Stephen Nover
Monday's winners ...
15 DIME TITANS
10 DIME UNDER BUCKS/SPURS

NOTE: I had my sights set on an NFL trifecta sweep and a 60-dime profit on Sunday. But it wasn't to be. New England came in with a winner, but the Giants couldn't hold a late seven-point lead before winning by three in overtime and thus not covering and my over on the Eagles-Bears just fell short.

The Eagles-Bears not going over was frustrating because part of my handicap was based on multiple injuries in the Philadelphia secondary. Chicago had open receivers all night, but Jay Cutler continually misfired. He is a very overrated quarterback, much better for Fantasy football teams than real ones.

I had my biggest college football play of the season on Saturday and that missed, too, with favored Rutgers losing outright to Syracuse. All the credit to the gusty Orangemen, who pulled the upset despite having a large number of injuries and being without suspended wide receiver Mike Williams.

This has been an extremely rough college season for many professional gamblers and sharp handicappers. I know a number of sharps and top syndicates were on Rutgers strong. The number did go up but money isn't made on line moves but on covering the spread. These gamblers and groups win each year. So do I.

My free picks for the weekend, New Mexico State on Saturday and the Seahawks on Sunday, also lost.

This week will be better. I have a decent-size play on the Monday night Titans-Texans game along with one of my stronger NBA plays. I'm turning to college basketball for a complimentary play, which can be found in the free-pick area.

15 Dime Titans - The national spotlight comes to Houston as the Texans are in the rare position of hosting a Monday night game. The Texans aren't used to being in the limelight with the pressure all on them. They have not responded well during the few occasions this has occurred during their eight-year history.

This very well may be Houston's finest team. But the Texans are catching Tennessee at the wrong time. The Titans are playing their best ball with three straight victories.

There are many reasons for this with the main ones being Chris Johnson has emerged as the best running back in football, a mature and more accurate Vince Young has provided a spark and the secondary has gotten healthier.

Johnson is averaging 165 yards a game and has scored six touchdowns during the past three games. The Texans couldn't stop Johnson in Week 2 when he ran for 197 yards and scored three touchdowns. Johnson actually has gotten better since then.

Young has always been a threat to run and now he's throwing better than he ever has. He'll be very motivated to perform well in his hometown and in the state of Texas where he starred for the University of Texas.

Matt Schaub burned the Titans for 357 yards and four touchdowns when Houston won 34-31 in Week 2. That was a tough loss for the Titans and accelerated their downward spiral. There also was a sideline fight with a number of players involved in the fray.

The Titans haven't forgot. They want this game. Titans veteran linebacker Keith Bulluck remembers how cocky the Texans left the field following that narrow victory.

"We are talking about a team that has never even sniffed the playoffs before, so I guess when they beat us or other teams in the (division) it's like a playoff game," he was quoted as saying. "It was only the second game of the season, but I thought it was for the AFC Championship.

"With that said they have a huge stage on Monday night. We both do. We are a 3-6 team with nothing to lose, and I know they have playoff aspirations. So we are really looking to coming down to Houston and destroying all playoff hopes and aspirations they have."

10 Dime Under Bucks/Spurs - Milwaukee usually gives San Antonio a tough time. The Bucks have covered eight of the past nine times versus the Spurs. They beat San Antonio in both meetings last year.

Now the Bucks are off to their fastest start since 2001-02. Expect a correction. Milwaukee is not nearly as good as it's 8-3 record shows. But since the Spurs traditionally struggle against Milwaukee and won't have injured Manu Ginobili, the best way to play this matchup is under the total.

The Spurs rank 14th in defense giving up 97.5 points. That's high for them. They usually are among the leaders in defense. Their defense is starting to reach their normal top-five status. In their last two games - both at home - the Spurs held Washington to 84 points and Utah to 90. The Wizards had all three of their stars, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, playing.

Andrew Bogut is out for Milwaukee. He was Milwaukee's only inside scoring threat. Sharpshooter Michael Redd isn't expected back yet either. That leaves a starting lineup of Charlie Bell, Brandon Jennings, Ersan Ilyasova, Carlos Delfino and Dan Gadzuric at center replacing Bogut. Do you think that lineup is capable of a good-scoring game on the road against the Spurs? I sure don't.

The Bucks have greatly improved their defense and intensity under Scott Skiles. The Bucks rank sixth defensively allowing 94.5 points per game. Only three times in their 11 games have the Bucks yielded triple-digits.

If you discount the Bucks' overtime loss to Dallas and matchup against Golden State, they are allowing an average of 87.5 points in their last eight games.