<p>Super Bowl Sunday is finally here, and we are in for a treat. The Rams aren&#39;t so much of a surprise to be here, but the Bengals, on the other hand, are a different story. I&#39;m confident that if you took a preseason poll on the teams in the Super Bowl, less than 1% would have said the Bengals, and most of those votes would have been from Bengals fans. Yet here we are. On the one side, you have Matthew Stafford, who we can all agree deserves this shot after all his time in Detroit and being constantly overlooked as a great quarterback. On the other side is second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, who has exceeded all his expectations and has led a postseason run that many will never forget. The storylines and narratives surrounding this game are loud, and there are reasons to back both sides. So let&#39;s dig in to see who will win or, more importantly, cover for us bettors in Super Bowl LVI.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Injuries</h2>

<p>Both teams are about as healthy as you can be after 20 games in this rough sport. However, there are some key inactives for the game tonight. Starting tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive lineman Joe Noteboom will miss the game tonight for the Rams. For the Bengals, it appears that tight end C.J. Uzomah will actually be active tonight after being a full participant in practice on Friday. Multiple players, including running back Cam Akers, safety Taylor Rapp, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tackle Andrew Whitworth, and wide receiver Van Jefferson, were questionable early in the week. They were all full participants by Friday and are expected to play tonight. Some good news for the Rams is the return of running back Darrell Henderson off the IR, which adds another level to the rush attack for the Rams.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Cincinnati Bengals</h2>

<p>The Bengals shocked the world in an 18-point comeback against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. Joe Burrow certainly looks the part, but I would actually credit a lot of that game to the defense. They held Mahomes scoreless the entire second half until the last few seconds of regulation to tie the game with a field goal. However, the Bengals had the luxury of playing the Chiefs just a few weeks prior, which always helps prepare a defense. It&#39;s hard to tell whether the defense is playing well or the Bengals opponents are playing badly. Tannehill threw three interceptions in the loss to the Bengals and still only lost by three. Mahomes looked lost in the second half and threw two picks to help the Bengals come back and win. I&#39;m not trying to discredit what the Bengals have done to get here, but they&#39;ve forced seven turnovers in their three postseason games, and while turnovers help, you can&#39;t rely on them to win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Joe Burrow and Ja&#39;marr Chase have been something else. Ja&#39;marr broke the Bengals franchise record for yards in his rookie season with 1,455, breaking Chad Johnson&#39;s record of 1,440. Chase also won the offensive rookie of the year award, and it&#39;s clear that this LSU duo is hard to stop. The Rams secondary will have their hands full today with this receiving core, especially with Uzomah set to go now. A balanced attack of Ja&#39;marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and C.J. Uzomah gives Burrow many options on every dropback. This offensive power is exactly what gave the Bengals the tools to come back in the Chiefs game, and it&#39;s what can keep them in it even if they do get down early on the Rams.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Los Angeles Rams</h2>

<p>You Have to be happy for Matthew Stafford. For years, he grinded in Detroit, only to be overlooked and underappreciated. Finally, he&#39;s had the opportunity&nbsp;to show his skill this season with the Rams, and he wasted no time getting comfortable by making it to the Super Bowl in his first season on his new team. This year, Stafford had the <a href="https://www.nfl.com/stats/player-stats/">third-most passing yards</a> with 4,886, and the second-most touchdown passes with 41, only behind Tom Brady. His connection with Kupp and mid-season addition Odell Beckham Jr. turned this offense almost unguardable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking of mid-season additions, The Rams have also excelled on the defensive side of the ball, partly in help by the other mid-season addition Von Miller. The acquisition makes up a scary defensive line, stacked with Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and Von Miller. These playmakers combined to give the Rams the <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-team-sacks-this-season">third-most sacks</a> in the NFL this year with 50, just behind the Vikings and Steelers. This matchup will test the shaky offensive line for the Bengals, who gave up nine sacks in the game against the Titans.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>The Prediction</h2>

<p>When breaking down every aspect of this game, it seems like the Bengals are entirely outmatched. However, I&#39;m sure everyone said the same thing heading into the Chiefs game. The fact is, the Bengals have a dynamic offensive attack with many playmakers, just like the Rams. Defensively, I do give the edge to the Rams, but the Bengal&#39;s defense has stood the test and has forced turnovers while playing with grit in three straight postseason games. They have also forced at least two turnovers in every postseason game, which could be critical tonight. Stafford has put up impressive numbers, and I think he&#39;s a great quarterback, but if Jaquiski Tartt caught that interception that landed right in his hands in the NFC championship, the Rams probably wouldn&#39;t be in the Super Bowl. Stafford has had a knack of airing out those throws without much accuracy at times, and I wouldn&#39;t be surprised to see him picked at least once tonight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the big game, four points can be everything. We&#39;ve seen a lot of games ending with field goals, including both conference championships. Every single game in the divisional round also ended by a one-possession margin. Even with the defensive edge for the Rams, I can&#39;t help but notice what the Bengals have done to get here. The defense has forced turnovers, which the Rams haven&#39;t been immune to, and they have shown the ability to come back, even from large deficits. With all the close games, I can&#39;t help but take points here. Especially at 4.5 points, it gives the backdoor possibility of the Bengals down late by 10 or 11 and scoring to cover. Or, the Rams win on another game-winning field goal, and we would still cover. There are more possibilities to win with the points tonight, and I think Burrow has a little more magic left in him in this cinderella run, even if it&#39;s just enough to cover the four and a half. Give me the points.</p>

<p><a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison"><strong>Pick: Cincinnati Bengals +4.5 (-110)</strong></a></p>

 Super Bowl Sunday is finally here, and we are in for a treat. The Rams aren&#39;t so much of a surprise to be here, but the Bengals, on the other hand, are a different story. I&#39;m confident that if you took a preseason poll on the teams in the Su

Super Bowl LVI: The Winning Side to Bet Tonight

<p>The final game of wild card weekend is here, and this one gives us an NFC West divisional matchup with the Arizona Cardinals (11-6) on the road to face the Los Angeles Rams (12-5). The NFC West was a tight race this year and is the only division with three teams in the playoffs. The last postseason meeting between these two was all the way back in 1975 when the Cardinals were in St. Louis, and in that one, the Rams pulled off a 35-23 win. Which ex-St. Louis team will take it tonight? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup and find out.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Los Angeles Rams</h2>

<p>The <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/lar">Rams</a> come into the postseason with good momentum, going 4-1 over their last 5, including a road win over the Cardinals. Matthew Stafford has had an impressive first year in LA, and he&#39;s top five in just about every<a href="https://www.nfl.com/stats/player-stats/category/passing/2021/REG/all/passingyards/DESC"> important metric</a>, but that includes interceptions. Even in a career year for Stafford, he&#39;s tied with Trevor Lawrence for the most interceptions this year with 17. Limiting turnovers will be critical for LA against a Cardinals defense that ranks 7th in the NFL with 1.6 takeaways per game. The big story for the Rams&#39; offense will be the return of Cam Akers, which adds another level to the rushing attack for the Rams. Today&#39;s most significant injury for the Rams will be Taylor Rapp, meaning two starting safeties for the Rams will miss tonight&#39;s game, with Jordan Fuller also watching this one from the sidelines. This leaves the secondary thin for the Rams, and the corners will have to step up tonight to limit Murray from a big game.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Arizona Cardinals</h2>

<p>This year, The <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/ari/arizona-cardinals">Cardinals</a> hobble into the playoffs, going 1-4 over their final five games, including their loss to the Rams in week 14. The offense is finally mostly healthy, with the only significant loss being Deandre Hopkins still out with an MCL injury. Kyler Murray has had an impressive third year with the Cardinals. This year, he is second in <a href="https://www.nfl.com/stats/player-stats/category/passing/2021/REG/all/passingyards/DESC">completion percentage</a> (69.2%) while also being fourth in yards per pass (7.9), which is crazy when you think about it. He&#39;s also gotten it done on the ground, with 388 rushing yards on 83 carries. Arizona&#39;s success has been in part by this offensive production, but also in part by their <a href="https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/team-defense/2021/regular">6th ranked overall defense</a> by DVOA. That defense gets a huge boost today, as J.J. Watt is expected to play. Watt suffered an apparent season-ending injury in week seven but will be in tonight. He will most likely be on a snap count, but the energy he brings and his level of play elevate this defensive unit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>The Pick</h2>

<p>The play for me tonight will not be on a side but a player prop. With a thinner safety core for the Rams tonight, and the Rams focusing on Kirk more, I expect A.J. Green to have a big game tonight against the Rams. The current line is around<a href="https://betkarma.com/props-comparison"> 42.5 receiving yards on most books</a>. Green topped this in both his meetings against the Rams and in 10 of his 16 games this season. Against LA, he posted lines of 5/67/1 in week 4 and 7/102/0 in week 14. I think he is in for another big game tonight, especially on plays he isn&#39;t covered by Jalen Ramsey. Due to the banged-up safety position, I expect LA to play more zone, and zone coverage is where A.J. Green thrives. Rams head coach Sean McVay is excellent at shutting down opposing top receivers (primarily due to star corner Jalen Ramsey), which would be Christian Kirk. That focus on Kirk opens up more opportunities for Green. This same school of thought is what led Green to such success against the Rams in their previous meetings this year. Both meetings between these two teams this year were also high scoring, with both going over their total. High-scoring games mean extra yards, which never hurts an over on a player prop. Expect A.J. Green to break this total today and move article plays to 9-1 tonight.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: A.J. Green O42.5 Receiving Yards (-110)</strong></p>

 The final game of wild card weekend is here, and this one gives us an NFC West divisional matchup with the Arizona Cardinals (11-6) on the road to face the Los Angeles Rams (12-5). The NFC West was a tight race this year and is the only division wit

Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals: Breakdown and Prop Prediction

<p>The 2022 NFL playoffs are here, and we have a Sunday night matchup featuring the highest line of the weekend. The Steelers (9-7-1) will travel to&nbsp;Kansas City tonight to take on the Chiefs (12-5) in what many expect (including the books) will be a rout. Are the Steelers equipped to pull off the upset of the year, or will the Chiefs end the Steelers season tonight? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup and find out.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Kansas City Chiefs vs Pittsburgh Steelers</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Pittsburgh Steelers</h2>

<p>The Steelers somehow find themselves in the playoffs after having just a two percent chance of making it before their game against the Browns. After two wins against the Browns and Ravens and the Colts&#39; embarrassing loss to the Jaguars, here we are. The Steelers have to wash the 36-10 loss to the Chiefs earlier in the season from their minds. The Chiefs only outgained the Steelers by 78 yards, but with a few turnovers and a 25% red zone success rate, the Steelers were never in it. The good news for the Steelers today is their injury report with essentially no key players on it. JuJu Smith-Schuster will be back tonight, and TJ watt is about 100% now. A bright spot for this Steelers team has been the play from the secondary with Joe Haden and Minkah Fitzpatrick on top of the stellar play up front from T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward. This group will undoubtedly need a big game to stop the tricky offense the Chiefs impose on their opponents. On offense, the addition of Smith-Schuster to the receiving core tonight will really help the offense and give the Chiefs another thing to plan for on defense. He missed the first matchup weeks ago, and against a Chiefs secondary ranked 23rd overall in DVOA, the Steelers could have an effective passing game tonight. Ben Roethlisberger can thrive tonight if he doesn&#39;t face much pressure, and the Chiefs rank 30th in sack rate overall on defense. The Steelers pass on &nbsp;<a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/steelers-chiefs-wild-card-2021/stats">63% of plays</a> (third in the NFL), and if they pose any threat through the air early on, that will open up the field for the talented rookie Najee Harris. I don&#39;t see this offense struggling as much today as they did in the first matchup.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Kansas City Chiefs</h2>

<p>After starting 2-3 this year, the Chiefs had a few question marks but quickly silenced any doubters by going 10-2 over their final 12 games. Mahomes has had another impressive year, leading the offense to a 3rd overall ranking offense by DVOA while throwing 4,839 yards and 37 touchdowns. However, the offense is banged up. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss another one tonight, Darrel Williams is questionable (it looks like he will play but is not 100%), and Tyreek Hill is listed to play but is dealing with a heel injury that seemed to affect his play last week. Still, many expect the offense to succeed today with many other offensive weapons on the field. They will be up against a Steelers secondary that ranks 8th overall in passing DVOA and is fully healthy. I expect the Chiefs to try and get Derrick Gore and Jerick McKinnon going to try and pull protection forward and open up the passing game. Both have averaged <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/name/kc">5+ yards per carry</a>, although with less usage, but can&#39;t be overlooked by a horrible Steelers front line that ranks dead last in the NFL with five yards per carry allowed. With all the Chiefs&#39; options on offense, this feels like their game to lose, reflected by the double-digit spread.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>It&#39;s hard to make an argument that the Steelers can win this game, but twelve and a half points is a lot in a playoff game. The Steelers had a lot of bad luck in the blowout meeting in week 16, and the box score was surprisingly closer than the result. The Steelers also have the injury advantage, with a near-empty injury report, and if they can keep pressure off Ben, they will have an excellent passing game today with the return of JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs will also be working with backup running backs, and if they can&#39;t get it going on the ground, the Steelers&#39; secondary is equipped to limit big plays. Mike Tomlin has historically been very profitable as an underdog, and I think he will have a wise game plan for this team today. The Steelers sit at <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">+12.5 on most books</a>, and that&#39;s the number I will be taking for this one.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Steelers +12.5 (-110)</strong></p>

 The 2022 NFL playoffs are here, and we have a Sunday night matchup featuring the highest line of the weekend. The Steelers (9-7-1) will travel to&nbsp;Kansas City tonight to take on the Chiefs (12-5) in what many expect (including the books) will be

Chiefs vs Steelers: AFC Wild Card Breakdown and Prediction

<p>The College Football Playoff Championship kicks off tonight from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It gives us a thrilling rematch from the SEC final in which Alabama dominated Georgia in a 41-24 win. The Georgia Bulldogs will be looking to remove the sour taste of that final from their mouths tonight, while the Alabama Crimson Tide will look to repeat that performance. Even with that significant loss to Alabama, the books put Georgia as the favorite, sitting at -3. So who is set to take the rematch of the year? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup and find out.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Alabama Crimson Tide vs Georgia Bulldogs</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Alabama Crimson Tide</h2>

<p>Alabama has had another dominant season under Nick Saban, going 13-1 and earning another first seed in the College Football Playoff. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young has led the offense this year, throwing for <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4685720/bryce-young">4,503 yards and 46 touchdowns</a>, all with only five interceptions. All this is very impressive, but Alabama has looked human at times this year. Of their twelve&nbsp;regular-season games this year, five of them were one-possession games, including their lone loss to Texas A&amp;M. This is still impressive, but we&#39;ve seen past Alabama teams under Nick Saban be much more dominant throughout the entire season. Part of this has been the absence of a true elite running back. Brian Robinson Jr. is no slouch and will almost certainly be in the NFL, but Nick Saban has built his teams with truly elite backs over the years. Their last three running backs were Najee Harris, Damien Harris, and Derrick Henry - some elite company. Georgia was able to keep Robinson in check in the SEC final, with only 55 yards on 16 carries, and if they can contain him again, the secondary should have a better performance this time around. Alabama ranks in the bottom half of every rushing stat, and I don&#39;t see them succeeding against the Georgia defensive front, so this game will be up to Bryce Young to have another big game. The loss of John Metchie will be major for the Crimson Tide, and it gives one less person for Georgia&#39;s secondary to worry about. However, there are still targets Jameson Williams and Slade Bolden for Young to throw to. The key for Young will be to get it out quick tonight, as Alabama ranks <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/matchup/2022-college-football-playoff-national-championship-bowl-alabama-georgia/stats">71st in sack rate on offense against Georgia&#39;s defense that ranks 11th in sack rate</a>. If Young can get it out quickly to Williams tonight, and the defense contains Bowers, Alabama can surely take this matchup once again.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Georgia Bulldogs</h2>

<p>This Georgia team is the best they have been in years, arguably better than the 2017 Bulldogs that lost a close one in the College Football Playoff Championship 23-26 to Alabama. The Bulldogs&#39; main strength is their dominant defense, a unit ranking first in the nation with 9.8 points per game allowed, even with an SEC schedule. They thrive on keeping opponents out of the end zone, with a 57% opponent success rate in the red zone, ranking first in the nation. Unlike Alabama, Georgia went undefeated in the regular season and did it with only a single one-possession win, the first game of the year against Clemson. The key for Georgia on offense will be to attack the backup cornerbacks, as top cornerback Josh Jobe will miss this one, and Jalyn Armour-Davis is questionable with a hip injury. If both are out, Georgia could put up another 340 passing yards and some. Luckily for Georgia, they don&#39;t really have any critical injuries, and every big playmaker for them will be good to go in this one. Receiving yard leader Brock Bowers did have a lingering shoulder issue, but Kirby Smart made it clear that Bowers will be ready for the championship matchup. This will arguably be the healthiest Georgia has been all season, and it couldn&#39;t be a more perfect time for the Bulldogs.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>The coaching advantage indeed goes to Alabama, with the greatest head coach in all of college football on the Crimson Tide sideline tonight. However, I believe the Bulldogs are the complete team overall and that Alabama has a few key injuries that could spell trouble tonight. It is also worth mentioning that it is always difficult to beat the same team twice, especially in a short time window. Besides the coach and quarterback advantage for Alabama, I give Georgia every other aspect of&nbsp;this one. I believe the Bulldogs will have a much better defensive performance tonight from the best defense in the nation. They will force mistakes out of Bryce Young and finally beat Alabama for the first team since 2007.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Georgia ML (-135)</strong></p>

 The College Football Playoff Championship kicks off tonight from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It gives us a thrilling rematch from the SEC final in which Alabama dominated Georgia in a 41-24 win. The Georgia Bulldogs will be looking to remove 

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Georgia Bulldogs: College Football Playoff  Championship Breakdown and Prediction

<p>It&#39;s another edition of Saturday NFL games, and we have two matchups with playoff implications today. The Chiefs are still fighting for the bye, and the Cowboys will help their case for home games in the playoffs with a win. The Cowboys will be on the road to face the Eagles, who have clinched a spot in the playoffs but cannot clinch a home game with a win. The Cowboys took the last meeting in a rout at home, winning 41-21. Who is poised to win today? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup and find out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Dallas Cowboys</h2>

<p>The Cowboys are coming off a close loss at home to the Cardinals, a game in which they fought back from a fifteen-point deficit in the third quarter to make it a very competitive match. The Cardinals used their <a href="https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/team-defense/2021/regular">5th ranked rush defense</a> (by DVOA) to eliminate any run game Dallas tried to get going. Elliot averaged 1.8 yards per carry on nine attempts, and Dak Prescott actually ended up being the lead rusher with 20 yards. This is important to note because it&#39;s that same run game that was pivotal in the Cowboy&#39;s big win over the Eagles in their last matchup. In that game, Elliot and Pollard combined for 155 yards on 28 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Sure, the Eagles rushing defense isn&#39;t as good as Arizona&#39;s, but the Cowboys are also down Pollard in this one, which does take away that dual-threat they have posed for most of the season. The Cowboys were out-gained through the air by nearly 100 yards in the last meeting, so if Elliot can&#39;t get going once again, it could look like a similar game as the one against Arizona. The question for this game is who will be sitting and when. Even if Prescott does sit in the second half or earlier, I don&#39;t think Rush is a bad backup to rely on. In his lone start this year, he played well in a big road win against the Vikings. Another aspect of this Cowboys team is their road play this year. They are 6-2 straight up and 7-1 against the spread on the road this year. Today&#39;s biggest inactive for the Cowboys will be Micah Parsons, who is sitting out due to Covid. The linebacker&#39;s absence will undoubtedly impact this unit that ranks first in total DVOA on defense.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Philadelphia Eagles</h2>

<p>The Eagles have surprised many people this year, including me. Their preseason win total was 6.5, and they have a chance tonight to end the season with ten. As previously mentioned, their 9-7 record is good enough for a ticket to the postseason, and with a road game&nbsp;already locked in, a win today doesn&#39;t do much for them. I wouldn&#39;t be surprised if we saw quite a bit of Gardner Minshew today. For most of this game, if it is Minshew, the offense will be downgraded significantly. Hurts has used his mobility and arm this season to rank the Eagles offense 3rd overall in passing by DVOA. This team relies heavily on the run, with the highest rushing yards averaged per game in the NFL (160.4). With both Boston Scott and Miles Sanders out for this one (and Hurts possibly sitting for a good portion of the game), it will be Kenneth Gainwell as the primary carrier tonight. Even without Parsons, I&#39;m not too fond of those odds against this Cowboys front. Another aspect of this one will be how long DeVonta Smith plays. I doubt Nick Sirianni wants to risk any chance of an injury to the star receiver and leader in receiving yards on the team, so I wouldn&#39;t be surprised to see him sit or only play in the first half. Either way, this offense doesn&#39;t look set up to have a big game against the Cowboys tonight.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>Tonight&#39;s game has a lot of question marks for who will play and for how long, as many week 18 games often do. However, the Cowboys technically still have something to play for with playoff seeding. The dropoff is also more significant on the Eagles side of the ball with Minshew instead of Hurts and Smith sitting, if we do see Hurts or Smith sit at all. The Eagles have more significant pieces missing in tonight&#39;s game, with their primary rushers all missing this one on a team that has used the <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/cowboys-eagles-week-18-2021/stats">rushing game more than any NFL team this year</a>. I predict Elliot to have another good night against this Eagles defensive line and for the Cowboys to pick up their 12th win tonight in hopes of a better playoff seed. The Cowboys are sitting at <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">-3.5 on most books</a> right now, and I will be taking them at this number.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Cowboys -3.5 (-110)</strong></p>

 It&#39;s another edition of Saturday NFL games, and we have two matchups with playoff implications today. The Chiefs are still fighting for the bye, and the Cowboys will help their case for home games in the playoffs with a win. The Cowboys will be 

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys: Breakdown and Prediction

<p>The final game of Week 17 is here, and it could be an emotional one for NFL fans. It sounds like tonight&#39;s game against the Browns will be Ben Roethlisberger&#39;s last home game ever at Heinz Field and the end to an 18-year era with the Steelers&#39; franchise. The Steelers (7-7-1) are still alive in the playoff race with a win tonight, and on the flip side, the Browns (7-8) have been eliminated already. Is Ben Roethlisberger set to end his time at Heinz Field on a high note&nbsp;with a win? Let&#39;s take a closer look at tonight&#39;s matchup and find out.</p>

<h1>Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Cleveland Browns</h2>

<p>The Browns looked like they had a decent shot at making it to the playoffs a few weeks ago with a 7-6 record, but they have officially been eliminated after two close losses to the Raiders and Packers. Baker has been average this year, and&nbsp;he only has one more passing touchdown (15) than turnovers lost (14). The weakest spots on this team are the passing game and the red zone defense. The defense is 7th in yards per game allowed, but in the red zone, opponents are scoring touchdowns 68% of the time, 29th in the NFL. Baker has been on and off dealing with injuries, which has made it hard to gain offensive momentum. Now, with the offense primarily healthy, it&#39;s too late in the season to make a difference. But while the offense is mostly healthy, the defense will be short-handed today. Safeties John Johnson III, Ronnie Harrison Jr., and nickel back Troy Hill are out, and DT Malik Johnson is questionable. Myles Garrett has been working through a groin injury but is expected to play. The biggest thing for the Browns today will be Nick Chubb and possibly Kareem Hunt against a Steelers defensive front that is ranked 30th in DVOA in rushing yards. If the Browns prioritize running&nbsp;Chubb and perhaps Hunt today, I like their chances today.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Pittsburgh Steelers</h2>

<p>The Steelers have also had a mediocre season, as their 7-7-1 record mostly tells the story itself. Even at .500, though, they find themselves mathematically still alive in the playoff hunt. The defensive line will have its hands full today with the potent rushing attack of the Browns. Pittsburgh currently ranks dead last in yards per rush allowed at 4.8, and the Browns rank <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/browns-steelers-week-17-2021/stats">#1 in the league at 5.1 yards per rush on offense</a>. The offense has had trouble getting started recently, with the Steelers going their last five games without a first-half touchdown. Hopefully, today that can turn around, and big Ben can get it going early against a below-average secondary that will be banged up today. I don&#39;t see Harris having a highly successful game on the ground against an already good defensive line that will also welcome back Jadeveon Clowney tonight. The offensive line will need to step up tonight and keep Garett at bay because I see this game coming down to Roethlisberger making big plays on third down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>The good news for the Steelers tonight is that they have dominated the Browns historically in this spot. The Browns have lost 17 straight regular-season games at Heinz Field, with the last win being in 2003. Along with that, the Steelers are 14-1 against the Browns in home regular-season finales. Tonight&#39;s game feels like a close one fought in the trenches in long drives and big third downs in a defensive battle. The Browns would be wise to hand the ball off to Chubb early and often, and in doing so, will have long drives that eat up the clock. Roethlisberger is only averaging 6.5 yards per attempt, near the bottom in the leauge,&nbsp;and this dink and dunk offensive play style will also lead to longer drives. As previously mentioned, the Steelers have also struggled early recently, with no touchdowns in the first half over their last five games. I could see tonight&#39;s tempo leading to only a few possessions for each side in a late-season divisional match that ended 15-10 in the last meeting. If I&nbsp;had to take a side on this one it would be the Browns with the points, but the better&nbsp;play to&nbsp;me here is the under in the first half.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: First Half U21.5 (-110)</strong></p>

 The final game of Week 17 is here, and it could be an emotional one for NFL fans. It sounds like tonight&#39;s game against the Browns will be Ben Roethlisberger&#39;s last home game ever at Heinz Field and the end to an 18-year era with the Steeler

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns: Odds, Breakdown, and Prediction

<p>The NFL regular season is quickly coming to a close, and there are only two games left to determine a close playoff race in the AFC. The Dolphins have made quite a historic run in the second half of the season. After an early 1-7 start to the season, everyone wrote them off. Now they sit at a respectable 8-7, giving them the seventh spot in the playoffs. The Titans have had another successful season under Mike Vrabel and currently sit at 10-5, with a win today giving them the clinch in the AFC South. Both teams want this game, and this should be an electrifying matchup in Nashville. Let&#39;s take a closer look at this game.</p>

<h1>Tennessee Titans vs Miami Dolphins</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Miami Dolphins</h2>

<p>The Dolphins have been on a tear in the second half of the season, and they are a completely different team than the 1-7 team that started the year. The Dolphins have the 8th ranked defense by DVOA, and defense is undoubtedly the bright spot of this team. They rank <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/stats/_/type/team/name/mia">10th in turnovers forced and league the league in sacks</a>, which will help against a questionable Titans offensive line. But how much of the stats I just listed are attributed to the Dolphin&#39;s strength of schedule? The Dolphins have played a schedule of absolute cupcakes over their winning streak. They played the Texans, Ravens, Jets, Panthers, Giants, Jets again, then the saints with Ian book. Only one team there was above .500, and most of them were also at home. The Dolphins have played seven games against teams over .500 this year, and in five of them, they gave up over 26 points and lost all five. On the road, they&#39;re 1-3 against teams over .500. What I&#39;m trying to say is that the Dolphins record is a bit deceiving when looking at this line. The defense has carried them all year, and part of the struggle for the offense has been the offensive line. This doesn&#39;t bode well against a solid Titan&#39;s defensive front that ranks second in rush yards allowed per game. The best chance the Dolphins have to win this game is a low-scoring defensive battle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Tennessee Titans</h2>

<p>The Titans picked up a paramount win last Thursday against the 49ers to end a short lull in which they were 1-3 in their previous 4. A big part of the five losses this season are the injuries to their best players on offense. Julio Jones, A.J. Brown, and Derrick Henry have only played in the same game five times this year, and the Titans won four of them. The key inactive today for the Titans will be Jones, but with one reception for seven yards last week, it&#39;s hard to say how much that means in this one. Last week, Brown had a monster game with eleven catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. The threat of Brown should keep extra pass rushers at bay for most of the game, which will help the run game of Tennessee. The Titans used four different rushers last week, and even with Foreman only getting 17 yards on nine carries, they still could move the ball. I expect Foreman to have a bigger game today and Tannehill&nbsp;to have more designed runs. The Titans will also have the rest advantage today, as they haven&#39;t played since last Thursday, and the Dolphins just played on Monday. This has given a coach that thrives on extra rest a four-day edge over the Dolphins to prepare. Today, the Titans should shut down the Dolphins offense with a defensive line that has only allowed an NFL second-best <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/dolphins-titans-week-17-2021/stats">86 rush yards per game</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>Today&#39;s matchup comes down to defense for me. I would take the under, but it seems both teams have been forcing turnovers regularly recently. For the side, I have to take Vrabel at home, where he&#39;s 6-2 this year, with a rest advantage, against a team that has slumped on offense and has gotten by on this win streak against bottom-tier teams and quarterbacks. The Titans have the more rugged defense who have shown they can shut down the top teams in the league. Tannehill will be ready to face his former team. The Dolphins win streak ends today. The Titans currently sit at&nbsp;-3 on almost all books, and you can compare the odds using the <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">odds comparison tool</a> from Bet Karma.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Titans -3 (-110)</strong></p>

 The NFL regular season is quickly coming to a close, and there are only two games left to determine a close playoff race in the AFC. The Dolphins have made quite a historic run in the second half of the season. After an early 1-7 start to the season

Tennessee Titans vs Miami Dolphins: Odds, Breakdown, and Prediction

<p>The SEC is finally ready to kick off tonight, and it does so in grand fashion. We have a few enticing SEC matchups tonight, including what is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, with the Tennessee Volunteers on the road to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama is coming off a few questionable performances where they managed a narrow win against Jacksonville St. and a loss against Davidson. Will we get the Alabama that beat Gonzaga and Houston in back-to-back contests, or the Alabama coming off back-to-back questionable performances? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup.</p>

<h1>Tennessee Volunteers at Alabama Crimson Tide</h1>

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

<h2>Tennessee Volunteers</h2>

<p>Tennessee looks like they are on track for another great season under head coach Rick Barnes, and I largely credit their lockdown defense. Tennessee is ranked second in the nation in <a href="https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Tennessee">defensive efficiency on Kenpom&nbsp;and ranks 14th in turnovers forced per possession</a>. However, they do have some playmakers on the offensive end. I&#39;m talking about the freshman powerhouse Kennedy Chandler, who leads the team in <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/2633">points per game (14), Assists per game (5.3), and Steals per game (2)</a>. This Volunteers offense ranks 16th in assist to field goal ratio, which means they move the ball very well and are not selfish. They also do not turn the ball over very much, only on 15.5% of possessions, which will be key tonight. Tennessee will have its hands full with the elusive and efficient offense the Crimson Tide brings, and it won&#39;t make it any easier that this is Tennessee&#39;s biggest game of the year so far. Coleman Coliseum holds the 25th largest crowd in college basketball, and it will be rocking tonight for this one. Freshman Chandler will face the most pressure he has all year, and I&#39;m interested to see if he performs at the same level he has in the first eleven games.</p>

<h2>Alabama Crimson Tide</h2>

<p>Alabama was riding high to start the season, sporting an 8-1 record, including back-to-back wins over Gonzaga and Houston. Now, they sit at 9-3 and need a win tonight to dodge back-to-back losses and to avoid potentially dropping out of the AP top 25. Nate Oats has done a great job with this program, and it&#39;s due to the fast-paced style of play he brought over from Buffalo. The Crimson Tide have played at a much faster pace the past few years than they ever had before, and it is working wonders. This offense has multiple shooting threats that get it up quickly, and if you stall for even a few minutes, they will make you pay. Just ask Gonzaga. The bright spot for this team is easily Junior Jaden Shackelford, who is the team&#39;s points leader with an insane <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/333">16.8 PPG and leads the team in rebounds per game with 6.6</a>. Alabama is a tough team to defend. They have five guys shooting over 64% inside the arc but have multiple perimeter threats they can kick it out to. They love to control the pace and make you play at their tempo. The one issue for Alabama is that they seem to play to the level of their opponents. Two of their losses were against mediocre programs, and they played no defense against Memphis in that 14 point loss. Yet, in the most demanding games of the year against Gonzaga and Houston, they played their best and pulled out wins in both. This is why I expect to see the most formidable Alabama team tonight, especially coming off a loss.</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>The key tonight is tempo. Alabama has shown this year and lasts that you are destined to lose if you play at their pace. This will be a worry for Tennessee because one too many times this year have I watched them brick shots for minutes at a time. It seems they have at least a few droughts in every game, and while that might pass in a defensive-minded game, it certainly won&#39;t in this one. Tennessee played great against Arizona, but that was a non-conference home game. This is a whole new test in the first conference game of the year in front of a huge road crowd, and I don&#39;t believe that Tennessee can keep up with Alabama&#39;s offense enough for a full forty minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Alabama -4 (-110)</strong></p>

 The SEC is finally ready to kick off tonight, and it does so in grand fashion. We have a few enticing SEC matchups tonight, including what is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, with the Tennessee Volunteers on the road to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

#14 Tennessee at #19 Alabama: SEC Basketball Breakdown and Prediction

<p>After a crazy week of Covid reschedulings and uncertainty, we have arrived at Week 16. Tonight&#39;s thrilling matchup features the 49ers (8-6) in Nashville to take on the Titans (9-5). These two teams are currently in the thick of the playoff race, with the Titans looking at that coveted first round bye, while the 49ers are eyeing a potential (but highly unlikely) divisional win. Both teams need a win tonight because, in both the AFC and NFC, multiple teams are looking to take their spot in the postseason. Let&#39;s take a closer look at tonight&#39;s matchup.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>San Francisco 49ers at Tennessee Titans</h1>

<h2>49ers&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The 49ers had a shaky start to the season, starting 3-5, before rattling off a solid 5-1 run to give them a comfortable but not guaranteed playoff spot. Granted, only two teams in that six-game span were over .500. Jimmy Garoppolo is having a pretty good season with an NFL-high <a href="https://www.nfl.com/stats/player-stats/category/passing/2021/REG/all/passingyards/DESC">8.5 yards per attempt</a>. The only other three teams over eight yards per attempt are the Rams, Cardinals, and Bengals. That&#39;s some good company. Today, Jimmy G will have to bring a good performance because his leading rusher, Eli Mitchell, is still sidelined with an injury. Jeff Wilson has stepped up nicely in Mitchells&#39; absence, and Deebo Samuel has also been a great two-way player, so the 49ers rush game is not entirely dead in the water. The 49ers run the ball on 47.67% of&nbsp;plays, fourth in the NFL. They face a tough test against the Titans, who hold opponents to <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/49ers-titans-week-16-2021/stats">3.9 yards per rush (5th in the NFL) and are second overall in opponent rushing yards per game (86.9)</a>. Kittle and Samuel will be pivotal in the passing game to keep the 49ers in this one and cover as favorites.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Titans</h2>

<p><br />
The Titans are coming off a brutal loss in which the game was decided literally by inches. On 4th &amp; 6, Westbrook-Ikhine went down at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line just inches short of the first-down marker on the game&#39;s final drive, in which Tennessee lost by 6. Tennessee is 2-3 over their last five and needs a win if they have any hope for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Luckily, this is a spot where Mike Vrabel excels. Mike Vrabel is 16-6 against the spread as a regular-season underdog of three or more points. That includes a 4-1 record this season, with big wins against the Bills, Chiefs, and Rams, and their only blemish getting 3+ points was against the Patriots. The big story in this one is the probable return of A.J. Brown. We haven&#39;t seen the duo of Julio Jones and A.J. Brown since week nine. What&#39;s important to note is the Titans were a 7-2 team after week nine with impressive straight wins over the Bills, Chiefs, Colts, and Rams. The star duo is essential to the Titan&#39;s success, as the receiving core behind the two isn&#39;t stellar. The biggest worry tonight for the Titans will be Nick Bosa. Bosa is tied for third in the NFL with 15 sacks on the year and will inevitably be pressuring Tannehill all night. Injuries to tackle Taylor Lewan and guard Rodger Saffold (Covid) do not help the cause in stopping Bosa. Tennessee records a sack on 8.27% of offensive plays, 28th in the NFL, so Vrabel will have to use his exceptional coaching abilities to figure out the issue of Nick Bosa.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>Most books had this game at a pick-em a few weeks ago, and Tennessee was the favorite even before that, so it&#39;s clear that recency bias has taken effect here. The 49ers are on a 5-1 run, and the Titans are 2-3 in their last five, so I get it. However, The Titans hadn&#39;t had their three best offensive players (Henry, Jones, and Brown) play together since week nine, when they were 7-2, so you can&#39;t blame them too much. With the return of duo Jones and Brown, along with Foreman stepping up into the role of RB1, this offense takes a giant stride forward. I can&#39;t ignore the great work Vrabel does when he is an underdog (16-6 ATS), and even though the 49ers appear to be the hotter team, I think we see a Titans team tonight much closer to the 7-2 team that had four straight wins against A tier playoff teams. This line is sitting at <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">Titans&nbsp;+3 on most&nbsp;books</a>, and I will gladly take points on this Titans team tonight.</p>

<p><strong>Pick: Titans +3 (-108)</strong></p>

 After a crazy week of Covid reschedulings and uncertainty, we have arrived at Week 16. Tonight&#39;s thrilling matchup features the 49ers (8-6) in Nashville to take on the Titans (9-5). These two teams are currently in the thick of the playoff race,

San Francisco 49ers at Tennessee Titans: Odds, Breakdown, and Prediction

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A divisional clash is upon us in&nbsp;tonight&#39;s Monday night football matchup. The Vikings (6-7) are coming off a near bye week-long break, having not played since December 9th. That was an eight-point win that again came down to the game&#39;s final play against the Steelers. The Vikings are still in the <a href="https://www.nfl.com/standings/playoff-picture">wild card race</a>, but a win tonight is almost necessary to keep their hopes alive. The Bears (4-9) looked like they were about to shock the world in their game at Lambeau Field last week, as they led by ten with only 1 minute left in the first half. They went on to lose by 15. This year, the Vikings have made great television, as they have been in one-possession games in every contest this year except one. That includes ten straight. The Vikings and Bears have had their last three meetings decided by one possession. Are we in for another game that the final drive will determine? Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup.</p>

<h1>Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings</h1>

<h2>Minnesota Vikings</h2>

<p><br />
Welcome back, Dalvin Cook. After missing the game against the Lions, Cook made quite a return against the Steelers, racking up 222 all-purpose yards, with 205 of those on the ground. It&#39;s clear that he was at the forefront of the offense in that game, and it wouldn&#39;t be surprising to see a similar result tonight. In the two games against the Bears last year, Cook went off with 63 combined touches for 271 all-purpose yards. Cook would be slightly less threatening to the Bears if they had six-time pro-bowler Khalil Mack or Akiem Hicks, but they will be without Mack and potentially Hicks tonight. The most significant question mark for the Vikings tonight is Adam Thielen, who is questionable for tonight and will be a game-time decision. The duo of Thielen and Jefferson has been torching secondaries this year, with 149 combined receptions and 1974 receiving yards. Even though the Vikings won last week without him, it will be much easier for the secondary to focus on Jefferson with the threat of Thielen out of the question. The defensive line will have its hands full tonight, as David Montgomery was ruled active after missing practices this week with an illness. The Vikings rank <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/matchup/vikings-bears-week-15-2021/stats">27th in rush yards allowed per game and 31st in opponents yard per rush (4.7)</a>. Montgomery should have a big role in this game tonight, and the Vikings line will have to step up tonight to shut him down if they want to win.</p>

<h2>Chicago Bears</h2>

<p><br />
The bears have been an underwhelming team this year. They rank in the bottom five of every passing statistic and average 1.9 touchdowns per game, 28th in the league. The best chance for the Bears tonight is to keep Cousins off the field. The Vikings have been winning in shootouts, with their last four going over 55 points. If the Bears can pound Montgomery and keep possessions long, I like their chances to at least cover the number in this one against a team that loves close games. After all, the Vikings have an already below-average rush defense and are also down defensive end Danielle Hunter, one of their most pivotal players on defense. Justin Fields has been showing increased confidence week by week and has been using his legs a lot more, which has helped create a more dynamic offense. This is good news for the future for Bears fans, but he is currently dealing with a hand injury that could have him sitting in the pocket more instead of running to protect against further injury.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p><br />
From an initial glance and from the stats, this seems like the Vikings game to lose. However, the Vikings seem to find a way to make every game close this year, and with defensive injuries along with the question of Thielen, I believe we are in for an interesting game. Along with those points, the Vikings really struggle at Soldier Field. They have lost 16 of the last 20 games at Soldier Field. The Vikings are also 1-4 against the spread in the last five meetings at Soldier Field. Even with all the Bears&#39; injuries and Covid/Illness inactive players, I still think the Bears are the right side to back against the spread tonight. The Bears are sitting at <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">+6.5 on most books</a> right now. However, the better play to me is to back Montgomery in this spot. In a tight divisional game, the Bears will look to control the clock against a 31st ranked rush yards per play defense. Combine that with Fields possibly being limited in his own rushing abilities tonight, I expect Montgomery to be the stat leader on the Bears tonight.</p>

<p><strong>David Montgomery O59.5 rushing yards (-115)</strong></p>

 &nbsp;&nbsp;A divisional clash is upon us in&nbsp;tonight&#39;s Monday night football matchup. The Vikings (6-7) are coming off a near bye week-long break, having not played since December 9th. That was an eight-point win that again came down to the

Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings: Monday Night Football Breakdown and Prediction

<p>It&#39;s that time of year again and we know we are nearing the end of the regular season with Saturday NFL games. This specific matchup today will have eyes locked as the playoff implications weigh heavy on both sides of the ball. The red-hot Patriots (9-4) are fighting for the first-round bye in the playoffs, while the Colts (7-6) fight for their spot in the wild card round. The line for this pivotal matchup currently sits at <a href="https://betkarma.com/odds-comparison">Colts -2.5 on most books</a>. Let&#39;s take a closer look at this matchup.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots</h1>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>New England Patriots</h2>

<p>The Patriots are riding a seven-game win streak and the plan tonight will be clear: control the line of scrimmage. The Patriots currently run the ball on 48% of offensive plays, which is second in the NFL. Ideally, this should be a good matchup for the Colts, who rank <a href="https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/team-defense/2021">5th in adjusted rush DVOA</a>. Additionally, the Patriots&#39; lead rusher, Damien Harris, was ruled out this morning due to a hamstring injury. This could complicate the situation for New England and perhaps we see a more predominant passing game for Jones today. The rookie is facing his toughest game of the year so far though. It&#39;s not easy for a rookie to pick up a win on the road, late in the season, and without his leading rusher, against a Colts team that ranks first in takeaways on defense. I would not be surprised to see Jones struggle slightly tonight.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Indianapolis Colts</h2>

<p>Jonathan Taylor. This name has been followed in every sentence when talking about the Colts. Taylor currently leads the league in <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/stats">rushing yards (1,348) and total touchdowns with 18 on the year</a>. An enticing matchup is upon him today as he faces a Patriots team 18th in rushing yards allowed per game. I&#39;m sure Bill Belichick will stack the box tonight in an effort to stop Taylor, but a look closer shows that Taylor could still be in for another big game. The Patriots are a bottom-five team in the NFL in open-field blocking. This is an area the colts lead the league in and part of what has helped Taylor excel this year. If Taylor gets it going in the open field tonight and Belichick stacks the box, that will open up the passing game heavily for Carson Wentz.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Prediction</h2>

<p>Overall, this matchup comes down to controlling the line of scrimmage for both teams. If the Colts get Taylor going early and can eat up the clock, it will be a very long night for the rookie Jones on the road. This will not be a game in which he can throw three passes and expect to come away with a win as he did against the bills. The Colts have the better running back, home advantage, the more experienced quarterback, and lead the league in the turnovers on defense. This game will come down to Wentz making big plays when the Patriots inevitably overcommit on Taylor even a few times, as almost every team has so far. This line has moved towards Indianapolis for a reason. Expect the Colts to win and cover in a tough game tonight.</p>

<p>Pick: Colts -2.5 (-106)</p>

 It&#39;s that time of year again and we know we are nearing the end of the regular season with Saturday NFL games. This specific matchup today will have eyes locked as the playoff implications weigh heavy on both sides of the ball. The red-hot Patri

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