It was a busy day with a lot of exciting, exasperating NFL action. The 3-1 NFL Degenerate kicked off the day with the Giants +9.5 and Big Blue would have won but for another 4th quarter defensive meltdown. They still covered easily, losing 28-27 to the Colts and lifting NFLD to 4-1. Next to finish was the Eagles-Texans. NFLD took the Birds -2.5 and they won 32-30 on a last second FG. Darn you half-a-point. (4-2.) The Packers were giving 3 at the Jets and Green Bay was out of it until the typical 4th quarter Aaron Rodgers heroics. The teams went to OT tied at 38, easily beating the 47.5 over (5-2), then the Pack scored a TD on its first possession to win it, and cover, 44-38. (6-2.) The late-game pick had the Saints giving 6.5 to the Steelers and Drew Brees led the Saints to a home field clinching win, but only by a FG, 31-28. The NFL Degenerate now stands at 6-3.
Today’s “First Touchdown” BoopProps only had one winner (Brandon Bolden for Miami), but that one winner paid 50-1. In our Philly Props bet, we needed Eagles receiver Golden Tate to catch passes for 39 yards or more. QB Nick Foles threw for 471 yards, but only 13 of them were to Tate. How is that possible?
In the second day of Mick McMudder handicapping action, one big winner also carried the day. Mick put a $20 W/P/S wager on 1-Uncontested in the Laurel 3 and Uncontested won. The $60 wager paid $498. In Laurel 9, 2-Worth His Salt ran gamely after only a three-day layoff but lost by a nose at the wire. In his Aqueduct 7 superfecta box, the 6 horse scratched. Racing now takes a few days off so the horses can enjoy Christmas.
In the Sunday Teaser, Rider lost interest in a neutral site game against a struggling Cal St. Northridge team. Giving only 5 should have been a lock, especially when the Broncs went up 8 at halftime. But Northridge came back to win 81-80. Rider’s lack of D allowed Northridge to shoot 56% from the field and 45% from three. Rider is by far the Matadors’ best win of the season. The Bucknell-TCU game thus became moot. We took TCU giving 7.5 and the Horned Frogs handled the full spread, winning 82-65.
In NHL action, the hockey gods did not smile upon us. The Devils did not rock The Rock, losing to the Blue Jackets 3-0. We thought the Flyers and Rangers would play a barnburner and go over 5.5, but the Flyers won 3-2. And the Stars played like black holes at home against the Islanders, who beat them 3-1.