Tag: picks

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NFL games today: Expert picks, predictions for NFL playoffs, divisional round schedule 2022

This week will decide who makes up our NFL “Final Four.” The divisional round of the playoffs has the potential to be the most entertaining round of the postseason, as we have a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game and another chance for Aaron Rodgers to get his first playoff win against the San Francisco 49ers. Plus, Derrick Henry is returning for the Tennessee Titans against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford face off for the second time this year. If you’re looking for advice on what lines to play this weekend, you’ve come to the right spot.  

Every week, we collect all of the best picks and gambling content from CBSSports.com and SportsLine in one place, so you can get picks against the spread from our CBS Sports experts as well as additional feature content for each game, including plays from top SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model, best bets from our staff and more.

All NFL odds via Caesars Sportsbook.

Which picks can you make with confidence in the divisional round? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine, as their incredible model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and is up over $7,500 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago.

Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans

Time: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Titans -3, O/U 47
Current: Titans -3.5, O/U 47.5

“If this game turns into a shootout, you have to like Cincinnati’s chances, especially since they’re going up against a Titans defense that struggles to stop the pass. During the regular season, the Titans were one of just eight teams in the league that surrendered more than 245 pass yards per game. If the Bengals can take advantage of that, it might be tough for Tennessee to keep up in a shootout. 

“The Bengals have NEVER won a road playoff game in franchise history (0-7), but after watching them end their 31-year drought without a playoff win, it’s starting to feel like they’re going to be ending a lot droughts this year.” — CBS Sports’ Bengals expert John Breech is on Cincy this weekend to score an upset victory. To read his full explanation and all of his picks for this round of the postseason, click here. 

“The Bengals are a much more scary matchup for the Titans than the Las Vegas Raiders would have been. If you had to point out a weakness on the Titans, it has to be the secondary/pass defense. Tennessee finished the regular season with the eighth-worst pass defense in the NFL, and the Bengals have a legitimate “big three” at receiver with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and a great quarterback in Joe Burrow tossing the rock. The Bengals have what it takes to pull off an upset, but the Titans are the No. 1 seed in the AFC for a reason.

“Nissan Stadium is going to be rocking on Saturday, and it’s mostly because Derrick Henry is expected to make his return to the field. It’s fair to question if he will look like the same dynamic playmaker after two-and-a-half months off, but Tennessee is going to run the ball no matter who’s taking it from Ryan Tannehill. This Bengals defensive line has some issues worth worrying about. Larry Ogunjobi was placed on injured reserve, Mike Daniels is dealing with a groin injury and Josh Tupou has a knee injury — although he’ll play. I’m taking the Titans. The 3.5-point line is a bit weird, but winning teams are covering in the playoffs.” — CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani is taking the Titans to win and cover Saturday. To read his full column, click here.

Before you make any Titans vs. Bengals picks, you need to see which side SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein is on. A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. This season he has been on fire. Hartstein has gone an astounding 22-11-1 on his last 34 picks involving Tennessee, returning more than $1,000 to $100 bettors. You can see who Larry is taking in the Bengals-Titans matchup over at SportsLine, and you can also get his top player prop pick for the game, along with more picks from SportsLine’s top NFL experts, in this featured article.

Time: Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Packers -5, O/U 47.5
Current: Packers -5.5, O/U 47

“I love betting on the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan as underdogs. Since taking over in San Francisco, Shanahan’s 49ers teams have gone 25-17 ATS as underdogs, compared to 16-24-1 as favorites. Taking it a step further, as road dogs, the Niners are 17-10 ATS. As road dogs outside the division, they’re 11-6. Aren’t these wonderful trends?

“Also, while they went 3-0 ATS last week, large favorites don’t tend to do well in the NFL playoffs. Including last week, they’re 11-13 ATS since the 2017 season, and my dumb brain tells me that we’re bound to see some regression this week after those blowouts last week. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but my numbers back it up as well. I have the Packers much closer to being field-goal favorites in this matchup than nearly touchdown favorites.” — CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli is taking San Fran to cover the spread. To read his best bets for this weekend, click here.

“I’m going to give the edge here to Kyle Shanahan over Matt LaFleur, as good as LaFleur has been, where Shanahan has taken care of business against him most of the time with the exception being this regular season. I think the 49ers are live to win the game, and I love them getting six. I don’t think it’s a great matchup for Green Bay, but it’s also a tough spot for San Francisco as well, going in there and having to play in that weather against this talented of a football team in the Packers.”

That’s Will Brinson’s take from the Pick Six Podcast, where he, R.J. White and Pete Prisco broke down all the games from a gambling perspective and gave out best bets. Give it a listen below and subscribe for great NFL content in your feed daily.

CBS Sports fantasy and gambling editor R.J. White has been on a tear with his picks involving the Packers. White has gone a remarkable 50-16-1 on his last 67 picks involving Green Bay, returning more than $3,100. In this game against San Francisco, White knows a crucial X-factor that has him backing one side of the spread. We can tell you he’s leaning Under the total, but to see his pick for this game you’ll have to go to SportsLine. You can also get his top player prop pick for the game, along with more picks from SportsLine’s top NFL experts, in this featured article.

Time: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (NBC), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Buccaneers -3, O/U 48.5
Current: Buccaneers -2.5, O/U 48

“Tristan Wirfs being injured and his backup being shaken up really gives me concern. At some point, the injuries are going to catch up to the Buccaneers. Plus I had the Rams in the Super Bowl this year.” — CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones is eyeing an upset in this matchup. To read his insider notebook and the rest of his divisional round picks, click here.

“Both of these teams turned in strong performances in the wild card round, each winning by multiple scores. While the Rams defeated the Bucs in their regular-season matchup, I do think the calculus changes with this game being played at Raymond James Stadium. At home, the Buccaneers averaged an NFL-best 409.8 yards per game and an average margin of victory of 16.1 points, which also topped the league. 

“The Rams were also a statistically strong team on the road this year but were under .500 away from SoFi Stadium against the spread. Against teams with a winning record, L.A. was also 2-5 ATS over their last seven games. I see Tom Brady being able to negate the Rams pass rush with quick throws from the pocket and pick his way down the field to build up enough of a winning margin that goes above this field goal spread.” — CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan is taking the Buccaneers to win and cover the spread this week. To read his column, click here.

Before you make any Rams vs. Buccaneers picks or any other NFL predictions, you need to see which side R.J. White is on. A CBS Sports fantasy and gambling editor, White ended the 2020 season on an 80-59 run on all NFL picks, returning more than $1,400 during that span. It’s no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest. In addition, White has gone an astounding 33-18-4 on his last 55 picks involving Tampa Bay, returning nearly $1,300. You can see who R.J. is taking in the Rams-Bucs matchup over at SportsLine, and you can also get his top player prop pick for the game, along with more picks from SportsLine’s top NFL experts, in this featured article.

Time: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Chiefs -2.5, O/U 54.5
Current: Chiefs -2, O/U 54

“This is a rematch from a game earlier this season that the Bills won on the Chiefs’ home field. The Bills and Chiefs are both coming off impressive victories. Both Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen lit up their opponents last week, but this is a big step up for both in terms of defenses. The Bills have the top-ranked defense in the league and built their pass rush in the offseason to beat Mahomes. The Chiefs defense isn’t as good, but it played much better over the course of the second half of the season. The Chiefs love to blitz, which will leave Allen free to run and make throws on the run. I think that will be the difference here. The Bills behind Allen will win a fun shootout for the ages.” — CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco has the Bills pulling off the upset! To read his breakdown of every game, click here.

“What an absolute banger of a game. My CBS bosses are running pure right now, catching 49ers/Cowboys and now this Josh Allen/Patrick Mahomes matchup. If you claim to KNOW how this game will go, you’re a liar. Or Biff Tannen. This is a heavyweight title fight on divisional round weekend. Mahomes gets the edge at QB, even if Allen has played better of late. Andy Reid is a fairly big edge over Sean McDermott, but let’s not forget Reid FIRED McD from the Eagles. These teams have met plenty of times previously, but running through Bill Belichick/New England, Reid/K.C./Mahomes and then maybe even Tom Brady is a gauntlet. The Bills could snuff out some curses with a win here. I don’t think anyone can guarantee a winner here, so I’ll take the points and the scrappy underdog with the better roster in a shootout.” — CBS Sports’ Will Brinson likes the Bills to advance to the AFC Championship game. To read his picks column, click here. 

Before you make Bills vs. Chiefs picks or any other NFL predictions, you need to see which side SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein is on. This season he has been on fire. Hartstein is 70-46-1 in his last 117 NFL sides, for a profit of more than $1800. In addition, Hartstein has gone an astounding 23-8 in his last 31 picks involving Kansas City, returning $1,400 to $100 bettors! Anyone who has followed him is way up. You can see who Larry is taking in the Bills-Chiefs matchup over at SportsLine, and you can also get his top player prop pick for the game, along with more picks from SportsLine’s top NFL experts, in this featured article.

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College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for top 25 games today in Week 13

Rivalry Week has arrived and with it some of the biggest college football games of the season will be going down Saturday. Bragging rights will not be the only thing on the line as division titles, conference championship game appearances and College Football Playoff invitations will all be up for grabs with 18 top 25 teams in action over the course of the day.

Ohio State and Michigan go head-to-head in The Game with the Big Ten East on the line. The Buckeyes and Wolverines each have a shot at a top spot in the College Football Playoff, but the victory in Saturday’s game must win out through the Big Ten title game. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State meet in Bedlam, each as one-loss Big 12 teams that would need a bit of help to get into the playoff. There’s also a chance the Sooners and Cowboys meet in a league title game rematch should the Sooners win.

Elsewhere, Georgia (at Georgia Tech) and Alabama (at Auburn) each have rivalry games to get through ahead of their matchup in the SEC title game.

While winning is all that matters for the standings, we care about whether these teams will cover their spreads. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for a loaded Saturday in Week 13.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 5 Michigan

Noon| Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — It’s so hard to go against the Buckeyes in this game. Even though I think this is the most complete Michigan team that Jim Harbaugh has fielded, after seeing the way the Buckeyes have flipped the switch the last two weeks, I don’t think the Wolverines are good enough to keep it within the number. They have an excellent defense and pass rush, but they’ve yet to face an offense even close to what Ohio State offers. If the Wolverines fall behind, they’ll have to abandon their strengths in an effort to keep up. So I’m laying the points with the Buckeyes while hoping the game is much closer. Prediction: Ohio State (-8) — Tom Fornelli

No. 3 Alabama at Auburn

3:30 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — I’ll take the points since a nearly three-touchdown spread screams “backdoor cover”. It’s impossible to trust the Crimson Tide offensive line, so I expect Auburn to force multiple empty possessions, which will allow T.J. Finley to keep his team in the game for at least three quarters. Finley will ultimately make a mistake or two that swings the game in the favor of the crimson and white … but not by three scores. Prediction: Auburn (+19.5) — Barrett Sallee

Penn State at No. 12 Michigan State

3:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — There has to be some shell shock coming out of that stunning result at Ohio State last week, and while returning home should bring a more friendly environment for Michigan State, I think Penn State comes in with a little bit more juice. Taking the under is my favorite play because this should be a low-scoring game, but ultimately I’ll side with the Nittany Lions. Prediction: Penn State (-1.5) — Chip Patterson

No. 15 Texas A&M at LSU

7 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — Both of these teams have been disappointing relative to expectations, but LSU has played poor football against quality competition. The only ranked win of the season came against Florida, which proceeded to collapse. Texas A&M can limit LSU’s running game and make them one-dimensional enough to come away victorious. Prediction: Texas A&M (-6.5) — Shehan Jeyarajah

No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Oklahoma State

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — Oklahoma was a trendy pick to win the national championship entering the season — including by this author. Unfortunately, there’s only so much waiting we can muster before we acknowledge that the proverbial Mr. Godot is not coming. Oklahoma State has been consistently better and more dominant all season long, and its playing its best football with a chance to reach its first Big 12 Championship Game. The Cowboys won’t waste this moment. Prediction: Oklahoma State (-4) — Shehan Jeyarajah

Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 13, and which top College Football Playoff contender gets a huge scare? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,700 in profit over the past five-plus seasons — and find out.

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NFL Week 12 odds, picks: Colts shock Buccaneers plus Raiders at Cowboys turns into Thanksgiving thriller

It’s Thanksgiving Week and we all know what that means around here: Instead of giving you football picks today, I’m going to list off my 15 favorite Thanksgiving side dishes because that’s way more exciting. Just kidding, I’m not going to do that and that’s mainly because it would only take roughly four seconds. There are only two side dishes I like to have on Thanksgiving and they’re both wine. 

Actually, I also enjoy sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, garlic potatoes, baked potatoes, and really, any kind of potato, but I’m going to stop talking now because I’m starting to sound like Bill Belichick. 

For some reason, I’m not surprised that Belichick is a potato guy. If you would have asked me before today which NFL coach was mostly like to be a potato guy, I would have 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} guessed Belichick. 

Since Belichick and I both love potatoes, does that mean I’m going to pick the Patriots to win this week? Let’s get to the picks and find out. 

Actually, before we get to the Week 12 picks, here’s a quick reminder that you can check out the weekly picks from every CBSSports.com NFL expert by clicking here. Also, as you may or may not know, I’m in charge of the NFL newsletter here at CBSSports.com, which I’m only telling you about because it makes the perfect holiday gift and it also brings people together. For instance, if you can’t be with your family for Thanksgiving, then just sign them up for the newsletter and then you can read it together every day and it will feel like you’re in the same room as them, except not really. To subscribe, all you have to do is click here and enter an email address. 

On top of the newsletter, I also do a podcast three days per week with Will Brinson and Ryan Wilson, AKA two guys who have never invited me over for Thanksgiving. Thanks guys. I thought we were friends. Although the lack of a Thanksgiving invite definitely makes things awkward when we’re around each other, I still join them every Monday, Tuesday and Friday on the Pick Six podcast, which is our daily NFL podcast here at CBSSports.com. You can listen to Tuesday’s episode below and the reason you’re going to want to listen is because we spent way more time than we should have debating whether the Giants should just go ahead and clean house. 

Alright, I think I’ve babbled for long enough, let’s get to the Turkey Day edition of the picks where I will be picking all three Thanksgiving games even though they don’t deserve to be picked because all six teams playing on Thursday are coming off a loss. 

NFL Week 12 Picks

Chicago (3-7) at Detroit (0-9-1)

Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

Latest Odds:

Chicago Bears
-3

If you didn’t get to watch the Lions on Sunday — and I’m guessing you didn’t because I’m pretty sure their game was only shown to about .00001{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the country — they lost again, which you probably assumed since they lose pretty much every week. 

The Lions starting quarterback on Sunday was a guy named Tim Boyle, who somehow ended up on an NFL roster even though he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes in college. Like, a lot more. 

The Lions are the only team in the NFL that would take a guy who had a 13-to-one interception-to-TD ratio in college and let him start an actual game, which is what happened on Sunday. In the least surprising news in the history of football, Boyle threw two interceptions in a loss to the Browns. I guess things could have been worse. He could have thrown 13. The problem for Boyle is that I don’t think things are going to get much better for him this week since he’s going to be playing on just three days rest (Jared Goff could end up starting, but if he’s on the field, he’ll be playing injured and I’m not sure an injured Goff is much of an upgrade over Boyle. Choosing between Goff and Boyle is like choosing between green bean casserole and corn pudding as your main side dish at Thanksgiving. You’re losing no matter what you pick: The green bean casserole is injured and the corn pudding keeps throwing interceptions). 

As for the Bears, Justin Fields likely won’t be playing, which actually doesn’t bother me at all, because if he’s out, that means we all get to spend Thanksgiving with ANDY DALTON. To be honest, I can’t think of a person I would rather spend Thanksgiving with than Andy Dalton. 

As everyone knows, I never pick against Dalton unless he’s playing in a prime-time game, but I don’t think this counts as a prime-time game, so I’m taking the Bears. 

The pick: Bears 20-17 over Lions

Which picks can you make with confidence, and which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $7,300 since its inception.

Las Vegas (5-5) at Dallas (7-3)

Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Latest Odds:

Dallas Cowboys
-7.5

If these two teams decided to cancel Thursday’s game and just hug each other for four quarters, that would be completely understandable because it has definitely been a rough month for both of them. Going into November, the Cowboys and Raiders had a combined record of 11-3. However, since the start of November, the two teams have combined to go 1-5, which includes an 0-3 record from the Raiders. 

To add insult to injury, the NFL is making the Raiders fly halfway across the country on a short week to play in a game on a holiday. The last place anyone wants to be around the holidays is at an airport. If I were the Raiders, I would skip the airport and just drive to Dallas. Sure it’s six times longer than flying, and yes, 18 hours of driving does seem like a lot of a road trip, but they could stop in Albuquerque along the way and I feel like the Raiders could really stand to use a stop in Albuquerque right now. If you’ve watched them play at all over the past few weeks, you may have noticed some troubling things about them: Their offense has gotten worse every week, their defense has gotten worse every week and their interim coach seems like he might be in over his head. 

The only upside for the Raiders going into this game is that they’re playing a Cowboys team that has been almost as bad as they have for the month of November. Not only are the Cowboys just 1-2 in their past three games, but they will be going into this game without Amari Cooper and possibly without CeeDee Lamb (concussion). The good news for the Cowboys is that they shouldn’t need either of those guys. The Raiders are giving up 132.1 yards per game on the ground this year, which is the fourth-most in the NFL and if the Cowboys are smart, they’ll take advantage of that by running the ball roughly 50 times. However, the Cowboys haven’t looked overly smart this month, so there’s no guarantee that’s going to happen. 

The pick: Cowboys 30-23 over Raiders

Buffalo (6-4) at New Orleans (5-5)

Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

Latest Odds:

Buffalo Bills
-6.5

On paper, this feels like a game that the Saints have zero chance to win, but if I’ve learned one thing in my life about picking NFL games, it’s that the Bills might actually be the team that has a zero chance to win and that’s mainly because this game is being played on a HOLIDAY in New Orleans. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans for any holiday, even flag day, then you already know that everyone in town goes to Bourbon Street and drinks for 24 straight hours, which leads to a completely crazy crowd at the game, which leads to one of the best home-field advantages possible. Last month, we saw this play out in real time when the Saints hosted the Buccaneers on Halloween. Had I paid attention to the fact the game was being played on Halloween, I would have picked the Saints to win by 97, but I ignored the fact that it was Halloween and picked the Buccaneers to win. The Buccaneers did not win, because winning a holiday game in New Orleans is borderline impossible. If you need more proof of this, just look at last year’s schedule: They scored 52 points in a Christmas win. They won on Columbus Day. They even win on Mexican holidays and I know that because they won on the Day of the Dead last year against the Bears. 

This time around, the Saints are hosting a Thanksgiving game and let me just say that if the NFL’s plan this year was to get the drunkest possible crowd for a Thanksgiving game, then I’m pretty sure they’re going to accomplish that. I mean, when you put a game near Bourbon Street, there’s a 100 percent chance that people will be drunk, and when you multiply that by the fact that people will be drinking all day because this game is at night, you basically get the Thanksgiving version of Mardi Gras.  

That being said, the only rule I have that supersedes “Don’t pick against the Saints at home on a holiday” is “always pick against Trevor Siemian.” The Saints are 0-3 since Siemian took over as their starting quarterback and although I’m not going to pin the blame for those losses on him, I am going to pin most of the blame on him. If Alvin Kamara plays Thursday, I could see this being close, but if he’s out, I think the Bills win by at least a touchdown. 

The pick: Bills 31-24 over Saints

Tennessee (8-3) at New England (7-4)

1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Latest Odds:

New England Patriots
-6.5

I don’t feel like Bill Belichick is a guy who circles games on his calendar before the season, but I have a feeling that he might have circled this one. For one, he’s never beaten Titans coach Mike Vrabel. Belichick has faced him twice and both times he came away with a loss. Not only that, but the Titans basically ended the Patriots dynasty when they beat New England in the playoffs in 2019.  

In two games against Vrabel, the Patriots have averaged 11.5 points per game and that’s because Vrabel is the one guy who has always been able to out-Belichick Belichick. I’m guessing that has a lot do with the fact that Vrabel actually spent eight seasons playing for Belichick. 

The problem for Vrabel this time around though is that he’s not going to have Derrick Henry like he did in his first two games against Belichick. Without Henry, that means the Titans are going to have to rely on Ryan Tannehill, who hasn’t exactly been Mr. Reliable this season. In his past six games, Tannehill has thrown nine interceptions, which would be solid numbers if he played for the Lions, but it’s not so good when you’re the QB of the top team in the AFC. When Henry was around, it was easier for the Titans to deal with the turnovers because they would stop letting him throw the ball and just give it to Henry. 

When Tannehill has to take over a game, things can get ugly. The Titans have had four games this year where he’s thrown 35 or more passes and they’re 1-3 in those games. On the other hand, the Titans are a perfect 7-0 when he throws fewer than 35 passes. Besides Tannehill, my other biggest concern with the Titans is that everyone on their roster seems to be injured. 

I don’t think an NFL team can technically run out of players, but the Titans might. 

The one saving grace for the Titans in this game is that their defense gets to go up against a rookie quarterback. Because of that, I think Tennessee will keep this game close, but not close enough. 

The pick: Patriots 23-16 over Titans

Tampa Bay (8-3) at Indianapolis (6-5)

1 p.m. ET (Fox)

Latest Odds:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
-3

When I was in high school, my physics teacher basically spent three straight days trying to explain the irresistible force paradox and thanks to this game, I think I might finally understand what he was trying to say. On one hand, we have the unstoppable force (Jonathan Taylor) and it will be colliding with the immovable object (The Buccaneers defense). Heading into Week 11, Taylor is leading the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and every other rushing stat you can think of. In his last six games alone, Taylor has rushed for 795 yards, which would rank fourth in the NFL for the entire season. 

The challenge for Taylor this week is that he’s going up against the best rushing defense in football. The Buccaneers have only given up 784 rushing yards on the season (78.4 per game), which is crazy when you consider that no other team in the NFL has even surrendered less than 880 yards. They are truly an immovable object, unless you’re trying to pass the ball on them, then they’re not so immovable, but I’m not convinced Carson Wentz is going to have much success throwing the ball against Tampa. 

As I noted last week, I cracked the code to picking Colts games, but then the code blew up in MY FACE. Heading into Week 12, the Colts are 6-5 on the season, but here’s the key part: They’re 6-0 this year when they rush for more than 125 yards in a game and 0-5 when they rush for less than 125, so all you have to do is figure out whether they’re going to rush for 125 yards against the Tampa Bay. Last week, I said they wouldn’t hit that number against Buffalo and look who got the last laugh. It definitely wasn’t me. This week, I’ve decided I don’t want to be laughed at so I’m taking the Colts. 

The pick: Colts 27-24 over Buccaneers

L.A. Rams (7-3) at Green Bay (8-3)

4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)

Latest Odds:

Green Bay Packers
PK

As someone who lived in California for six years, let me just say there is nothing more traumatic than being forced to leave the West Coast for a trip to a cold-weather city during the middle of November. There’s a reason birds fly south for the winter and not to Green Bay. 

If you’ve ever been to Los Angeles, you may have noticed that people start wearing jackets there when the temperature falls below 70 degrees. In Green Bay, no one even owns a jacket, and if they do, it’s only so they can wear it to make fun of people from Los Angeles. 

The projected kickoff temperature on Sunday is supposed to be 36 degrees. Since hiring Sean McVay in 2017, the Rams have played exactly three games in temperatures that cold and they went 1-2 in those games. Although that’s not a huge sample size, you don’t need to have a huge sample size when dealing with cold weather because we have thousands of years of human civilization as our sample size: People who don’t live in cold weather hate cold weather. 

Let’s also not forget that Matthew Stafford is going to be making his return to Lambeau Field. The Rams have lost two straight games and Stafford struggled in both of those losses and based on how he’s played at Green Bay in the past, I have no reason to think that he’s going to magically fix all his problems in a game where he’ll be facing a Packers team that is highly familiar with how he plays. 

The fact that Aaron Rodgers has an injured toe does slightly concern me, but he threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns on the injured toe in Week 11, so I’m going to assume that he’ll be just fine for Sunday. 

The pick: Packers 30-27 over Rams

NFL Week 12 picks: All the rest

Bengals 23-20 over Steelers
Panthers 22-19 over Dolphins
Eagles 27-20 over Giants
Jaguars 24-17 over Falcons
Texans 19-16 over Jets
Chargers 34-27 over Broncos
Vikings 33-30 over 49ers
Ravens 34-24 over Browns
Washington 25-22 over Seahawks

BYES: Chiefs, Cardinals

Last Week 

Best pick: Last week, I predicted that the Dolphins would beat the Jets 24-17 and guess what happened? The Dolphins beat the Jets 24-17. WE GOT A BREECHAGAMI. In related news, that’s now the word I’m going to use any time I pick the exact score of the game. It’s like a Scorigami, but with a twist. Now, did I know that there would be three missed field goals in the Dolphins-Jets game? Of course I did. Have you ever seen those two teams play? They both make roughly 91 mistakes per game, so I obviously I factored that into my score prediction. 

Since I know you’re counting at home, we are now up to three BREECHAGAMIS on the season, and by the way, we also had a Scorigami in the Colts-Bills game. Indy’s 41-15 win marked the first time in NFL history that a game ended with that score. 

Worst pick: Even though I made a vow to myself to never pick a team to win if Trevor Siemian is their quarterback, I broke that vow last week when I picked New Orleans to beat Philadelphia. I’ve made some bad choices in my life and I have to say, picking the Saints to beat the Eagles might have been the worst one I’ve ever made that didn’t involve three shots of tequila. 

Finally, if you guys have ever wondered which teams I’m actually good at picking, here’s a quick look: 

Teams I’m 10-1 picking this year: Colts, Texans (9-1), 49ers (9-1)
Teams I’m 8-2 picking this year: Rams, Buccaneers, Lions, Vikings, Jaguars, Steelers (7-2-1), Dolphins (9-2)
Longest current streak of picking a team’s games correctly: Steelers (7-0-1 since Week 3)

Teams I’ve been the worst at picking this year: Saints (2-8), Washington (2-8). 
Longest active streak of picking a team’s games wrong: Broncos (0-5 since Week 6 after going 5-0 picking their games to start the season)

Picks Record

Straight up in Week 11: 9-6
SU overall: 101-63-1

Against the spread in Week 11: 8-7
ATS overall: 81-81-3

Exact score predictions: 3
Exact score, wrong winner: 2

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!

You can find John Breech on Facebook or Twitter and if he’s not doing one of those things, he’s probably enjoying one of his two favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, which are both wine… or he’s eating potatoes. He might be eating potatoes. 

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College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for top 25 games today in Week 12

Championship races heading down the stretch, both at the conference and the College Football Playoff levels, ramp up on Saturday as the 2021 regular season gets closer to its conclusion. There’s no conference in which separation is potentially greater than the Big Ten, and two of the titans from the East Division in the conference with CFP aspirations are set to square off in a marquee top-10 showdown here in Week 12. 

The day begins with No. 7 Michigan State going on the road to Columbus to face a No. 4 Ohio State team that’s really seemed to find its offensive rhythm of late. The Buckeyes are significant favorites because of that offensive attack as well as the Spartans’ poor passing defense. Michigan State, however, enters with a massive chip on its shoulder. This is a team that feels disrespected by the CFP committee in being ranked behind No. 6 Michigan — a team it defeated this season. However, an upset win over the Buckeyes in Columbus would surely earn the Spartans the respect to which they feel entitled. 

Also in the spotlight Saturday is No. 2 Alabama, which can clinch the SEC West title and set up the most anticipated matchup of the 2021 season in the conference title game on Saturday, Dec. 4 with No. 1 Georgia with a win over no. 21 Arkansas. In the nightcap of the evening, No. 3 Oregon will look to boost its resume with a victory on the road against a tough No. 24 Utah squad. 

While winning is all that matters for the standings, we care about whether these teams will cover their spreads. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the 12th full Saturday of the season.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern

No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State

12 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — There are two factors at play for me with this pick. The first and most important one is that Michigan State is a good football team, so to get nearly three touchdowns with them against an Ohio State team that’s struggled to dominate opponents all season long is a hard deal to pass up. The other factor is the timing of the game. While this one is huge, Ohio State plays Michigan next week. The Buckeyes have been bad against the spread before the Michigan game, and they have failed to cover the spread a week before Michigan for seven straight seasons (they didn’t play last year). Prediction: Michigan State (+19) — Tom Fornelli

Iowa State at No. 13 Oklahoma

12 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — Oklahoma’s poor performance against Baylor corresponded with its first matchup against a halfway decent defense. The bad news? The Cyclones might be even better on that side of the ball, and they boast a running back that will keep the chains moving. Oklahoma might find a way to pull away in a home game, but ISU can easily keep the game close once again. Prediction: Iowa State (+4) — Shehan Jeyarajah

No. 21 Arkansas at No. 2 Alabama

3:30 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Arkansas’ offense will have enough success against Alabama to at least keep this one in doubt heading into the fourth quarter. Will KJ Jefferson and the rest of the offense get the job done? No. A late mistake or two will cost the Hogs in this one, but they’ll keep it within three touchdowns. Prediction: Arkansas (+20.5) — Barrett Sallee

No. 6 Michigan at Maryland

3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network, fuboTV (Try for free) — Michigan’s defensive front will be the group that wins this game. Maryland has been able to move the ball between the 20s this season, but it has struggled when it gets into the red zone. That’s where the Wolverines will start to overwhelm a Terps offensive line that has failed to establish an edge against the better teams in the Big Ten. Prediction: Michigan (-14.5) — Chip Patterson

No. 3 Oregon at No. 24 Utah

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — Utah’s only loss in the last two months came against an Oregon State team that is one of only two teams in the conference that averages more yards rushing per game than Utah. Now the Utes must face the other one in Oregon. The Ducks should win a close one. Prediction: Oregon (+3) — David Cobb

Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 12, and which College Football Playoff contender will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,500 in profit over the past five-plus seasons — and find out.

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Business confidence at 10-qtr high as demand, economic activity picks up, shows Business Today-C fore survey

India Inc’s small business sentiment rebounded strongly in Q2 of FY22 together with the ebbing impression of the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance to the most recent Business enterprise Right now-C fore Business Self confidence Index (BCI).
 
On a scale of 100, the index jumped to 49.6 in the July-September quarter (Q2) of FY22 immediately after touching its least expensive position at 43.2 in the April-June quarter (Q1) of the present-day fiscal 12 months. 
 
The BCI, centered on The Small business Currently-C fore Enterprise Self-confidence Survey, further shows the organization sentiment has moved up throughout all corporations — significant, medium, little and micro — and touched its optimum place in the very last 10 quarters.

Also Read: Financial restoration gaining momentum, expansion observed across sectors: Finance Ministry
 
Aroon Purie, Editor-in-Main, India Nowadays Group, of which Business Currently is a part, says the recent study highlights sturdy optimism amongst organizations.
 
“Business enterprise sentiments had been falling for several quarters, but the most current BCI has skyrocketed to break a 10-quarter history. Whilst the study effects give refreshing hope, we want to continue to be notify for near-time period difficulties this sort of as the coal crisis, and climbing commodity selling prices,” Purie notes.
 
The index more signifies that as the economic system opens up and businesses get back to normal, India Inc’s honchos are experience better about the point out of the economic system as well as business. 
 
The increase in July-September BCI is a direct final result of an uptick in the financial activity more than the previous quarter. The unlocking of practically all corporations soon after the second COVID-19 wave, followed by the pickup in desire, has altered the outlook of small business leaders, in accordance to the survey.

Also Examine: Indian financial state poised to attain double-digit progress in FY22: PHDCCI
 
The BCI is dependent on a survey conducted with 500 CEOs and CFOs of firms across big, mid-sized and tiny organisations across 12 towns — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Nagpur, Kochi, Vizag and Bhubaneswar.
 
The survey, carried out between September 28 and Oct 4 is element of the October 31 concern of the Business enterprise Right now magazine, which is on stands now.
 
For the September quarter, the ratings on all five parameters integrated in the survey — overall economic circumstances, monetary problem, demand from customers disorders, income margins, and employing conditions — are far better than the prior examine.
 
The outlook for the up coming quarter — October-December 2021 — is also constructive across all parameters, the study suggests.
 
It more details out that 80 per cent of corporate leaders are economically prepared to deal with a possible 3rd COVID-19 wave. Yet another 45 for every cent believe the government’s asset monetisation pipeline would supply a sturdy boost to economic activity and work.  
 
Meanwhile, 63 per cent of respondents do not count on the cost of cash or desire outgo to raise in excess of the future just one yr, though 76 for each cent say the rollback of the moratorium and two-calendar year personal loan restructuring, provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the federal government, would enhance the money tension in the system.

The Small business Currently-C fore Business enterprise Assurance Survey, which captures the temper of corporate India, has come to be a bellwether of business and economic sentiment considering that its inception in January-March 2011.

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College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for top 25 games today in Week 5

Though this is only the fifth week of the 2021 college football season, plenty will be decided Saturday with multiple top-25 matchups on the slate and plenty of other ranked teams in action against tough opponents. Four straight weeks of unpredictable finishes and upsets have set the stage for what should be a wild remaining two thirds of the season.

There are four games between ranked opponents Saturday with with No. 8 Arkansas visiting No. 2 Georgia, No. 7 Cincinnati taking on No. 9 Notre Dame as a road favorite, Lane Kiffin’s No. 12 Ole Miss facing former boss Nick Saban’s No. 1 Alabama in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week, and undefeated Big 12 programs meeting when No. 21 Baylor travels to No. 19 Oklahoma State. In total, 23 ranked teams will be in action Saturday with the other two — No. 5 Iowa and No. 13 BYU — facing frequent opponents Friday night.

While winning is all that matters for the standings, we care about whether these teams will cover their spreads. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff on Saturday to the final whistle. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the fifth full Saturday of the season.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern

No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia

Latest Odds:

Georgia Bulldogs
-16.5

Noon | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — This massive spread seems like an overreaction to Georgia’s recent explosive offensive outings against overmatched foes. Don’t forget this team failed to score an offensive touchdown against Clemson in Week 1. Arkansas has proven its superiority against two quality opponents already this season, and those wins over Texas and Texas A&M will give it more than enough confidence to go Between the Hedges and give the Bulldogs a close fight. Prediction: Arkansas (+18.5) — David Cobb

No. 14 Michigan at Wisconsin

Latest Odds:

Wisconsin Badgers
-2

Noon | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — Given what I’ve written already, you’ve probably figured out which direction I’m heading. I know it’s been a while since Michigan has won in Madison, Wisconsin, and this will be the toughest test the Wolverines have faced so far (it’s their first road game), but I can’t trust Wisconsin. The Badgers offense has played too poorly, and this Michigan defense has been just as strong — if not better — as the Penn State and Notre Dame defenses that have suffocated it already this season. The Wisconsin defense will keep it close, but I do not see them winning this game unless the Badgers score on defense or special teams. Prediction: Michigan (+1) — Tom Fornelli

No. 7 Cincinnati at No. 9 Notre Dame

Latest Odds:

Cincinnati Bearcats
-2

2:30 p.m. | NBC, fuboTV (Try for free) — There’s just something startling about seeing Cincinnati favored at Notre Dame. The Bearcats are worthy favorites based on all the talent accumulated and the high standard set by coach Luke Fickell, but I’ll take the team that’s rolling right now. The Fighting Irish seem to come up with winning plays in close games every week, so if I think it’s going to be a close game, I’ll take the home dog that’s hot. Prediction: Notre Dame (+2) — Chip Patterson

No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama

Latest Odds:

Alabama Crimson Tide
-14.5

3:30 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — This 79.5 over/under in this game is the highest in an FBS game in four seasons, which suggests that both teams will have plenty of success moving up and down the field. That will play right into Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s hands. Ole Miss will use tempo, quarterback Matt Corral will have a banner day through the air and on the ground, and this game will be in doubt deep into the fourth quarter. In the end, Crimson Tide QB Bryce Young will make a couple of plays late to win an instant classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Bama will win but won’t cover. Prediction: Ole Miss (+14.5) — Barrett Sallee

Indiana at No. 4 Penn State

Latest Odds:

Penn State Nittany Lions
-12.5

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — Last season, the Hoosiers took advantage of turnovers en route to their best season in a long time. Their points off turnovers margin of +41 ranked in a tie for 10th nationally with Ohio State, but keep in mind the Hoosiers played in only eight games. This season, Indiana ranks 95th nationally with a points off turnovers margin of -7. If Indiana can take care of the football, it can hang with the Nittany Lions. Unfortunately, nothing I’ve seen from the Hoosiers has me confident they’ll be able to do that. Indiana keeps it close into the early third quarter, but Penn State puts the game away after that. Prediction: Indiana (-10.5) — Tom Fornelli

No. 22 Auburn at LSU

Latest Odds:

LSU Tigers
-3

9 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — I’ll take LSU to win and cover due in large part to Auburn’s recent defensive struggles. The Tigers from The Plains are giving up 6.5 yards per play, and the secondary will have a tough time stopping LSU QB Max Johnson and star wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. Don’t get me wrong, this won’t be a blowout — far from it — but Johnson will make a play or two late to get out of there with a win. Prediction: LSU (-3.5) — Barrett Sallee

Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 5, and which top 25 favorite will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,300 in profit over the past five-plus seasons — and find out.