Benny vs The Penny, Round 13

We look forward. Now we can look back to last weekend, because when I do well, I like to look back. And this podcast the keeper of the penny is the annoying narcissist David Gascon as he is with me. You know, it doesn't say much on this podcast, but I guess goan last week. How did we do against the spread against the number where that's separate rates the adults from the children. How did we do against the spread in

week twelve? You can also call me a good looking and charming You can do that if you'd like I was. If I was blind in death, I would say that you've finished ten and four in a week. Numbers twelve of the National Football No need to clap guests, Scoon, there's no need to clap their ten and four. That's a seven fourteen winning percentage. Do we hardest goes? What? What thing do we shine the penny in in postseason football? Or will you? Will you dip your toes into that?

I know Weeks seven teams a little cautious. Um, yeah, I usually don't do a Week seventeen because it's horrible. There's only a couple of games where both teams are trying and I find it repulsive. So I my advice is always not to bet on Week seventeen. So I don't even know if we're gonna do it for Weeks seventeen. But and the other thing is like I usually just did Benny Versus the Penning on the radio, but we

could do it on the podcast. I just don't think we can do a standalone podcast with one or two games, you know what I'm like, While our weekend we could probably do it because there's four games on a wild card weekend, but then it quickly, uh you know, it whittles down pretty quick in the playoffs. Well, can we test your your Benny versus the Penny metal and and dip our toes into the bowl season of college football. Uh,

we could do some of that. I'd be I'd be open to that, but it has to be like, uh, you know, it's gotta be I'm not doing the Weed Either Bowl or the Bahamas Bowl. It's gotta be like, I'll do a few of the big games, the the grand daddy of them all, the Rose Bowl and the BCS playing there. They're called the BCS. The college Football playoffs set up and all that. Yeah, we could do that.

I'll keep you away from any kind of Mac or Mountain West activity, Uh, any kind of Independence Bowls or anything like that, so we can we can do that because right now we have Ohio State, l s U, Clemson, and Georgia as your one through four, and the playoff rankings that they stay as is. It should be a nice set up as we get ready towards. Uh. Here's that. I will show you my vast knowledge of college sports, and uh, I will impress, I will impress the masses.

All well, let's get to it. It is again Week thirteen in the NFL, the first game up for us. Now, before we give you the games, a disclaimer, UH, this is for entertainment purposes only unless you win, uh, then you must tip the dealer if you win. Uh. And also this is designed to give you. We're giving you a lot of opinions on these games. So I always tell people who are new to the podcast, the the Benny versus the Penny version, that what you really should

do is wait, it handicapped the game yourself. And if I agree and you agree, you do your own homework. And if if our thoughts line up on that game, that's a game you should probably bet on. So that's that's how we should do. Is We'll start out with Green Bay eight and three at New Jersey. They're playing the Giants. It's on Fox. You better watch. Are we doing the Dick Stockton game this week? Yes, but that is not the game. Uh No, it is not the

Dick Stockton game. That is a Tom Brennaman Chris Spielman game. And the Packers opened up a seven and a half point favorite. They're favorite by six and a half. The forecast in the Tri state area calls for thunderstorms thirty six degrees at kickoff at met Life Stadium in the swamp Lands of New Jersey. The pick is in. I'll be taking the Giants in this game. Now, a couple of thoughts. A Matt Laflare the coach at green Bay. I believe he on the sidelines. He did not have

green Bay Packer gear. He was wearing a hazmat suit last weekend watching the Packers melt down against the forty Niners and that Sunday night game that was a placement test game. And it appears green Bay has to repeat the third grade. Now, obviously this is a much easier opponent, but Green Bay was not ready to play, and they were not ready to play in both games in California. And it's an odd thing with the Packers because they

have this gaudy aden free record. Aaron Rodgers has eighteen touchdowns and two interceptions, and yet the eyeball test says he's leaving some money on the table. He's not playing as well as he could play. And just for example, Sam Donald in particular, Sam Donald has been a better quarterback on the road this season than Aaron Rodgers. So I thought that was that was interesting. This game is

a road game. You've got the growing pains of Daniel Jones. Lately, Sequon Barkley has been a shell of what he had been because of injury, but he's still playing. I'll give him credit for that. But the main reason I like the Giants despite all that the public is on green Bay. The professional gamblers, the ones that are supposed to know and bet the most, there on the side of the Giants. Now green Bay is over rated. Uh, the Giants are

a bad team. But there's value here, all right. There's value that the home team, Packers have not played well in the road recently, and you're getting almost a touchdown, so you have the possibility of a backdoor cover in the fourth quarter, which is exactly what the Giants did against Chicago last week. So I am taking the Packers to win, but the Giants to cover. Packers twenty, Giants seventeen. And the Penny is going with the New York Giants. Alright,

So the Penny piggybacking my work. They're knowing that I am a great prognosticator. That's what more about age versus beauty. I think since you're the elder statesman, Deepenny relies on you going first, and then she goes. I think the term for that is a copycat. That's a copycat. Dependis a copycat. Next up Washington at Carolina. The Redskins are two and nine, Carolina is five and six. It's on CBS. This game not a Fox game, even though it's two

NFC teams. They've done that a few times this year. It's Greg Gumbel and Trent Green at CBS. Now Carolina opened a nine point favorite. They're favored by ten. It's typical late November weather and the Carolinas light rain, temperatures in the mid sixties that kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. I am gonna pick the Carolina Panthers in this game. I'm gonna do it now. Dwayne Haskins has not only been a quarterback, he has been wretched.

And I love the story last week that he was celebrated in some circles for getting his first win as an NFL quarterback. He was taking selfies with fans and all that Haskins had in that game against the Lions a hundred and fifty six yards passing, no touchdowns, an interception. His passer rating was below fifty and yet the perception is, well,

he's the winning quarterback, he must have played well. Uh. Now they're even making excuses because he's been tremendously inaccurate Dwayne Haskins, who was pretty accurate at the Ohio State University, and now some people around the Redskins are saying that he's got this phantom wrist injury. I'm skeptical. Washington simply cannot compete against an average or above average team with

this incompetent quarterback. The way Haskins is playing. I believe Haskins will eventually be pretty good, but he ain't pretty good right now. This is a non starter. Plus, the Redskins mission statement is to lose, to suck, and to blow. They can't be winning back to back games here. They can't now. The other thing, and the only concern I have is Carolina, because Carolina, on my mind, they are on fumes. They showed more fight against the Saints last week.

But are they gonna come out deflated and and just go through the motions and play lethargic football because their season is pretty much over there not making the playoffs now. Kyle Allen, he had sucked for several weeks. He was a puke, and he came out of the penalty box and he played his first good game in several weeks. He had three touchdowns in the Bayou and and did a solid job. And if if he plays anywhere close to that this week, Carolina wins this game by at

least twenty one points. Now, if the Panthers lose, Ron Rivera should be fired on the spot to lose to Dwayne Haskins at home. Panthers thirty one Redskins. Penny's gots the Carolina Panthers. Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio the I Heart Radio Whip. Alright, so we agree on that kind of defeating the purpose of Benny versus the penny. If it's a year ox copy every time. Next up, Santa Clara tennant one. This

is the game of the year in the NFL. Santa clar A tenant one Baltimore nine and two. It's on Fox. So you better watch who's calling this game. You think it's a Dick Stockton game. No, I think this is a Kevin Burkhard game. That is correct. It is Kevin Burkhard and Charles Davis have the call. In the early television window. I'm guessing the NFL wishes they had moved this to prime time. They did not. This would be a game you would expect to see in the late TV window at the very least. But it is an

early one o'clock kickoff in Baltimore. The Ravens. Prior to Monday night game, we're favored by four and a half. Baltimore is now favored by six points. In this game. You got a ten in one team against the nine and two team, and the nine and two team is favored by almost in touchdown. The four forecast at MNT Bank Stadium, the House that Sports with Coleman built rainy and forty three degrees at kickoff in Baltimore, the pick is in. I'm painting for gold with the forty Niners.

I'm gonna take the forty Niners in this game. Now, First of all, this should be a slobber knocker. The Ravens are the darlings of the NFL. We all know that for the recent performance, a deservedly so. It's one of the great runs we've seen in NFL history. It's such a dominant run it reminds me of the greatest show on turf of the old St. Louis rams back in the day. But it's not like the forty Niners have been shop liver here in mince meat. They've been

turning teams into mince meat all year. They're the real McCoy. So it's the number one defense for the forty Niners against the most lethal dual threat quarterback who's been clicking on all cylinders here in Lamar Jackson, who's got a ridiculous sizzle reel. So what happens? You got the unstoppable force, meaning the immovable object. We're gonna find out. I believe the forty Niners are the right side here. Now. The second thing, the real pressure is on Garoppolo, Jimmy Garoppolo

and the Niners running game collectively corroborative effort. They've got to come out in what figures to be soggy conditions in Baltimore play with the league right, come out early in the game. We saw this before with Cleveland. Baltimore style of play lends itself to being a front runner, right, meaning that if they fall behind, that eliminates the dual threat that puts the kabbash on the running game. They then have to scramble with throws to try and get

back in the game. You know, people are overreacting a wee bit to the Monday night game because of the Ramps did not show up in that game. And the Ravens are the same team that lost to Cleveland at home, then the same team that had to go to overtime against the Baltimore Ravens. So it's it's not like that this team is invincible. They're hot right now if you believe in such things. They lost one of their key offensive line in their centers out for the year in

the Rams game. The forty Niners got George Kittle back. That's huge as he returned to Santa Clara's lineup. And at the time we are recording many versus the Penny, it sounds like Matt Brita and d Ford a couple of other key players could be back either way. Uh, you got a ten in one team with the number one defense and that great defensive line that should be able to bottleneck the running game and and all that.

Getting over six points. You gotta be kidding me. I'm gonna take that every day of the week as certainly gonna take that. This is one of my better plays. The forty Niners not a fraud. They will square the circle. They will find the cheat code to Lamar Jackson Niners Ravens seven in a Classic, and the penny is Got's cheat sheet. It is San Francisco for the one. Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Miller Show wheat days at two a m. Eastern eleven pm Pacific.

Wait wait, wait, so we've done three games here so far, so good. All right, you should be happy about this. You finished ten four last week. You were gloating about your performance. You don't know how hardiness go over and win games. You need to win fifty five percent to make any kind of profit and gambling. Blah blah blah blah blah. You should be happy about the penny. Well, no, it's it's just not exciting. And people like when we disagree. But fine whatever, I fine, we agree, I'm right, so

as always I'm right. Next up, now, this is another game. This is a game that Lucas Oil Stadium is a dome. It's gonna be cloudy and forty one degrees outside the dome in Indianapolis at golf of this game, the Colts are the pick. I'm gonna take Indianapolis. Now, this is the game. Originally, when I first looked at the game, I was leaning towards Tennessee. But the I started crunching the numbers, and I started looking at the different angles to this game, and and then I realized there's a

dense fog advisory around the Titans. And so I'm gonna be on the home team here, the Colts. And I'll tell you why I don't trust Ryan Tannehill. Period hard stop right and Tannehill right now is playing above his skis. He's leading the NFL in the yards for attempt, He's completing over seventy of his passes. This is the last quarterback to do it is Joe Montana. This is an out of body experience. However, I'm not drinking the kool aid yet for two reasons. Number one, I believe these

are hollow numbers. Why because Ryan Tannehill has beaten up a bunch of lightweights, hasn't done it against a good or above average team. The Colts are a much better test. They're a better team than anyone he's faced so far. And the second thing here is that if you look at the track record of the Dolphins career of Ryan Tannehill, before he got to Tennessee. And this tells you what

has happened, doesn't tell you what's gonna happen. But Tannehill would have occasional games where he looked amazing and it would give this false hope to the Miami fan. But we we dubbed this thing gas on the Tannehill to step. You know what the Tannehill too step is. This is similar Ryan Fitzpatrick. Right, you do something good, then you throw a bunch of I N T s next game. Well, it's a dance move. It's you take one step forward

and two steps back. And that's what Tannehill has done. Right, he'll have a masterpiece and then he'll come back and he'll have a reversal of fortune. Now, sometimes he has a couple of masterpieces and then he follows it up with three pieces of of feces that you know, just projectile, vomit all that. So that's that's a concern. Secondly, uh, it's not perfect. Its bets not perfect, because any is still a mash munit unit. They are the guys, the

key players, several of them are out. The backups have done a pretty good job. But let's not go overboard. Here they still don't have Marlon Mack. They don't he's out. Eric Ebron's gone the tight end, so it is up to the replacements. Here. They're gonna have to run the ball because Jacoby Brissette struggles to throw the ball. But I like the coltst Dave Roberts would say, I like the Colts in this spot, coming off a loss to the Texans, having extra time to prepare. Frank Reich is

the better coach. So if it comes down to the fourth quarter, close game, I'd rather have Frank wright Uh in the game than Mike rabel And and plus the public is all over Ryan Tannell. If he was a musician, they'd say he's Mozart. I don't believe he's Mozarty. This is a a key game. I will go with the grit and the moxie of the cold to muck up

the game too. Muck it up and they will win ugly yet again, but they will barely buy the skin on their chinny chin chin cover the spread Indianapolis twenty three and the Tennessee Titans twenty The penny is gone with the Tennessee Titans. The hair on your tennage chins and dummy. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app. Search f s R to listen live. That

is incorrect. The hair hey stupid. The expression works both ways. You can either use the skin on their chinny chin chin, or you can use hair on their chinny chin chin. If you google it, you will see that I am correct and that you are just unevolved. You're uneducated, and you do not know the nuance of language the way I do. All I do is study language, right, That's all I do. You're out there on those dating sites is what you're doing. I'm I'm studying language. Okay. Oh well,

I can see that. That's uh, it's working quite well for you. Moving on, let repress on. Oh wow, alright, moving on another win for me there Philadelphia five and six at Miami two and nine. It's on Fox. Now. Is this is this game with Dick Stockton game? I was going between him and Kenny Albert and this one. So I'm gonna say, yeahs Dick Stockton on this one. David Guest, Karen, congratulations, you just lost the Dick Stockton

game you did not win. It is Kenny Albert who has the call should have gone, you should have gone behind curtain number one. That's a bad job by you. Guess guy, what did he? It's odd because normally Kenny Albert does every Giant's game, or or if they occasionally get a Jets game. But yeah, he's doing. Dolphins Eagles in beautiful Miami now Philly open attend They actually opened a seven and appoint favorite. The line is all the

way up to ten. It's gonna be sunny eighty degrees at kickoff at hard Rock Stadium in Miami with a bunch of dudes from South Philly in the Delaware Valley who will infiltrate Miami. I'm gonna take the Dolphins in this game, and I know that's against popular opinion. I'll be the contrarian here. A couple of thoughts. At first, Lance, I agree that the Eagles should win this game in a cake walk. But very few things have gone easy. Very few things have gone easy for the Birds. Their

twenty nineteen offense is field goal or punch. That's the offense of the Philadelphia Eagles this year. Carson Wentz has been in a nick. His numbers are not bad. But check this out. Twenty two games, last twenty two games Carson Wentz is started, the Eagles have a losing record. They're ten and twelve with Carson Wentz as their quarterback the last twenty two games. The Eagles are lacking playmakers. They are lacking the wow factor Carson Wentz. Now they're

making excuses saying he's got a mangled hand. These are not positives when you're talking about a double digit point spread. Now I'm not here advocating. Secondly, for the Dolphins. They have so many issues. They need more than therapy. They probably need to be institutionalized in the Miami Dolphins. But but this is more of a bet against Philly than it is a confidence play on Miami. And I like

to look at the psychological part of gambling. The Eagles are coming off too high profile games against the Patriots and the Seahawks games in Philly, games they lost, and now now they are playing the Dolphins, a team nobody gets up for. Plus they have the distraction of South Beach and you're leaving Philly where it's forty degrees or thirty five degrees, are going to Miami where it's eighty degrees. Uh, so you have a chance, not a lot of opportunity,

but a night to get into some debauchery. But double digit home doogs and being willing to bet on bad teams has been a very good formula to win some money over the years. The public almost always prefers road favorites instead. I like to go against the public. So I'm gonna take Philly to win. But to not cover Eagles twenty four Dolphins twenty you stubborn bathroom. You never learn your lesson, and Penny is picking the Eagles. Fly Fly, fly fly right into weed Man's house there in South Florida.

Al right, next up Tampa Bay at Jacksonville. It's on Fox. You better watch four and seven, four and seven the records here? Who's calling this game? Is this? You've already lost the Dick Stockton game. But is this the Dick Stockton game? That is correct? This is the Dick Stockton Mark Flare game. So you didn't win, but you came close to winning the Dick Stockton game. And this game open, how about this line? Do you see the line movement on this Jackson Jacksonville open a four and a half

point favorite. They are now favored by one one stinking point. At t i a a bank field in Jacksonville, be cloudy and seventies seven degrees at kickoff cloudy and seventy seven degrees. I'm taking Tampa Bay in this game, and and I'll walk you through how I got the Tampa Bay Alright, Ay, this is the Sunshine Bowl. Whoever wins this game wins the bragging rights for Florida because the

Dolphins are worse than both these teams. Uh. Now, I saw it where Jacks coach douglall Ron says that Nick Foles gives his team the best chance to win, so that's why he's starting Nick Foles. Let me, I would like to translate that, Yes, can I have a Dakota ring? What he left out, Doug Moron was the end of that sentence. There should be a COMMA at the end of Nick Foles gives us the best chance to win, Comma because we are paying him fifty million dollars of

guaranteed money. Because that's really why Nick Foles is starting. If it was based on performance, he would not be the starting quarterback here. Uh, that's just the reality. Jackson has been outscored seventy five to thirty since Nick Foles came back from injury to the starting lineup. Keep in mind, though that doesn't sound that bad, I guess being outscored by forty five points, twenty one of those points came in garbage time. So with Nick Foles in competitive football,

they've only gotten three field goals. Jacksonville has I cannot bet on the Jacks until Nick Foles either improves or or minshoe Mania returns Gardner Minshew comes back as the quarterback. Now. Secondly, on the flip side, you've got Jameis wins Now. We talked about him on the radio show. He is a case study on being really good and really bad at the same time. Right, is the glass half full? Is

the glass half empty? He is unpaced to throw for close to five thousand yards a gazillion touchdowns, and at the same time he's leading the NFL in interceptions, and he's a turnover factory. So all those interceptions dismantle all the goodwill that the passing yards and the touchdowns provide, and it really harpoons the Buccaneers chances of winning most of the time. They did beat Atlanta last week. The other factor is Tampa based defense is atrocious. Despite all that, again,

I want to quote Dave Roberts. I liked the Bucks in this spot. But it's get more to bet against Nick Foles than it is to take take advantage of of anything else. You've got to really go against the incompetent Nick Foles. I don't even think the Buck's defense is gonna make him look good. Buccaneers thirty four, Jags twenty, and the Pangs on the opposite way. Going to Jaguars on this one, Going with Jackson, all right. Next up the New York Jets at Cincinnati. It's on CBS with

Spirodidas and Adam Archiletta. Now, the Jets opened a three and a half point favorite. They are still a three and a half point favorite in this game. It'll be partly sunny and fifty degrees that kick off at Paul Brown Stadium. The O and eleven Bengals the four and seven Jets. I am gonna side with Mr oh and Elevin here. I'm gonna take the Cincinnati Fungals in this game. I'll tell you why, all right. I understand things have been rolling along for the Big Green machine there in

all phases, by land, by air, by water. It is amazing seeing what playing bad teams can do for your confidence. The Jets are the NFL's number one defensive yards per game the last three weeks. They're ahead of the forty Niners. They're ahead of the Ravens, They're ahead of the Pacers. There ahead of everybody. You toss in the fact that Sam Donald is no longer dealing with motto, he's no longer seeing ghosts. I guess the ghostbusters came in and figured all this out, and you see why the Jets

fans are excited. The last three weeks against the Giants, Redskins, and Raiders, Sam Donald has seven touchdowns and one interception. He's averaging over nine yards per attempt. That's great, but the law of averages say he is due for a regression, even against the bad team. And in the second thing, now, the Bengals are a total ship show. I am not gonna sit here and and say anything different, but if you look at what they did. They originally benched Andy Dalton,

they brought in Ryan Finley. Now, Ryan Finley has been such a nebbish, he has been so incompetent. He's had such reckless disregard for his ability to play quarterback that Cincinnati was forced to go back to the red rifle. This is dysfunction junction. What is your function? Is what it is? So it's rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Uh. Now that said, this is a big opportunities, a brass ring situation for Dalton. He gets another opportunity. Think of

this is a casting call, an open audition for Dalton. Really, not for the Bengals because they're gonna draft some quarterback with the number one pick, But for Dalton, Dalton, they get a job somewhere else to get an opportunity to compete for a starting job. Of Philip Rivers retires in in l a. Or or to go to Pittsburgh of Roethlisberger's out. The public is all over the Jets, and that has me running for the Hills. The Bengals at least have a puncher's chance. They certainly have a shot

with Andy Dalton to hang around. And the Jets, I still don't believe they should be favored by over a field goal against anyone. I liked my home dogs, Our Jets twenty three, Bengals twenty one that's a cover for Cincinnati and for the one that got away. I will see the penny taking the New York Jets, Jets Jets thirty four points in the last three victories. Then keep rolling with that. Yeah, well, all good things come to an end. All good you will learn that lesson that

the front running all right? Next up Cleveland five and six at Pittsburgh six and five. It's on CBS. I An Eagle and Dan Fouts have the call. This game opened Pittsburgh by three. The Browns are favored by two. The weather calls for light rain forty six degrees at Hines Field in beautiful Pittsburgh. I'm gonna take the Steelers in this game. Mike tomlin Is is right now like a circus clown juggling quarterbacks. You've got Mason Rudolph gone

to the bench. Now Duck Hodges is taking over. I love the whole redneck back story, the ridiculous name, the duck calling. But instead of chicken fingers, I guess he eats like raccoons stew or something like that. But can can the guy play? I I don't know that the jury is still out on whether or not you play the Steelers offense is gonna be dumbed down here. They have been even with Hut. They've been running a dumb down office for a couple weeks. But but they've been

like the ox in the ditch. You know what. They can't get out of it. You're in a ditch, you can't get out of it. This is a revenge spot for Pittsburgh against the team they traditionally beat, who they lost to just a couple of weeks ago. And you have that cloud of bad blood hanging over this particular game. The second that the Browns they're still getting this sugar rush from feasting on all these cupcakes. Do they now choke on a little piece of banana cream pie on

the road. The bookmaker knows the public is all over the Cleveland Browns, so they have to cover themselves and they have to, you know, cover their losses. And they have the Browns favored by two. This is a five point line disparity, meaning again Pittsburgh should be favored by three in this game. Instead you're getting five points because the Browns are favored by two. I just don't agree with that, the thinking that that Cleveland's all in. I've

been on Cleveland several times. I've bet against Cleveland several times. Listen, Uh, look at this. The Browns picked up five points and all they did was play the Dolphins in between the last time they played the Steelers and Miles Garrett eight playing you'll go be bashing people over the head somewhere else. But he ain't gonna show up in Pittsburgh. Uh So we don't even know if Duck Hodges is that bad. He could be fine. As I said, it's it's an

open question. But just when you think Baker Mayfield has turned the corner, that's normally the time a trapdoor opens up and you fall into a pit of flames. So Cleveland should win the game, but they should not be favored. And Pittsburgh traditionally even with bums at quarterbacks, but a very good home team Steelers seventeen. Brown's sixteen penny gun with the Cleveland Browns and Bernie cos Are Birdy Cosa.

I think Ozzy Newsom's gonna have a big game. I believe that if you go downlast Webster Slaughter could be the key of that. What about Dante Stalwarth it's more of a newer generation Brown player. I just don't keep him out of the driver's seat. You'll be alright, right, dirty days manslaughter, it's reasonable. All right, let's go to Oatland six and five at Kansas City seven and four. Notice that we're not we're not getting trivia this week.

That's uh, that's a good job by you. Well, it's Thanksgiving week and I just wanna I want to expedite the process game. And I know, I know you. You probably have something to do. You've got to go talk to some corporate muckety MUCKs or do some stupid conference calls. So we'll we'll just expedite the process. We'll get we'll get trivial next week. Okay, can we get trivial next week? Sure? Ye? Alright? Oakland six and five Kansas City seven or four. It's

on CBS with Jim Nance and Toe Knee row Bow. Now, the Chiefs open at eight and a half point favorite. They are favored by ten at Arrowhead Cloudy in thirty eight degrees at kick off at Arrowhead Stadium. I'm taking the Raiders in this game. Now. I know public perception has shifted and people whatever they see they think is gonna happen again. And the Raiders played like dog crap. They played like dog piss against the Jets in the

blink of an eye, right, the Raiders. If they just squeaked out and win against the Jets, this would have set up the epic a f C West Game of the year, right underdog story of redemption the football Orphans their last year in Oakland before they go to Vegas. But now since they lost to the Jets, it's the same old Raiders. Now, I'm not gonna tell you they

didn't play like mongrels in that game. They actually did play like mongrels, not only in that game, but the game before which they squeaked out a win against the Cincinnati Bengals. They played like vermin in that game also, So there's a couple of dud performances by the Raiders here. Uh, they had no pulse in the game against the Jets. Now, this is a late game, it's not an early game.

It's against the traditional division rival. But there is a saying in sports wager, and it's also said by football coach, if you get caught in a trap game, which is clearly what happened that the Raiders were peeking ahead at Kansas City, if you get caught looking ahead in the peek a boo, then you've gotta in the game you were looking ahead to. And even though this is not as sexy matchup because the Raiders lost, if the Raiders win this game, they will still be tied with Kansas City.

And you know, Oakland will be seven and five, Kansas City will be seven and five at the end of play on Sunday, So it's still a big game. Secondly, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. I know some people love them because they had a bye week and they had to little see Esta in Mexico against the Chargers. But Kansas City did not impress me in that game. They were fortunate to beat the lowly Chargers, and that is

with Philip Rivers throwing all those interceptions. Now, now that Lamar Jackson is the flavor of the month, Patrick Mahomes has to take a back seat in the pecking order of NFL quarterbacks, but he could certainly return some market share here if he has a big game against the Raiders and treats them like silly puppy. I understand Kansas City is getting some guys back. The Chiefs should win this game big. What I happen to love double digit dogs. And what do I always say when you get over

a touchdown in a divisional game? You don't ask questions. You take the points. The Raiders have to kick knee, elbow poked the Chiefs in the eye. Uh to get that cover, that backdoor cover. I believe it will happen. Chiefs thirty four, Raiders twenty six. Penny also in agreement with you and go with the Opalanda Redda's all right. Next up on Penny versus the Penny the l A Raiders, actually the Raiders the l A Rams. Oh boy, why

that cover? L A Rams at five? There's a throwback to like the eighties and early nineties, the l A Ram six and five at the Arizona Cardinals, who are three seven and one. It's on Fox and a Man that's part of the Fox Sports Radio Alumni Association. A proud alumnus Chris Myers along with Darryl Moose Johnson to have the call. All now. The Rams opened a three and a half point favorite. They're favored by four in

this game. The weather, it's gonna be sunny fifty nine degrees at kickoff at State Farms Stadium in Arizona and I'm gonna surprise you guesscan I as an as an active charity. I am gonna take the guy riding the short bus. Yes, I'm gonna do it. I'm doing it now. Now for before you say I'm a prison of the moment, It's not just because the Rams got steam rolled by the Ravens on Monday night. Unless it is just because the Rams got steam rolled by the Ravens on Monday night.

You have the perfect storm working against Los Angeles. You've got the distraction of Thanksgiving weekend. You have them as a road favorite against the team they traditionally beat, an opponent that you do not get up for. You are coming off an emotional prime time loss where you were emasculated by Lamar Jackson. Look like you should be playing pop Orner football instead of the NFL. All of these

things are working against the Rams. From the psychology psychology part of gambling, Sean McVeigh had no answers to Lamar Jackson. This is the kind of neutering that takes place the the and Lingers. Uh. The Ravens have the Rams balls on a shelf somewhere in Maryland right now. Uh, good luck getting back that back the Rams are a more talented team. I believe they are a better team than the Cardinals, and all things being equal, they should absolutely

win this game. But when you handicap a game, you gotta look at all these other things and all of that. Every box is checked against the l A Rams right there, they're they're getting close to give up mode. It looked like they gave up against the Ravens. Now. Secondly, you are what your record says you are. The Cardinals are one of the worst teams in the NFL. So this is not a confidence play on Arizona Kyler Murray. As we have pointed out, we're the only ones to do

this because we're the grown ups here. This guy's been a Mama Luke Alright, his numbers are misleading. He's fatten up his stats and games the Cardinals were way behind, and and so you know, he's not as good as his numbers. In a kay even though his numbers aren't all that good. The Cardinals defensively are a football atrocity. They are second worst to the oh and eleven Bengals. And yet even with that, I still believe that Jared Golf will be flummix going against Arizona the last three games.

Golf has no touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating below sixty. There's no way on God's green Earth that I am gonna bet on the Rams until Jared Goff either gets benched. I'd rather bet on Blake Bortles or he proves that he is not a fraud. Give me Ale Gator Arms. Murray the oompa loompa of the NFL Cardinals twenty Rams seventeen. Penny likes the way you think and go with the up and coming Cayler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. You love, you love Shorty. You your

favorite movie was Get Shorty Right? That was? I think you have vastly under estimated the power of Cayler Murray, even in his rookie campaign. So he will. He will not make you eat crow this weekend since you have taken him and there's in the Cardinals. But he will surprise you when you're number two. Yes, you, You've always had a place for the pips weeak. You like the guy's barely bigger than a garden. Do you understand that your pairs he can play? He has played, He's played

great this season he's played great. What I think I watch football? Wait? Wait, wait wait you said the word great. You use the adjective great. I have I did I want you as a teacher. If I had had you as a teacher, guest scout, I would have been a I would have several degrees if I had had you as a professor, and instead you have how many? I have? Zero? Not a hey, schmuck, I have agree from the streets, streets of hard knocks, all right, I have, I have

won the hard Marcus Mariota got benched. He had a higher passer rating than Kyler Murray has right now. Gardner Minshew also got benched. Guess what higher passer rating than Kyler Murray has right now. And according to David Gascon, who clearly shows sympathy because Kyler Murray is a teeny leeny eaty bitty little spider, uh you you feel bad for him, and so as an act of charity, you're

pulling for the guy who's small potatoes. He's got no offensive line, he's got absolutely no running game, he's got very few weapons on the outside, and he has an atrocious defense. Yes, I actually think he's a pretty darn good quarterback in his rookie season, despite all that working against him, hold On said, I'm gonna play some music. I'm gonna I've got the world's smallest violin. I'm gonna play that for Kyler Murray. Okay, can I do that? Yes? Yeah,

you can do whatever you want. Yeah, that's right, all right, go choke up some ravioli, all right. Next the l A Chargers four and seven at Denver three and eight. It's on CBS. Andrew Catalan and James Lofton have the call. The Chargers opened and underdog Broncos were originally favored by one and a half, but now the Charges are favored by two and a half. I don't understand this mostly sunny thirty five degrees at kickoff for your favorite NFL team.

Gag on, you love the Broncos who played in power field at Mile High. I'm taking the Broncos. I'm riding with the horses this week. Now. To me, this is an even matchup. The Charges of the NFL's two ranked team, the Broncos of the ranked team according to Football Outsiders, So two even teams. I don't understand how the Bolts are favorite in this game. Denver traditionally has been a tough place to play. Uh, it's just all because Derwin James. The safety is coming back to the charges. Are you

telling me a safety not not a quarterback. We're not talking about a quarterback. We're talking about safety. That that is why the charges are favored on the road. I don't get it now. Philip Rivers over the last four weeks has not only been a quarterback. He has been the thirty first ranked quarterback in a thirty two quarterback league. He has been number four. He is aging before our eyes. He has continued to be reckless. Seven interceptions the past

two games. He's also mixed in a couple of fumbles. He is as bad as any quarterback in the NFL. Right now. He's a hot mess. I've seen no evidence that he's gonna turn this thing around. Everyone says, well, he'll be fine, don't worry. He's never has three bad games in a row. Okay, all right. The Bolts offensive line still blows. They still think, uh steak. And then you've got Vic Fangio, who's supposed to be a defensive wizard. He hasn't been so far. He's got his own quarterback

conundrum now, I would love the Broncos. This would be one of my better players of Drew Lock plays, because I think Drew Lock will be all right who have some beginner's luck. He isn't likely to start this game, at least at the time we're doing the podcast, but could come off the bench in relief. Brandon Allen is a limp noodle, is what he is. Right, he needs a little blue pill. Uh he's lethargic. He's just he's a junior varsity level quarterback. He's not a starting quarterback.

And nevertheless, the value tholways on the Broncos because interceptions create opportunity for an underdog. Denver will play a very conservative, close to the vest offense. Uh We talked about that remedial game plan where you don't have a good quarterback, you just try to not make mistakes. And uh so I had a lot of swing passes, bubble screens, try to run, run early, run late, ground and pound all that kind of football. So if you do that, you don't turn the ball over and you expect Rivers to

have at least two interceptions. I'm taking the Broncos to win the game outright. Denver twenty four The Chargers, and he was going with the Broncos as well. No surprise. Yeah, you can't bet on the gun Slinger, the aging gun Slinger. Not the way to go, not a good winning formula, guest gun not at all all right, Uh, Next up Sunday Night Football, New England Tenant one at Houston, seven and four on and b C with Al Michaels and Chris collins with you know Michael's I I know you

saw this last night. Michaels did not call the NBC game on Thursday night because he's so old now he wants to enjoy Thanksgiving. So and I think he's only in his contract he only works one game a week, and so he couldn't do both that game on Thanksgiving and the Sunday night game, so he chose the Sunday night game in Houston and Collinsworth also did not do the game on Thanksgiving. Well, I'm gonna take I'm gonna take the Patriots here that Patriots are three point favorite.

They opened four and a half, so small road favorite, clear and sixty degrees at kickoff in the Dome at NRG Stadium in Houston. Now, first of all, this is another chapter in the teacher versus the pupil. Matchup of Bill Belichick's coaching tree. Belichick against Bill O'Brien, a disciple of his, has. They've coached against each other five times. Belichick is five and all. Now, some of those games

the Texans were bad. Many of those games the Texas were pretty good, had nice records like they do now seven and four record. In fact, Belichick that five and old record is by far his best record against any former assistant. This is a gigantic coaching mismatch. In fact, Belichick against all of his former assistance has He's coached eighteen games. Against his former assistance, he's nine and nine,

So that means using mallar math. Against anyone other than Bill O'Brien, who used to coach on belichick staff, he's four and nine, but against O'Brien, five and oh. The one monkey wrench for the Patriots is Tom Brady's tender elbow, which got extra treatment after the Cowboy game. But let's be honest here, Ill. We love Brady, but the Patriots

also just try to win the turnover battle. They want to maintain offensive balance, but they also run a very safe offensive game plan, which requires Belichick or Brady rather to throw a lot of dump all off in short passes, high percentage passes. And Brady is so smart he rarely makes the wrong throw so he doesn't turn the ball over, he covers for his offensive line. Those are all reasons

to like the Patriots in this particular game. Now. Secondly, the Patriots are going to have to repeat the script from these recent games. Right they have to play a wonky plotting style of offense. As he said, limit the mistakes, hold on the ball while the defense can create some turbulence against the Shawn Watson. There is opportunity here against the Shawn Watson. It is a formula that has stood

the test of time for Belichick. Against these high flying, one dimensional teams Houston, they have to play at a frenetic pace in the passing game. They are a one

trick pony. They struggle to run the ball. If you're the defense, if you're the defensive coordinator and you know that team struggles to run the ball, that sets up a hyper aggress of defense, a chance to be a ball hawking defense because you know you're gonna be throwing a lot the other team is that you can mix in some exotic blitzes and change it up and and just mess with Deshaun Watson. Uh so, yeah, I love

the Patriots defense in this game. And and the other way to bet on the Patriots has a bet on the defense. Uh the Texans with this style of play, it's either boom or bust. I'm expecting a lot of mistakes. Patriots twenty three the Texans sixteen. Man, the pay is gone with the turbulence of the defense and the Patriots taken New England. All right? Next up, Monday Night Football. This is the last game, will wrap up the Turkey Week edition of Benny Versus the Penny minuteso to eight

and three at Seattle nine and two. It's on ESPN with Joe test It Tour and Booger Booker McFarland. Uh, you're a big fan of his brought cast team. A lot of a lot of gravy on a Thanksgiving weekend. Yes, this is gravy on top of gravy, on top of gravy. Yes it is. Uh, how many Thanksgiving cliche's will Joe Tessa Tore throw out on the broadcast? Well we'll find out. But the line of this game Seattle open a three

point favorite. They are favored by three. It'll be cloudy forty degrees that kick off at Century Link Field in Seattle. Remember on the if you download the other podcast, the Mallard Man March and schedule to take place in Seattle. So I have a special place in my heart for the people of Seattle, the Mallard Militia, men and women, the p Ones that are holding this event on December twenty nine. More on that on the other podcast. But I'm sorry, I gotta take the vikings here. As a gambler,

I gotta take the vikings. I'll tell you why. In the past you would always bet against Kirk Cousins because he was jinx in prime time games. I that was always the argument. The guy would be fine at one o'clock in the afternoon or noon Midwestern time, uh newon kickoffs. But but against the better teams in the prime time games, he's like, well, Cousins is two and oh this season in night games. He put up an oil painting against the Cowboys in Dallas not that long ago, and the

one week spot Seattle has h to exploit here. And the one thing that concerns me about the vikings is the butterfingers. Cousins has eight fumbles. He's only been sacked twenty two times. Ball security. That can lead to a big flip in what you handicap in a game. Now. Secondly, Pete Carroll check this out. Since he became the coach in Seattle back in almost a decade, there have only been three quarterbacks that have won multiple games on the

road in Seattle. Only three Carson Palmer retired, Matt the Ice of the Falcons, and Jared Goff. Believe it or not, Kirk Cousins has already won a game in the Pacific Northwest back when he was with the Washington Redskins. I believe it was in a couple of years ago in uh he can add his name to that that rare list with a win here. The Seahawks have been playing Russian Roulette all season. They have been weaning by very thin margins. Here they almost lost at home to the Bengals,

Bucks and Rams. It took a missed field goal by the Rams kicker there the Legatron character for the Rams lose the Buccaneers. Some crazy things happened for Tampa Bay to win that game, and the Seahawks were blown out by the Ravens and uh in the Saints in Seattle, they've got issues. Despite their GATTI nine and two record, it has not been smooth sailing for the Sea Birds. UH. They have problem they have problems in their secondary they

have problems on their offensive line. You add on that Mike Zimmer has been traditionally great when given extra time to prepare. That's what the Vikings have here. They were on vacation last week. It all adds up from a gambling standpoint to take the Vikings. Now. Remember, I want the Seahawks to win this game. I hope I'm wrong because that makes the Mallard Man March, Mallard Stock Mallar

Palooza a much bigger deal December twenty nine. But Vikings thirty three, Seahawks thirty your final penny looking at the magic number three and going at the Minnesota Games, and that is it. We put the baby to bed gas On and I want the people to know too. Podcasts have dropped holiday weekend. The podcast machine does not stop showing you the great the determination that I have to come in and do this podcast. And I think the audio quality on this better than any other. I guess

we've done so far. I'd have to agree part of that reasons because like a good lead, I have a voice that kind of masks the deficiencies of your pipes in the old and rotten age that you live in. So um, I agree with you. It's well said. Yes again David gascon proving he is the narcissist. Narcissist here on the show, very superficial and whatnot there, And uh, I think, well, in another life you were a prima donna, right as that was your job before prima donna. I hope.

I wish there was some kind of way to prove that to would be nice to see what kind of money I had back in an alternate life. But uh, but yeah, right now I'm just living the American dream, dude, which is holding the water for Ben Mallory. Yeah, in life there are good guys and villains. I'm the good guy. You're the villain. That's the way. Anyway, have a great weekend, way back to the radio Sunday night into Monday, and

we'll catch you next time. And thank you for supporting The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller