Sports Handicapper Nick Parsons's Picks & Predictions

This is an UNDERDOG OF THE WEEK play on FAMU.

Florida A&M is 0-3 SU/ATS, but I think it'll comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch with all these points.

And that's because I'm counting on the 4-0 Georgia Bulldogs to go up early, to gain an insurmountable lead, but then to take the foot off the gas in the second half as they prepare for their game against Xavier on Friday.

FAMU has faced some stiff competition to open the season and comes in battle tested. 

Look for Georgia to earn the comfortable outright victory, but look for the RATTLERS to earn the even easier ATS win on Monday night.

Good luck, NP

This is a NON-CONFERENCE TOW on the UNDER Bulls/Nuggets.

The Bulls have lost five straight and they're just 1-5  on the road overall. They're off a 150-147 OT loss at Utah just last night and I expect fatigue to be a factor.

Look for Denver to control the tempo and for this game to stay well UNDER the number once the final horn sounds.

Good luck, NP

This is a FREE PLAY on the Kings/Capitals OVER.

As being primarily a situational handicapper, I base almost all of my Over/Under picks, in every sport, on what I perceive to be really great "situations."

And that's the case here, as the red-hot LA Kings are in the nation's capital, looking to deliver another blow to a struggling Capitals team.

LA is 10-5-4 overall, including 9-1-2 on the road, while Washington is 8-8-2 overall, including 4-4-1 at home.

The Kings enter playing extremely well, off four straight wins, including three straight to open this road trip, most recently a 1-0 victory at Ottawa. But with a couple nights off before a game at San Jose, I think LA will be pushing the pace here and putting the pressure on a Capitals team that's lost four of its last five, including two in a row, most recently a 3-2 shootout loss here to New Jersey. 

Darcy Kuemper is 7-3-3 with a 2.44 GAA for the Kings between the pipes, while Logan Thompson is 7-5-1 with a 1.85 goals against for the Capitals.

It's difficult to say anything negative about these goaltenders, really, I just think that they're in the wrong place, at the wrong time on Monday night.

Note as well that the OVER is 12-3-1 in the Kings last 16 games played on one days rest, while the     

Over is 38-16-2 in Capitals last 56 games as a home favorite of -110 to -150.   Over is 6-2 in Capitals last 8 games a home underdog of +151 to +200.  

With Washington desperate to snap the slide and needing to match pace with the red-hot Kings, I expect this total to fly OVER the number sooner, rather than later.

Good luck, NP

This is a MNF BOOKIEKILLER on the Raiders.

I entered both the Circa Millions and the Super Contest out of Las Vegas, and I used the Raiders as one of my picks.

Las Vegas has not lived up to expectations whatsoever, entering just 2-7, including only 1-3 at home.

But the same thing can be said about the Cowboys, who are only a slightly better 3-5 overall, but an even worse 1-4 on the road.

Each team has had to deal with significant injuries throughout the year, and many other issues on both sides of the ball.

Las Vegas has no chance at making the playoffs playing in the tough AFC West, while Dallas sits in second in the NFC East, but looking way up at the 7-2 defending champs.

This is the first game between the teams since 2021, and the Raiders went on to win 36-33 in overtime. Dallas is 3-1 in the last four in this series, but just 1-2-1 against the spread.

Dallas comes out of its bye week, but with zero momentum after losing three of its last four. They most recently got manhandled by the Cardinals, falling 27-17 and turning the ball over three times. 

Dak Prescott has been decent, as he has 2,319 passing yards and a 17-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Overall, the Cowboys are averaging 29.2 points per game, but the issue has been on the defensive end, as they've been unable to stop anyone, conceding 30.8 PPG.

Despite losing last time out, the Raiders played one of their best games of the season in their 10-7 loss at Denver.

Geno Smith and the offense gained 188 yards against the tough Denver defense, but the Raiders only conceded 220 against a tough Broncos offense.

Smith has 1,844 passing yards and a poor 11-to-12 touchdown to interception ratio, as the 35-year-old pivot has had to play from behind consistently all year (and that's left him susceptible to throwing a lot more interceptions than we're accustomed to seeing him throw).

Las Vegas's issues have been on the offensive end, as it's averaging just 15.4 PPG. But Smith catches a huge break this week, finally, facing this horrid Cowboys' secondary.

The Raiders' strength, though, has come on the defensive end, conceding 24.4 PPG, including allowing 214.2 yards passing, which ranks 16th.

With nearly 70% of the money and bets on the visitors, and with that number continuing to rise as we head towards kick-off, this pick also really appeals to my contrarian side.

While the rest of the World goes one way, I'm going the other.

The play is on LAS VEGAS.

Good luck, NP