BRIAN BLESSING THE LINEMAKERS SPORTINGNEWS.COM (9-6)Minnesota Vikings (+6½) over MIAMI DOLPHINS

Mike Zimmer deserved a head coaching gig in the NFL a long time ago. He is changing the culture surrounding the Vikings. Last week, Minnesota outgained Detroit by 127 yards on the road but lost 16-14, losing the turnover battle 2-0. The pressure is on the Dolphins in this spot, and they wilted in recent weeks because of a pedestrian offense. You may need to adjust your TV set with the Vikings’ purple uniforms clashing with the empty orange seats. Minnesota is on a 4-0 ATS run, while Miami has torched the bettors’ cash the past three weeks.

STEVE COFIELD ESPN1100.COM (8-6-1)Utah (-3) over Colorado State

The Rams were great in close games this season, but it won’t matter now. The team will look different in the Las Vegas Bowl with Jim McElwain off to coach at Florida. Utah is the more physical team, and coach Kyle Whittingham will have his guys ready to roll. Colorado State will be pleased just to be playing in its first bowl game since 2008. The line has dropped from 4½ to 3, creating more betting value on the favorite.

ED GRANEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL (7-8)UNR (+1) over Louisiana-Lafayette

I figure the only way the Wolf Pack can lose this New Orleans Bowl is if the players stuff themselves with shrimp from Commander’s Palace and can’t run very fast. Louisiana-Lafayette played five bowl teams this season and was outscored 187-118. UNR went 2-5 versus bowl teams, but beat San Diego State and won at Brigham Young while only falling to Boise State by five points and at Arizona by seven. Boise State beat Louisiana-Lafayette by 25. UNR is just a better team from a better conference, and you won’t find many people saying that about the Mountain West very often.

MATT YOUMANS LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL (10-5)Atlanta Falcons (+6) over NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

It seemed improbable the Saints could drop three straight home games, but they did, and then lost a fourth straight, 41-10 to Carolina. New Orleans’ air of invincibility at the Superdome is history. Drew Brees dissected the Chicago defense on Monday, yet how significant was that? The Bears are bad news, and the Saints (6-8) still have problems. If big-play wide receiver Julio Jones returns for the Falcons, Matt Ryan can trade shots with Brees. Expect another down-to-the-wire shootout between these NFC South rivals.

Las Vegas Review-Journal a Friday, December 19, 2014 • Page 3C

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Sports Betting SpotlightWEEKEND PREVIEW

Matt Youmans, Kelly Stewart and Golden Nugget sports book director Tony Miller reveal their best bets for college football

bowls and the NFL in two “Sports Betting Spotlight” videos at reviewjournal.com/sports/betting.

THE WEEKEND’S BEST BETS

New England 9-5 9-5Buffalo 8-6 2-12Miami 7-7 6-8N.Y. Jets 5-9 6-8

Indianapolis 9-4-1 9-5Houston 8-5-1 7-7Jacksonville 6-9 7-8Tennessee 3-11-1 6-9

Baltimore 8-6 7-7Cleveland 7-6-1 5-9Cincinnati 7-7 5-9Pittsburgh 7-7 9-5

Kansas City 9-4-1 5-9Denver 7-7 7-7Oakland 7-7 8-6San Diego 6-8 6-8

Dallas 8-6 8-5-1Philadelphia 8-6 9-5N.Y. Giants 6-8 8-6Washington 4-10 6-8

Carolina 7-7 8-6Atlanta 6-8 6-8New Orleans 6-8 10-4Tampa Bay 6-8 5-9

Minnesota 9-5 5-9Detroit 7-7 3-11Green Bay 7-7 10-4Chicago 5-9 8-6

Arizona 10-4 4-9-1Seattle 8-6 7-7St. Louis 7-7 7-7San Francisco 5-8-1 4-10

NFL RECORDS AGAINST THE SPREAD, OVER/UNDER

Doug Fitz (Systemplays.com), Dana Lane (DanaLaneSports.com), Bruce Marshall (GoldSheet.com), Kelly Stewart (KellyinVegas.com) and Matt Youmans of the Review-Journal compete in a 38-game college football bowl contest. All picks are made against the spread. Each winning pick is worth one point, with the exception of a Best Bet (in bold) worth three points.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL COLLEGE BOWL CHALLENGE

BOWL FAVORITE (LINE) UNDERDOG

New Orleans La.-Lafayette (-1½) UNR

New Mexico Utah State (-10½) Texas-El Paso

Las Vegas Utah (-3½) Colorado State

Idaho Potato Air Force (-1½) Western Michigan

Camellia South Alabama (-2½) Bowling Green

Miami Beach Memphis (-1½) Brigham Young

Boca Raton Marshall (-10½) Northern Illinois

Poinsettia San Diego State (-2½) Navy

Bahamas Western Kentucky (-3½) Central Michigan

Hawaii Rice (-1½) Fresno State

Heart of Dallas Louisiana Tech (-5½) Illinois

Quick Lane North Carolina (-3½) Rutgers

St. Petersburg Central Florida (-1½) North Carolina State

Military Cincinnati (-3½) Virginia Tech

Sun Arizona State (-7½) Duke

Independence Miami (-3½) South Carolina

Pinstripe Boston College (-2½) Penn State

Holiday Southern California (-6½) Nebraska

Liberty West Virginia (-3½) Texas A&M

Russell Athletic Oklahoma (-3½) Clemson

Texas Arkansas (-5½) Texas

Music City Louisiana State (-7½) Notre Dame

Belk Georgia (-6½) Louisville

San Francisco Stanford (-13½) Maryland

Chick-fil-A Texas Christian (-3½) Mississippi

Fiesta Arizona (-3½) Boise State

Orange Mississippi State (-7½) Georgia Tech

Outback Auburn (-6½) Wisconsin

Cotton Baylor (-2½) Michigan State

Citrus Missouri (-5½) Minnesota

Rose Oregon (-8½) Florida State

Sugar Alabama (-9½) Ohio State

Armed Forces Pittsburgh (-3½) Houston

Taxslayer Tennessee (-3½) Iowa

Alamo Kansas State (-1½) UCLA

Cactus Washington (-5½) Oklahoma State

Birmingham Florida (-7½) East Carolina

GoDaddy.com Toledo (-2½) Arkansas State

DOUG FITZ

UNR

Utah State

Colorado State

Air Force

Bowling Green

Memphis

Northern Illinois

San Diego State

Western Kentucky

Fresno State

Louisiana Tech

North Carolina

Central Florida

Cincinnati

Duke

South Carolina

Boston College

Southern California

Texas A&M

Clemson

Texas

Louisiana State

Louisville

Maryland

Texas Christian

Boise State

Georgia Tech

Auburn

Michigan State

Minnesota

Florida State

Ohio State

Pittsburgh

Iowa

UCLA

Oklahoma State

Florida

Arkansas State

DANA LANE

UNR

Texas-El Paso

Colorado State

Western Michigan

South Alabama

Memphis

Marshall

Navy

Central Michigan

Fresno State

Louisiana Tech

Rutgers

N.C. State

Virginia Tech

Duke

South Carolina

Penn State

Nebraska

West Virginia

Clemson

Texas

Notre Dame

Louisville

Maryland

Mississippi

Boise State

Mississippi State

Wisconsin

Michigan State

Missouri

Oregon

Alabama

Houston

Iowa

UCLA

Oklahoma State

East Carolina

Arkansas State

BRUCE MARSHALL

UNR

Texas-El Paso

Utah

Air Force

South Alabama

Memphis

Northern Illinois

San Diego State

Western Kentucky

Rice

Louisiana Tech

North Carolina

Central Florida

Virginia Tech

Duke

South Carolina

Boston College

Nebraska

West Virginia

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Louisiana State

Louisville

Maryland

Texas Christian

Arizona

Georgia Tech

Auburn

Baylor

Minnesota

Florida State

Alabama

Houston

Iowa

UCLA

Washington

East Carolina

Arkansas State

KELLY STEWART

La.-Lafayette

Utah State

Colorado State

Air Force

South Alabama

Memphis

Northern Illinois

Navy

Central Michigan

Rice

Louisiana Tech

Rutgers

Central Florida

Cincinnati

Arizona State

Miami

Boston College

Nebraska

West Virginia

Clemson

Texas

Louisiana State

Louisville

Maryland

Texas Christian

Boise State

Georgia Tech

Wisconsin

Baylor

Minnesota

Oregon

Alabama

Houston

Iowa

Kansas State

Oklahoma State

East Carolina

Arkansas State

MATT YOUMANS

UNR

Texas-El Paso

Utah

Air Force

South Alabama

Memphis

Northern Illinois

Navy

Western Kentucky

Rice

Louisiana Tech

Rutgers

N.C. State

Cincinnati

Duke

South Carolina

Boston College

Southern California

Texas A&M

Oklahoma

Texas

Notre Dame

Louisville

Maryland

Texas Christian

Arizona

Georgia Tech

Auburn

Baylor

Missouri

Florida State

Ohio State

Houston

Tennessee

Kansas State

Washington

Florida

Toledo