Rickenbach NFL *8* Detroit Lions +3.5 -120 vs Kansas City @ 9:30 AM ET - Two teams that have had disappointing seasons are trying to get their seasons back on track. I see a lot of value in having the points in a match-up like this. The Lions have battled hard this season but truly have been done in by turnovers. With Stafford at the helm they do move the ball well and they just need to limit their mistakes and they can certainly hang tough with a 2-5 Chiefs team. I would not be surprised at all to see the Lions get the upset win in this one. Kansas City is 2-5 SU and ATS and they are already 0-3 SU and ATS against teams from the NFC North this season. The Chiefs are coming off of a rare win but it had a lot do with facing a Steelers team that was down to their third string QB. Turnovers were the difference in that game and that helped to drive the line value with this game in London. Play Detroit plus the points  as an *8* play early Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Miami Dolphins +9 @ New England @ 8:25 ET - Miami is a rejuvenated team ever since the coaching change that occurred immediately after the London trip. The Dolphins have gone 2-0 since then and the 2 wins came by a combined margin of 46 points! While the Patriots are certainly one of the top teams in the league, I expect tonight's game to be a very tight one. New England barely got by the Jets last week as it took two late game TDs to pull out the win. While the Patriots 6-0 season record is certainly impressive, 4 of their 6 wins have come by a margin of 8 points or less. The Dolphins are 2-1 on the road this season and their lone loss away from home came by a margin of just 3 points. I like the physicality and intensity that this Miami team is bringing to the field since making the coaching change. They are up to the challenge here and catch the Pats off of a big come from behind win over a divisional rival. Miami is 7-4 ATS in Thursday games including 2-0 SU and ATS the past two seasons on Thursdays. The Patriots have covered just 5 of their last 14 games against divisional opponents. Also, the Pats have failed to cover any of their 3 Thursday games the last 2+ seasons. Statistically, the Dolphins weakness this season has been their rush D but, statistically, the Pats rush O is their weakness. In other words, those offset and I look for this to be a tight back and forth battle in Foxboro tonight. Play Miami plus the points as an *8* selection Thursday. 

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 48.5 in Arizona vs Baltimore @ 8:30 ET - Taking a look at who Arizona has played this season you will notice they played a lot of teams that are struggling, particularly on offense. The toughest team the Cardinals have faced (based on their record this season) would be their game at Pittsburgh last week. But the Steelers didn't even have Ben Roethlisberger when the Cards faced them last week. With that said, I absolutely believe Joe Flacco and the Ravens solid passing attack is going to be a challenge for the Cardinals defense. Baltimore is averaging 26 points per game in their last 5 games. As for the Cards, the fact they only scored 13 points last week is deceiving. Arizona was done in by 3 turnovers last week as they actually moved the ball very well and amassed 469 yards of offense in the loss. I suspect a struggling Ravens defense already playing their fourth game west of the Mississippi this season is going to have problems trying to stop the high-flying Cardinals. Arizona was averaging 38 points per game this season before last week's "phony final" saw them total 13 points. That is helping to give line value with this total this week as this game should end up totaling at least 56 points. The over is 13-5 in Arizona games where the Cardinals are a favorite. The over is 9-4 in the Ravens last 13 games against teams with a winning record and the over is 7-3 when Baltimore is an underdog of 7.5 to 10 points. Play OVER 48.5 points in Arizona as an *8* selection Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Philadelphia Eagles +3 @ Carolina @ 8:30 PM ET - The Panthers will look enticing to most bettors in this spot...and that's just how I like it. Fading the masses. Grab the "unseen" value on the other side. The fact is that anything can happen in any game any week. But when I see a 5-0 team hosting a 3-3 team and only laying a field goal at home, it certainly grabs my attention. Many will want to back said 5-0 team but I love the underdog in this spot. The Eagles are getting their offense going, they have a bye week on deck, and they are catching the Panthers at the perfect time. Carolina is off of a huge win last week as they knocked off the Seahawks. Every team in the NFL has any match-up with Seattle circled on their calendar. That said, eking out a tough win last week over the Hawks was a major even for the Panthers. They will have trouble being able to duplicate that same intensity this week and that will spell trouble against the Eagles. Note that Carolina has played teams that entered this week with a combined record of 9-20 on the year. The Panthers haven't played a single team yet (until this week) that has at least a .500 record on the season. I feel their 5-0 mark is somewhat "fools gold" as a result and I look for the Eagles offense to continue to move the ball very well this week (944 yards total the past two weeks) plus to cut down on their mistakes. Reducing turnovers has been an emphasis for Philly coming into this game and I look for a huge effort heading into their bye week. The Eagles have gone 4-0 SU and ATS as a road dog of 3 points or less the last 3 seasons. Another outright win here would not surprise but I am certainly grabbing the available points in this one. Play Philadelphia plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Dallas Cowboys +3.5 @ New York Giants @ 4:25 ET - I look for the Cowboys to respond well to the QB change as Matt Cassel takes over the reins this week. Many are looking at the Giants here since they have early season revenge for the loss at Dallas. Now the G-men get that shot at revenge on their home turf Sunday. However, from a situational perspective (revenge aside) this is a brutally bad spot for the Giants. While Dallas is off of their bye week (and fired up and ready to get after it following the 30-6 shellacking at the hands of the powerful Patriots) the Giants are on a short week off of their Monday night loss to the Eagles. The Giants continue to be plagued by their own mistakes as well as questionable decisions of coach Tom Coughlin. They are a team that simply can not be trusted right now and I like having the points with the underdog here. I know that Dallas is struggling and has lost three straight games but I believe the bye week coinciding with the QB change will do wonders for this team. Cassel has had a lot of extra time to prepare for this start with the bye week coming at an opportune time for the Cowboys as they continued to deal with some injury issues. The Cowboys are 12-5 ATS as an underdog and Dallas is on a long-term 20-10 ATS run with off of a bye week. The Giants are off of a MNF loss to the Eagles and they've gone 2-5 ATS when off of a loss to a division rival the last 3 seasons. Play Dallas plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* OVER 46.5 in San Diego vs Oakland @ 4:05 ET Sunday - Oakland has, arguably, the worst pass defense in the league this season. They are giving up 300 passing yards per game this season and they now have to face Phillip Rivers and the Chargers in San Diego. Rivers is off of his amazing performance at Green Bay last week where he threw for over 500 yards. Unfortunately for Rivers, he came up just short of the end zone at the end of that game and that prevented a San Diego victory. That also prevented a victory for me as I had the over in that game and it was certainly tough to come up just short when I had handicapped the game correctly knowing that the Packers would not be able to stop Rivers. I am looking for some payback here as I come right back with a San Diego Over. Rivers and the Chargers should move the ball well again this week but, this time, look for it to result in much more than just 20 points. Also, the real key here is that the rested Raiders offense likes to throw the ball and challenge teams through the air and I expect a big performance from them in this one. The Raiders have averaged 266 yards through the air their last 4 games and the Chargers are allowing 253 yards per game through the air in home games this season. Beautiful weather expected in San Diego Sunday so both teams can air it out here. Play OVER the total in San Diego as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3.5 @ Washington @ 1 PM ET - The Buccaneers are off of their bye week and have been playing solid defense this season. Don't be fooled by the big point total they gave up in their game before the bye week. The Bucs only allowed 325 yards in that game. Also, the game the week before that definitely skewed the numbers as well. Thanks in large part to 5 Tampa Bay turnovers, the Buccaneers lost that game 37-23 even though they only allowed 244 yards! Of course all of these big points being allowed by Tampa Bay factors not only into the line but also public perception going forward. That is what helps drive line value for games like this and I see big value with Tampa Bay as an underdog in this one. TB will take advantage of a Washington defense that has allowed a total of nearly 900 yards of offense in their past two games! Also, the Redskins are just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. In home games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points, Washington has gone 1-5 ATS the last 3 years and an ugly 16-29 ATS long-term. I love the under-rated TB defense in this spot with the situational advantage of coming off of a bye week and facing a Washington team whose defense has been beaten up for two straight weeks. Play Tampa Bay plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Jacksonville Jaguars +4.5 vs Buffalo @ 9:30 AM ET Sunday - The Jaguars got beaten badly in each of their two prior trips to London. That is a little extra added motivation for Jacksonville heading into this one. Even though the Jags lost last week it really had a lot do with turnovers. I was impressed with the way that Jacksonville moved the ball. The Jaguars outgained the Texans in last week's game but lost by double digits due to the turnovers. The Jags come into this game on a losing skid but they have faced some tough match-ups and I see the Bills as the perfect opponent for Jacksonville to get healthy against. Buffalo has been very inconsistent this season and they are 2-3 in their last five games with one of those two wins coming by just a single point. That said, I see value with the generous points being offered to Jacksonville here. The Jaguars, statistically, have numbers very similar to Buffalo and the large point totals they've allowed recently are a bit of a 'fluke' when compared to the yardage numbers they've allowed. The Bills are only averaging 15 points per game in their last three games and they also have some significant injuries on that side of the ball. The Bills are on a 2-6 ATS run in games played on a neutral field and Buffalo also is 1-4 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last 3 seasons combined. They struggle in the favorites role again on Sunday and the hungry Jaguars are in this one all the way and just might steal the mild upset as well. Play Jacksonville plus the points as an *8* selection early Sunday in London.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 42 in San Francisco vs Seattle @ 8:25 ET Thursday - This series has been an under series and each of the past five meetings over the past two seasons (one was in post-season) have stayed under the total. However, with former San Francisco head coach Harbaugh now at Michigan - instead of patrolling the sidelines in his khakis with the 49'ers - I would not be surprised a different result tonight. Some of the "edginess" of the San Francisco defense seems to have departed right along with Harbaugh. The Niners have given up an average of 441 yards per game in their last five games and I don't see them slowing down Seattle here. As for the Seahawks defense, they've struggled on the road this season. The Hawks are allowing an average of nearly 30 points per game on the road this season and, even though they were at home last week, they did allow 27 points. Losing their defensive coordinator to Atlanta (new head coach there) certainly seems to have bolstered the Falcons but hurt this Seahawks defense. That shows just how important Dan Quinn was to the Seahawks defense. The total on this game is right around a 42 but has flirted with the 42.5 mark. Seattle has gone 27-13 to the over in games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points. In October games the over is 52-35 in Seattle games. The 49'ers are 4-2 to the over this season and they've gone 7-3 to the over in October games the last 3 seasons combined. Hawks defense struggles again on the road and the Niners overall struggles on defense continue. Play OVER 42 in San Francisco as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10*Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (-) vs New York Giants @ 8:30 ET - The Eagles finally got their offense on track last week at home against New Orleans. Philadelphia pounded out over 500 yards of offense in that game. Philly will build on that momentum here on the offensive side of the ball. Also, what is so often overlooked with the Eagles is how well their defense plays. Because of having a hurry-up offense on the other side of the ball, the Philadelphia defense has to spend a lot of time on the field. Even with all the time spent on the field, the Eagles defense has allowed 395 yards or less in all but one of their games this season. Contrast that with the Giants defense which has been shredded for an average of over 300 passing yards per game this season. The Eagles haven't even allowed 300 passing yards in a game yet this season. Overall, Philly also has the Giants number. Philadelphia has won 11 of the last 14 meetings between these NFC East rivals and, by the way, only one of those 14 games was decided by less than 6 points. Lay the points with the Eagles. Play Philadelphia minus the points as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 54 in Indianapolis vs New England @ 8:30 ET - Andrew Luck and TY Hilton are both listed as probable for this game. The Colts, after a slow start on offense this season (a lot of wasted opportunities) have averaged 26 points per game in their last 3 games. In the last three match-ups between these teams there have been a pair of overs and one push. Both teams have tremedous firewpower on offense and they each come into this match-up with two overs in their last three games. Both clubs rely heavily on their aerial attacks and the Pats defense has allowed 283 passing yards per game at home this season while the Colts defense is allowing an average of 332 passing yards per game in their last three games. I just don't see many defensive stops likely in this game as the Pats have the #1 offense in the league and the Colts, when Luck is at the helm, are also one of the elite offensive units in the game. When an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points, the Colts are on a 52-31 run to the over including 6-2 the L8. The over is 22-11 in Pats games against the AFC South including a perfect 4-0 the last 3 years. Play OVER the total in Indianapolis as an *8* selection Sunday night.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 50.5 in Green Bay vs San Diego @ 4:25 ET - San Diego's game versus Pittsburgh Monday night stayed under the total despite the fact that the Chargers had over 400 yards of offense. San Diego has one of the top offenses in the league and I expect Phillip Rivers and Company to expose a Packers defense that has put up better numbers than expected largely due to facing a number of subpar offenses in their early season schedule. That all changes today. San Diego is averaging 410 yards per game this season and the over is 8-2 in their last 10 non-conference games. Also, after playing on Monday Night Football, the over is 13-7 in the Chargers next game. As for the Packers, the over is 28-16 in games where they are a favorite of 10 points or more. Also, against the AFC West, the over has gone 18-8 the last 26. As a home favorite of 10.5 to 14 points, the over is 19-10 in Green Bay games. San Diego has major issues with their run defense and with the Packers able to run all over them that will also open up the passing attack for Aaron Rodgers and Company. The result here, with clear weather conditions expected also, will be a back and forth high-scoring affair. Play OVER the total Green Bay as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Kansas City Chiefs +4 @ Minnesota @ 1 ET - The Vikings may be rested off of their bye week but I still do not believe this is a good situation for them. They suffered a tight loss against undefeated Denver the prior week. It was a tough defeat for the Vikes and now Minnesota also has a pair of key NFC North battles on deck after this less important non-conference battle against the Chiefs. With that said, I think the hungrier more motivated team that you're going to see in this match-up Sunday is going to be the 1-4 Kansas City unit. Having "let one get away" last week versus Chicago and desperate to get back into the win column, look for a huge effort from KC here. Kansas City also is likely to rally after the injury to RB Charles last week. Often, in the first game after a key injury, you see all of the players really step up their game in an attempt to compensate for a key player's absence. With that said, huge effort coming from the Chiefs Sunday. Play Kansas City plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Cleveland Browns +4 vs Denver @ 1 ET - Denver is undefeated on the season and they certainly deserve accolades for how strong their defense has been this season. But, at the same time, they have certainly been fortunate to remain undefeated. Last week at Oakland the Broncos only managed 15 first downs while the Raiders had 20. It was the 3rd time this season that Denver has been held under 300 yards of offense. This week the Broncos have another tough road match-up as they visit Cleveland. The Browns have played quite well since their opening week loss and, last week, Cleveland picked up their 2nd win in their last 4 games. The Browns amassed more than 500 yards in their win at Baltimore last week. They have averaged 357 passing yards per game in their last 3 games. Even though that win at Baltimore was a big win over a hated rival, there of courese is no way the Browns are going to overlook this great opportunity afforded by hosting an undefeated team this week. Look for Cleveland to step up large in this game while Denver gets caught already thinking this is a win and looking forward to their bye week. I expect the Broncos to get upset here but certainly am grabbing the points withe the underdog Browns though I do expect an outright upset victory. In five games this season, last week marked the second time already this year that Denver did not score an offensive TD. The Broncos luck runs out this week. Play Cleveland plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 51.5 in Atlanta vs New Orleans @ 8:25 ET Thursday - The Saints have one of the worst overall defenses in the league so far this season. The Falcons defense against the pass has been awful so far this year. Look for plenty of yards through the air in the dome tonight for both teams. The Falcons game versus Washington last week stayed under the total but they are 7-1 to the over the last 3 seasons when they are a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points. Atlanta is averaging 32.4 points per game this season and they should get at least 30 again tonight. As for the Saints, their game flew over the total last week as the Eagles scorched them for 39 points. Their defense simply can't stop anybody right now. But New Orleans does move the ball well, particularly at home. Though their most recent home game stayed under the total they did have 438 yards of offense in that game against Dallas. Drew Brees and Company will be moving the ball well again tonight but the Saints defense is not going to slow down Matt Ryan and Company as the Falcons roll on offense continues as well. New Orleans has gone 7-2 to the over in their last 9 October games. In home games with a posted total of 49.5 points or more, the Saints have gone 26-16 to the over. Play OVER 51.5 points in New Orleans as an *8* play Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Pittsburgh Steelers +4 @ San Diego @ 8:30 ET Monday - The Steelers blew a 20-7 lead against the Ravens last week and ended up losing 23-20. Needless to say that defeat has not sat well with Pittsburgh and they're going on the road with a full head of steam as a result. Pittsburgh had won back to back games before that loss and Michael Vick, taking the place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger, was more of a game manager but certainly did a decent enough job in that game. Look for him to do even more in his second start with Pittsburgh as the more time he's had since the Roethlisberger injury the more prepared he is to work a full game-plan with his teammates. The Chargers are coming off of a tight win over the Browns last week and certainly have not been overly impressive so far this season. The Chargers rallied to beat Detroit in week one but how impressive is that now? The horrible Lions still have not won a game this season. Then the Chargers lost two straight games and then they barely got by another weak team, the Browns, last week. I am just not impressed with what San Diego has done so far this season and I see good line value with the underdog Steelers coming in fired up after a tight loss in their last game. Pittsburgh also does have a rest edge since their game was on a Thursday. Also, the Steelers are known for performing well at this critical time of year. In games in weeks 5 through 9 the Steelers are on a 73-28 SU Run and 62-36-3 ATS run. The Steelers are 10-4 ATS their last 14 against San Diego and the Chargers have failed to cover three straight games. Look for that poor ATS streak to reach 4 in a row on Monday night. Play Pittsburgh plus the points as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 43 in NY Giants vs San Francisco @ 8:30 ET - The 49'ers offense certainly has struggled so far this season but the Giants porous pass defense certainly should provide the perfect remedy. New York has allowed 316 passing yards per game so far this season. Also, the Giants certainly could be in a flat spot here from an intensity level and emotional standpoint. Not only is New York off of a big road win last week over a team that was off to a good start this season (Buffalo), the Giants also have huge games on deck with the Eagles and Cowboys (a pair of division rivals) up next on their schedule. That makes this a tough spot for the Giants defense to really "bring it" and they're also likely to take the Niners offense "lightly" since they have struggled so much early this season. The other side of the equation here is that I expect the New York offense to roll though the Niners D. San Francisco has allowed an average of well over 400 yards per game in their last three games. The Giants are averaging 25.5 points per game so far this season. With these teams likely to battle tooth and nail all the way that means a 28-27 or 28-24 type game is to be expected. Great value with this total as low as it is. The Niners are 5-2 to the over as a road dog of 3.5 to 7 points the last three years. Play OVER the total in the NY Giants game as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Oakland Raiders +5.5 vs Denver @ 4:25 ET - This is a contrarian play and it's the type of play I love to make. The Broncos are undefeated on the season but have survived some very close calls so far on the year. They had to get a game-ending INT in the end zone to secure their week one win over Baltimore. They had to come back from a late deficit to defeat the Chiefs in week two it was very nearly a "miracle" win. Then in week four they barely hung on to beat the Vikings. Even in week three they had to come back from an early deficit against the Lions. To me, week five looks like the "slip up" spot for the Broncos as they've been "playing with fire" far too often this season and are now going to get burned. Denver, despite being 4-0 on the season, has only outgained their opponents by an average of 28 yards per game! I also like the angle here that Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio was the recent defensive coordinator for the Broncos for three seasons. Look for this to play a role in today's outcome and, off of a tight loss last week, I look for the Raiders to bounce back this week. Oakland has won 2 of 3 (and could easily be 3-0) since their opening week debacle against Cincy (the game that they lost their starting QB). I really like what I have been seeing from the Raiders and feel this is a trap game for a Broncos team that is 4-0 but hasn't really been playing like a dominant team. They've been "just getting by" and that catches up with them here because coach Del Rio and the Raiders want this divsional game in the worst way today. Nice home dog upset looms here. Play Oaklnad plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 44.5 -116 in Detroit vs Arizona @ 4:05 ET - The Cardinals are fired up after scoring just 22 points in their loss to St Louis last week. Keep in mind, Arizona has gone over the total in all four of their games this season and they had averaged 42 points per game in their first three games of this season. After falling short in Week 4, I look for a huge response from Arizona here in Week 5. Look for the Cardinals to take advantage of a Lions defense that has been extremely weak against the pass this season. Not only are teams averaging nearly 275 yards per game through the air against the Lions, opponents have completed 100 of 128 pass attempts against Detroit. That works out to a 78% completion percentage which is absolutely ridiculous. I just don't see the Lions defense as being able to stop Arizona's offense in this one. However, I do expect the Lions to put up a good show on offense in this one and match the Cards point for point. Detroit is averaging nearly 250 yards per game through the air and that is even though they've faced some tougher defenses like Seattle and Denver in recent weeks. The Lions can (and will) move the ball through the air against a Cardinals pass defense that got scorched by Drew Brees and the Saints earlier this season. After recently facing some weaker offenses, the Cards will be tested again this week by a tough passing attack. This total is likely to move higher as we approach gametime and the over is 7-3 in Lions games with posted total of 45.5 to 49 points. Also, the over is 12-4 in the Cardinals last 16 games as a favorite and a perfect 3-0 when Arizona is a road favorite of 3 points or less. Play OVER the total in Detroit as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Chicago Bears +10 -124 @ Kansas City @ 1 ET - The Bears had a rough start to the season but they truly played a hellacious schedule. Getting that first win on of the season last week against Oakland will do wonders for this team's confidence and I firmly believe that they will give the Chiefs all they can handle here. Kansas City is questioning themselves right now after they let one get away against Denver three weeks ago and then got embarrassed by Green Bay two weeks ago and then got trounced at Cincinnati last week. Having lost three straight and now facing a Bears team with a little momentum off a much needed win, the Chiefs are simply an overpriced favorite in this spot. Note that the Bears are on a 17-6-2 ATS run against the AFC West. The Chiefs have been scorched for over 440 yards EACH of the last two weeks and playing defense like that is going to make it difficult to cover this large number. Play Chicago plus the big points as an *8* Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Indianapolis Colts + points @ Houston @ 8:25 ET - Sure we would rather see Andrew Luck on the field than Matt Hasselbeck but here's one important, comforting thought to keep in mind. Two words. Ryan Mallett. I hate to sound so harsh. But I do find humor in the fact that Houston is getting a ton of backing here because it's now Hasselbeck against Mallett. Is Mallett really going to answer the call here? The Texans had four turnovers last week and the Colts have won 15 straight games against divisional foes. I fully comprehend they are a different team without Luck at the helm but it's hard to knock a 15-0 run...especially when you're trying to knock that run with a Texans team that is just 1-3 on the season. Houston is also an ugly 6-12 ATS in their last 18 home games. The Colts are 0-4 ATS on the season so, having burned their backers so far this season, the value pendulum is swinging more and more TOWARD them not away from them. I am happy to back them here knowing that the 2-2 Colts have won two straight games and Hasselbeck led them to the game-winning score last week. The Texans are just 1-3 this season and are questioning themselves. By the way the Colts are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. Play Indianapolis plus the points as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 43 in Seattle vs Detroit @ 8:30 ET Monday - While I certainly have tremendous respect for the Seattle defense, there are a couple of key factors as to why I see this game flying over the total tonight. With the injury to Marshawn Lynch (now OUT for this game), I look for the Seahawks to rely more on their passing attack then they otherwise would. As for the Lions, their rushing "attack" (if you can even call it that) is among the league's worst. This will, of course, force Detroit to try and beat the Seahawks through the air. With both teams relying on passing attacks you have the perfect recipe for an over. There is much more in the way of stoppages of clock when you have incomplete passes, sideline routes, etc. The over is a perfect 3-0 in the last 3 games where Seattle hosted Detroit. The over is 50-34 in Seattle's October games and the over is 26-15 in Seahawks' games against the NFC North. The over is 49-34 in Detroit's October games. I love the fact that each of these teams is off of back to back unders and that is helping to keep the total lower on this game than it should be. Play OVER 43 in Seattle as a *10* Top Play Monday night.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New Orleans -3 vs Dallas @ 8:30 ET - The struggles for Dallas will continue. The Cowboys currently have Weeden at QB and each of his last 9 starts (yes, 9 in a row) have resulted in losses. With the Cowboys without starting QB Romo as well as star WR Bryant, the going will continue to get tougher. Dallas blew their game against Atlanta last week as the Cowboys are showing they have a number of weaknesses in the defense that can be exploited. Couple that with an injury-depleted offense and you have a team that could be in for a rough stretch. Certainly the Cowboys, just like last week, appear to be in trouble this week. The Saints are an 0-3 team that, at home and winless, will have huge intensity and emotional edges at play for them and in their favor tonight. Once we knew Brees was pronounced as ready to go here we knew this would be a play. We've got Brees over Weeden. We've got the home field edge. We've got the hunger that an 0-3 start brings and we've got edges in the injury department with the key injuries belonging to the Cowboys in this one. Dallas is on a 14-21 ATS run in dome games. New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in October games the past two seasons and they are so hungry to get into the win column after their tough start to the season in the opening month. Play New Orleans -3 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 42 in Denver vs Minnesota @ 4:25 ET - This is a contrarian play because certainly the Denver defense has been fantastic this season. The key to this play is that Denver is off of back to back big primetime wins and now faces a second straight non-conference opponent while having an AFC West foe (and currently the team 2nd to them in the standings) up next. That makes this a tough spot in the schedule for the Denver defense to maintain its intensity and I look for the Vikings to take advantage. Minnesota has gone under in all 3 of their games this season and Denver has stayed under the total in 2 of their 3 games this season but I look for the Vikings to build off of their 31 point performance last week. The Broncos are averaging 25 points per game so far this season and this is a low total we're dealing with here. The Vikings are 6-0 to the over in their last 6 games with a posted total between 35.5 and 42 points. The Broncos are 8-0 to the over in October games the last two seasons. With double perfect angles in effect here I'll gladly grab the over in a game that from a situational perspective (Vikings defense should have given up more than 14 points last week based on yardage allowed) is offering huge value to the over here. Play OVER 42 in Denver as a *10* Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play St Louis Rams +7.5 @ Arizona @ 4:25 ET - Arizona got a huge win for a 2nd straight week last week. St Louis, despite another strong defensive effort, suffered their 2nd straight loss last week after opening up with a big week one win over the Seahawks. With the Cardinals off of a divisional win last week (and now having to get geared up for another one) I see a big edge with the hungry dog in this match-up. St Louis has been playing solid defense while the Cardinals have been benefitting greatly from turnovers so far this season. This is helping to overinflate this line and the Cards do have back to back road games on deck and could get caught looking past the 1-2 Rams. Arizona has enjoyed so much success at home that it's easy to get overconfident and off back to back victories by huge margins the Cards intensity drops some here. The Rams have lost three straight to the Cardinals so there is no doubt that their intensity level will be high. St Louis has played the much tougher schedule so far this season and that has not been properly factored into this line. We step in and take advantage of that. Play St Louis plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Chicago Bears +3.5 vs Oakland @ 1 ET - The Bears are a traditional ugly dog here. I love having an 0-3 team that is a home dog against a team that isn't your typical road favorite. Oakland certainly is not use to dominating foes and, in fact, they have a horrible road record in recent years. Let's not forget that the Bears have faced a very tough schedule to start this season and this has certainly factored into their tough start. Chicago has won 3 of their last 4 meetings with Oakland and they are getting more adjusted to the schemes of the new coaching staff with each week that goes by. The Bears have lost to the powerful Seahawks so far this season as well as to a pair of teams that are undefeated on the season, Arizona and Green Bay. Taking a big step down in class here and the Bears are so hungry for that first win and I'll grab the extra value here considering the Raiders are an over-inflated road fave in this one. Play Chicago +3.5 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Miami Dolphins +2 vs New York Jets @ 9:30 AM ET Sunday - Getting drilled 41 to 14 by Buffalo last week means there is no doubt the Dolphins will be ready for this one. The Jets may still have a false sense of security from their 2-0 start to the season. The loss last week (and the 4 turnovers that helped create it) are a sign of things to come for a Jets team that has benefitted early this season from being on the right side of turnovers. That catches up to the Jets here as the Dolpins are in a desperate spot having lost two straight and needing to get back on track with a key divisional win after after the loss to a divisional foe last week. The Dolphins did have nearly 400 yards of offense last week but they were done in by turnovers. Miami will get much more than the 14 points (scored last week) out of that type of yardage this week. Play Miami plus the points as an *8* selection very early Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *7* Baltimore Ravens -2.5 -125 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:25 ET - The Ravens are 0-3 on the season but the teams they have faced are a combined 8-1 so far this season. The Steelers are 2-1 this season but the teams they have faced are a combined 5-4 so far this season. Pittsburgh also has a big mess with the absence of Ben Roethlisberger who will be out for awhile. Though Michael Vick is a veteran QB, the 35 year old certainly has seen a decline in skills as he's aged. Additionally, he just hasn't played very much in recent seasons. Making matters even more difficult for him here is that he didn't even join the Steelers until late August. Simply put, this is a very tough situation for him to be thrust into. This is especially true since the Steelers will be facing a bitter division rival whose backs are against the wall with their 0-3 start. The Ravens tough defensive front seven will have their ears pinned back here ready to attack Vick and Company from the very first possession all the way to the final whistle. The Ravens are 0-3 for the first time in franchise history (nearly 20 years!) and they went into Heinz Field twice last year (once in regular season and once in playoffs) and they got the outright win each time. They can get another big road win here. Lay a little extra juice to get the -2.5 if you can and play Baltimore for a *7* selection Thursday night.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Kansas City Chiefs +6 @ Green Bay @ 8:30 ET - The Chiefs are ready to step up big here after they let one get away against Denver last week on Thursday night. Kansas City blasted the Patriots 41-14 on MNF last season and coach Andy Reid has a long history of performing well in primetime from his history with the Eagles. He'll have the Chiefs fully prepared here - especially by virtue of having the additional time since they haven't played since Thursday the 17th. While Kansas City is certainly going to be fired up to get back on track after last week's disappointment, the Packers may have trouble matching the Chiefs' intensity. Green Bay is off of a double revenge win last week over Seattle. That was a huge Sunday night win for the Packers over the Seahawks. Duplicating another big primetime performance in back to back weeks is a lot to ask of any team...but especially one still trying to move forward with the loss of Jordy Nelson causing some pain to say the least. It is early in the season for sure but worth noting that the two teams Green Bay has played this season are a combined 1-5 this year while the two teams Kansas City has played this season are a combined 4-2 so far. Look for Green Bay to drop to 0-3 ATS in their last 3 Monday night appearances while the Chiefs improve to 13-6 ATS in their last 19 road games and 16-8 ATS in their last 24 games against teams from the NFC North. Turnovers got the best of KC last week. I like backing them for a response after 5 turnovers killed them in last week's game. Play Kansas City plus the points as an *8* selection Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Denver Broncos -3 @ Detroit @ 8:30 ET - Normally I am the type of capper who takes an 0-2 team and goes against a 2-0 team. I am definitely a contrarian in my style overall. However, there are times like this where a team is just "clicking" and there is no way I would pick against them. That is the case with this Denver team. The Broncos defense has been superb so far this season and Denver is also seeming to gel a bit under coach Kubiak. That was a question mark for this team for this season but the defense has certainly responded well and the offense is also starting to "click" now. Peyton Manning and Company notched 3 TDs through the air in their win over KC last week and that divisional win (and the fact that the offense finally put it all together) has done wonders for the confidence of this team. The Broncos also benefit from extra rest here since they are off of the Thursday night game. Denver is 6-1 ATS their last 7 off of a Thursday game. Also, get the Lions out of their divisions and they certainly aren't powerful "lions" as Detroit is 9-19-1 ATS in their last 21 games outside of their own division. Detroit is 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 as an underdog and their confidence (even if they get a lead here) is shaken by the early season meltdown at San Diego where they blew a huge lead. The loss by double digits to Minnesota last week certainly did not help the confidence level of the Lions. These are two teams going in opposite directions early this season and I look for that directional trend to continue here. Play Denver -3 as an *8* selection Sunday.

NFL *10* Top Play OVER 41.5 in Miami vs Buffalo @ 4:25 ET Sunday - This total was as high as a 45 earlier this week and now has dropped to as low as a 41 as of gameday morning. This is offering exceptional value to the over. This will be the first NFL road start for Bills QB Tyrod Taylor but he's loaded with confidence right now. He helped lead Buffalo to a huge win over Indianapolis in Week One and, even though they fell short against the Patriots in Week 2, he helped guide the Bills to a 32 point showing on the scoreboard. With all the weapons the Bills now have at the skill positions, I look for another big day out of Taylor and Company on Sunday. Miami gave up nearly 400 yards to Jacksonville last week and their defense will face a much tougher test this week. However, the good news for Dolphins fans is the fact that the Miami offense produced 344 yards through the air last week and their taking on a Bills defense that allowed over 500 yards of offense to the Patriots last week! Both teams should move the ball very well throughout this game and the aerial attack has keyed both offenses so there should be a bit of an air show today in Miami and "over players" love the aerial attack rather than the ground game. The over is 7-3 in Dolphins games in the month of September the last 3 seasons and, once again, the heat and humidity of South Florida at this time of year helps to wear down the defenses. Play OVER the total in Miami as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

NFL *10* Top Play San Francisco +7/+6.5 @ Arizona @ 4:05 ET - The Cardinals are 2-0 SU and ATS this season and, as such, are getting a little bit too much respect from the betting markets here. Though they won huge last week (49-23) they were actually outgained 335 to 300. As for the 49'ers, after their big home win in week one, they did fall short last week on the road but it was also a deceiving final scored. San Francisco lost 43 to 18 last week at Pittsburgh but they were only outgained by 44 yards in that game. These 'false finals' from last week are helping to give some nice line vaue this week as this is a key divisional game where the 49'ers are seeing opportunity with the 0-2 start this season for the Seahawks. The NFC West lead can be shared by the Niners with a win over the Cards today. Motivation goes a long way in football and the Niners have plenty of it today and certainly seem rejuvenated by the off-season coaching changes. San Francisco has played better on both sides of the ball than many expected and, again, don't let last week's final score fool you. That was also a tough scheduling spot for the Niners as they had to head east on a short week after a late Monday night game. In road games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points the Niners are on a long-term 27-13 ATS run (including 4-0, 100% the last 3 years)! The Niners are also 5-1 ATS their last 6 in dome games. As a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points the Cardinals are just 22-32 ATS. Also, the Cards are on a long-term 25-34 ATS run when they enter a game off of two or more consecutive wins. Play San Francisco plus the big points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New Orleans Saints +10 @ Carolina @ 1 ET Sunday - It sounds overly simplistic but, simply put, this line is just too big. The line on Carolina, of course, needed to be adjusted iwth Drew Brees being out for this game. However, for the Panthers to be a double digit favorite against a team that still has a plethora of talent, even without Brees, is "off" in my opinion. The Saints, with their 0-2 start, have their backs against the wall and I expect a huge effort from the entire team here as they all look to step up in the absence of Brees. Keep in mind, we don't need them to win this game to get the cash. We just need the Saints to keep it respectable and I certainly see them staying within one score of the over-rated Panthers. Carolina is 2-0 to start the season but they played a Jacksonville team that was 3-13 last year and a Houston team that was only one season removed from a 2-14 record. Give the Panthers credit for their two victories certainly but they are not some kind of juggernaut that merits this big line, in my opinion. Extreme line value here because of the Saints home loss to Tampa Bay last week. Perception is so against New Orleans right now that the value is with them. Look for them to put forth their best effort so far this season and hang tough with Carolina on Sunday. The Saints are 7-2 SU their last 9 on grass and the past two seasons they have gone 3-1 SU and ATS when they enter a game off of two or more consecutive losses. Play New Olreans plus the big points as an 8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Atlanta Falcons -1 @ Dallas @ 1 ET Sunday - Already without Dez Bryant, the Cowboys injury situation is now further magnified by the absence of Tony Romo. The Cowboys truly won a miracle game in week one against the Giants. Then Dallas went on the road (the game Romo got hurt in) and beat an Eagles team that looks totally "out of sorts" early this season. In other words, it's hard to put much value into either victory the Cowboys have so far this season. Now Dallas must contend with a Falcons team whose defense has been flying all over the field early this season. With the coaching change, as expected, the Atlanta D has been looking Seattle-esque early this season. This is going to give Cowboys QB Brandon Weeden and Co. all types of trouble in this one while, at the same time, the Falcons take advantage of  Cowboys defense that is off of a huge effort against Philly but was torched by the Giants in Dallas in week one. In fact, the Cowboys have been struggling in home games for quite some time. In a home game with a total between 42.5 and 45 points, Dallas is 12-18 ATS. Overall, Dallas is just 8-10 ATS in home games the last 2+ seasons and they just don't seem to play with the same overall intensity that they have been playing with on the road in recent years. The Falcons look like a completely rejuvenated team and their big comeback against the Giants last week also gives them added confidence this week. Play Atlanta -1 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New York Giants -3 -120 vs Washington @ 8:25 ET - The Giants have suffered two tough losses to start the season as, in both games, they have blown late double digit leads. This is now the perfect spot to back the Giants and look for them to bounce back huge. They are hosting a Redskins team that is off of a win but also that has caught a scheduling break early this season. Washington started with a Miami team (who beat the Skins and then proceeded to lose at a poor Jacksonville team). The Redskins then hosted a St Louis team that got caught still celebrating their big win over the divison rival Seattle Seahawks. Tonight's game will prove to be a much tougher test for the Redskins as the Giants have their backs against the wall and they are ready to come out kicking and fighting and doing whatever it takes to win this. I feel the Redskins are not ready to match the emotional, physical, and psycholological intensity that the Giants will bring into this game. The line drop from -4 to -3 on the Giants is certainly an added value as well. Washington is just 4-23 SU (and 8-19 ATS) as an underdog the last 3 seasons. Also, the Redskins are 6-19 ATS in games with a posted total between 42.5 and 49 points the last 3 seasons. The Giants are 6-1 ATS on Thursday night football and have won and covered each of the last four meetings with the Skins. Play the New York Giants -3 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play on Indianapolis Colts -7 vs NY Jets @ 8;30 ET - The Colts home opener on MNF should absolutely bring out the best in them. Indianapolis is 5-1 straight-up and 4-1-1 ATS as a home favorite in a range of 3.5 to 7 points the past two seasons. They are in a great spot here to add to that record. The Colts are off of a disappointing loss at Buffalo last week but they catch the Jets off of a big win - as a host to Cleveland last week - that was a deceiving final score. The Jets did win the game 31 to 10 but their yardage edge was only 333 to 321. The big edge was the 5 to 1 in turnovers and all of this is helping to give great line value to the Colts in a bounce back spot here. Indianapolis, overall, has gone 14-4 SU and 12-5-1 ATS in home games the prior two seasons. The Colts are fired up for their home opener tonight. The Jets are an atrocious 2-12-2 ATS when on the road in an underdog role against nondivisional foes. Outside of the AFC East and away from home, look for the Jets to again get blasted tonight. Andrew Luck and the Colts have treated me well in primetime games (Thurs Nt, Sun Nt, Mon Nt) and, in fact, are 16-6-2 ATS in their last 24 appearances under the lights. I look Indy to get the job done once again here. Play Indianapolis minus the points as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Seattle +3.5 @ Green Bay @ 8:30 ET - Green Bay, of course, is seeking revenge for their two losses at Seattle last season and certainly the Packers are happy they are finally the host in this one. However, the loss of Jordy Nelson to a season-ending injury just before the season started was a tough blow for this Packers offense. Sure they moved the ball well against the Bears but now they are facing the stifling defense of the Seahawks and Seattle is fired up after their OT loss to the Rams featured way too many mistakes. The Hawks defense will be flying to the ball again today as they look to take advantage of the Nelson-less Packers. A big concern for Green Bay here is the fact that they allowed over 400 yards of offense to Chicago last week. The Packers sieve-like defense will face an even tougher test today with the Seahawks in town. Seattle is 13-6-1 ATS the last 4 years when they are off of a straight-up loss. You might expect the Seahawks to sometimes be "flat" off of a divisional game but they are actually 9-4 ATS and an amazing 13-0 straight-up the last 3 years when off of a divsional game. I do expect them to get the outright win here but certainly am grabbing the generous points being offered. Play Seattle plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Philadelphia -4.5 vs Dallas @ 4:25 ET Sunday - If you're not from the Philly area you can't even come close to comprehending the hatred that the Eagles NFL fans have for the Cowboys. It honestly defies comprehension. That said, today's game is essentially their "Game of the Year". Honestly. Hosting the Cowboys. Eagles off of a road loss...and a tough one at that. Philadelphia home opener. All the variables are in place for this to be a massive early season game for the Eagles. Philadelphia played the first half last week like they were still stuck in "preseason mode" and it ultimately cost them against the Falcons. Once the Eagles got rolling in the second half (on both sides of the ball) they were clearly the better team. This week, there is no way the Eagles come out flat to start this game like they did at Atlanta. With that said, the Eagles are absolutely going to take advantage of a Cowboys team missing Dez Bryant. Philadelphia lost by 11 the last time these teams met but the Eagles had won each of the two pior meetings. It's payback time here as the Eagles look to atone for that loss to Dallas back in December. The Cowboys lost a lot of talent from last year's team and one of those key defectors, DeMarco Murray, comes back to haunt them today. Play Philadelphia minus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 42 in Oakland vs Baltimore @ 4:05 ET Sunday - Forsett is probable for the Ravens. Carr is probable for the Raiders. Suggs is out for the Ravens. All of these injury situations are good news for Over players and offense will be the emphasis for each of these teams Sunday. The Ravens are ready to respond after scoring just 13 points against a tough Broncos defense last week. The Raiders are ready to respond after losing Carr to injury in last week's game and only ending up wtih 13 points as a result. The Raiders defense was gouged fo nearly 400 yards last week and they'll have trouble stopping Baltimore here. The Ravens defense took a major hit with the Suggs injury and Carr has plenty of weapons at his disposal to exploit the Ravens defense. The over is 5-1 the last 3 seasons in Raiders game with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points. The over is 5-3 the last 3 seasons in Ravens games in that same posted total range. Both teams are hungry here and both teams are emphasizing the offensive side of the ball after poor performances last week. That spells O-V-E-R this week. Play OVER the total in Oakland as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Atlanta Falcons +2.5 @ NY Giants @ 1 ET Sunday - With the Falcons off of their upset win at home over the Eagles and now on the road coupled with the fact that the Giants are off of a road loss and now back home you the "knee jerk reaction" is to back the Giants in this one. However, that is also what is giving the Falcons so much line value here. The fact is that the Giants were poor in more aspects of the game than just clock management in Sunday night's loss at Dallas. The Giants allowed the Cowboys to torch them for 356 yards through the air. If it weren't for three Dallas turnovers the game would have turned out much differently. The Falcons are still known for the fact that they were one of the worst defenses in the league last season. However, with the coaching change, one can already see the huge difference in how Atlanta is playing on that side of the ball. They were flying all over the field against the Eagles highly talented offense and the Falcons D made many big plays in that game. I look for more of the same today and am backing Atlanta in a "mild upset" here. The Falcons are 12-6 ATS the week after Monday night football. The Giants are still licking their wounds after the heartbreaking divisional loss last week. Play Atlanta plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 44 in Buffalo vs New England @ 1 ET Sunday - New England's game stayed under the total in week one even though the Pats gave up 464 yards in that game. The Bills game stayed under the total in week one even though Buffalo allowed Indianapolis 23 first downs. Amazingly the Colts only turned that steady movement on the field into 14 points. So, in a nutshell here, you have two teams who each scored at least 27 points last week but whose defensive performance was not all that impressive but yet they are each coming off an under. That makes for tremendous value to the over in week two. The over is 12-5 in Patriots game where the line is between +3 and -3 the last 3 years. The last time these teams met they combined for only 26 points but their three prior meetings all totaled at least 44 points. The Bills have more offensive weapons now than past teams and they put that on display in week one against Indianapolis. At the same time, Brady is still Brady and this Pats offense will once again function like a machine under Belichick in week two. Play OVER the total in Buffalo as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Denver Broncos +3 @ Kansas City @ 8:25 ET Thursday - The Broncos are certainly still in the process of adjusting to coach Gary Kubiak and trying to get the offense in sync with Peyton Manning and Company. However, one thing is for certain. The defense was fantastic in week one and I look for a repeat effort tonight. Conversely, the Chiefs defense struggled last week as they were outgained 396 to 330 in last week's game. Kansas City was fortunate to win the turnover battle 2 to 0 in that game and that has helped to result in some line value here. The Chiefs are a strong -3 in this game and I feel they are over-valued. Denver has won each of the last four meetings between these teams and I look for the Broncos to have some different "quick offense" options available after their offensive line did struggle in last week's game. They'll have some special play-calling in place to allow for Manning to have a much better game this week. Head coach Andy Reid has struggled often in big games since taking over the Chiefs and I look for that to be the case again here. The Broncos went 12-1 straight up (and 9-3-1 ATS) in divisional match-ups the last two seasons while the Chiefs have only gone 5-7 straight-up in divisional match-ups under coach Reid. It's generous that the Broncos are receiving a solid 3 here. Play Denver +3 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles -3 @ Atlanta @ 7:10 ET - The Eagles uptempo offense is tough to stop. With Sam Bradford now at QB and DeMarco Murray at RB, it just became exponentially healthier. Chp Kelly has done some great things to shake up the rest of the league with his aggressive approach on offense. The Eagles, as long as Bradford stays healthy, are likely to again be a true juggernaut on offense again this season. Atlanta hasn't faced Philadelphia since 2012 so all the looks they will see will difficult to deal with. Watching it on film is one thing. Actually dealing with it on the field is another. The Eagles have been a Top Five offense each of the past two years while the Falcons were near the bottom of the league in defense last season. Though Quinn may prove to be a good hire who does some great things in Atlanta, it's going to take him some time to get things rolling here. With that said, the Eagles are completely capable of dominating the overmatched Falcons defense in this one. Philadelphia's defense also looks improved heading into this season as they continue to work Chip Kelly's "style" of players into the roster and they are building the units they want. Getting Kiko Alonso on board is a huge plus too. The last two years, under Chip Kelly, the Eagles are 3-0 straight up and ATS on Monday nights. Philly is also 4-1 straight up and ATS in games where they are a road favorite of 3 points or less. The Falcons have gone 4-10 ATS in games where their line ranges from +3 to -3 the last two seasons combined. Play Philadelphia minus the short number as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New York Giants +6.5 @ Dallas @ 8:30 ET - The Giants have lost each meeting with the Cowboys each of the last two years. However, three of the four losses came by five points or less and the average margin of the four defeats was just 5.25 points. The Giants also outgained Dallas in 3 of the 4 meetings. The Cowboys running back by committe methodology will be tested early this season as they try to adjust to life without DeMarco Murray at running back. Look for this to put extra pressure on Tony Romo and the passing game. It's tough to get a big margin in these division rivalry games and this is especially true when you've undergone some major offseason changes, as the Cowboys surely have with departure of Murray. The Giants will be highly motivated here as coach Coughlin knows he on the hot seat coming into this year. New York has had back to back losing season and the best way to put "the talk" on the back burners for awhile would be with a huge divisional win to kick off the season. I am not expecting an outright victory here but certainly would not be surprised should that occur. The key here though is the big points as Dallas is going to be challenged all the way just to win this game let alone cover it. The Cowboys took a big gamble on the defensive side of the ball too as they picked up Greg Hardy. He's already suspended for the first four games of the season and it looks like Dallas could be a little weaker on each side of the ball to start this season. With that said, the Cowboys don't merit being favored by nearly a full TD against a division rival that, unlike them, did improve in the off-season. The Giants hasd some solid pickups in free agency and also did well in the draft and that goes for both sides of the ball. Their depth has now improved and their chomping at the big to get this season started and end their losing streak against the Cowboys. Play the New York Giants +6.5 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 43 in Oakland vs Cincinnati @ 4:25 ET - The Raiders ranked as one of the worst teams in the league on offense last season. However, Oakland still managed to go 10-6 to the over last season thanks to a porous defense and some strong performances from QB Carr from time to time. This Sunday looks like another one of those "times" for Carr. The Oakland signal-caller has some more playmakers to work with in the passing game this season and I expect an aggressive approach in the Raiders playcalling as they look to get the ball downfield early and often in this one. Cincinnati did not impress defensively last year and the Raiders are more than willing to push the tempo in this one and challenge the Bengals secondary frequently in this game. In home games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points last season, the OVER went 4-1 (80%) in Oakland. The Bengals solidified their offensive line in the draft and QB Dalton has plenty of weapons at his disposal to help the passing game further support a solid Cincinnati ground attack. Cincy is off yet another first round playoff exit so they are hungry to push the tempo early this season and I see both teams happy to get into a back and forth style that lights up the scoreboard in this one. Neither team is solid defensively and I like both QBs to exploit the advantages against questionable secondaries for each defense. Play OVER 43 in Oakland as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Baltimore Ravens +4.5 @ Denver @ 4:25 ET - The Broncos have some adjusting to do. Yes, Peyton Manning is still here but this team lost a lot of key cogs in the off-season. Additionally, they have to adjust to head coach Gary Kubiak. It's likely to be a tough adjustment phase for the Broncos and this is particularly true early this season. With that said, there is a lot of value here with a Ravens team that has a fanastic system in place under their GM Newsome. The Ravens simply have a "plug and play" system that continues to produce year in and year out. Their passing game took a few hits in the off-season but they re-stocked well in the off-season with the draft, etc. Additionally, the defense was once again "Ravens D" last year and outperformed expectations as they even looked like the Ravens D of old quite frequently last season. They can step up in big games like this for sure and it would not be surprising to see Kubiak and Manning not quite on the same page together right off the bat this season. This makes it even more likely that the Ravens can get revenge for a bad loss here at Denver in 2013. With revenge on their minds as well as with having a handful of points to work with, this one easily got the call as my top side play of the week. The outright upset would not surprise and I'll grab the points here. This Broncos team is not on par with prior years' versions. Play Baltimore +4.5 as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Indianapolis Colts -2.5 @ Buffalo @ 1 ET - Buffalo certainly has imrpoved recently as was evidenced by their 9-7 record last season. However, this line is still giving them way too much respect here as they host a team that very nearly made it to the Super Bowl last season. Much is being made of Buffalo's head coach Ryan and the fact that he had success in shutting down Andrew Luck back in 2012. The key flaw in that theory is that Luck has matured tremendously since then and there is no comparison between his NFL knowledge then compared to where he is now. The Colts will once again have one of the top offenses in the league this season and let's not forget that the Bills are going with their 4th defensive coordinator in as many seasons! In addition, the fact that Buffalo added LeSean McCoy at RB is certainly a postiive but this offense was among the worst in the league last season and McCoy will find it much tougher to function in this offense compared to what he enjoyed in Philadelphia's system. The Colts certainly made some noise in the off-season and now have even more weapons at their disposal on offense. The Colts are well worth the short price here on the road as their systems are intact whereas the Bills are still adjusting to all the changes. Buffalo will improve as the season goes on but this is a tough challenge for them in Week One. Play Indianapolis minus the points as an *8* selection Sunday. 

Rickenbach NFL *8* Pittsburgh Steelers +7 @ New England @ 8:30 ET Thursday - The contrarian way of looking at games when handicapping the NFL is something that has treated me well through the years. Indeed the contrarian vantage point is something I will use again not only on opening night this season but throughout the 2015 NFL season. Most are lining up to take Tom Brady and Company in this one because his suspension was lifted and he's now able to play right away in Game 1 of the Patriots season. With all the focus on Brady being able to play, a lot of focus has been taken away from other key factors and this has resulted in great line value with Pittsburgh available at a full +7 in this game. The Patriots don't have the quality or depth of receivers they use to. This situation is exasperated in Game 1 with the Brandon LeFell injury and the fact that Julian Edelman (though playing) is bothered by an ankle injury. The Patroits also have been severely distracted by the whole Deflategate saga and they are going to have their hands full with Pittsburgh on opening night. The Steelers will be without RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Martavis Bryant but I like their depth at the skill positions. The Steelers are without their center, Maurkice Pouncey, but the rest of the offensive line looks stronger then it has in recent seasons and the Steelers have had plenty of extra to prep for being without Pouncey (out till late season). Pittsburgh has allowed some veteran players to go from the defense and Polamalu has retired. But the Steelers (on both sides of the ball) are a team built on their systems and the right personnel is in place to execute those systems. The Pats are being asked a lot here as, of course, the defending Super Bowl champions will have a target on their back all season long and this line being in the 7 range certainly seems a bit inflated. The Steelers are in this one all the way and it would not suprise to see them pull off the upset. Play Pittsburgh +7 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* UNDER the total in Super Bowl @ 6:30 ET Sunday, February 1st - Though we felt somewhat burned by the fact that the Patriots game did not go over the total in the divisional round, credit must certainly be given to the Pats defense for shutting down Andrew Luck and the Colts. That said, another UNDER result coming New England's way (with more solid defense) in the Super Bowl should not surprise. The last 3 times the Pats were in the Super Bowl the average total points scored has been 38. Couple that with the fact that the Seahawks result of an over in the NFC Championship Game was a miracle and you have some nice value with the lofty posted total in the Super Bowl this year. Note that the Seahawks game was 19-7 with just over two minutes left when the crazy Seattle comeback ensued. That said, note that Seattle had seen 5 of their prior 7 games stay under the total before their crazy finish against the Packers. As for the Patriots, each of their last 3 games away from home has stayed under the total. Also, New England is on a long-term 22-11 run to the UNDER in playoff games. Play UNDER the total in the Super Bowl as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs Seattle @ 6:30 ET Sunday, February 1st - The Patriots are on a mission and, as tough as it is to repeat as NFL Champions, the Seahawks face an even tougher task then most teams who have earned themselves the opportunity to repeat. Note that Seattle is facing New England, and mastermind coach Bill Belichick, when he's off of back to back Super Bowl losses. The Patriots, in their last two visits to the Super Bowl, lost to the Giants each time. One defeat occurred in 2008 and the most recent loss occurred in 2012. By the way, the last team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions was the Patriots when they won it back to back in 2004 and 2005. For the Pats and Belichick, this offers even more motivation for this Super Bowl. The Patriots want to take away the sting of losing in their last two trips to the big game and they also want to maintain their status as the only team in this century to repeat as Super Bowl Champs. That's right, the last team to do it was Denver back in '98 and '99. Motivation and history aside here, the biggest key to this play is that no team is playing as complete as football is New England is right now. The power running game, the physical defense, an elite quarterback, and all of these factors are strengthened by having an amazing head coach. As for the Seahawks, while I certainly respect their solid defense and the success that Russell Wilson has had on the other side of the ball for Seattle, there is no doubt the Hawks do not belong in this game. Green Bay had them beat in the NFC Championship Game and let's not forget that the Packers barely slipped by the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. With injuries to Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas (even if they turn out to be minor and they do play in the Super Bowl) will certainly not help matters for a Hawks defense that struggled earlier this season when they were not healthy. After their miracle comeback win over the Packers, the Seahawks luck runs out here. Belichick and the Pats machine (that truly is what they are, a machine with amazing systems), will hoist the trophy this year. Play New England as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NFL *8* NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-) vs Indianapolis @ 6:40 ET - As for Monday evening, the weather is expect to be decent (by New England winter standards) for Sunday's AFC Championship game so the Patriots offensive machine should be able to execute at it's highest level in this game. With that said, I won't hesitate to step up now on the Patriots as this line has dropped to 6.5 in some spots (including some big books) as of Monday evening. Though the Pats got caught in a bit of "back and forth" with the Ravens in the Divisional Round, the Patriots will not only match Indy score for score in this one, they just might be unstoppable on offense. The Colts faced a struggling and injured Peyton Manning last week. That had a lot to do with my play against the Broncos in the divisional round. Manning just didn't look right late this season and the Colts took advantage. But now the Indy defense faces the potent machine in this one: the Patriots offense led by Tom Brady. Note that the Pats have scored 274 points in their last 7 meaningful home games (Bills game in season finale did not matter). That works out to an average of 39 points per game! The Pats simply can't be stopped in Foxboro. The last time these two teams met (earlier this season) the Patriots rolled by a 42-20 final score! A similar result would not surprise. As for supporting trends, the Patriots are 3-0 straight-up and ATS against the Colts in their last 3 meetings. The Pats have won those games by an average score of 48-22. New England is 9-1 ATS the last 3 seasons in home games with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. The Patriots are at their best against strong teams as they have gone 15-9 ATS the L3 seasons against teams with a winning record. As for the Colts, they normally fade as a season goes on. They are 5-9 ATS when they face teams with a winning record past the mid-point of the season. Of course we are now in the post-season and, just like last year, the Patriots eliminate the Colts from the post-seasons. Andrew Luck got his signature win over this predecessor last week as they beat Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Getting a second straight big road win is too much to ask. Especially when that road win must come in Foxboro against Bill Belichick and Company. The Colts will score their fair share here but they won't be able to stop the Patriots. Play New England minus the points as an *8* Play selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* (Top Play) OVER the total in New England vs Indianapolis @ 6:40 ET Sunday, 18 January - As for Monday evening, the weather is expect to be decent (by New England winter standards) for Sunday's AFC Championship game. With that said, I won't hesitate to step up now on this total. The Patriots and Ravens served me well in the divisional round as that game flew over the total and more of the same is expected here. That's because the Pats struggled to stop the Ravens and it's likely that Andrew Luck and Company will "have their moments" against the Patriots questionable D. But it's also likely the Patriots will not only match Indy score for score in this one, they just might be unstoppable. The Colts faced a struggling and injured Peyton Manning last week. That had a lot to do with my play against the Broncos in the divisional round. Manning just didn't look right late this season and the Colts took advantage. But now the Indy defense faces the potent machine in this one: the Patriots offense led by Tom Brady. Note that the Pats have scored 274 points in their last 7 meaningful home games (Bills game in season finale did not matter). That works out to an average of 39 points per game! The Pats simply can't be stopped in Foxboro. But the Colts will put up their fair share as they've scored at least 23 points in 14 of their 18 games this season! The last time these two teams met (earlier this season) they combined for 62 points. A similar result would not surprise. Perhaps New England hits their 39 average noted above and the Colts hit that magical 23 noted above? That's 62 folks. As for supporting trends, the Patriots are 10-0 to the OVER the last 3 seasons when they are home with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. As for the Colts, they are 27-13 to the OVER in games where they are a road dog of 3.5 to 7 points. That's a long-term trend. As for short-term, in the last 3 seasons, the Colts are 9-4 to the OVER when they are a dog of 3.5 to 9.5 points. Andrew Luck can lead his team to some big points and no one doubts that. Couple that with the Pats' offensive machine and you have the makings of an offensive showcase here. Play OVER the total in New England as a *10* Top Play selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play GREEN BAY PACKERS (+) @ Seattle @ 3:05 ET Sunday, 18 January - The Packers came up just short of covering the spread in their win over the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. They did win the yardage battle handily in that game though and the payoff for Packers backers will come this week. A generous amount of points are being offered here considering the weak offenses which Seattle has faced of late. Certainly I am well aware of the fact that the Seahawks have covered 7 straight games but the level of offenses they faced must be considered. Seattle's defense is solid, certainly not arguing that point. But the Hawks have faced Arizona twice (Cardinals without their starting QB each time), San Francisco twice (49'ers finished the season looking completely inept as a team), St Louis (Rams without their starting QB), Philadelphia (Eagles inconsistent with Sanchez at QB), and Carolina (Panthers made the playoffs but with a losing record). The point is that the Packers offense, even with Aaron Rodgers hobbling some, is absolutely going to present the biggest test that the Seahawks defense has had in a long time. Seattle is a little overconfident right now and their defense gets tested here. Let's not forget that the Panthers did roll up 362 yards against the Seahawks in the divisional round. For comparison sake, note that the Packers defense held a much more potent offense (the Cowboys) to 315 yards in the divisional round. Additionally, the Packers certainly have not forgotten about the beating they took at Seattle in the opening game of this season. Time for a little payback? Without a doubt! That said, I'll gladly grab the big points here. Green Bay is on a long-term 7-3 ATS run when installed as a road dog of 7.5 to 10 points. The Packers have gone 5-2 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Seattle has certainly been a spread covering machine the last few seasons but it's so insanely tough to repeat as Super Bowl champs. That said, just getting to the Super Bowl will be a huge battle for the Hawks. In other words, great line value with all the points here as the Packers are fully capable of pulling off the upset. Play Green Bay plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Indianapolis at Denver @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Denver Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Colts defense has stepped up down the stretch and showed its stinginess in a 26-10 win over Cincinnati. Indianapolis has held three of its last four opponents to 10 points per game and limited the Bengals to just 155 yards through the air and 110 rushing yards in the Wild Card Round. 2. The Indianapolis offense could have blown this score wide open but instead settled for four field goals in the win over the Bengals. The Colts can match the Broncos firepower, ranked third in yards per game at 406.6 and ranked tops in the passing attack, with Andrew Luck tossing for an average of 305.9 yards through the air. Luck hit nine different receivers in the Wild Card Round, amassing 376 yards and one touchdown. 3. Indianapolis got a valiant effort from its running backs against the Bengals, with RBs Dan Heron and Zurlon Tipton helping the Colts rush for 114 yards on 25 carries – an average of 4.56 yards per run. Indianapolis hasn’t been great at running the ball this season but if they can generate yards like they did against Cincinnati, it will be enough to keep the Broncos defense honest and give Luck more time to pass the ball. The Colts have covered in seven straight meetings with Denver, including a 31-24 loss in Sports Authority Field as 8-point underdogs way back in Week 1.
Play on Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Green Bay vs. Dallas @ 1:05 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Green Bay with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas is ripe for a letdown spot after grabbing the franchise’s first playoff win since 2009. The Cowboys battled back from 10 points down in the second half and caught some lucky breaks from the officials at home, as well as some careless turnovers from the Lions. I’m expecting a fat and cocky Dallas team to come out flat in the divisional round with a false sense of accomplishment. 2. The Packers won’t miss out on the opportunities the Lions did in the Wild Card round. Green Bay has a much more powerful offense and won’t let Dallas hang around like Detroit did. The Cheeseheads know how to put teams away, especially at home where they average 39.8 points per game, compared to just 21 points on the road. 3. Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy is rolling into the postseason with a ton of momentum. He’s rushed for 592 yards in his last six games, finding the end zone four times in that span. Dallas will have a tough time throwing extra linebackers at Aaron Rodgers if Lacy is picking up gains on the ground, giving the Green Bay offense a terrific balance.
Play on Green Bay as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Seattle vs. Carolina @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Seattle Seahawks host the Carolina Panthers Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Seattle with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Seahawks defense has owned Cam Newton in past meetings. Seattle’s aggressive pass rush and tackling speed has limited the Panthers’ dual-threat QB to an average of just 145.7 passing yards and only one touchdown in three meetings. In fact, Carolina has only scored one touchdown in the 28 drives in those three games versus Seattle. The Seahawks locked down Newton for 171 yards on 12-of-22 passing and an interception in their 13-9 victory at Bank of America Stadium in October. On the ground, Newton scrambled for only 24 yards on 12 carries and was sacked three times. 2. Carolina has been careless with the football and it nearly cost them against Arizona last week. The Panthers coughed the ball up three times, two fumbles and an interception, but was able to limit the damage from those giveaways. Seattle won’t be so kind. The Seahawks have a ball-hawking defense that thrives off takeaways. They forced three fumbles against the Panthers in the regular season, coming away with two of those loose balls. 3. This is CenturyLink Field in the playoffs, where Seattle owns a 9-2 all-time record in the postseason. The Seahawks will have the ultimate home-field advantage, with the crowd cancelling out Carolina’s play calls and the cold, damp Seattle weather making life tough on the Panthers. The Seahawks have covered in 35 of their last 52 games in front of the 12th Man – a 69 percent winning ATS clip.
Play on Seattle as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in New England vs. Baltimore @ 4:35 p.m. ET
The New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in New England with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Baltimore showed its explosiveness with a 30-point effort against the Steelers in the Wild Card Round. Quarterback Joe Flacco hit his targets for big gains while RB Justin Forsett continues to break of big yards on the ground. This is balanced offense that is tough to slow down. The Ravens are the fourth-highest road scoring team in the NFL, averaging 26.2 points per game in enemy territory. 2. The Patriots have a similar approach with the football. Tom Brady has numerous options downfield, including TE Rob Gronkowski, and is backed with a versatile rushing corps that can catch passes in the flat as well as bulldoze for gains on the ground. New England has the third-highest home scoring average in the league at 33 points per homestand. 3. Both defenses have watched teams strike for huge gains through the air. New England has allowed 36 passing plays of 25 yards or more and the Ravens sit behind them with 32 big plays against. This game could quickly dissolve into a shootout and blow away the oddsmaker’s number.
Play on OVER in New England as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Detroit at Dallas @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Dallas Cowboys host the Detroit Lions Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Detroit with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Lions defense is No. 1 against the run, giving up only 69.3 yards on the ground per game. Detroit will stuff Dallas RB DeMarco Murray and put the game on Tony Romo’s shoulders. The Lions defensive line is able to get pressure by itself, allowing the linebackers to drop into coverage and plug up the passing lanes. 2. Detroit’s offense has underperformed all season but on paper, the Lions have some of the best weapons in the game. Dallas’ defense has gotten away with a lot this year, thanks in part to the offense limiting the amount of exposure they have on the field. Detroit should exploit that soft stop unit and find its potent pass game once again. 3. AT&T Stadium is hardly home-field advantage for the Cowboys. Dallas was perfect on the road but went only 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS as hosts this season. Opponents get up to play in the league’s premier stadium and visiting fans will make the trip to cheer on their team when you have a destination like “Jerry’s World”. The indoor track in Arlington appeals to the Lions up-tempo pace, with players like Calvin Johnson, Golden State and Reggie Bush enjoying the fast surface in Dallas.
Play on Detroit as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Indianapolis vs. Cincinnati @ 1:05 p.m. ET
The Indianapolis Colts host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Colts have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, putting up an average of 28.6 points on 406.6 yards per game, including the top-ranked pass attack that throws for 305.9 yards a contest. Indianapolis passes on 62.44 percent of its snaps, which keeps the chains moving and clock stopped – a perfect Over combo. 2. The Bengals defense has been a major weakness all season long and didn’t improve down the stretch. Cincinnati gave up 28 points to Denver and 27 points to Pittsburgh – two of the top passing teams in the league – and now face another airborne attack in Indianapolis. The Bengals record only 20 sacks on the season and their pass rush isn’t putting any pressure on opposing passers. 3. The Bengals have the ability to control the tempo and clock with their running game. But if the defense can’t hold up against the Colts, Cincinnati will be force to abandon the ground-and-pound playbook and open up the passing game. Bengals WR AJ Green returned to practice this week and is expected to be cleared to play Sunday after suffering a mild concussion against the Steelers last Sunday.
Play on OVER in Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 10* (Top Play) on Baltimore at Pittsburgh @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Baltimore with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Steelers are holding their breath when it comes to the status of dynamic running back Le'Veon Bell, who has been the engine of one of the most powerful offenses in the NFL. Bell is nursing a knee injury and even if he can go, he won’t be 100 percent. Bell’s ability to run the ball and catch the short pass and pick up gains has kept defenses honest. If he’s unable to do that Saturday, Pittsburgh’s offense is very one dimensional. 2. With Bell dinged up, the Ravens will unleash their vaunted pass rush on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Baltimore has 49 sacks on the season – third most in the NFL – and can take advantage of a Pittsburgh offensive line that has struggled with protection on the past. 3. The Steelers live and die by the deep play, relying on big strikes downfield to keep the offense afloat. However, Pittsburgh has also been exposed by the big play on defense, allowing 30 passes of 25 yards or more and 56 runs of 25 yards or more this season. Baltimore has dangerous deep targets in Steve Smith and Torrey Smith, and RB Justin Forsett has erupted for massive gains in the second half of the season, averaging almost 94 yards rushing a game in he final seven contests.
Play on Baltimore as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Arizona at Carolina @ 4:35 p.m. ET
The Carolina Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Arizona with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Arizona could be the most well-coached team in the NFL with Bruce Arians continuing to get the best out of his players. This Cardinals team has been decimated by injuries all year but continues to compete each and every Sunday. 2. The Cardinals have a speedy defense that can keeps them in any game. Arizona’s blitz-happy attack forces opponents into mistakes, which the Cardinals capitalize on. They grabbed 18 interceptions on the year and will try to contain Cam Newton and make him beat them with his arm. Newton had at least one interception in all but five games this season. 3. How good is Carolina really? The team picked up steam toward the end of the year and it was enough to win the NFL’s booby prize – AKA the NFC South title. The Panthers’ four-game winning streak featured three division opponents and the floundering Browns. Arizona has faced stiff competition week in and week out in the NFC West.
Play on Arizona as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Cincinnati at Pittsburgh @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Cincinnati with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Cincinnati could be playing the best football of any team in the AFC right now. The Bengals have just one loss in their last six games, including a huge win against Denver on Monday. That lone defeat came at the hands of the Steelers, so there is plenty of motivation to erase that loss with an AFC North title on the line Sunday night. 2. Cincinnati has a dominating running tandem in Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard. The Bengals marched for 207 yards against the Broncos and have averaged 179 yards on the ground per game in their last three games. The Bengals can wear down the Steelers front line with those two dynamic backs and own time of possession (32:35 average last three games). 3. The Bengals defense has finally found its form and looked incredible on Monday night. Cincinnati sacked Peyton Manning twice and forced him to throw four interceptions. It watched Ben Roethlisberger pass for 350 yards and three touchdowns three weeks ago, so expect the Bengals to bring the same intensity and get Big Ben on his heels.
Play on Cincinnati as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Detroit at Green Bay @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the Detroit Lions Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Packers aren’t playing their best football down the stretch. Green Bay took a loss to Buffalo three weeks ago and was anything but dominant against Tampa Bay in Week 16, not breaking away until late in the fourth quarter. The Cheeseheads are not in top form with the postseason closing in quickly. 2. The Lions have the opportunity to build some major momentum before the postseason with a win and divisional title over the Packers. Detroit has won four in a row and already has a 19-7 victory over the Packers this season. Yet, books continue to disrespect the Lions in this matchup. 3. Detroit’s defense continues to set the bar in the NFL. This stop unit limited the Packers to a touchdown in their Week 3 meeting and gives up only 16.8 points per game – second lowest in the NFL. The Lions pass rush was able to get to Aaron Rodgers twice and force a number of hurries in that first meeting, limiting the Packers star QB to 162 yards on 16-for-27 passing. Detroit has the best rush defense in the NFL - 63.8 yards against per game – and will take Eddie Lacy out of the equation, leaving Rodgers to face the Lions pressure.
Play on Detroit as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Carolina at Atlanta @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Carolina with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Panthers bring a ton of momentum into this matchup for the NFC South title, winning three straight to put themselves in a position to punch a playoff ticket. The Falcons, on the other hand, have just one win in their last three contests. 2. The Panthers defense is rounding into form at the right time. This unit was among the best in the NFL last year but had trouble playing to those standards in 2014. However, over the last three games, Carolina has allowed an average of just 13.3 points on 275 yards against per contest. The Panthers have been especially stingy against the pass, giving up an average of 166 yards through the air in that three-game span with eight total sacks in those outings. 3. Cam Newton looked like his normal self in last week’s win over Cleveland. Despite being injured in a car accident the week before, Newton wasn’t afraid to break off big run and finished the day with 65 yards rushing and touchdown. If Newton continues to grab big yards when plays break down, Carolina is a very tough team to stop. The Panthers can dominate the football and time of possession, holding on to the pigskins for more than 38 minutes last week. That will keep Atlanta’s high-powered pass game on the sidelines.
Play on Carolina as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas City vs. San Diego @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Kansas City Chiefs host the San Diego Chargers Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Kansas City with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Kansas City will be without QB Alex Smith for the season finale, which puts extra emphasis on the Chiefs ground game. Luckily, KC is going up against a soft San Diego defense that just surrendered 355 yards on the ground to San Francisco and has given up an average of 184.3 rushing yards the last three games. 2. This is the season finale in Arrowhead, where despite the Chiefs’ slim playoff chances, the ground will give the Chargers offense fits at the line of scrimmage. This line has come down to far with the injury to Smith and the public is overreacting, opening up value on the home side. 3. The Chargers aren’t playing great football and needed a remarkable comeback against a damaged San Francisco team last week. If the 49ers had properly closed the door, San Diego would be on a three-game skid heading into Week 17. The Bolts defense has allowed more than 28 points a game over their last four contests.
Play on Kansas City as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Baltimore vs. Cleveland @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Baltimore Ravens host the Cleveland Browns Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Baltimore with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Baltimore is coming off just 211 yards of offense in a loss to Houston – a season low for this squad. The Ravens can’t run the risk of having another down day on that sides of the ball, not with a playoff spot on the line. Baltimore won’t roll the dice versus Cleveland and will lay it on thick, needing a win and a loss from San Diego. 2. These AFC North rivals played Over the total with a 23-21 Ravens win in Week 3. Baltimore has leaned toward the Over when playing divisional games, topping the number in five of its last seven versus AFC North foes. Cleveland has allowed some big scores to divisional members this season, giving up 30 in losses to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. 3. The Browns hand the ball to rookie QB Connor Shaw Sunday. Oddsmakers want to drop the total with Shaw taking snaps but is he that must worse than Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel. Shaw has a capable running game and a safe passing option in TE Jordan Cameron. There is an overreaction to Cleveland’s QB situation and great value with the Over in Week 17.
Play on OVER in Baltimore as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 8* (Regular Play) on Cincinnati vs. Denver @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Cincinnati with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Bengals defense has been sharpening its claws with the playoff hunt heating up. Outside of a 42-21 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 14, Cincinnati has allowed an average of just nine points in its last four contests. The Bengals have been getting good pass pressure with their front four and that has allowed them to drop linebackers into coverage – an important task in defeating Denver. 2. The Bengals need this win to clinch a postseason spot. Cincinnati doesn’t want to head into a Week 17 showdown in Pittsburgh needing to knock off the Steelers on their home turf to punch a postseason ticket. 3. The Bengals have the ground game to control the pace of the game and keep Peyton Manning and the Broncos attack iced on the sidelines. Cincinnati has a potent one-two punch in RBs Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard and has dominated time of possession the last three games – averaging 32:14 TOP. In the shutout win against Cleveland, the Bengals held on to the ball for 38:52.
Play on Cincinnati as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Arizona vs. Seattle @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Arizona Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Arizona with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Arizona has the running game and zone-blocking technique to keep the ball moving on the ground. The Cardinals, despite losing RB Andre Ellington, where able to push St. Louis around for 143 yards rushing last Thursday. Establishing the ground game is not only important to keeping the pressure of QB Ryan Lindley, but will ice Seattle’s offense on the sideline. 2. Arizona’s defense continues to keep it in games. The Cardinals are one of the most aggressive stop units in the league and will throw plenty of pressure at Russell Wilson Sunday night. Arizona had seven sacks in the loss to Seattle on Nov. 23 and has 33 sacks and numerous QB pressures on the season. 3. Arizona head coach Bruce Arians isn’t going to back off on offense with this third-string QB taking snaps. Arians says he will attack the Seattle secondary with deep throws and won’t dumb down his playbook. The Cardinals have some talented targets down field and a proven third-down option in WR Larry Fitzgerald, who missed the first meeting with Seattle. Arizona has covered the spread in six of its last eight home games versus the Seahawks.
Play on Arizona as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Oakland vs. Buffalo @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Oakland Raiders host the Buffalo Bills Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Oakland with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Bills defense is bound for a letdown after such a solid performance against the Packers last week. On top of that, Buffalo travels out to the West Coast and has a lookahead trap with New England ahead on the schedule. 2. Buffalo’s offense has been stuck in mud the past two games, but this team has shown explosiveness with the football. The Bills put up 26 and 38 points in the two weeks prior and face an Oakland stop unit giving up 27.2 points per game. 3. Oakland will be looking to get the ball out quickly and keep the Buffalo pass rush at bay Sunday. The Raiders offensive line has performed well at home and rookie QB David Carr has thrown for 10 touchdowns in his last five starts inside O.co Coliseum. The emergence of RB Latavius Murray has helped keep opposing defenses honest and given Oakland a big-play weapon on the ground. The Raiders have played Over the total in five of their last seven games.
Play on OVER in Oakland as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Indianapolis at Dallas @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Dallas Cowboys host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Indianapolis is still in the hunt for a top seed and home field in the AFC, so this non-conference matchup is very important to the Colts. Not having to travel to Denver or New England could be the difference when it comes to making the Super Bowl. 2. Dallas is terrible at home. The Cowboys are just 2-5 ATS inside AT&T Stadium this season and welcome an Indianapolis offense that will be right at home on the turf inside. 3. The Colts bring the best passing game in the NFL to Arlington, and even with WR TY Hilton nursing an injury, Andrew Luck has plenty of options. Dallas has given up an average of 256 passing yards over the past three games and opponents have been able to convert on third down on 44.69 percent of their snaps. On the other side of the ball, Indianapolis’ defense is tops in the league on third downs (32.95%).
Play on Indianapolis as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Chicago vs. Detroit @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Chicago with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. There is major turmoil in the Windy City but let’s not forget this is still a heated divisional rivalry. The Bears are at home and have a chance to play spoiler to the Lions postseason hopes. This is a lot of points to give the host team – regardless of the situation. 2. With Jimmy Clausen getting the start, expect a healthy dose of RB Matt Forte, who has been chomping at the bit for more touches. Not only with a run heavy attack keep the Lions potent pass game off the field but it will also relieve some of the pass rush pressure from Detroit’s defense. 3. For the amount of weapons Detroit has on offense, the scoring attack just hasn’t produced this season. The Lions managed only 16 points against Minnesota last week and has scored 20 or fewer points in four of their last six contests. Giving 8.5 points on the road could be a tall task for this team.
Play on Chicago as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in San Francisco vs. San Diego @ 8:25 p.m. ET
The San Francisco 49ers host the San Diego Chargers Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in San Francisco with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Chargers offense has sputtered the last two weeks, putting up a combined 24 points in losses to the Patriots and Broncos. San Diego will likely be without RB Ryan Mathews again, so the offense will lean heavily on the pass. The Bolts have a ton of options downfield and can strike in a hurry. 2. The pressure is off the Niners, with the playoffs unobtainable following last week’s loss. San Francisco has also struggled to score in recent weeks, but with nothing lose the 49ers could open up the offense. The running game is banged up, so Colin Kaepernick could be called upon to put the scoring attack on his back Saturday. 3. Oddsmakers have trimmed this total to a dangerous low and is offering great value with the Over. Both teams have weapons who can erupt for big scores and also have two defenses known for taking turnovers back for points. It won’t take much from two very capable teams to top this total Saturday night.
Play on OVER in San Francisco as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia at Washington @ 4:30 p.m. ET
The Washington Redskins host the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Philadelphia with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Eagles can’t afford to drop another game after losing to Dallas last Sunday. Philadelphia will be very motivated to rebound from that loss and stay in the NFC East title hunt, and won’t take any chances Saturday. Expect the Eagles to pile on the points. 2. The Redskins offensive line is doing a terrible job of protecting the passer. Washington allowed Robert Griffin III to get sacked seven times against the Giants and have allowed 53 sacks on the season – second most in the NFL. Philadelphia has an aggressive pass rush that is among the fastest defenses in the league. The Eagles have 47 sacks on the season – second most in the NFL. 3. Turnovers have killed the Eagles offense, especially when it comes to QB Mark Sanchez recently. Philadelphia will be careful with the playcalling and lean on dynamic RBs LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. Philadelphia’s relentless pace and dominating ground game will wear on Washington. The Redskins allow an average of 7.9 points per fourth quarter – fourth most in the NFL – and the defense will be running on empty come the final quarter after chasing around the Eagles around all afternoon.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Jacksonville vs. Tennessee @ 8:25 p.m. ET
The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Jacksonville with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Jaguars expect QB Blake Bortles to be ready to go after nursing a foot injury this week. Bortles put up solid numbers against Tennessee back in Week 6, passing for 336 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 16-14 road loss to the Titans. Tennessee has allowed more than 260 yards passing per game in its last three outings. 2. The Titans defense gave up just 16 points to the lowly Jets last week but have been beaten badly in the three game priors, allowing an average of more than 41 points in that span. With a total this low it won’t take much from the Jaguars offense to exploit that weakness and push this final score well Over the number. 3. Neither team has a dominant rushing attack, with Jacksonville putting RB Denard Robinson on IR, and the Titans losing dynamic RB Dexter McCluster and sharing carries between ineffective RBs Bishop Sankey and Shonn Greene. Both offenses will be looking to pass, which will keep the yardage high and the clock stopped – a perfect combo for Over bettors.
Play on OVER in Jacksonville as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 8* (Regular Play) on New Orleans at Chicago @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Chicago Bears host the New Orleans Saints Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on New Orleans with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Saints are in must-win mode after a bad loss to Carolina last week. New Orleans is not out of the NFC South race and head coach Sean Payton isn’t giving up on the season. He shook things up in the Big Easy this week, trimming some fat off the roster and holding one-on-one meetings with players, trying to light a fire under his team. 2. Chicago, on the other hand, is just counting down the days until the 2014 schedule is finally over. The Bears suffered a bad loss to Dallas at home last Thursday, losing WR Brandon Marshall in the process. The coaching staff is blasting QB Jay Cutler and there is a poison atmosphere in the Windy City. 3. The Saints love to play on the Monday night stage, going 5-2 ATS in their last seven MNF games. Unlike past seasons, this New Orleans team has shown a toughness on the road. It has won back-to-back games away from home, thanks in part of a balanced offense that can run the ball and take pressure off QB Drew Brees and the passing attack.
Play on New Orleans as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia vs. Dallas @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Philadelphia with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Eagles torched the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, with their speed exposing what is a slow-moving, lumbering Dallas defense. Philadelphia will once again pick up the tempo and leave the Cowboys in their dust Sunday night. 2. The Eagles’ speed isn’t just reserved to the offense. The Philadelphia defense is one of the fastest stop units in the NFL and were one of the few teams to crack Dallas’ talented offensive line. Philadelphia had Cowboys QB Tony Romo on the run all night – recording four sacks – and snuffed out RB DeMarco Murray, allowing just 73 yards on 20 carries from the NFL’s rushing leader. 3. The Cowboys defense has fallen apart since the beginning of November. It’s allowed an average of 26.8 points per game in its last five games and can’t get opposing defenses off the field. The Cowboys are watching foes convert on 51.22 percent of their third downs over the past three games. That’s killed Dallas’ time of possession numbers – holding on to the ball for an average of only 28:58 in that span. Playing keep away from the Eagles is Dallas’ best chance at staying in this game but it will be tough to do with the defense getting rolled over.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in San Diego vs. Denver @ 4:05 p.m. ET
The San Diego Chargers host the Denver Broncos Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in San Diego with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Chargers have a potent passing game with four receiving options that can do damage. Keenan Allen, Eddie Royal, Malcolm Floyd and Antonio Gates can all step up and explode for a big day, making this a very difficult pass game to stop. 2. Denver has been plagued with issues inside the red zone but broke out of that funk against the Bills last week, scoring three TDS on three tries inside the 20-yard line. The return of TE Julius Thomas should boost that red-zone attack. Thomas leads the NFL in red-zone touchdowns this season. 3. San Diego’s rushing game could be slowed by an injury to RB Ryan Mathews. That puts more pressure on Philip Rivers and the passing attack to keep the chains moving. Rivers faced a similar issue against the Broncos in Week 8 with Mathews out and the rushing corps banged up. He threw the ball 41 times, putting up 252 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 loss that played Over the 50.5-point total.
Play on OVER in San Diego as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Indianapolis vs. Houston @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Indianapolis Colts host the Houston Texans Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Indianapolis knows it has a target on its back and can’t afford to slip up in December. The Colts are just ahead of the Texans in the AFC South standings and holding out hope for a shot at home field in the postseason. This is a must-win for Indianapolis. 2. The Colts have dominated the Texans at home since Houston brought back a franchise. The Texans are 0-12 SU and 3-9 ATS in Indianapolis with their last road cover coming way back in 2008. 3. Houston’s defense has been a bend-but-don’t-break unit, allowing 373 yards per game (25th in NFL) but just an average of just 20 points per game (7th in the NFL). The Colts erupted for 33 points and 370 passing yards from Andrew Luck in their win over the Texans back in Week 6, with TY Hilton having another big game versus Houston. He caught all nine passes thrown his way for 223 yards and a touchdown.
Play on Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Cincinnati at Cleveland @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Cleveland Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Cincinnati with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Browns are giving the ball to Johnny Manziel under center, and that prompted a line move on Cleveland. Regardless of public opinion, the Browns are marching out a rookie QB for his first start and this spread has no business being this short. There’s great value on Cincinnati here. 2. The Browns offense was also out of sorts before throwing a completely new QB into the mix. Star WR Josh Gordon was targeted seven times and made just two catches for 15 yards in his first game back. This is Manziel’s first week working with the first teamers and you can expect more than a few miscues Sunday. The Bengals have 12 interceptions on the season. 3. Cincinnati is in danger of slipping back in the AFC North and falling out of the playoff picture. The Bengals will institute a run-heavy game plan behind RBs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. Hills is more of a downhill runner while Bernard has the ability to catch the short pass and pick up gains after the catch. Cleveland is allowing 129.5 rushing yards per game which ranks 26th in the NFL.
Play on Cincinnati as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in St. Louis vs. Arizona @ 8:25 p.m. ET
The St. Louis Rams host the Arizona Cardinals Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in St. Louis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Oddsmakers are dangerously dropping this total way too low for a primetime game. While the Rams defense has shutout its last two opponents and the Cardinals offense has underperformed, these NFC West rivals know each other very well and the window is open for a much higher scoring game than books are predicting. 2. St. Louis has found new life with the football. The rushing attack is picking up steam, putting up 172 and 131 yards on the ground the last two games, which has opened up the passing game. Quarterback Shaun Hill is hitting his targets, with four touchdowns and just under 400 yards the last two outings. 3. Books are discounting Arizona QB Drew Stanton, especially for his recent road woes. Stanton hasn’t played well away from home in his last three trips, however, two of those games were in Denver and Seattle – two of the toughest venues in the NFL. Stanton was also without WR Larry Fitzgerald in two of those last three road starts. He’ll have Fitzgerald and underrated RB Kerwynn Williams at his disposal Thursday night. Williams had 100 yards on 19 carries versus the Chiefs last week, in place of injured RB Andre Ellington.
Play on OVER in St. Louis as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 8* (Regular Play) on Atlanta at Green Bay @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the Atlanta Falcons Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Atlanta with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Falcons are building momentum heading into the home stretch of the season, having won three of their last four, including a huge victory over the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. Atlanta is try to stay atop the NFC South and earn that automatic playoff bid with the wild card out of the question. 2. The Falcons were able to dominate the NFL’s best defense with the ground game last week, rushing for 142 yards on 34 carries and chewing up 37:03 in time of possession. Atlanta faces a Green Bay stop unit allowing 132.2 rushing yards per game – 29th in the NFL. The Falcons can control the pace of the action and keep Aaron Rodgers and Packers powerful offense on the sidelines. 3. While many point to the Falcons issues on the road, Atlanta has been right at home in Lambeau Field in recent trips to Wisconsin. The Falcons have covered in each of their last four games in Green Bay. The road side has also been the big winner when the Falcons and Packers collide, covering in seven of the last eight overall meetings between these two franchises.
Play on Atlanta as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on New England at San Diego @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The San Diego Chargers host the New England Patriots Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on New England with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Chargers defense isn’t generating any pressure on opposing passers, with only 18 sacks on the season. The last thing they want to do is giving Tom Brady extra time to pick apart the secondary. 2. The Patriots are coming off a game in which they limited the Green Bay Packers potent passing game to only 26 points – a solid defensive effort despite giving up 478 yards. New England is used to protecting against the deep ball – having just played Green Bay, Detroit, Indianapolis and Denver - and will face a Chargers offense with plenty of speed downfield. 3. Those expecting a dropoff in play due to the cross-country trip from the Patriots are dead wrong. In fact, the Pats have been on the West Coast since losing to Green Bay. New England flew directly to San Diego and has practiced there all week, getting accustomed to the time change. The Patriots have won five of the last six meetings with San Diego, posting a 4-2 ATS mark in those games.
Play on New England as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Denver vs. Buffalo @ 4:05 p.m. ET
The Denver Broncos host the Buffalo Bills Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Denver with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Bills know what lies ahead for them at Mile High and will need to turn up the intensity in the passing game if they’re going to keep pace with Peyton Manning & Co. The Broncos put up 16 points per first half – a number that jumps to 19.7 at home. Buffalo will fall behind fast and turn to the passing game to dig themselves out. 2. Buffalo has the fifth-ranked stop unit in the NFL, allowing just 312.4 yards per game. But playing in the thin air of Sports Authority Field – especially against the Broncos’ up-tempo attack – can leave even the stingiest stop units running on empty. There’s a reason why Denver has gone over in 19 of its last 27 home games. 3. The Broncos offense has stalled inside the 20-yard line since star TE Julius Thomas went down with an injury. Denver is working around those problems, and should at least have TE Jacob Tamme on the field Sunday. Tamme and a rejuvenated run game will give Denver plenty of options inside the red zone.
Play on OVER in Denver as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Baltimore at Miami @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Miami Dolphins host the Baltimore Ravens Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Baltimore with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Ravens missed out on a big win versus San Diego last week, getting edged by one points, and are try to stay in the race for the top spot in the AFC North. Baltimore have covered in each of its last four meetings with the Dolphins and has comes away with the cash in four of its last five trips to Miami. 2. Baltimore’s rushing attack is ranked among the best in the NFL, rumbling for 131.8 yards per game. Running back Justin Forsett has stepped up, averaging an incredible 5.6 yards per carry on the ground. Miami was just rolled for 201 yards rushing against Denver and gave up 277 yards on the ground to the Jets last week. 3. Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been steady under center in the past three games, passing for a total of 637 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Baltimore’s balanced attack is helping boost their production on the scoreboard, scoring 34 and 33 points in their last two outings.
Play on Baltimore as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Indianapolis at Cleveland @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Cleveland Browns host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The controversy has started in Cleveland, where pressure is on QB Brian Hoyer to fight for his job. Hoyer was yanked after throwing two interceptions against Buffalo last week, forcing the Browns to go with rookie Johnny Manziel. Hoyer will be playing extra tight knowing the bench is just one bad throw away. 2. Indianapolis will try to add to that pressure with a devastating pass rush that has recorded 34 sacks on the season – tied for fifth most in the league. The Colts defense has nine sacks the last two games. 3. There’s a personal edge to this game for the Colts, with former Cleveland castoffs RB Trent Richardson and KR Josh Cribbs on Indianapolis’ roster. The Browns gave up on both players, who will undoubtedly want to show up their former club. Richardson will go up against a run defense allowing 132.5 yards per game. The Colts will rally around these two guys and lay it on thick in front of the Cleveland faithful Sunday.
Play on Indianapolis as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Chicago vs. Dallas @ 8:25 p.m. ET
The Chicago Bears host the Dallas Cowboys Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Chicago with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas makes another cold weather trip to the Windy City. The Cowboys were embarrassed in Chicago last season, playing in sub-zero temperatures. Dallas didn’t want any part of that game. This season, the mercury isn’t as low but the forecast is calling for temperatures in the low 30s and winds making it feel a lot colder on the field. Expect the Cowboys to be out of their comfort zone Thursday. 2. The Cowboys defense is crumbling. The stop unit has overperformed all season but is getting exposed in recent weeks. Dallas is allowing 404.7 yards per game over its last three contests, which ranks third worst in the NFL during that span. 3. Chicago is hungry for a victory after getting rolled by the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Expect a healthy dose of RB Matt Forte, who only carried the ball six times last Thursday. The Cowboys were bowled over for 256 yards rushing in the loss to the Eagles and will have a tough time slowing down a motivated Forte Thursday night.
Play on Chicago as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 8* (Regular Play) on NY Jets vs. Miami @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The New York Jets host the Miami Dolphins Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on NY Jets with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Jets are making a switch at QB, turning back to Geno Smith over Mike Vick. Smith looked much for comfortable under center in relief of Vick last week, posting a 97.6 QB rating – his highest of the season. 2. The Dolphins were rolled for more than 200 yards rushing versus Denver’s so-so ground game last week. Miami, which ranks 10th in rushing defense at 104.2 yards per game, goes up against a potent Jets run playbook, with a strong RB tandem in Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson. New York is picking up 136.4 yards on the ground an outing – third best in the NFL. 3. Miami’s secondary is beat up heading into this Monday matchup, and New York has the talent to exploit that weakness with speedsters Percy Harvin and Eric Decker. The Jets run game will open up the passing lanes, especially on playaction. Play on NY Jets as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Denver at Kansas City @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Denver with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Denver hasn’t played its best football the last two weeks, losing to St. Louis and narrowly avoiding another upset against Miami. The Broncos know that level of football won’t cut it in Arrowhead Stadium. Expect Denver to pick it up against this divisional foe, covering the spread in eight of their last 12 games versus AFC West rivals. 2. The Broncos aren’t just leaning on their passing game to get the job done and can keep the Chiefs defense on their toes with the emergence of their rushing attack. Denver rumbled for 205 yards in the win over Miami and had 118 yards against Oakland three weeks ago. A potent running game will limit the amount of pressure Kansas City can bring at Peyton Manning, opening up the passing attack. 3. The Chiefs have weapons but aren’t the most explosive offense, picking up only 5.3 yards per play – 21st in the NFL. If Denver gets up big – and it will – Kansas City can’t shift into that next gear. We saw this in the first meeting between these teams, when the Broncos jumped out early and Kansas City couldn’t come back, despite keeping Denver out of the end zone in second half.
Play on Denver as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on New England at Green Bay @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the New England Patriots Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on New England with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Patriots have faced and conquered some of the elite passers in the NFL this season. New England has wins over Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, and Matthew Stafford the last three games, so facing a red-hot Aaron Rodgers is nothing new to this secondary. 2. The Patriots offense isn’t getting the respect it deserves in this matchup. New England is putting the ball in the end zone any which way it can. One week, Tom Brady is hitting his WRs for huge strikes. The next TE Rob Gronkowski is plowing through the secondary. And the week after that, New England is rushing the ball down its opponent’s throat. The Pats have far too many ways to find paydirt. 3. Green Bay’s defense has depended on turnovers to make up for its sub-par stats. However, don’t expect New England to just hand the ball over. The Patriots have just nine turnovers on the year with all nine coming via Tom Brady, either by interception of fumble. New England just isn’t going to give Green Bay any extra chances with the football.
Play on New England as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on New Orleans at Pittsburgh @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the New Orleans Saints Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on New Orleans with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Saints are being undervalued in this matchup, with oddsmakers looking to their past struggles away from home when setting this line. New Orleans has been a bad pay on the road but has already shown it can win away from the Big Easy with a huge divisional victory in Carolina. 2. New Orleans isn’t relying solely on the passing game against the Steelers. The Saints have an impressive balance on offense, and are able to pound the football with RBs Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas. New Orleans has the ninth-best rushing attack in the NFL, averaging 124.8 yards on the ground per game. They are among the top teams in time of possession - 30:46 – and can take the air out of the Steelers offense. 3. Saints TE Jimmy Graham is a handful for any defense, but Pittsburgh has been bullied by big TEs this season. Eight of the 19 receiving touchdowns Pittsburgh has allowed have been caught by tight ends. Graham had two TD catches in last week’s loss to Baltimore.
Play on New Orleans as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Tampa Bay vs. Cincinnati @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Tampa Bay with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Tampa Bay has given its opponents great starting field position this season, rankings among the bottom of the NFL in punting stats. The Bengals have a dangerous return team that should have Cincinnati in striking distance on most drives. 2. Tampa Bay’s defense has beat up on some offensively-challenged teams recently, slowing down Washington and Chicago. The Bengals are getting their legs back under them after having key weapons in and out all season. Receiver AJ Green is back to full strength and dynamic RB Giovanni Bernard will have another game under his belt since return from injury. The Cincinnati offense – which has erupted for big games – should be firing on all cylinders in Week 13. 3. The Bucs are seeing some explosiveness of their own with the football. Rookie WR Mike Evans has been dominating opposing secondaries in recent weeks, totaling 505 yards and six touchdowns in the past four games. With his deep-ball threat drawing attention, it also opens up the offense for easier passes underneath and draw plays. Play on OVER in Tampa Bay as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in San Francisco vs. Seattle @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in San Francisco with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Seattle has roughed up some less-than-threatening offenses in recent games, taking wins against Carolina, New York, Oakland and Arizona – all of which are struggling to produce with the football. The Seahawks defense is not what is used to be and oddsmakers are overvaluing those efforts against bad scoring teams. 2. San Francisco has been waiting for this game since last season. The 49ers staff has broken down this Seattle stop unit and knows just where to strike. The Niners have plenty of weapons to do so and would love nothing more than to explode for big scores in front of their faithful inside their new stadium. 3. San Francisco’s defense is also overrated, knocking around lesser foes in recent weeks. The Niners stuffed the Redskins and Giants, dodged a bullet versus the Saints and lost to the Rams, despite their offensive struggled. Let’s not forget the 42-point flogging Denver laid on San Francisco on Sunday Night Football in Week 7.
Play on OVER in San Francisco as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia at Dallas @ 4:30 p.m. ET
The Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Philadelphia with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas is coming off a tough and physical Sunday night win in New York and has a short week to heal up for this up-tempo affair with the Eagles and their high-octane offense. The Cowboys could be a few steps behind Thursday. 2. The Cowboys defense is having a tough time getting off the field on third downs, allowing opponents to convert on 45.45 percent of third-down attempts. Things have been especially bad the last three games, with opponents moving the chains on 53.33 percent of their third downs. 3. Philadelphia finally got its rushing attack on track versus the Titans last week, with RB LeSean McCoy running for 130 yards and a score. That balance on offense – Eagles averaging 315.3 passing yards per game under QB Mark Sanchez – will be tough from Dallas to stop. There is just too much firepower on this offense.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Detroit vs. Chicago @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The Detroit Lions host the Chicago Bears Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Detroit with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Both of these passing games have underperformed this season. With deep threats on both sidelines, this NFC North matchup could quickly turn into a shootout. There’s too much talent to stay down for long. 2. Detroit’s defense was exposed in last week’s loss to the Patriots, giving up 34 points. Chicago will follow that blueprint in hopes of giving its porous stop unit some breathing room. The Bears defense has been roughed up on the road, allowing 23.8 points per game away from the Windy City – compared to just 18.6 ppg at home. Chicago has allowed a total of 106 points in its last two road stops. 3. These NFC North rivals have topped the total in four of their past five clashes inside Ford Field. Chicago is 5-1 O/U on the road while Detroit has tipped the total in five of its last seven Thursday contests.
Play on OVER in Detroit as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in New Orleans vs. Baltimore @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The New Orleans Saints host the Baltimore Ravens Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in New Orleans with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Saints have dropped back-to-back games at home, so don’t expect Sean Payton to lay down for a third straight loss on Monday Night Football. New Orleans was limited on offense last week. It won’t happen again. 2. Baltimore is no slouch in the offensive fireworks department. The Ravens can quickly pile up the points and take on a Saints defense that has allowed 255.2 yards through the air per game – 26th in the NFL. Baltimore has topped the total in five of their last six road games – ranked third in road scoring at 26.2 per away game. 3. It’s Monday night in the Big Easy, which means the Saints are putting on a show. New Orleans has seen an average total of almost 58 points in its last eight night games. The Saints have also scored at least 28 points in seven straight Monday Night Football showcases.
Play on OVER in New Orleans as a 10* Top Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Monday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER 41.5 in Buffalo vs. NY Jets @ 7:00 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Bills faces the New York Jets at Ford Field in Detroit Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Buffalo with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. This is a big change of venue from the snowy confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo. Thanks to the massive snow storm in Western New York, the Jets and Bills hit the fast indoor track of Ford Field which should speed up both offenses. These two AFC East rivals have topped the total in five of their previous six head-to-head clashes. 2. The Bills had success finding paydirt against the Jets in Week 7, scoring 43 points in a one-side win that topped the total. Buffalo QB Kyle Orton hooked up with WR Sammy Watkins for 157 yards and a touchdown. Watkins has had some extra time to get healthy and should be a huge threat in this makeshift Monday nighter. 3. The Jets have some real speed on their roster that will benefit from this game being bumped to Ford Field. Not only does New York has a blistering rushing attack behind Chris Ivory and QB Mike Vick, but versatile WR Percy Harvin has been used in both the passing and running playbooks and is set up for a big night on Monday.
Play on OVER in Buffalo as an 8* Regular Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on NY Giants vs. Dallas @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on NY Giants with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas could get caught in a huge lookahead spot Sunday night with a short week to prepare for the Eagles on Thanksgiving Day Thursday. That showdown with Philadelphia is much bigger game in the division race than this matchup with the Giants. 2. The Cowboys picked up an easy win over the Jaguars in London two weeks ago but showed some big weakness in the two losses before that victory. Dallas has been unable to get opponents off the field on third down, due in part to some poor tackling and injuries to the defense. 3. Dallas does not like cold weather games and the forecast for the Sunday nighter is looking ugly. There is an 80 percent chance of rain in East Rutherford with temperatures in the low 40s and winds could add to that impact. The Giants have a decisive home-field edge.
Play on NY Giants as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Denver vs. Miami @ 4:25 p.m. ET
The Denver Broncos host the Miami Dolphins Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Denver with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Denver is ready to bounce back after a terrible offensive effort versus St. Louis last week – a game in which we won big on the Rams. The Broncos are back home and looking to get on track for the home stretch of the season. WR Emmanuel Sanders is expected to return, giving Peyton Manning one of his favorite targets. 2. Miami knows it will need to score some points to have a fight chance against the Broncos. The Dolphins have struggled to find paydirt when inside the 20-yard line this season but take on a Denver defense that has allowed opponents to score touchdowns on 60 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line over the last three games. 3. The Broncos have been a reliable Over play, topping the total in 34 of their last 56 games, including going Over in 31 of their last 44 contests inside Sports Authority Field. Denver has also paid out for Over backers in 41 of its last 56 games coming off a loss.
Play on OVER in Denver as a 10* Top Selection Sunday. Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Philadelphia vs. Tennessee @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia Eagles host the Tennessee Titans Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Philadelphia with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Titans were thrashed by the Steelers running game last week, allowing 206 yards on the ground. Now, Tennessee is facing the up-tempo pace of the Eagles offense that has been itching to have a breakthrough with the run game. Look for LeSean McCoy to finally have the big day everyone has been waiting for. 2. The Eagles are a tough team on their own turf, going a perfect 5-0 SU inside Lincoln Financial Field with a 4-1 ATS record in those games. On top of that, Tennessee has covered just twice in its last eight road trips. 3. Tennessee has had a short week to prepare for the Eagles after playing on Monday night. The Titans pass game is currently ranked ninth in the NFL but that’s because team have been able to run at will against their stop unit. Philadelphia has some deep threats that will test that secondary in Jeremy Maclin and Jordan Matthews.
Play on Philadelphia as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Houston vs. Cincinnati @ 1:00 p.m. ET
The Houston Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Houston with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Both of these teams have very overrated defenses that have underperformed all season. The Bengals rank 28th in yards allowed, giving up 385.7 yards per game, while the Texans sit 30th in the NFL after allowing 389.5 yards an outing. 2. The Bengals have been off and on when it comes to moving the chains but QB Andy Dalton is coming off a brilliant passing game in which he threw for three touchdowns. Cincinnati welcomes back RB Giovanni Bernard also, giving Dalton another weapons. Bernard has picked up big gains both running and catching the ball this season. 3. Houston RB Arian Foster is a game-time decision for this game and sources close to the team don’t expect him to see much action – if any. That means the Texans will be looking to pass the ball more than usual. Houston only throws on 47.58 percent of its plays – lowest in the NFL. That pace will see an uptick Sunday, which is great for the Over.
Play on OVER in Houston as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.