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December 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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There was never much of a doubt this season that the Northern Illinois Huskies were going to be playing in the MAC Championship Game this December, but who their opponent would be was very much so up in the air. In a vicious three team battle that came down to the very last second of the very last game, the Miami Redhawks got the job done and are here in Motown ready to pull off what would be a shocking upset of a team that just finally cracked into the Top 25.

Matchup: Miami Redhawks vs. Northern Illinois Huskies
Date: Friday, December 3rd, 7:00 ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Game Line: Northern Illinois -18
Over/Under 54.5

Redhawks Notes: Things aren't going all that well for the Redhawks right now, as they know that they have a huge mountain to climb in this game. They did finish up the regular season with four straight wins both SU and ATS and took a year in which might not have ended in a bowl game and made it a guarantee. It's unfortunately that QB Zac Dysert won't be here to join in the celebration of winning the East Division of the MAC, as he has a ruptured spleen that will keep him out of the fold until the bowl game, only if it is played late in December or in January. Dysert threw for 2,406 yards and 13 TDs this year against a dozen INTs, and he was a tremendous asset to a team that went just 1-11 last year. Now, the ball belongs to QB Austin Boucher, who has thrown for 498 yards and has led the team to two wins in its final two games this year. RB Thomas Merriweather has come quite some way as well. The senior was thrown out of the first game of the year against the Florida Gators, and he fell out of favor for quite some time with his team. However, over the last three games, he has been the brightest star on the team. The Redhawks' back has rumbled for at least 80 yards in three straight, and at least 140 in his last two since Dysert has been out of the lineup. Merriweather has also scored in four consecutive games, and one would like to think that that number needs to reach five for the Redhawks to have a chance of pulling off this upset. Don't rest on this 'D' either. Miami has a defense that has allowed just 339.1 yards per game on the season, one of the best totals in the MAC and ranking No. 39 in the country.

Huskies Notes: Then there are the Huskies, who have not just been beating teams this year, but they have been beating them down as well. If not for a push against the Western Michigan Broncos, this would be a team with ten covers on the campaign, and ten straight at that. Since losing to the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign back in September, the Huskies have rolled off ten straight wins. The last three victories have come with at least 59 points hitting the scoreboard. Northern Illinois has outscored its foes by almost three full TDs this year. The 'O' ranks No. 17 in the country at 454.0 yards per game, while the 'D' is conceding just 18.5 points and 319.6 yards per game. All of those numbers are tops for teams in the MAC. QB Chandler Harnish has had a fantastic season this year, and he is taking care of the pigskin. Harnish has completed 66.0 percent of his passes for 1,949 yards with 17 scores and just five INTs. On the ground, there are few like RB Chad Spann in the country. Spann will absolutely earn a bunch of All-MAC honors for his 2010 campaign in which he rushed for 1,239 yards and a whopping 20 TDs. Over his last five games, Spann has rushed for at least 70 yards in all five and has scored a total of 12 times. Harnish has also added 761 yards on the ground for a team that is averaging just over 280 rushing yards per game. NIU has always been one of the better teams that this conference has to offer, but when push really came to shove over the last four seasons, QB Dan LeFevour and the Central Michigan Chippewas often ruled the day. Now's the time for the Huskies to shine.

The Final Word: Though NIU isn't going let that opportunity go, we still have to realize that this is a conference championship game between two teams that are awfully solid. No, the Redhawks aren't going to be the victorious team in this one, and it probably wouldn't have mattered whether Dysert played or not. The Huskies dumped the rest of the contenders in the MAC in the regular season, but they hasn't gotten their hands on Miami yet. The Redhawks will represent well, but come up short by a comfortable margin to give NIU the league title.

MAC Championship Game Picks: Miami +18
Prediction: Northern Illinois 37 – Miami 24

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December 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles both hope that the playoffs in their future, but only one of these teams is going to take a big time step in the right direction to start unlucky Week 13 in NFL betting action.

Matchup: Houston Texans @ Philadelphia Eagles
Date: Thursday, December 2nd, 8:20 ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Game Line: Philadelphia -9
Over/Under 51.5

Texans Notes: It feels like we're saying that this is a do or die game every single week for the Texans, but this one really might not be an exception. Houston is just a game back of the lead in the AFC South, but it is going to be in tiebreaker Hell in all likelihood by season's end. The Texans have to feel fortunate that they didn't lose WR Andre Johnson this week, as he probably deserved to be suspended for his fist fight with DB Cortland Finnegan on the field last Sunday. He could be in for a really big game against the Philadelphia defense, and if he has that big time effort, he could make it to the 1,000 yard mark. QB Matt Schaub is probably going to become a 3,000 yard passer, as he already has 2,751 yards on the campaign. He has 15 TDs against seven picks on the year and would be well on his way to some MVP consideration if the Texans were in the playoff picture. RB Arian Foster is the best running back in the league this year, and that's shocking for a man that really needed to fight for his job in the preseason. The former Tennessee Volunteer already has 1,147 yards and a dozen TDs on the ground, but his real contributions are in the passing game, where he is the second biggest target on the squad with 48 catches, 453 yards, and a score. And then, there's the defense… This unit is coming off of a shutout against the Tennessee Titans in which DB Glover Quin picked off three passes. However, beating up a division rival with its third quarterback making his first career starts doesn't seem to strike the same type of cord as it would this week. Every other foe this year has scored at least 24 points on the campaign against the Texans, and six in a row before Tennessee had scored 29 or more points.

Eagles Notes: Fly Eagles, fly! Philadelphia might be coming off of a loss to the Chicago Bears, but it is still in first place in the NFC East in a tie with the New York Giants. QB Michael Vick threw his first interception last week, but the best remedy for throwing a pick is playing against the Houston defense! The former Atlanta Falcon really has to be salivating about this matchup on Thursday night, as it gives him a chance to shine against a bad defense and to showcase his skills on national television. Vick has thrown for 1,941 yards and 13 scores and has rushed for 419 yards and five more TDs. There are some potentially big time games out of both WR Jeremy Maclin and WR DeSean Jackson coming. Maclin leads the team with 752 yards and 51 receptions with eight TDs, while Jackson is averaging 19.4 yards per reception this year, one of the biggest averages on the campaign. The former Cal Golden Bear has caught 35 passes for 678 yards and five scores. WR Jason Avant is coming on strong right now, as he has 41 receptions for 479 yards and a TD. RB LeSean McCoy has caught 59 passes for 448 yards and a TD, and he has rushed for 779 yards and six trips to the end zone. Defensively, there are some superstars to watch out for. DE Trent Cole has seven sacks on the season, while DB Asante Samuel has seven picks. Both Nate Allen and Dimitri Patterson have three INTs as well, while Quintin Mikell has three forced turnovers to boot.

The Final Word: Here we go again for the Texans. They just continue to feel like they find ways to lose games, and now that they are playing a Major League team once again and not a bunch of has beens, they have a big time issue. Houston is every bit as good as Philly is, but with this game being on the road off of an Eagles loss, it's hard to see how the hosts are going to lose this one. The Texans will cover, but they'll find a way to get beaten in the end once again.

Free Pro Football Picks: Houston +9
Prediction: Philadelphia 31 – Houston 30

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November 28th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Arizona Cardinals will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the San Francisco 49ers on MNF.

Matchup: San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals
Date: Monday, November 29th, 8:30 ET
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Game Line: Arizona +1.5
Over/Under 40.5

Niners Notes: All season long, HC Mike Singletary has been insistent that his 49ers are still winning the NFC West this year. And yes, we have to admit that, even though his team is 3-7, it is still just two games back and is most probably going to be just 1.5 back by the time it takes the field on Monday Night Football. However, there's a point that you have to realize that you just have to start to win games to get into the second season, and this is probably that point. San Fran has been dreadful on the road all season long, going 0-4 thus far on the campaign. The good news is that there is one win overseas at Wembley Stadium, but the bad news is that four of the next five are on the road. The 49ers are coming off of a terrible 21-0 shutout loss at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and which they were absolutely just smacked in the mouth for the entire game, and they need to recover from that in a hurry if they want to win this game. The QB Troy Smith experiment still seems to be going sufficiently for the Niners, as he is going to get the nod again on MNF. Smith has thrown for 700 yards and two TDs against one INT this year in three starts. RB Frank Gore has to have shoulders that really, really hurt. He has 198 of the team's 244 carries on the season. He has 801 yards on the ground and has another 46 receptions for 452 yards in the passing game. Gore has found pay dirt five times on the campaign. Still, he is really the only star on an offense that has been dreadful this year, averaging just 16.0 points per game. Defensively, things might be improving, when your offense is this bad, giving up 328.2 yards and 21.9 points per game is the recipe for disaster after disaster.

Cardinals Notes: The Redbirds can't really feel like they have much of a chance to get in the playoffs, though they really have the exact same team right now that San Fran has. The difference is that Arizona probably has an easier schedule from here on out, and can do a better job taking advantage of those foes. The problem is that this offense only has one star as well, and unlike Gore, which just needs to be handed the ball, someone needs to be able to throw the ball up to WR Larry Fitzgerald. The former Pitt Panther has 55 receptions for 691 yards and five scores, but no one else on the team has accounted for more than three TDs offensively. Heck, the third leading scorer on the team is DB Kerry Rhodes, who has two pick sixes! Needless to say, this offense, whether being run by QB Max Hall or QB Derek Anderson, has been really, really bad. If not for the Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals would rank dead last in the NFL in total yards, as they are averaging just 275.7 yards per game this year. Only 84.5 yards per game are coming on the ground, and only 191.2 are coming through the air. It should come as no surprise that this is a team averaging just 18.8 points per game, which is really something considering the fact that the defense and special teams have chipped in with a number of scores. The other problem that this defense has right now is that it can't stop a pack of turtles, let alone another NFL team. Allowing 29.2 points per game in unacceptable at any level of pro football, especially when you rank No. 27 or worse in every single category. The Cards have allowed at least 31 points five times this year.

The Final Word: This is an ugly, ugly game, and it is really hard to separate these two teams. Neither one has played up to its potential this year, and neither one deserves to be even a game back in any division in football. Still, we look at that 0-4 next to San Fran's name on the road this year and wonder why, especially in one of the tougher venues to play football in the country, that the Niners are favored. We just don't see it. Arizona is bad, but it is the lesser of the two evils in this one.

Free Pro Football Picks: Arizona +1.5
Prediction: Arizona 26 – San Francisco 21

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November 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The New England Patriots will be putting the best record in the NFL on the line on Thanksgiving Day this week, as they pay a visit to the stingy Detroit Lions in their annual Thanksgiving Day NFL betting battle.

Matchup: New England Patriots @ Detroit Lions
Date: Thursday, November 25th, 12:30 ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Game Line: Detroit +6.5
Over/Under 50.5

Patriots Notes: The Patriots have struggled at times this season on the road, as they were defeated by the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago. They also tend to play to the level of their opponent, something that championship teams tend to not do. Still, New England is at 8-2 after ten games and has to feel like a playoff spot really has been locked down, especially if it can win this one. QB Tom Brady is coming off of a pedestrian game against the Indianapolis Colts in which he didn't even make it to 200 yards passing, but his numbers this year still suggest him being an MVP candidate. Brady has thrown for 2,362 yards and 19 scores against just four picks in 2010. His running game might get a boost this week as well, as RB Fred Taylor might be returning from a toe injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the last two months. In the interim, RB Danny Woodhead and RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis have done their job, combining to rush for 879 yards and ten scores. Keep a close eye on the two rookie tight ends that Brady has to work with as well. TE Aaron Hernandez is second on the team in receptions with 35 and yards with 444, and he has found pay dirt three times. No one has scored more through the air this year than TE Rob Gronkowski though, as he has six scores on his 20 receptions. Defensively, New England is struggling, allowing 398.4 yards and 24.2 points per game. The first number is the third worst mark in the NFL, but is countered by an offense that is scoring a league best 28.9 points per game.

Lions Notes: Detroit may have had a lot of fight in its tank early in the season, but back to back failed attempts at covering the NFL odds have really hampered its progress. Playing without QB Matt Stafford has really hurt, and though backup QB Shaun Hill has potentially proven that he can earn back a starting job with another team next year, he just isn't good enough to lead a very young offense to wins on a regular basis. Hill has 1,921 passing yards and a dozen scores against nine INTs on the campaign. His biggest problem is going to be figuring out who to turn around and hand the ball to. RB Jahvid Best is out of the lineup with turf toe, and there isn't another player on this team that has more than 21 carries for the season. RB Maurice Morris is likely to get the nod, but he only has 41 yards on 21 carries this season. The Lions only have five rushing touchdowns this year, and Best and Stafford have accounted for all five. Though this is a defense that is improving, there are still some major problems to be worked out. The Lions have allowed at least 24 points six times this year and have given up at least 35 twice. Unless that really improves dramatically, the men from the Motor City are going to continue losing games.

The Final Word: It's kind of cool looking at how polar opposite these teams really have been over the years since their last meeting here in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day in 2002. The Pats have a pair of Super Bowl rings and an undefeated regular season, while the Lions haven't even sniffed the playoffs and have an 0-16 campaign under their belts. Though we know that Detroit isn't as bad as its 2-8 record and that New England isn't as good as its 8-2 record, we also know that the Lions are 0-6 SU and ATS over the last six years on Thanksgiving Day, and with such a great team coming to town, there is no way that they are going to be able to fend off a near certain defeat that will probably come by at least two scores, if not more.

Free Pro Football Picks: New England -6.5
Prediction: New England 34 – Detroit 18

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November 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Dallas Cowboys have hit their stride in recent weeks and have finally started playing some great ball just in time for the holidays. However, the New Orleans Saints are still in search of a playoff spot in the tightly contested NFC and would love to pick up this NFL betting 'W' on Thursday afternoon.

Matchup: New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys
Date: Thursday, November 25th, 4:15 ET
Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Game Line: Dallas +3.5
Over/Under 51.5

Saints Notes: The biggest concern that the Saints have right now is whether or not RB Reggie Bush is going to be back in the lineup. Many thought that he would be back last week against the Seattle Seahawks, but HC Sean Peyton elected to hold him back for a few more days to get ready for the bigger test against Dallas. RB Pierre Thomas has been back at practice as well, and though he isn't quite ready to come back to the team as of yet, getting back either one will help out a squad that only has four rushing TDs for the entire season. Needless to say, this has piled a ton of pressure on the right arm of QB Drew Brees, as he has had to carry this entire offense at times by himself. Brees will become the fourth quarterback in the NFL to reach the 3,000 yard barrier on Thursday afternoon, as he already has 2,969 yards and 22 TDs. New Orleans is averaging 286.8 yards per game through the air and 382.3 yards per game in total, both marks of which leave it in the Top 5 in the NFL. Defensively, things are significantly better than they appear. Statistically, this is already a great team, as the Saints rank No. 4 in the league in total defense and scoring defense and No. 2 in pass defense. However, they have had a number of scores against them either directly or indirectly courtesy of the offense and special teams, and if you take those scores away, New Orleans is allowing less than 13 points per game. Brees has thrown for more touchdowns than teams have scored against the Saints defense this year.

Cowboys Notes: The Cowboys have put forth their two best efforts of the entire season since getting Interim HC Jason Garrett in command of the troops. HC Wade Phillips had watched his team give up at least 34 points in four of his last five games before getting fired, and Garrett has come in and kept the New York Giants and Detroit Lions to a total of just 39 points in two games. Things are looking great this year for WR Miles Austin, TE Jason Witten, and WR Dez Bryant. Those three already all have over 500 yards this year, and all three could threaten the 1,000 yard barrier when the season is said and done. QB Jon Kitna is doing a nice job taking care of this offense in the absence of QB Tony Romo. Kitna has thrown for 1,223 yards and ten scores against seven picks in numbers that looks awfully comparable to those of his injured predecessor. The problem that Dallas has right now is that it cannot run the football. We're still puzzled as to why as well, as all three of RB Marion Barber, RB Felix Jones, and RB Tashard Choice are all still in the lineup on a regular basis and none have been injured. Over his career, LB DeMarcus Ware has accounted for 73 sacks. If he can get 1.5 more on Thursday against a New Orleans team that he ripped to shreds last year, he'll be at double digits for the fifth straight campaign. Stopping Ware is going to be paramount for the Saints to be able to win on Thanksgiving Day.

The Final Word: The Saints might be on the verge of missing out on the playoffs, but they are a lot better than a 7-3 record would suggest, particularly defensively. If that defense can get the job done against a relatively one dimensional Dallas offense and can get some good things going on the ground with a healthy combination of Bush and/or Thomas, Brees should be able to pick apart a questionable secondary for a ton of yards and a ton of points. New Orleans should rock and roll and get some real revenge for last season's loss to the boys from Big D.

Free Pro Football Picks: New Orleans -3.5
Prediction: New Orleans 41 – Dallas 27

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November 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets are really polar opposites of one another. Cincinnati just keeps finding ways to lose games, while the Jets just keep finding ways to win them. Though these two squads have exactly opposite records, there is no telling what could happen when the two meet in the Meadowlands in the first Thanksgiving Day home game ever played in the state of New Jersey.

Matchup: Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets
Date: Thursday, November 25th, 8:20 ET
Location: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Game Line: New York -9
Over/Under 43

Bengals Notes: Before last week's collapse against the Buffalo Bills, we really thought that the Bengals were going to keep control of their emotions this year and continue to compete in games. However, 35 second half points scored by one of the more embarrassing offenses in the NFL, and we beg to differ. One man that clearly isn't giving up is WR Terrell Owens. The future Hall of Famer has had a heck of a season off the streets for the Bengals, as he has caught 62 passes for 897 yards and eight TDs on the campaign. QB Carson Palmer has been up and down the whole year, and his numbers sort of reflect that. The good news is that he has completed 240 passes for 2,625 yards. Eighteen scores is excellent as well. The problem comes with a shaky 60.9 completion percentage and 13 INTs. Getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks is a hassle for the Bengals, which is shocking considering how good they were at it last year. No one on the team has more than two sacks, and they rank dead last in the conference in total sacks for the season. The numbers for this team are awfully mediocre, but they don't really indicate that they are a 2-8 team. Cincinnati is No. 14 in the NFL in total offense at 346.2 yards per game and No. 18 in total defense at 341.3 yards per game. The problem is that opponents are consistently putting points on the board. Only two have been held below 22 points for the entire year, and three teams have gotten to at least 38.

Jets Notes: New York has to feel good about the way that it has played this year, as it has eight wins, a lot of which have come against some solid clubs, especially in the AFC. If you take out those two losses at home, New York has scored at least 23 points in all of its games this year. As a result, the offense is averaging 364.6 yards per game and 23.8 points per game. QB Mark Sanchez really isn't completing a high enough percentage of his passes at just 55.1 percent, but his 2,293 yards and 15/7 TD/INT ratio are both good enough to suggest that he could be a Pro Bowler in the AFC. The ground game is always good for the Jets, but they have had some pressure taken off of them this year with the emergence of Sanchez as a great passer. RB LaDainian Tomlinson has resurrected his career, as he has rumbled for 684 yards and five scores. Though RB Shonn Greene has only found pay dirt once, his 505 yards have been critical for the success that the team has had. Surprisingly, this isn't a team that intercepts a ton of passes. DB Darrelle Revis hasn't had an INT this season, and DB Antonio Cromartie only has two picks. Ranking No. 7 in total defense at 310.3 yards per game and No. 5 in scoring at 17.7 points per game almost seems to be a downer for a team that was just so dominating at times on that side of the ball over the course of last season.

The Final Word: Had this game been played last week, we'd be all over Cincinnati in a heartbeat, as we know that the Jets haven't always found ways to blow out teams, picking up its last four victories by a total of 16 points. However, the Bengals looked absolutely lost in the second half at home against the Bills, and after watching New York pound them into submission last year both in Week 17 and in the first round of the playoffs, we have no doubts that it is going to be another mess at the Meadowlands for the visitors.

Free Pro Football Picks: New York -9
Prediction: New York 30 – Cincinnati 13

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November 17th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Miami Dolphins will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Chicago Bears on MNF.

Matchup: Chicago Bears @ Miami Dolphins
Date: Thursday, November 18th, 8:20 ET
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL
Game Line: Miami -1
Over/Under 39.5

Bears Notes: Everyone who thinks that the Bears are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, say "aye!" Hmm… The only voice that I just heard was my own… Most don't believe in this Chicago team, but with each passing week, I'm starting to buy in more and more. Don't get me wrong… I hate QB Jay Cutler just like the rest of you, because I know that he is capable of throwing six picks every single time he takes the field. And sure, I know that this running game is a nightmare, not so much because of RB Matt Forte, but because of an offensively line that thinks that "block" is a four letter curse word. However, I look around at the talent on this team, and I see speedsters like WR Johnny Knox, explosive athletes like WR/PR/KR Devin Hester, and I see a defense that is really darn right good. LB Brian Urlacher wasn't on this defense for the majority of last year due to injury, but now that he is back and DE Julius Peppers has been added to the bunch, this unit is just lethal. No, Peppers isn't the sack machine that he was with the Carolina Panthers, but there is no doubting the fact that he has been a disruptive force in opposing backfields all season long and can still do things that most other ends in this league don't stand a chance at. Did you know that the Bears were second in the NFL in rush defense at a shade over 80 yards per game? Or that no one has scored more than 23 points against them this year? Or that they are second in the league in scoring defense? Or that they have only lost to one team by more than three points? If you just take a second to analyze what Chicago has done this year instead of what it hasn't done, you'll see just how strong this team is, particularly in a very, very weak division.

Dolphins Notes: And yet, so many people are trusting a man named QB Tyler Thigpen to lay points at home in a nationally televised game, four days after becoming the team's starting quarterback by default. Not only is Thigpen being thrust into this situation, but he is going to end up playing the whole way unless he gets hurt because no one else that is healthy is going to know the offense. Sure, the possibility is there that QB Chad Henne could be ready for this one, but many are excited by the way that Thigpen played against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon to help seal up the team's first home win of the season. Don't get enamored with these numbers that Thigpen put up in his days as the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Yes, he threw for 2,608 yards and accounted for a total of 21 TDs in 11 starts, but he also only completed 54.8 percent of his passes and was cut because he couldn't lead the team to victories. There's probably a reason that the other 31 GMs across the NFL had no interest in even making Thigpen a backup quarterback. Worse for Miami is the rushing game that is going against the best rush defense this side of the Pittsburgh Steelers. RB Ronnie Brown is coming off of a game in which he rushed for 11 yards on 12 carries against a Titans' 'D' that really isn't all that great. He only has 444 yards on the turf this year, which leaves him nowhere near on a pace for 1,000 yards on the campaign. RB Ricky Williams hasn't done much better. The defense? Giving up a modest 21.3 points per game and has been torched for an average of 28.0 points per game on the year at home.

The Final Word: Just don't fall into the trap this week with your NFL picks. It looks so easy to just lay that short point with the Fins, but don't do it! Chicago really does have the significantly better team, and even though this one is on the road, we still trust Cutler (goodness help us) a lot more than we do a third string quarterback, even if he is the best third stringer in the entire NFL. Back the Monsters of the Midway for the mild upset.

Free Pro Football Picks: Chicago +1
Prediction: Chicago 20 – Miami 13

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November 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Washington Redskins will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on MNF.

Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins
Date: Monday, November 15th, 8:30 ET
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Game Line: Washington +3
Over/Under 42.5

Eagles Notes: It doesn't get much bigger than this for the Eagles. Philadelphia knows that it needs to put Washington out of its misery in the NFC East race to take a two game lead and potentially end up getting back into a tie for first place in the division should the New York Giants end up losing on Sunday. On the field itself, QB Michael Vick is going to try to exact some revenge against the team that knocked him out of the lineup for two weeks after suffering a jarring hit. Vick really didn't get a heck of a lot going for the Eagles in the first quarter of that game against Washington a month ago, but if he really thinks that he is an MVP candidate this year, he'll have to perform well on Monday to stay in the race. Vick hasn't been picked off yet this season and has thrown seven TDs and rumbled for two more. Between his rushing and passing, the former Atlanta Falcon has combined for 1,277 yards in a little more than four games played on the campaign. RB LeSean McCoy is playing like an MVP as well. He'll probably end up being a 1,000 yard rusher this year, having already made it to 572 yards in the first part of this season, and he also leads the team in receptions with 41. However, on the outside, the show belongs to WR Jeremy Maclin and WR DeSean Jackson. Maclin has 34 catches for 506 yards and six scores, while Jackson has 26 receptions for 504 yards and four TDs. Defensively, there is certainly no shortage of sacks and turnovers forced for the men in green and white. DE Trent Cole leads the sack brigade with seven on the season, while the top turnover machine is DB Asante Samuel. The former UCF Knight has picked off five balls this year, including intercepting QB Peyton Manning twice in last week's 26-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Redskins Notes: The day of reckoning is here for the Redskins. After a 4-4 start to the season, this is the game that really could swing things one way or the other. A win gives the 'Skins the tiebreaker over the Eagles for the rest of the season and draws them level for second place in the NFC East. A loss drops them below .500 and probably two games out of the postseason picture with just seven games to play. To make matters worse, QB Donovan McNabb has still yet to toss more than one TD pass in a game this season, and the last we saw of him was on the sidelines while QB Rex Grossman was running a poor two minute drill against the Detroit Lions. McNabb really hasn't said all that much about this situation, but you can bet that HC Mike Shanahan knows that he needs to remedy this situation with wins in a hurry, or he will be one of the few coaches in the NFL in recent years to be fired just one season after being hired. On the field itself, there are a number of players that are up in the air right now. RB Clinton Portis has been out of the lineup for the last five games with a groin injury, but he could be back on Monday, while S LaRon Landry (Achilles) and TE Chris Cooley (back) are both question marks in the lineup as well. If Portis can go, it will be interesting to see how he splits carries with RB Ryan Torain, who had two straight 100+ yard rushing games before getting hurt two weeks ago against the Lions. Cooley is important due to the fact that he is really the only viable short option receiver that the Redskins have. WR Santana Moss is having a great year with 48 catches for 604 yards and two scores, but he is better served running up the seams of the defense.

The Final Word: Washington has really played nothing but close games this year at home, winning twice and losing by a field goal twice. However, that's probably all stopping today. The Eagles just have a better team and clearly aren't in the same type of disarray right now that Washington is. HC Andy Reid knows that this is a huge game for his squad and cannot take his foot off of the gas pedal. Don't be shocked to see Philly come out and step on Washington's throat the same way that the Skins did to it a few weeks back early on and just never really get off. The Eagles will win this one by two scores and send the Redskins into panic mode.

Free Pro Football Picks: Philadelphia -3
Prediction: Philadelphia 27 – Washington 16

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November 11th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Atlanta Falcons will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Baltimore Ravens on MNF.

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons
Date: Thursday, November 11th, 8:20 ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Game Line: Atlanta -1
Over/Under 43.5

Ravens Notes: Last week, the Ravens finally got their defense rolling, holding the Miami Dolphins to just ten points after two straight bad games before their bye week. Baltimore is back atop the AFC North at 6-2 and is tied for the best record in football. With SS Ed Reed back in the fold, there is nothing that this defense can't do. Reed picked off three passes in his first two games back from an injury that cost him the first half of Baltimore's season. The Ravens are only a middle of the road offensive team statistically speaking, as the team ranks between No. 11 and No. 15 in virtually every major category on this side of the ball. However, it seems like just a matter of time before QB Joe Flacco, WR Anquan Boldin, RB Ray Rice, and the gang all shine at one time. Flacco is on pace to throw for nearly 4,000 yards this season, as he has 1,917 yards and 12 TDs on the season. He is hooking up with Boldin on a regular basis. Though the former Florida State Seminole only had two catches for 28 yards last week, he still has 40 grabs for 546 yards and five scores this year. Rice is the more interesting player for the Ravens, as he has 606 yards on the ground and 236 through the air. However, he only has two TDs. Last year, RB Willis McGahee was stealing touchdowns from him, but this year, McGahee only has four scores. DT Haloti Ngata is having himself a Pro Bowl type of season, as he has five sacks already on the campaign. DE Terrell Suggs has 4.5. On the injury front, the only man that is out of the lineup that will be back at some point over the course of the season is SS Tom Zbikowski, who lost his starting job two weeks ago when Reed came back anyway.

Falcons Notes: This is quite the interesting battle, especially for QB Matt Ryan. Ryan really isn't used to going against these ferocious types of defenses, and the last time he did, the Pittsburgh Steelers kept him out of the end zone for the entire game in a 15-9 defeat in the Steel City. However, "Matty Ice" is always a warrior at home, and he has led his team to a number of seemingly improbable results in the Georgia Dome during his day, particularly when the games are at their biggest. Ryan is having the best season of his career, having thrown for 1,949 yards and 13 TDs during the first half of the year. He is being helped out quite a bit by WR Roddy White, who is one of the top receivers in the NFL. White is in the Top 5 in the league in receiving yards with 796, and he has five scores as well. The ground game has been great as well, as RB Michael Turner and RB Jason Snelling have combined for 974 yards this year to go with seven combined TDs. The problem with last year's Atlanta team that narrowly missed the playoffs was that it really couldn't defend the pass, and that's exactly what is happening this year. The Falcons rank just No. 26 in the NFL against aerial assaults, and that was a problem that was supposed to be remedied by bringing in DB Dunta Robinson on the first day of free agency. Alas, Robinson has busted, and so has the Atlanta secondary.

The Final Word: You won't find a more evenly contested matchup than this one. Are the Ravens the best team in the NFL? We tend to believe so. But is there a team more difficult to beat on the road than the Falcons? That might be true as well. However, in spite of the fact that the Ravens are playing this game on just three days of rest and had to blow a day to travel, we think that they are just barely scratching the surface of their abilities, and if this is true, Atlanta and the rest of the NFL badly need to watch their backs. This could be a very dangerous team, especially if it can move to 7-2 on Thursday night as we are calling for in our NFL picks.

 Free NFL Football Picks:  Baltimore +1
 Prediction:  Baltimore 23 – Atlanta 20

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November 4th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Cincinnati Bengals will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on MNF.

Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Date: Monday, November 8th, 8:30 ET
Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Game Line: Cincinnati +5
Over/Under 41.5

Steelers Notes: The Steelers have a lot of issues right now, but there are so many positive things going their way that they are hard to ignore. LB James Harrison has had a number of talks with the NFL about these hits that he has been issuing to opposing players, and it is a wonder whether that is going to really hurt this defense when push comes to shove. Pittsburgh has the most feared defense in the NFL, especially for opposing ground games. The Steelers are allowing a svelte 58.9 yards per game on the ground, easily the best in the NFL, and opposing rushers are averaging less than three yards per carry this year. The secondary has been a tad suspect, allowing 243.1 yards per game, but the end result has only been allowing 14.6 points per game. QB Ben Roethlisberger really hasn't played all that well this year, but he is hitting the big shots that this offense direly needed. Following his four game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, Big Ben has come back and completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 754 yards and five TDs against two picks. WR Mike Wallace has only caught 17 passes this year, but he has certainly made the most of them, accounting for 397 yards and four TDs. WR Hines Ward has now caught 15 passes in his last three games, which is a real switch from the six catches he had in his previous three games. This offense just won't go anywhere without RB Rashard Mendenhall, though. He has a whopping 146 carries this year for 603 yards and six of the offense's 14 TDs on the season.

Bengals Notes: The Bengals are about as bi-polar as you can get this year, and the captain of this bi-polar ship is QB Carson Palmer. Palmer has had three games this year in which he has thrown for at least 345 yards, but four games in which he hasn't even reached 210 yards. The good news is that he is really getting the ball through his four top targets. WR Terrell Owens has 45 catches this season for 629 yards and five years in a season that is reviving his career. WR Chad Ochocinco has 458 yards and two TDs. The two rookies on this offense, WR Jordan Shipley and TE Jermaine Gresham have combined for 53 catches, 550 yards, and three TDs. RB Cedric Benson has rushed for 545 yards this year and two TDs, but he just doesn't feel like he has the same sort of gusto this year that he did when he was named Comeback Player of the Year in 2009. The real problems are coming on the other side of the ball, though. The Bengals only have six sacks as a team, which is tied for the worst mark in the NFL, and if you take away DB Leon Hall, the team only has a total of ten forced turnovers in seven games. This unit has allowed at least 22 points in each of its last four games, all defeats both SU and ATS. Needless to say, a sixth loss this year, especially with a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium coming up next week, would be catastrophic. This schedule is brutally tough down the stretch, and things are going to need to change in a hurry for "Who Dey" nation to get back towards the postseason again.

The Final Word: The Bengals have everything to play for here, but if there is a team that can just suck the wind out of a stadium, Pittsburgh is it. It might not be the prettiest of games, but making your NFL picks on the Steelers seems to be the right call even though this is a lot of points to be laying on the road, especially in a divisional tussle. You can bet though, that the Steelers are going to be looking for a big time serving of revenge to heap on Cincinnati's plate after last year's sweep that helped keep the black and gold out of the playoffs.

Free Pro Football Picks: Pittsburgh -5
Prediction: Pittsburgh 16 – Cincinnati 6

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