Bet ✓ : NCAAF Ranking$

 Let's beat our chest a little bit: Not only has Georgia been my No .1 team for several weeks, we've been telling you Alabama was on the verge of serious trouble. 

 We've also been tracking Michigan for a while as a national title contender you could buy very low on; with Penn St. being the Top-5 miss that let us down last week. But while not entirely sold on Oklahoma or Cincinnati, we're not giving up on Penn State - still in our Bet ✓ Top-10 - and Florida to keep us within walking distance of the 💰 window. 

 Here is another Bet ✓ heading into Week 7. (Note: Manny Diaz is still the head coach of the University of Miami football team. So, please call for help if you're still on Fantasy Island.)

1.) Georgia: Anymore questions about the Bulldogs not being worthy of top status -- at least for now? Georgia, significantly better coached than Alabama, in addition to having a deeper roster, better be careful with Florida. Track them under totals for spot value.

2.) Ohio State: The defense appears to have caught up with the offense. And that spells trouble for the rest of the Big 10 and CFP candidates. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are thisclose right now -- when it comes to deciding who has the better team. 

3.) Cincinnati: The Bearcats, showing no mercy on the scoreboard in recent weeks, have a long road to travel. But will remain in the conversation - at least - if they remain undefeated. 

4.) Alabama: Saint Nick gets a lot of credit -- and deservedly so -- but all this noise about having a pro coaching staff might be a bit overvalued. Especially, if you've watched Alabama get outplayed recently. Can they solve all their problems, and they have many, in time for the SEC Championship Game? Unlikely.

5.) Oklahoma: Only because the Sooners are still undefeated and riding in off a miraculous win over Texas. But uncertainty at QB and an unstable defense at this stage in the season doesn't paint a perfect picture moving forward. Keep grabbing those points vs. the Sooners.

6.) Michigan: Good, not great, on both sides of the ball has been plenty enough to make up for a few coaching mishaps. But a cleansing is in order before Ohio State week if the Wolverines are to go from being a nice story to national title contender.

 

First down: No. 1 Georgia is clearly the top team in the nation.

7.) Iowa: Just getting by Penn State at home gives you the right to start some Big 10 beef. But is it good enough to be taken seriously as a CFP contender? 

8.) Penn State: Injury at QB could derail what is a solid roster from top to bottom in Happy Valley. But don't close the door on a New Year's bowl invite just yet. 

9.) Florida: The Gators still intrigue, despite losses to two undefeated teams at the time they played them. Dark horse to make CFP -  if they win the rest of their games.

10.) Kentucky: I know, I know. But the Wildcats are not as good as Florida. And don't have the national allure just yet. That stuff matters with committee voters. And smart bettors. 

Bet ✓: NFL Ranking$

 The Dolphins are hopeless at this point. 

 And so are you if you think a team incapable of moving the football downfield with one quick strike in this day and age -- never mind lacking one true marketable superstar -- is going to make any kind of playoff push or get you to the 💰 window.  

 But look on the bright side: The Dolphins, short favs vs. the Jaguars this week, play in London on Sunday, so you can watch off the terrible fish smell early before making plans to be on one beach or golf course. It's time for a 'Bet' ✓ post-Week 5:

 1.) Cowboys: That's five straight ATS covers for a team routinely ridiculed. Only this version of 'Jerry Kid's' is deep and talented across the board. Yes. Even on defense. Keep going against the market still enamored with Tommy and Bradley Cooper, while you scream 'How 'Bout Them Cowboys ?!!?'

 2.) Chargers: See above. A star quarterback, above-average defense and quality head coach will move you up the chart quickly. Another team you might want to buy low on right now.

 3.) Packers: See a trend here, right? 🌟 quarterback, above-average defense and competent head coach with the ability to adjust on the fly has allowed for a few heart-pounding escapes. The next four games, all against 2020 playoff teams, including Arizona, will let us know who the Packers really are.

 4.) Steelers: I'm not jumping off now. Too much talent across the board, as evidenced on Sunday, to believe Pittsburgh can't make a run through January -- especially with an improving OL and young 🌟 RB. 

 5.) Bills: Attitude-building ATS road take vs. Kansas City on SNF can only improve a 🌟 quarterback's profile, while bring a massive defense line to the forefront. Only thing going against the Bills can be asked with one question: How good is the AFC East?

 

No. 1: Can the Cowboys (4-1 SU, 5-0 ATS) improve to 5-1 SU for the first time since Dak Prescott's rookie season - with a SU win in New England on Sunday afternoon?

 6.) Panthers: Not very impressive to the naked eye, but built to last through January. Carolina has also improved it's roster significantly in recent weeks. Keep playing those under totals.

 7.) Cardinals: Sexy pick all of a sudden. But let's see more from a run defense which has shown cracks on occasion before we think the 'Birds can go bowling. In the meantime, track those over totals.

 8.) Rams: Something seems off on offense, despite the ATS win in Seattle. Can the Rams score enough to be considered a major player late into the season? Keep your soup warm.

9.) Browns: Do you trust Baker Mayfield enough to keep betting on the Browns?  Cleveland will go as far as their OL takes them.

10.) Bucs: Thumbs up - for the time being. But this team is no sure thing to get back to the Super Bowl. Especially with significant injuries on  offense, and Richard Sherman in your secondary. 

Opening roar: Penguins @ Panthers

 Ready for some NHL hockey .. Panthers' fans? 

 Save your best roar for Opening Night on Thursday, Oct. 14 when your Florida Panthers host the Pittsburgh Penguins at FLA Live Arena to drop the puck on the 2021-22 season.

  The young and talented Panthers, fresh off signing captain and Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov to an eight-year, $80 million extension, promise to keep you on the edge of your seat all season long with the kind of cold-blooded wrist shots and tight defense that will make them a serious threat in the Atlantic Division. 

   And as if that wasn't enough to want to check Sidney Crosby through the boards, the first 10,000 fans in attendance at FLA Live Arena on Opening Night will receive a Panthers magnetic schedule, courtesy of Bally Sports Florida.

  Tickets for Opening Night can be purchased now for as low as $41 at www.floridapanthers.com.

  Puck drops at 7 p.m. 

 

Home Opener: The Panthers host the Penguins on Thursday, Oct. 14 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Panthers magnetic schedule courtesy of Bally Sports Florida.

Well-done: Anthony's Coal Fired 🍕

  Who wouldn't love a fresh and handcrafted pizza with Italian plum-inspired tomato sauce and charred crust made in a fire coal oven - especially if you're in the South Florida area and ready to start your weekend with delicious 🍕? 

 Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza still hits the spot - whether you're getting ready for dinner with focaccia bread in Coral Gables or lounging over coal-roasted chicken wings in Ft. Lauderdale.

 Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, a homegrown pizzeria founded by Anthony Bruno over two decades ago and currently operating over 25 locations throughout Florida, will make any 🍕 aficionado - like myself - feel right at home,  starting with a pot of savory meatballs lathered in harvested tomato sauce before moving onto a meatball pizza prepared with the perfect amount of Italian plum-inspired tomato sauce - on a charred thin crust. 

 And if that isn't enough for the biggest 🍕🍕 🍕 lover in your family, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, regularly open from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., also provides an old-world vibe amid a vibrant atmosphere -- ideal for the entire family.

  

Just right: Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, with over 25 locations throughout the South Florida area, is regularly open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

 #anthonyscoalfiredpizza #southflorida #miami #marketing #copywriter #football #watchparty #content #copy #food #pizza #chickenwings 

  

Bet ✓: Week 5 NFL Picks

  Still sold on Tua as the future in Miami?

  If so, I'd hate to see your bankroll through four weeks of NFL games because the former first round pick has yet to develop as a downfield passer and probably never will. 

 But enough about the Dolphins problems on offense because we need to take a Bet ✓ of the Week 5 betting board. (Note: The lines and totals I use on here are set by me.)

 Dolphins @ Bucs, Sun.,1 p.m., under 48

Miami is 2-0 ATS on the road, but unfortunately can't find the end zone with any regularity - no matter who is starting at QB. Now, they play a Tampa squad, who has their own problems, plenty of injuries included, and without another top receiver. The Bucs are also coming off a hyped SNF game and could be a bit flat at the jump.

 Jets vs. Falcons, Sun., 9:30 a.m.

 A little American football with your scrambled eggs and English muffins, please. Zach Wilson built some momentum late last week and now gets a shot at a weak Atlanta secondary. The Jets also have an underrated defensive line that will get after Matt Ryan. Pass another cup of tea .. and the points.

  

Extra tea: The Jets play the Falcons, Sunday morning in England. 

 Broncos @ Steelers, Sun., 1 p.m.

 Buy very low on the Steelers (-1), laying a short number at home, and with just about everyone digging space for their grave. Don't be surprised if Mike Tomlin replaces Big Ben at some point, but the Steelers will eventually get by the overvalued Broncos.

 Bills @ Chiefs, Sun., 8:20 p.m.

 Buffalo (+2.5) is better than Kansas City right now, and also has a slight edge at quarterback and coaching. The road team has also been pretty good on Sunday Night Football - if you've been paying ttention.

 Colts @ Ravens, Mon., 8:15 p.m., under 46

 Indianapolis, for all their struggles to move the ball, has been respectable on defense and always causes Baltimore matchup problems for some reason. It's also hard to believe the Ravens are going to all of a sudden air it out.

 #nfl #betting #miami #bets #mnf #snf #jets #london #undertotal #steelers #bigben 

Bet ✓: College football pick$

 Oregon's stagnant offense and some questionable decisions by coach Mario Cristobal led to a straight up loss, and quite a bad beat for those who had betting tickets on the Ducks as (-8.5) road favs at Stanford last week. 

 But let's not bother with the social media club enamored - for some reason - with the idea of Cristobal being the perfect choice to replace Manny Diaz in Coral Gables, because we have no time to set up a fundraiser for the University of Miami athletic department. And let's be real: James Franklin and Luke Fickle are not jumping out of a spiced up Audi to repair a burning Toyota.

Time for a Bet ✓ before you go to the betting window for Week 6. (Note: All lines and totals are estimates using my own projections.)

Temple (+29) @ #5 Cincinnati, Friday, 7 p.m.

You just wrapped up a date with your dream blonde. Now, you somehow have to get through lunch with your twice-married college flame who has blown up over the years, if you what I mean. The Bearcats, coming off arguably their biggest win in school history as road favs at Notre Dame, turn their attention to the lowly Owls - on short rest. Temple stays within the number. 

#6 Oklahoma vs. Texas (+3), Saturday, Noon

 Can Oklahoma, staying afloat despite lackluster offense so far this season, survive another 'Red River' episode with Spencer Rattler being just average? Look for Texas, not relying entirely on young QB Casey Thompson, to put a big workload on RB Bijan Robinson yet again and control the pace of the game despite injuries along their offensive line. A big turnover could factor in the final outcome as well. 

   

Laces up: Oklahoma meets Texas in another edition of the The Red River Rivalry on Saturday afternoon in Dallas, Texas 

  WForest @ 'Cuse (+6.5), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

 The Orange has already knocked off a ranked opponent as home underdogs this season -- something coach Dino Babers has been pretty good at since arriving in Northern NY. In Dino We Trust ..

  LSU @ #16 UK, Under 51 , Saturday, 7:30 p.m. 

  The Tigers have serious issues on their offensive line, putting plenty of responsibility on QB Max Johnson. And if that wasn't enough, they struggle to stop the run, which just might be Kentucky's recipe on offense. The Wildcats are also coming off a huge upset win over Florida. Take the under the total bet to the 💰 window.

Extra pick: 

Penn State @ Iowa, Under 41.5, Saturday, 4 p.m.

(I'm 12-10 in college football, including 2-3 last week, and 25-16 overall NFL selections. If you enjoy my work on here and would like to connect let's do it on Instagram at miami_by_fernie ) 

 #collegefootball #bets #week6 #picks #homefav #underdog #betting 

  

 

Bet ✓: NFL Ranking$

  Are you still awake staring at the ceiling because you can't get over how good Justin Herbert is .. and your favorite NFL team has serious problems moving the football down the field? 

 Unfortunately, it looks as if the Dolphins, who opted for Tua Tagovailoa instead of Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft, will play out the 2021 season without a true downfield passer who routinely settles for a check down option -- even when and if Tagovailoa returns from injured reserve. 

 In the meantime, the Dolphins can rest their hopes to stay relevant on a stingy defense. Let's take a 'Bet √' of the rest of the NFL in time for Week 5. (Note: My rankings are based on betting value and projections:)

 1.) Cowboys:  The defense is turning turnovers into points and their depth is showing up despite several key injuries. Buy low -- both week-to week and long-term -- because this time it's for real. And you can start screaming one question at your best friend every time she calls to brag about her new iPhone: 'How 'bout them Cowboys!?!' 

2.) Chargers: A star quarterback and arguably the best defensive line in the league will be plenty to silence the 'road crowd' for the rest of the season. 

3.) Raiders: The Raiders, outside of getting cut up in the middle of the field by the Chargers tight ends and being out coached on occasion, matched their AFC West rival's physicality for much of MNF. A couple bottles of your favorite sports drink might do the Raiders good to get things going after the opening whistle, though.

4.) Browns: Don't feel sorry for Baker Mayfield, and go get your shoulder pads at that garage sale. And track the under points total for value on a very good defense. 

5.) Bills: Whipping up on Washington, the Dolphins and Texans might not be reason enough to earn the Bills Top-5 credentials, but its the way they've totally manhandled their opponents over the past three weeks that has them trending up. And hitting those over totals.

 6.) Packers: Just enough - so far - to stay relevant. But getting past the 49ers on a last -second field goal and looking alright against an uninspiring Steelers squad in consecutive weeks won't move you .. very quickly. Let's see more.

7.) Cardinals: Kyler Murray is turning the corner from inconsistent middler to fringe star. And the Cardinals, while their run defense has to be better, just put the rest of the league on notice. 

 8.) Bucs: Is this team really good or an over - hyped Super Bowl champ marketed around an all-time player who helped beat a Washington Football Team on its third quarterback, and soft Green Bay and Kansas City defensive squads last season? Track under points total on a weekly basis - if you want to find value going against the Buccaneers. 

 

Shielding issues: Are the Bucs, coming off a narrow win vs. New England, really a serious Super Bowl contender?

 9.) Panthers: Above-average defensive line and competent coaching staff makes Carolina a dark horse and smart bet to win NFC South.

 10.) Rams: Time to put more meat and less broth in those innovative playbooks. They do belong to Sean McVay, right?

#nfl #powerrankings #miami #dolphins #totals #underover #bet #value #nfcsouth #cowboys #content