Monday’s 6-pack:
Some interesting Week 13 NFL spreads
— Bears @ Detroit (-10.5, 48.5)
— Giants @ Dallas (-3.5, 38.5)
— Dolphins @ Green Bay (-3, 47.5)
— Raiders @ Kansas City (-12.5, 42.5)
— Colts (-2.5, 42.5) @ New England
— Steelers @ Cincinnati (-3, 46.5)
Quote of the Day
“We got down to the end there and it was a game-situational extravaganza. It was like Yahtzee. Everything was in there.”
Dallas coach Mike McCarthy, after the Cowboys’ 34-26 win
Monday’s quiz
In the movie
Last Vegas, what well-known actress plays the lounge singer who winds up hooking up with Michael Douglas at the end of the movie?
Sunday’s quiz
2010 was the last time Alabama lost 3+ football games in a season; ESPN’s Greg McElroy was Alabama’s QB that year.
Saturday’s quiz
Other than the Chiefs (won last two titles), the 2021 Rams are the last team to win a Super Bowl- they beat Cincinnati 23-20 in that game.
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Cowboys 34,
Commanders 26
Down 27-20, Washington threw an 86-yard TD pass with 0:21 left.
Seibert missed the PAT, his second missed PAT of the game.
Dallas then ran the onside kick back for a TD.
Cowboys snap a 5-game losing streak with this upset win.
This game was 3-3 at halftime.
Washington lost last three games, after a 7-2 start.
Commanders allowed 26+ points in all five losses.
QB Daniels threw for 275 yards, 2 TDs, ran for 74 yards and another TD. This was first game in NFL history with 2 missed PAT’s, 2 kick returns for TDs and also a blocked punt.
Titans 32,
Texans 27
Titans’ first three drives: 22 plays, 212 yards, 17 points.
Tennessee led 20-17 at halftime.
Houston took 24-23 lead on pick-6 0:04 left in 3rd quarter.
Titans went ahead for good on 70-yard TD pass with 9:35 left.
Titans scored 17 or fewer points in their losses; 31-20-32 points in wins.
Houston is 2-4 in last six games, after a 5-1 start.
Texans are 2-5 when they give up more than 20 points.
Houston is 5-15 ATS last 20 games as a home favorite.
Texans are 2-7 ATS in last nine AFC South home games.
Vikings 30,
Bears 27, OT
Minnesota drove 83 yards, kicked game-winning FG in OT.
Bears had scored 11 points in last 0:22 of regulation to tie game.
Bears lost their last five games, three of them by 3 or fewer points.
Vikings won/covered their last five visits to Chicago
Bears are 3-11 ATS in last 14 NFC North home games.
Minnesota is 8-2-2 ATS in last 12 games as road favorite.
Addison caught 8 passes for 162 yards and a TD.
Minnesota scored 30 points despite Jefferson catching 2 passes for 27 yards.
Last three years, Vikings have 23 wins by 8 or fewer points, most in NFL.
Vikings are 9-0 when they allow less than 30 points.
Chiefs 30,
Panthers 27
Chiefs led 27-16 after third quarter.
Chiefs’ first five drives: 52 plays, 319 yards, 27 points.
Carolina drove 51 yards, tied game on TD with 1:49 left.
Kansas City then drove 57 yards, kick game-winning FG at gun.
Chiefs are 10-1 SU; they’re 0-5 ATS in last five games.
Kansas City ran ball for 165 yards, their 2nd-most this season.
Over is 8-3 in Carolina games this year.
Panthers’ opponents’ team total: over 8-3
Famous birthdays, November 25
John Laroquette, 77
Bernie Kosar, 61
Jill Hennessy, 56
Anthony Peeler, 55
Donovan McNabb, 48
Nick Swisher, 44
Alec Burleson, 26
Jaylen Waddle, 26
Blake Corum, 24
Dolphins 34,
Patriots 15
Miami won last three games, giving up 15-19-15 points.
Dolphins led 31-0 after the third quarter.
Last six weeks, Dolphins outscored foes 77-25 in 1st half.
Miami is now 7-1 in last eight games vs New England.
New England’s first seven drives: 37 plays, 160 yards, no points.
Patriots are 6-14 ATS in last 20 games coming off a loss.
New England is 10-22-1 ATS in last 33 games as an underdog.
Patriots are 32-48 since Tom Brady left town.
Buccaneers 30,
Giants 7
Buccaneers’ first six drives: 52 plays, 366 yards, 30 points.
Tampa Bay led 23-0 at halftime.
Mayfield threw for 294 yards, also ran for a TD.
Buccaneers’ team total: over 9-2
Giants in first half: 17 plays, 46 yards, 3 punts, no points.
Giants lost their last six games (0-6 ATS).
Giants are 0-6 SU/1-5 ATS at home, losing by 22-5-10-25-5-23 points.
Giants haven’t had a positive turnover ratio in any game TY.
Lions 24,
Colts 6
Detroit won its last nine games (8-1 ATS).
Last five games, Lions outscored opponents 77-11 in 2nd half.
Detroit is 6-0 SU/5-1 ATS on road this season.
Opponents have converted 24 of last 84 third down plays.
Under Campbell, Lions are 8-3 ATS as a road favorite.
Colts in second half: 20 plays, 94 yards, no points.
Colts are 6-9 ATS last 15 games as a home underdog.
AFC South underdogs are 9-15 ATS in non-divisional games.
Broncos 29,
Raiders 19
Raiders led 13-9 at halftime.
Denver in 2nd half: 38 plays, 163 yards, 20 points.
Raiders in 2nd half: 44 plays, 180 yards, 6 points.
Denver is 6-0 if they score more than 20 points, 1-5 if they score 20 or less.
Last five weeks, Broncos converted 36-70 third down plays.
Raiders are 0-7 SU/2-5 ATS in last seven games
Raiders have 22 turnovers in 11 games (minus-17).
Raiders’ opponents’ team total: over 8-3
QB Minshew broke his collarbone, is out for year.
First time in nine years Denver won at the Raiders.
Packers 38,
49ers 10
Packers won six of their last seven games.
Green Bay’s first three drives: 34 plays, 187 yards, 17 points.
Green Bay outscored last eight foes 128-58 in second half.
Packers out rushed San Francisco, 169-44.
Backup QB Allen was 17-29/199 passing (first start since 2022)
49ers are 1-6 when they score less than 30 points.
49ers are 0-5 when they gain less than 400 yards.
San Francisco is +7 in turnovers in wins, minus-7 in losses.
Seahawks 16,
Cardinals 6
Seattle’s only offensive TD came on a 61-yard drive just before halftime.
Seahawks scored a defensive TD on a pick-6 in third quarter.
Seattle allowed 26+ points in losses, 20 or less in wins.
Under is 4-1 in their last five games.
Arizona was 3-12 on third down, Seahawks 7-14.
Cardinals are 1-4 SU/ATS in last five visits to Seattle.
Cardinals are 2-5 ATS in last seven NFC West road games.
QB Murray is 34-42-1 SU as an NFL starter.
These teams are for first atop the NFC West.
Eagles 37,
Rams 20
Eagles led 20-14 at halftime.
Barkley ran 70 yards for TD on first play of 3rd quarter.
Barkley ran ball 26 times for 255 yards, 2 TD’s.
Eagles are 7-0 SU/5-2 in their last seven games overall.
Philly was 9-15 on third down, Rams 0-8.
Last four games, Rams are only 8-41 on third down.
Eagles are 7-1-1 ATS in last nine games with spread of 3 or fewer points.
Rams are 1-6 scoring less than 26 points, 4-0 scoring 26+.
College basketball notes……..
— LSU 109, Central Florida 102, 3 OTs
UCF led 38-18 late in first half.
LSU is 5-1, with the #27 eFG% defense.
— Drake 81, Vanderbilt 70
MVC’s Bulldogs win Charleston tournament, with 4 starters poached from a D2 team.
Bulldogs shot 61.5% inside the arc.
6-4 junior Stirtz had 16 points, 11 assists.
— Bradley 80, Middle Tennessee 69
MVC’s Braves win tournament at Coastal Carolina.
Bradley starts four seniors; they shot 10-22 on the arc.
Braves are #33 team in country in continuity.
— Georgia 66, St John’s 63
Dawgs are rebounding 43.7% of their missed shots (#5 in country)
St John’s had 21 offensive boards, but shot 2-19 on the arc.
Rough 1-2 trip to Atlantis, with losses by 1-3 points.
— Kennesaw State 79, Rutgers 77
Kennesaw led by 18 at halftime.
Owls out-rebounded Rutgers, 46-24.
Kennesaw survived being minus-13 in turnovers (22-9).
— Wisconsin 81, Pitt 75
Wisconsin is 7-0, scoring 79+ points in every game.
Badgers are playing pace #152, their fastest pace in at least 28 years.
Badgers are shooting 86.5% on foul line, #1 in country.