Picks for 12/21/23
College Football
8:00 PM EST
Rotation #218-219
USF/Syracuse Under 55.5 (win)
The Boca Raton Bowl is always an excellent event. The total in this game is high for two young QBs. Syracuse will be without Garrett Shrader and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and will start Braden Davis. Davis has no career passing touchdowns and needs to be more mobile. The Syracuse offensive line is weak, so they will run the ball a lot, which will chew up the clock. The Orange will be without a few quality receivers, so they are in trouble. USF QB Byrum Brown had a decent year and can run the ball, but the Bull’s offensive line is probably weaker than Syracuses. USF has a decent running game, so I expect them to run the ball a lot, which chews up the clock. USF seems like the better team, but comparing the AAC to the ACC is hard. The safer play is total. Take the Under.
NFL
8:15 PM EST
Rotation #541
Saints +4.5 over Rams (loss)
Tonight’s battle between two 7-7 teams will likely eliminate the losing team from a playoff spot. The winner increases their chances to grab the 7th seed. New Orleans has played outstanding defensive football the last two weeks, holding their opponent to six points in back-to-back weeks. I know the opponents were weak, but it’s still impressive. The Rams have the advantage of playing at home, but the Saints match up well against them. Both defenses need a lot of work this upcoming offseason, so we should see an entertaining offensive game. Aaron Donald has underwhelmed this year, and the Los Angeles defense has been below-average at stopping the run. Each team is almost a mirror image of each other, so the value is with the underdog. Look for New Orleans to run the ball well tonight. Take the Saints.