The Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys are set to finish off the 2012 NFL regular season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 17 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Sunday Night Football matchup.

Team To Score First: This is an oddball happening that might just be totally random, and it might be something to really think about. The Redskins have won six games in a row both SU and ATS since their bye week. That’s quirky in itself, but what’s even quirkier is that four of those wins came in games in which the opponents scored first against them. Washington has had a lot of moxie in these games, and that could prove to be the case once again in this one. However, Dallas has had a good history of getting out of the blocks early, scoring first in two of its last three games. There’s got to be at least a 50/50 chance that the Cowboys are the team that draw first blood in this one. Dallas Cowboys To Score First (+100)

Tony Romo Over/Under 302.5 Passing Yards: Romo needs 315 passing yards to make it to 5,000 for the season, and many think that he has been playing the best ball of his career over the course of the last several weeks. The truth of the matter is that since Week 8 against the New York Giants, a game that was lost 29-24, Romo has been on fire. He has averaged 338.8 passing yards per game, has had three 400+ yard performances, seven 300+ yard performances, and he has a TD/INT ratio of 17/3. Washington’s secondary was torn apart for 441 yards when these two teams met back on Thanksgiving Day, and it still has one of the worst back fours of all of the potential playoff teams this year. Romo is going to be up against it, but we have to think that he is going to get to this number more often than he doesn’t in a spot like this one. Tony Romo Over 302.5 Passing Yards (-115)

Tony Romo Over/Under 1.5 Passing Touchdowns: Did you catch that last stat about Romo and his TD passes? He has 17 TD passes in his last eight games, including 12 in his last five games. He has at least two TD passes in four of those five outings, and the opportunities to get on the board via the pass are going to be there for sure in this one whether Mother Nature behaves and gives us good weather or not in Week 17. If Dallas has any chance to get into the playoffs, Romo is going to have no choice but to throw for at least two, and maybe a heck of a lot more touchdowns. Tony Romo Over 1.5 Touchdown Passes (-160)

Will Dez Bryant Score a Touchdown?: Broken finger or not, Bryant just continues to be a force for the Cowboys. He has hooked up with Romo for at least one touchdown in seven straight games. The pessimist could say that Bryant is due for a letdown game. However, we have to look at the pure numbers, and there is just no way that we could do anything but bet ‘yes’ on this prop. The argument could be made that Bryant has been the best receiver in the league over the course of the last seven weeks, in which he has averaged 6.6 receptions, 115.4 yards, and 1.4 touchdowns per game, and we have to think that he is going to find the end zone at least once in this one more often than not. Dez Bryant To Score a Touchdown (-115)

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 12/30/12):
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Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -120
No Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -110

Cowboys Score First +100
Redskins Score First -130

First Score a Touchdown -180
First Score Not a Touchdown +150

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 47.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 47.5 Yards -115

Tony Romo Passing Yards Over 302.5 -115
Tony Romo Passing Yards Under 302.5 -115

Tony Romo Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 -160
Tony Romo Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 +130

Dez Bryant Receiving Yards Over 85.5 -115
Dez Bryant Receiving Yards Under 85.5 -115

Dez Bryant Scores a Touchdown -115
Dez Bryant Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -115

Robert Griffin III Completions Over 19 -115
Robert Griffin III Completions Under 19 -115

Alfred Morris Rushing Yards Over 90.5 -115
Alfred Morris Rushing Yards Under 90.5 -115

Week 17 of the 2012 NFL campaign is going to get underway this weekend. Below you will find the current list of 2012 Week 17 NFL lines and spreads along with a breakdown of the Week 17 NFL odds. Be sure to check out the free NFL picks from the expert handicappers at Bankroll Sports this week…

There are only a total of 12 of the 16 games that are on the board as of Monday morning that we are able to dissect here at Bankroll Sports, but most of the games that are off the board are very questionable as to how they are being handled by some teams.

The Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts are both very much so up in the air with how things are going to go on Sunday. Houston knows that it is playing for the top seed in the AFC playoffs, while the Colts are playing for nothing but getting ready for the playoffs. It is still unknown how hard Indy is going to try to win this game, knowing that it is going on the road either to Baltimore or New England regardless of what happens in this one, but it is still going to be the first game that Head Coach Chuck Pagano is on the sidelines for his team since early on in the campaign.

It is equally suspect how the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to handle their Week 17 game now that their season is over against the Cleveland Browns, who are dealing with a questionable QB Brandon Weeden, who got hurt last week with a shoulder problem. Weeden isn’t the only starting quarterback that is up in the air due to injury, as the Oakland Raiders lost QB Carson Palmer last week to a rib injury and is very much so up in the air. That’s keep the Raiders and the San Diego Chargers off the board in the final game for Head Coach Norv Turner and GM AJ Smith with the Bolts.

The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off the board, knowing that Atlanta is likely resting its starter and Tampa Bay has to be ready to sit down QB Josh Freeman after he has thrown eight picks in his last two games combined.

It shouldn’t be considered all that much of a surprise that there are some absolutely huge favorites in Week 17 with some teams that have all to play for against others that are probably better served losing to try to improve their stock in the NFL Draft. The biggest of the favs is the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have rolled to wins in each of their last 10 games to get to 12-3, and they need to win to lock up a first round bye in the playoffs. They’re taking on the Kansas City Chiefs, who need to lose to win the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. KC is a 16-point underdog, making it the biggest underdog on the campaign.

The San Francisco 49ers are favored by 15 over the Arizona Cardinals in a game that has to be won to take down the NFC West title. If by chance Arizona pulls off the upset, the door opens for the Seattle Seahawks, who are the hottest team in football at the moment with 150 points scored in their last three games. Seattle isn’t likely to move up from the No. 5 seed, but just the possibility that the Niners could lose parlayed with the fact that the club is playing so well would clearly make Head Coach Pete Carroll think twice about putting anyone on the bench for this game. That’s why the Seahawks, playing at home, are favored by 10.5 in spite of the fact that their foes, the St. Louis Rams are playing well at the moment.

The New England Patriots are trying to move up in the AFC playoff picture from the No. 3 seed, and they are taking on the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 in a 4:25 ET kickoff. The Fins are getting 10.5 in spite of the fact that this is their equivalent of the Super Bowl. These two teams played a very tight encounter a few weeks ago in South Beach, but since that point, New England has been rolling, and it doesn’t look like it is going to be stopped in this one. The other massive favorties are the New York Giants at -9.5 against the Philadelphia Eagles in what should be the final game for Head Coach Andy Reid in the City of Brotherly Love.

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These aren’t nearly the only important games of the weekend, though. The Sunday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins will determine which team is going to win the NFC East. The Skins, playing at home, are favored by the value of home field advantage at -3 in what should be one of the biggest games of the entire season. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears are -3.5 in a do or die game against the Detroit Lions.

Of course, the Chicago game means absolutely nothing if the Minnesota Vikings figure out how to take down the Green Bay Packers at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Pack are the favored side at -3.5, but we have to remember that the Vikes were the big time underdogs in Week 16 against the Texans as well. This one is at home, and if it is won by Minnesota, it sets up a clash between these same two teams in all likelihood next week at Lambeau Field in the first round of the playoffs.

The Buffalo Bills are favored by 3.5 at home against the dysfunctional New York Jets in a battle to stay out of the gutter in the AFC East. The Cincinnati Bengals are giving three to the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore can still move up in the AFC playoff picture with a win and a New England loss, but largely, this game means nothing to a pair of teams that are going to be playing next week in the first round of the playoffs in the AFC. Four points is the NFL point spread for the Tennessee Titans over the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the New Orleans Saints are favored by 4.5 at home against the Carolina Panthers. This battle of two hot teams is featuring the highest ‘total’ of the week at 54 to boot. There are no games at this point that feature ‘totals’ below 41.5, but that will likely change as the week wears on. Keep it locked right here to Bankroll Sports for the Week 17 odds that are listed just below this post that we will keep updated throughout the week.

2012 NFL Week 17 Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 12/29/12):
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Week 17 NFL Point Spreads for Sunday, December 30th (1:00 ET Kickoffs)
301 New York Jets +3.5
302 Buffalo Bills -3.5
Over/Under 39

305 Baltimore Ravens +1
306 Cincinnati Bengals -1
Over/Under 41

307 Cleveland Browns +11
308 Pittsburgh Steelers -11
Over/Under 34.5

309 Houston Texans -7
310 Indianapolis Colts +7
Over/Under 46.5

311 Jacksonville Jaguars +4
312 Tennessee Titans -4
Over/Under 41.5

313 Philadelphia Eagles +7
314 New York Giants -7
Over/Under 45.5

317 Chicago Bears -3
318 Detroit Lions +3
Over/Under 44.5

321 Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3.5
322 Atlanta Falcons -3.5
Over/Under 45.5

323 Carolina Panthers +5
324 New Orleans Saints -5
Over/Under 54

Week 17 NFL Spreads for Sunday, December 30th (4:25 ET Kickoffs)
303 Miami Dolphins +10
304 New England Patriots -10
Over/Under 46

319 Green Bay Packers -3.5
320 Minnesota Vikings +3.5
Over/Under 46

325 Kansas City Chiefs +16
326 Denver Broncos -16
Over/Under 42

327 Oakland Raiders +9.5
328 San Diego Chargers -9.5
Over/Under 39.5

329 Arizona Cardinals +16.5
330 San Francisco 49ers -16.5
Over/Under 39.5

331 St. Louis Rams +10.5
332 Seattle Seahawks -10.5
Over/Under 41

NFL Week 17 Betting Lines for Sunday Night Football, December 30th
315 Dallas Cowboys +3.5
316 Washington Redskins -3.5
Over/Under 48

2012 Music City Bowl picks are going to be entertaining to make this year, as we have two teams that are going to be going at it against each other in what could be an unpredictable game in the Vanderbilt Commodores and the NC State Wolfpack. Join us for our Music City Bowl keys to the game and our NC State vs. Vanderbilt predictions.

2012 Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt Commodores vs. NC State Wolfpack
2012 Music City Bowl Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
2012 Music City Bowl Date/Time: Monday, December 31st, 12:00 p.m. (ET)
2012 Music City Bowl On TV: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

Key #1: Mike Glennon cannot get erratic with the football
QB Mike Glennon is a senior, and he is a leader. With Head Coach Tom O’Brien dismissed after a 7-5 season, it is suspect as to how well the Wolfpack are going to respond to their interim coaches. Glennon is the constant here in this lineup. He threw for over 3,600 yards on the campaign, but he knows that he is going to be up against it. This won’t be a third 400+ yard game on the season, and it is likely to be a clash in which he struggles to get much beyond 250 passing yards or so. That being said, Glennon has had a problem in his career of keeping his head on straight when matters are going badly. The Commodores rank ninth in the country against the pass, and they did that against the rough and tumble SEC. Granted, the passing games were never the stoutest in the SEC, but there were some good ones, and the ‘Dores really shut just about all of them down. Glennon threw 14 INTs this year, and seven of those came in just two games. If he tosses multiple picks in this one against an opportunistic team, the Wolfpack are in a ton of trouble.

Music City Bowl Odds at BetGuardian Sportsbook
Vanderbilt Commodores -7
NC State Wolfpack +7
Over/Under 51.5
Click Here to Bet Your Music City Bowl Picks!

Key #2: The Wolfpack have to account for Jordan Matthews
Sammy Watkins, Brandon Ford, DeAndre Hopkins, Giovani Bernard, Eric Ebron, Marcus Leak, Phillip Dorsett, Rashawn Scott, Cordarrelle Patterson, Zach Rogers, Justin Hunter. That’s 11 different receivers that accounted for at least 75 receiving yards against the Wolfpack this year, and five of those went for at least 100 yards. The secondary for NC State played against teams like The Citadel, Wake Forest, Maryland, South Alabama, and Connecticut this year, and none of those teams are exactly known for their passing prowess. Take those games out, and what’s left is a secondary that is allowing over 300 yards per game through the air. The Commodores aren’t going to get to 300 yards in all likelihood, but WR Jordan Matthews has the potential to bust the game wide open all by himself. All too often, teams get caught trying to defend the run against Vandy, and rightfully so, knowing that the Dores average running it just under 40 times per game. However, Matthews had 1,262 receiving yards this year and finished off the campaign by catching a TD in four straight games. He also averaged 8.7 catches and 137.3 yards per game in his last three games as well, all of which were wins and covers for the Commodores.

Key #3: Vandy can’t get cute, has to stay committed to the run
Often times in these bowl games, with so much time to prepare for just one more game, coaches tend to get away from their comfort zone and throw some tricks into the bag that might mess with their own game plans more than anything else. As we just stated, the Commodores have made a living this year out of running the ball and throwing it to Matthews. The 39.1 runs per game was a very high number for this team this year, and that accounted for 59.4 percent of the plays run for the Dores. The Commodores have done a good job this year staying committed to the run regardless of their situation, as they ended up running the ball 57.2 percent of the time in games that they lost, but the higher the percentage, the better the results have generally been. The Wolfpack aren’t going to be able to stop the Commodores and RB Zac Stacy if he gets rumbling in the right direction, and Coach Franklin should know that and stick to the game plan for the attempt at the cover.

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Our 2012 bowl predictions continue on Monday, December 31st with the Liberty Bowl, and we are set to make our Liberty Bowl predictions, tips, and keys to the game for the duel between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

2012 Liberty Bowl: Iowa State Cyclones vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
2012 Liberty Bowl Location: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, TN
2012 Liberty Bowl Date/Time: Monday, December 31st, 3:30 p.m. (ET)
2012 Liberty Bowl On TV: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

Key #1: The Golden Hurricane have to do more on the ground
When Tulsa is at its best, this is a team that can run all over the place. The offense operates at a breakneck speed, and the team runs the ball a ton. In fact, the squad averaged 47.3 rushing attempts per game this year, one of the top marks in the entire country. All three of the team’s top backs, RB Trey Watts, RB Ja’Terian Douglas, and RB Alex Singleton carried the ball at least 10 times per game this year, and each averaged at least 58.8 yards per game. Both Watts and Douglas averaged at least six yards per carry, while Singleton was the moose near the goal line, rushing for a whopping 21 touchdowns. The first time that these two teams met though, matters weren’t good for the Tulsa rushing attack. These three men only combined for 24 total carries, and the Golden Hurricane only had a total of 160 rushing yards. That just doesn’t cut it for a team that just doesn’t have a great passing game. We expect to see at least double the carries in this one for Tulsa that we saw from those backs the first time around, and if that turns out to be the case, the Golden Hurricane should be in good shape.

Liberty Bowl Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
Iowa State Cyclones -1.5
Tulsa Golden Hurricane +1.5
Over/Under 51
Click Here to Bet Your Liberty Bowl Picks!

Key #2: The moment can’t be too big for Sam Richardson
QB Sam Richardson has to be on Cloud Nine right now on the eve of his first ever bowl game. Just last year, he was still in high school in Central Florida, and he had to think that he was either going to redshirt this year or play sparingly. Instead, he has jumped over both QB Steele Jantz and QB Jared Barnett and is now the starting quarterback for the team. There is always a question as to how a freshman plays in a big game like this one, and this could be problematic. Remember that this is only going to be the third start for Richardson in his career. His numbers are good, as he has completed 62.1% of his passes for 412 yards and seven TDs without a pick, and he has rushed for 187 yards and a TD as well. However, he needs to keep his emotions in check and take his time against a Tulsa defense that has made its share of big plays on the season.

Key #3: The Iowa State offensive line has to be careful against a huge pass rush
Part of the problem that Richardson is going to have in this game is that his offensive line is going to have its hands full. Tulsa ranks third in the nation in sacks this year, and the team ended up with 48 sacks on the campaign. The Golden Hurricane also picked off 10 passes, had 55 pass deflections, and ultimately just made big play after big play. Granted, we know that Tulsa has allowed its share of big plays as well, and Richardson is going to have the opportunity to make some big time plays against this defense as well. When it was Jantz that was under center when these teams played at the outset of the season, he ended the day with -9 rushing yards on 13 carries. If Richardson ends up in this same type of a situation, it could be a long day for him and for this offense. If the Golden Hurricane get four or five sacks in this game, they should be in a situation to get the ‘W’.

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The X’s and O’s of the Sun Bowl predictions aren’t shared by many expert handicappers, but here at Bankroll Sports, we are giving up all of our insight and telling you all of the keys to the game for the USC Trojans vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Sun Bowl picks are some of the hardest to make this year of all of the bowl games, so don’t miss out on all of our USC vs. Georgia Tech predictions!

2012 Sun Bowl: USC Trojans vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2012 Sun Bowl Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
2012 Sun Bowl Date/Time: Monday, December 31st, 2:00 p.m. (ET)
2012 Sun Bowl On TV: CBS

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

Key #1: The Trojans have to care about this game
We question the motivation of teams all the time in bowl games like this one. USC was ranked as the No. 1 team in the country at one point early this season, and it was considered one of the early favorites to win the BCS National Championship. And yet what happened down the stretch? The team lost a game to the Arizona Wildcats on the road, and the wheels came off. The Men of Troy dropped four of their final five games of the year to drop from a team that still should have ultimately had a chance to play for the Rose Bowl to one that was lucky just to be in the Sun Bowl when push came to shove. What’s worse than just coming to the Sun Bowl is the fact that the only sub-.500 team playing in a bowl game this year is waiting. Georgia Tech went just 6-7 on the campaign, and it went 6-7 in spite of the fact that the ACC flat out stunk this year. It’s a tough matchup, not from a talent vs. talent standpoint for the Men of Troy, but from the standpoint that they have to put a lot of emotional effort into the game to win it. The potential is there for USC to win by 50. The potential is also there to lose by 20.

Sun Bowl Odds at BetRevolution Sportsbook
USC Trojans -7.5
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +7.5
Over/Under 64.5
Click Here to Bet Your Sun Bowl Picks!

Key #2: The front seven of the USC defense has to hang in there
On paper, this should be an insane mismatch. The front seven for the Trojans features just a ton of NFL type of talent that should be able to stop any offense that is thrown their way. With four weeks and 16 practices to prepare for the triple option, this defense should have had plenty of time to devise a plan to stop a very basic unit that probably doesn’t feature a single player that will ever take a meaningful snap (if a snap ever at all) at the next level. What makes this tough though, is the style of play. The Ramblin’ Wreck offensive linemen get low and cut block play after play, and even the best defensive lines have been frustrated as could be by this unit. On top of that, the pace of the game is always quick in spite of the fact that the clock moves quickly as well. Whether it be QB Vad Lee or QB Tevin Washington that is running the triple option, both men can get to the line of scrimmage quickly and force you to keep your same defense on the field. That’s what makes this matchup particularly tough for the full 60 minutes for the Trojans.

Key #3: Max Wittek just has to play better football than he did against Notre Dame
Needless to say, this wasn’t the season that the Men of Troy truly figured that they were going to be getting this year. QB Matt Barkley was supposed to win the Heisman Trophy, and he was supposed to be the man that triumphantly led USC to a minimum of the Pac-12 Championship Game and the Rose Bowl, if not the BCS National Championship Game. Instead, Barkley led the team to four losses before getting injured and replaced by QB Max Wittek in the finale against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Wittek is the future of this program for sure, but he is struggling in the present. Wittek went just 14-of-23 against Notre Dame in the last game of the regular season, and he is going to be facing a defensive front that just loves to bring the pressure from all angles. A seasoned veteran would probably pick up on all of that. Wittek, at times, looked like a dear in headlights going against the Irish. Was it the fact that Notre Dame’s defense is that good, or is Wittek really in need of that much more cultivating. That’s going to be the key on New Year’s Eve. If Wittek doesn’t at least play respectable ball, the Trojans may as well get out of Dodge and head back to LA.

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Our 2012 bowl predictions continue on Saturday, December 29th with the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, and we are set to make our Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl predictions, tips, and keys to the game for the duel between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Michigan State Spartans.

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: TCU Horned Frogs vs. Michigan State Spartans
2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Location: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ
2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Date/Time: Saturday, December 29th, 10:15 p.m. (ET)
2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl On TV: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Key #1: Gary Patterson has to stick to his winning ways
Since 2002, the Horned Frogs have gone a whopping 7-2 in bowl games, and the only losses came in the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl and the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, both of which came against the Boise State Broncos. We have already seen what TCU can do against a Big Ten team, beating up the Wisconsin Badgers 21-19 in a defensive-minded Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day 2011 as well. What’s more about this team is that its defense is always ready for a fight. In the last seven bowl games, which have yielded a 6-1 record, the team hasn’t allowed more than 24 points in any of the games, and it has allowed an average of just 17.1 points per game in that stretch to boot. Add in the fact that the Horned Frogs would have ranked in the Top 10 in the nation defensively had they played in any other conference in America, and it is clear to see that this unit is the glue for the team and will remain the key to beating the Buffalo Wild Wings betting lines and continuing this great tradition of bowl victories for the men clad in purple and black.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
TCU Horned Frogs -2
Michigan State Spartans +2
Over/Under 40.5
Click Here to Bet Your Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Picks!

Key #2: Le’Veon Bell has to keep the ball out of Andrew Maxwell’s hands
It’s a tough thing to try to say that a quarterback just has to not throw the football, but the best things that happen to this Michigan State offense all happen with RB Le’Veon Bell carrying the ball. Maxwell put the pill in the air 431 times this year, which just isn’t going to cut it against a TCU defense that is one of the better units in America. He averaged just 6.0 yards per pass attempt, completed 52.9 percent of his passes, and threw just over one touchdown per game on average. Bell on the other hand, had 1,648 rushing yards and 11 TDs, and he averaged touching the football 31.7 times per game, making him a true horse for the offense. Just over the course of the last three games of the regular season, Bell had 35, 32, and 36 carries, and he had well over 500 rushing yards in those outings. Bell had 210+ yards three times this year, including getting 210 against the Boise State Broncos at the outset of the year on 44 carries. This needs to likely be a very similar game for Sparty to pick up a bowl victory.

Key #3: The big uglies in the trenches have to keep the Spartans ahead of the Horned Frogs
We’re not saying that TCU is weak in its front seven by any stretch of the imagination, but the truth of the matter is that Michigan State’s front line is just a more physical and more NFL ready unit. The offense line has been paving holes for Bell all year long, while the defensive front seven features a few true stars that could be immediate impact players at the next level. LB Denicos Allen is definitely one of those men, while DE William Gholston is surely going to be playing on Sunday’s soon. The team isn’t flashy, having forced just 18 turnovers all year long, but the reason that this defense ranks in the Top 10 in the land in total defense, pass defense, and rush defense is because of the play of the big guys up front. This is where the Spartans can be more physical than just about any team that they face on a regular basis, especially outside of the Big Ten, and it is the key to winning this game for sure for the men in green and white.

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Our 2012 bowl predictions continue on Saturday, December 29th with the Armed Forces Bowl, and we are set to make our Armed Forces Bowl predictions, tips, and keys to the game for the duel between the Rice Owls and the Air Force Falcons.

2012 Armed Forces Bowl: Rice Owls vs. Air Force Falcons
2012 Armed Forces Bowl Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
2012 Armed Forces Bowl Date/Time: Saturday, December 29th, 11:45 a.m. (ET)
2012 Armed Forces Bowl On TV: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

Key #1: The Owls have to figure out the triple option
This is sort of the duh statement of the year at this point for the Armed Forces Bowl. Rice allowed over 192 yards per game on the ground this year and ranked 92nd in the country in rushing defense. However, this is a totally different style of defense than what the team has seen all year long in Conference USA. QB Connor Dietz and the gang are going to run it about 80-85% of the time, and the rushes are going to come from all different directions. It’s all about assignment football for Rice in this game, and with three weeks of practice to prepare for this one, there really are no excuses for players that are out of position. Still, saying it and executing it are two totally different things to do, and Rice is going to have a tough time getting the job done. There will be busted plays for sure, but in the end, the Owls are going to have to limit those big time plays. Around 300 yards is the threshold in this one. Anything more than that and Air Force is going to be in great shape. Anything less, and the Owls should be able to win this one if all else turns out to be equal in the end.

Armed Forces Bowl Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
Rice Owls +2.5
Air Force Falcons -2.5
Over/Under 61.5
Click Here to Bet Your Armed Forces Bowl Picks!

Key #2: Taylor McHargue has to be a star
QB Taylor McHargue is clearly the heart and soul of the Rice offense. He is the man that takes the snaps, and he’s the one that is going to do about 40% of the rushing of the football as well. The key might be McHargue throwing the football, though. In his last three games of the year, he completed over 65% of his passes, averaged 254.3 passing yards per game, and had two scores with just one pick. In those games, the team averaged 39.3 points per game. McHargue has averaged less than 6.7 yards per pass attempt four times this year, and the team went 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS in those games. It went 6-2 SU and 6-1-1 ATS in the eight games aside from that. It’s clear to see that McHargue is the key to the Rice offense, and he is going to have to take advantage of a very suspect Air Force defense if he is going to win this one.

Key #3: Cody Getz has to get the football and be the pilot of the offense
There were five players that had at least 400 rushing yards this year for the Falcons, and RB Cody Getz was the leader of the pack with 1,213 yards and nine TDs. He did all of this in just 10 games, and he had some ones to remember in there for sure. In his first two games of the year against the Idaho State Bengals and the Michigan Wolverines, he had three TDs in each game. Getz accounted for 887 yards and eight TDs on the ground in his first five games of the campaign but just 65.2 yards per game and one score in his last five games. In the last three losses of the year for the Falcons, Getz had 82, 55, and 23 yards, and that just doesn’t cut it. Granted, we know that there could be others that ultimately get the job done for Air Force, but it is clear that Getz is likely going to have to have a big time game to pick up a victory.

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