Eagles-Vikings Preview

The Minnesota Vikings will be trying to hold off the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense on Sunday when the two teams meet in a Wild-Card Round matchup at The Metrodome.
Oddsmakers currently have the Eagles listed as 3-point favorites versus the Vikings, while the game’s total is sitting at 41½.
The Eagles defeated Dallas 44-6 as a 2-point favorite in Week 17. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (40.5).
Donovan McNabb passed for 175 yards with a pair of touchdown passed and a TD run for Philadelphia, while Correll Buckhalter rushed for 63 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown reception in the win.
The Vikings defeated the Giants 20-19 as a 7-point favorite in Week 17. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (41).
Adrian Peterson rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries for Minnesota and Tarvaris Jackson passed for 239 yards with a touchdown and an interceptions in the win.
Team records:
Philadelphia: 9-6-1 SU, 10-6 ATS
Minnesota: 10-6 SU, 6-10 ATS
Philadelphia most recently:
When playing in January are 5-5
When playing on turf are 6-3-1
After outgaining opponent are 5-5
When playing on outside the division are 7-2-1

Minnesota most recently:
When playing in January are 5-5
When playing on turf are 8-2
After being outgained are 8-2
When playing outside the division are 6-4

A few trends to consider:
Philadelphia is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Minnesota
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games
Minnesota is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games at home

 

Ravens-Dolphins Preview

Dolphin Stadium will be the unlikely site of a Wild-Card Round matchup on Sunday, as the resurgent Miami Dolphins play host to the Baltimore Ravens.
Oddsmakers currently have the Ravens listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Dolphins, while the game’s total is sitting at 38.
The Ravens defeated Jacksonville 27-7 as a 10-point favorite on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (37.5).
Le’Ron McClain rushed for 70 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 25 carries for Baltimore, while Joe Flacco passed for 297 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in the win.
The Dolphins defeated the Jets 24-17 as a 2.5-point underdog in Week 17. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (43).
Chad Pennington passed for 200 yards with two touchdowns for the Dolphins and Ted Ginn Jr. caught two passes for 71 yards with a touchdown in the win.
Team records:
Baltimore: 11-5 SU, 12-4 ATS
Miami: 11-5 SU, 8-8 ATS
Baltimore most recently:
When playing in January are 6-4
When playing on grass are 5-5
After outgaining opponent are 6-4
When playing outside the division are 7-3

Miami most recently:
When playing in January are 4-6
When playing on grass are 7-3
After being outgained are 5-5
When playing outside the division are 7-3

A few trends to consider:
Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Baltimore is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baltimore is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami’s last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami’s last 5 games at home
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

 

Urgent: LaDainian Tomlinson Injury Update Chargers-Colts

Betting bombshell: Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson is a game time decision against the Colts because of a groin problem. This has been confirmed by several of OffshoreInsiders.com and Lines-Maker.com sources. The Vegas odds for Colts-Chargers, currently have the Colts are just a one-point favorite, but with the new info the line will go up, so take that into consideration when placing your bet with the sportsbooks.

William & Mary-Northeastern Preview

The William & Mary Tribe and the Northeastern Huskies will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Matthews Arena.
Oddsmakers currently have the Huskies listed as 8-point favorites versus the Tribe, while the game’s total is sitting at 120.
Northeastern was torn apart 80-48 by Memphis on Wednesday, as 18.5-point underdogs. The 128 points made it OVER the posted total of 127.5.
Many Adako shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field with 16 points for Northeastern.
Current streak:
William & Mary has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
William & Mary: 5-6 SU, 2-3 ATS
Northeastern: 6-5 SU, 5-4 ATS
William & Mary most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 2-8
Before playing Old Dominion are 6-4
After a win are 5-5

Northeastern most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Hofstra are 5-5
After a loss are 4-6

A few trends to consider:
William & Mary is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Northeastern is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games at home
Next up:
William & Mary home to Old Dominion, Monday, January 5
Northeastern home to Hofstra, Monday, January 5

 

Missouri-Georgia Preview

The Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Stegeman Coliseum.
Oddsmakers currently have the Tigers listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Bulldogs, while the game’s total is sitting at 143.
Current streak:
Missouri has won 2 straight games.
Georgia has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Missouri: 11-2 SU, 4-2-1 ATS
Georgia: 9-4 SU, 4-4 ATS
Missouri most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Coppin State are 2-3
After playing Centenary are 2-0
After a win are 8-2

Georgia most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Georgia Tech are 8-2
After playing Kennesaw State are 1-0
After a win are 6-4

A few trends to consider:
Missouri is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Missouri’s last 8 games on the road
Missouri is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Missouri is 2-10-2 ATS in its last 14 games on the road
Georgia is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Georgia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Next up:
Missouri home to Coppin State, Tuesday, January 6
Georgia at Georgia Tech, Tuesday, January 6

 

Saturday Betting Rundown

The upstart Falcons will look to add a playoff win to their resume on Saturday, while the Colts will battle the Chargers again. For all the NFL Wild Card picks and predictions, get it from the top betting experts at OffshoreInsiders.com   

Here’s your Daily Sports Roundup.

The Gridiron Spotlight

The season’s already been a success for the Atlanta Falcons, who rebounded from a dismal 2007 to clinch one of the NFC’s Wild Card berths this year. However, the oddsmakers like the Falcons’ chances of extending their season by one more week, as they’ve been pegged as 2.5-point road favorites in their first-round matchup in Arizona on Saturday afternoon (4:30pm ET). The Falcons have won three straight games to sit at 11-5 straight-up and 9-7 ATS on the season. The Cards, meanwhile, lost four of their last six contests to fall to 9-7 SU and 9-7 ATS, and each of their last five wins came against weak NFC West opponents.

The total for Atlanta/Arizona is set at 51 points at Bodog Life, the same OVER/UNDER given to the day’s second Wild Card matchup, Indianapolis at San Diego (8:00pm ET). The oddsmakers, though, have that game listed as a pick’em, after the Colts opened as a slight favorite at BetUs Sportsbook. Indianapolis went 12-4 SU and 7-9 ATS on the season, have won nine straight games, and slipped past the Chargers 23-20 back in Week 12. San Diego squeaked into the playoffs at 8-8 SU and 7-8-1 ATS, thanks to a four-game winning streak capped by a crucial win over Denver.

Don’t worry about the games being sold out. NFL Tickets are available for every playoff game.

Other Notable Events

There is just one bowl game on the schedule for Saturday, and that’s the International Bowl at Toronto‘s Rogers Centre. That 12:00pm ET kickoff has Buffalo (8-5 SU, 9-4 ATS) taking on Connecticut (7-5 SU, 5-6 ATS). The Bulls capped off their impressive campaign with a 42-24 win over ranked Ball State on December 5, and they’ve won six of their past seven contests. The Huskies fell to Pittsburgh 34-10 last time out, and they’ve lost three of their last four matchups.

Still, the oddsmakers have the Big East’s UConn pegged as the 6.5-point favorite in this contest, with the game’s total at 52 points. Buffalo went 9-4 against the OVER/UNDER on the season, while Connecticut had a 6-5 mark versus the total.

The Rest of the Schedule

The Detroit Red Wings picked up a win at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day; they’ll get to play inside again on Saturday when they visit the Minnesota Wild in one of 11 games on the NHL’s schedule. Also on tap: Buffalo at Boston, Florida at Pittsburgh, Calgary at Nashville, the Rangers at Washington, Ottawa at Toronto, Carolina at Tampa Bay, Columbus at St. Louis, Dallas at Edmonton, and the Islanders at San Jose, while the Flyers head to L.A. to battle the Kings.

After a busy Friday the NBA has just seven games on the schedule for Saturday, including the Hornets versus the Nuggets in Denver. Also, it’s Houston at Atlanta, Sacramento at Indiana, Milwaukee at Charlotte, New Jersey at Miami, and Minnesota at Chicago. As well, San Antonio will get to play host to Philadelphia.

Finally, college hoops action on Saturday sees No. 3 Pittsburgh looking to keep their perfect record intact when they take on No. 11 Georgetown at the Verizon Center. The Panthers got past Rutgers 78-72 last time out and now sit at 13-0 on the season; the 10-1 Hoyas beat UConn 74-63 in their last contest. The No. 2 Huskies, meanwhile, will try to get back on the winning track when they take on Rutgers on Saturday. Other Top 10 teams in action: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. Coppin State, No. 6 Wake Forest vs. BYU, No. 7 Notre Dame vs. St. John’s, and No. 10 Michigan State vs. Northwestern, while a second meeting of ranked teams will have No. 24 Ohio State paying a visit to No. 21 Minnesota in a Big Ten matchup.

A Peek at the Future

Sunday features the other two Wild Card Weekend matchups, with Baltimore a 3.5-point favorite in Miami, and Philadelphia a 3-point favorite in Minnesota . . . college basketball’s top Sunday matchup has North Carolina hosting Boston College, while Duke will take on Virginia Tech . . . the Celtics play the Knicks in NBA action on Sunday, while Kobe’s Lakers will get a visit from the Trail Blazers.

Headlines

Utah made their case for the national title with a 31-17 thrashing of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl…Peyton Manning won this third NFL MVP award….Penn State coach Joe Paterno has admitted his hop woes have made him consider retirement.

Rice-Richmond Preview

The Rice Owls and the Richmond Spiders will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Robins Center.
Oddsmakers currently have the Spiders listed as 10½-point favorites versus the Owls, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Rice was defeated 72-60 by Texas A & M on Wednesday, as 7.5-point underdogs at home. The game’s 132 points made it OVER the posted total of 130.
Rodney Foster led Rice with 18 points in a losing effort.
Team records:
Rice: 5-8 SU, 5-4-1 ATS
Richmond: 7-6 SU, 4-2 ATS
Rice most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Tulane are 4-3
After playing Texas A&M are 1-3
After a loss are 4-6

Richmond most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing George Washington are 2-8
After playing VMI are 3-2
After a loss are 7-3

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Rice’s last 16 games on the road
Rice is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Rice is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games
Rice is 1-16 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Richmond is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Next up:
Rice at Tulane, Saturday, January 10
Richmond at George Washington, Saturday, January 10

 

Ohio State-Minnesota Preview

The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Minnesota Golden Gophers will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Williams Arena.
Oddsmakers currently have the Golden Gophers listed as 4-point favorites versus the Buckeyes, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Ohio State was outplayed in the second half and held on for a hard-fought 68-65 victory over Iowa on Wednesday. Ohio State could not cover the 8-point spread, while the game’s 133 points sailed OVER the posted total of 117.
Jon Diebler led Ohio State with a game-high 27 points, and William Buford added 16 in the win.
Minnesota was defeated 70-58 by Michigan State on Wednesday, as slight 1.5-point underdogs at home. That game’s 128 points went UNDER the posted total of 141.
Al Nolen had 14 points for Minnesota, and Lawrence Westbrook netted 11 in the loss.
Team records:
Ohio State: 10-1 SU, 4-4 ATS
Minnesota: 12-1 SU, 5-3 ATS
Ohio State most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Michigan State are 9-1
After playing Iowa are 7-3
After a win are 9-1

Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Iowa are 5-5
After playing Michigan State are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5

A few trends to consider:
Ohio State is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games
Ohio State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Ohio State is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ohio State’s last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
Minnesota is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Ohio State
Minnesota is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Ohio State
Next up:
Ohio State at Michigan State, Tuesday, January 6
Minnesota at Iowa, Thursday, January 8

 

UNC Greensboro-Princeton Preview

The UNC Greensboro Spartans and the Princeton Tigers will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Jadwin Gymnasium.
Oddsmakers currently have the Tigers listed as 7-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Current streak:
UNC Greensboro has lost 8 straight games.
Princeton has lost 6 straight games.
Team records:
UNC Greensboro: 1-9 SU, 1-7 ATS
Princeton: 2-8 SU, 3-2-1 ATS
UNC Greensboro most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Western Carolina are 4-6
After playing Akron are 0-1
After a loss are 3-7

Princeton most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Lehigh are 2-2
After playing Lafayette are 6-4
After a loss are 2-8

A few trends to consider:
UNC Greensboro is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
UNC Greensboro is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
UNC Greensboro is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Princeton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
Princeton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Next up:
UNC Greensboro at Western Carolina, Thursday, January 8
Princeton home to Lehigh, Wednesday, January 7