, but he has enjoyed the fast track in Minnesota with 284 total yards and 4.6 YPC in three career games there. Bush had a season-high 60 rushing yards and 2 TD against the Vikings two weeks ago, but he needed 21 carries (2.9 YPC) to get those numbers. Minnesota currently ranks 14th in the NFL in both rushing defense (115 YPG) and passing defense (230 YPG), and held Chicago below both of those averages (113 rushing YPG, 183 passing YPG) two weeks ago. The Bears entered last week with eight giveaways over a three-game stretch, but played turnover-free football in the overtime defeat to Seattle.

Vikings QB Christian Ponder has had a rough second season with a 79.4 passer rating (6.0 YPA, 14 TD, 11 INT). Since Harvin was injured four weeks ago in Seattle, Ponder has thrown for just 562 yards (141 YPG) on a pathetic 4.6 YPA. However, Minnesota can still win games with the worst passing offense in football (181 pass YPG) because of their outstanding ground game ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards (155 YPG). Adrian Peterson has over 300 more rushing yards than any other player in the league, rumbling for 1,446 yards on an incredible 6.2 YPC this year. He's currently on a streak of six straight 100-yard games, gaining 947 yards (158 per game) on 7.8 YPC and 6 TD during this surge. That included his 210-yard performance last week and his 108 yards versus the Vikings two games ago. For his career, Peterson has 931 yards (5.0 YPC) and 12 TD in nine meetings with Chicago. The Bears run defense ranks 10th in the NFL with 104 rushing YPG allowed, while the passing defense ranks seventh. Chicago still leads the NFL in forced turnovers (34), but it has just four takeaways over the past three games.