The heavily banged-up Packers caught a monster break this past Thursday with the Lions getting upset by the Vikings. That Detroit loss puts the Packers in the playoffs and takes the pressure off them.

Baltimore does not have that luxury. The Ravens are in must-win mode knowing a loss eliminates them.

So a huge motivational edge to the Ravens. Baltimore is the far healthier team, too, which also means a lot.

It is not just Jordan Love being out for Green Bay. The Packers have several offensive linemen who are questionable and their most versatile offensive lineman, Elgton Jenkins, is on the injured list along with their best run stuffer, Devonte Wyatt, and superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons.

The loss of Wyatt could prove the most significant. Both teams are down to backup quarterbacks, Tyler Huntley and Malik Willis. Neither is much of a downfield threat. The Ravens rank third in rushing and have Derrick Henry. The Packers are 15th in rushing and have Josh Jacobs, who is nursing a sore knee and can't compare to Henry.  

The Ravens have held seven of their last 10 opponents below 20 points. The Packers surrendered 34 points to a mediocre Denver offense two weeks ago.

It has been a distracting Christmas time for the Warriors courtesy of more Draymond Green nonsense. Green caused another stir by removing himself from the team in the middle of the Warriors' last game.

Maybe that incident has been forgotten, but I like the Mavericks getting this many points in this nationally televised matchup.

Anthony Davis and rookie Cooper Flagg are the Mavericks' two best players. Both are playing at high levels. Davis is averaging 26.3 points in his last six games. Flagg is averaging 25.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals during his last 11 games, living up to the high expectations of being the No. 1 overall player taken in the draft.

The Mavericks have met or exceeded their season average of 113 points a game in 11 of their last 12 games. This includes a huge confidence building, 131-130, win against the Nuggets this past Tuesday. 

The Rainbow Warriors have been stellar when playing at home this season going 6-1 SU and ATS with the lone loss coming by two points to Fresno State.

All together, the Warriors were 8-4 ATS, while Cal was 5-7 ATS.

Each team played Stanford and San Diego State. Hawaii beat both of those teams, each at home. The Warriors ended San Diego State’s six- game winning streak with a resounding, 38-6, victory.

The Golden Bears were blanked, 34-0, at San Diego State and lost, 31-10, at Stanford.

Hawaii has the better numbers on both sides of the ball and in scoring margin.

So the indications are clear that Hawaii is the superior team.

I get that the Kings are horrible, having lost nine of their last 10 games and being without their two best players, Domantas Sabonis and Zack Lavine.

But this line is inflated given the Rockets' situational spot.

Houston is coming off one of its most satisfying road wins of the season, snapping the Nuggets' six-game winning streak while getting revenge for a controversial, 128-125, overtime loss to the Nuggets this past Monday. Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating after that Monday loss.

Kevin Durant scored 31 points against Denver on Saturday. He also played 40 minutes. Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith each logged 38 minutes.

So not only are the Rockets in a monster letdown situation, but they carry a heavy fatigue rating in action for the third time in four days and twice within two days. The last time Houston played without rest was on Dec. 6 against the Mavericks in Dallas. The Rockets were 6.5-point favorites and lost, 122-109.

The Kings also played on Saturday and lost, 98-93, to the Trail Blazers at home. So the Kings don't have to do any traveling for this matchup. 

Sacramento is 3-3 ATS in its last six games and getting very good play from rookie Maxime Raynaud, who is filling in for Sabonis. 

The Lions are fighting hard for a playoff spot after losing on the road to the Rams last week. Under Dan Campbell, Detroit is 15-5 ATS following a loss, including 4-1 ATS this season. This is the Lions' final regular season home game.

This game is not as important to the Steelers as it is to the Lions. That's because Pittsburgh can still win the AFC North Division by defeating the Ravens in Week 18.

Detroit usually takes care of margins in its victories with all eight of its wins coming by 7 or more points. The Lions' average victory margin this season is 15.5 points a game. Pittsburgh has lost four of its six games by 10 or more points.

Jared Goff has a 29-to-five touchdown-to-interception ratio and will be helped by the Steelers missing their top pass rusher, injured T.J. Watt. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery should be able to gash a below average Pittsburgh defense that ranks 28th in yards allowed.

The Lions have some vulnerabilities in their secondary, but Pittsburgh isn't strong enough offensively to take advantage enough to cover this point spread.

The Knicks have won five in a row. They are desperate to hang a championship banner on the rafters at Madison Square Garden. They haven't done this in the NBA since 1973. If they can't win a title, they at least would like to capture this NBA Cup championship.

The Spurs won't lack motivation either, but they are coming off a huge emotional victory against the Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup. San Antonio was a 10-point underdog in that game.

This will be just Victor Wembanyama's second game back from a 12-game absence. He has a minute's restriction.

The spread is low enough to back the Knicks, who average more points per game than San Antonio and have a better defense.

Duquesne has defeated just one winning team and that was Stony Brook. The Dukes are 2-7 ATS. They were crushed by Boise State, 86-64, as a 14-point road 'dog three days ago.

That bodes well for Nevada. The Wolf Pack have stepped up their game going 4-1 SU, 3-1-1 in their last five outings.

The Wolf Pack are hitting 42.7 percent of their 3-pointers during their last seven games. Duquesne ranks 279th in 3-point defense.

Nevada also is a much better free throw shooting team than the Dukes.

Indiana's overall record is 6-18. But that record is misleading.

The Pacers are playing their best basketball of the season. They are 4-2 in their last six games and have won two in a row beating the Bulls on the road and Kings at home by double digits each. Indiana is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games.

Indiana has exceeded its season scoring average of 111.3 in five of its last six games. The Pacers are averaging 118.7 points during their past four games. Philadelphia averages 116.9 points per game.

The 76ers have been without starter Kelly Oubre Jr. and role player Trendon Watford. Joel Embiid, of course, can never be counted on to play.

Along with improved offense, Indiana has picked up its defense. The Pacers are a top-10 defensive team going by the last 10 games. The Pacers can't match the 76ers in big name players, but they have a number of unsung players doing well. One of these is center Jay Huff, who  leads the league in blocks. 

North Texas is a false favorite. Tulane is the more balanced team, is home, has more title game experience and a much better defense than the Mean Green.

Tulane gives up fewer than 25 points a game and ranks 34th in run defense. North Texas' defense improved as the season progressed, but still ranks 124th in stopping the run. Green Wave dual threat QB Jake Retzlaff can take advantage of that. He threw 14 touchdown passes for Tulane this  season and set a school record for quarterback rushing touchdowns with 14.

Tulane is making its third straight American Conference Championship appearance. North Texas hasn't won a conference title since 2004, nor won a bowl game since 2013.

The Green Wave also played the tougher schedule. They went against three Power Four opponents in Northwestern, Duke, and Mississippi. North Texas played a much weaker non-conference schedule.

The Mean Green heavily rely on QB Drew Mastemaker, a redshirt freshman, who passed for 3,835 yards and 29 TDs. The weather conditions, though, could hurt North Texas' passing attack with rain expected during the evening.

The game is being played at Tulane's outdoor, on-campus Yulman Stadium. The rain is going to cause the field to be soggy and slow down the passing attacks. That is going to hurt North Texas more.

The Mavericks are going for their first three-game win streak of the season.

I don't see them getting it.

The Heat are 7-1 in their last eight games. Miami is 2-0 in its past two road games winning by 10 points against the 76ers and by 36 vs. the Bulls.

Dallas still could be on Cloud Nine after stunning the Nuggets in Denver with a SU victory as an 11-point  underdog two days ago. 

The Mavericks are banged-up in the front court. Both P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford are questionable with ankle injuries. 

New England is 10-2 and has won nine in a row, which is the longest active win streak in the NFL. The Giants are 2-10 and already eliminated from playoff contention.

Yet the gap between these teams is not as gargantuan as their records indicate.

Multiple key New England injuries, the return of Jaxson Dart from a concussion and the Patriots' unfamiliar position of having all the pressure on them while hosting their first Monday Night Football matchup in five years  make this matchup far more even than perceived.

The Patriots' injuries are not that well-known outside of New England because they are not to skill position players. But these injuries are very important. The Patriots will be breaking in two new offensive line starters on the left side with tackle Will Campbell and guard Jared Wilson out. Campbell probably is New England's best offensive lineman. They were both injured in New England's, 26-20, road victory against the Bengals last week.

The Pats didn't have good offensive line depth before the injuries. New England also has had trouble running the ball ranking 19th in rushing. The Patriots have heavily relied upon the arm and legs of Drake Maye. The Giants' defensive strength is their pass rush.

New England's defensive line also has been impacted by injuries. Standout tackle Milton Williams is out. Another key run-stuffer, Khyiris Tonga, is questionable as is linebacker Harold Landry, whose play has regressed because he's been playing hurt.

Another below-the-surface injury for the Patriots is special-teams ace Brenden Schooler, who is out  with an ankle injury.

Dart has provided the Giants with a spark. He is back from a concussion. Dart has accounted for 17 touchdowns in his seven starts with the Giants, who average slightly more than 24 points a game when he is under center.

The Giants played each of the three top teams in the NFC North tough during the last three weeks. They held fourth-quarter leads in each game before losing in overtime at Detroit, by seven points to the Packers and by four points to the Bears on the road.

The jury is out on interim coach Mike Kafka and his new elevated defensive coordinator, Charlie Bullen. But the early returns appear promising with the Giants seeming to play with more passion and better morale than they did under Brian Daboll.

There are some bad defenses in the NFL. Then there are the Cincinnati Bengals. They are in a league of their own when it comes to horrendous tackling and giving up points and yards. The Bengals are second-to-last in run defense and facing Derrick Henry.

And run defense is the Bengals' best defensive category! Cincinnati gives up the most points, yards, yards per play, passing yards and passing touchdowns in the league. It is why they are 1-8 in their last nine games.

This is a get-right spot for Lamar Jackson if ever there was one.

It is a pipe dream to think Joe Burrow, who has a history of starting slow, is magically going to keep the Bengals within a touchdown of Baltimore after being out for two and a half months with a toe injury. Not having No. 2 wideout Tee Higgins certainly doesn't help the Bengals' cause.

The Ravens have all the momentum winning five in a row to go from 1-5 to 6-5. Baltimore's defense has stepped up holding each of its last six opponents below 20 points. The Ravens' average winning margin during their five-game winning streak is 12.8 points a game.

Kudos to the Kings, who in the last four days have pulled off stunning straight-up victories as double-digit underdogs against the Nuggets on the road and Timberwolves at home in overtime.

Previous to that, however, Sacramento had lost eight consecutive games going 1-7 ATS. I don't see the Kings pulling a third straight upset victory hosting the Suns. Even with those upset wins, the Kings are just 5-13.

Sacramento is not going to have Domantas Sabonis, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Sabonis is Sacramento's best player. He leads the team in rebounding and is third in scoring.

The Kings also could be minus guard Dennis Schroder, who during the past six games is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Schroder is dealing with a hip injury.

Phoenix is in an angry mood after a disappointing, 114-92, home loss to the Rockets two days ago. The Suns had  won eight of nine before that defeat. Devin Booker draws all the attention for Phoenix with his 26.4 point scoring average, but quietly newcomer Dillon Brooks has been huge for the Suns. Brooks is averaging 22.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals.

Booker and Brooks should have big games against a Sacramento defense that ranks 27th in scoring defense and 27th in defensive field goal percentage.

It would not be surprising if Miami rested some of its rotation players. The Heat raced to a, 127-117, victory against the 76ers on Sunday. The Heat had four players log more than 30 minutes against the 76ers.

Not only are the Heat playing without rest, but this marks their fifth game in eight days. The Heat need all of their energy because they are playing at a much faster pace than in previous seasons.

The Mavericks are a disappointing 5-13. But they've only lost by more than nine points once in their last eight games. Dallas has had several close losses during the span, losing to the Knicks by two points, Clippers in overtime and Bucks by two points.

Cooper Flagg has started to play better for the Mavericks and Dallas could get back its best player, Anthony Davis.

There has become a class difference between these two teams. BYU's only loss this season came to Texas Tech. No shame in that as the Red Raiders are ranked sixth in the country and have met, if not succeeded, lofty preseason expectations.

Cincinnati has been exposed in its last two games losing, 30-24, at home to Arizona and getting crushed at Utah, 45-14, by the Utes.

BYU gives up the 14th-fewest points at 17.8 and ranks 24th in total defense. Cincinnati ranks 123rd in yards allowed per game and has only two takeaways.

Cincinnati can't match BYU's defense, nor the Cougars balanced offensive attack. 

Lafayette and Stonehill are a combined 2-9. They each have won one game. But I'm getting involved in the game because I don't see Lafayette justified as a road favorite.

Stonehill has won four consecutive games at home going back to last season. The Skyhawks' lone  home game this season was a 100-48 romp against non-board team Thomas College.

Lafayette struggles on the road and on the glass. The Leopards are 328th in offensive rebounding and rank 282nd in defensive rebounding. Stonehill is consistent on both ends of the glass ranking 162nd in offensive rebounding and 163rd in defensive rebounding.

The Leopards also have trouble scoring, ranking 324th in points per game and 356th in points per possession.

The Mavericks' terrible decision to trade Luka Doncic last season is still reverberating. Dallas GM Nico Harrison recently got fired because of that and the 4-11 Mavericks are off to their worst 15-game start since the 2017-18 season.

Dallas is 2-8 in its last 10 games. Anthony Davis is injured, of course, and won't play. An illness has hit the team where Cooper Flagg and Caleb Martin may not play leaving the Mavericks even more shorthanded.

The Knicks are 6-2 during their last eight games, but off a two-point road loss to the Heat two days ago. So New York won't lack motivation or focus.

Not only is there a class difference here, but the Mavericks are potentially very short-handed. 

Points are going to matter in what shapes up to be a very low-scoring game. So I'm happy to take them with the home underdog in a battle between two good defenses and two weak offenses played in 30-some degree weather with a chance of rain.

Western Michigan averages 21.8 PPG. The Broncos have surpassed 24 points only twice.

Northern Illinois can run the ball effectively and it ranks in the top-50 defensively in scoring defense and total yards. The Huskies held San Diego State to six points at home earlier this season. That's nearly 20 points below the Aztecs' season average.

The Huskies just bashed the FBS’s worst team in UMass, 45-3, on the road last week. A significant takeaway from that game was NIU giving quarterback Jalen Macon his first FBS start. Macon played well accounting for four touchdowns while displaying excellent mobility. 

No need to overthink this one. Dallas is the superior team and the Raiders have very little home field advantage.

The Raiders' offensive line is broken and so is their beat up quarterback, Geno Smith. Minus injured left tackle Kolton Miller and right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and Las Vegas has the worst offensive line in the league. It is a big reason why the Raiders entered this week scoring the second-fewest points per game in the NFL at 15.4.

The Cowboys' defense has been bad so far, but it was greatly upgraded during their bye last week. Dallas added Quinnen Williams, one of the best run stuffers in the NFL, from the Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson, who may have been the Bengals' second-best defensive player until falling out of favor with Cincinnati management. The Cowboys are further reinforced with the return of DeMarvion Overshown from injury.

The Raiders are surrendering more than 24 points per game. They're not going to be able to keep up with the Cowboys' top-five offense.

I'm also expecting the Cowboys to play an emotional, intense game following the death of one of their players, Marshawn Kneeland.

We are getting a nice discount on the Vikings because the record shows Chicago to be 6-3 and Minnesota 4-5.

The Vikings, though, are better than their record while the Bears are much worse than their record.

Chicago is off improbable back-to-back comeback victories against the Giants and Bengals. The Bears also own a pair of one-point victories against the Commanders and Raiders. The combined record of those two teams is 5-14.

The Bears have been outscored on the season.

I don't like slow-processing Caleb Williams in this tough road venue facing Brian Flores' blitz-happy Vikings. I'm not a huge fan of J.J. McCarthy, but I do believe he will play better and have an easier time than he did last week against the Ravens' savvy defense.

I give the Vikings' offensive line a huge check mark against the Bears defensive line.

Look for the Vikings to dominate the trenches and win this game with room to spare. 

The oddsmaker has Kennesaw State as a road favorite against Jacksonville State in this Conference USA showdown.

I don't buy that. I like the combination of the Gamecocks' running back Cam Cook and quarterback Caden Creel operating behind a physical offensive line. Jacksonville State ranks fourth in the nation in rushing at 261.1 yards per game. The Gamecocks are also 51st in run defense.

Kennesaw State can't match that. The Owls rank 60th in rushing and 75th in run defense. They run better than they pass. Their defense has managed only five takeaways.

Jacksonville State wins the trenches - and the game. 

Ohio is the slightest of favorites against Western Michigan. But the Bobcat should not be a road favorite at all.

Western Michigan not only is home, but has the superior defense. Only 11 teams in the country give up fewer yards per game than the Broncos. Western Michigan also ranks 19th in scoring defense, holding foes to 19 points a game. The Broncos have the second-best defense in the MAC.

Ohio, by contrast, gives up 5 more points per game than Western Michigan and ranks 76th in run defense and 73rd in pass defense.

Western Michigan is 5-1 in i's last six games. One of those wins was, 14-13, at home against Toledo as a 13 1/2-point underdog. The Broncos held the Rockets to nearly 20 points below their season average.

It's a good spot, too, for Western Michigan. The Broncos last played on November 1st and they don't have to travel for a short-week Tuesday game like Ohio does here.

The last time Utah played was this past Friday at Minnesota. The Timberwolves buried the Jazz, 137-97. That was the most points Utah has surrendered all season.

Now it's the Jazz's turn to host the Timberwolves and the timing is good for Utah to get revenge.

Minnesota is playing for the third time in four days and without rest after downing the Kings, 144-117, in Sacramento on Sunday night.

The Jazz hold a winning spread record as they often are underpriced. That's the case in this matchup. 

Never thought I would be saying this season, but the Patriots are actually in a letdown spot having won six in a row.

Drake Maye has emerged as a star. But the Patriots have played an extremely easy schedule. New England's last four victories have come against the Falcons, Browns, Titans and Saints. The combined record of those four teams is 7-27. The Bills are the only good opponent the Patriots have faced.

Maye has been carrying an offense with a below average rushing attack. The Buccaneers rank 7th against the run. Tampa Bay has had two weeks to prepare for Maye having been idle last week.

I don't see  Maye being able to successfully trade points against Baker Mayfield. 

If it weren't for an overtime loss to eighth-ranked BYU, Arizona would be 5-0 at home this season. The Wildcats are holding foes to an average of 12.5 points in regulation during their five home games.

Kansas' defense has fallen apart. The Jayhawks are yielding 32.4 points in their last five games. Kansas has trouble stopping the run and its cornerbacks are vulnerable to Arizona QB Noah Fifita, who has accounted for 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

The Jayhawks' offense also has regressed. Kansas was averaging 20.3 points per game in its last three games until producing 38 points against hapless 1-8 Oklahoma State. A cluster injury problem at tight end has hurt Kansas' offense.

At this point of the season, Arizona is at least a touchdown better then Kansas especially going by its track record at home.

Given a healthy Davis Alexander at quarterback and a better balanced lineup, I believe Montreal is the best team in the CFL. Look for the Alouettes to prove that here against Hamilton.

Montreal's offense looked great in a 42-33 Eastern Conference semifinal victory against Winnipeg. Alexander had a big game as did running back Stevie Scott III, who rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Hamilton's run defense was the worst in the CFL this season, allowing more than 110 yards rushing per game.  

Tiger-Cats QB Bo Levi Mitchell had a big season. But Mitchell doesn't have a run game to fall back on like Alexander does.

Montreal also has the superior defense. The Alouettes allowed the fewest yards per game in the CFL. 

The Spurs return home following a two-game West Coast trip where they lost to the Suns and Lakers, failing to cover in either game.

Awaiting the Spurs are the 5-2 Rockets. Houston went 52-30 last season and is better this year with the addition of Kevin Durant. The Rockets are rolling right now, winning five in a row with four coming by blowouts.

Houston is a much better team than San Antonio. The Spurs are going through growing pains. San Antonio superstar center Victor Wembanyama didn't play that well during the West Coast trip. Houston's Ime Udoka is one of the better coaches in the NBA. He has the pieces to defend against Wembanyama.

The Rockets are loaded with Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. They are much stronger than the Spurs, so laying this short road price is a bargain.

Dallas is averaging 30.8 points per game, second-best in the NFL. The Cowboys have arguably the best wide receiver tandem in the league with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. They have the best kicker in the league by far with Brandon Aubrey and their pass rush is still solid even without Micah Parsons.

But somehow the Cowboys are only a field goal favorite at home against the Cardinals, who have lost five in a row. That's what misplaced love for Jacoby Brissett can cause.

The record needs to be set straight. The Cardinals are not as good, I repeat not as good, with Brissett at quarterback instead of injured Kyler Murray.

Brissett is a journeyman, pocket passer who wasn't good enough to start for the Patriots, Colts, Dolphins, Commanders and now Arizona. The Cardinals are below average in all major offensive categories. They also are 1-17 in their last 18 games without Murray!

Arizona's defense ranks among the bottom-12 in yards allowed. passing yards and takeaways. Cardinals cornerbacks Will Johnson and Max Melton are not going to get the better of Lamb and Pickens.

No Murray, no Cardinals cover.

You won't find a better buy-low spot on the Falcons than right here. Atlanta is off a 24-point home loss to the Dolphins, who just looked terrible against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football. New England has won five in a row.

I find the Falcons to be the superior team, though. The only above average team the Patriots have beaten during their win streak was Buffalo. Their other victories came against the Browns, Titans, Saints and Panthers. Those four teams have a combined record of 8-24.

Atlanta also has defeated Buffalo. The Falcons have victories against the Commanders and  Vikings on the road, too. They were without Michael Penix and Drake London in their loss to the Dolphins and strangely only gave Bijan Robinson nine carries and three passing targets. Now  Penix and London are healthy and even an idiot like Raheem Morris can figure out that Robinson needs to be more heavily involved since he could be the best all-purpose back in the NFL.

The Falcons have won straight-up the past two times they've been underdogs.

Drake Maye has been carrying a pedestrian Patriots offense. Atlanta is much improved defensively and New England will be without its best running back, Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Patriots already have lost to the Steelers and Raiders at home this season. They are 4-13 in their last 17 home games.

Usually it is a disadvantage for the road team to play on Thursday night. Lamar Jackson makes this game an exception. Jackson is itching to play after missing the last three games.

The Ravens are in the argument for having the best offense when Jackson is under center. Miami's defense is no match. The Dolphins give up 26.9 points a game, which ranks 27th, and embarrassingly only have one takeaway.

The last time these teams met was on Dec. 31, 2023 at Baltimore. The Ravens won, 56-19. Jackson threw five touchdown passes in only 21 attempts. The Dolphins' defense was actually better back then than it is now.

The Ravens have gotten healthy on defense, too. Having Jackson back is going to give them a huge spark.

Look for a Baltimore blowout. 

The Heat have changed their identity going from slow pace to very fast. It has resulted in impressive consecutive victories, a blowout of the Grizzlies and an 8-point win against the Knicks at home this past Tuesday.

Now the Hornets visit Miami. Charlotte is off to a nice 2-1 start. Note, though, those victories have occurred against the Wizards and Nets. Charlotte is not as good as Miami. The spot is bad for the Hornets, too, playing in their third road game in four days and not having rising star Brandon Miller. He has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Miami is second in the league in bench scoring. The Heat have the depth to take advantage of Charlotte's fatigue and missing Miller. They are worth backing in this spot.

Flush with confidence and Jaxson Dart mania after upsetting the Eagles, the Giants headed to Denver last week.  There the cocky Giants built a 19-0 lead through three quarters before collapsing in a 33-32 loss, becoming the first NFL team in more than two decades to blow a lead of 18 points or more in the final six minutes and lose.

I don't think the Giants have recovered. Their brashness is gone.

Now the Giants have to travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles, who are in rapid revenge for a 34-17 loss suffered to the Giants two weeks ago. Ace defensive coordinator Vic Fangio now has a first-hand look at Dart and the Eagles will have two of their key trench players, defensive lineman Jalen Carter and guard Landon Dickerson, back. Both were out in the earlier meeting against the Giants.

The Eagles have beaten the Giants 12 consecutive times at home.

No AJ Brown for the Eagles, but that is off-set with the Giants down two of their starting defensive backfield starters as safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo are out.

Jalen Hurts has the two best weapons on his side - Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia's kicking game also is far more reliable than the Giants.

No team needed a bye more than the 1-5 Ravens. The Ravens have a tremendous sense of urgency here knowing they can't afford a slip-up to a mediocre team like the Bears.

The Bears don't have the Ravens' motivation. They are fat and happy with four straight victories. Those wins came against the Saints, Raiders, Commanders and Cowboys. None of those four teams have a winning record. Chicago edged Washington and Las Vegas by one point each.  

Baltimore has terrible defensive numbers. Injuries have played a large part in that. though. Now the Ravens have some of their best defensive players back healthy including linebacker Roquan Smith.

Even without Jackson, the Ravens have multiple weapons and they get back two of their key blockers, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and fullback Patrick Ricard.

The stage is set for Virginia Tech today. The Hokies are home, drawing an opponent traveling cross country and  will be playing to a national TV audience on ESPN.

Just one problem, Virginia Tech isn't any good.

Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones is inconsistent and the defense ranks 110th in EPA per play and 106th in defensive success rate. Virginia Tech has forced only five turnovers. That's important because California relies on freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and a midrange passing game, which is quite effective when Sagapolutele doesn't turn the ball over.

The Golden Bears are 5-2 with impressive victories against Boston College and Minnesota. They have not been this good since 2009.

The Chargers have two huge edges against the Vikings that should prove the difference. Minnesota is at a severe disadvantage traveling on a short week. Los Angeles also has the far superior quarterback in Justin Herbert against Carson Wentz.

The last time Herbert went against the Vikings and their blitz crazy defensive coordinator Brian Flores was two seasons ago at Minneapolis. Herbert completed 40 of 47 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers won, 28-24.

Not only does Herbert have the receiving weapons with Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and emerging tight end Oronde Gadsden II, but he has underrated athleticism and mobility running for 180 yards on 30 carries. The Vikings just allowed Jalen Hurts to have his best game of the season in a 28-22 home loss this past Sunday.

Wentz is a turnover-prone journeyman with a penchant for making boneheaded plays. The Chargers defense did not play well against high-powered Indianapolis last week, but they will get back pass rusher Khalil Mack. Minnesota has a banged-up offensive line so Mack could be effective. Los Angeles also is expected to have back offensive left tackle Joe Alt.

The Vikings have lost the turnover battle in each of their last three games, all with Wentz under center. Wentz has thrown four interceptions during this span to go with three touchdown passes.

I don't see the Vikings overcoming the quarterback difference and tough scheduling spot.

Bill Belichick can make life rough on an opposing freshman quarterback just like he did against rookie quarterbacks in the NFL. I get that college football and NFL are apples and oranges. But Belichick's Tar Heels are stepping way down in class after their last game against Clemson, which was a 38-10 defeat.

North Carolina has forced six turnovers and ranks fourth nationally in red zone defense. California is a huge step down from Clemson. The Golden Bears' freshman QB, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, has thrown seven interceptions and doesn't have a ground attack to fall back on as the Golden Bears rank 126th in rushing.

Cal is regressing after a 3-0 start. The Golden Bears lost to Duke at home, 45-21, in their last game and also were blanked, 34-0, by San Diego State three games ago.

This is a chance for Belichick to get back some of his lost reputation and he's had two weeks to prepare for a turnover-prone freshman quarterback and a less than imposing foe.

This isn't just an ordinary Monday night game for the Bears. This is their revenge game of the season.

The Commanders ruined the Bears' season last year when Jayden Daniels connected on a 52-yard, final-play Hail Mary touchdown pass to give Washington an improbable 18-15 victory. The Bears were 4-2 before that game. They then went on to lose nine in a row following that disastrous loss.

Chicago is much better coached this season. The Bears'  offensive line has improved. Caleb Williams also has looked better.

The Bears have their confidence up after consecutive victories against the Cowboys and Raiders. Chicago is rested, too, having been idle last week. The time off has allowed CB Kyler Gordon and TE Colston Loveland to get healthy. The Commanders give up the eighth-most yards per game.

Washington's strength is Daniels and a solid ground attack that will try to exploit the Bears' weak run defense. However, Daniels could be without his two best wide receiving weapons as Terry McLaurin is sidelined for a third game in a row because of a quadriceps injury and Deebo Samuel is questionable because of a bruised heel.

Nevada is a dangerous 1-4 team. The Wolf Pack have an underrated defense and finally found their best quarterback, freshman Carter Jones. Given a chance in the second half, Jones nearly led Nevada to a road upset of Fresno State last week throwing two touchdowns.

The Wolf Pack have been hurt by a nation-worst 10 interceptions. San Diego State has good defensive statistics,  but only has four takeaways in five games. The Aztecs lack an explosive offense and have won just three of their last 13 road games the past three seasons.

Nevada is stout against the run with a solid defensive line that has 31 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 13 sacks. San Diego State ranks 90th in total yards and 106th in passing yards. The Aztecs are averaging fewer than 10 points a game in two road games this season.

The oddsmaker is overrating San Diego State here and not accounting for Nevada's upgraded quarterback play.

Not only did Toronto get eliminated from the playoffs with its loss to Hamilton last week, but the Argonauts lost their starting quarterback, Nick Arbuckle, for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. Arbuckle had thrown for 4,370 yards and 26 touchdowns.

I don't like Toronto's chances of staying within single digits of Saskatchewan. The Roughriders own the best record in the CFL at 11-4. Toronto is 5-11.

After losing to Montreal and Edmonton by a combined five points, Saskatchewan got right last week beating Ottawa on the road, 20-13, as 6-point favorites. The Roughriders' defense looked good.  

Saskatchewan defeated the Argonauts, 39-32, on the road back in June. The Roughriders should take care of business at home now that they are back on track while Toronto is out of the playoff hunt and forced to use backup quarterback Jarret Doege.

Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo are a couple of fun to watch rookies. Truth be told, though, neither is very good. Dart is inexperienced and inaccurate. Skattebo is a straight ahead runner without any moves. Malik Nabers was the Giants' only star skill position player and he's out.

Both the Giants' offensive line and skill position players are well below average. It's not a surprise the Giants rank last in the NFL with a 31.6-percent red-zone TD conversion rate.

So don't overthink this game just because the Eagles blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead against the Broncos last week. Philadelphia had won 10 in a row prior to that game. The Eagles are 20-2 in their last 22 games.

They have dominated the Giants, defeating them seven of the past eight times. The lone New York victory during this span occurred when Philly rested some starters in Week 18 of 2023.

There is a huge class difference here. I consider the Eagles to be the best team in the NFC and the Giants to be among the bottom-three in the NFC with the Panthers and Saints, who they lost to last week. 

Home court is strong enough in playoff basketball without any help from the officiating. But in the WNBA playoff home court really means something given how bad the league officiating is.

Minnesota was homered in the title game last year against the Liberty in New York and the Lynx were homered in Game 3 on the road against Phoenix this year.

Las Vegas knows that feeling. The Aces were homered in Game 4 at Indiana this past Sunday losing, 90-83. The Fever shot 34 free throws. The Aces only took 11 free throws.

But now the Aces get the Fever at home. Las Vegas is 17-5 at home. The Aces buried Indiana, 90-68, at home in Game 2 of this series.

A'ja Wilson is the best player in the league. No way does Indiana center Aliyah Boston get the better of Wilson.

The Aces are a much better free throw shooting team than Indiana. The Aces also are healthy, something the Fever are not. The Fever have shown a lot of spunk and guts to go this far in the playoffs despite missing multiple rotation players, including star guard Caitlin Clark.

But I see the Fever running out of gas here. Las Vegas has too strong of a track record at home and are the superior team. It's just a bonus if the Aces get added help by the officiating, which has been blatantly slanted toward home teams in the playoffs.

The Bengals are extremely fortunate to be 2-1 instead of 0-3. But in their first game without Joe Burrow this season they were buried, 48-10, by the Vikings on the road last week.

Burrow was propping up a bad defense, terrible offensive line and a not very good lead running back.

Now with Burrow out, I don't see the Bengals competitive on the road against good teams such as the Broncos.

The Bengals are kidding themselves if they think Jake Browning, a dink-and-dunker, can keep them in games. The Broncos have held opponents to an average of 14.5 points at home during the Sean Payton era.

Denver holds a major coaching edge, has a strong advantage in both trenches and owns home motivation for a rare prime time game.

Cincinnati has yet to face a mobile quarterback. Now the Bengals get Bo Nix, who is in a get-right spot against this bad of a defense.

No Napheesa Collier, no chance for Minnesota. And I doubt Collier plays after suffering shoulder and leg injuries in the Lynx's Game  3 loss to the Mercury.

The Lynx and their coach, Cheryl Reeve, are on tilt following Friday's road loss to Phoenix. Reeve went crazy at the end of the game due to the horrendous officiating.

Minnesota really lost this series when it blew a 20-point lead at home in Game 2. The Lynx haven't recovered.

Phoenix's confidence level is sky high, the Mercury are home and their three stars are playing well.

Classic letdown spot for Memphis after the Tigers came back from an 18-point deficit to upset Arkansas on national TV at home last week. It was the first time the Tigers had hosted a power conference opponent since 2021 and is one of their best victories in school history.

Now the Tigers have a chance to open 5-0 for the first time since 2019. Memphis very well could achieve that mark, but I don't see the Tigers having an easy time of it here.

Florida Atlantic is hungry for a big win in the new Zach Kittley era. The Owls have an excellent quarterback - Caden Veltkamp - have had two weeks to prepare after being idle last week and are at home.

Veltkamp is the reigning CUSA Offensive Player of the Year at Western Kentucky. He transferred to Florida Atlantic to play for Kittley, an air raid disciple with offensive coordinator stops at WKU and Texas Tech. Veltkamp is leading the country in completions per game.

Florida Atlantic's passing game, two weeks of preparation and catching the Tigers off one of the school's greatest victories, makes Memphis vulnerable.

Florida Atlantic has the worst turnover margin in the country at minus-8 through three games. Turnovers can be hard to predict, though, and the Owls have had two weeks to work on this. Florida Atlantic's defense should look much better without its offense turning the ball over so often.

Calgary has been outscored, 83-42, in losing its last two games. That's a concern. Another concern is the Stampeders' quarterback injuries. Starter Vernon Adams Jr. was unable to finish last week’s game and backup P.J. Walker reportedly is done for the season. Adams was limited in practice on Tuesday.

I like the Alouettes to win by more than this point spread margin even if Adams plays as he likely would be less than 100 percent.

While the Stampeders are floundering, the Alouettes are coming on having won two in a row with one of these victories coming against Saskatchewan. The Roughriders have the best record in the CFL.

Montreal has the superior defense and its quarterback, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, has been steady. The Alouettes also have a bye next week so they will be holding nothing back.

The WNBA is wide open this season. Minnesota had the best regular season record and deserves to be favored.

But the Lynx aren't that dominant where they should be in this high of a point spread range.

Phoenix eliminated the defending champion Liberty. The three best players in the WNBA are A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas, who is the Oscar Robertson of the league averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists.

The Mercury took out the Liberty this past Friday night. They then had to play Game One at Minnesota this past Sunday. Despite the scheduling and disadvantage, Phoenix had a 7-point halftime lead and the game was tied at the end of the third quarter.

Phoenix ran out of gas and lost, 82-69.

That shouldn't be the case in Tuesday's Game 2. I also don't expect the Mercury to miss 20 of 23 of their 3-pointers like they did in Game 1.

Note, too, that the Lynx are missing DiJonai Carrington, one of the best defenders in the league and a key rotational part for Minnesota.

Phoenix has its big three healthy - Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Cooper. That makes the Mercury extremely dangerous.

Less than two years ago these teams met in Baltimore and the Ravens crushed the Lions, 38-6.

Since then the Lions have gotten worse and the Ravens have gotten better to the point where Baltimore has the best offense in the NFL.

So, why should anything be different this time around?

It shouldn't. The pattern remains the same. The Ravens' well-balanced, high-powered attack is going to produce plenty of points led by Lamar Jackson, who seems to play his best on Monday Night Football accounting for 25 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Jackson has a 24-2 career record versus NFC teams, too.

Jared Goff plays much worse in outdoor road settings such as this one.

The Ravens are still carrying a chip on their shoulder after blowing a nationally televised Week 1 game to the Bills. They won't be taking their foot off the pedal here.

The winless Dolphins have serious problems. The schedule maker did Miami no favor as this is the worst possible spot and matchup for the Dolphins. Miami has to travel on a short week to face the Bills, who could be the best team in football right now.

The unbeaten Bills rank first in total offense. They are scoring 35.5 points per game. Miami has given up 33 points to each of its two opponents, the Patriots and Colts. Buffalo has a better offense than either of those two teams.

No longer can the Dolphins offense carry their weak defense. Injuries have wiped out the right side of Miami's offensive line. Given little protection, immobile Tua Tagovailoa has looked terrible. A quick fix is not going to occur in such a short time. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel looks and sounds like a beaten man. I actually feel sorry for the guy.

The only thing McDaniel is going to win is to be the first head coach fired in the NFL this season. That's a prop worth playing as I anticipate the Dolphins to be blown out here and for Miami management to fire McDaniel following the game.

Buffalo has beaten Miami in 13 of the last 14 games, including the past five. Those Dolphins teams were better than this current one.

The Dolphins can't count on turnovers either. The Bills have gone 24 straight games without losing the turnover battle. That's the longest streak in 75 years. 

The Valkyries have proven resilient all season becoming the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs. They get tremendous fan support at Chase Center, where their 18,064 arena is sold out.

This should be a tight defensive game with every point mattering. Golden State is eliminated with a loss.

This is what Minnesota superstar Napheesa Collier said about today's matchup: “No one on this team thinks that this is going to be an easy game, by any means. We know it’s going to be a fight. They all work really, really hard. That’s been a staple of their team this entire season, and their home crowd is really great. It’s going to be a really tough game, and we have to make sure that we come with our A-game, especially on defense.”  

The Valkyries should get a better break from the officials than they did in Game 1 at Minnesota being home now and after their coach, Natalie Nakase, complained about the officiating.

Note, too, that Golden state had the second-best point spread mark in the league during the regular season covering 64 percent of their games.

Twins youngster Simeon Woods Richardson has given up at least one homer in five of his last six starts. He also has a very high barrel rate. These are enormous red flags as Richardson faces the Yankees today.

New York has seven players with at least 20 homers this season. So it is no surprise that the Yankees lead the majors with 254 home runs. Richardson can expect no help from a gutted Twins bullpen that has become one of the worst in baseball.

The Yankees, unlike the Twins, have motivation trying to chase down Toronto for first place in the AL East. The Yankees are 13-3 in their past 16 road games and have All-Star Carlos Rodon pitching.

Rodon is having a big season and he is hot down the stretch, not allowing any more than two runs in any of his past seven starts. During this  span, he is 5-1 with a 2.38 ERA.

Once upon a time Joe Flacco was a franchise quarterback for the Ravens leading them to a Super Bowl victory. Now Flaco is 40 and well past his prime, He has no mobility, a bad offensive line and a non-existent ground game to take the pressure off. Cleveland also could have the worst kicker in the NFL.

Just as bad for the Browns is they catch the Ravens at a very inopportune time following Baltimore's meltdown against the Bills this past Sunday night.

I see this as an absolute kill spot for the Ravens so I am not adverse to laying a big number here. 

There was a lot of preseason Heisman Trophy hype surrounding South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers. He is an intriguing NFL draft prospect because of his dual threat running and throwing abilities.

But so far in the early going, South Carolina's offensive line hasn't looked that good and neither has Sellers.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia doesn't get the publicity Sellers does. All Pavia does is help Vanderbilt cover point spreads. The Commodores are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games. This includes a 10-2 ATS (83%) mark when receiving points.

The Commodores were surprisingly good last season and they appear better this season with a stronger offensive line, more depth and plenty of confidence. They may have the best tight end in the country in Eli Stowers.

Even though it's only the third game of the season, these teams have a common opponent - Virginia Tech. Vanderbilt defeated Virginia Tech by 24 points. South Carolina only defeated the Hokies by 13 points. Virginia Tech outgained South Carolina and controlled the ball for nearly 10 more minutes then the Gamecocks. 

Thanks to Deion Sanders, Colorado draws a lot of media attention. The Buffalos certainly were entertaining and interesting last season with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.

But those two stars are gone. I don't find the Buffalos to be very good this season. They surrendered 320 rushing yards in a loss to Georgia Tech opening week and then only outgained Delaware by two yards in a victory last week.

Houston has the better defense, can take advantage of Colorado's vulnerable run defense and is home. The Cougars' offensive strength is their ground attack. Colorado is weak against the run.

Then there is Colorado's quarterback situation. It appears third-stringer Ryan Staub it's going to get the start behind center for the Buffaloes.

I'm not a huge fan of Houston quarterback Conner Weigman, but I would take him over any of them Colorado quarterbacks and he has a strong run game to rely upon.

After going 28-5 in their first 33 games and clinching the No. 1 playoff seed, the Lynx are just 5-5 in their last 10 games. They do not have any incentive and they do not have any motivation here.

Minnesota rested superstar Napheesa Collier in its last game not wanting to take a chance on her reinjuring her ankle. There is no reason for the Lynx to play Collier here.

Golden State, however, has incentive. A victory enables the Valkyries to finish in sixth place and meet either the Aces or Dream instead of the Lynx in the first round of the playoffs.

The Valkyries have the second-best point spread record in the WNBA at 27-15-1 (64 percent).

Given their talent, the Storm may be the most underachieving team in the WNBA this season. Seattle needs to win this game in order to clinch the final playoff spot.

Because of that we have an inflated point spread.

The Valkyries are an expansion team, but they haven't played like one. They are in the playoffs and have a chance to be the sixth-seed. Golden State has played hard all season. I don't see that changing here.

Golden State had won five in a row before losing to the league's best team, Minnesota, in its last game this past Saturday. The Valkyries outscored the Lynx in three of the four quarters.

 Seattle has stars in 10-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike along with Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor. Yet the Valkyries have the better record.

Golden State's 25-15-1 (63%) point spread mark is the second-best ATS record in the WNBA. The Storm have the second-worst point spread record in the league at 17-26 (40%) ATS.

LA is a huge favorite here. But by the time this game tips off, the Sparks may have little incentive to play. That's because their slim playoff hopes could end if Indiana beats Washington as expected. That game tips off three hours before the Spark game. So LA's players will know the result. Indiana was favored by six points on the overnight line. Washington has lost eight in a row.
 
The Sparks are on fumes done in by a brutal, late-season schedule. This is their fifth game in eight days. The Sparks just lost to the Dream this past Wednesday and Friday failing to step up in either game. Talent hasn't equaled results for the Sparks.

Dallas has been on West Coast time the past few days. They last played on Thursday against Golden State, easily covering against the playoff-bound Valkyries.

The Sparks didn't get into LA from their 5-hour flight home from Atlanta until Saturday. This is a Sunday afternoon game against a well-rested opponent that will be playing loose with no pressure.

The line is so high because Dallas has the worst record in the WNBA. But the Wings also will have the best player on the court in Paige Bueckers. She has been tremendous in the last two games against the Sparks averaging 36.5 points. The Sparks won those two games by just one point each with the last occurring on August 20th. It took a buzzer beater for the Sparks to nip the Wings, 81-80, as eight- point home favorites.

Look for another close game here. 

Certainly I give credit to Jaden Daniels. He's an electrifying player. I'm not nearly as sold on the Commanders as a team, though. I thought they were the luckiest team in the NFL last season. I see regression hitting Washington hard this season starting with this game.

Don't laugh. The Giants were right there with the Commanders in their two games last season, losing by three and five points.

I like New York's defense better than Washington's, especially the Giants' pass rush. The Giants have some of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

Daniels is a star. He doesn't have great weapons, however. Russell Wilson is on the downside of his career. Still, he's the best quarterback Brian Daboll has had during his four-year tenure as coach of the Giants.

Connecticut has lost each of its last 17 road games in September. I don't see the Huskies ending that streak against Syracuse.

The Orange are stepping down in class after a 45-26 loss to Tennessee opening week. Syracuse turned a corner last season under new coach Fran Brown. The Orange won 10 games and beat Washington State by 17 points in a bowl game.

Despite the loss to Tennessee, which was a step-up game, Syracuse showed  good things. It gives the Orange value in this game since they should be favored by double digits. Their defense has talent and quarterback Steve Angeli looked  good at times despite being under a heavy pass rush. He should have more time to throw against Connecticut.

The Huskies were 28.5-point favorites against Central Connecticut last week and won, 59-13. Jim Mora Jr. has done a nice job, too, coaching Connecticut. He has built that program up in his four years there. But Syracuse has a recruiting and talent edge and Connecticut is in more of a rebuild mode this season.

The results from last week have made this line lower than what it should be. I'll take advantage and get behind Syracuse.

The Battle of Alberta goes Monday, Labor Day, with Edmonton at Calgary. The record shows Calgary 7-3 and the Elks at 4-6.

Don't be deceived. The Elks can pull the outright upset. Edmonton has won three in a row, playing its finest ball of the season. That streak could be four in a row if one of their players didn't drop a touchdown pass against favored Hamilton in a four-point loss.

Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo and running back Justin Rankin are playing at high levels. They can keep Edmonton in this game.

It's hard to believe Calgary would suffer a letdown here, but the Stampeders are off a huge home victory against Saskatchewan in their last game dealing the Roughriders just their second loss of the season.

It has been quite a while, but finally in Year 3 of the Matt Rhule era, there is legitimate excitement about Nebraska. The Cornhuskers played in a bowl game last year for the first time in seven seasons. They have set their sights even higher this year.

Dylan Raiola showed much promise as a freshman last year. He's going to be much improved this season under new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, a noted quarterback coach guru.

I rate the Cornhuskers as much higher than a touchdown better than Cincinnati, a lower-tier Big 12 team. The Bearcats were 4-8 last season. They couldn't reach the 25-point barrier in each of their last seven games.

Brendan Sorsby and much of Cincinnati's offense is back. They don't excite me. I see Nebraska's defensive front controlling the line of scrimmage.

This game is going to be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It is not Lincoln, Nebraska. But there will be more Nebraska fans there.

When the Dodgers win, it is usually by more than one run. That has been the case in seven of the last eight instances. I expect the road Dodgers to beat the Angels by multiple runs today with Yoshinobu Yamamoto facing Jose Soriano.

Yamamoto is 10-7 with a 2.51 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 22 starts this season. He is an ace and he is in good form allowing only one earned run during his last two starts spanning 12 2/3 innings. The Angels have never faced Yamamoto. The Angels rank 28th in batting average.

The Dodgers lead the majors in runs and OPS. They are No. 2 in homers. Soriano is 7-9 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 24 starts this season. His last start was a disaster as he gave up seven earned runs in four innings to the Rays. Soriano's ERA in his last four starts is 4.91.

The Angels have the fifth-highest bullpen ERA.

The defending WNBA champion Liberty have been pointing to this game for more than a week after they were upset as 8-point road favorites by the Wings on national TV eight days ago.

The motivation and setting is ripe for the Liberty to get their revenge in double-digit fashion.

The rebuilding Wings just traded away DiJonai Carrington, one of their few good defensive players. Even with Carrington, Dallas was a bottom-three defensive team.

The Wings rank second to last in 3-point defense. That bodes well for long range shooting star Sabrina Ionescu, who has been hot.

New York remains without superstar Brianna Stewart, but did shore up its frontcourt, signing veteran Emma Meesseman to go with star center Jonquel Jones.

Dallas has played its last four games at home. The Wings are 1-4 straight up and against the spread in their last five road games.

Every point should matter here as this figures to be a very low-scoring game as the total indicates.

Chicago has lost six in a row. However, this is a step down in class for the Sky as five of those losses were against above average teams - Minnesota twice, Indiana, Seattle and Atlanta. Those were all above average teams with Minnesota being probably the best team in the WNBA right now.

Kayla Thornton is the Valkyries' best player. She is out for the season, though. Golden State also may be without Monica Billings and Cecilia Zandalasini. Neither played last night. This marks the Valkyries' fourth road game in six days and second in two nights. They are fat and happy with consecutive upset victories against Washington and Atlanta.

With a short rotation, a heavy fatigue rating and playing on the road against what should be a motivated Sky team, this is an extremely bad spot for the Valkyries. So I will take the points with the Sky.

Don't be fooled by the records of these two teams. Calgary is 5-2. Ottawa is 1-6. The Redblacks' one victory came against Calgary back in Week Three, 20-12, as 3-point road underdogs.

The stage is set perfect for the Redblacks to upset the Stampeders again this time at home.

Ottawa is off of a bye and in must-win mode. The Redblacks have talent. Daniel Adeboboye averages 7.2 yards per carry and is the league's sixth-leading rusher. Eugene Lewis is tied for the fifth-most receptions in the league. Ottawa has been hurt by turnovers and penalties. Look for the Redblacks to have cleaned that up during their past bye week.

The biggest factor for Ottawa, though, is Calgary isn't likely to have its starting quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr. Not only has Adams been enjoying a good season but there's a huge drop from him to backup P.J. Walker. Calgary was edged by Montreal, 23-21, as a 6 1/2-point home favorite last week after Walker replaced the injured Adams.

This is Walker's first season with the Stampeders. Walker has failed to distinguish himself as a journeyman in the NFL. He is just not an accurate passer.

Atlanta is 15-11, a much more sound team than 8-19 Dallas. The Dream rank in the top-five both offensively and defensively. The Wings are inconsistent on offense and a bottom-three defensive team.

Given the quality of the two teams and the scheduling dynamics, I find this point spread to be too low. So I am backing Atlanta.

The Dream nearly came back from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit last night before losing at home to Golden State. Atlanta was an 8 1/2-point favorite against the Valkyries.

The prideful Dream does not want to lose consecutive games to these opponents, who are well below their caliber.

The Wings did not play last night. However, they nevertheless carry a heavy fatigue ranking. This is Dallas's fourth game in six days and third game in four days. It's also a letdown spot for the Wings.

Dallas upset the defending champion Liberty two days ago at home. That was a great victory for the Wings, their best of the season. It has to be noted, though, that New York did not have superstar Breanna Stewart in that game.

It has been a difficult and disappointing season for the Aces. But I will take double digits with them as they are a desperate and prideful team following an 80-70 road loss to the Fever on Thursday.

The one good news for the Aces in that defeat was superstar A'ja Wilson played fewer than 30 minutes. Las Vegas coach Becky Hammond intentionally kept her minutes down in anticipation of this huge matchup. I regard Wilson as the top player in the WNBA.

The Lynx have the stronger bench. But Las Vegas actually has more star power with Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.

The Aces have put together a little three-game win streak. The victories have been against the Valkyries at home in narrow fashion, versus the 7-17 Wings and an impressive home victory against the Dream two days ago. 

But make no mistake about it. The Aces are down from last season and way down from their championship form of two seasons ago. 

The Fever hosted Las Vegas three weeks ago. They buried the Aces, 81-54, despite not having Caitlin Clark. Clark remains out. That is not necessarily a huge negative though for Indiana. Bothered by injuries, Clark's shooting has been way off this season. 

Indiana is talented without Clark. They have a pair of All Star-caliber players, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, and a deeper bench than Las Vegas. 

While the Aces are a bit fat and happy, Indiana will be highly motivated after three consecutive road games, including back-to-back disappointing away losses to the Liberty.

I want the Storm at home in double revenge going for me against the expansion Valkyries. The Valkyries have already exceeded their season over/under win total with a 10-11 record.

However, the Valkyries are 1-4 in their last five games. They are at least one level lower than the 13-9 Storm.

It is a source of frustration for the Storm to have lost twice to Golden State last month. Seattle has a huge talent edge with three All Stars - Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike and Gabby Williams. The Valkyries' bottom-three offense can't match that firepower.

Golden State has been a major surprise, but the Valkyries are struggling now as this is the final game before the All-Star break for the teams.

The efficient Storm rate third in both field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. Seattle was upset by Washington at home in its last game. The Storm certainly don't want to go into the All-Star break having suffered consecutive home upset losses.

After opening the season with three consecutive defeats, Edmonton upset Ottawa last week. Elks QB Tre Ford had his best game of the year with a perfect passer rating of 158.3

I see the improved Elks building momentum at home in revenge mode against BC. The Lions beat the Elks, 31-14, at home opening week. Justin Rankin has emerged as a dangerous threat both running and receiving for Edmonton. Rankin rushed for 105 yards against Ottawa and caught four passes for 69 yards.

Rankin's rushing skills help take the pressure off Ford, who hasn't thrown an interception his last two games.

QB Nathan Rourke returned for the Lions last week following an oblique injury. He looked good in spurts. The Lions, though, are heavily turnover-prone with a minus 9 takeaways/giveaways ratio.

Retooled Indiana was supposed to be good enough to challenge for the WNBA title this season. Through 13 games, it hasn't gone that way for the 6-7 Fever.

Caitlin Clark is back from injury, but has missed 16 of 17 3-point shots during the past two games. The Fever lost each of those games falling to the expansion Valkyries and the Aces, who are below .500 themselves. Things are not looking up for the Fever as they play their third road game in a row taking on hot Seattle.

The Storm are playing their best ball winning six of their last seven games. Seattle has defeated much better teams than the Fever during this span, including the Lynx and defending champion Liberty although New York was missing two of its three best players in that game, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones.

This point spread is too low considering the circumstances. Seattle has won three in a row. The Storm's confidence is up and they are home. Nneka Ogwumike may be the hottest player in the WNBA averaging 25.7 points in her last three games. Skylar Diggins is an elite guard and Gabby Williams is the most underrated player in the league. Opponents get sky high for the Fever because of the presence of Clark and the media attention she brings.

The timing is bad right now for Indiana. Stephanie White was supposed to be a huge coaching upgrade on Christie Sides. White hasn't cleaned that low bar yet. White already has missed a couple of games due to personal reasons. Not a good look with this being her first year coaching the Fever.

Morale is not good for the Fever. Critics are saying White isn't running the right offense for Clark. The Fever was supposed to have upgraded their bench. But core veteran DeWanna Bonner is out for personal reasons and the reserves have been underwhelming during the current road trip.  

Clark and White are proven winners. They likely will get their ship back on the right course. But for now, they can't be backed.

Can the Pacers become only the third team in the last 47 years to win a Game 7 NBA Championship Series on the road?

No.

The marketplace is in love with the Pacers for this Game 7. The oddsmaker opened Oklahoma City minus 9. Many bettors remember what they last saw and that was the Pacers wiping out the Thunder, 108-91, in Game 6.

That game was in Indiana. This one is in Oklahoma City where the Thunder have a home net rating of plus 20.7 in the playoffs. Oklahoma City also is 6-0 following a loss in the postseason. Indiana has not beaten Oklahoma City twice in a row during the series. The Pacers have lost by 11 and 16 points in their last two away games versus the Thunder.

Oklahoma City is the best defensive team in the NBA. No team creates more turnovers than the Thunder. Indiana's most dynamic player, Tyrese Haliburton, is not 100 percent. If the Pacers fall behind, which I expect, they will get desperate with this being Game 7. That could lead to even a larger winning margin for the Thunder.

I'm backing the Pacers knowing they might not have Tyrese Haliburton, or a severely banged-up Haliburton if he does play.

There is one certainty for this Game 6 matchup. The Pacers are home, in must-win mode and will be playing their guts out. Here's another fact, the Thunder are 1-8 ATS on the road during the playoffs. They just are not trustworthy away from Oklahoma City.

Indiana happens to be 3-0 ATS in Game 6's and 3-0 ATS when facing elimination under elite coach Rick Carlisle.  

The Pacers have had the stronger bench and all five of their starters averaged double-digits this season. They have the depth with T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard to compensate for Haliburton's situation. McConnell is playing at a high level averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 assists and two steals a game during 18 minutes of playing time.

Not only is Connecticut 2-9 and arguably the worst team in the WNBA. But the Sun have to play on consecutive days, something extremely rare in the WNBA. 

The Sun have to do this, too, traveling and off a physical, dirty game on the road against Indiana last night. There were multiple technical fouls called in the game and two Connecticut players were ejected, Jacy Sheldon and Lindsay Allen. A third Connecticut player, Marina Mabrey, should have been ejected for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor.

Tina Charles played a game-high 30 minutes. The 36-year-old Charles is Connecticut's best front-court player. You have to think she could be rested for this matchup.

All in all, it's simply one of the worst spots of the season for one of the worst teams.

Phoenix loaded up during the off-season getting Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally to join holdover star Kahleah Cooper, who is back healthy. Thomas and Sabally are among the best dozen players in the league. Thomas should be especially motivated returning to Connecticut having played 11 years for the Sun. 

The Mercury are 8-4, finding their stride with a 5-2 ATS record in their last seven games. They last played on Sunday.

At 5-5, the expansion Valkyries are way ahead of their projected season win total of 8 1/2. Natalie Nakase would get my vote for Coach of the Year if the season ended today.

Unfortunately for Golden State it doesn't.

Things are about to get a lot worse for the Valkyries. That's because EuroBasket 2025 starts Wednesday. Golden State will be missing four of its top seven players because of it. The Valkyries will be missing two of their three best players - Temi Fagbenle, who is competing in EuroBasket, and injured Tiffany Hayes - not to mention losing much of their depth.

The timing for this game couldn't be better for Dallas. The Wings are in dire condition at a league-worst 1-11 after blowing an 11-point lead against the Aces with 3:34 left during their last game, this past Friday.

Dallas is the biggest underachievers in the league. First-year coach Chris Koclanes is coming under heavy fire. This is a true circle-the-wagons game for the Wings.

Dallas has the talent. Paige Bueckers is living up to the high expectations of being the No. 1 overall draft pick and future superstar. She's averaging 17.4 points, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Arike Ogunbowale was the MVP of last year's All-Star game. DiJonai Carrington gives the Wings the three best players on the court.

It's not a surprise Phoenix is a road favorite against Las Vegas. The Aces are way down from their championship team of two seasons ago and are without reigning league MVP, A'Ja Wilson. She remains sidelined being in concussion protocol. Wilson's importance can't be stressed enough. She leads the Aces in points (20.9), rebounds (9.6 rebounds) and assists (4.0). She also prevents opponents from driving the lane with her defense and shot-blocking.

The Aces had not been playing well even with Wilson. Their only victory against an above .500 team was against the 6-5 Storm.

Phoenix has the second-best record in the Western Conference at 7-4. The Mercury rank fourth defensively giving up 78.3 points a game. By contrast, the Aces rank ninth defensively permitting 84 points a game and now they don't have Wilson.

The 1-11 Wings, the worst team in the league, put up 84 points against the Aces despite scoring only two points during the final four minutes. The Aces exerted tremendous energy in coming from way behind to beat the Wings at home two days ago. They still could be tired from that game since it was their first full game minus Wilson. Rested Phoenix has been idle since Wednesday.

Not only do the Sparks possess a huge talent edge against the Valkyries, but this also is a good situational spot for Los Angeles. 
Golden State could still be on Cloud 9 after stunning the Aces, 95-68, at home this past Saturday. That was the first-year Valkyries' biggest win in their short existence. 

It also puts the Valkyries in a letdown spot against the revenge-minded Sparks. Los Angeles lost to Golden State, 82-73, as 10 1/2-point home favorites on May 23. 

There isn't one player on expansion Golden State that I would rank above LA's top five players - Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Azura Stevens, Rickea Jackson and Odyssey Sims. Those players have made LA the No. 1 scoring team in the WNBA at 93.3 points a game. That's 16.3 points per game more than what the Valkyries average.

Unlike what this inflated point spread may indicate, this Game 1 moment isn't too big for the Pacers. It wouldn't even shock me if the Pacers stole this road game. 

The Pacers have four strong things going for them: They are the most accurate 3-point shooting percentage team in the postseason hitting at a 40.1 percent clip. They take care of the ball ranking third in turnover rate, which is where they finished during the regular season, and they are extremely well coached by Rick Carlisle. That results in the fourth factor, a tremendous point spread mark.

Indiana has covered 11 of its 16 playoff games for 69 percent! This includes a 6-1 ATS record during their past seven road games. When it comes to Game 1's, the Pacers are 3-0 with victories against the Bucks and straight-up road wins against the Cavaliers and Knicks as underdogs. 

The situation also is good for the underdog. Indiana last played on Friday. So the Pacers have had a good rest and the dangerous Carlisle has had ample time to draw up a solid game plan. The Pacers were 7-1 SU and ATS when they played this season with at least three days of rest. 

On the other hand, Oklahoma City has been idle for eight days. That's too long. It adds an extra element of randomness into the equation. Randomness is good for a large underdog. 

By the way, the Thunder had nine days off before they played the Nuggets after opening their postseason with a sweep of the Grizzlies. The Thunder were 10 1/2-point home favorites and lost that Game 1 to the Nuggets straight-up.