Month: January 2021

NFL Turning Point dives into Dolphins’ miraculous Week 16 win

NFL Turning Point dives into Dolphins’ miraculous Week 16 win

You’ve seen it a million times by now — although it probably hasn’t gotten old yet, has it? Ryan Fitzpatrick, a hand clasped across his face, looking to the rafters, unfurling a perfect throw down the left sideline before falling into a tangled mess of bodies at the bottom of the pocket. And then, moments later, WR Mack Hollins cradling the ball as it falls out of the air and falling down and out of bounds to position Miami to do the unthinkable.

The play — can we call it the ‘FitzMiracle’? — helped the Dolphins’ season extend into Week 17 as the team pursues a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. And while the Dolphins must leave the play in the past and shift their focus entirely into taking care of business against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, Dolphins fans would be excused to continue to revel in the magic all week long.

But how did such a play come to be? NFL Films’ NFL Turning Point spotlighted Fitzpatrick’s heave to find out. And for anyone who isn’t a Las Vegas Raiders fan, it is well worth the watch:

Fitzpatrick’s experience undoubtedly played a large role in Miami’s decision to turn to him in crunch time. And while there is no amount of experience that could have helped that throw be any more perfect, Fitzpatrick knowing what to expect certainly helped him be effective into crunch time. Tua Tagovailoa will get his time in the sun; and with more experience he can hopefully make some magic plays like these for himself. And with Fitzpatrick now on the reserve/COVID-19 list, it will be up to Tagovailoa and only Tagovailoa to create any needed late game magic in Week 17 for the Dolphins.

Doug Pederson on Jalen Reagor’s lack of production stemming from ‘learning on the fly’

Doug Pederson on Jalen Reagor’s lack of production stemming from ‘learning on the fly’

Much has been made of the perceived lack of production from the No. 21 overall pick, Jalen Reagor who’ll forever be compared with Vikings star rookie, and No. 22 overall pick Justin Jefferson.

Reagor was one of six wide receivers taken in the first round and through 10 games, the former TCU star has 30 receptions for 381 yards and just one touchdown this season.

Reagor hasn’t topped more than 55 yards in a game, while also missing five games with a thumb injury.

During a recent zoom meeting, Pederson answered a question from Zach Berman of The Athletic, that harped on Reagor’s perceived “lack of production”, blaming it on the pandemic shortened offseason that had everyone “learning on the fly.”

“When you think about a [WR] Jalen Reagor for instance on offense, who didn’t have an off-season and really, we’re throwing him in there and he’s trying to learn on the fly, and it makes it a little more difficult for a guy like that.”

“You’re trying to point the finger in different directions. Obviously, Jalen is a talented guy and a lot of it will fall on us as coaches to prepare our players and get them ready. Then the other half of it falls on the player to get himself prepared and how well he comes in and understands and picks up the offense in this case.

“What was it week 2 against the Rams, is when he got hurt and now, he misses six weeks and now he’s done for six weeks. That growth process, you’re starting to see glimpses of it now, towards the end of the season with him that we were hoping for in weeks 3 and 4 in the regular season but he had the injury and it set him back.”

on Thursday, Reagor said his production “wasn’t enough for the team” while labeling his first season as “a test,” adding that he’s been through a lot that will help build his character.

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Peach Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Friday’s Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Georgia Bulldogs Peach Bowl odds and lines, with college football betting picks, tips and predictions.

The No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0) meet the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) New Year’s Day in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET. Below, we analyze Cincinnati-Georgia college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Rankings courtesy of the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.

Cincinnati vs. Georgia: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:50 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Cincinnati +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Georgia -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Cincinnati +8 (-110) | Georgia -8 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 52.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Cincinnati vs. Georgia: Three things to know

  1. Georgia’s two losses have come against top-10 teams: A 41-24 loss as a 6-point underdog at then-No. 2 Alabama Oct. 17 and 44-28 to then-No. 8 Florida as a 2.5-point favorite Nov. 7 in Jacksonville, Fla. Aside from those losses, the Bulldogs have won each game by at least 11 points, but only covered in four of their seven victories.
  2. After demolishing its seven first opponents by at least two touchdowns, Cincinnati has won its past two games by only three points apiece. The Bearcats beat the UCF 36-33 Nov. 21 and Tulsa 27-24 in the AAC Championship Game Dec. 19.
  3. The Bulldogs have the second-toughest schedule. The Bearcats have the 66th-toughest schedule, which is essentially why, even though they’re undefeated, why they never had much of a chance to make the College Football Playoff.

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Cincinnati vs. Georgia: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Georgia 38, Cincinnati 17

Money line (ML)

PASS. Georgia is the right side, but -350 is a little too pricey for me. I’d prefer to bet lay the points with the Bulldogs at a much cheaper price.

Against the spread (ATS)

This Georgia offense has hit a new stride since junior QB JT Daniels, a transfer from USC, made his Bulldog debut against Mississippi State Nov. 21. The Bulldogs have scored 31, 45 and 49 points in Daniels’ three starts with the latter two totals being the two highest-scoring games by Georgia this season.

However, Daniels has also benefitted from Georgia getting the most out of its ground game, which has rushed for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in each of the Bulldogs’ last two victories.

On the other side of the ball, Cincinnati’s offensive line is a middling unit: 85th in line yards per carry, 109th in power success rate and 98th in opportunity rate. It will have to block a Georgia rush defense that is one of the best units in the nation. Georgia has only allowed two opponents to gain more than 100 yards on the ground and none of the Bulldogs’ opponents have averaged more than 3.5 yards per rush in a game against them.

If Georgia can take away Cincinnati’s rushing attack, and establish its own ground game against a Bearcats defense which hasn’t played anyone nearly as good as the Bulldogs, then I am fine with betting GEORGIA -8 (-110). 

Over/Under (O/U)

Let’s follow the money and take OVER 52.5 (-105). According to Pregame.com, over 85% of the action is on the Over, which has pushed the number up from a 50.5-point opener.

I think Georgia putting up points is a given and six of the Bulldogs’ previous seven games coming into the Peach Bowl have gone Over the total. Also, Cincinnati’s offense is playing its best football at the end of the season and the Over has cashed in four of the last five Bearcats’ games.

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Additional college sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

Alabama / Auburn / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 rewind: 10 top Oklahoma City Thunder headlines of the year

The Oklahoma City Thunder were part of NBA headlines over the past year. Take a look at the most-read articles of 2020 on this site.

A playoff appearance that shocked the doubters. A season halted at Chesapeake Energy Arena. An offseason that resulted in trading the foundation of the team away.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had plenty of headlines throughout the season.

This review isn’t focused solely on those, though. This is a look at the articles that the readers liked the most. The most-clicked stories of 2020.

See the outcomes of trades, a Lu Dort highlight that snatched the attention of social media, a recall to the Seattle SuperSonics days when the NBA world was fascinated with the Last Dance, and other top Thunder news of the year.

Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Friday’s Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks NBA betting odds and lines, with basketball picks, tips and predictions.

The Chicago Bulls (2-3) visit the Milwaukee Bucks (2-3) Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Bulls-Bucks NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

After an 0-3 start, the Bulls took two on the road from the winless Washington Wizards (0-5), including Thursday’s 133-130 victory as 7.5-point underdogs. SF Otto Porter scored 28 points and SG Zach LaVine added 22 for a short-handed Chicago squad. PF Lauri Markkanen, SF Chandler Hutchison, PG Ryan Arcidiacono and SG Tomas Satoransky sat out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocol.

The Bucks are coming off a 119-108 road loss as 6.5-point favorites at the Miami Heat Wednesday, one night after routing the Heat 144-97 behind an NBA-record 29 3-pointers. In the loss, Milwaukee blew a third-quarter, 12-point lead, PF Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double (26 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) and SF Khris Middleton struggled on 3-for-15 shooting to finish with 8 points. Middleton scored 25 in Tuesday’s blowout, going 10-for-13 from the floor, including 4-for-5 on 3-pointers.

Milwaukee swept last season’s series vs. Chicago 4-0, winning by margins of 9, 14, 21 and 13. As a matter of fact, the Bucks have won the last 10 in a row vs. the Bulls, sweeping 4 games in 2018-19, too, and taking the final two of their four head-to-head games in 2017-18.

Bulls at Bucks: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:20 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Bulls +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000) | Bucks -2000 (bet $2,000 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Bulls +14.5 (-110) | Bucks -14.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 231.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Bulls at Bucks: Key Injuries

Bulls

  • PG Ryan Arcidiacono (COVID-19 protocol) out
  • SF Chandler Hutchison (COVID-19 protocol) out
  • PF Lauri Markkanen (COVID-19 protocol) out
  • SG Tomas Satoransky (COVID-19 protocol) out

Bucks

  • SG Torrey Craig (nasal surgery) out

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Bulls at Bucks: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bucks 131, Bulls 111

Money line (ML)

PASS. The Bucks (-2000) shouldn’t have a problem taking this one, but there’s no way anyone should risk 20 times the potential return.

Against the spread (ATS)

MILWAUKEE -14.5 (-110) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager. The Bucks are rested and should be a little bitter after Wednesday’s loss in Miami.

As for the Bulls? Playing on back-to-back nights minus four players and having to travel from D.C. to Milwaukee after Thursday night’s win is a tough task for any team. While they played well at Washington, notching two wins, expect them to run out of gas in the second half at Milwaukee.

ATS records: Bulls 3-2 | Bucks 2-3

Over/Under (O/U)

This could turn into a laugher, but the scoring shouldn’t be an issue. Back the OVER 231.5 (-115). The Bucks’ 124.2 points per game rank second in the league, while the Bulls defense is allowing 123.0 PPG to rank 28th.

O/U records: Bulls 3-2 | Bucks 4-1

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Johnny’s 2019-20 NBA record / Strongest plays 31-26-2 / 15-12
2020 overall record (all sports) 178-147-4
Strongest plays (all sports) 87-61-1

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Citrus Bowl: Auburn vs. Northwestern odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Friday’s Auburn Tigers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Citrus Bowl sports betting odds and lines, with college football betting picks, tips and predictions.

The Auburn Tigers (6-4) will lock horns with the Northwestern Wildcats (6-2) Friday in the VRBO Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. Below, we analyze the Auburn-Northwestern college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Northwestern is ranked No. 17 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.

Auburn vs. Northwestern: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:37 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Auburn +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Northwestern -190 (bet $190 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Auburn +4 (-110) | Northwestern -4 (-110)
  • Over/Under: 43.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Auburn vs. Northwestern: Three things to know

  1. Northwestern ranks fifth in scoring defense, allowing just 15.5 points per game. The Wildcats are coming off a grinder of a Big Ten Championship Game, a 22-10 loss to Ohio State Dec. 19. The 22 points allowed marked NU’s second-most in a game this season – it allowed 29 in a nine-point loss at Michigan State Nov. 28).
  2. Auburn last played Dec. 12, a 24-10 win at Mississippi State. The day after, the Tigers fired head coach Gus Malzahn and hired Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will serve as interim head coach vs. Northwestern.
  3. Auburn freshman RB Tank Bigsby could prove to be a big key against an NU defense, which was torched for 399 rushing yards (9.1 yards per carry) by Ohio State. Bigsby is coming off a 26-carry, 192-yard performance against Mississippi State. On the season, he’s rushed for 834 yards on 138 carries (6.0 yards per attempt). But Bigsby is also a feature name on a crowded midweek injury report (undisclosed-questionable). His status is one worth tracking down to the wire.

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Auburn vs. Northwestern: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Northwestern 20, Auburn 14

Money line (ML)

A lot of jobs will be auditioned for the changing-of-the-guard Tigers. But a lot of bodies could also be on the shelf for this one – and on both sides. PASS.

Against the spread (ATS)

The Tigers are 0-4 ATS against winning teams. The Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in such situations.

The Northwestern defense does a tremendous job of keeping offenses off schedule and then forcing turnovers. On what figures as breezy day in Central Florida, look for more of the same against an Auburn offense which hasn’t had answers and is ready to move forward with new answers and new personnel.

Take NORTHWESTERN -4 (-110) but perhaps as a partial-unit play on a light-to-moderate lean.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Under is 7-1 in NU’s eight games … and 5-0 in follow-up games after AU straight-up wins.

That’s the lean in a game with quite a few understudies manning the controls. Take the UNDER 43.5 (-105).

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Additional college sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

Alabama / Auburn / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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LSU picks up offensive lineman for 2021 class

The LSU Tigers signed 20 players in December’s early signing period for the class of 2021. It was good enough to give the Tigers

The LSU Tigers signed 20 players in December’s early signing period for the class of 2021. It was good enough to give the Tigers the No. 4 class in the country, according to 247Sports.

Just one hour into 2021, LSU picked up another addition for its incoming class.

Three-star offensive lineman, Kimo Makaneole, announced on Twitter he would be committing to Ed Orgeron and LSU.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Makaneole plays his high school football at Niceville High School in Niceville, Florida. Previously committed to Florida State, Makaneole backed out of his pledge to the Seminoles earlier this week after an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge.

Makaneole is the second offensive lineman to commit to the Tigers for the 2021 class, and Orgeron could look to add one or two more either before national signing day in February or via the transfer portal.

Makaneole will play guard for the Tigers.

LSU remains firmly in the mix for five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh, who is expected to make his college decision this weekend.

Iowa State vs Oregon: PlayStation Fiesta Prediction, Game Preview

Iowa State vs Oregon: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl prediction and game preview.

Iowa State vs Oregon: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl prediction and game preview.

Iowa State vs Oregon: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Broadcast

Date: Saturday, January 2
Game Time: 4:00 pm ET
Venue: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Network: ESPN

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Iowa State (8-3) vs Oregon (4-2) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM 

Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

– It’s the Bowl of Misfit Teams, starting with Oregon winning the Pac-12 Championship over USC after Washington wasn’t able to go due to COVID issues. Iowa State had a great second half of the season, but started with a 17-point loss to Louisiana and ended with a Big 12 Championship defeat against Oklahoma.

However, this is a good Cyclone team that’s going to be fired up to close strong, and Oregon has a very young, very talented team that fought through key preseason opt-outs and now wants to make a statement going into the 2021 season.

– Duck head coach Mario Cristobal is locked into a long contract extension, the recruiting has been fantastic, and he has two straight Pac-12 titles under his belt. Oregon never quite found a groove in the shortened season, but the offense is efficient, the defense stepped up when it needed to against USC, and again, talent isn’t a question. Iowa State is a good, sound, experienced team, but the Ducks have the next-level guys across the board.

– Most of the blue blood programs that get into the big bowls just throw the appearance on to the pile. This is a big deal for Iowa State, and the hope is for it to be a moment that takes the program to another level when it comes to national perception.

After losing to Oklahoma, Iowa State still has never won an outright conference title despite playing football since the late 1800s, and this is just the 16th bowl appearance. It hasn’t been pretty going 4-11 so far and 1-5 in the last six including two straight losses under Campbell, and now this is a chance to correct that, and to make amends for last year’s brutal 33-9 loss to Notre Dame in the Camping World.

– Why Iowa State Will Win
– Why Oregon Will Win
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History

NEXT: Why Iowa State Will Win, Why Oregon Will Win, Iowa State vs Oregon Prediction

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Ole Miss vs Indiana: Outback Prediction, Game Preview

Ole Miss vs Indiana: Outback Bowl prediction and game preview.

Ole Miss vs Indiana: Outback Bowl prediction and game preview.

Ole Miss vs Indiana: Outback Bowl Broadcast

Date: Saturday, January 2
Game Time: 12:30 pm ET
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Network: ABC

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Ole Miss (4-5) vs Indiana (6-1) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM 

Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The Outback Bowl

– Be mad if this isn’t fun. These are two teams that play a fun style of football, they’re going to be fired up to be in a prime Saturday bowl game, and they’re both very, very well coached.

It’s been a better first year at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin than the record might indicate. The offense led the SEC and was third in the country with QB Matt Corral bombing away for close to 3,000 yards, but the defense – and this is a good thing for your bowl enjoyment – is awful. Indiana should help make this a shootout.

– The Hoosiers probably deserve a New Year’s Six bowl – its only loss came on the road in a close fight to Ohio State – and now this is a chance to show the College Football Playoff committee made a mistake with the No. 11 final ranking. QB Jack Tuttle and WR Ty Fryfogle should go off on the soft Rebel secondary.

– The Outback has been a Big Ten vs. SEC matchup ever since the change from the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1996. The SEC holds a 15-10 advantage, but the two conferences are 3-3 in the last six. Indiana hasn’t won a bowl game since 1991 with five straight losses – the last three in painfully close battles – and Ole Miss has won seven of its last eight with the last trip in 2015.

– Why Ole Miss Will Win
– Why Indiana Will Win
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History

NEXT: Why Ole Miss Will Win, Why Indiana Will Win, Ole Miss vs Indiana Prediction

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3 takeaways from Thunder’s 33-point loss to Pelicans

The Oklahoma City Thunder finally looked like a team in rebuild mode. On New Year’s Eve, the Thunder lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 113-80. After keeping the game close through the better part of three quarters, OKC fell behind by double digits in …

The Oklahoma City Thunder finally looked like a team in rebuild mode.

On New Year’s Eve, the Thunder lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 113-80. After keeping the game close through the better part of three quarters, OKC fell behind by double digits in the final minute of the third quarter and then utterly collapsed in the fourth, putting up only seven points in the frame.

With that, Oklahoma City falls to 1-3 on the year while the Pelicans made up for their own bad loss to the Phoenix Suns the game before.

Here are three takeaways from the Thunder’s Thursday night performance: