NFL Betting Preview 
Dallas Cowboys (9-6) at Philadelphia Eagles (8-6-1) 
Sunday, 4:15PM Eastern 
 
Betting Line – Bookmaker.com – Eagles -1.5, over/under 42.5 
 
The final game of the regular season takes place this Sunday with a classic NFC East battle for playoff hopes. Week 17 promises to hold a number of exciting games with teams battling for postseason positions with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles game being no different. Despite a loss last week, Dallas is still one win away from sealing a playoff birth. Philadelphia actually controlled their own destiny a week ago, but a loss to the Redskins ruined the majority of their chances. The Eagles still have a chance even though they will need a bunch of help. Still this NFC East battle has always hosted great games and this match-up should be another great battle. 
 
Philadelphia stumbled last week in their 10-3 loss to the Redskins. The Eagles now will have to beat the Cowboys and hope for Chicago and Tampa Bay to both lose. While that may seem far fetched, this NFL season has proven that anything can happen. The Eagles have won 3 of their last 4 games with big help from an emerging offense. Philadelphia sports one of the better defenses in the NFL and they will be facing a very talented Cowboys offensive attack. On the season, the Eagles rank 3^rd in the league in total defense holding teams to 272 yards per game. Philadelphia also host a 2^nd ranked secondary that has only allowed 180 yards per game. The Eagles secondary will face a big challenge when Tony Romo and company come rolling into town. Philadelphia will look to capture a big victory at home and pray for some help in order to make the postseason. 
 
The Cowboys elite offense has mellowed down a little towards the end of the season. However, the Dallas defense has played very well in the last few weeks. Before last week’s meltdown to the Ravens, the Dallas defense had held teams to only 13.8 points per game. QB Tony Romo has been rock solid this season racking up 3,265 yards and 26 touchdowns despite nearly missing a month of football. Wide receivers Jason Witten and Terrell Owens both have over 900 receiving yards this season and have totaled 14 touchdowns between the two. The Cowboys offense will look to move the ball through the air against a tough Eagles secondary. Dallas must win this game to make the playoffs because a loss would officially eliminate them from postseason play. 
 
What to watch for… 
The Cowboys beat the Eagles 41-37 earlier this season in an offensive shootout. This match-up will be considerably different. Look for the defenses to control the game. Eagles’ running back Brian Westbrook had a total of 3 touchdowns in that game and the Cowboys must find a way to contain him this time around. The running game will also be key for the Cowboys. If running back Marion Barber can have a big performance, the Cowboys should fair well. 
 
Betting Trends… 
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games, but has only gone 1-4 ATS on the road in their last 5 games. The Cowboys have found the under total in 4 of their last 6 games as well. Philadelphia is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games. The Eagles have also gone on the under total in 6 of their last 9 games. Philadelphia is also 4-1 ATS against the Cowboys in their last 5 games in this rivalry. 
 
Pick – In cold weather this match-up has favored the under strongly in recent years.  Expect a defensive game. Take the under 42.5

NFL Betting Preview 
Miami Dolphins (10-5) at New York Jets (9-6) 
Sunday, 4:15PM Eastern 
 
Bookmaker.com betting line – Jets -3, 42.5 over/under 
 
The AFC playoff picture is still up for grabs and the most important game to decide that outcome with take place in East Rutherford, NJ this weekend. The Miami Dolphins are in a first place tie with the New England Patriots in the AFC East. The New York Jets are one game back and need a victory and some help to make the playoffs. This game will be a battle between two teams who will be expected to bring the best effort in attempt to gain a chance at postseason play. The Jets won the first meeting this season 20-14 in Miami in Brett Farve debut as the New York quarterback. This game will be much different as they will take on a hot Miami team that has won 4 straight games and 8 of their last 9. 
 
Miami controls their own destiny and simply needs to put away the Jets to seal themselves into the playoffs. A Dolphins loss would officially eliminate Miami from the playoffs. However, considering the Dolphins run of late they may be a dangerous team if they can get in. Miami has been in some grudge matches this year on the gridiron. In the Dolphins 10 wins this season, 8 of those wins have been by 10 points or less. Dolphins QB Chad Pennington has really been the turning point for the franchise. Last year the Dolphins had one of the worse seasons of any team in history only winning one ball game. This season they are primed to make one of the biggest turnarounds in history. Pennington has been a big part of the success becoming a lethal offensive threat. Pennington has thrown for 3,453 yards this season while completing 67% of his passes for a total of 17 touchdowns. Pennington looks to be a big threat against a weak New York secondary that is allowing over 237 yards per game through the air. 
 
New York put together a mid-season run that made them look like one of the best teams in the NFL yet along the AFC. The Jets won a total of 7 out of 8 games in that stretch with some very quality wins. However, in recent weeks the Jets have really struggled losing 3 of their last 4. In those 3 losses, the Jets are averaging 11 points per game. The offense that was so strong early this season has vanished and the Jets need locate their weapons once again. Brett Farve has had a big year wearing the Jets uniform. Farve has thrown for 21 touchdowns and over 3000 yards. However, New York has found its main success this season behind the legs of running back Thomas Jones. Jones has amassed 1,289 yards this season along with 13 touchdowns. Jones will play a big part in the Jets success this weekend in cold conditions. Jones has not rushed over 78 yards in the last 3 weeks. Earlier in the year the star back was picking up nearly 100 yards every time out. New York needs to get their running game back and allow Jones to open up the struggling offense. 
 
What to watch for… 
The Jets out rushed the Dolphins 122 – 49 in their first meeting and the running game could likely tell the story again. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have come on strong for the Dolphins in the latter part of the year. The Miami running game could be the difference this time around. Also, the big play ability of both quarterbacks will be fun to watch. Brett Farve and Chad Pennington can trigger some big plays for their teams and it will be interesting to see which quarterback is more effective. 
 
Pick – Only 34 points scored last game. Jets offense struggling and cold conditions mean another low scoring affair. Take the Under 42

NFL Betting Preview
Denver Broncos (8-7) at San Diego Chargers (7-8)
Sunday, 8:15 pm Eastern – NBC

SBG Global Opening Line: Chargers -  8.5 ,  Total  50

The AFC West title will be on the line Sunday night as the San Diego Chargers host the Denver Broncos on NBC.  The Broncos have collapsed in recent weeks allowing the Chargers back in the race and now it is San Diego that looks like a playoff team rather than Denver.  The Broncos have been in first place in the division all season but a loss to the Chargers and it all means nothing.  If the Broncos lose they would become the first team since division play began to blow a three-game lead with three weeks remaining.

“Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to go up there and take it easy,” Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall said. “We’re going to have to go up there in their back yard and prove to them that we’re better than them. They’re a good team, they’re playing better now, and they’ve got all the momentum.”

SBG Global reports that early NFL betting has the public taking Chargers at Home.

The Chargers are red-hot having won three straight games including last week’s 41-24 win at Tampa Bay. “We were 4-8. We could have shut it down,” said San Diego tight end Antonio Gates, “Honestly, you know, we could have said, ‘You know what, Denver ain’t going to lose three in a row.’ We could have taken that mind-set. But it was more about the San Diego Chargers and what we were trying to accomplish. Eventually that gave us a chance to sit here and play.” The Chargers have won big in the last two home games against Denver by a combined score of 71-23. 

Earlier this season in Denver the Chargers lost to the Broncos because of a bad referee’s call but now that seems a distant memory as San Diego can get their revenge and win the division on Sunday.  It could be an offensive shootout considering Denver has Jay Cutler throwing the ball all over the field while San Diego’s Phillip Rivers has been even better.  Cutler broke Jake Plummer’s single-season franchise record with 4,210 yards in last week’s loss to the Bills.  Cutler is headed to the Pro Bowl while Rivers is not.  Rivers though has the better numbers as he leads the NFL in touchdowns and passer rating.

Here are the NFL betting stats for Sunday’s game. The Broncos are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 road games. The Broncos are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 vs. AFC West. The Broncos are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in December.

The Broncos are 0-4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.

The Chargers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in December. The Chargers are 20-7-4 ATS in their last 31 vs. the AFC West. The Chargers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games.

SBG Global Current Line: Chargers -  8.5 ,  Total  50.5

The Over is 9-3 in the Broncos last 12 vs. the AFC West. The Over is 9-4-1 in the Broncos last 14 road games. The Under is 4-0-1 in the Chargers last 5 home games. The Over is 4-1-1 in the Chargers last 6 vs. the AFC West. The Under is 7-3-1 in the Chargers last 11 games overall. The Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.

Pick: Broncos 2 out of 5 units

NBA Betting Preview 
Boston Celtics (27-2) at L.A Lakers (23-5) 
Thursday, 5:00PM Eastern, ABC 
 
Betting Line- 
 
The two best teams in the NBA will square off on Christmas day when the Boston Celtics take on the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will highlight the two biggest powerhouses in professional basketball and promises to be an exciting game to watch. These two teams have been the best two in the history of the NBA. The Lakers and the Celtics are number 1 and 2 in all-time wins. They also rank 1 and 2 in all-time Championships with the Celtics with 16 and the Lakers with 11. This season these two historical teams are once again dominating the NBA. Combined both teams only have 7 losses through nearly the first 30 games of the season. The Celtics own the best record in the NBA at an astonishing mark of 27-2 and the Lakers have the 3^rd best record standing at 23-5. Thursday night on Christmas day will be a clash of titans as these two opponents try to prove their supremacy in the NBA. 
 
Boston is off to one of the best starts in NBA history and is pacing themselves to break the best single season all-time record that the 1996 Chicago Bulls have at a mark of 72-10. The Celtics amazing success lies in the play of their defense first and foremost. Boston has held opposing teams to 91 points per game which is 2^nd best in the NBA. The Celtics have also only allowed opposing teams to shoot 41% on average from the floor ranking as the best in the NBA by a good margin. Led by the trio of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, it’s hard to imagine any team wanting to battle with the Celtics. The Celtics are averaging 50 points per game just amongst those three stars. Ray Allen has perhaps been the most consistent playmaker this season averaging 18.8 points per game and shooting a very strong 50% from the floor. The Celtics look to utilize their offensive weapons and use the defense to keep the Lakers in control. 
 
Los Angeles owns very possibly the best player in the NBA in Kobe Bryant. However, the entire team is a high scoring threat for any opposing team. The Lakers average the most points per game in the NBA posting a strong 107 points every time out. Los Angeles has also controlled the boards very well this season averaging 45 rebounds per contest which ranks 3^rd in the NBA. With the addition of power forward Pau Gasol a year ago, the Lakers have come an even stronger force. Kobe Bryant ranks 4^th best in the NBA in scoring at 27 points per game. However, when the Lakers have big performance from Gasol they are at their best. The Lakers will hope for some big performances from their star players this Christmas as they try to take down what most consider the best team in the NBA. 
 
What to watch for… 
 
Keep an eye on the rebounds in this game. Both teams average a high rebound total and one will likely perform under par. Los Angeles is a high scoring team and Boston is accustomed to more low scoring affairs. However, in low scoring games this season the Lakers have played really well. In their 5 losses, 4 of those games both teams scored nearly 100 points or more with a 200+ game total. Both of the Celtics losses came to teams who tend to score more points like the Lakers. How much of effect will each team be able to play on the other and who will establish their style of play. 
 
Pick – Lakers have struggled in last week or so, but they rise to the challenge in this one.

NFL Betting Preview
Green Bay Packers (5-9) at Chicago Bears (8-6)
Monday, 8:35 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Bears -  4.5 ,  Total  42

The Chicago Bears will be trying to keep their playoff hopes alive on Monday night as they host the Green Bay Packers. The Bears trail the Vikings by one game in the NFC North but they lose the tiebreaker against the Vikings, so Minnesota only needs to win either this week against Atlanta or next week against the New York Giants to clinch the division.  Chicago is also in the Wild Card race with Dallas, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Bears should be motivated on Monday regardless of the situation since the Packers beat them like a drum last month in Green Bay.
SBG Global reports that early NFL betting has the public taking Bears at Home.

The Bears may have been humiliated 37-3 against Green Bay last month but since that time Chicago has won three of their last four while the Packers have lost four in a row to fall out of the playoff race.  The Packers have blown fourth quarter leads in their last three losses and has given up 79 points in their last three games.

Chicago is coming off an overtime win over New Orleans last Thursday that kept their playoff hopes alive.  Chicago running back Matt Forte is expected to be ready on Monday after missing part of last week’s game with an injured toe. Forte needs 69 yards to break Anthony Thomas’ team rookie rushing record set in 2001.

Chicago has won six of the past nine games against Green Bay. The teams have split their last four games at Chicago.  Here are more NFL betting stats for Monday’s game. The Packers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. the NFC North.

The Packers are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games as a road underdog. The Packers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall. The Packers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 meetings in Chicago.

The Bears are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games in December. The Bears are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games as a home favorite.

SBG Global Current Line: Bears -  4 ,  Total  41

The Over is 6-1 in the Packers last 7 vs. the NFC North. The Over is 5-1-1 in the Packers last 7 games as a road underdog. The Over is 9-2-1 in the Packers last 12 road games. The Over is 22-8-1 in the Packers last 31 games overall. The Over is 7-3 in the Packers last 10 Monday games.

The Over is 17-4 in the Bears last 21 games as a home favorite. The Over is 28-11-1 in the Bears last 40 vs. the NFC. The Over is 9-4 in the Bears last 13 games in December.

Pick: Bears 4 out of 5 units

NFL Betting Preview 
Carolina Panthers (11-3) at New York Giants (11-3) 
Sunday, 8:15PM Eastern 
 
Beted.com betting line – New York Giants -3, 39 O/U 
 
The NFC home field advantage will be determined this Sunday night one two of the best teams in the conference meet in an epic grudge match. The Carolina Panthers and New York Giants both have the best records in the NFC at 11-3. Each team is one win away from claiming home field advantage throughout the playoffs and you can expect to see a great game this Sunday night. The Giants have lost two games in a row after starting the season 11-1 while Carolina has been the hottest team in the NFL in recent weeks winning 3 straight games. 
 
The Panthers have captured two really big wins in their last two outings. Carolina hopes to continue their success this Sunday when they travel to East Rutherford to battle the Giants. The Panthers running game has been superb lately and they rank 4^th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Tailbacks DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have shared carries and both been extremely effective. Williams has over 1200 yards on the season while Stewart is about 200 yards shy of the 1,000 yard make. The two backs have accounted for 23 touchdowns this season and they hope to keep the ground game moving this week. Also, the Panthers defense has been playing well putting a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  
 
New York has dropped two straight games to NFC East foes and look to rebound this weekend at home. The Giants troubles started a few weeks ago with some off the field trouble by star wide receiver Plexico Burress. Burress is officially out for the season and the offense just not has found the fire power since. The Giants have averaged 26 points per game this season, but have not scored more than 14 points in their last 3 games. The offense must get back to early season form or the Giants will likely continue to struggle. The New York defense has played well despite the offenses struggles and they will need to hang in there until the offense can turn things around. 
 
What to watch for… 
 
The Panther running game is the huge factor in this game. Carolina needs at least one of their two impressive backs to establish the ground game. If that happens, WR Steve Smith will likely get some big plays and the Panthers will continue to roll. The Giants have to find some answers on offense. This team has not looked nothing like the team that was so strong early in the year. QB Eli Manning needs to find some new targets and open up the playbook against the Panthers. 
 
Betting Trends and Stats… 
 
The Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home and also 6-1 SU in their past 7 games at home. New York is 16-4 ATS in their last 20 games while reaching the under in the last 3 games. Carolina is 7-1 SU in their past 8 games and 4-2ATS in their last 6 games. The Panthers have gone on the over total in 4 of their last 5 games and also gone on the over total in 6 of their last 9 games on the road. New York won the last meeting between these two teams 27-13 back in 2006. 
 
Pick – Giants cool off the Panthers, Giants 4 out of 5 units

NFL Betting Preview 
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) at Tennessee Titans (12-2) 
Sunday, 1:00PM Eastern 
 
Bookmaker.com betting line – Pittsburgh Steelers (-2), 34.5 O/U 
 
The two best teams in the AFC square off this weekend in a huge battle for late season supremacy. The Steelers and the Titans will be battling for the right to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Tennessee started the year 10-0 and has been considered the best team in the AFC all season. However, in the past few weeks the Steelers have come up with some impressive victories over Dallas and Baltimore. Pittsburgh late season surge has many of the experts thinking they could be the best in the AFC and they will get a chance to prove it this Sunday. 
 
Tennessee suffered their 2^nd loss of the season last week 13-12 from the Houston Texans. The Titans have not been playing as well in recent weeks as they did early in the year despite still having the best record in the NFL. Last week veteran QB Kerry Collins struggled going 15 for 33 with 181 yards, and 1 interception. Collins has done a good job all season and the Titans need him to bounce back or they could be in for another disappointing performance. Tennessee running back Chris Johnson has been the big success for the offense this season. Johnson has rushed for 1,159 yards and 8 touchdowns. When Tennessee establishes the running game, they are very tough to beat. 
 
Pittsburgh has come on very strong in the final month of the season winning their last 5 games and now they have a chance to earn home field advantage. QB Ben Roethlisberger was plagued by interceptions earlier in the year, but has been stellar down the stretch. Big Ben has led the Steelers to two 4^th quarter game winning drives in their last two games. However, the real success has been the play of the Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers defense ranks 1^st in nearly every defensive category and they can wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Pittsburgh hopes their defense can control a Tennessee offense which struggled last week and earn a chance to wrap up the home field throughout the playoffs.  
 
What to watch for… 
 
The Titans running game will play a big role in their success in the match-up. If running back Chris Johnson can move the ball against the very tough Pittsburgh defense then Tennessee will have the opportunity to score just enough points. The Titans do not want the game to rest in the hands of Kerry Collins. Pittsburgh simply needs to hold onto the football and not allow any turnovers. The Steelers defense should allow the offense to score some points considering they will win the field position as they have all season, but if they can not hold onto the football they will have a tough time. 
 
Betting Trends and Stats… 
 
Pittsburgh has gone 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on the road. The Steelers have found the under total in 5 of their last 8 games due to the performance of the defense. Tennessee is 11-2-1 this season against the spread and 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games. The Titans have split the over/under total this season going 7/7. Pittsburgh won the last meeting between these two teams 30-13 back in 2003. 
 
Pick – Pittsburgh gets the job done again. Take Pittsburgh -2 3 out of 5 units

NFL Betting Preview
Baltimore Ravens (9-5) at Dallas Cowboys (9-5)
Saturday, 8:15 pm Eastern – NFL Network

SBG Global Opening Line: Cowboys   -  5 ,  Total  39

The Dallas Cowboys will look to close out Texas Stadium with a win on Saturday night as they host the Baltimore Ravens in a game televised on the NFL Network.  The Cowboys have been in Texas Stadium for 38 years but this will be their last home game unless somehow the #6 seed in the playoffs would make it to the NFC Championship game and play Dallas. Next season the Cowboys are moving into a new stadium in Arlington.  Saturday night’s game is critical to both teams Wild Card chances. SBG Global reports that early NFL betting has the public taking Cowboys at Home.

The Cowboys played well last week defeating the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants by a score of 20-8 as quarterback Tony Romo threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns.  Romo will need to play well again since Dallas really can’t afford a loss. Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are also in the mix for a Wild Card and the Cowboys must play at Philadelphia next week to end the season.

Dallas will be facing the league’s second ranked defense on Saturday as the Ravens are giving up only 257.5 yards per game.  Baltimore shut down Pittsburgh for 55 minutes but the Steelers drove down and scored with 43 second left to win 13-9. “All game they didn’t make plays,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “One drive they did.”  The offense didn’t help the Ravens either as quarterback Joe Flacco had his worst game of the season. “We’ll be fine,” Flacco said. “We’ve got two games left to get some wins and prove that we’re a playoff team, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

The Ravens have defeated the Cowboys in both of their previous meetings, the last of which was in 2004.  Here are the NFL betting stats for Saturday’s game. The Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. The Ravens are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.

The Cowboys are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a home favorite. The Cowboys are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games in December.

SBG Global Current Line: Cowboys   -  4 ,  Total  39.5

The Over is 4-0-1 in the Ravens last 5 road games. The Over is 8-2-1 in the Ravens last 11 games as a road underdog. The Over is 6-2-1 in the Ravens last 9 games overall. The Under is 4-1 in the Cowboys last 5 games overall.

Pick: Ravens 4 out of 5 units

College Basketball Preview 
Xavier Musketeers (9-0) at Duke Blue Devils (9-1) 
Saturday, 2:00PM Eastern 
 
Betting Line 
 
A pair of top ten teams meet center court in Durham, NC. The undefeated Xavier Musketeers will be trying to stay perfect in front of the Cameron Crazies at Duke. The Blue Devils were upset by Michigan two weeks ago 81-73 and they look to get back to their winning ways. The Blue Devils beat the Musketeers in their last meeting in the NCAA Tournament back in 2004. Xavier will look to make things result a little differently this time around. The winner of this game will likely make their claim as a legitimate front runner and quite possibly receive a top 5 ranking.  
 
Xavier has played very well in the early part of the season. The Musketeers have controlled the boards averaging 41 rebounds per game this season. Xavier has three players averaging double digit point totals. Junior forward Derrick Brown leads the Musketeers with 14 points per game with nearly 6 rebounds. Xavier will try and work the paint against the Blue Devils considering they will have a size advantage. If Xavier can control the boards as they have in many games this season, Duke could have their hands full. The Musketeers rank as the 40^th best defense in the country in terms of field goal percentage against. Xavier has held teams to only shoot 41% from the field this season and they will try to make that trend continue.  
 
The Blue Devils have shot well from the floor this season knocking down 47% of their attempts. Duke has also faired well on the boards this season ranking 25^th in the nation averaging 41.4 rebounds per game. Duke has 4 players that average 10 points or more led by the play of sophomore Kyle Singler. Singler is averaging 17 points per game this season along with 8 rebounds and 3 assist. The Blue Devils are averaging a fairly high 15 assist per game. The Blue Devils have averaged a 22 points margin of victory in their 8 wins this season and hope to have another big day against Xavier. Duke is in desperate need of a win after just falling to Michigan a little over a week ago and a victory could make the statement that Duke is a national power.  
 
What to watch for… 
Xavier’s inside presence should present problems for Duke. The Blue Devils are only shooting 30% from 3-pt range this season and they will take a lot of shots outside the arc. The game comes down to the Xavier game inside the paint vs. the outside shooting game of Duke 
 
Betting Trends… 
Duke has gone 5-4 ATS this season while going 4-2 ATS in their past 6 games. The Blue Devils have gone on the over total 5 out of 9 games this season as well. Xavier has gone on the over total in their past 3 games while splitting against the spread at a record of 4-4. 
 
Pick – Xavier controls this one 2 out of 5 units

NFL Betting Preview
 Indianapolis Colts (10-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9)
Thursday, 8:15 pm Eastern – NFL Network

SBG Global Opening Line: Colts -  6.5 ,  Total  44

The Indianapolis Colts can clinch their 7^th straight post-season berth with a win on Thursday night at Jacksonville.  The Colts have not lost a game since late October, winning seven straight. “At 3-4, we knew what the problems were,” coach Tony Dungy said, “A lot of it was ourselves and our execution. That’s what we focused on, more so than pointing the finger at someone or figuring out who was to blame. A lot of that gets back to the players really listening to the coaches. SBG Global reports that early NFL betting has the public taking Colts on the Road.

The Jaguars won the first meeting between the two teams this season 23-21 but both teams look far different than they did back in September.  The Jaguars only motivation now will be to keep the Colts from clinching a playoff berth. “I’m sure they would like to knock us out,” Dungy said. “We haven’t really been in that situation, but when you are and you can’t get in, that’s the motivation, especially if it’s a division rival. I’m sure they’d like to keep us out of the playoffs, so I’m sure we’ll get their best.”  The Colts were not at their best last week against the winless Lions but still prevailed 31-21 as Dallas Clark had 142 yards receiving and a touchdown.

Here are the NFL betting stats for Thursday’s game. The Colts are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games. The Colts are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games in December. The Colts are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite. The Colts are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. the AFC South. The Colts are 2-5-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between the two teams.

The Jaguars are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games as a home underdog. The Jaguars are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Jaguars are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. the AFC South. The Jaguars are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games. The underdog is 5-2-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between the two teams.

SBG Global Current Line: Colts -  6 ,  Total  44

The Over is 4-0 in the Colts last 4 vs. the AFC South. The Under is 5-0 in the Jaguars last 5 games as an underdog. The Under is 6-1-1 in the Jaguars last 8 games on grass. The Under is 4-1 in the Jaguars last 5 games as a home underdog. The Under is 4-1 in the Jaguars last 5 games overall.

The Over is 9-3 in the Jaguars last 12 games in December. The Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings between the two teams in Jacksonville.

Pick: Colts 3 out of 5 units