OC Dooley
Oral Roberts +12
Even though they are 7-3 on the season, Oral Roberts has only one “spread” triumph to their credit which means they are due. The big news in the NFL these days are the exploits of Tim Tebow who has led Denver to a big winning streak, seemingly with the help of religion. I can tell you that a religious institution Oral Roberts won outright a few nights ago on a PRAYER. In that Monday miracle Oral Roberts stole a pass with 3.6 seconds on the clock and then successfully nailed a three-quarter-court shot that was replayed several times on ESPN Sportscenter. For those not familiar with Oral Roberts this is year #9 of the Scott Sutton coaching regime, and his team is in the midst of the most profitable stretch in nearly 30 years. In the past three campaigns alone. Oral Roberts has amassed 69 victories. Scott Sutton is a protégé of his father Eddie and spent many campaigns with him at Oklahoma State. Back in June of this year, Oral Roberts added assistant coach Sean Sutton (brother of Scott) who at one time coached with Oklahoma State. What impresses me about tonight’s underdog is a PLUS-5.2 REBOUND MARGIN. Oral Roberts is getting a lot of points to work with tonight due to the national popularity of Gonzaga, even though the Zags are coming off consecutive losses to Big 10 Conference competition. During a current 7-1 winning tear, Oral Roberts has defeated West Virginia and Oklahoma along the way, so they have been tested as well. Here is a 65-PERCENT SYSTEM (111-61 past five years) which plays ON teams like Oral Roberts whose offense was held to 65-or-less points in each of the past three outings, with all five starters returning from the prior season. That system supports “veteran underdog” Oral Roberts in a late-night tipoff that can be seen in some local markets on Fox Sports Net
David Banks
Jacksonville / Atlanta Under
Week 15 of the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta where the Falcons (8-5, 6-7 ATS) will look to build off of last week’s come-from-behind victory when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9, 5-8 ATS) in the franchise’s first meeting since 2007; the NFL Network will cover this one live starting at 8:20 ET.
Raise your hand if you predicted the Jaguars would put forth their highest scoring output of the season last week at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - if your hand is up, you're either a clone of Nostradamus or a boldface liar. Regardless, Jacksonville did in fact muster up its best performance of the season a week after Jack del Rio was relieved of his head coaching duties. The win snapped the Jags three-game SU & ATS losing streak to earn them a whopping four wins for the season. With that the case, new owner Shahid Khan would best be served relaying the message to interim head coach Mel Tucker and his staff that they should throw the remaining three regular season games to assure themselves of the best possible pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Tonight's matchup in “Hotlanta” is the first of their final two road games of the season of which the Jaguars managed just one win both SU and against the pointspread in their first six tries.
Off a 17-10 SU loss as three-point road chalk at Houston the week before and holding on for dear life in the NFC playoff race, a 23-7 halftime deficit was hardly what the Falcons wanted to overcome against the division rival Carolina Panthers last week. Fortunately, the team that posted the best record in the NFC just a short season ago circled the wagons in the second half and outscored the host Panthers 24-0 en route to pulling off the must have 31-23 comeback victory. Along with putting forth a dominating second-half effort, the eight point margin of victory saw the Falcons cover the closing pointspread for the third time as visitors this season. After throwing for 320 yards and four touchdowns last week, QB Matt Ryan now gets to throw into a Jacksonville defense that allowed Chargers QB Philip Rivers to gouge them for 294 yards and three touchdowns in one of his finest performances of the season a couple weeks back; look for WRs Roddy White and Julio Jones along with TE Tony Gonzalez to have huge showings for fantasy players on Thursday night.
It will have been 4+ years since these nonconference representatives last met on the gridiron. Atlanta has only been defeated at home by Green Bay and New Orleans – both division leaders - this season, and enters 20-8-1 ATS versus the L/29 losing teams its faced. Jacksonville has covered seven of the L/10 times it was installed an underdog of 10.5 points or more, but is also a very poor 4-11-1 ATS versus the L/16 +.500 opponents its faced. The ‘under’ has cashed in each of these teams four overall confrontations.