Rory Gold

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Sportsbook Review): Broncos -13

The Denver Broncos could have been in a far more comfortable position than they are currently. Had they topped the hapless Oakland Raiders at home two weeks ago, the Broncos would have been at 9-7 with a chance at controlling their own destiny this week. Considering the Kansas City Chiefs are in town, controlling their own destiny probably would have been an easy task.

As it stands now, the Broncos have lost two straight games and are now on the outside of the playoffs looking in. For them to qualify, they will need some help.

The Broncos are currently 8-7 and need to win over Kansas City to have a shot at playing another week. While defeating the Chiefs won’t be a difficult task, they’ll need some help from either the Baltimore Ravens or the New York Jets with a loss to get one of the last two AFC Wild Card spots.

The Ravens are playing Oakland while the Jets are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals, who likely won’t be trying too hard.

While the people and the faces have changed, the result is still the same. For a second year in a row Denver has experienced a collapse down the stretch of the season.

Internet Sports Betting Pick: Broncos -13

Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders

NFL Betting Line: Ravens -10

The Baltimore Ravens are one of two teams in the AFC that control their own destiny. For them, the theory is simple: win and you’re in.

The Ravens may have a tougher time than expected though as they will be playing their second consecutive road game. On top of that, they just played their biggest rival in Pittsburgh and exerted themselves fully. They may have a tough time getting as charged up for this game as they did the previous one.

Oakland is not a good football team and they typically only show up once a month. But they are scrappy at times and if they can avoid turnovers and force the Ravens into a couple, they’ll have a shot to win.

There is nothing on the line for Oakland but there is plenty on the line for Baltimore. But ‘must win’ doesn’t mean ‘will win’. Look for the Raiders to make this one tough on Baltimore.

NFL Picks: Raiders +10

Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sportsbetting odds: Eagles -7

The Denver Broncos took one on the chin last week as the Oakland Raiders upset them at home. Not only was that a tough loss to take given that you never want to lose to a division rival but it pushed the Broncos down the standings in the AFC playoff picture and opened the door for one of the seven teams that are just one game behind.

The Raiders won the game with second, third and fourth string quarterbacks all getting into the action, which is embarrassing for Denber. Starting quarterback Bruce Gradkowski didn’t play, Charlie Frye was injured in the game, JaMarcus Russell led the comeback but fourth-stringer J.P. Losman even came in for a few plays.

This week, the Broncos will have to shape up quickly as they will be facing a much better team. The Eagles have won five straight games and haven’t scored less than 23 points in six straight contests. During that span, they have averaged 30 points per game.

The Broncos offense has disappeared and clearly Kyle Orton is not the answer at quarterback. Last week, eight of the Broncos 12 drives lasted five plays or less.

The Eagles are hot right now and there is no reason to bet against them.

5Dimes Reviews Pick: Eagles -7

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

NFL Lines: Colts -6.5

The New York Jets had a backbreaking loss last week as they allowed the Atlanta Falcons to score a touchdown with less than one minute remaining. Had the Jets won, they could have separated from the slew of 7-7 teams in the AFC but instead, they now need some help from the Broncos or Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs.

This week, they’ll have to do something that no other team has done this year: defeat the Colts. Indy is a perfect 14-0 but the question is how much will they play their starters?

If the Colts rest Peyton Manning, the Jets will have a great chance to win. If not, they aren’t good enough to win this game.

Considering the Colts will have a bye week in two weeks and will probably rest starters next week as well, expect the starters to play a large share – if not all – of this game.

Sports Wagering Picks: Colts -6.5

It’s Friday, which means its parlay time. Week 15 of the NFL season is in full swing and we’ll see two unbeaten teams in action before we even hit Sunday. Nonetheless, here’s a good looking parlay for three Sunday games:

Houston Texans @ St. Louis Rams

There is no NFL betting line quite yet for the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams contest but it doesn’t even matter. Honestly, could things be any worse for the Rams?

Not only are they 1-12 and coming off a blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans, they are also down to their third string quarterback, rookie and sixth-round pick Keith Null

If that’s not bad enough, the Rams passed around swine flu through their locker room this week and head coach Steve Spagnuolo was forced to cancel a practice. The known players that are ill are backup quarterback Kyle Boller and center Jason Brown

The Texans shouldn’t have many problems in this game. Not only will the Rams not be able to slow them down, the Texans should be able to dominate this battered team on defense as well

The line in the sportsbook is projected to be around 11 points in favor of Houston

Pick: Texan

Arizona Cardinals @ Detroit Lions

Another game that has “blowout” written all over it is the Arizona Cardinals-Detroit Lions contest. While the Lions have been valiant at times this season, the truth of the matter is that they don’t have the weapons to compete with most NFL teams. Sure, the Cardinals struggled on Monday Night Football in San Francisco and sure, they will be playing on a short week but the Lions defense is one of the weakest in the NFL.

The Cardinals handed the 49ers a win last week by turning it over six times. They’ll be far more cautious with the football.

Further compounding the problems for Detroit is the fact that they’ll be without starting quarterback Matt Stafford and wideout Calvin Johnson is extremely questionable as well

An expert sports handicapping buff knows that the Lions will have a tough time hanging around in this game, which should be a blowout right from kickoff

Pick: Cardinals -12

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers

It’s fairly simply sportsbook 101 that you don’t want to be laying huge spreads each week, but this one is a gimme.

The Carolina Panthers only have one way to win football games: run the ball. The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best run defenses and they won’t let the Panthers do anything on the ground

The Panthers will also have to work with backup quarterback Matt Moore under center, which further hampers their team. This is a really bad matchup for Carolina and you can expect Minnesota to completely dominate them.

Pick: Vikings -9

New Jersey Nets @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Quicken Loans Arena – 7:00 PM ET

TheGreek Review Odds: NO LINE

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who are one of the best teams in the NBA, will host the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night, who are the worst team in all of basketball.

The Cavs had a slow start to the season splitting their first six games but since then, the Cavs have won 14 of their last 17 with all three losses coming on the road.

The Cavs, who were 39-2 at home last year, lost twice in their first five games at home but they have yet to lose since at the Quicken Loans Arena. That’s bad news for the Nets, who have been getting smoked almost every game this year.

The Nets have been a sports gambling nightmare for anyone who has been betting them. They started the season with an NBA record 18 consecutive losses. They then managed to win two of their next three games against the Charlotte Bobcats and Chicago Bulls, but have now started another losing streak.

People who wager on sports have seen them lose three straight including two consecutive blowout losses on the road. The Nets lost by 16 in Indiana on Friday and then lost by 23 in Atlanta on Sunday. Considering how the Cavaliers have been playing at home lately, that does not bode well for the Nets.

The Cavs have won seven straight games at home, shooting 52.7% from the field in those contests. LeBron James is averaging 25.3 points per game and 10 assists in those games. On top of that, James is coming off one of his best performances of the year where he notched a season-high 44 points.

The biggest issue for the Nets has been injuries and scoring points. The Nets have lost players Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian, Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Jarvis Hayes for prolonged periods of time. Jianlian is still out while Douglas-Roberts is questionable for Tuesday.

The Nets have had plenty of problems scoring points so being shorthanded doesn’t really help. The Nets are last in the NBA in scoring (89.3) and have the lowest field goal percentage (41.5%).

They’ll be in tough on Wednesday as the Cavaliers are rolling right now. When they are on, they are one of the toughest teams to beat at home. Look for the Cavs to win and cover.

bet jamaica sportsbook review picks: Cavaliers

Emerald Bowl
Boston College Eagles vs USC Trojans
Sports Betting Odds: USC -8.5

The USC Trojans didn’t have the season they were expecting to have but after losing so many seniors to the NFL, the Trojans just weren’t able to reload like they usually do. USC started a freshman quarterback Matt Barkley, who – along with the offense – hit a wall. The good news for USC is the fact that they have some extra time to prepare and practice for this bowl, we should see a very good effort and maybe even a glimpse into what we’ll see next year.

The real question is how motivated will this team be considering they are used to playing in the BCS?

The Boston College Eagles really are no match for the Trojans, so the Trojans motivation will really be a key. If they are excited to play for it, they will roll the Eagles. If they act like they don’t care to win an Emerald Bowl, then it’s going to show and this will be a really sloppy game.

The Eagles offense is horrific and they may not score at all in this game. If USC is up for it, they’ll dominate and run away with this one. If they aren’t, get ready for a 3-0 sleeper.

Sports Picks: USC -8.5

Meineke Car Care Bowl
North Carolina Tar Heels vs Pittsburgh Panthers
Sportsbook Odds: Pittsburgh -2.5

The Pittsburgh Panthers will have a reality check at the Meineke Car Care Bowl: how interested are they in playing for it? The Panthers were just over a minute away from playing in the Sugar Bowl but now they’ll be in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Regardless, this game figures to be close because North Carolina doesn’t have the offense to run away and hide from anyone while six of the Panthers final nine games were decided by a touchdown or less.

This is going to be a defensive game as both teams know how to bring on that side of the ball whereas the offenses usually need some work. But even so, Pittsburgh has a better offense with a good running game and some quality weapons in the passing game. If they are motivated, they will end up with this bowl win.

NCAA Football Betting Picks: Pittsburgh -2.5

Sports betting players have watched Cleveland get their act together after a slow start, and the Cavaliers have a full head of steam as they travel to Houston on Wednesday, where they’ll end a three-game road trip against the Rockets.

Cavaliers vs Rockets betting – Wednesday, December 9, 8:30 PM ET

The Cavaliers (15-5) had won four in a row ahead of Tuesday’s game in Memphis, and they kicked off their road trip with a 101-86 win in Milwaukee, getting 21 points from Delonte West. This was only the third time that LeBron James wasn’t at least a co-leader in scoring, and that’s a great thing for Cleveland’s NBA odds. In two meetings with the Rockets last year, James averaged 24.0 points, while Mo Williams was next with 22.0 points.

The Rockets (11-9) are coming off a tough 90-89 loss in Portland on Saturday night, losing on a late basket by Brandon Roy. Carl Landry came off the bench to notch 23 points and nine boards for the Rockets, who hit only four of their 17 three-point attempts. Their top four scorers against the Cavs last year, Yao Ming, Rafer Alston, Von Wafer and Ron Artest, are all either hurt or no longer with the team.

Sports betting odds in your sportsbook will be close for this game, as Cleveland is obviously the better team, but they’ve dropped eight of their last 10 in Houston, failing to score more than 77 points in their last three trips. The Rockets’ key is that they can get points from a number of players, like Landry, Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks and Trevor Ariza. The Cavaliers are trying to become more balanced, but their sports betting hopes ultimately hinge on the production of James, who opens up the floor for the entire team, and he can get them the ball from anywhere on the court. Cleveland is 5-2 in the second part of back-to-back games so far this year, and playing the night before shouldn’t hurt them, especially if they get out to a big lead on Tuesday night and can afford to rest their starters.

Internet sports betting pick: Cleveland

Everyone is making their Florida Alabama betting picks in their online sportsbook, there are other football games this week besides the championship games. Here’s a preview of the Pac 10 contests this week:

Arizona Wildcats @ USC Trojans
NCAA Football Lines: Trojans -7

The Arizona Wildcats have had a tough fall from grace over the past couple of weeks and we’ll have to see how they respond this week. Two weeks ago, they had a chance to be playing for the Rose Bowl but after a tough loss to Oregon and then a slight win over Arizona State, the Wildcats are left playing for a better bowl game. On the whole, they are just 7-4 on the year and haven’t really been that impressive when facing quality opponents.

For the Trojans, they are coming off a big win over cross-town rival UCLA and they should be ready to finish off their season on a high note. Sure, there were a lot more speed bumps for USC’s team than there has been in a long time but this is still a quality team.

The Trojans rarely lose at home and when they do, it seems to happen to Stanford. This week is a very manageable game for them as they are playing a squad with a pedestrian offense and an inferior defense (to their’s). The Trojans are going to win and cover in this game but it might not be pretty. Both squads have better defenses than offenses, so look for it to be a defensive game but the Trojans will make a few extra plays and get the win.

Pick: Trojans -7

California Golden Bears @ Washington Huskies
Internet Sports Betting Odds: California -7

The Cal Golden Bears are in an interesting spot this week as they play one more regular season before the postseason. They played their rivalry game last week so we’ll have to see how motivated they are for this contest.

Washington is also off of a rivalry game against Washington State, but they really have nothing to play for in this game. The Huskies defense is coming off of a shutout performance but it may have a tough time duplicating last week’s effort.

The Huskies have one of the worst defenses in the Pac 10 while the Golden Bears have one of the best. That will be the deciding factor in this game.

Pick: California -7

While most people in the sports betting community will be focused on their Florida Alabama picks this weekend, there are plenty of other games with BCS implications.

New Mexico State Aggies @ Boise State Broncos
Sportsbook Odds: Boise State -47.5

The Boise State Broncos are the fifth-best team in the nation and they need to keep winning in emphatic fashion to make sure that they do get into a BCS bowl. On Saturday, they shouldn’t have any problems with that as the New Mexico State Aggies come to visit.

The Broncos are always dominant on their smurf turf but this should be a destruction of epic proportions. The Aggies haven’t topped 21 points in any contest this year and has scored a total of 46 points in their last six games combined. Meanwhile, Boise State hasn’t scored less than 44 points in any of their last six games.

As the tale of the tape shows, this will be a very one-sided game. The Broncos have plenty of weapons and they have plenty of motivation. For the Aggies, they have lost six straight games are really have nothing to play for.

As you should expect, this game will be extremely one-sided. Lay the points with the Broncos – as crazy as that sounds.

Picks: Boise State -47.5

Arizona Wildcats @ USC Trojans
College Football Lines: USC -7.5

The USC Trojans don’t usually lose at home. In the Pete Carroll era, the Trojans have lost just twice at home and both losses came to the Stanford Cardinal. Clearly, the Wildcats task is going to be a difficult one this weekend.

Two weeks ago, Arizona was considered a Rose Bowl contender. When Oregon was visiting, they actually controlled their own destiny a couple of weeks back but now the Wildcats are just another mediocre Pac 10 team.

The Wildcats did squeak by over their rivals Arizona State but if you look at this teams body of work, which has produced seven wins and four losses, it quickly becomes evident that they’ll have a tough time at USC this weekend.

The Trojans have their swagger back after a bye week and after a dismantling of rival UCLA. This game won’t be pretty as the defenses will dominate but Arizona just won’t score enough points to win.

Pick: USC -7.5