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Thursday Night Football betting: Saints at Falcons
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (+10, 53)
The New Orleans Saints are riding high after another comeback victory, and they hope to continue that momentum as they travel to Atlanta to face the struggling Falcons on Thursday. The Saints booted three fourth-quarter field goals to edge San Francisco 23-20 on Sunday and maintain their NFC South lead. They might not need a late rally against the Falcons - the Saints have won five of the last six meetings and 12 of the last 15, including a 23-17 home victory in Week 1.
The Falcons have lost four straight for the first time since 2007 - also the last time they finished with a losing record - but coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff received a vote of confidence from owner Arthur Blank after Sunday's 41-28 loss to Tampa Bay. "It's a tough business. We've had a lot of injuries, and issues on top of the injuries," Blank told reporters. "These guys are proven leaders and proven by success. … They'll do the work that has to be done with my full support." A win over the Saints would go a long way in backing up that faith, but that's a long shot against a New Orleans team that ranks in the top five in the NFL in total yards and scoring on both sides of the ball.
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NFL Network.
LINE: The line opened with the Falcons as +7 home dogs and have been bet to +10. The total has been steady at 53.
WEATHER: N/A
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: New Orleans (-6.0) + Atlanta (+5.5) + home field (-3.0) = New Orleans -8.5
ABOUT THE SAINTS (8-2, 6-4 ATS): New Orleans might be the most complete team in the league with Drew Brees directing the potent pass-heavy attack and
defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's revamped unit continuing to play well. Injuries are mounting on the defensive side, though, with cornerback Jabari Greer suffering a gruesome knee injury Sunday and rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro still questionable after missing the past two games. The Saints are far more susceptible on the road, where they've lost to New England and the New York Jets and survived close contests at Tampa Bay and Chicago.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (2-8, 2-8 ATS): Atlanta's defense was shredded by a rookie quarterback and a running back making his first NFL start versus Tampa Bay, so the Falcons might be in big trouble against Brees and the Saints' high-powered attack. The offense has been far too one-dimensional, ranking 31st at 73.1 rushing yards per game, which doesn't bode well against the Saints' third-ranked pass defense. Atlanta's defense is getting closer to full strength with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon back, but the unit continues to struggle and has allowed more than 400 total yards in two straight games.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Atlanta.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Saints are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* Falcons are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Brees (49,288) needs 38 passing yards to move past Warren Moon for fifth in NFL history. John Elway is fourth at 51,475.
2. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan's 14 interceptions match his career high set in 2009 and tied last season, and his 89.2 rating is his lowest since an 80.9 mark in 2009.
3. The Falcons are the only team since 2009 to hold Brees without a touchdown pass, as he threw five interceptions without a TD in a 23-13 loss at Atlanta last season. -
Tale of the Tape: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
The New Orleans Saints look to add to the misery of a division rival as they face the host Atlanta Falcons in the Week 12 Thursday nighter.
New Orleans has reeled off back-to-back victories to remain one game ahead of the hard-charging Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. The Falcons are immersed in their own position battle - specifically, looking to stay out of the division basement as they bring a six-game losing streak into this one.
Read the breakdown in our betting tale of the tape:
Offense
The Saints continue rolling along on the offensive side of the football, sitting third in total yards (4,191) on the strength of a passing game that ranks behind only the Denver Broncos in terms of efficiency. Quarterback Drew Brees is on pace for his fourth career 5,000-yard passing campaign, with 26 touchdown throws against just eight interceptions. The rushing game hasn't been nearly as effective, ranked 23rd in the NFL at 97.2 yards per game with just seven TDs.
Atlanta was built to compete offensively with a team like the Saints, but injuries have limited its ability to do that in 2013. Quarterback Matt Ryan has had to do without top receivers Julio Jones (foot, out for season) and Roddy White (hamstring) for major chunks of the season, resulting in the Atlanta passing offense ranking eighth in total yards after going into the year as a consensus top-3 unit. The running game is dreadful, recording the second-fewest yards in the NFL.
Edge: New Orleans
Defense
New Orleans hasn't traditionally been equated with shut-down defense, but times have changed. New Orleans comes into Thursday's game having allowed the second-fewest passing yards in football (1,914) - behind only the Houston Texans - and its 11 passing touchdowns against is tied for the fourth-fewest in the league. New Orleans is allowing 4.9 yards per carry, but has faced just 234 attempts - third-fewest in the NFL - as teams try to keep up with its pass offense.
The Falcons' punchless offense isn't doing its defensive unit any favors. Atlanta ranks 21st in passing yards against (2,492) with 21 touchdowns against - third-most in football - and just six interceptions. Teams have also run at will against the Falcons, racking up the third most opponent yards in the league (1,327) while scoring eight touchdowns; the Falcons are the only team in football ranked 30th or lower in both offensive and defensive rushing yardage per game.
Edge: New Orleans
Special Teams
The Saints have fared well on kick returns so far in 2013, averaging the ninth-best rate in the league (24.5 yards); things haven't been as good on punt returns, where they're just 30th (6.4). New Orleans is allowing the sixth-highest kick-return average (25.2) but has limited opponents to 6.7 yards per punt-return attempt. Kicker Garrett Hartley had made just two of his previous six field-goal attempts entering Week 11, but went 3-for-3 in the win over San Francisco.
Atlanta's kick-return game has been solid, as it's averaging 24.3 yards per attempt - one spot behind New Orleans in the rankings. It sits 24th in punt-return average (7.3). Opponents have had virtually identical numbers against the Falcons, averaging 24.1 yards per kick-return attempt and 7.6 yards per punt-return try. Kicker Matt Bryant has been as good as they come this season, connecting on 13-of-14 field goal attempts - including two in last week's loss to Tampa Bay.
Edge: Atlanta
Notable Quotable
"We're equal-opportunity. Whoever's getting open, whoever's got the matchup, whoever's got the hot hand. We kind of feel that and see that as the game is going on. Guys kind of know that if it's not this week or next week, it might be the following week." - Brees
"There's times when it's going to be humbling. You learn from everything, the good the bad - and sometimes more from the bad than the good. I think everybody's trying to learn from it, apply it to themselves, find ways to get better, find ways to use it as motivation and just keep going forward." - RyanComment
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Thursday's NCAAF action: What bettors need to know
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Central Florida Knights (-17.5, 57.5)
Central Florida looks to follow up a remarkable road victory and stay unbeaten in the American Athletic Conference when it hosts Rutgers on Thursday. The No. 20 Knights' remarkable run through the league slate continued Saturday with perhaps the game of the weekend in college football as standout quarterback Blake Bortles led his team to 10 points in the final 1:06 to steal a 39-36 victory at Temple. Late drama is nothing new to Central Florida, which has won five games by seven points or less, four during its five-game winning streak.
While the Knights may eventually eye a conference crown and an automatic BCS berth, the Scarlet Knights still have plenty to play for as well. They remain one win shy of bowl eligibility for the eighth time in nine years. Rutgers also had a three-point win against Temple before it suffered a 52-17 loss to Cincinnati on Saturday, its third setback in four games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Central Florida opened as low as 16.5 and jumped to 17.5. The total is set at 57.5 points.
WEATHER: Temperatures in mid 70s with a 27 percent chance of rain early on. Winds blowing NNE at 6 mph.
ABOUT RUTGERS (5-4, 2-3 AAC): Although it has a shot at gaining that bowl eligibility, a once-promising season has taken a bad turn for the Scarlet Knights, whose 1-3 slide has coincided with an allegation by a former player of bullying by a coach and an embarrassing home loss to the Bearcats. Gary Nova's touchdown pass late in the first quarter Rutgers cut Cincinnati's lead to 10-7, but the Bearcats responded with six straight touchdowns. Nova threw two interceptions and has nine picks against five touchdowns in the last four games.
ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (8-1, 5-0): Many who had not heard of Bortles prior to the Temple game are now well aware of his exploits. In the comeback win over the Owls, the junior threw for a career-high 404 yards, leading Central Florida to 657 total yards, the most the program has amassed in a game since it joined the FBS ranks in 1996. Bortles ranks seventh in FBS in passer efficiency (168.6).
TRENDS:
* Scarlet Knights are 4-1 ATS in their last five Thursday games.
* Knights are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.
* Under is 11-5 in Scarlet Knights last 16 road games.
Rice Owls at Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (+19, 63.5)
Rice looks to keep its chances at the Conference USA West Division title alive Thursday night as it visits Alabama-Birmingham. The Owls fell to division co-leader North Texas two weeks ago but bounced back in its previous game, rolling past Louisiana Tech 52-14 on the strength of Charles Ross' conference record-tying five rushing touchdowns. The Blazers have dropped four straight games and have surrendered a whopping 119 points in their last two defeats.
The Owls have built much of their success on a potent running game - and after struggling to gain much real estate in the loss to the Mean Green, they atoned with a sensational performance against the Bulldogs. Ross racked up 215 of Rice's 415 rushing yards, and the Owls finished with six scores on the ground to improve to 5-1 in conference play. UAB has been feasted on all season, allowing more than 42 points per game.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
LINE: UAB is installed as a 19-point dog after being as low as +20. The over/under is set at 63 1/2.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow northwest across the width of the field at 6 mph.
ABOUT RICE (7-3, 5-1 Conference USA): Ross has been the centerpiece of one of the best rushing attacks in the country, surpassing the 1,000-yard plateau for the season last time out while leading the conference with 11 rushing scores. Quarterback Taylor McHargue has had an up-and-down season to date, throwing for 1,751 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has also run for 359 yards, but had just one in the victory over Louisiana Tech.
ABOUT UAB (2-8, 1-5): Austin Brown and Jonathan Perry have formed a competent quarterback tandem for the Blazers, combining to throw for nearly 2,100 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Perry threw for a season-best 210 yards in last week's loss to East Carolina but was picked off twice - one of which was returned by Kyle Tudor for a 50-yard touchdown. Darrin Reaves (827 yards, nine TDs) and Jordan Howard (826 yards, two TDs) pace the run attack.
TRENDS:
* Owls are 5-0 ATS in their last five games vs. teams with losing records.
* Blazers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight conference games.
* Over is 7-0 in UAB's last seven games vs. teams with winning records.
UNLV Rebels at Air Force Falcons (-1, 61)
The UNLV Rebels look to get their season back on track as they visit Colorado for a showdown with the Air Force Falcons. The Rebels have lost three of their last four games - including back-to-back home defeats to San Jose State and Utah State - to spoil what had been a solid start to the year. The Falcons have struggled all season long but have been better of late, defeating Army at home before dropping a 45-37 shootout against host New Mexico.
The Rebels may be in for a struggle Thursday as they bring a shaky run defense into Falcon Stadium. UNLV ranks eighth in the 12-team Mountain West Conference in rushing yards allowed per game (234.5) while surrendering 22 touchdowns on the ground and 5 1/2 yards per carry. If Air Force has done one thing well this season, it's running the ball - the Falcons are second in the conference and 11th in the FBS in rushing yards per game at 277.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
LINE: Air Force is listed as a one-point fave, down slightly from a 1 1/2-point open. The over/under has held at 61.
WEATHER: Snow is in the forecast at Falcon Stadium with temperatures in the mid-teens and wind blowing across the length of the field at 13 mph.
ABOUT UNLV (5-3, 3-3 Mountain West): Thursday's X-factor could be Rebels senior quarterback Caleb Herring, who will look to solve a Falcons pass defense that ranks fourth in the conference in yards against per game. Herring has thrown for more than 250 yards in three straight games, with seven touchdowns and just three interceptions over that span. His performance could ultimately determine whether feature back Tim Cornett (970 yards, 11 TDs) has room to run.
ABOUT AIR FORCE (2-8, 0-6): Solving the Falcons' offense isn't difficult - Air Force has run the ball an unfathomable 538 times so far in 2013, while attempting just 141 passes. But stopping the Falcons' ground attack is a much harder task; they're averaging better than five yards per carry with 26 rushing touchdowns spread out among nine different players. Eighteen different Falcons have at least one carry, led by Anthony LaCoste with 111 for 781 yards and six scores.
TRENDS
* Rebels are 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a SU loss
* Falcons are 2-7 ATS in their last nine conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.Comment
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A look at the Chicago Bulls' recent circus road trip history
It's never a good time for the Chicago Bulls to spend two weeks away from the United Center, but this year's edition of the circus road trip couldn't have come at a worse point in the season.
Chicago will embark on its annual circus voyage, when the circus kicks the team out of town for a few weeks, with just one win in its first four road games. Compare that to a perfect 5-0 mark in their own building and it's easy to see why the Bulls might prefer to send Barnum and Bailey packing this year. That said, the Bulls have actually fared better during the road trip in recent years - making them an intriguing play over that two-week stretch.
Chicago opens this extended away stretch as 1-point road favorites in Denver Thursday night.
Here's a look at how the Bulls have fared on their most recent circus road trips:
2003-04 to 2006-07: 5-20 SU, 11-14 ATS
Chicago was trounced in five straight games in 2003-04 but actually covered in three of the five defeats. The Bulls went 1-6 SU the following year, but only covered three times. The 2005-06 trip saw a decent turnaround - the Bulls went 3-3 SU and ATS - but was followed by a 1-6 trek the next season, a stretch in which the Bulls covered just twice. That included losing by 10 to the L.A. Lakers as a three-point dog, and dropping a 15-point decision in Philadelphia despite being installed as a 1 1/2-point fave.
2007-08 to 2009-10: 5-14 SU, 7-12 ATS
After carrying on the tradition of struggling on the circus trip - going 1-5 SU and ATS in 2007-08 - Chicago fans had high hopes when the Bulls went on to use the first pick in the 2008 draft on standout point guard Derrick Rose. The circus trip results improved - but only barely. The Bulls went 3-4 the following season - while actually finishing 4-3 ATS - but regressed in 2009-10, losing the final five games of the six-game trek while covering just twice. Four of the five defeats were by a margin of 15 points or more.
2010-11 to 2012-12: 6-6 SU, 8-4 ATS
The most recent Bulls seasons don't provide as much value when trying to assess the team's performance during the lengthy trip. For one thing, there was no trek during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season; the schedule didn't kick off until well after Barnum and Bailey had vacated the arena. Additionally, Rose suffered a knee injury at the end of that campaign and sat out all of 2012-13. The results do, however, tell bettors that this edition of the Bulls was far more formidable than in years past. The team went 4-3 SU and 6-1 ATS in 2010-11, and was a ho-hum 2-3 SU and ATS last season.
Summary
It's difficult to know how the Bulls are going to perform. But given the steady roster improvement over the past few seasons, the fact that the roster is relatively healthy and that Rose continues to show improvement in his recovery from major knee surgery, Chicago should be a difficult opponent for all six teams it faces on its annual circus road trip. And you certainly couldn't have said that nine or 10 years ago.Comment
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NHL
Hot teams
-- Blues won six of their last eight games. Boston won six of last seven.
-- Toronto won last four home games, allowing six goals. Predators won their last two games, 2-0/7-2.
-- Flyers won four of their last five games.
-- Blackhawks won five of their last seven games. Winnipeg won four of last five at home.
-- Dallas Stars won six of their last seven games.
-- Coyotes won eight of their last ten games.
-- Florida won three of its last four games. Oilers won last two games, 4-2/7-0.
-- Devils won four of last five games (only loss 2-0 to LA). Los Angeles won its last four games, outscoring foes, 11-4.
-- San Jose won three of its last four games.
Cold teams
-- Sabres lost four of their last five road games.
-- Red Wings lost their last seven games, five in SO/OT. Carolina lost eight of last twelve.
-- Rangers lost three of their last four games.
-- Avalanche lost three of their last four games.
-- Lightning lost three of its last four road games.
Totals
-- Three of last four St Louis-Boston games went over total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Nashville games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Philly games.
-- Five of last six Carolina-Detroit games went under total.
-- Four of last five Chicago-Winnipeg games went over total.
-- Last three Ranger games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Phoenix games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Edmonton games.
-- 11 of last 12 LA-New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Tampa Bay games went over the total; three of Sharks' last four stayed under. .
Series records
-- Bruins won three of their last four games with St Louis.
-- Maple Leafs won three of last four games with Nashville.
-- Flyers won seven of last nine games with Buffalo.
-- Red Wings won four of last five games with Carolina.
-- Blackhawks won their last six games with Winnipeg.
-- Rangers lost four of last six games with Dallas.
-- Coyotes won 10 of last 13 games against Colorado.
-- Oilers won six of their last seven games with Florida.
-- Kings won five of last seven games with New Jersey.
-- Home team won last four Lightning-Shark games.Comment
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NBA
Hot teams
-- Clippers won five of their last six games. Thunder won six of eight.
-- Bulls won their last five games, allowing 81.6 ppg.
Cold teams
-- Nuggets lost last two games, allowing 118.5 ppg, but they've won last three home games, by 2-12-4 points.
Totals
-- Five of last six Thunder games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Chicago games stayed under the total; six of last seven Denver games went over.
Series records
-- Seven of last eight Clipper-Thunder games went over total.
-- Nuggets won six of last seven games with Chicago.Comment
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NCAA Football Game Picks
Rutgers at Central Florida
The Knights put their 3-1 home record on the line against a Rutgers team that is 19-7-1 ATS in its last 27 road games against a team with a winning home record. Rutgers is the pick (+17 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Knights favored by only 14. Dunkel Pick: Rutgers (+17 1/2). Here are all of this week's lined games.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. ESTGame 109-110: Rutgers at Central Florida (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rutgers 83.125; Central Florida 97.394
Dunkel Line: Central Florida by 14; 62
Vegas Line: Central Florida by 17 1/2; 57 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Rutgers (+17 1/2); OverGame 111-112: Rice at UAB (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rice 86.380; UAB 60.541
Dunkel Line: Rice by 26; 59
Vegas Line: Rice by 18; 63 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Rice (-18); UnderGame 113-114: UNLV at Air Force (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UNLV 77.731; Air Force 71.205
Dunkel Line: UNLV by 6 1/2; 66
Vegas Line: Air Force by 2; 60
Dunkel Pick: UNLV (+2); OverOTHER GAMES:
Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST (11/21)Nicholls State at SE Louisiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nicholls State 48.068; SE Louisiana 88.834
Dunkel Line: SE Louisiana by 41Comment
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Today's NFL Picks
New Orleans at Atlanta
The Saints look to build on their 5-1 ATS record in their last 5 games against the Falcons. New Orleans is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Saints favored by 16. Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-9). Here are all of this week's picks.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. ESTGame 107-108: New Orleans at Atlanta (8:25 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 140.250; Atlanta 124.251
Dunkel Line: New Orleans by 16; 57
Vegas Line: New Orleans by 9; 53
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-9); OverComment
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Today's NBA Picks
LA Clippers at Oklahoma City
The Clippers continue their road trip tonight against an Oklahoma City team that is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 home games. LA is the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Thunder favored by only 2. Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (+5 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. ESTGame 701-702: LA Clippers at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 123.019; Oklahoma City 125.243
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 2; 216
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5 1/2; 210
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (+5 1/2); OverGame 703-704: Chicago at Denver (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 124.028; Denver 120.456
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 3 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-1); UnderComment
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Football Crusher
Saints -9.5 over Falcons
(System Record: 38-3, lost last game)
Overall Record: 38-33-1Comment
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Hockey Crusher
Chicago Blackhawks -155 over Winnipeg Jets
(System Record: 28-0, lost last game)
Overall Record: 28-14Comment
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Basketball Crusher
Chicago Bulls (PK) over Denver Nuggets
(System Record: 10-2, won last game)
Overall Record: 10-16-1Comment
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Soccer Crusher
Libertad + Lanus UNDER 2
This match is happening in Conmebol
(System Record: 482-17, won last game)
Overall Record: 482-420-71Comment
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Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports
Our Free Plays are 1133-853(57% ) over the last 5 1/2 years College FB 58-34 this yr, NFL 34-23:
Free winner 12-4 run THURS Rice -18Comment
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