In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NFL and NHL, with our model focusing in on two of those predictions in our Featured Matchups. Those predictions went 1-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model’s performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 1-0

Over/Under Predictions: 1-0

Spread Predictions: 0-1

Featured Matchup: 0-1

Money Line Predictions: 7-2

Over/Under Predictions: 5-2-2

Puck Line Predictions: 5-4

Featured Matchup: 1-0

14 NFL games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all 14 matchups can be found below.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

Model Predicts- Bills ML, OVER 40, Patriots +14

The New England Patriots will travel to Buffalo, New York on Sunday to battle the Bills for the second time this season.

New England enters tonight’s matchup fresh off a road win against the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve, the team’s second win in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, Buffalo is a perfect 3-0 in December and is officially back in the playoff picture.

The Patriots surprisingly took down the Bills earlier this season, but our model forecasts a much different outcome in today’s matchup. Let’s take a look at why that is.

New England Patriots

• Offense is finding a rhythm

  • Scored at least 17 points in three straight games

  • Averaging 4.9 yards per play over last three weeks. Increased to 5.2 last week

• Bailey Zappe becoming more efficient QB

  • Completing 72.8% of passes in last three games

  • 6 TDs and 2 INTs in that time

• Defense is still elite, especially against the run

  • Rank 1st in opponent rush success rate

  • Allowing 3.2 yards per carry this season (1st in NFL)

    • Down to 2.9 in last three weeks

Buffalo Bills

• Have reversed course from mid-season lull

  • 3-0 in December. Wins over Chiefs, Cowboys, and Chargers

  • +26 point differential in that stretch

• Offense has been less efficient despite recent wins

  • Average 5.8 yards per play this season. Has fallen to 5.3 during win streak

• Turnovers remain an issue

  • 3 turnovers last week in two-point win over Chargers

  • Josh Allen- at least 1 INT in 10 of the last 11 games

What’s the Play?

Buffalo should have no problems winning this game, but we agree with our model that a two touchdown spread is just a tad too high.

The Bills’ vulnerability to turnovers is a huge factor here, as we’ve seen those issues flip the field in a blink of an eye. Turnovers were a big reason that New England won the first matchup against the Bills, as an interception in the first quarter led to a touchdown and 10-0 lead for the Patriots, and Los Angeles had success last week by forcing two fumbles and an interception, further highlighting that teams can keep things close against a clumsy Bills offense.

New England’s defense is no joke, and the offense is putting pieces together at the right time. It’s an ugly bet, but we’ll take the Patriots on the spread.

The Play: Patriots +14 (-105)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Baltimore Ravens- 12-3 overall this season, 5-2 as the home team

• Los Angeles Rams- 8-7 overall this season, 5-1 in last six games

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Washington Commanders- Over is 9-6 this season, 4-2 as the home team

• Kansas City Chiefs- Under is 10-5 this season, 6-1 as the home team

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Miami Dolphins- 10-5 against the spread (ATS) this season, 4-2 ATS as the away team

• Los Angeles Rams- 9-5-1 ATS this season, 6-2 ATS as a favorite

🤕 Mostert out for matchup with Ravens. Raheem Mostert, the NFL's leading touchdown scorer, likely won't play in the upcoming game for the Miami Dolphins against the Baltimore Ravens. Mostert is still dealing with ankle and knee injuries, missing practice earlier in the week. Despite a standout season surpassing 1,000 rushing yards and setting a Dolphins record with 21 scrimmage touchdowns, Mostert's history of injuries has limited his playing time since joining the league in 2015.

👋 Seahawks release Frank Clark amid roster shakeup. The Seattle Seahawks underwent roster changes ahead of their Week 17 clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers, cutting ties with Frank Clark. Clark, a former Pro Bowl pass-rusher, was in his second stint with Seattle, but registered minimal stats in six games. Seattle also placed Jamal Adams and Dee Eskridge on injured reserve.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- Who is the only active NBA player to play college basketball at Oral Roberts?

Question #2- What school is the only 15-seed to reach the Elite 8 in March Madness history?

Question #3- How many times has Connor McDavid won the Hart Trophy (MVP) since 2017?

Anyone know what has happened on December 31st throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On December 31st…

1988- Mario Lemieux scores or assists on every Penguins goal in an 8-6 win over the New Jersey Devils. Lemieux famously recorded five goals and in the match, all of which were scored in a different manner: even strength, power play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty net. He also recorded three assists in the game.

2017- The Cleveland Browns suffer a 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Losing was a common theme for Cleveland that season, as the Browns became just the second team in NFL history to finish the regular season 0-16. The only other team to finish 0-16 was the Detroit Lions, which came in the 2008 season.

2018- James Harden scores 43 points in a a 113-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The performance was the 4th straight game in which Harden scored 40+ points, as well as the 8th straight contest that he scored 35+ points. He would also record at least five assists in all eight of those matchups, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players to record 35 points and five assists in eight straight games.

1. DaQuan Jeffries

2. Saint Peter’s

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