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11/23/02-11/24/02 CONFIRMED WEEKEND PLAYS (Updates forthcoming)
MANY OF THESE PLAYS WILL PROBABLY BE UPGRADED/DOWNGRADED DEPENDING ON LATE INFORMATION AND LINE MOVEMENT. THE POSTED PLAYS AS THEY APPEAR NOW I HAVE ALREADY PLAYED FOR THE ALLOTED UNITS SETFORTH
Top football plays are NOW 20-8 (71.8%) AFTER HITTING BOTH 8* PLAYS ON COLORADO AND SOUTH FLORIDA AND HITTING THE TOP PLAY ON THE RAIDERS THIS PAST WEEKEND! A top play is anything 8* units or higher. I also play all may games at $100/unit in football.
RECORD:
NCAA Football 73-59 (55.3%) +39.2 units
NFL Football 58-34 (63%) +142.1 units
NBA 22-19-1 (53.2%) -4.7 units
NCAA BASKETBALL 2-1 (66%) +2.2 Units
NHL 2-1 +2.1 units
NCAA FOOTBALL
(7)
(6)
(5)
(4) CINCINNATI +5
(3) CINCINNATI/HAWAII OVER 59
(3) AUBURN +10.5
(3) TCU -8
(2) VIRGINIA +9.5
(2) NOTRE DAME -28.5
(1) CINCINNATI +175
NFL FOOTBALL
(3) TAMPA BAY -3
(3) NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS -5.5
(3) DOLPHINS -5
(2) TENNESSEE -1.5
NFL TOTALS (I play these at $75/unit)
(3) DOLPHINS/CHARGERS UNDER 37
(2) TITANS/RAVENS UNDER 37.5
(1) GIANTS/TEXANS UNDER 35.5
Detailed Analysis
CINCINNATI (5 - 5) at HAWAII (8 - 2)
11/23/2002 11:05 PM
When the number opened on this game my face turned red, I got flushed, drank some water and looked again. Is this too good to be true...I hope so. My number indicated the line should be the Bearcats -2 so from the start of this game I am getting a 7.5 point value.
With its holiday plans already determined, No. 25 Hawaii can look forward to some extended home cooking. In the national rankings for the first time since the conclusion of the 1992 season, the Warriors begin a season-ending three-game homestand Saturday when they host Cincinnati of Conference USA. Hawaii (8-2) will not have to leave the mainland again until next season as its hosts Alabama and San Diego State the next two weeks. Last season, the Warriors were shut out of a bowl bid despite finishing 9-3. That will not be a problem this year as Hawaii already has accepted a bid to the newly created Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Day. Hawaii made its final appearance of the year on the mainland last week, rallying for a 33-28 victory over Rice that kept the Warriors in contention for a piece of the Western Athletic Conference title. Hawaii will share the title if Nevada upsets Boise State this weekend. Boise State handed the Warriors their only WAC loss. Last week, Timmy Chang passed for 369 yards and two touchdowns, leading Hawaii to its fifth straight victory. The Warriors lead the nation in total offense (520.9) and rank second in passing offense (395.9). It was the 16th career 300-yard game for Chang, Hawaii's all-time leader in career passing and total offense.
Cincinnati (5-5) has won three straight, but needs to win two of its remaining three games to become bowl eligible for the third straight year. The Bearcats gained a season-high 492 yards in last week's 47-14 victory over Houston. Gino Guidugli snapped a 15-quarter drought without a touchdown pass by throwing three against the Cougars. Guidugli completed 14-of-23 passes for 238 yards. He finished the game with 2,522 yards, becoming the first Cincinnati quarterback to pass for more than 2,500 yards in consecutive seasons.
This could be high scoring shootout. Both these teams throw the ball a lot and have below-average defenses. The Cincinnati Bearcats average 29 points each game, but allow 24.7 ppg. Cincy has little trouble scoring points with an offense that averages 359 yards per game (123 yds rushing, 234 yds passing each contest) led by sophomore QB Gino Guidigli. Cincy is 5-5 SU and a strong 7-3 ATS. The Bearcats have won three straight and are off two big wins: a 24-14 upset at Louisville (as a 9-point dog) and a 47-17 rout at Houston. Hawaii (8-2 SU, 6-3 ATS) averages 39 points and 359 yards passing per game. Coach June Jones has a run-and-gun style on the artificial turf and QB Timmy Chang has over 3,000 yards passing with 17 TDs and 12 INTs. This game comes down to who wants it more? With the Rainbows already cemented with a home Bowl Game and the Bearcats clawing and needing wins to get to a bowl it becomes apparent who needs it more. Go Gino, Go Bearcats!
Projected Score: Hawaii 40, Cincinnati 47
PLAY 4* UNITS ON CINCINNATI +5
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE OVER 59
PLAY 1* UNIT ON THE CINCINNATI +175
*NOTE THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE THIS WILL BE A 7* OR 8* PLAY THIS WEEKEND IF THE NUMBERS STAY THE WAY THEY ARE!
AUBURN (7 - 4) at ALABAMA (9 - 2)
11/23/2002 3:30 PM
A couple of hot SEC teams meet in this state rivalry. Alabama is 9-2 SU/8-3 ATS after last week's 31-0 rout of LSU. Alabama has a monster-offensive line averaging 413 yards per game (216 yards rushing). Alabama outscores teams by a 30-15 average behind QB Tyler Watts, RB Shaud Williams and RB Santonio Beard. The Auburn Tigers (7-4 SU, 7-3 ATS) outscore teams by a 32-19 average with great balance (405 yards per game, 210 yards rushing/194 yards passing each game. Auburn is 4-0 ATS away from home this season (2-2 SU). Injuries have hurt the team with QB Daniel Cobb and RB Carnell Williams out, but QB Jason Campbell has filled in (9 TDs, 3 INTs) along with RB Ronnie Brown. A three-game win streak ended in a 24-21 loss to Georgia last week on a last-minute TD. The Tigers will be motivated and come to play this Saturday and this is a good matchup for them here. Auburn keeps this one close and covers the number.
Projected Score: Alabama 24, Auburn 13
PLAY 3* UNITS ON AUBURN +10.5
*NOTE If you wait on this game you will get added value as the public will push this up.
TCU (8 - 1) at E CAROLINA (3 - 6)
11/23/2002 2:00 PM
In the national rankings for the first time since December 2000, No. 22 Texas Christian looks to extend its winning streak to nine games Saturday when it visits East Carolina in a Conference USA contest. The Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-1) can clinch a share of the Conference USA title and move closer to their first outright league championship since winning the Southwest Conference in 1958. TCU, which was idle last week, has a one-game lead over Louisville, Southern Mississippi, Cincinnati and Alabama-Birmingham. The Horned Frogs last shared a conference crown two years ago when they were 7-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. TCU has not lost since suffering a season-opening 36-29 overtime setback to Cincinnati and has won 10 of its last 11 regular season contests. TCU, which is seeking a school-record fifth straight bowl appearance, will be headed to the Liberty Bowl if it stays on top of Conference USA. The Horned Frogs' success this year can be traced to a run defense that ranks first in the nation, allowing only 58.2 yards per game. They are second in overall defense, yielding 247.0 yards per contest - just three more than Alabama. During its winning streak, TCU is surrendering an average of just 226 yards. They have held their last eight opponents under 300 yards after giving up 409 in the loss at Cincinnati. TCU has been off since posting a 17-10 win over Tulane on November 9. The Horned Frogs set a school record by holding the Green Wave to minus-53 yards rushing.
East Carolina (3-2, 3-6) needs a win to stay in the Conference USA race. The Pirates are coming off a 36-29 setback to UAB in which freshman Darrel Hackney become just the third Blazers' quarterback to pass for more than 400 yards. East Carolina squandered a 29-17 lead and suffered its third loss in four games.
The TCU Horned Frogs have won eight in a row and are closing in on the Conf-USA title. T.C.U. averages 32 points per game with perfect balance: 184 yards rushing, 177 yards passing per game. T.C.U. has two strong running backs in Ricky Madison (548 yards, 4.7 yds per carry) and freshman Lonta Hobbs (507 yards, 6.2 yds per carry, 7 TDs). T.C.U.’s balanced offense may put a lot of pressure on a poor East Carolina defense. The Pirates (3-6 SU, 2-7 ATS) give up 33 per game. East Carolina has lost three of four games and the defense has been positively brutal, allowing 46, 44, 48 and 36 points! The Pirates average 30 points per game with 125 yards rushing/235 yards passing each contest. QB Paul Troth has been decent and the ground game is strong with junior RB Art Brown (4.9 ypc, 14 TDs). A year ago, East Carolina was a 5-point favorite at TCU and came away with a 37-30 victory. The Pirates led 27-3 at the half and, true to form, the defense allowed 27 second half points by Texas Christian before holding on for the win. TCU had 380 yards passing against the Pirate defense. Don’t look for a repeat victory by EC and here's a tip. ECU QB Troth is hurting and will not be at 100% efficiency. Even if so, Frogs jump all over the Pirates and win going away.
Projected Score: TCU 31, E Carolina 20
PLAY 3* UNITS ON TCU -8
MARYLAND (9 - 2) at VIRGINIA (7 - 4)
11/23/2002 5:30 PM
Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference contest between Maryland and Virginia could be dubbed the Comeback Bowl. A pair of teams that survived slow starts clash with both teams entertaining hopes of playing on New Year's Day. After losing to Notre Dame and Florida State during a 1-2 start, Maryland (9-2, 5-1) has reeled off eight straight victories. The Terps need one more to match last season's total when it ended Florida State's nine-year reign as ACC champion. While Virginia's turnaround has not been quite as dramatic, the Cavaliers (7-4, 5-2) have rebounded from a 0-2 start by winning seven of their last nine games. Virginia snapped a two-game losing streak with a 14-9 victory over North Carolina State last week and can clinch second place with a win over Maryland. The Terrapins can gain a share of the ACC title if they win their final two conference games and Florida State loses to North Carolina State this weekend. Maryland hosts Wake Forest in its regular season finale next week. Maryland's Ralph Friedgen needs one victory to become the winningest two-year coach in ACC history, Friedgen is 19-4, matching Ken Hatfield, who posted a 19-4-1 record in his first two years at Clemson in 1990-91. Maryland posted a 30-12 victory over Clemson last week for its first win in "Death Valley" since 1985. The Terrapins held the Tigers to just four field goals. Scott McBrien passed for three touchdowns and Chris Downs rushed 101 yards. Downs, the ACC's leading rusher despite not getting a single carrry against Notre Dame, needs just five yards to become the seventh 1,000-yard rusher in Maryland history.
Virginia's Matt Schaub threw two touchdowns against North Carolina State, setting a single-season school record with 23, while Marquis Weeks rushed for a career-high 129 yards. Virginia will be seeking a measure of revenge this weekend. Last season, the Terrapins snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Cavaliers with a 41-21 victory in College Park.
Maryland has been red-hot, winning eight in a row while going 6-1 against the spread. Maryland is 9-2 SU, 5-1 ACC. RB Bruce Perry has returned from a knee injury (69 yards last week) and teams with RB Chris Downs to form a strong one-two punch in the backfield. Maryland ripped Clemson last week with 285 yards on the ground and 153 yards passing in a 30-12 rout. Downs had 101 yards on 20 carries. This Maryland team is very strong and outscores teams by a 32-15 average with perfect balance: 198 yards rushing/190 yards passing per game.
Virginia (7-4 SU, 5-2 ACC) will provide a good test for Maryland. Al Groh’s team has struggled to score points the last three games, losing to Georgia Tech (23-15) and Penn State (35-14) before beating N.C. State last week, 14-9. QB Matt Schaub is having a magnificent season with 2,502 yards passing, 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions while completing 67% of his passes. Schaub spreads it around to Billy McMullen, Michael McGrew, Wali Lundy, Jason Smelling and Heath Miller (8 TDs). Last year, Maryland rolled through Virginia, 41-21. The Terrapins had 243 yards rushing and 237 yards passing and led 24-7 at the half. QB Matt Schaub was 20-of-33 for 271 yards, and WR Billy McMullen caught 11 passes for 175 yards. Last week we had Virginia right here as an upset winner and we also had Maryland here for another winner. With the addition of Perry, the Terps ground attack is even better now. The Cavs move the ball but have trouble in the red zone. It is just to tempting to take the Cavs in revenge + 9.5...so I will.
Projected Score: Maryland 31, Virginia 24
PLAY 2* UNITS ON VIRGINIA +9.5
RUTGERS (1 - 9) at NOTRE DAME (9 - 1)
11/23/2002 1:00 PM
A visit from Rutgers is just the schedule break Notre Dame needs. Despite back-to-back awful efforts that crippled their national championship hopes, the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish (9-1) can still put themselves in excellent position to garner a Bowl Championship Series bid with a pair of wins to end the regular season. The first step will be taking out some frustrations Saturday against Rutgers (1-9). Some Irish fans may already be looking ahead to next week's showdown with longtime rival Southern California. This week, however, Notre Dame could use a solid effort following a home loss to Boston College three weeks ago and a lackluster effort in a 30-23 win over a weak Navy squad a week later. "We need to get back on track - realize the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the season are still possible," offensive tackle Jordan Black said. "We just need to start over, get back to the basics, come together as a team and finish up the season strong." While the rest of the country debates what BCS game Notre Dame will play in, the Irish said throughout their bye week their focus is solely on the Scarlet Knights. "We need to watch Rutgers and worry about Rutgers," said Courtney Watson, one of three finalists for the Butkus Award - given to the nation's best linebacker. "The last three weeks we haven't performed up to our abilities. We shouldn't be worried about the BCS, this poll, that poll, this columnist is saying. We need to worry about Rutgers." The Irish are in good position to have their best season since going 11-1 in 1993 and finishing with a No. 2 ranking. And with last week's loss by then-No. 4 Texas, Notre Dame moved up one spot to No. 6 in the BCS standings, putting it in position to make a BCS bowl game. A clause in the BCS rules guarantees the Irish an at-large berth if they finish in the top six.
The Scarlet Knights have dropped seven straight, including a 20-17 defeat to visiting Temple on Saturday. Rutgers led 17-3 at the half only to see Temple storm back behind 271 yards rushing. The loss overshadowed a decent performance from Rutgers freshman quarterback Ryan Hart, who was 14-of-27 for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Despite losing several lopsided games this season, Rutgers has been competitive at times, especially against national powerhouses. The Scarlet Knights were winning 14-7 at Tennessee at halftime on Sept. 28 before losing 35-14, and owned a 17-14 edge on top-ranked Miami on Nov. 2 before the Hurricanes scored 28 points in the final 14 minutes. Rutgers' biggest problem has been stopping the run, as it has allowed 198.1 yards per game. Notre Dame will look to exploit that weakness with running back Ryan Grant, who has 933 yards and eight touchdowns. The biggest mismatch, however, may come when the Scarlet Knights have the ball. They are ranked last (117th) in Division I-A in total offense, averaging just 216.5 yards per game. Notre Dame is ranked seventh in total defense, allowing just 280 per contest. Rutgers' last win against a ranked opponent was on Sept. 24, 1988, a 21-16 victory at No. 15 Penn State.
A game-winning 22-yard field goal with 39 seconds to play capped a Temple rally in the Owls 20-17 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. Freshman Ryan Hart threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Martin and a 53-yarder to tight end L.J. Smith for Rutgers (1-9, 0-6.) The Scarlet Knights were less than four minutes from ending a 20-game conference losing streak dating to 1999 before things fell apart, in large part because its offense generated just three first downs in the second half in blowing a 17-3 halftime lead. Carlyle Holiday set up the tying score with a 29-yard completion to Omar Jenkins, then hit a wide-open Jenkins for a 67-yard touchdown with 2:08 remaining to give Notre Dame a 30-23 victory two weeks ago. The Irish lost three fumbles against the Midshipmen and fell behind 23-15 in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame managed only 68 yards rushing, but Holiday made up for it by throwing for 272 yards. Jenkins had four catches for a career-high 166 yards. The Irish have now won 39 straight against Navy. Notre Dame hasn't had any problems with Rutgers in the past, winning all three meetings by a combined 155-17 score. A mismatch here as the Irish, who won this game two years ago 45-17 have their way at home once again.
Projected Score: Notre Dame 37, Rutgers 7
PLAY 2* UNITS ON NOTRE DAME -28.5
NFL FOOTBALL
GREEN BAY (8 - 2) at TAMPA BAY (8 - 2)
11/24/2002 4:15 PM
As usual, just when you think you have a team figured out, the old “on any given Sunday…” thing pops up and a down and out team like the Vikings puts it to the Packers 31-21 and ruins your day. This Sunday, Daunte Culpepper threw for two touchdowns and ran for another one, and the Vikings intercepted Brett Favre three times. Minnesota's 31st-ranked defense held Ahman Green to 71 yards and kept Favre -- who was 24-of-42 for 296 yards and two touchdowns -- completely out of rhythm in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rebounded from a slow start Sunday to beat the Panthers 23-10 and take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Tampa Bay (8-2) is off to its best-ever start after 10 games. With the New Orleans losing 24-17 at Atlanta, the Bucs sit alone atop the division heading into crucial games the next three weeks against Green Bay, New Orleans and the surging Atlanta Falcons. Brad Johnson threw a 1-yard TD pass to Keyshawn Johnson in the second quarter, then snapped a 10-10 tie with a 22-yarder to Keenan McCardell late in the third quarter. Martin Gramatica added field goals of 20, 32 and 41 yards for the Bucs. These teams split a year ago, each winning at home and with Tampa going 2-0 ATS. The Battle of the Bays figures to be another close call on Sunday but the Bucs are playing on all cilinders. The home team gets the notch and lay the points.
Projected Score: TAM Bucs 27, GB Packers 21
PLAY 3* UNITS ON TAMPA BAY -3
*NOTE if the spread moves beyond the 3 to 3.5 I recommend buying the 1/2 point or not playing this game at all.
NY GIANTS (6 - 4) at HOUSTON (2 - 8)
11/24/2002 4:15 PM
A three-game winning streak, a manageable schedule and an injury to Donovan McNabb could make the New York Giants the team to beat in the NFC East. On Sunday, the NFC champions of two years ago will visit the expansion Houston Texans in an inter-conference game. Kerry Collins is getting hot at the right time and will lead the improving Giants offense.
The Giants trail the first-place Philadelphia Eagles by just one game in the NFC East, but the Eagles will be without McNabb for the next six weeks with a broken ankle and they visit the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers on Monday. But Giants coach Jim Fassel does not want to hear about what is supposed to happen. "If you watch this league, every week there are teams that nobody gave a chance to win and they win," Fassel said. Tight end Jeremy Shockey, New York's first-round pick, introduced himself to the NFL by steamrolling through a pair of Houston defenders on a long pass play and finished with four catches for 80 yards. Last week, Shockey caught 11 passes for 111 yards in New York's 19-17 victory over the Washington Redskins. The only Giant tight end to catch that many passes was Mark Bavaro, who had 12 receptions in an October 13, 1985 game. It was also the most yards for a Giants tight end since Bavaro totaled 148 against Philadelphia on October 10, 1988. Shockey leads all NFC rookies with 38 receptions. "Jeremy is really athletic and has that good speed," Fassel said. "He can do a lot of things for us. You can get him on the line, you can play-action with him, and you can create matchups. He's going to make some big plays for us down the stretch."
The Texans play a 3-4 defense under coach Dom Capers and rank fourth in the AFC, yielding 314.9 yards per game. They are seventh overall in the NFL against the pass, allowing 190.1 yards. New York's Kerry Collins played for Capers with the Carolina Panthers from 1995-98 and led them to the NFC championship game in the franchise's second season. He took the Giants to the Super Bowl two years ago and leads the NFC in passing yards this season with 2,552, 12 more than Green Bay's Brett Favre. Since Fassel took over the play-calling from offensive coordinator Sean Payton, the Giants have eight offensive touchdowns in their three-game winning streak. Tiki Barber has especially benefited, averaging 97.3 rushing yards in the three games. The Giants had just seven offensive touchdowns in their first seven games under Payton. Sunday's game will be a bit of a homecoming for Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, who played college ball at Houston's Texas Southern University, where as a senior he recorded a school record 19 sacks. Last year, Strahan set an NFL single-season record with 22 1/2 sacks and has eight this year. Two of them came last week in the win over Washington.
Houston's David Carr has been sacked a league-high 53 times and will face a Giants' defense that has allowed 16.9 points per game, third fewest in the NFL, and just 175.1 passing yards. Carr passed for 228 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Houston's 24-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday. There’s a new life in the Big Apple with the injury to the Eagles Donovan McNabb. The G-men, after last weeks ugly win over the Redskins 19-17 must now be considered the favorite to win the NFC East. The stingy Giants defense held on, in the fourth quarter to preserve the win. The Giants had more than ample opportunity to put this game away early but several near interceptions fell merely incomplete. Tiki Barber has healed and is averaging over a 100 yards per game rushing since HC Jim Fassel took over the play calling. Jeremy Shockey, after an 11 reception game, leads all NFC tight ends with 38 receptions. The Texans couldn’t quite catch up to the Jaguars on Sunday losing 24-21. David Carr completed 22 of 30 passes for 228 yards. He was sacked four times for 34 yards in losses while the Texans sacked Brunell five times, but his scrambling kept the Jaguar's offense moving. The Jints will have plenty of motivation going on Sunday when they visit Houston. Look for them to pressure Carr and stop the Texans running game. Collins should have a big day and Strahan will be pumped. NY hits hard and Carr will get punished by Strahan and a nasty Giants defense.
Projected Score: New York Football Giants 21, Houston Texans 10
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS -5.5
1* UNIT ON THE UNDER 35.5
SAN DIEGO (7 - 3) at MIAMI (6 - 4)
11/24/2002 1:00 PM
Norv Turner pushed for the San Diego Chargers to switch from Doug Flutie to Drew Brees last season. Marty Schottenheimer is glad he made the move this year. On Sunday, Brees and the Chargers visit the Miami Dolphins in a pivotal AFC matchup. Steve Christie got the Chargers back into the AFC West title race. The Dolphins are in first place in the AFC East, one game ahead of New England, Buffalo and the New York Jets. San Diego is tied with Denver for first place in the AFC West, one game ahead of Oakland. Brees threw for a career-high 336 yards and two touchdowns in San Diego's 20-17 overtime win over San Francisco last week. His second touchdown was a game-tying one-yard toss to fullback Fred McCrary with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter. After Jose Cortez missed a potential game-winning 41-yard field in overtime for San Francisco, Brees drove the Chargers down the field, completing a 19-yard pass to Tim Dwight on a 3rd-and-8 play and connecting with rookie Eric Parker on an 18-yard pass to the San Francisco 28. That set up Steve Christie's winning 40-yard field goal. A first-round pick in 2001, Brees has quieted any possible quarterback controversy with hisperformance this season, throwing for 1,999 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last year, Turner urged former Chargers coach Mike Riley to switch from Flutie to Brees when the team was mired in a nine-game losing streak, but Riley never made the move. Schottenheimer made the decision to go with Brees as his starter late in the preseason and has been rewarded for having faith in him.
Before Schottenheimer was hired, Turner left the Chargers to join his friend Dave Wannstedt in Miami as offensive coordinator. Quarterback Jay Fiedler flourished under Turner, leading the Dolphins to a 5-1 record and throwing for 1,289 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions. However, since Fiedler broke his thumb in an October 13 game at Denver, Turner did not have quite the same success with backup Ray Lucas , who lost his first three games as a starter and committed nine turnovers. Last week, Lucas played a mistake-free game, completing 18 of 26 passes for 221 yards and rushing for a touchdown in Miami's 26-7 win over Baltimore. The Dolphins recorded seven sacks, including 2 1/2 by end Adewale Ogunleye. However, the Chargers did not give up a sack to San Francisco despite attempting 50 passes and have allowed just 11 this season. "They were outstanding," Schottenheimer said of his underrated offensive line. "Our offensive line is very, very capable."
The game also features LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego, the NFL's leading rusher with 1,053 yards. He rushed for 88 yards on 24 carries and caught eight passes for 57 yards in the win over San Francisco. The Dolphins rank second in the NFL against the run at 92.1 yards per game. Middle linebacker Zach Thomas has a team-high 119 tackles. Miami's Ricky Williams recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season last week, gaining 102 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, to tie Delvin Williams' franchise record for the most 100-yard games in a season. Williams is third among AFC rushers behind Tomlinson and Priest Holmes of Kansas City with 913 yards. San Diego ranks third in the NFL against the run, yielding 92.8 yards per game. Linebacker Donnie Edwards leads the team with 69 tackles and is tied for second in the AFC in interceptions with four. Miami leads the AFC with 28 sacks, including 8 1/2 by end Jason Taylor. San Diego is tied for second in the conference with 26 sacks.
East meets West in what looks to be a grind-it-out, defensive battle. The Chargers prefer a conservative game under coach Marty Schottenheimer. The Chargers are 7-3 SU, 7-3 ATS, after a thrilling 20-17 comeback over San Francisco in OT. Two kids lead the offense in QB Drew Brees and outstanding RB LaDainian Tomlinson. The defense is strong and SD is outscoring teams by a 23-20 average with great balance (143 yds rushing per game, 191 yds passing per game). Miami started the season 5-1 SU/ATS but is on an 1-3 SU/1-2-1 ATS run the last month. This team has missed QB Jay Fielder and he will be out at least one more game. QB Ray Lucas has been poor, though he had a big game last week with 221 yards passing in a 26-7 win over Baltimore, which ended a three-game skid. The Miami defense allows just 18 ppg and this should be a defensive slugfest with both clubs trying to establish the run.
Projected Score: MIA Dolphins 17, SDG Chargers 10
PLAY 2* UNITS ON MIAMI DOLPHINS -3
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE UNDER 37
TENNESSEE (6 - 4) at BALTIMORE (4 - 6)
11/24/2002 1:00 PM
A pair of former bitter AFC Central Division rivals meet on Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens host the Tennessee Titans. For the last two seasons, the teams have engaged in one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries. Baltimore has won the last four meetings, including a playoff triumph en route to its Super Bowl title during the 2000 season. Justin McCareins and the Titans need to step up now that Ray Lewis is back for Baltimore. But with the teams changing divisions and with Baltimore being ravaged by the salary cap, the rivalry has lost some of its luster. Trying to end their slide against Baltimore, the Titans enter this contest in the midst of a five-game winning streak -- their longest since an eight-game run in 2000. The streak in 2000 ended with a 24-23 loss to the Ravens. Tennessee, which has turned around its season after a 1-4 start, is tied with Indianapolis for first place in the AFC South. Last Sunday, Steve McNair threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns and Eddie George rushed for 79 yards and two scores in a 31-23 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. George has rushed for 479 yards in the last five games, managing two 100-yard games in that span. Despite all the personnel losses, the Ravens split their first six games. But they are starting to struggle with three losses in their last four contests. One of the losses came last Sunday in a 26-7 defeat at Miami. Jeff Blake was sacked seven times and the Ravens were held to 157 total yards. The loss did not sit well with coach Brian Billick. "For the first time, we regressed," Billick said. "It's always tough to lose, but we didn't get better. This young group made a lot of mistakes." On the bright side, star middle linebacker Ray Lewis returned after missing five games with a dislocated shoulder. He was effective, finishing with a team-leading six tackles. In the first meeting between the teams last season, the Ravens rushed for 207 yards and limited George to 26 on 13 carries in a 26-7 victory. The Ravens' defense also came up big in the second contest, stopping McNair on a sneak from inside the 1 on the game's final play to preserve a 16-10 victory.
Who can figure out these Titans? Apparently it took the owner criticizing the coaching staff to turn things around. After a 1-4 SU/ATS start, owner Bud Adams said “It looks to me like we’re being out-coached.” Presto, the Titans are riding a five-game win streak (4-1 ATS). The Titans played their best game in nearly two seasons last week. Steve McNair threw two touchdown passes to Kevin Dyson and Eddie George ran for two more as the Titans beat the Steelers 31-23 for their fifth straight victory. Baltimore has lost 3 of 4 games, though they are still on a 6-2 ATS run. Ray Lewis returned last week, but the Ravens look below-average against good teams. "At 4-6, we're a long shot at best," coach Brian Billick said, after the Ravens produced only 157 yards of offense in a 26-7 defeat at Miami. The Ravens, who stood atop in the AFC North on Oct. 6, are now in third place after dropping four of six. Baltimore trails first-place Pittsburgh by only 1 1/2 games, but the Ravens hardly looked the part of a contender in falling to Miami. QB Jeff Blake is still running the offense and this capper has to give the nod to team playing like Titans.
Projected Score: TEN Titans 20, BAL Ravens 14
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE TITANS -1.5
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE UNDER 37.5 NCAA FOOTBALL NCAA FOOTBALL
MANY OF THESE PLAYS WILL PROBABLY BE UPGRADED/DOWNGRADED DEPENDING ON LATE INFORMATION AND LINE MOVEMENT. THE POSTED PLAYS AS THEY APPEAR NOW I HAVE ALREADY PLAYED FOR THE ALLOTED UNITS SETFORTH
Top football plays are NOW 20-8 (71.8%) AFTER HITTING BOTH 8* PLAYS ON COLORADO AND SOUTH FLORIDA AND HITTING THE TOP PLAY ON THE RAIDERS THIS PAST WEEKEND! A top play is anything 8* units or higher. I also play all may games at $100/unit in football.
RECORD:
NCAA Football 73-59 (55.3%) +39.2 units
NFL Football 58-34 (63%) +142.1 units
NBA 22-19-1 (53.2%) -4.7 units
NCAA BASKETBALL 2-1 (66%) +2.2 Units
NHL 2-1 +2.1 units
NCAA FOOTBALL
(7)
(6)
(5)
(4) CINCINNATI +5
(3) CINCINNATI/HAWAII OVER 59
(3) AUBURN +10.5
(3) TCU -8
(2) VIRGINIA +9.5
(2) NOTRE DAME -28.5
(1) CINCINNATI +175
NFL FOOTBALL
(3) TAMPA BAY -3
(3) NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS -5.5
(3) DOLPHINS -5
(2) TENNESSEE -1.5
NFL TOTALS (I play these at $75/unit)
(3) DOLPHINS/CHARGERS UNDER 37
(2) TITANS/RAVENS UNDER 37.5
(1) GIANTS/TEXANS UNDER 35.5
Detailed Analysis
CINCINNATI (5 - 5) at HAWAII (8 - 2)
11/23/2002 11:05 PM
When the number opened on this game my face turned red, I got flushed, drank some water and looked again. Is this too good to be true...I hope so. My number indicated the line should be the Bearcats -2 so from the start of this game I am getting a 7.5 point value.
With its holiday plans already determined, No. 25 Hawaii can look forward to some extended home cooking. In the national rankings for the first time since the conclusion of the 1992 season, the Warriors begin a season-ending three-game homestand Saturday when they host Cincinnati of Conference USA. Hawaii (8-2) will not have to leave the mainland again until next season as its hosts Alabama and San Diego State the next two weeks. Last season, the Warriors were shut out of a bowl bid despite finishing 9-3. That will not be a problem this year as Hawaii already has accepted a bid to the newly created Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Day. Hawaii made its final appearance of the year on the mainland last week, rallying for a 33-28 victory over Rice that kept the Warriors in contention for a piece of the Western Athletic Conference title. Hawaii will share the title if Nevada upsets Boise State this weekend. Boise State handed the Warriors their only WAC loss. Last week, Timmy Chang passed for 369 yards and two touchdowns, leading Hawaii to its fifth straight victory. The Warriors lead the nation in total offense (520.9) and rank second in passing offense (395.9). It was the 16th career 300-yard game for Chang, Hawaii's all-time leader in career passing and total offense.
Cincinnati (5-5) has won three straight, but needs to win two of its remaining three games to become bowl eligible for the third straight year. The Bearcats gained a season-high 492 yards in last week's 47-14 victory over Houston. Gino Guidugli snapped a 15-quarter drought without a touchdown pass by throwing three against the Cougars. Guidugli completed 14-of-23 passes for 238 yards. He finished the game with 2,522 yards, becoming the first Cincinnati quarterback to pass for more than 2,500 yards in consecutive seasons.
This could be high scoring shootout. Both these teams throw the ball a lot and have below-average defenses. The Cincinnati Bearcats average 29 points each game, but allow 24.7 ppg. Cincy has little trouble scoring points with an offense that averages 359 yards per game (123 yds rushing, 234 yds passing each contest) led by sophomore QB Gino Guidigli. Cincy is 5-5 SU and a strong 7-3 ATS. The Bearcats have won three straight and are off two big wins: a 24-14 upset at Louisville (as a 9-point dog) and a 47-17 rout at Houston. Hawaii (8-2 SU, 6-3 ATS) averages 39 points and 359 yards passing per game. Coach June Jones has a run-and-gun style on the artificial turf and QB Timmy Chang has over 3,000 yards passing with 17 TDs and 12 INTs. This game comes down to who wants it more? With the Rainbows already cemented with a home Bowl Game and the Bearcats clawing and needing wins to get to a bowl it becomes apparent who needs it more. Go Gino, Go Bearcats!
Projected Score: Hawaii 40, Cincinnati 47
PLAY 4* UNITS ON CINCINNATI +5
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE OVER 59
PLAY 1* UNIT ON THE CINCINNATI +175
*NOTE THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE THIS WILL BE A 7* OR 8* PLAY THIS WEEKEND IF THE NUMBERS STAY THE WAY THEY ARE!
AUBURN (7 - 4) at ALABAMA (9 - 2)
11/23/2002 3:30 PM
A couple of hot SEC teams meet in this state rivalry. Alabama is 9-2 SU/8-3 ATS after last week's 31-0 rout of LSU. Alabama has a monster-offensive line averaging 413 yards per game (216 yards rushing). Alabama outscores teams by a 30-15 average behind QB Tyler Watts, RB Shaud Williams and RB Santonio Beard. The Auburn Tigers (7-4 SU, 7-3 ATS) outscore teams by a 32-19 average with great balance (405 yards per game, 210 yards rushing/194 yards passing each game. Auburn is 4-0 ATS away from home this season (2-2 SU). Injuries have hurt the team with QB Daniel Cobb and RB Carnell Williams out, but QB Jason Campbell has filled in (9 TDs, 3 INTs) along with RB Ronnie Brown. A three-game win streak ended in a 24-21 loss to Georgia last week on a last-minute TD. The Tigers will be motivated and come to play this Saturday and this is a good matchup for them here. Auburn keeps this one close and covers the number.
Projected Score: Alabama 24, Auburn 13
PLAY 3* UNITS ON AUBURN +10.5
*NOTE If you wait on this game you will get added value as the public will push this up.
TCU (8 - 1) at E CAROLINA (3 - 6)
11/23/2002 2:00 PM
In the national rankings for the first time since December 2000, No. 22 Texas Christian looks to extend its winning streak to nine games Saturday when it visits East Carolina in a Conference USA contest. The Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-1) can clinch a share of the Conference USA title and move closer to their first outright league championship since winning the Southwest Conference in 1958. TCU, which was idle last week, has a one-game lead over Louisville, Southern Mississippi, Cincinnati and Alabama-Birmingham. The Horned Frogs last shared a conference crown two years ago when they were 7-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. TCU has not lost since suffering a season-opening 36-29 overtime setback to Cincinnati and has won 10 of its last 11 regular season contests. TCU, which is seeking a school-record fifth straight bowl appearance, will be headed to the Liberty Bowl if it stays on top of Conference USA. The Horned Frogs' success this year can be traced to a run defense that ranks first in the nation, allowing only 58.2 yards per game. They are second in overall defense, yielding 247.0 yards per contest - just three more than Alabama. During its winning streak, TCU is surrendering an average of just 226 yards. They have held their last eight opponents under 300 yards after giving up 409 in the loss at Cincinnati. TCU has been off since posting a 17-10 win over Tulane on November 9. The Horned Frogs set a school record by holding the Green Wave to minus-53 yards rushing.
East Carolina (3-2, 3-6) needs a win to stay in the Conference USA race. The Pirates are coming off a 36-29 setback to UAB in which freshman Darrel Hackney become just the third Blazers' quarterback to pass for more than 400 yards. East Carolina squandered a 29-17 lead and suffered its third loss in four games.
The TCU Horned Frogs have won eight in a row and are closing in on the Conf-USA title. T.C.U. averages 32 points per game with perfect balance: 184 yards rushing, 177 yards passing per game. T.C.U. has two strong running backs in Ricky Madison (548 yards, 4.7 yds per carry) and freshman Lonta Hobbs (507 yards, 6.2 yds per carry, 7 TDs). T.C.U.’s balanced offense may put a lot of pressure on a poor East Carolina defense. The Pirates (3-6 SU, 2-7 ATS) give up 33 per game. East Carolina has lost three of four games and the defense has been positively brutal, allowing 46, 44, 48 and 36 points! The Pirates average 30 points per game with 125 yards rushing/235 yards passing each contest. QB Paul Troth has been decent and the ground game is strong with junior RB Art Brown (4.9 ypc, 14 TDs). A year ago, East Carolina was a 5-point favorite at TCU and came away with a 37-30 victory. The Pirates led 27-3 at the half and, true to form, the defense allowed 27 second half points by Texas Christian before holding on for the win. TCU had 380 yards passing against the Pirate defense. Don’t look for a repeat victory by EC and here's a tip. ECU QB Troth is hurting and will not be at 100% efficiency. Even if so, Frogs jump all over the Pirates and win going away.
Projected Score: TCU 31, E Carolina 20
PLAY 3* UNITS ON TCU -8
MARYLAND (9 - 2) at VIRGINIA (7 - 4)
11/23/2002 5:30 PM
Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference contest between Maryland and Virginia could be dubbed the Comeback Bowl. A pair of teams that survived slow starts clash with both teams entertaining hopes of playing on New Year's Day. After losing to Notre Dame and Florida State during a 1-2 start, Maryland (9-2, 5-1) has reeled off eight straight victories. The Terps need one more to match last season's total when it ended Florida State's nine-year reign as ACC champion. While Virginia's turnaround has not been quite as dramatic, the Cavaliers (7-4, 5-2) have rebounded from a 0-2 start by winning seven of their last nine games. Virginia snapped a two-game losing streak with a 14-9 victory over North Carolina State last week and can clinch second place with a win over Maryland. The Terrapins can gain a share of the ACC title if they win their final two conference games and Florida State loses to North Carolina State this weekend. Maryland hosts Wake Forest in its regular season finale next week. Maryland's Ralph Friedgen needs one victory to become the winningest two-year coach in ACC history, Friedgen is 19-4, matching Ken Hatfield, who posted a 19-4-1 record in his first two years at Clemson in 1990-91. Maryland posted a 30-12 victory over Clemson last week for its first win in "Death Valley" since 1985. The Terrapins held the Tigers to just four field goals. Scott McBrien passed for three touchdowns and Chris Downs rushed 101 yards. Downs, the ACC's leading rusher despite not getting a single carrry against Notre Dame, needs just five yards to become the seventh 1,000-yard rusher in Maryland history.
Virginia's Matt Schaub threw two touchdowns against North Carolina State, setting a single-season school record with 23, while Marquis Weeks rushed for a career-high 129 yards. Virginia will be seeking a measure of revenge this weekend. Last season, the Terrapins snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Cavaliers with a 41-21 victory in College Park.
Maryland has been red-hot, winning eight in a row while going 6-1 against the spread. Maryland is 9-2 SU, 5-1 ACC. RB Bruce Perry has returned from a knee injury (69 yards last week) and teams with RB Chris Downs to form a strong one-two punch in the backfield. Maryland ripped Clemson last week with 285 yards on the ground and 153 yards passing in a 30-12 rout. Downs had 101 yards on 20 carries. This Maryland team is very strong and outscores teams by a 32-15 average with perfect balance: 198 yards rushing/190 yards passing per game.
Virginia (7-4 SU, 5-2 ACC) will provide a good test for Maryland. Al Groh’s team has struggled to score points the last three games, losing to Georgia Tech (23-15) and Penn State (35-14) before beating N.C. State last week, 14-9. QB Matt Schaub is having a magnificent season with 2,502 yards passing, 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions while completing 67% of his passes. Schaub spreads it around to Billy McMullen, Michael McGrew, Wali Lundy, Jason Smelling and Heath Miller (8 TDs). Last year, Maryland rolled through Virginia, 41-21. The Terrapins had 243 yards rushing and 237 yards passing and led 24-7 at the half. QB Matt Schaub was 20-of-33 for 271 yards, and WR Billy McMullen caught 11 passes for 175 yards. Last week we had Virginia right here as an upset winner and we also had Maryland here for another winner. With the addition of Perry, the Terps ground attack is even better now. The Cavs move the ball but have trouble in the red zone. It is just to tempting to take the Cavs in revenge + 9.5...so I will.
Projected Score: Maryland 31, Virginia 24
PLAY 2* UNITS ON VIRGINIA +9.5
RUTGERS (1 - 9) at NOTRE DAME (9 - 1)
11/23/2002 1:00 PM
A visit from Rutgers is just the schedule break Notre Dame needs. Despite back-to-back awful efforts that crippled their national championship hopes, the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish (9-1) can still put themselves in excellent position to garner a Bowl Championship Series bid with a pair of wins to end the regular season. The first step will be taking out some frustrations Saturday against Rutgers (1-9). Some Irish fans may already be looking ahead to next week's showdown with longtime rival Southern California. This week, however, Notre Dame could use a solid effort following a home loss to Boston College three weeks ago and a lackluster effort in a 30-23 win over a weak Navy squad a week later. "We need to get back on track - realize the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the season are still possible," offensive tackle Jordan Black said. "We just need to start over, get back to the basics, come together as a team and finish up the season strong." While the rest of the country debates what BCS game Notre Dame will play in, the Irish said throughout their bye week their focus is solely on the Scarlet Knights. "We need to watch Rutgers and worry about Rutgers," said Courtney Watson, one of three finalists for the Butkus Award - given to the nation's best linebacker. "The last three weeks we haven't performed up to our abilities. We shouldn't be worried about the BCS, this poll, that poll, this columnist is saying. We need to worry about Rutgers." The Irish are in good position to have their best season since going 11-1 in 1993 and finishing with a No. 2 ranking. And with last week's loss by then-No. 4 Texas, Notre Dame moved up one spot to No. 6 in the BCS standings, putting it in position to make a BCS bowl game. A clause in the BCS rules guarantees the Irish an at-large berth if they finish in the top six.
The Scarlet Knights have dropped seven straight, including a 20-17 defeat to visiting Temple on Saturday. Rutgers led 17-3 at the half only to see Temple storm back behind 271 yards rushing. The loss overshadowed a decent performance from Rutgers freshman quarterback Ryan Hart, who was 14-of-27 for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Despite losing several lopsided games this season, Rutgers has been competitive at times, especially against national powerhouses. The Scarlet Knights were winning 14-7 at Tennessee at halftime on Sept. 28 before losing 35-14, and owned a 17-14 edge on top-ranked Miami on Nov. 2 before the Hurricanes scored 28 points in the final 14 minutes. Rutgers' biggest problem has been stopping the run, as it has allowed 198.1 yards per game. Notre Dame will look to exploit that weakness with running back Ryan Grant, who has 933 yards and eight touchdowns. The biggest mismatch, however, may come when the Scarlet Knights have the ball. They are ranked last (117th) in Division I-A in total offense, averaging just 216.5 yards per game. Notre Dame is ranked seventh in total defense, allowing just 280 per contest. Rutgers' last win against a ranked opponent was on Sept. 24, 1988, a 21-16 victory at No. 15 Penn State.
A game-winning 22-yard field goal with 39 seconds to play capped a Temple rally in the Owls 20-17 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. Freshman Ryan Hart threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Martin and a 53-yarder to tight end L.J. Smith for Rutgers (1-9, 0-6.) The Scarlet Knights were less than four minutes from ending a 20-game conference losing streak dating to 1999 before things fell apart, in large part because its offense generated just three first downs in the second half in blowing a 17-3 halftime lead. Carlyle Holiday set up the tying score with a 29-yard completion to Omar Jenkins, then hit a wide-open Jenkins for a 67-yard touchdown with 2:08 remaining to give Notre Dame a 30-23 victory two weeks ago. The Irish lost three fumbles against the Midshipmen and fell behind 23-15 in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame managed only 68 yards rushing, but Holiday made up for it by throwing for 272 yards. Jenkins had four catches for a career-high 166 yards. The Irish have now won 39 straight against Navy. Notre Dame hasn't had any problems with Rutgers in the past, winning all three meetings by a combined 155-17 score. A mismatch here as the Irish, who won this game two years ago 45-17 have their way at home once again.
Projected Score: Notre Dame 37, Rutgers 7
PLAY 2* UNITS ON NOTRE DAME -28.5
NFL FOOTBALL
GREEN BAY (8 - 2) at TAMPA BAY (8 - 2)
11/24/2002 4:15 PM
As usual, just when you think you have a team figured out, the old “on any given Sunday…” thing pops up and a down and out team like the Vikings puts it to the Packers 31-21 and ruins your day. This Sunday, Daunte Culpepper threw for two touchdowns and ran for another one, and the Vikings intercepted Brett Favre three times. Minnesota's 31st-ranked defense held Ahman Green to 71 yards and kept Favre -- who was 24-of-42 for 296 yards and two touchdowns -- completely out of rhythm in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rebounded from a slow start Sunday to beat the Panthers 23-10 and take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Tampa Bay (8-2) is off to its best-ever start after 10 games. With the New Orleans losing 24-17 at Atlanta, the Bucs sit alone atop the division heading into crucial games the next three weeks against Green Bay, New Orleans and the surging Atlanta Falcons. Brad Johnson threw a 1-yard TD pass to Keyshawn Johnson in the second quarter, then snapped a 10-10 tie with a 22-yarder to Keenan McCardell late in the third quarter. Martin Gramatica added field goals of 20, 32 and 41 yards for the Bucs. These teams split a year ago, each winning at home and with Tampa going 2-0 ATS. The Battle of the Bays figures to be another close call on Sunday but the Bucs are playing on all cilinders. The home team gets the notch and lay the points.
Projected Score: TAM Bucs 27, GB Packers 21
PLAY 3* UNITS ON TAMPA BAY -3
*NOTE if the spread moves beyond the 3 to 3.5 I recommend buying the 1/2 point or not playing this game at all.
NY GIANTS (6 - 4) at HOUSTON (2 - 8)
11/24/2002 4:15 PM
A three-game winning streak, a manageable schedule and an injury to Donovan McNabb could make the New York Giants the team to beat in the NFC East. On Sunday, the NFC champions of two years ago will visit the expansion Houston Texans in an inter-conference game. Kerry Collins is getting hot at the right time and will lead the improving Giants offense.
The Giants trail the first-place Philadelphia Eagles by just one game in the NFC East, but the Eagles will be without McNabb for the next six weeks with a broken ankle and they visit the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers on Monday. But Giants coach Jim Fassel does not want to hear about what is supposed to happen. "If you watch this league, every week there are teams that nobody gave a chance to win and they win," Fassel said. Tight end Jeremy Shockey, New York's first-round pick, introduced himself to the NFL by steamrolling through a pair of Houston defenders on a long pass play and finished with four catches for 80 yards. Last week, Shockey caught 11 passes for 111 yards in New York's 19-17 victory over the Washington Redskins. The only Giant tight end to catch that many passes was Mark Bavaro, who had 12 receptions in an October 13, 1985 game. It was also the most yards for a Giants tight end since Bavaro totaled 148 against Philadelphia on October 10, 1988. Shockey leads all NFC rookies with 38 receptions. "Jeremy is really athletic and has that good speed," Fassel said. "He can do a lot of things for us. You can get him on the line, you can play-action with him, and you can create matchups. He's going to make some big plays for us down the stretch."
The Texans play a 3-4 defense under coach Dom Capers and rank fourth in the AFC, yielding 314.9 yards per game. They are seventh overall in the NFL against the pass, allowing 190.1 yards. New York's Kerry Collins played for Capers with the Carolina Panthers from 1995-98 and led them to the NFC championship game in the franchise's second season. He took the Giants to the Super Bowl two years ago and leads the NFC in passing yards this season with 2,552, 12 more than Green Bay's Brett Favre. Since Fassel took over the play-calling from offensive coordinator Sean Payton, the Giants have eight offensive touchdowns in their three-game winning streak. Tiki Barber has especially benefited, averaging 97.3 rushing yards in the three games. The Giants had just seven offensive touchdowns in their first seven games under Payton. Sunday's game will be a bit of a homecoming for Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, who played college ball at Houston's Texas Southern University, where as a senior he recorded a school record 19 sacks. Last year, Strahan set an NFL single-season record with 22 1/2 sacks and has eight this year. Two of them came last week in the win over Washington.
Houston's David Carr has been sacked a league-high 53 times and will face a Giants' defense that has allowed 16.9 points per game, third fewest in the NFL, and just 175.1 passing yards. Carr passed for 228 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Houston's 24-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday. There’s a new life in the Big Apple with the injury to the Eagles Donovan McNabb. The G-men, after last weeks ugly win over the Redskins 19-17 must now be considered the favorite to win the NFC East. The stingy Giants defense held on, in the fourth quarter to preserve the win. The Giants had more than ample opportunity to put this game away early but several near interceptions fell merely incomplete. Tiki Barber has healed and is averaging over a 100 yards per game rushing since HC Jim Fassel took over the play calling. Jeremy Shockey, after an 11 reception game, leads all NFC tight ends with 38 receptions. The Texans couldn’t quite catch up to the Jaguars on Sunday losing 24-21. David Carr completed 22 of 30 passes for 228 yards. He was sacked four times for 34 yards in losses while the Texans sacked Brunell five times, but his scrambling kept the Jaguar's offense moving. The Jints will have plenty of motivation going on Sunday when they visit Houston. Look for them to pressure Carr and stop the Texans running game. Collins should have a big day and Strahan will be pumped. NY hits hard and Carr will get punished by Strahan and a nasty Giants defense.
Projected Score: New York Football Giants 21, Houston Texans 10
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS -5.5
1* UNIT ON THE UNDER 35.5
SAN DIEGO (7 - 3) at MIAMI (6 - 4)
11/24/2002 1:00 PM
Norv Turner pushed for the San Diego Chargers to switch from Doug Flutie to Drew Brees last season. Marty Schottenheimer is glad he made the move this year. On Sunday, Brees and the Chargers visit the Miami Dolphins in a pivotal AFC matchup. Steve Christie got the Chargers back into the AFC West title race. The Dolphins are in first place in the AFC East, one game ahead of New England, Buffalo and the New York Jets. San Diego is tied with Denver for first place in the AFC West, one game ahead of Oakland. Brees threw for a career-high 336 yards and two touchdowns in San Diego's 20-17 overtime win over San Francisco last week. His second touchdown was a game-tying one-yard toss to fullback Fred McCrary with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter. After Jose Cortez missed a potential game-winning 41-yard field in overtime for San Francisco, Brees drove the Chargers down the field, completing a 19-yard pass to Tim Dwight on a 3rd-and-8 play and connecting with rookie Eric Parker on an 18-yard pass to the San Francisco 28. That set up Steve Christie's winning 40-yard field goal. A first-round pick in 2001, Brees has quieted any possible quarterback controversy with hisperformance this season, throwing for 1,999 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last year, Turner urged former Chargers coach Mike Riley to switch from Flutie to Brees when the team was mired in a nine-game losing streak, but Riley never made the move. Schottenheimer made the decision to go with Brees as his starter late in the preseason and has been rewarded for having faith in him.
Before Schottenheimer was hired, Turner left the Chargers to join his friend Dave Wannstedt in Miami as offensive coordinator. Quarterback Jay Fiedler flourished under Turner, leading the Dolphins to a 5-1 record and throwing for 1,289 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions. However, since Fiedler broke his thumb in an October 13 game at Denver, Turner did not have quite the same success with backup Ray Lucas , who lost his first three games as a starter and committed nine turnovers. Last week, Lucas played a mistake-free game, completing 18 of 26 passes for 221 yards and rushing for a touchdown in Miami's 26-7 win over Baltimore. The Dolphins recorded seven sacks, including 2 1/2 by end Adewale Ogunleye. However, the Chargers did not give up a sack to San Francisco despite attempting 50 passes and have allowed just 11 this season. "They were outstanding," Schottenheimer said of his underrated offensive line. "Our offensive line is very, very capable."
The game also features LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego, the NFL's leading rusher with 1,053 yards. He rushed for 88 yards on 24 carries and caught eight passes for 57 yards in the win over San Francisco. The Dolphins rank second in the NFL against the run at 92.1 yards per game. Middle linebacker Zach Thomas has a team-high 119 tackles. Miami's Ricky Williams recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season last week, gaining 102 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, to tie Delvin Williams' franchise record for the most 100-yard games in a season. Williams is third among AFC rushers behind Tomlinson and Priest Holmes of Kansas City with 913 yards. San Diego ranks third in the NFL against the run, yielding 92.8 yards per game. Linebacker Donnie Edwards leads the team with 69 tackles and is tied for second in the AFC in interceptions with four. Miami leads the AFC with 28 sacks, including 8 1/2 by end Jason Taylor. San Diego is tied for second in the conference with 26 sacks.
East meets West in what looks to be a grind-it-out, defensive battle. The Chargers prefer a conservative game under coach Marty Schottenheimer. The Chargers are 7-3 SU, 7-3 ATS, after a thrilling 20-17 comeback over San Francisco in OT. Two kids lead the offense in QB Drew Brees and outstanding RB LaDainian Tomlinson. The defense is strong and SD is outscoring teams by a 23-20 average with great balance (143 yds rushing per game, 191 yds passing per game). Miami started the season 5-1 SU/ATS but is on an 1-3 SU/1-2-1 ATS run the last month. This team has missed QB Jay Fielder and he will be out at least one more game. QB Ray Lucas has been poor, though he had a big game last week with 221 yards passing in a 26-7 win over Baltimore, which ended a three-game skid. The Miami defense allows just 18 ppg and this should be a defensive slugfest with both clubs trying to establish the run.
Projected Score: MIA Dolphins 17, SDG Chargers 10
PLAY 2* UNITS ON MIAMI DOLPHINS -3
PLAY 3* UNITS ON THE UNDER 37
TENNESSEE (6 - 4) at BALTIMORE (4 - 6)
11/24/2002 1:00 PM
A pair of former bitter AFC Central Division rivals meet on Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens host the Tennessee Titans. For the last two seasons, the teams have engaged in one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries. Baltimore has won the last four meetings, including a playoff triumph en route to its Super Bowl title during the 2000 season. Justin McCareins and the Titans need to step up now that Ray Lewis is back for Baltimore. But with the teams changing divisions and with Baltimore being ravaged by the salary cap, the rivalry has lost some of its luster. Trying to end their slide against Baltimore, the Titans enter this contest in the midst of a five-game winning streak -- their longest since an eight-game run in 2000. The streak in 2000 ended with a 24-23 loss to the Ravens. Tennessee, which has turned around its season after a 1-4 start, is tied with Indianapolis for first place in the AFC South. Last Sunday, Steve McNair threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns and Eddie George rushed for 79 yards and two scores in a 31-23 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. George has rushed for 479 yards in the last five games, managing two 100-yard games in that span. Despite all the personnel losses, the Ravens split their first six games. But they are starting to struggle with three losses in their last four contests. One of the losses came last Sunday in a 26-7 defeat at Miami. Jeff Blake was sacked seven times and the Ravens were held to 157 total yards. The loss did not sit well with coach Brian Billick. "For the first time, we regressed," Billick said. "It's always tough to lose, but we didn't get better. This young group made a lot of mistakes." On the bright side, star middle linebacker Ray Lewis returned after missing five games with a dislocated shoulder. He was effective, finishing with a team-leading six tackles. In the first meeting between the teams last season, the Ravens rushed for 207 yards and limited George to 26 on 13 carries in a 26-7 victory. The Ravens' defense also came up big in the second contest, stopping McNair on a sneak from inside the 1 on the game's final play to preserve a 16-10 victory.
Who can figure out these Titans? Apparently it took the owner criticizing the coaching staff to turn things around. After a 1-4 SU/ATS start, owner Bud Adams said “It looks to me like we’re being out-coached.” Presto, the Titans are riding a five-game win streak (4-1 ATS). The Titans played their best game in nearly two seasons last week. Steve McNair threw two touchdown passes to Kevin Dyson and Eddie George ran for two more as the Titans beat the Steelers 31-23 for their fifth straight victory. Baltimore has lost 3 of 4 games, though they are still on a 6-2 ATS run. Ray Lewis returned last week, but the Ravens look below-average against good teams. "At 4-6, we're a long shot at best," coach Brian Billick said, after the Ravens produced only 157 yards of offense in a 26-7 defeat at Miami. The Ravens, who stood atop in the AFC North on Oct. 6, are now in third place after dropping four of six. Baltimore trails first-place Pittsburgh by only 1 1/2 games, but the Ravens hardly looked the part of a contender in falling to Miami. QB Jeff Blake is still running the offense and this capper has to give the nod to team playing like Titans.
Projected Score: TEN Titans 20, BAL Ravens 14
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE TITANS -1.5
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE UNDER 37.5 NCAA FOOTBALL NCAA FOOTBALL
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