Point Train MONDAY NIGHT TOTAL DOMINATION
OVER 49.5 BALTIMORE RAVENS -vs-New England Patriots
Rating: 3 units
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The Baltimore Ravens are known for their defense, and for good reason as they have two former defensive players of the year on their roster in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. But the Patriots have proven time and time again this season that they can score against any defense at any time. Baltimore carries a lot of pride in its defense but that pride will take a big hit in this one as New England will continue to put up its customary huge point totals. New England is on the verge of going down as the greatest offensive team in the history of the NFL, and its stats make for perfect evidence. The Pats are at or near the top of nearly every offensive stat in the league, with a league-leading 40.2 ppg, 434.4 ypg and 310.2 passing ypg. Baltimore, despite its reputation, is actually 17th in the league with 22.1 points allowed per game. The Ravens have given up 31 ppg over its last three games. The Pats will have no problem meeting and exceeding that number. The Ravens certainly can’t match offenses with New England but they may be able to work off the blueprint Philly laid out last week. The Eagles showed how to score on the NE defense and Baltimore surely took notes on what worked. It won’t take much from Baltimore to put this game over the total but it will do what’s needed. Get ready for an explosive Monday nighter by taking the over.
Preferred
3* Baltimore
Doc Sports
3* Ravens
Ppp
3 Baltimore
North Star Sports Service
CBB - 12/3/2007 TOWSON -1
CBB - 12/3/2007 NORTHWESTERN -8
CBB - 12/3/2007 Best Bet! ARKANSAS -10
CBB - 12/3/2007 WISCONSIN -23
NHL - 12/3/2007 DALLAS 111
NHL - 12/3/2007 CAROLINA 141
NHL - 12/3/2007 Best Bet! NY ISLANDERS -137
NHL - 12/3/2007 PHOENIX atPITTSBURGH Over 5.5
NHL - 12/3/2007 COLORADO -126
Cappers Access
Sport Favorite Underdog Line Pick
(Mon) NFL Patriots Ravens 19 Ravens
Michael Cannon was 4-1 yesterday loser on the eagles
Monday's Plays...
15 Dime –
RAVENS
Take the points with the Ravens tonight when they host the Patriots.
Look, I’m not denying the fact that the Patriots are the best team in the NFL right now, maybe ever. But to ask them to cover this kind of number on the road, against a prideful defense on top of that, is just plain asinine.
This is Baltimore’s Super Bowl. They are well aware of the line on this game and realize nobody is giving them a chance to win this game.
That could be deadly motivation for this defense. The Ravens stop unit is still prideful and even though this is a down year they look at this game as a challenge.
I know the Ravens offense leaves a lot to be desired, but if they can manage a score or even two, they should stay within this number if their defense plays up to its potential.
Throw all the ATS numbers and trends out the window; this game is simply about a talented defense rising up to the challenge the Patriots present.
Take the points as Baltimore stays within the number.
5 Dime –
TOWSON
Lay the small number with Towson tonight on the road against Delaware.
I know Towson is really going to miss Gary Neal, but there is reason to believe they can still have a decent season with some of the new players that coach Pat Kennedy has brought in.
Towson returns three starters, including point guard C. C. Williams.
He’ll have help in the backcourt from Vernon Carr, who played at Utep and Pensacola Junior College before settling on Towson.
Delaware looks like a team in total rebuilding mode. They are coming off a 5-win season and right before practice was to being in late September shooting guard Darrell Johnson announced he was transferring.
Towson won’t have to do much to get the cover here, just basically win the game.
Against the Blue Hens, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Lay the points and take Towson for the win.
MAVERICKS
Take the Mavs as the small road chalk for the win.
I can’t trust the Bulls right now, not even as a home dog.
Their team chemistry is terrible right now and their shooting is even worse. Ben Wallace suddenly looks old in the paint and Luol Deng hasn’t been healthy.
Other than that, everything is wonderful in Chicago.
The Mavs are a much better all-around team and should be able to grab the win and cover in the Windy City tonight. There have been many instances where the Bulls appeared to give less than 100 percent this year, and if the Mavs go on a couple of extended runs Chicago may just pack it in again.
Lay the points as the Mavericks grab the road win and cover.
Michael Cannon was 4-1 yesterday loser on the eagles
Monday's Plays...
15 Dime –
RAVENS
Take the points with the Ravens tonight when they host the Patriots.
Look, I’m not denying the fact that the Patriots are the best team in the NFL right now, maybe ever. But to ask them to cover this kind of number on the road, against a prideful defense on top of that, is just plain asinine.
This is Baltimore’s Super Bowl. They are well aware of the line on this game and realize nobody is giving them a chance to win this game.
That could be deadly motivation for this defense. The Ravens stop unit is still prideful and even though this is a down year they look at this game as a challenge.
I know the Ravens offense leaves a lot to be desired, but if they can manage a score or even two, they should stay within this number if their defense plays up to its potential.
Throw all the ATS numbers and trends out the window; this game is simply about a talented defense rising up to the challenge the Patriots present.
Take the points as Baltimore stays within the number.
5 Dime –
TOWSON
Lay the small number with Towson tonight on the road against Delaware.
I know Towson is really going to miss Gary Neal, but there is reason to believe they can still have a decent season with some of the new players that coach Pat Kennedy has brought in.
Towson returns three starters, including point guard C. C. Williams.
He’ll have help in the backcourt from Vernon Carr, who played at Utep and Pensacola Junior College before settling on Towson.
Delaware looks like a team in total rebuilding mode. They are coming off a 5-win season and right before practice was to being in late September shooting guard Darrell Johnson announced he was transferring.
Towson won’t have to do much to get the cover here, just basically win the game.
Against the Blue Hens, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Lay the points and take Towson for the win.
MAVERICKS
Take the Mavs as the small road chalk for the win.
I can’t trust the Bulls right now, not even as a home dog.
Their team chemistry is terrible right now and their shooting is even worse. Ben Wallace suddenly looks old in the paint and Luol Deng hasn’t been healthy.
Other than that, everything is wonderful in Chicago.
The Mavs are a much better all-around team and should be able to grab the win and cover in the Windy City tonight. There have been many instances where the Bulls appeared to give less than 100 percent this year, and if the Mavs go on a couple of extended runs Chicago may just pack it in again.
Lay the points as the Mavericks grab the road win and cover.
Pointwise Phone
2*New England
Mr. A's Selections
Charlotte at Toronto, 7:00 PM Toronto Raptors -5
Portland at Memphis, 8:00 PM Memphis Grizzlies -8½
Miami at Utah, 9:00 PM Utah Jazz - -9
New England Patriots - 19
Frank Rosenthal
MONDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2007
NFL WEEK # 12
MNF
PATRIOTS VS STELLERS
FREE PICK @ 6 PM ET
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NBA
502 76ERS-1.5 SB
507 MAVS-2.5 SB
512 WARRIORS-1 SB+
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COLLEGE HOOPS
516 DARTMOUTH-3 SB
518 NW-9 SB
519 MISSOURI ST+10 SB
THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NFL
New England (11-0 SU, 9-2 ATS) at Baltimore (4-7 SU, 1-10 ATS)
The undefeated Patriots take their pursuit of a perfect season to Baltimore for a nationally televised game against the struggling Ravens.
New England survived its closest game of the season last week, beating the Eagles 31-28, but failed to cover as an unprecedented 24-point favorite. The Patriots remained perfect thanks to a late fourth-quarter interception in the end zone by safety Asante Samuel.
After covering their first eight games of the season, the Patriots are just 1-2 ATS in their last three. New England has far-and-away the top ranked offense in the NFL, and it?s led by QB Tom Brady, who has a league-leading 3,439 yards, 39 TDs and 127.9 passer rating.
Baltimore has dropped five in a row SU and ATS, and has rarely been competitive during the skid. Last week the Ravens fell 32-14 in San Diego as nine-point underdogs. Two of the losses during this losing streak have come at home, including two weeks ago when Cleveland came into Baltimore and won 33-30 in overtime as a 1?-point underdog.
New England has won the last four meetings between these two (3-1 ATS) dating back to 1995. In each of the last two clashes, the Patriots? defense held the Ravens to a single field goal, winning 20-3 in 2000 and a 24-3 in 2004.
The Ravens haven?t cashed in their last nine tries against AFC teams, and they are just 1-11 ATS in their last 12 overall. On the bright side, Baltimore is 3-1 SU and ATS all-time at home on Monday Night Football.
The Patriots show no mercy against bad teams, going 25-8 ATS in their last 33 against squads with a losing record. They?re also 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games and 4-0 in prime-time games this year (3-1 ATS). However, they?re just 7-13 SU all-time in Monday night road games (10-10 ATS), and tonight they?re the biggest road favorite in Monday night history.
The over is 14-3 in New England?s last 17 overall and 11-3 in its last 14 against AFC foes, and the Ravens have topped the total in their last two. On the flip side, the under has been the play five of the last six times these two teams have met since 1994.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NEW ENGLAND
THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NBA
Dallas (11-6 SU, 6-11 ATS) at Chicago (4-10 SU and ATS)
The struggling Mavericks visit the United Center in Chicago to take on a Bulls team that is starting to regain its form from last season.
Going back to Nov. 23, Dallas has lost four of six (0-6 ATS), including a 112-108 setback at New Orleans on Saturday as a three-point road chalk. The Mavs have dropped three straight on the road, giving up at least 97 in each of the three defeats.
The Bulls were just brutal over the first 26 days of the season, losing 10 of 12 games, and they were in the midst of a four-game SU and ATS losing streak when they returned home after a long road trip and things started to click. First, Chicago beat Atlanta 90-78 on Tuesday as a 5?-point favorite, then crushed Charlotte 111-95 on Saturday, covering as a seven-point chalk.
The Bulls had scored 92 points or less in six straight games before tallying a season-high on Saturday. It was just the third time this year that Chicago reached triple digits and just the second time it did so in regulation.
These teams split two meetings last season, with the home team winning and covering each contest. The Bulls got a 96-85 win as a four-point underdog, while Dallas scored a 111-99 victory as a four-point chalk. Dallas has won eight of the last 10 against Chicago (5-5 ATS) dating back to 2002.
The over is 8-2 in the Mavs? last 10 overall and 9-3 in their last 12 against Eastern Conference squads. The over is also 20-7-1 in the Bulls? last 28 against Southwest Division teams and 7-3 in their last 10 against the Western Conference.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Tim Trushel: Chicago Bulls +3
Jeff Benton PAID AND CONFIRMED
Monday's winners ...
25 DIME: RAVENS (plus the points vs. Patriots)
5 DIME: BULLS (plus the points vs. Mavericks)
Ravens
I don’t care that the Ravens have looked as bad as any NFL team could possibly look over the last five weeks, going 0-5 straight-up and against the number while scoring 14 points or fewer in four of the contests. I don’t care that Baltimore has covered the spread just once – ONCE! – all season long. And I don’t care that the New England Patriots look like a mortal lock to become the first team in NFL history to go 19-0.
If you’re going to give me THIS many points with a home team in a Monday Night Football game, I’m sorry, I’m taking them. It’s as simple as that. And yes, I know exactly what your first question is: “Jeff, seriously, can you REALLY make a case for the Ravens from a statistical perspective?” Answer: Not a chance in hell. They’ve got an inept offense, while the Patriots have Brady, Moss, Welker, Stallworth, Maroney, a Pro Bowl offensive line, etc. And the Ravens have a defense that has shown serious cracks in recent weeks, allowing more than 28 points per game, mostly because they’re on the field constantly because of their inept offense.
But here’s the case I can make for Baltimore: They’re getting a little bit healthier, with Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap and Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAllister possibly being ready to go in this game. If those two can play, that’s two enormous weapons for the Ravens, as Heap gives Kyle Boller a big target to exploit the Patriots’ biggest defensive weakness (linebacker), while McAllister can man-up on the outside, most likely against Moss, allowing Baltimore to cheat its safeties to the other two-thirds of the field.
Also, we all saw how the Eagles showed last week that New England is far from invincible, coming within one horrific A.J. Feeley pass from possibly pulling off a colossal, historic upset. Then we saw what the Eagles did back at home yesterday, losing outright to a Seahawks team that was making its second long road trip in as many weeks.
Finally, with the Patriots failing to cover the spread in two of their last three games, we’ve finally seen the correction we knew had to come after New England started the season 8-0 ATS.
Bottom line: I’m banking on the Ravens, led by emotional monster Ray Lewis, proving to the world that they have a ton of pride. I’m banking on Lewis and the rest of the Baltimore defense to bring the heat on Brady early and often, as Philly did last week. And I’m banking on the Ravens playing the disrespect card to the hilt, as tonight they’ll take the field as biggest home underdog in Monday Night Football history – this despite the fact Baltimore is 3-1 SU and ATS all time on Monday nights.
This one will be closer than the experts think, guys. And if weather becomes a factor (and it very well might), that will level the playing field even a little more, allowing Baltimore to even challenge for the outright upset! Grab the bevy of points with the home pup.
Bulls
You’re darn right I’m grabbing the points with the suddenly surging Bulls at home against the overrated, free-falling Mavericks. I backed Chicago on Tuesday when it faced the Hawks, even though the Bulls had lost four straight games and were 2-10 SU and ATS on the season. In my analysis that day, I told my clients the Bulls were ready to take off after a slow start and begin realizing their preseason potential as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
So what happened in that game against Atlanta? Chicago scored just 13 first-quarter points … then went on to outscore the Hawks 77-61 over the final 36 minutes en route to a 90-78 victory as a 5½-point chalk Then, after a three-day layoff, Chicago returned to the court on Saturday night and put together their best effort of the season, scoring a 111-95 win over Charlotte as a seven-point home favorite, registering a season high in points.
Now tonight, the Bulls look for their first three-game winning streak, and they do so against a Dallas team that’s lost four of its last six, going 0-6 ATS along the way. That includes three straight upset road losses to Indiana (111-107 as a seven-point chalk), Milwaukee (97-95 as a 3½-point favorite) and New Orleans (112-108 in overtime as a three-point choice). Well, trust me, Chicago is a billion times better than the Bucks and Pacers, and at least on par talent-wise with the Hornets.
Also, when Dallas visited the Windy City last year, the Bulls handled the Mavericks with ease, winning 96-85 as a four-point underdog. With Dallas playing shaky defense of late (at least 94 points allowed in eight of the last nine games) and playing its third game in four nights, Chicago will pull off another upset here. Grab the points with the Bulls.
Matt Rivers
100,000* MONDAY NIGHT LOCK Plus Bonus Lock
Your winners here are on:
1. 100,000♦ Baltimore
2. 50,000♦ Missouri State
1. New England may still be the best team in the history of the game and Baltimore has been disgusting over the last five games but to get this much back at home, at night, on national tv with a still capable team is a no-brainer.
Clearly the Ravens' defense is not what it used to be but Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are still around and this team has a ton of potential and a decent upside.
Tom Brady and the fellas were extremely mediocre in the win over Philadelphia and quite possibly were somewhat exposed. I will qualify that last sentence by saying relatively speaking because the Pats are great and could be great again here. But Brian Billick's team still is too good to be a three or so touchdown dog, even with the recent shoddy play. Kyle Boller is not great but is better right now than Steve McNair and with at least competent players like Willis McGahee and others I do not see a blowout like in Buffalo a few weeks ago.
I also am not complaining about Roosevelt Colvin probably being out as that certainly is not a bad thing for us. Plus Randall Gay and Eugene Wilson are also not healthy.
I do think that New England will win this game and probably fairly handily. They also very well could finish the season perfect at 16-0 but for them to be giving this much in this spot against what is still a physical and capable Baltimore squad on the road is just flat out too much.
This could be 31-7 very late in an asskicking and we could still wind up grabbing the cash.
2. Arkansas is a very talented team that could go far in the SEC with returning starters like Steven Hill, Patrick Beverly, Sonny Weems and others but Missouri State is far from a cupcake and are a team that should be able to stay in close contact here.
The Razorbacks are coming off of that pedestrianm 11 point win over Oral Roberts after failing to cover at home in the win against Missouri. The Hogs also were miserable a few weeks back in that loss to Providence. I am only highliting the bad things here and to be fair this team is better than those examples but Arkansas still has shortcomings and I would be very surprised to see anything but a fairly competitive contest.
Miussouri State has been the perfect example of a quality mid major for years now. They seem to stay under the radar and upset a team or two every season in situations such as this one. The Bears just beat a quality Winthrop squad and in the end today may not win but also won't get beat up or outclassed and that should be more than enough!
DR CHAD HOOPS
5 units on DELAWARE and TENNESSEE ST.
ATS Lock Club
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3 unit Teaser New England Patriots (-12) over New England
UNDER 54, 8:30