STONE COLD LOCKS WEEK 16

Stone Cold Locks 

By Bob Gaughan

2025 record 40-35

2024 record 67-44-1

2023 Record 82-71-3

2022 Record 68-41-2

2021 record 62-49

2020 record  52-52-4

2019 Record  62-41-2

2018 Record 72-50-3

Total: 503-382-15=57%

MR. OVER/UNDER: Chicago +1.5 over Green Bay

Houston caught me off guard last week, scoring 40-points when the O/U was just 42.5. What surprised me more was they allowed Arizona to score 20-points, the most they’ve allowed any team in 5-weeks. It was the first parley I’ve lost in 7-weeks. But how about Jacksonville, scoring 48 by themselves when the O/U was 41. However in the last 4-weeks, Jacksonville has faced the Jets, Indy, Tennessee and Arizona. This week they go against the Broncos, who have the best record in the AFC. Time to find out if the Jaguars are good or not.

Green Bay took a big blow last week, losing Micah Parsons, who they traded for earlier this year. After losing to Denver last week by 8-points, they head to Chicago Saturday to face a division foe for the second time this year. The Packers won the first contest 28-21. This past January the Bears beat the Packers in Green Bay  by 2-points. I see the momentum going Chicago’s way. They’re ahead of schedule in quality of play this season as they were favored to win less than 8.5 games at the start of the season. Although Green Bay is favored, t I like the home team, as I think they’ll win it outright. Take the Bears +1.5  

Man in Stripes: Chargers +2.5 over Cowboys

Alot of games to pick from this week, I think I changed a half dozen times but I  landed on this early matchup on Sunday..

Chargers have won back to back as underdog, their D been playing great as Justin Herbert gets through playing after surgery on his no throwing hand .. Chargers still have a ahot in division, but need one more win to clinch the playoffs..LAC are 6-0 ATS last 6 on the road..

As for the Cowboys, after rattling off 3 wins in a road, to somewhat get back in the post season discussion, they lost back to back games , giving up a whopping 78 points!!!! They have had alot going on this year, and watching them sleep walk at home losing to the middling Vikings, they may have ran out of gas.. They need to win out..and the Eagles lose out to make the post season.. Eagles play in DC vs the crappy Commanders, an Eagles win, and the Cowboys  , will see an E next to their name in the newspaper , does anyone read those anymore?? Then I really feel Dallas somewhat mails this in.. Ill sprinkle some pizza money on the Super Chargers as well!! 

Some stocking stuffers

Chic -1

Buff -10.5

Minn -2.5

Cinn-4

Det -7

Colts +6

NE +3.5

Bama OU under 41.5

Oregon -20.5

Good luck and enjoy the games.. Happy Holidays everyone!!

MONO: Tampa Bay -3 over Carolina

Going

with the Bucs -3 on the road in Carolina. Similar to the play Bob had a few weeks ago with the Steelers over the Ravens after the Steelers dud against Buffalo. Professional athletes have pride and after blowing that 4th quarter lead against the lowly Falcons, Todd Bowles had a lot to say about his team not buying in. The Panthers shit the bed themselves last week and blew their chance for the division lead coming into this one. Let’s be real, Carolina’s been punching above their weight here for a while and the Bucs are underperforming. Tampa is lucky their division is bad and they have a chance to bounce back and get hot in time for a division title and a January run. They answer the bell after being publicly humiliated by their coach. Take the Bucs to take care of business Sunday. Bucs win and cover, 24-13.

Brutal:   #11 Tulane (+18) @ #6 MISSISSIPPI 

  Suitcase Lane Kiffin ( The Master of the Tarmac Termination ) will not be coaching Mississippi this game; he will be in Baton Rouge calculating the six figure buyout he will roll around in like Scrooge McDuck if LSU ever fires him.  This Benedict Arnold turnabout has understandably upset The Ole Miss faithful for this playoff game.  The Rebels have their defensive coordinator coaching the team with the offensive coordinator apparently getting direction indirectly, and somewhat semi-clandestinely from Lane Kiffin in the preparation for this game.   This all sounds a little sketchy and motivational issues may ensue.  It still is not clear how many other players, coaches, staff, et. al from Ole Miss are going to be boarding The City of New Orleans for a train ride to Baton Rouge. 

  Tulane's head coach Jon Sumrall has also left to coach the Florida Gators, but wait, unlike Lane "Suitcase" Kiffin, his departure has been embraced by the Green Wave entourage as acceptable and a sign of the times.  He wants to coach this game, the fans want him to coach this game, the administration wants him to coach this game, and most importantly, the players want him to coach this game.  It definitely is a very different vibe in the Oxford Camp.  

  Now Ole Miss clobbered Tulane earlier in the year, beating them by 35 points here in Oxford.  It was QB Jake Retzlaff's worst game as a professional college player.  Tulane just cannot play as poorly as they did in the first game.  They have already played here, so the hostile atmosphere will not be new.  Their coach desperately wants to make up for that lopsided loss on his resume before he starts his next chapter in Gainesville.  The Green Wave are well coached, have a veteran, battle-tested QB in Jake Retzlaff who has previously endured not only the Utah-BYU Holy Wars, but his own Scarlet Lettering at the hands of the sniveling BYU administration hypocrites who perpetrated his ouster in Provo.  So Jake is motivated.  Jake can also really run; he is 80% of the Green Wave total offence.  We expect him to have a better game in the rematch because we are banking on Tulane having a better start to this game against a team they have seen earlier in the year.  Overall, Ole Miss has the edge, but they have had some defensive hiccups all year; maybe only The Shadow knows how deep the palace paranoia and intrigue has infiltrated and putrefied the Rebel's joie de vivre?    

  With all the intangibles weaving in and out of this mess, we have to believe that Ole Miss is somewhat fragile; at least 18 points fragile.  

  We will take the Green Wave of Tulane   

Bob: Double Down: Tampa Bay -3 over Carolina

Going for three weeks in a row with the same philosophy. Two weeks ago the Steelers bounced back from a bad performance. They responded with a win as a six point dog in Baltimore. Last week we took the Eagles to respond after a bad performance Monday night vs the Chargers.  They held the Raiders to 75 yards of offense in a 31-0 romp. This week we go with Tampa Bay. Todd Bowles dropped seven f-bombs in the post game press conference. His locker room speech was supposedly worse.  The Bucs need to respond with a good effort in this crucial game. The Bucs have added rest since playing on Thursday. The team is finally healthy with getting Mike Evans back. Evans had 132 yards in his first game back. The Bucs offensive line is back to health as well. I think you get the better QB in Baker Mayfield over Bryce Young. Let’s double down with Mono and go with the Bucs to bounce back with a win in Carolina.