2023 USFL playoff predictions, expert picks by Chris 'The Bear' Fallica
"Bear Bets" are real wagers that Chris "The Bear" Fallica is actually making.
I'm back with my best bets for the USFL playoffs. It's been a fun season for me, both entertainment-wise and on the gambling front.
And, if you've followed along, betting on the USFL has been profitable, as I finished the regular season 25-16-1 overall.
We get some excellent matchups this week, so let's keep this going. Here's to another winning weekend.
All times ET
Michigan Panthers (4-6) vs. Pittsburgh Maulers (4-6) Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m., Saturday, NBC
Who says you need a high-powered offense to win? The two lowest-scoring teams in the league will meet on Saturday for a berth in the Championship Game.
No team allowed fewer points than Pittsburgh all season. And in two matchups vs. Michigan, the Maulers only allowed 14 points total.
However, in the final game of the regular season, the Panthers benched turnover machine Josh Love (5 INT in two games against Pittsburgh). So E.J. Perry protecting the ball will be the key to the Panthers' upset chances.
If Perry is solid, the Michigan defense, led by Breeland Speaks and Frank Ginda, should keep the Maulers' offense, which scored just 12 TD this season, in check.
I’ll grab the points in what should again be another low-scoring affair.
PICK: Panthers (+3 at FOX Bet) to lose by fewer than 3 points (or win outright)
PICK: Under 38.5 points scored by both teams combined
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New Orleans Breakers (7-3) vs. Birmingham Stallions (8-2) Birmingham, Alabama, 7 p.m., Sunday, FOX and FOX Sports App
The Breakers were some red zone struggles away from sweeping the Stallions, managing just one TD in four red zone trips in their second meeting. But the offense moved the ball at will, racking up 853 yards on 6.3 YPP in those two games.
Betting against the defending champs, who are 19-3 over the last two years and enter this game on a five-game win streak with the All-USFL QB under center, isn’t for everyone. But the way New Orleans has found ways to move the ball on Birmingham, combined with the Breakers' improved defense over the last few weeks, makes them an attractive underdog here.
The dogs are barking.
PICK: Breakers (+3 at FOX Bet) to lose by fewer than 3 points (or win outright)
Chris "The Bear" Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an "occasional" wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, "The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!" Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica.
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