Monster Sports Picks
NHL PHILADELPHIA FLYERS ‑105
__________________
Ace / V.I.P.
NBA BROOKLYN NETS ‑7.5
__________________
Tys Terrific Tips
NFL NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS ‑13.5
__________________
SCOTT DELANEY
It's an NFL bah humbug Christmas in Florida these days, as Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Miami will all likely watch the playoffs, rather than compete in them.
The Bucs are out of it. The Jaguars are out of it. The Dolphins need a lot of help to have any shot at the postseason.
So, I suppose, as long as the Dolphins have some jolly ol' hope, they're going to be a value choice in laying a cheap number at home today against Jacksonville.
Miami is in after a 41-17 thumping at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, sending the Fish to the brink of elimination. But it's worst with the Jags, who are beyond help after a promising start to the season. They have now lost nine of 10 games, and while people are clamoring about Oakland tanking, has anyone noticed it's seemingly getting worse weekly with the Jaguars?
Jacksonville's stagnant offense has scored a total of 28 points in the three weeks since Cody Kessler replaced Blake Bortles at quarterback. Plus, Jacksonville is one of just two NFL teams - the other is defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia - that hasn't had a 100-yard rusher this season.
Think about that for a moment. Your quarterback is inefficient and your running game is non-existent. Today, Miami's 31st ranked run defense will look like the wall President Trump is trying to build.
But speaking of running, I'll look to Dolphins rookie Kalen Ballage, who rushed for a career-high 123 yards last week, including 75 for his first career touchdown. As bad as Jacksonville's defense has turned out, this kid could go for 150 today.
Coupled with Ryan Tannehill, who has won nine consecutive home starts and has 17 touchdown passes and a 129.4 rating in his past six home games, the Dolphins offense will thrive today.
And while the Dolphins have been terrible away from Miami, only one AFC team has a better home record than their 6-1 mark. That doesn't bode well for Jacksonville, which is 1-5 on the road, including losses of 40-7 at Dallas and 30-9 at Tennessee.
Lay the small number with the Dolphins, and like with all football plays in this point-spread range, I want you active in buying the half point. Anytime there is a favorite laying points between -3 and -4.5, you are to buy the half point down.
4* DOLPHINS
__________________
CHRIS JORDAN
The Cleveland Browns haven't swept the season series with the Cincinnati Bengals since 2002. Today, you're going to see the Browns dismantle their in-state rivals.
Cleveland is out of the playoff picture, after yesterday's results backed it out. So if there is one thing left to play for, it's to sweep the season series with the Bengals, especially when this game is in FirstEnergy Stadium.
And to be quite honest, there's more than that to play for, as two wins to close the season put the Browns over .500. But they need to win today.
And when you pit Cleveland's respectable offense against Cincinnati's horrendous defense, it could get ugly. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has proven to be the answer and future of this team, and he hasn't minced words about ousted coach Hue Jackson, now on staff with Cincinnati.
Mayfield has thrown a touchdown pass in all 11 starts, while his 21 touchdown strikes are five shy of the league rookie record shared by Peyton Manning (1998), Russell Wilson (2012). No doubt in my mind he can get more than halfway to the record today, against Cincinnati's 32nd-ranked defense.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns' defense isn't much better than Cincy's, but the Bengals have just as bad an offense. Quarterback Jeff Driskel makes his fourth start in place of Andy Dalton. Driskel has completed 58.8 percent of his throws for 536 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Browns are 6-0 when holding opponents to 20 points or less, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Cleveland hold the Bengals to single digits.
Lay the home chalk with Cleveland today.
3* BROWNS
__________________
TOMMY BRUNSON
After back-to-back losses, one in which they were held out of the end-zone in a 15-6 final under the Sunday night lights at Chicago on the 9th, and a shocking 30-23 home loss last weekend as the -13 point favorites to the Eagles, I expect the Rams to get healthy at the expense of the worst offensive team in the NFL.
Arizona is back home after getting leveled by a 40-14 score in Atlanta against a Falcons team that hadn't shown ANY offense at all over the past 5 weeks (none of those games with over 20 points scored), and I highly doubt they are going to be able to slow down a Los Angeles team that is overdue for an offensive eruption as we grow closer to the playoffs.
Jared Goff has thrown pick-sixes in back-to-back games now, and he has also failed to throw a touchdown pass in either of the Rams last pair of games. That will change today against a Cardinals team he dissected all the way back on Week Two in a 34-0, as Los Angeles has now beaten 'Zona, 34-0 this season, and they also own a sweep in last year's season series, 33-0, and 32-16. Sean McVay's team should hang a similar looking final score on the Redbirds today in Glendale.
The Cardinals offense in a word...stinks! They have scored more than 20 points in a game only twice this year, and they rank near the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category you can think of. The points have not really helped the Cards either, as they have failed 4 of their last 5 both straight up and against the spread.
With Arizona just giving up over 400 yards to the previously dormant Atlanta offense, and with their rush defense holding steady at 31st in the league, all signs point towards a big day for Todd Gurley and company.
in this game.
It's far easier for me to envision a 28-7 final score here in favor of the Rams, so lay the lumber today!
5* L.A. RAMS
__________________
Jeff Allen
Sunday's Free Selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights
__________________
LARRY NESS
NFL | Dec 23, 2018
Jaguars vs. Dolphins
Dolphins-3 -130
My free play is on the Mia Dolphins at 1:00 ET.
The Jaguars led the Pats by 10 points in the fourth quarter of last year's AFC championship game, before losing 24-20. Jacksonville then opened the 2018 season at 3-1, including a 31-20 win over those very same Pats in Week 2. However, the Jags' season collapsed, as they lost seven in a row beginning in Week 5 and limp into this Week 16 game at Miami, 4-10 (that's ONE win in their last 10!). The Miami Dolphins also opened strong at 3-0 but enter this contest 7-7 and needing a minor miracle to get into the postseason. The Dolphins need to win their remaining two games and get plenty of other help to keep their playoff hopes alive (Tenn & Balt winning Saturday, didn't help).
.Jacksonville's ground game was expected to carry the team (jags averaged YPG rushing last year) but second-year running back Leonard Fournette missed six games due to injury and sat out another while serving a suspension. Fournette had only one carry in the second half of a 16-13 loss to Washington last weekend. Fournette appeared to suffer a foot injury and limped off the field against the Redskins, but he practiced fully on Wednesday. Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone explained Fournette's absence by noting he wanted to get a better look at rookie Dave Williams, a seventh-round draft pick who was signed off Denver's practice squad. Blake Bortles opened the season very well (7-3 TD-INT ratio with games of 376 and 388 passing yards the 1st four weeks) but he has since been benched. The switch to Cody Kessler has not paid dividends for the Jaguars, with the team scoring just 28 points in the three games he's started (Kessler has two TDPs and six turnovers in four games / three starts).
Miami QB Ryan Tannehill is 5-4 in nine starts this season, completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,686 yards with 16 TDs and six INTs. However, Tannehill turned in an ugly performance in last week's 41-17 loss at Minnesota, completing 11 of 24 passes for 108 yards, after tossing eight TD passes against only one interception in his previous three starts. The Dolphins benefited from a last-second "Miracle in Miami" in Week 14,to improve their standing in the postseason conversation, only to see that talk quieted by last Sunday's lopsided loss.
Bottom line is this, the Dolphins' postseason aspirations maybe flickering but the Jags should play the perfect foil. They are 1-9 SU & 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 and with Kessler starting, have averaged 9.3 PPG with only one offensive TD the past three weeks. Meanwhile, Miami is 6-1 SU & ATS at Hard Rock Stadium this season plus Tannehill has won nine straight in Miami, with 17 TDs vs just four INTs in his last six, Lay it.
Good luck...Larry
__________________
Bob Harvey Sports
#551/2 GS Warriors/LA Clippers Over
__________________
Valley Sports
#120 Cleveland Browns
#541 Los Angeles Clippers
__________________
Nick Pellegrino
#69/0 NY Islanders/Da Stars Under
__________________
Richard Saber
#130 Seattle Seahawks ML
__________________
The Last Call
Early Sunday's Free Play: Northern Colorado - 13
__________________
Big Ray Sports
( Spooky Express - NBA) -
Top 5* Play Over 218 Nets/Suns
__________________