[LLXC]

NFL Key Releases:
PITTSBURGH by 14 over Baltimore
SAN FRANCISCO by 23 over Detroit
UNDER THE TOTAL in the Jacksonville-New England game

PITTSBURGH 30 - Baltimore 16—The Ravens earned their triple-
revenge for LY’s losses in the first meeting, but it wasn’t easy. Baltimore needed a FG in the last two minutes to tie before beating the Steelers and reserve QB Dennis Dixon 20-17 in OT. Now, Ben Roethlisberger (team-record 503 YP last week) is back in the saddle, and the defending champs can kiss their playoff hopes good-by if they don’t win this one. Last week’s last-second victory over G.B. and Big Ben’s big-time receiving cast should get the job done. (Will Troy Polamalu give it a try?)
(09-BALT. 20-Pitt 17 (OT)...B.21-16 P.38/153 B.29/132 B.23/35/0/261 P.12/26/1/145 B.2 P.0) (08-PITT 23-Balt. 20 (OT)...B.16-11 B.33/103 P.28/69 P.14/24/1/168 B.16/31/0/140 P.0 B.1) (08-Pitt 13-BALT. 9...P.18-12 B.31/112 P.26/92 P.22/40/0/220 B.10/26/1/89 P.2 B.0) (08-PITT 23-Balt. 14...B.13-11 B.25/73 P.28/52 P.16/33/0/223 B.13/30/3/125 P.1 B.1) (09-BAL. -7' 20-17 (OT); 08-PITT -5 23-20 (OT), Pitt +3 13-9, PIT -6 23-14 (Playoffs)...SR: Pitt 18-11)

S A N F R A N C I S C O 3 3 - D e t r o i t 1 0 — S . F . f i n d s i t s e l f i n t h e unaccustomed role of a big favorite. But Detroit has lost 19 straight games on the road, and this year’s seven defeats have all been by DDs, five of the seven by 17 points or more. With RB Kevin Smith (knee) injured two weeks ago, the Lions have lost 11 starters or top backups for the season. Although the 49ers are now out of the playoffs, we expect that Mike Singletary (14-6-2 last 22 vs. the spread) is still “looking for winners.”
(08-S. FRAN. 31-Det. 13...S.25-14 S.39/182 D.20/116 S.16/23/0/188 D.15/31/2/124 S.0 D.0) (08-SAN FRANCISCO -4' 31-13...SR: San Francisco 34-27-1)

UNDER THE TOTAL NEW ENGLAND 20 - Jacksonville 16—The
epitaph of Jacksonville’s season likely will cite the absence of disruptive elements on its defense (only 14 sacks TY!) that kept the Jags out of the playoffs. Still, reluctant to trust N.E. to extend the margin these days, as its KO power muted with Randy Moss (whose diva side is threatening to resurface) not quite the same game-altering force. Thus, Tom Brady apt to lean on RB Laurence Maroney and others more than in the past. December conditions in Foxborough, combined with JV’s limited home-run power aside from “MJD,” point to extension of “under” trends (Jags 9-4 “under” last 13 away; Belichick 4- 0-1 last 5 TY).
(07-NEW ENGLAND -13' 31-20 (Playoffs)...SR: New England 7-1)

[LLXC]

College Basketball Key Releases:
AKRON by 19 over Valparaiso

AKRON 86 - Valparaiso 67—Defending MAC champ Akron owns the balance (6 avg. between 7 & 9 ppg) and depth (9-man rotation) to avenge LY’s haunting series loss (blew 18-pt. lead!) at raucous Rhodes Arena, where Zips are 7-3 vs. number last 10. Akron’s nifty 5-9 soph PG “Humpty” Hutchins should easily break down defensively-soft Valpo (allowing a whopping 88 ppg away) picked to finish near bottom of Horizon League, while Akron’s prized 7-0 frosh C Zeke Marshall (2.3 bpg)—who has a 7-5 wingspan—alters plenty of inside shots on other end. 08-VAL +4' 74-66

[rebus]

my unofficial tally show Gold Sheet picks at 4-14 for posts in this forum since Dec 01 - may have missed a few, but they have not been exactly reliable