Saints Host the Rams in Battle for NFC Supremacy

Unbeaten Rams Battle One Loss Saints

The fans at Mercedes-Benz Superdome see the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints when they take their seats on Sunday. This is the top NFC matchup in week 9 of the NFL. The winner of this game has the inside track to home-field advantage in the playoffs.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.

LINE: Rams -2. O/U: 57.

The Rams almost saw their perfect record go by the boards last weekend. They will face perhaps a more daunting challenge this weekend in what could be a battle for supremacy in the NFC. The Rams are the lone undefeated team at the midway point of the season.

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are surging as well and the offense is clicking on all cylinders. Brees has the Saints at 6-1 on the season.

The Rams will be facing an elite quarterback for the second time in as many weeks. They squeezed out a 29-27 victory  over Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers last week. That ran their record to 8-0.

"You're looking at another week where a guy, first ballot Hall of Famer, all-time leading passer, completing 77 percent of his balls," Rams head coach Sean McVay said of the prospect of facing Brees.

New Orleans owns the league's second-longest winning streak, behind only the Rams,  with six consecutive victories. They knocked off Minnesota 30-20 in a rematch of last season's NFC playoff game to extend the streak.

Saints & Rams Offenses Should Have a Shootout Today

Todd Gurley II has been unstoppable for The Rams. He has rushed for 800 yards and 11 touchdowns, which are both league highs. The workhorse has also posted 31 catches for 351 yards and four scores. Gurley II accounted for 195 yards from scrimmage against Green Bay.

Gurley II joined Jim Brown and Priest Holmes as the only players with at least 15 TDs through the first eight games.

Quarterback Jared Goff has 17 TD passes and only five interceptions. He will get one of his top targets back in Cooper Kupp, who has a team-best five touchdown receptions despite missing the past two games with a sprained knee.

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald has registered an NFL-high 10 sacks. This is for a unit that acquired pass-rushing linebacker Dante Fowler from Jacksonville at this week's trade deadline.

The Saints eked out a one-point win at Baltimore when the Ravens missed a tying extra point. New Orleans then relied on its defense to avenge last season's loss at Minnesota. They got an interception return for a score and a fumble return that set up a TD.

Brees tossed his first interception last week, but has 14 touchdown passes and has a league-leading 77.4 completion percentage. His gaudy 118.2 passer rating is also tops in the NFL. Brees has thrown for 1,045 yards with eight touchdowns, along with zero interceptions in his last three at home.

Alvin Kamara's workload has been reduced with the return of fellow running back Mark Ingram from a four-game suspension. He had a rushing and receiving score last week to boost his season total to nine touchdowns.

Kamara is expected to play despite missing practice Thursday due to illness. Defensive end Marcus Davenport did not practice for a second straight day.

WR Michael Thomas has 14 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns in two games versus Los Angeles.

PREDICTION: Saints 30, Rams 27

NFL Betting Odds & Trends

Los Angeles Rams
LA Rams is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
LA Rams is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Rams's last 9 games
LA Rams is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of LA Rams's last 12 games on the road
LA Rams is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Rams's last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans

New Orleans Saints
New Orleans is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games
New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
New Orleans is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans's last 8 games at home
New Orleans is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing LA Rams
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Rams

 

Next up:
Los Angeles home to Seattle Sunday, November 11
New Orleans at Cincinnati Sunday, November 11

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NFL Week 9 Free Betting Pick- Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

NFL Week 9 Free Betting Preview and Pick- Steelers at Ravens

One of the best rivalries in the NFL will be renewed this Sunday with the 4-2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers going on the road to face the 4-4 Baltimore Ravens. The game is set for a 1 p.m. start from M&T Bank Stadium on CBS.

Baltimore has been opened as a three-point favorite in this AFC North battle.  VietBet has set the total at 47.5 points. The line is now Ravens -2 and the total has settled at 47.

The Steelers have got things rolling in the right direction since a 26-14 Week 4 loss to the Ravens. They were a three-point favorite on their home field.

Following a home win against Atlanta and a road win against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh ran its current winning streak to three games (both straight-up and against the spread) with Sunday’s 33-18 victory against Cleveland. They were an 8.5-point home favorite. The total went OVER 47.5 points in that game and it has gone OVER BetAnySports’ total line in five of its first seven games.

The loss of Le’Veon Bell due to a contract dispute is becoming less and less of an issue in light of running back James Conner’s ability to fill the void. He led the way against the Browns with 146 yards rushing and two scores on 24 rushing attempts. He also caught five passes for 66 yards as part of Ben Roethlisberger’s 24 completions on the day.

Ravens Have to Get on Right Track

Baltimore has gone in the opposite direction since drawing first blood in the season series against Pittsburgh. Sunday’s no-show in a 36-21 loss to Carolina may be a tipping point. They were listed as 2.5-point road favorites on BetAnySports’ closing line. It dropped the Ravens to 1-3 SU and ATS in their last four games. The total went OVER 44.5 points in that game after staying UNDER in their previous five outings on BetAnySports’ closing line.

Sunday’s loss quickly got out of hand with a 24-7 deficit at the half. The inconsistency in Joe Flacco at quarterback produced two interceptions against one touchdown throw.

Baltimore has struggled to effectively run the ball for most of the season. This offense is not built to play from behind. The pressure is starting to mount on Flacco and the team’s head coach John Harbaugh following such a promising start.

The Steelers have the revenge factor and a ton of momentum on their side heading into Sunday’s rematch. Add in two points and I will take Pittsburgh to even the score against its bitter rival in Baltimore.

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LSU Hosts Alabama in Huge SEC Matchup

Expect a Heavyweight Title Fight at Death Valley Tonight

The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and the 4th-ranked LSU Tigers will battle on Saturday at Tiger Stadium (Death Valley). This game will decide the SEC West Champion and give the winner a leg up on getting into the College Football Playoff.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CBS.

LINE: Alabama -14; O/U: 51.5.

Alabama has been cruising through its schedule so far this season. The Crimson Tide might run into a stern test on Saturday when it visits LSU in an SEC showdown.

The Crimson Tide are also atop the first College Football Playoff rankings. They have defeated six of their eight opponents by 34 or more points. Now they face a stingy LSU squad that is third in the CFP rankings and are allowing just 15.1 points per game.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said that none of his team's gaudy stats matter in the matchup with the Tigers. Alabama has scored more than 50 points six times, is an example of those stats.

"(LSU) is one of the best teams in the nation," Saban said during a press conference. "I think they're very elite in a lot of ways in terms of the way they play defense. Their offense is very efficient. They've really done a great job this year and the quarterback (Joe Burrow) plays well for them."

LSU coach Ed Orgeron is aware of the stakes as his team would greatly increase its CFP hopes with an upset.

"I am not going to make it bigger than life that our guys can't handle it," Orgeron said during a press conference. "We're going to approach this game, we're not going to say it's like every other game, we understand this is 'the' game. But we're going to approach every day like we've done. We're not going to change our process."

The Crimson Tide are 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the SEC. This is normal fare for them under Nick Saban and should be ready for the Death Valley crowd.

Sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is having a season for the ages. He has 2,066 yards and 25 touchdowns without throwing a single interception this year.

Wideout Jerry Jeudy is his top target with 31 receptions for 777 yards and 10 touchdowns. Fellow sophomore DeVonta Smith has a hamstring injury and is in danger of missing his second straight game.

RB Josh Jacobs, who averages 30.9 yards per kickoff return, is second on the team with nine touchdowns (eight rushing, one kickoff return).

The defense is allowing an average of 15.9 points per game. Senior defensive end Isaiah Buggs has a team-high 8.5 sacks and is enjoying a strong season. Junior cornerback Saivion Smith has a team-best three interceptions.

The LSU Tigers are 7-1 on the season and 4-1 in the SEC.

The only blemish is a loss to Florida for an opportunistic team. They are tied for the national lead with 14 interceptions. They have five from sophomore safety Grant Delpit, who also has four sacks.

The Tigers will be without standout junior linebacker Devin White, who has a team-best 76 tackles, for the first half due to a targeting infraction against Mississippi State.

Burrow, a junior, has passed for 1,544 yards and six touchdowns. Senior running back Nick Brossette has recorded 697 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

The LSU offense is averaging 30.4 points per game.

Alabama has won the past seven meetings, including a 24-10 victory last season.

PREDICTION: Alabama 31, LSU 21

NCAA Football Betting Odds & Trends

Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Alabama's last 5 games
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Alabama's last 15 games on the road
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Louisiana State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Alabama's last 8 games when playing Louisiana State
Alabama is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Louisiana State
Alabama is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Louisiana State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Alabama's last 5 games when playing on the road against Louisiana State

LSU Tigers
Louisiana State is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
Louisiana State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Louisiana State's last 5 games
Louisiana State is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Louisiana State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Louisiana State's last 7 games at home
Louisiana State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Alabama
Louisiana State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Alabama
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Louisiana State's last 8 games when playing Alabama
Louisiana State is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Alabama
Louisiana State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Alabama
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Louisiana State's last 5 games when playing at home against Alabama

 

Next up:
Alabama home to Mississippi State Saturday, November 10
LSU at Arkansas Saturday, November 10

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Northwestern Hosts Notre Dame Saturday Night

Notre Dame Can't Afford to Overlook Northwestern

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Northwestern Wildcats will meet on Saturday at Ryan Field. Notre Dame can't afford to look past a solid Northwestern squad with Florida State on deck next week at home.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Notre Dame -9.5; O/U: 50.

Notre Dame marches forward to a possible undefeated season as it visits Northwestern on Saturday evening. The third-ranked Fighting Irish are coming off a easy win over Navy. The Wildcats got a huge home win over Wisconsin and are in the driver's seat to win the Big Ten West.

Notre Dame took care of business as a 22.5-point favorite in San Diego. Running back Dexter Williams gashed Navy for 142 yards and three touchdowns in the 44-22 win.

Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson ran for two scores and threw for another as the Wildcats upset previously ranked Wisconsin 31-17.

Notre Dame is 8-0 and Northwestern is possibly the toughest opponent left on the schedule with Florida State being down this season.

The Fighting Irish were focused on getting its running game back on track after a mediocre performance two weeks ago. Williams delivered with a some help from Jafar Armstrong, who had nine carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. Armstrong was playing in his first game since Sept. 22.

Quarterback Ian Book is the key to the Irish offense. His stat line of 27-of-33 for 330 yards and two touchdowns increased his season totals to 1,468 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. That is only in the five games he has started this season. Book has a completion percentage of 76.5 that is the best in the nation.

The Irish defense ranks sixth in the nation in the S&P+ advanced metric. They had no problem adapting to Navy's triple-option offense and were able to pitch a shutout in the first half. The goose-egg allowed the offense to build a 27-0 lead.

The Wildcats are 5-3 on the season, but have gotten better every week they have played.

Thorson was shaky through the air last week. He threw three interceptions to go along with the touchdown on 17-of-30 passing for 167 yards. That brings the senior's season totals to 193-of-318, 2,072 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

He has also taken 18 sacks on the season and will have to stay upright against a Fighting Irish defense that has 17 sacks. Thorson has started 47 straight games at quarterback. That is the second-longest active streak in FBS. He is a constant for the Northwestern Offense

Freshman running back Isaiah Bowser has provided a nice spark to the Wildcats offense. He has back-to-back 100-yard efforts after gashing the Badgers for 117 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 31, Northwestern 21

NCAA Football Betting Odds & Trends

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Notre Dame's last 5 games
Notre Dame is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Notre Dame's last 5 games on the road

Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games
Northwestern is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
Northwestern is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Northwestern is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Northwestern's last 22 games at home

 

Next up:
Notre Dame home to Florida State Saturday, November 10
Northwestern at Iowa Saturday, November 10

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Texas Longhorns Host the West Virginia Mountaineers

Texas Looks to Stay Atop the Big 12 Against West Virginia

The West Virginia Mountaineers and the Texas Longhorns battle on Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas and West Virginia will be on tilt this afternoon as they are fighting for who is in the drivers seat for the Big XII Championship.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX.

LINE: Texas -1.5; O/U: 58

Texas had a clear path to the Big 12 title. They could not quite come through with the game on the line last week. The 15th-ranked Longhorns will try to bounce back and stay in the driver's seat for a spot in the Big 12 championship game when they host No. 10 West Virginia on Saturday.

Texas has held four of its previous five opponents under 20 points. They surrendered 31 in the first half alone at Oklahoma State last weekend and suffered its first conference loss, 38-35.

That loss dropped Texas into a three-way battle for first place in the Big 12 with Oklahoma and the Mountaineers. They all enter the week with one loss.

West Virginia bounced back from its 30-14 setback at Iowa State by blasting Baylor 58-14 at home last week. WVA owns the toughest remaining schedule among the three schools. They have a trip to Oklahoma State and home dates against TCU and Oklahoma still on the schedule after visiting the Longhorns.

Both Teams have Potential to be Great at any Time

West Virginia is 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12.

The Mountaineers have scored at least 35 points in each of their six victories. They looked like they had a dominant offense against Baylor.

Quarterback Will Grier threw for three TDs and rushed for another. Grier has racked up at least 332 passing yards in each of the six wins. He was held to 100 yds on 11-of-15 passing in the loss at Iowa State on Oct. 13.

"The thing I liked about it is we had a whole bunch of people touch the ball," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen told reporters of Grier's performance against Baylor. "There were a lot of guys that went in there and touched the ball. (Grier's) spreading the ball around a lot. He did a good job of preparing all week and made a lot of good checks at the line of scrimmage, which is one thing that he does great."

WR David Sill V is tied for second in school history with 29 TD receptions. He is behind Stedman Bailey,  who had 41.

Texas is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference.

Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger bounced back from a shoulder injury to throw for two touchdowns and rush for two more in last week's loss at Oklahoma State. Herman would like to take some pressure off his signal-caller.

"We are going to have to run the football. There's no doubt," Herman told reporters. "The best way to stop an offense like West Virginia's is keep them off the field and don't let them get started. But we've also got to score points, too."

Ehlinger owns eight of Texas' 14 rushing TDs on the season. Running back Keaontay Ingram has 455 yards and two TDs. He was limited to 52 yards on 11 carries in the loss to Oklahoma State.

PREDICTION: Texas 28, West Virginia 24

College Football Betting Odds & Trends

West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
West Virginia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of West Virginia's last 12 games
West Virginia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road

Texas Longhorns
Texas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Texas's last 25 games
Texas is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games at home
Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Texas's last 16 games at home

 

Next up:
West Virginia home to TCU Saturday, November 10
Texas at Texas Tech Saturday, November 10

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Kentucky Hosts Georgia in Key SEC Matchup

SEC East Title on Line Today with Georgia and Kentucky

The Georgia Bulldogs and the Kentucky Wildcats meet on Saturday at Kroger Field. This is the biggest game in Kentucky Football's history since "Bear" Bryant was roaming the sidelines. The winner of today's matchup will most likely end up winning the SEC East and play for the conference championship.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

LINE: Georgia -9.5; O/U: 47

Fifth-ranked Georgia is used to playing showdown games in November. Those matchup usually come with SEC and national title aspirations at stake. That can't be said for No. 12 Kentucky. They find itself in that unfamiliar spot on Saturday.

The Wildcats defeated Missouri 15-14 last week, scoring on the final play of the game. They are off to their best eight-game start since 1977 behind a defense that is allowing a nation-low average of 13 points. That 1977 team was on probation and couldn't participate in the postseason.

"They've worked hard to put themselves in that position," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops told reporters on Monday. "We just have to stay consistent and be the best version of ourselves we can be."

Kentucky has improved its win total in each of Stoops' six seasons at the helm. They were ninth in the College Football Playoff rankings that were released on Tuesday. That is three spots behind Georgia.

Georgia whipped Florida 36-17 last week. Quarterback Jake Fromm rebounded from a sub-par showing in a loss at LSU to throw three touchdown passes. He now faces a defense led by standout linebacker Josh Allen, who ranks in the top three nationally in tackles for loss (14.5) and sacks (10).

"Obviously, it is a huge game," Georgia tight end Isaac Nauta told reporters on Monday. "You know we are playing for a chance to go to Atlanta (for the SEC championship game). I would say that is all the motivation that we need for this weekend's game."

Georgia and Kentucky are Two Different Types of Teams, but the Same

The Dawgs are 7-1overall and 5-1 in SEC action. Their only setback coming to 4th-ranked LSU.

Fromm improved to 19-3 as a starter in his career. He ranks second in the SEC in completion percentage at 67.4 %. The Bulldogs enter the week second in the conference in scoring offense at 38.6 points per game.

Running backs Elijah Holyfield and D'Andre Swift combined for 175 yards on 32 carries against Florida and have totaled 1,025 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The defense, which held Florida to a season-low 275 yards, is allowing 16.4 points per game.

DB Richard LeCounte made seven of his team-leading 47 tackles and also recovered a fumble last week.

The Wildcats are also 7-1 on the season and 5-1 in the conference.

Quarterback Terry Wilson completed 22-of-31 passes for 267 yards last week. Wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. had 13 catches for 166 yards while also returning a punt 67 yards for a touchdown.

Running back Benny Snell Jr. was held to 67 yards on 19 carries, but leads the SEC, and ranks 10th nationally in rushing yards per game at 116.9.

The defense gets plenty of attention, but the Wildcats are third in the conference in rushing offense at 214 yards.

Kentucky is the only FBS team yet to allow more than 20 points in a game this season.

PREDICTION: Georgia 24, Kentucky 20

NCAA Football Betting Odds & Trends

Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Georgia is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Georgia is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Georgia's last 5 games on the road
Georgia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Kentucky
Georgia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kentucky
Georgia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kentucky

Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kentucky's last 5 games
Kentucky is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games at home
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kentucky's last 6 games at home
Kentucky is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Georgia
Kentucky is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Georgia
Kentucky is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Georgia

 

Next up:
Georgia home to Auburn Saturday, November 10
Kentucky at Tennessee Saturday, November 10

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Warriors Host Timberwolves Friday Night

ESPN has the Warriors and Timberwolves as the Late Game

The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors battle on Friday at Oracle Arena. This matchup is hard to figure out tonight. Golden State is playing like, well, Golden State. You throw the Timberwolves and their helter-skelter performances and you have a real Forest Gump Box-of-Chocolates.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State).

LINE: Warriors -11; O/U 243 after opening at 239.5.

The Minnesota Timberwolves expect disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler to suit up on Friday. Hell, they might not need him. The Timberwolves will look for another turn-back-the-clock performance from former MVP Derrick Rose.

Butler is still actively seeking a trade out of Minnesota. He sat out to rest on Wednesday and watched Rose explode for a career-high 50 points in a 128-125 win at Utah.

The Warriors have several players on the roster capable of scoring 50 points. They are looking like the best team in the NBA again while riding a six-game winning streak.

Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson exploded for an NBA-record 14 3-pointers and 52 points in a 149-124 win at Chicago on Monday. He only needed to hit one 3-pointer and score 18 on Wednesday. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and company took over in a 131-121 triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Expect a Shootout Tonight in Prime Time

The Timberwolves are 4-4 on the season and have shown they can be a force if they can get their cabinet in order.

Rose was supposed to be a useful bench piece for Minnesota. This was after a series of injuries knocked him off the peak that led to an MVP Award in 2011. The 30-year-old is still capable of leaving his teammates in awe.

"D-Rose is the man," center Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters. "The legend. Myth. Vintage. It was numbing. I never realized something like that in my life. The man was just out there floating. It seemed like he couldn't do no wrong."

Rose went 19-of-31 from the floor in 41 minutes on Wednesday. He knocked down four 3-pointers, which was one shy of his total from the first seven games.

Golden State is 8-1 on the season and have exploded on offense.

Green will rarely be the player leading Golden State in scoring, but his full toolbox of skills was on display Wednesday. He collected 16 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

"I thought he was probably the best player on the floor tonight," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters of Green. "I know other guys had some big point totals and all that, but this was not a very clean game for us and when the game gets a little grimy that seems to be when Draymond is at his best. We needed his grit, his rebounding, his defense and he came through in a big way."

Green takes a lot of pride in his work at the defensive end. He told reporters after the win that his goal this season is to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second time.

Golden State took six of the last eight meetings.

PREDICTION: Warriors 135, Timberwolves 121

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Minnesota's last 25 games when playing Golden State
Minnesota is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Golden State

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games
Golden State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games at home
Golden State is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Minnesota
Golden State is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Golden State's last 25 games when playing Minnesota
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Minnesota

 

Next up:
Minnesota at Portland Sunday, November 4
Golden State home to Memphis Monday, November 5

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Pitt and Virginia Battle in ACC Tilt

First Place in ACC Coastal on Line for Pitt and Virginia

The Pitt Panthers and the Virginia Cavaliers will meet at Scott Stadium on Friday night. Friday night college football is a bad thing to do as you don't bite the hand that feeds you. Friday Nights are for High School games. This ACC matchup will have lots of drama and some pretty good football.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2.

LINE: Virginia -7; O/U 47

First place in the ACC Coastal division is on the line Friday night. No.22 Virginia hosts a Pittsburgh squad who scored with five seconds left to notch an exciting victory over Duke last weekend. The Panthers' offense finally broke out and scored their most points in nearly two years.

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett has struggled under center all season. He connected with Maurice Ffrench on a 25-yard touchdown strike to provide Pitt a 54-45 victory over the Blue Devils. Pitt added a safety on the final play of the game for the nine-point margin.

The Pittsburgh offense rolled up 634 yards, including 484 yards rushing. That is the second most in school history. The defense continued to underwhelm, yielding 619 yards.

The Cavaliers posted a 31-21 victory against North Carolina last week. It was behind four total touchdowns from quarterback Bryce Perkins (three passing) to return to the college football rankings for the first time since 2011.

Perkins completed 18-of-27 passes for 217 yards. He added 112 more on the ground as Virginia won its third conference game in a row for the first time since 2011. The win allowed them to remain atop the division at 4-1 with Pitt and Virginia Tech sitting 3-1.

Pitt and Virginia Are Peaking at the Right Time

Pitt is 4-4 overall and 3-1 in the ACC.

Defensive back V'Lique Carter, a 5-9, 170-pound freshman, moved to running back and gained 137 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns in the first game of his career. Workhorse Qadree Ollison added 149 yards and a score on 18 carries. That pushed his rushing total for the season to 795 yards, which is third in the ACC.

Pickett has a 60.6 completion percentage, with eight TDs, and five interceptions on the year. He is averaging just over 10 yards per completion this season. He finished 8-of-18 for 150 yards (72 in the final drive) and two touchdowns with Ffrench catching a 50-yard scoring pass prior to the game winner.

The Panthers surrendered just 19 points in a five-point loss to Notre Dame on Oct. 13. They gave up 120 in the previous three contests, prompting coach Pat Narduzzi to sum up the defense's play by saying, "one step forward and two steps back."

Pittsburgh beat Virginia 31-14 last season and has won three straight in the series.

Virginia is 6-2 on the season and 4-1 in the ACC.

Perkins, who is a junior college transfer, tied season highs in passing and total touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards for the third time this season. He has completed 63.1 percent of his 217 attempts for 1,623 yards and 21 total touchdowns (15 passing). Perkins has only eight interceptions.

Olamide Zaccheaus has a team high of 56 receptions, 690 yards and six TDs. He collected 10 catches for the second week in a row and recorded his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season. The output allowed him to become Virginia's all-time career receptions leader with 213.

The Cavaliers are surrendering 18.8 points, which is18th in FBS and second in the ACC. The unit is giving up 327 yards per game, and they have held seven opponents under 400 yards and all but two to 21 points or fewer.

Perkins (575 yards) passed Bill Dudley (469, 1940) and Shawn Moore (505, 1989) to move into second place all-time at Virginia for single-season rushing yardage by a quarterback.

Zaccheaus is the only active player in the nation with 2,000 receiving and 500 rushing yards. He is one of three ACC players to accomplish the feat since 2000.

PREDICTION: Virginia 28, Pittsburgh 24

NCAA Football Betting Odds & Trends

Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
Pittsburgh is 3-4-2 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Virginia
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Virginia

Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Virginia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Virginia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Virginia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Virginia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

 

Next up:
Pittsburgh home to Virginia Tech Saturday, November 10
Virginia home to Liberty Saturday, November 10

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Raiders and 49ers on Thursday Night Football

Raiders & 49ers on Thursday Night Football

Oakland and San Francisco are about as different as night and day, but they have something very much in common this year. Heading into Thursday’s matchup at Levi’s Stadium, the Raiders (1-6 SU, 2-5 ATS) are last in the AFC West, while the 49ers (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS) find themselves at the bottom of the NFC West.

FOX will provide the coverage at 8:20 PM ET. The 49ers opened at –3 and remain there at press time; the total is 46.5. The line is down to San Francisco -1 and the total is down to 44.

The 49ers rank 28th and Raiders 31st in points allowed with 29.5 and 31.1, respectively.

At least San Francisco’s malaise doesn’t seem premeditated. Their season went off the rails in Week 3 when starting quarterback, and franchise savior, Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL. With CJ Beathard at the controls, San Fran have one of the worst offenses in the league.  Their defense isn’t very good, either.

Its losing streak aside, San Francisco has a major injury concern as quarterback C.J. Beathard was unable to practice Tuesday due to a sore right wrist.

"We feel C.J. would be good if we were playing on Sunday but it's going to be a test for Thursday and we probably won't know until then," said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers would go with undrafted free agent Nick Mullens if Beathard can't go.

The one reliable offensive option for San Francisco is tight end George Kittle, who has a team-high 37 receptions and at least five in six of eight games. The 49ers are surrendering 262.5 yards passing and have posted only two interceptions.

Raiders are a Lame Duck Franchise Right Now

The Raiders are a lame-duck franchise until they make their eventual move to Las Vegas.

They started clearing out talent well before sending Pro Bowl LB Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears in September. The exodus continued last week when Oakland traded top wideout Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys for a first-round pick in 2019.

Derek Carr registered a season-high 136.6 passer rating in last week's 42-28 loss to Indianapolis. He threw for three touchdown passes before the Raiders were torched for 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Doug Martin rushed for 72 yards in place of an injured Marshawn Lynch and tight end Jared Cook continued his stellar season with four catches for 74 yards and a score.

Mack's loss has killed the pass rush, which has an NFL-low 7.0 sacks.

PREDICTION: 49ers 23, Raiders 20

NFL Betting Odds & Trends

Oakland Raiders
Oakland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Oakland is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Oakland's last 14 games
Oakland is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games on the road
Oakland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing San Francisco
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Francisco

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
San Francisco is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Francisco's last 11 games
San Francisco is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
San Francisco is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games at home
San Francisco is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Oakland
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Oakland

Get your NFL odds at Bovada today.