Frank Sawyer

Take the Vegas Golden Knights with the money-line versus the Dallas Stars. Vegas (16-14-0) had won seven of their last eight games before losing by a 5-1 score in Los Angeles to the Kings last night. It will be Malcolm Subban between the pipes tonight (which lowers the price on this game) but the Golden Knights have won 9 of their last 13 games after allowing at least five goals in their last game. Vegas has won 44 of their last 62 games on their home ice. Dallas (16-10-3) has won four straight games after they defeated Edmonton on Friday by a 3-2 score. The Stars now go back on the road after playing their last two games at home — and they have lost 8 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And in their last 26 games on the road, Dallas has lost 18 of these games. Take Vegas with the money-line. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports began the day by SWEEPING THE BOARD with their two 25* NFL Game of the Year/Month plays — CA$HING BOTH their 25* AFC South Underdog of the Year on Indianapolis who PULLED THE UPSET over Houston AND their 25* NFC South Total of the Month with the New Orleans-Tampa Bay Under — to continue their SCORCHING 15 of 18 (83%) Football run with their highest-rated 25* plays that has fueled a 32 of 43 (74%) Football 25* mark! Frank also enjoys a 13 of 17 (76%) NFL 25* run along with a 37 of 54 (69%) NFL 25* longer-term mark! Now Frank furthers his NEAR PERFECT 9 of 10 (90%) Football Totals run along with a 12 of 15 (80%) FOOTBALL 25* TOTALS TEAR that has improved his longer-term 25 of 34 (74%) Football Totals 25* mark with his 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Year for tonight’s LA Rams-Chicago O/U winner on NBC-TV at 8:20 PM ET! DON’T MISS OUT!

Frank was a WINNING 2-1 in the NFL for the first slate of games to continue his SIZZLING 13 of 20 (65%) NFL run while improving his longer-term 121 of 197 (61%) NFL mark! Frank GOT OUT THE BROOMS on Thursday by CA$HING WINNING TICKETS on Tennessee and the Jaguars-Titans Under to further his 74 of 115 (64%) NFL Prime-Time mark! Now Frank goes for his SIXTEENTH PRIME SWEEP in NFL Prime Time games with the LA Rams-Chicago ATS winner! CA$H-IN Frank’s Sunday Night Discounted Deal — IT’S A STEAL!

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (120) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (119). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (11-1) has won three straight games with their 30-16 win at Detroit last week as a 10.5-point favorite. Chicago (8-4) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 30-27 upset loss in New York to the Giants as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago should respond with a strong effort in front of their home fans for this nationally-televised game. The Bears have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread setback. Chicago did generate 376 yards of offense with quarterback Chase Daniels under center — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Starter Mitchell Trubisky is slated to return tonight after missing the last two weeks with his injured shoulder. Now this team returns home where they are 5-1 this season while outscoring their visitors by +11.5 PPG and out-gaining them by +94.0 net YPG. The Bears’ offense has been potent when playing at home in Soldier Field where they are scoring 31.0 PPG while averaging 385.3 total YPG. Chicago is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games as the underdog. Los Angeles is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win. And while the Rams have scored at least 30 points in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 25 points in four straight games. It remains questionable if the Sean McVay offense will still click on all cylinders when playing in the expected temperatures in the 20s tonight. Quarterback Jared Goff is a California kid who has limited experience throwing the football in cold conditions. As it is, the Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the month of December. And in their last 7 games against fellow NFC opponents, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: The cold weather should play right into the hands of the Bears playing at home. Expect a close game where having the points with the underdog will be very valuable. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Chicago Bears (120) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (119). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (119) and the Chicago Bears (120). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (11-1) has won three straight games with their 30-16 win at Detroit last week as a 10.5-point favorite. Chicago (8-4) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 30-27 upset loss in New York to the Giants as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears held the Giants to just 338 yards of offense but were plagued by a -2 net turnover margin which included an 8-yard interception that accounted for the seven of the points that New York scored. Chicago is 4th in the NFL by allowing only 20.1 PPG and just 317.9 rushing YPG. When playing at home in Soldier Field, the Bears see those numbers drop even further to allowing just 19.5 PPG along with only 291.3 total YPG. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and the Monsters on the Midway have also played 34 of their last 50 games at home Under the Total when an underdog of no more than 3 points. The Bears will be getting Mitchell Trubisky back at quarterback but it remains questionable how effective he will be given the injured throwing shoulder that kept him out the last two weeks. Trubisky has won four straight games that he started before tonight — but let’s keep that quality of competition in mind. Those wins against the Jets, Bills, Lions, Vikings were against opponents that entered the day with a weak 17-30-1 combined record. It is telling that Trubisky had only four touchdown passes against the four opponents. Moving forward, Chicago has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a road favorite. It will be cold in the Windy City tonight with temperates expected to be in the high-20s. The Bears have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in the month of December. I expect this cold weather to bother quarterback Jared Goff who as a California kid growing up and in college at Cal has rarely been asked to play in this kind of weather. Goff played with the temperatures in the 20s earlier this season in Denver back on October 14th — and that was one of his worst games of the season as he completed just 14 of 28 passes for only 201 yards. He did not throw a touchdown pass in that game while throwing one interception and getting sacked five times. He will certainly be under pressure tonight from Khalil Mack and company who have accounted for 37 sacks on the quarterback this season. Look for the Rams to commit to Todd Gurley as they look to run the football to take pressure off Goff in these conditions against an elite defense. Goff is a finesse passer who cannot be expected to have the same touch in these conditions as he does when playing in warmer weather. Los Angeles has played 4 of their last 6 road games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. The Rams have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win on the road. The good news for this football team is the return of Aqib Talib at cornerback. His absence helps explain why this LA defense has underachieved for much of the season as he offers the team their best cover corner. His presence on the field will likely make the Bears’ one-dimensional in their offensive attack. The Rams defense has been better on the road where they allow 22.5 PPG which is more than 2 points less than their 24.8 PPG season defensive average.
 
FINAL TAKE: Weather should play a role in this game between two teams from the NFC destined for the playoffs. Look for this game to become a defensive struggle. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (119) and the Chicago Bears (120). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Take the Detroit Lions minus the points versus the Arizona Cardinals. Detroit (4-8) has lost five of their last six games with their 30-16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week. The Lions have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a double-digit loss at home. Detroit is also 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Arizona (3-9) snapped a three-game losing streak last week wit their 20-17 upset victory in Green Bay as a 13.5-point underdog. The Cardinals are just 4-12-2 ATS in their last 18 games after a straight-up win.  Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 18 expected close games where they were listed in the +/- 3-point range. Take Detroit minus the points. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports JUST CA$HED BOTH their 25* AFC South Underdog of the Year on Indianapolis who PULLED THE UPSET over Houston AND their 25* NFC South Total of the Year with the New Orleans-Tampa Bay Under to continue their SCORCHING 15 of 18 (83%) Football run with their highest-rated 25* plays that has fueled a 32 of 43 (74%) Football 25* mark! Now Frank furthers his 13 of 17 (76%) NFL 25* run along with his 37 of 54 (69%) NFL 25* longer-term mark by UNLEASHING his 25* NFC East Game of the Year for the Philadelphia-Dallas ATS winner on Fox-TV at 4:25 PM ET! BANK on Frank!

Frank EASILY DELIVERED his 25* CFB Total of the Year yesterday with the Army-Navy Under to further a NEAR PERFECT 9 of 10 (90%) Football Totals run! Now Frank continues his SIZZLING 13 of 19 (68%) NFL run along with a longer-term 121 of 196 (62%) NFL mark with this SUPER O/U SITUATION for the second slate of afternoon games! CA$H-IN Frank’s Afternoon Discounted Deal — IT’S A STEAL!

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (129) and the Dallas Cowboys (130). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-6) has won two straight games with their 28-13 win over Washington as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday Night Football. Dallas (7-5) has won four straight games after their 13-10 upset win over New Orleans as a 7.5-point underdog back on November 29th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after winning two straight games. And while Philadelphia has only covered the point spread twice in their last six games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Defense is the concern for this team that has been ravaged with injuries with that unit. They allowed the Skins to average 6.03 Yards-Per-Play after the Giants and Saints averaged 7.31 and 7.91 YPP in their previous two games. But the Eagles have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in their last game while playing 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing 6.0 YPP in two straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to average at least 6.0 YPP. Dallas has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning two straight games. The Cowboys held the Saints scoreless in the first-half of that game — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not giving up more than a field goal in the first half of their last game. Additionally, Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of December — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Cowboys’ 27-20 victory over the Eagles back on November 11th where they were 7.5-point road dogs. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a loss as a favorite laying at least 7 points. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (129) and the Dallas Cowboys (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the San Francisco 49ers (124) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (123). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (2-10) has lost three straight games with their 43-16 loss at Seattle last week as a 10-point favorite. Denver (6-6) has won three straight games with their 24-10 win at Cincinnati last week as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS PLUS THE POINTS: Returning home will help San Francisco after they played their last two games on the road. The 49ers are 2-3 at home this season but they are out-gaining these opponents by +60.6 net YPG. They average a robust 142.2 rushing YPG at home while converting on 45.3% of their 3rd down plays. Nick Mullens is playing well for this team under center as he has led an offense that has averaged 389.3 total YPG over their last three games. Against the Seahawks, Mullens completed 30 of 48 passes for 414 yards with two touchdown passes. San Francisco has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after passing for at least 300 yards in their last game. Reducing turnovers is critical for this team after they suffered a -2 or worse net turnover margin in three straight games. It is encouraging that the 49ers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after having a -2 or worse turnover margin in three straight contests. San Francisco has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the month of December. Denver has been leaning on their defense which has helped them play five straight Unders. But the Broncos have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing at least two straight Unders. Furthermore, Denver is just 5-12-1 ATS in their 18 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Broncos will be even more dependent on their rushing attack with the news of the season-ending torn Achilles injury to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Denver rushed for 218 yards last week while out-rushing the Bengals by 1-7 nets yards. But the Bengals have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after rushing for at last 150 yards in their last game — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after out-rushing their last opponent by at least 75 yards. Denver stays on the road again this week where they are being out-gained by 12.0 net YPG. There are growing concerns about the Broncos defense considering that they have allowed 439.0 total YPG over their last three games. Denver is only averaging 331.3 total YPG in those last three games.

FINAL TAKE: It is hard to win three straight games when you are being out-gained by more than 100 YPG in those contests. While the Broncos won the yardage battle versus Cincinnati, they were out-gained in their upset wins over the Chargers and the Steelers in the previous two weeks. Expect this to be a close game with the Niners being in a position to pull the upset — but take the points for some insurance. 10* NFL Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the San Francisco 49ers (124) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (123). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Take the New Orleans Saints minus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Orleans (10-2) saw their ten-game winning streak snapped last week with their 13-10 upset loss at Dallas as a 7.5-point underdog. The Saints managed only 176 yards of offense in that game — but they are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. New Orleans has also covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games on the road. Tampa Bay (5-7) has won two straight games with their 24-17 upset win over Carolina last week despite allowing 444 yards of offense in that game. 276 of those yards they allowed were in the air — and the Buccaneers are just 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Tampa Bay is also just 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Lay the points with New Orleans. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports is ON FIRE with a SCORCHING 13 of 16 (81%) Football run with their highest-rated 25* plays that has fueled a 30 of 41 (73%) Football 25* mark! In the NFL, Frank enjoys an 11 of 15 (73%) NFL 25* run along with a 35 of 52 (67%) NFL 25* longer-term mark! Now Frank KICKS OFF his Sunday card with his 25* NFL Divisional Underdog of the Year at 1 PM ET! DO NOT MISS OUT!

Frank EASILY DELIVERED his 25* CFB Total of the Year yesterday with the Army-Navy Under to further a NEAR PERFECT 8 of 9 (89%) Football Totals run along with a 12 of 15 (80%) FOOTBALL 25* TOTALS TEAR that has improved his longer-term 25 of 34 (74%) Football Totals 25* mark! Now Frank furthers his 11 of 15 (73%) NFL 25* run along with his 35 of 52 (67%) NFL 25* longer-term mark with his 25* NFL Divisional Total of the Month! DON’T MISS IT!

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs (106) minus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (105). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (10-2) has won five of their last six games with their 40-33 win at Oakland last week as a 14-point favorite. Baltimore (7-5) has won three straight games with their 26-16 upset win at Atlanta as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHIEFS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas City is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread loss. The Chiefs did allow 442 yards of offense against the Raiders in that victory — but they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. Defense remains the thorn in this Kansas City team’s side as they allowed 455 yards in their loss two weeks ago in Los Angeles to the Rams — but they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 400 yards in two straight games. KC has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Now the Chiefs return home after being on the road for their last two games where they are a perfect 5-0 with an average winning margin of +16.2 PPG. Their defense plays much better at Arrowhead Stadium where they are giving up just 17.6 PPG as compared to the 33.7 PPG they allow on the road. KC also allows 49.4 fewer YPG at home when compared to their season average. The Chiefs have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games when laying 3.5 to 7 points on their home field. Additionally, Kansas City has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games against fellow AFC opponents — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December. Baltimore may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win on the road. Baltimore’s defense shined in Atlanta last week by holding the Falcons to just 131 yards of offense. But the Ravens are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. And while the Ravens have allowed just 34, 67, and 48 rushing yards in each of their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in three straight games. Lamar Jackson continues to impress since being pressed into starting duty at quarterback with his threat with running the football giving a burst of energy to the Baltimore offense. The Ravens generated 25 first downs last week while controlling the time of possession for over 39 minutes — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a dominating effort where they had at least 25 first downs while dominating then clock for at least 34 minutes. But Baltimore has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 7 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, the Ravens have failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first big challenge for Jackson as a starter in the NFL playing in a hostile environment against a playoff team. I don’t like the dynamic for this Ravens team with Joe Flacco healthy again and looming on the sidelines. The Chiefs are undervalued when playing at home where their defense has been more effective. 20* NFL Blowout Bookie Buster with the Kansas City Chiefs (106) minus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (105). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Indianapolis Colts (107) plus the points versus the Houston Texans (108). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (6-6) looks to rebound from their humiliating 6-0 shutout loss on the road to Jacksonville last week despite being a 4-point favorite. Houston (9-3) has rattled off nine straight victories with their 29-13 win over Cleveland last week as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COLTS PLUS THE POINTS: Indianapolis should be very feisty in this game after being shutout — they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. If there is anything encouraging from that loss to the Jaguars, it was the continued improvement of the Colts defense that held Jacksonville to just 211 yards of offense. Over their last three games, Indianapolis has allowed only 13.3 PPG along with just 262.7 total YPG. Indy is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after not allowing more than 250 yards of offense in their last game. Additionally, the Colts have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. Furthermore, Indianapolis has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after a low-scoring game where neither team scored more than 14 points. This is a challenge for this team when facing this ferocious defense that has registered 34 sacks for the season. But this strong Colts’ offensive line has allowed only 14 sacks this season — so Andrew Luck should have an opportunity to find receivers this afternoon. Indianapolis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. The Colts are also 7-3-2 ATS in their last 12 games against their AFC South rivals — and this includes them going 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Houston. The Texans generated 384 yards of offense last week against the Browns — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. But a concern for this team is their defense that allowed 428 yards to the Browns with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield gaining 397 of those yards in the air. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 305 yards in their last game. This shapes up to be a higher scoring game with the Total set in the low-50s — but this is not the type of game that this team prefers. The Texans have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. Furthermore, Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games in the month of December under head coach Bill O’Brien.

FINAL TAKE: The Texans won the first meeting between these two teams back on September 30th by a 37-34 score despite that game being played in Indianapolis. The Colts have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. Don’t be surprised if Indy pulls the upset — but take the points for some nice insurance in what should be a close game. 25* AFC South Underdog of the Year with the  Indianapolis Colts (107) plus the points versus the Houston Texans (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles (129) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (130). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-6) has won two straight games with their 28-13 win over Washington on Monday as a 5.5-point favorite. Dallas (7-5) has won four straight games with their triumphant 13-10 upset win over New Orleans back on November 29th as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: The Cowboys acted like they won the Super Bowl two Thursdays ago with their upset win over the Saints on that short week. We had Dallas in that game — and the fringe benefit to that victory was that it set up this letdown situation. The Cowboys have been fortunate to reach their 7-5 record given that six of their victories have been decided by one scoring possession. They are only out-gaining their opponents by +13.6 net YPG. They have covered the point spread in four straight games along with five of their last seven — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 39 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. They held the Saints to just 176 yards of offense last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 205 total yards of offense. Dallas is also just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing no more than 14 points in their last game. Philadelphia enters this critical game for them with momentum — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning two straight games. The Eagles have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win by at least two touchdowns — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a win at home against a divisional rival. They also have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after playing their last two games at home. Carson Wentz is heating up as he completed 27 of 39 passes against the Skins for 306 yards with two touchdown passes. Wentz loves facing NFC East foes against which he has a 7-1 record with a 17:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio while averaging 262.4 passing YPG along with a 106.2 Passer Rating. Wentz led his offense to 436 total yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after gaining at least 350 yards of offense in their last game. The defense has been the biggest issue for this team simply ravaged by injuries which was made even worse this week with the news that they placed cornerback Jalen Mills on Injured Reserve. The Eagles have allowed their last two opponents to average 6.03 and 7.31 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. The Philly run defense remains stout as they rank 10th in the NFL by allowing 103.7 rushing YPG — and asking Dak Prescott to beat them with his arm is the preferred strategy anyways. The reigning Super Bowl Champions are tough in expected close games as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: As opposed to last week when the Cowboys had the gigantic chip on their shoulder hosting the Saints on a ten-game winning streak, it is the Eagles now with something to prove in this game after Dallas won their proverbial Super Bowl to (temporarily) quell all their insecurities. Philadelphia is looking to avenge a 27-20 loss at home to the Cowboys back on November 11th despite being 7.5-point favorites in that game. Not only have the Eagles covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games on the road when playing with same-season revenge but they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging an upset loss where they were home favorites laying at least a touchdown. 25* NFC East Game of the Year with the Philadelphia Eagles (129) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (113) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (114). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (10-2) takes the field again after their 13-10 loss at Dallas back on November 29th as a 7.5-point favorite that snapped their ten-game winning streak. Tampa Bay (5-7) has won two straight games after they upset Carolina at home last Sunday by a 24-17 score as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss as a road favorite laying at least a touchdown. Don’t blame the defense for that loss as they held the Cowboys to just 308 yards of offense. The New Orleans defense is underrated. Not only do the Saints lead the NFL in rushing defense by limiting their opponents to just 75.3 rushing YPG, but they are also doing a fantastic job of pressuring the quarterback. Over their last four games, New Orleans has generated 20 sacks while registering 34 hits on the quarterback. They have only allowed more than 23 points once (to the Rams in that shootout) in their last nine games — and in their last three games, they are allowing just 12.3 PPG while giving up only 290.0 total YPG. The problem for the Saints against Dallas was the offense that managed to gain a mere 176 total yards. Look for New Orleans to deploy their preferred offensive strategy when playing on the road which is to run the football to burn clock and keep the opposing quarterback off the field. This should be a very effective strategy to limit Jameis Winston’s effectiveness. Since Week Nine, the Buccaneers are allowing 134.6 rushing YPG while seeing opposing rushers average 5.9 Yards-Per-Carry. Tampa Bay allowed the Panthers to generate 161 rushing yards against them last week on the heels of the 49ers rushing for 181 yards against them two weeks ago. The Saints have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. They also have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents. Tampa Bay upset Carolina last week despite only gaining 315 yards of offense against them. The Bucs have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after winning their last two games at home — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of December. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has played 4 straight games Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 13 home games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher, the Bucs have played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 20 meetings Under the Total — and this includes 8 of the last 10 encounters in Tampa Bay finishing below the number. The oddsmakers have installed an over/under the number in the mid-50s given the 48-40 shootout that the Bucs pulled out in an upset back on September 9th. The Saints’ defense has more to prove in this rematch than even the offense does after last week. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (113) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.