Mike Lineback
4* 7 Teaser - New Orleans & Over
4* Washington Wizards +9.5
Tim Truschel
Detroit/Charlotte Over
Erin Rynning
Detroit/Charlotte Over
Wunderdog
New Orleans / Atlanta Under 49.5
KELSO
25 Units Air Force Falcons, -2.5
15 Units New Orleans Saints, +2.5
10 Units Connecticut Huskies, +7.5
5 Units Portland Pilots, -10
DAVID BANKS
SAINTS
OVER 49
MAGIC
PITT
Northcoast
2* Saints
Marquee - Over
Ben Burns
10* Saints/Falcons Under
Matt Fargo
10* New Orleans Saints
10* Atlanta Hawks
Nick Parsons
Columbus/Minnesota Under 5.5
Jim Feist
GOY LA Clippers
MTi Sports
4* Thunder
4* Thunder Over
4* Pistons Under
4* Magic
4* Blazers Under
MR EAST
4 UNITS: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS +2.5
The Atlanta Falcons come into this game at 12-2 and they are the antithesis of the San Diego Chargers and Green Bay Packers, as those 2 teams have been the best teams from the line of scrimmage in the NFL, but neither might make the playoffs. The Falcons are negative 0.4 yards on both offense and defense when you consider the yards allowed and gained by their opponents to date. That does not translate to a 12-2 record, but here they are. New Orleans will be out to make a statement in this game, and they will try to make it with the better team. The Falcons have played 7 games vs a team with a winning record, and have yet to beat any of them by a TD, which shows just how razor slim their margin is. They have been outgained by these 7 teams by a total of 251 yards on the season. Michael Turner in the 7 games vs winning teams has carried the ball 152 times for 445 yards or 2.9 yards a carry, vs losing teams 148-711 at 4.8 yards a carry. Teams off 6 straight covers are 31-42 ATS and teams off of 8 straight wins are 41-54 ATS as a favorite. New Orleans is 6-1 in their last 7, and 12-4 ATS as a dog of 2 or more in their last 16, and 16-5 ATS after a loss. Atlanta is 9-19-1 ATS playing a team with a winning road record. New Orleans wins.
3 UNITS: PITTSBURGH PANTHERS -7.5
The Uconn Huskies graduated Stanley Robinson, Jerome Dyson, and Gavin Edwards, as well as seeing Ater Majok leave school. What most though was going to be a tough year for the Huskies, has been anything but. Uconn is 10-0, and have 8 freshman that all contribute to what is now an 11 man rotation for Coach Calhoun. Kemba Walker has been electric, and is the most dynamic player in the country. The problem here is we have seen Uconn play all of their games at home, or at a neutral site, and with 8 freshman in the rotation, the Peterson Events Center is going to be unlike any hostile envioronment they have ever seen. Pitt has equal or greater talent than Uconn, and will be home with a lot of experience. The Panthers are 46-1 in this building in their last 47 games, and facing a 10-0 team is going to have the juices flowing and the crowd in a frenzy, too much for the Husky pups at this stage of their development. Pitt has the Huskies number at 6-1 ATS last 7, Pitt gets the call in this one.
ATS Lock Club
2 Units Saints/Falcons Over 49
4 Units New Orleans -3.5
3 Units Memphis -6
3 Units Portland Pilots -10
Bryan Leonard
Saints at Falcons
Pick: Falcons -1
This has been a high scoring series as of late with the last six meetings totaling 48 points or better. Earlier this season these two went to overtime before Atlanta came away with a 27-24 victory. In comparing these two teams they are very similar offensively and defensively. But the one big advantage Atlanta has tonight is the home field. The last four seasons the Falcons are 14-5-1 ATS in the role of home favorites. Already this year against playoff caliber opposition they won here by 6 over Tampa Bay, by 5 over Baltimore and by 3 over Green Bay. This is a team that is at it's best when playing in the Georgia Dome and that's a big edge here.
Like the Falcons, the Saints are a much better team playing at home. The last three seasons they are 15-7 ATS in the Superdome. But on the road against quality opposition the Saints have struggled a bit this year. While they did whip the Buccaneers in Tampa they also lost at Baltimore, the only two playoff quality teams they played on the road. Keep in mind that this is a team that lost at Arizona and only beat the 49ers by 3, the Cowboys by 3 and the Bengals by 4.
The line indicates that the betting public still feels the Saints are the better team. While on a neutral field they may have an argument, but this is one of if not the strongest home field edges in the NFL. When a field goal gets you the cover how can you not back the home standing Falcons.