SuperBook Sports previews the weekend ahead

CFB: The 124^th annual Army-Navy Game @ Gillette Stadium

If you’re one of the many who simply can’t stand what’s happening to college football – NIL, the transfer portal and mega conference that dismiss age-old rivalries – then good news is on the horizon.

The Army Black Knights will take on the Navy Midshipmen this Saturday.

Neither team is vying for a spot in the CFP. Neither team has a coach named Prime. Neither team gives a damn about grooming players for the NFL in a west coast offense. And nobody cares; this is college football at its purest.

The game’s history is what makes it so fun. After 123 meetings, Navy leads, 62–54–7. In other words, it’s been a fairly even rivalry. There have been stretches – like when Navy won every game from 2002 to 2015 – but it’s the most recent trend that might dictate how you wager, as Army has won five of the last seven, including last year’s 20-17 overtime victory at Lincoln Financial Field. The Black Knights are currently a 3.0-point favorite heading into the game.

For better or worse, neither team has fared very well this season, both coming into the game at 5-6. In any given year, the service academies often present problems for more traditional programs, as very few teams utilize the old-school ground attack that Army, Navy and Air Force deploy. But what makes this game tricky is that if anyone knows how to stop this type of offense, it’s them. After all, they see it every day in practice. 

Perhaps the best comparable game on the schedule is the mutual matchup against Air Force. Army spoiled the Falcons undefeated season by storming into Colorado and shocking Air Force with a 23-3 win. Two weeks earlier, the Falcons paid Navy a visit and came away with a workmanlike 17-6 win. Given the style and familiarity of those three opponents, that might be the most effective method of predicting this year’s Army-Navy game, and likely why the Black Knights are the favorite.

Bud Parmalee’s Pick: Army-Navy OVER 27.5

Wait, did you say 27.5? That’s right, and it’s not a first half total, either. It might sound low, but it’s not an unreasonable line, with both teams – naturally – being tacticians. This one is all about strategy, thus the extremely low point total. In fact, Navy has been involved in four games this season in which the under would have paid, while Army has played in two. In terms of their common game against Air Force, the under paid in both matchups. However, when these two teams meet up each December, this total has been too low. In their last 10 meetings, a point total of 27 or less has only happened three times. Their last two meetings have resulted in final scores totaling 30 and 37 respectively.

In a game where history matters, let’s go with recent history and a point total worth rooting for. Besides, nobody wants to see any of the service academies ever lose, so let’s root for points. Thus, in one of the toughest games to bet on the schedule every year, go with the OVER, and look for a 16-13 for Army to get the job done.

NFL: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

The headline for Week 14 in the NFL is centered around “Sunday Night Football.” The top two teams in the NFC will do battle for what could decide who gets the No. 1 seed.

But while everyone in America is focused on Philadelphia and Dallas, Detroit seems to be flying under the radar. At 9-3, the Lions have the same record as the Cowboys and are just one game back of the Eagles. With a win at Chicago, and a Philadelphia loss, they will be tied for the best record in the NFC and more than in the mix for that coveted first round bye.

After an unexpected loss on Thanksgiving, the Lions bounced back with a win over the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Although it was closer than expected, the Lions got the win and will now travel to Chicago to play the Bears, who are coming off their bye week.

Chicago hasn’t had the season they hoped for, as the Bears currently have a record of 4-8 and are essentially eliminated from the playoffs. Nonetheless, this is still a divisional game and both teams will be motivated to get the W.

The Lions are led by quarterback Jared Goff, who has had one of the best seasons of his career. Goff has thrown for 20 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

His main target is wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who already has over 1,000 yards this season. The Lions’ rushing attack has also contributed to Goff’s success. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmry Gibbs are arguably the league’s best RB duo, combining for over 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns already this season.

The Bears are led by Justin Fields. Fields has been injured for the better part of this year, but he has thrown for just 12 touchdowns and has six interceptions. Wide receiver D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet have been the bright spots on offense this year. Moore has over 1,000 yards this season and both have five or more touchdowns.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Detroit -3.0 (-110)

Chicago’s offense ranks 20th overall and its defense is even lower at 27th overall. The Bears are currently 3.0-point home underdogs to the Lions, but it should be more. The Lions have their sights set on the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the Bears are thinking about what to do with their first-round draft picks.

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Philadelphia Eagles in what is probably the highest-stakes game of the season thus far. At 10-2, the Eagles are in the driver’s seat for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. However, the Cowboys are one of the teams that are knocking on the door.

The Cowboys have won four games in a row since losing to Philadelphia in Week 9. This is seemingly their last chance to not only win the NFC East, but to potentially take control of the conference as a whole.

Dallas enters this game as a 3.5-point home favorite, due in large part to its balance on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys have the league’s best offense, scoring 32.3 points per game, and the fourth-best defense, surrendering just 18.3. They outscore their opponents by an average of nearly 14 points every week.

The only knock on the Cowboys is that they haven’t shown that they can beat a high level of competition. Last week’s 41-35 win over the Seattle Seahawks was the first time this season in which they beat a team with a winning record.

Another important piece to this game is the rest that both teams have had since their last game. The Cowboys haven’t played since Nov. 30, while the Eagles last game was last Sunday. This late in the season, those extra rest days combined with the fact that they won’t have to travel is nothing but good for Dallas and nothing but bad for Philly.

Last week, the Eagles played a well-rested team. They were blown out by the 49ers.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Dallas Moneyline (-180)

This one should be a thrilling NFC East matchup on Sunday night. A win for the Eagles seemingly solidifies them as the No. 1 seed, while a win for the Cowboys shakes things up into a potential four-way tie atop the standings. It’s the most-important game of the year thus far and it’ll likely be the most-watched game since the Super Bowl. Dak Prescott is playing like the MVP and the boys in Dallas are on a hot streak. Take them to keep it going and make the NFC that much more interesting.