The pros at FiveStarPick.com have been working overtime to disect and break-down this bust of a game tonight between the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6 SU, 4-8 against the spread) and the Cleveland Browns (1-11 SU, 6-6 against the spread.)  Las Vegas sportsbooks list the Steelers as 10-point road favorites with a total of 33.

Cleveland has been the laughing stock of the NFL this season, but for bettors they’ve cashed in their last three games including last week’s 30-23 loss to San Diego as a 13.5-point home dog. The Chargers were up 30-14 on a 22-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding with 4:16 remaining, but the Browns got the backdoor cover after an 8-yard TD pass from Brady Quinn to Jerome Harrison with two minutes to play.  The Browns got the ball back and tacked on a field goal to make it a one-possession game, but they would get no closer.

Quinn has looked solid as of late utilizing his two rookie recievers, Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massoquoi. Last week Quinn completed 25-of-45 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. As a matter of fact, over the last three weeks Quinn has seven TD passes and no interceptions. The aforementioned Robiskie had four receptions for 69 yards against the Bolts, while Massaquoi had five catches for 115 yards in a 38-37 loss at Detroit three weeks ago.

The Steelers, on the other hand, really looked like crap last week falling to Oakland 27-24 at home as 14.5 point favorites. Ben & Co. might be without WR Hines Ward, who is listed as “questionable” with a hamstring injury. Ward and Ben Roethlisberger have combined to win two Super Bowls, but their personal history together has been suspect. Ward recently questioned Roethlisberger’s toughness in a loss at Baltimore a few weeks ago when he was scratched due to lingering concussion symptoms.

Pittsburgh is one of four teams who are one game back of the Jags for the AFC’s last wild-card spot. They are in this pickle mostly because of their road struggles, compliling a 2-4 record both SU and against the spread when away from Heinz Field.

Tomlin’s team has been a nightmare as a double-digit ‘chalk’ in 2009, going 0-4 against the spread. A big reason is the abscense of Pro-Bowl Safety Troy Polamalu, who will miss his fourth straight game tonight. The defense has given up fourth-quarter leads in each of the last three losses.

In their last meeting, the Steelers took a 27-14 decision, but Cleveland backers took the money as a 14-point underdog.

The conditions will be a major factor tonight with the low temperature at 14 degrees with heavy wind and snow. Winds could be in the 25-35 mph range.

So who covers the spread in tonight’s Thursday Night Football matchup?  It’s very easy to find out.  Try FiveStarPick.com tonight for just ($19.99) and see if our talent for picking college and pro football winners exceeds your expectations.  We are the only sports handicapping service in the business who documents wins and losses and displays them on our homepage for all to witness.  It’s because we have nothing to hide…we just win games against the spread.  Join our family today and start your winning streak tonight.

Rick Riley – FiveStarPick.com

The pros at FiveStarPick.com are coming off a 2-1 against the spread Sunday in the NFL as we gave our members the Dolphins -10, the Over 47 in the Chargers/Eagles and the Patriots +3 last night.  Today we are focused on Monday Night Football and the rivalry between the former Cleveland Browns and the current Cleveland Browns.  Las Vegas sportsbooks list the Baltimore Ravens as 11-point road favorties with a total of 39.5. 

Baltimore is currently sitting at 4-4 and is in desperate need of a victory.  The Ravens started the season winning three straight games. The offense was crushing opponents behind second-year quarterback Joe Flacco with victories over the Chiefs, Chargers, and Browns. Baltimore then proceeded to lose their next three games, falling to New England, Cincinnati and Minnesota.

The losses to the Bengals and Vikings could have gone either way. Cincinnati scored the go-ahead touchdown with under 30 seconds remaining and covered the 9-point spread, 17-14.  In Minnesota, Baltimore rallied from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to take a late 31-30 lead, before Brett Favre and his 2-minute drill drove far enough down to kick the game-winning field goal. The Ravens covered as three-point road dogs, 33-31.

After a bye week, Baltimore thought they had it figured out pounding the unbeaten Denver Broncos, 30-7, but the Ravens could not capitalize off the Broncos’ victory losing to Cincinnati again the following week, 17-7.

The Browns have really sucked this season, and there are several reasons why…Eric Mangini, Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.  Quinn got the starting job at the beginning of the season, but threw just one touchdown and three interceptions in three losses.  Quinn was benched in favor of Anderson, who didn’t play much better.  The lone Browns’ win was a 6-3 snore-fest at Buffalo under Anderson.

As fare as anyone reading this story is concerned, the Browns covered three straight games in which Anderson started including the Bengals, Bills and Steelers.  In the last two games Anderson started, the former Pro-Bowl QB led the Browns to a total of nine points in losses to the Packers and Bears.

Quinn will come of the bench tonight to try and rejuvinate his career and hopefully lead this Browns team to there 5th touchdown of the season.  Did I just say 5th touchdown of the season? Can that be right?

Baltimore has won the last three meetings against the Browns with the last Ravens win coming by the score of 34-3.

So who covers the spread in tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup?  It’s very easy to find out.  Try FiveStarPick.com tonight for just ($19.99) and see if our talent for picking college and pro football winners exceeds your expectations.  We are the only sports handicapping service in the business who documents wins and losses and displays them on our homepage for all to witness.  It’s because we have nothing to hide…we just win games against the spread.  Join our family today and start your winning streak tonight.

Rick Riley – FiveStarPick.com

FiveStarPick.com is coming off a blistering 3-0 start to the NFL season as we gave our over 3000 members two 1st half against the spread winners and a parlay winner in Thursday night’s opener.  Today we look to continue the trend as we give against the spread winners in two NFL matchups.  The focus of this preview is today’s 1:00pm game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns.  Las Vegas sportsbooks list the Vikings as 3.5-point road favorites with a total of 40.  THIS LINE IS DEAD WRONG!!!

The Vikings went 10-6 last year to win the NFC North, but quickly bowed out of the playoffs with a Wild Card-round loss to Philadelphia.  With a potent running game led by Adrian Peterson and a solid defense, Minnesota went in search of an upgrade at quarterback this off-season.  First, they traded for Sage Rosenfels, but mid-way through the exhibition season the Vikes talked Favre into coming back, and he is fully expected to be the starter the rest of this year.

In 2006 the Browns went 4-12. Then, with QB Derek Anderson throwing the ball all over the field, Cleveland went 10-6 in ‘07 and nearly made the playoffs. But last year, playing with the expectation of a post-season appearance, Cleveland collapsed, won just four games, and parted ways with head coach Romeo Crennel. They then replaced him with another Belichick disciple, Eric Mangini, who went 23-25 in three years as head man with the Jets, and got canned after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs last year.  And although he tried to keep it a secret, Mangini has supposedly decided that former Golden Domer Brady Quinn will start at QB for the Browns Sunday.

Minnesota went just 6-10 against the spread last season, and 3-5 against the spread on the road.  The Browns went 7-9 against the spread last year and 3-1 against the spread as home dogs.

The Vikes went 3-1 both SU and against the spread during this just-completed exhibition season, beating the Colts, Chiefs and Texans, and losing to the Cowboys. Cleveland, meanwhile, just went 2-2 both SU and against the spread this preseason, beating the Lions and Titans and losing to the Packers and Bears.

So who covers the spread today?  It’s very easy to find out.  Try FiveStarPick.com for a month ($99.99) and see if our talent for picking college and pro football winners exceeds your expectations.  We are the only sports handicapping service in the business who documents wins and losses and displays them on our homepage for all to witness.  It’s because we have nothing to hide…we just win games against the spread.  Join our family today and start your winning streak tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com