Several NFL teams will be looking for the wins that put them into the playoffs on Sunday, while the Lions only seek win No. 1. The stock market is having its worst year since the Great Depression yet the sports betting marketplace has been sensational as sharp players are winning more than ever and squares losing more. Here is today’s rundown of week 17 NFL picks, the Independence Bowl, NBA and college basketball betting.
Here’s your Daily Sports Roundup.
The Gridiron Spotlight
The Falcons and Panthers will battle for top spot in the NFC South division on separate fronts on Sunday afternoon, with Atlanta hosting St. Louis and Carolina playing in New Orleans (in a pair of 1:00pm ET kickoffs). The Panthers are in first place in the NFC South at 11-4 straight-up (and 8-6-1 against-the-spread), while the Falcons are just behind them at 10-5 SU and 9-6 ATS. Carolina is favored by 3 points against New Orleans, and Atlanta is a 14-point favorite against St. Louis.
The Vikings are 7-point home favorites against the Giants in another 1:00pm ET contest, and they’ll be looking to secure the NFC North title with a win. Their challenger for that spot, the Bears, are 2.5-point road underdogs against the Texans. The Buccaneers, who are hoping to wind up with an NFC Wild Card berth, have been listed as 13-point home favorites versus the Raiders on Sunday.
Other early-afternoon contests include Kansas City at Cincinnati (-3), Detroit at Green Bay (-10.5), Tennessee (-3) at Indy, Cleveland at Pittsburgh (-10.5), and New England (-6.5) at Buffalo, with the Patriots in the thick of the AFC East race.
The other two contending AFC East teams are in action at 4:15pm ET, with Miami a 2.5-point underdog on the road against the Jets. The Ravens are giving up 12.5 points at home against Jacksonville, while it’s Philadelphia -1.5 at home against Dallas in a key NFC clash. The afternoon slate wraps up with Seattle at Arizona (-6) and Washington at San Francisco (-3), while the Chargers (-8) and Broncos will meet in San Diego at 8:15pm ET to decide the AFC West champion.
Other Notable Events
There’s just one college football game on the schedule for Sunday, with Northern Illinois taking on Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. The oddsmakers don’t see much to choose from in this matchup, as the game is listed as a pick’em (with the total at 47.5 points). Northern Illinois went 6-6 SU and 6-5 ATS on the season, while Louisiana Tech went 7-5 SU and 5-5-1 against the numbers.
The Rest of the Schedule
The Lakers got some revenge on the Celtics with a 92-83 win on Christmas Day, which put them at 24-5 SU and 13-16 ATS on the season. Los Angeles is back in action on Sunday with a home game against Golden State in one of six NBA contests on the schedule. Rounding out the slate: Denver at New York, Dallas at the Clippers, Miami at Cleveland, Boston at Sacramento, and New Orleans at Indiana.
Top-ranked North Carolina returns to action Sunday with a game against Rutgers on the college hoops schedule. The Tar Heels handily knocked off Valparaiso 85-63 in their last outing, and they’re now 11-0 SU and 5-5 ATS. The Crusaders get another ranked opponent on Sunday, as they’ll take on No. 10 Purdue. As well, it’s Louisiana Tech vs. No. 13 UCLA, and then High Point vs. No. 23 Minnesota.
Finally, the NHL has six games on tap for Sunday, including the Ottawa Senators continuing their western swing with a game in Vancouver against the Canucks. Boston will be in Atlanta for a 5:00pm ET puck drop, and it’s also Anaheim at St. Louis, Chicago at Minnesota, Toronto at Washington, and Nashville at Edmonton.
A Peek at the Future
With no more Monday Night Football on the schedule the NFL will be off until Saturday, when the first two Wild-Card Weekend games will be played. The other two playoff contests next weekend will be contested on Sunday . . . Monday’s college football schedule features N.C. State vs. Rutgers (-7) in the Papa John’s.com Bowl, and then Missouri (-12.5) vs. Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl.
Headlines
Pat White and West Virginia get the win but GodsTips and North Carolina got the cover yesterday in bowl action. Florida State wins easily in the Champs Sports Bowl (Guy Store)…Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady are denying reports of their engagement…Brian Gould of ScoresOddsPicks.com says if the NY Jets miss the playoffs, their QB Brett Favre will retire. Will it be Eric Mangini and Favre’s farewell when the Dolphins take on the Jets? …Jim Olson of SportsbooksandPoker.com says now is the time to fade the Boston Celtics who are overvalued off their 27-2 straight up start…Rashad Evans, Frank Mir, Quinton Jackson and the sportsbooks were the big UFC 92 winners…The NY Rangers have now lost three in a row losing to the NJ Devils team they once dominated.
Other Betting News
GOP leaders are lambasting the parody song, “Obama the Magic Negro”…Photos surface of President Bush and Robert Toussie, the father of Isaac, the scammer whose pardon was revoked…Inexperienced Caroline Kennedy is the frontrunner for Hillary Clinton’s vacant Senate seat…Get all entertainment and political betting odds up now.