Rainman
5* Pitt
3* Phily
1* Pitt Under
Teddy June
Private Players Club Selection.
Eagles/Giants Under
USC
Yankee Capper
High Rollers Club
San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: Steelers -6.5
Last time these two teams met in Pittsburgh, the Steelers won 11-10. They should have won by one more touchdown, but a blown call at the end of the game cost Troy Polamalu an interception/touchdown Steeler betters the game. I mention that last game, because I think it is a good preface to today's AFC divisional match-up. The Steelers defense dominated that game and they did it without Bryant McFadden and Deshea Townsend. The Chargers only positive offense came from LaDanian Tomlinson who touched the ball 21 times resulting in over 100 yards. He will be a non-factor today. This forces Philip Rivers to have to sling the rock against the best defense in football. I don't like San Diego's chances at all coming into Heinz Field in January.
Look for the Steelers to get the ground game going today with Willie Parker. Ben is still probably half dizzy so I don't look for him to be very pass happy. As long as he can protect the ball and not turn it over the Steelers should actually run away with this one. Add ***** Miller back into the mix and it gives Ben an option he did not have the last time these teams met. Miller should be a major factor in the short routes and Pittsburgh will be able to move the ball all day.
The Chargers are running on momentum but I think the tank will be on E when they arrive in the Steel City for the showdown today. High Rollers, take The Steelers to roll to a convincing victory at home today. Steelers -6.5
ATS Sports Club
NCAA Hoops Blowout Winner
Minnesota Golden Gophers -6
PPP
4% Celtics, Loyola Md
3% Niagara, Wichita St, Ohio
Ferringo
2.5-Unit Play. Take USC (+2) over UCLA
2.5-Unit Play. Take San Diego (+1) over Santa Clara
Brandon Johnson is out, but Trumaine Johnson is coming through in a big way for the Torreros. This team was left for dead a few weeks ago, but there is a lot of talent and a lot of pride with this unit. Santa Clara is really struggling to put the ball in the basket and outside of the big man, John Bryant, there just isn't much to like about this team. They took St. Mary's to the max on Friday night, losing a heartbreaker. But I think that loss is really going to make it tough for them to get up for this game. Especially with Gonzaga right around the corner in a huge rivalry game this week.
2-Unit Play. Take LSU (+3.5) over Alabama
2-Unit Play. Take Wisconsin (+6) over Purdue
1.5-Unit Play. Take Penn State (+6.5) over Minnesota
Note: Wait on this game and you will get 7.0. The line is on the move as we speak.
The Nittany Lions are playing really strong basketball. And the more I see of Minnesota the more I see a young, streaky basketball team. They really had very little business beating Iowa earlier this week and Penn State won't be the least bit worried about going toe-to-toe with a Top 25 team. They have lost games by 5, 6, and 3 points this year to quality teams. So even if they don't win this one outright - a strong possibility - they play a style and execute well enough to keep this one close. They took Wisconsin to the limit in Madison, so I think they can hang with the Gophers in Minnesota.
1-Unit Play. Take Niagara (-7.5) over Marist
0.5-Unit Play. FIRST HALF: Take Niagara (-4) over Marist
The only teams that Niagara has lost to are teams that match up physically with the Purple Eagles. Marist does not. And in 10 of Niagara's 13 wins they have beaten their opponent by eight points or more. Niagara will smother Marist on the perimeter and I think they will handle them easily. The Purple Eagles were up 13 at the half against St. Peters and then took their foot off the gas. They have been a great first half team, and I think that they will hold it together for the full 40 tonight against a team that has traditionally been near the top of the Metro. Niagara scores another blowout and we collect in the process.
1-Unit Play. TEASER: Take Wake Forest (+11) over North Carolina (8 p.m.) AND Take Manhattan (+11.5) over Siena
1-Unit Play. TEASER: Take San Francisco (+14.5) over St. Mary’s (10 p.m.) AND Take San Diego (+6) over Santa Clara
Inside Edge
5* N.Y.Giants
Scott Spritzer
NY Giants
Tony Diamond
Eagles +4
Root
Chairman Giants
Millionaire Steelers
Underdog Hotline
Eagles
Sports Unlimited
Pitts/San Diego over 37'
Executive
300 Pitt
250 Pitt Over
SportsBoss
4* Spurs
Dave Cokin
Giants (hat)
Giants Under
I AM DONE TILL THE EARLY GAME GOES OFF SO PLEASE STOP HITTING REFRESH SO OTHERS CAN USE THE SITE
Thank you for all your hard work Blade.
The Experts Guaranteed Selections
ULTIMATE EXPERTS AFC PLAYOFF TOTALS PLAY OF THE YEAR
San Diego and Pittsburgh OVER 37.5
Cajun-Sports Executive
AFC "Momentum Factor" 27-0-2 ATS!!
San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: San Diego Chargers +6.5
The Chargers look to keep their winning streak going, as they take their show on the road Sunday to the Steel City. San Diego surged into the playoffs with four straight wins, and then knocked off Indianapolis in a WildCard game last weekend. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh had a bye last weekend, awaiting the WildCard results to see who they would host this weekend.
Once again, the Chargers will not be at full strength, as RB LaDanian Tomlinson is considered doubtful and TE Antonio Gates is questionable. While “LT’s” injury is concerning, the performance that backup Darren Sproles turned in last Saturday has to alleviate the pain just a bit for the Chargers. The 5-foot-6 Sproles was the star of the game, amassing 328 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 22-yard run in overtime.
Gates should be able to go here. The perennial Pro Bowler held the same status heading into the Indianapolis game, a contest in which he recorded a team-best eight receptions for 87 yards.
Last year, the Chargers were in even worse shape, as QB Philip Rivers was also barely able to walk, yet they beat the Colts in Indy and then nearly knocked off the Patriots at Foxboro in the AFC Title game, covering the spread in both games.
San Diego will need all the offensive help they can get against a Pittsburgh team that led the NFL in regular season total defense, scoring defense, and passing defense, finished second against the run and in sacks, and had three defenders named to the AFC Pro Bowl team.
The Chargers have won their only two postseason meetings with the Steelers all-time, with both of those games coming in Pittsburgh. The Bolts were 31-28 road winners in a 1982 AFC First-Round Playoff and stunned the Steelers, 17-13, on the road in the 1994 AFC Championship. These teams met a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers escaped with an odd 11-10 victory, failing to cover the spread. Even those Pittsburgh has won 2 of the last 3 games with San Diego, each of those victories were by LESS than 3 points.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers led the NFL in touchdown passes and passer rating during the regular campaign, and then followed up with a solid showing in last week's win over the Colts. Rivers had arguably his worst game of the year against Pittsburgh in Week 11, throwing for just 164 yards with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. He’s playing much better now than then, and we look for his numbers to improve here. As is customary for the Steelers, Pittsburgh applied a great deal of pressure to Rivers in the most recent meeting, but was able to come up with just two sacks on the day.
Were it not for the status of Tomlinson and Gates, the biggest injury story going into this week's game would involve Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. “Big Ben” was carted off the field in the second quarter of the team's win over the Browns in Week 17. It turned out that the former Super Bowl-winning QB had suffered only a mild concussion. Roethlisberger has been back at practice all week and will start on Sunday, barring anything unforeseen. "Big Ben" threw for 308 yards on 31-of-41 passing without a touchdown or turnover against the Chargers in Week 11, but was sacked four times due to a dreadful Steelers line that allowed 49 sacks on the year. The Steelers enter the playoffs seeking to re-establish a once-proud rushing attack that has been burdened by injuries this year.
The Chargers generated 14 fewer sacks and 15 fewer interceptions during the 2008 regular season than they did a year ago, also ranking 31st in the league in passing yards allowed, but come off a week in which they did a nice job against league MVP Peyton Manning and the Colts attack. Manning threw for 310 yards and a touchdown in the game, but was able to deliver just one red-zone touchdown on the night. What's more, San Diego did show the ability to pressure Roethlisberger back in Week 11, with end Jacques Cesaire breaking through for his only two sacks of the year and outside linebackers Shaun Phillips and Jyles Tucker combining for another 1.5 sacks.
Rarely does the performance of a punter warrant as much discussion as the work San Diego's Mike Scifres did last week. He was simply brilliant, punting to a 52.7 average and keeping field position in San Diego's favor with multiple kicks inside the 5-yard line. All six of Scifres' punts landed inside the 20-yard line. This figures to be a conservatively played game of field position, to he should once again be a vital part of the gameplan.
It’s much easier to play against a team with a key player out; however, there is rarely any line value in doing so, unless they are favored. The Cardinals showed they could play quite well on offense without WR Boldin on Saturday, and the Chargers have proven on multiple occasions that they are very feisty, even when not 100% healthy.
The numbers back us up here, as San Diego is:
11-0-1 ATS (+9.9 ppg) as an underdog of 4+ points, with 10 of the 11 spread wins coming on the road, including 2 in the playoffs last year;
11-0 ATS from December on under Norv Turner and not a road favorite of 5+ points. Turner also 6-0 ATS in 6 career games as a Playoff head coach.
Meanwhile, conference underdogs in San Diego’s playoff games are 8-0 ATS since 1994, and Pittsburgh has not enjoyed a home SU & ATS playoff victory in their last FIVE tries.
Semi-Final teams, on an extended winning streak and coming off a home Playoff victory like the Chargers, have been very formidable on the road. We have a Playoff POWER SYSTEM that reads:
Play ON a Semi-Final road team (not an underdog of 11+ points) off a WildCard home SU win in its last game and 3 SU wins before that.
Under those simple conditions, teams are 7-0 ATS.
Teams that played well defensively but lost anyway in a previous meeting, have been very strong in Playoff rematches. San Diego also qualifies for this POWER SYSTEM that reads:
Play ON a Playoff team seeking revenge for a SU loss of less than 14 points, allowing less than 20 points in the last matchup within the past 5 seasons (not in the last 3 regular season games) vs. an opponent not off a WildCard non-division home favorite SU & ATS win in its last game.
Since 1997, these teams are 12-0-1 ATS, beating the spread by more than 8 points per game on average.
Due to their home SU loss & ATS win in last year’s playoffs, the Steelers are also active for a POWER SYSTEM which states:
Play AGAINST a home favorite in its First Playoff Game off a WildCard/SemiFinal SU loss & ATS win allowing 11+ points in its last playoff game within the last 6 seasons vs. an opponent not seeking revenge for a playoff SU & ATS loss within the last 2 seasons.
Since 1986, these teams are 0-8-1 ATS, failing to cover the spread by more than 11 ppg on average.
Pittsburgh wants to run the ball against San Diego Sunday and take the pressure off a quarterback who has been under the gun much of the season and is coming off his third concussion. But then again, the Steelers have not been able to run consistently all season, so why would they be able to start now? The Chargers will make it tough indeed, as they take the home team down to the final moments for at least a spread win.
PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: PITTSBURGH 21 SAN DIEGO 20
Preferred Picks
5* Pittsburgh
Gameday
4* Pittsburgh
Dave Malinsky
4* Wake Forest +7
Indiancowboy
2 Unit Play (NBA). Take Indiana Pacers -1 over Golden State Warriors
Just a 2 unit play today as we have secured the winning week after yesterday's win. Thus, we sit at +3.2 units on the week and if we cash here, we will gain a steady +5.2 units and win for our 3rd straight week in a row. If not, no worries, as we gain a unit and then just look forward to cashing bit the next week like we have done the two previous weeks. After all, money not lost is money made and we are turning a profit steadily each week with our steady 1 play day system here. As per this game, look, Indiana is the same team that defeated the Suns on the road outright as dogs. Yes, the Warriors have revenge from an earlier SU loss and ATS loss to the Pacers. But, so did the Lakers on a last second shot when the Pacers beat them at home. And, the Pacers just went on the road to lose to the Lakers by just a bucket. Indiana is good folks. With the return of Dunleavy, they are even more dynamic. This team has Granger, Dunleavy, Murphy and Graham and are lean, can rebound and shoot the outside shot extremely well. The Warriors do not have Stephen Jackson for this game as he is out indefinitely and frankly, I will take the Pacers off the loss with the likes of Granger, Dunelavy, Murphy and Graham against the likes of Crawford, Biedrins, Anthony Randolph and Belinelli. This is a Pacer type of game and much like the defeated the Suns Outright on the road with the return of Dunleavy, nearly beat the Lakers again, defeated Sacramento at home and NY on the road, I look for Indiana to bounce-back very nicely here today. The Pacers are 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between these two teams.
Las Vegas Sport Picks
2* Giants -4
2* Steelers -6
1* Magic +3
2* Heat +11
1* Niagara -7
2* Blues/Oilers o5.5