The Final Four has been the stage for many stars and star performances, with the likes of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan all being an integral part of championship teams on the college level before going on to reach great heights on the next level. Time will tell whether any of the premier players on show this weekend will reach such heights, but it’s quite likely that the Most Outstanding Player award will go to one of those players. So, if you like to bet on March Madness and want to throw down on some MOP futures, you know who your best bets are.

Russ Smith is the leading scorer of the tournament favorite, so it’s no surprise that he’s the MOP favorite at 4/5, especially given the big numbers he’s put up thus far. In four games, he’s averaging 26 points per game and is shooting 54% from the field, and in the Sweet 16 against Oregon, he scorched the Ducks for 31.

You’d have to figure the top pro prospect left in the field and the likely winner of all of the major national Player of the Year awards would be up there in the mix, and you would be correct, as Michigan point guard Trey Burke is the second favorite behind Smith at 7/4. Burke’s shooting only 35% from the field thus far in the tournament, but he got hot when it mattered against Kansas in the Sweet 16. And when he hasn’t shot well, he’s certainly distributed it well, notching 31 assists in four games.

Those two are far and away the best bets, but if you’re looking for a value bet, a trio stand out, in Michigan’s Mitch McGary (12/1), Louisville’s Gorgui Dieng (15/1), and Syracuse’s C.J. Fair (20/1).

As it stands, the streak is already the second-longest in NBA history, and if they can tack on nine more, they’ll match the 1971-72 Lakers, who won a record 33 in a row from November 1971 to January 1972 on the way to a 69-13 record and an NBA title. And if they do equal that hallowed mark, they’ll have a chance to break it on April 9 against the Milwaukee Bucks, the same franchise that ended the Lakers’ streak on January 9, 1972. Road games against the Bulls and the Western Conference-leading Spurs loom in the next nine games, so having a chance to tie or break the record likely won’t come without a challenge, but it’s fair to assume that sportsbooks around the world, whether books in Vegas or online books like Unibet will have the Heat favored to win even those games if the streak continues.

As much as it will be done this year and well beyond, especially if it surpasses the Lakers’ record, comparing this streak to that one or to others in other sports is a fruitless endeavor, given the mass of factors at play, but from a statistical standpoint, it’s hard to argue against it already having a lofty place in NBA history and in the history of sport in general.

Of course, the streak, even it hits 34, 44, or more, won’t matter much if the Heat don’t finish the season with a second straight NBA title. And therein lies a question that’s far more important in the short term than long-term immortality: Will the Heat be stopped?

If a challenge to their throne is going to come, it likely won’t come until the NBA Finals. The East has several good teams, but it’s woefully short on realistic challengers. It’s a realistic possibility that Derrick Rose doesn’t play for the Bulls at all this season, and even if he does return, it‘d be a tough ask for him to produce to the level required for Chicago to take down Miami.

Among the rest of the East’s likely playoff participants, the only team that inspires any confidence are the Boston Celtics. Sure, their record isn’t sparkling, and there’s a chance these two could meet in the first round, but were it not for the Heat rallying from a 13-point deficit in the final eight minutes in Boston on Monday night, the Celtics would have won the last two meetings between these two. Boston pushed Miami to seven in the Eastern Conference finals last season, and while one of the key parts of that series, Ray Allen, is now with the Heat, the Celtics still maintain that same confidence and experience that would give them a chance to pull off a postseason stunner.

But as mentioned, the toughest challenge is likely to come in the NBA Finals. Any of the top five teams in the West could make a run to the Finals, and it’d be foolish to discount the Lakers as long as Kobe Bryant is around. But out of that mix, the Spurs, with their experienced core and the hunger as high as ever, and the Thunder, provided the right Russell Westbrook shows up, rival the Celtics as the most credible contenders.

That being said, it’s hard to see anyone but the Heat taking home the title this season. When they assembled their talented trio three summers ago, many speculated that they could be set to dominate the NBA for some time. For those hoping that wouldn’t happen, their worst fears are looking a good bet to come to fruition.

United were unable to close the deal last season after holding an eight-point lead over City with only six matches left, so it’s much too early to say that the title race is over. At this point, the only thing that seems to be a certainty is that United will continue to regularly feature in goals galore tips for today, tomorrow, and the rest of the season.

However, most don’t expect lightning to strike twice, even though United have often lived dangerously defensively this season. In 24 Premier League games, United have allowed 31 goals, two less than they allowed all of last season. That total would be higher if not for a few cases of good fortune, some poor finishing by the opposition in numerous situations, several cases of defensive heroics in the nick of time, and many superb saves by the much-maligned David de Gea, who’s done far, far more good than bad, even if the media have made it seem otherwise.

However, most don’t expect lightning to strike twice, even though United have often lived dangerously defensively this season. In 24 Premier League games, United have allowed 31 goals, two less than they allowed all of last season. That total would be higher if not for a few cases of good fortune, some poor finishing by the opposition in numerous situations, several cases of defensive heroics in the nick of time, and many superb saves by the much-maligned David de Gea, who’s done far, far more good than bad, even if the media have made it seem otherwise. They’ve actually tightened up defensively in the last couple of months, allowing multiple goals only once in their last eight league matches after doing so eight times in their first 16 games of the season. Still, even with Serbian stalwart Nemanja Vidic fit again, they’ve still found themselves in more than a few troublesome situations in that recent stretch.

For all of their bumbles and stumbles at the back, United have managed to stay afloat and then some due to their ability to find the back of the net with league-leading regularity. Spearheaded by the prolific form of superstar summer signing Robin van Persie, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side has scored 59 league goals already, which puts them on pace to top the 90-goal mark in a Premier League campaign for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, when they scored 97 goals. That total should be higher, given how many opportunities have been gone begging and how they’ve often enough stepped off of the gas when they’ve had a lead, but it‘s a highly impressive total nonetheless.

So, can United make the most of the strong position they’re currently in and take home a 13th Premier League title? Last season’s dud of a finish gives some pause, and so does the rollercoaster ride they’ve taken fans on this season. However, it’s hard not to be confident that they’ll be celebrating in May.

But even though this season’s not quite over yet, it’s never too early to look ahead. In almost a month and a half, the NFL’s free agency period will get underway, and teams are already looking at not only which soon-to-be free agents they may pursue if/when those players hit the market, but also which of their own soon-to-be free agents they’ll be looking to hold on to.

One potential free agent who’s all but a certainty to remain with his current team is Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who’ll be looking to go into the off-season a Super Bowl champion and start next season as a Super Bowl champion with a fat new contract. According to reports, the former Delaware star and the 18th pick in the 2008 draft, is seeking a deal with an annual salary of $20 million a year.

Now, Flacco has earned a sizable upgrade from the five-year, $30 million rookie contract that paid him $6.76 million this season. That much is true. In his five seasons under center, Flacco has a 54-26 regular-season record as a starter, he’s led the Ravens to five consecutive playoff appearances, two consecutive AFC North titles, three AFC Championship game appearances, and an AFC title, and he’ll be able to tack on a Super Bowl title if the Ravens triumph on Sunday. Individually, he’s thrown for 17,633 yards, 102 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions, and he’s posted an 86.3 passer rating and a 60.5 completion percentage.

That all adds up to a nice return on the Ravens’ investment. But is it worth a likely nine-figure deal? In a word, no. He’s asking for elite money, and he’s not yet in that echelon. It could be argued that there are at least ten veteran starting quarterbacks that are above him on the ladder, and that doesn’t include quarterbacks from the last three NFL draft classes who are already established starters (Sam Bradford, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson). Flacco’s certainly not a bad quarterback, and at 28, his best years are likely ahead of him. So, he could definitely reach the point where he’s referred to in the same vein as the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees.

But if he gets the kind of money he’s seeking, or something close to it, that’[s going to set the bar pretty high for when, say, Aaron Rodgers, gets a contract extension in the near future, or when the likes of Luck and RGIII outperform their rookie contracts, which they’ll do by a large margin if they continue at their current trajectories. As it is, it could play a role in the impending contract negotiations between Atlanta and Matt Ryan, who was the first quarterback taken in that 2008 draft. Ryan’s playoff success doesn’t match Flacco’s, but the team’s resume under him is nothing to shake a stick at, and he’s coming off of three straight highly impressive seasons statistically. So if Flacco wants $20 million a year, Ryan has a fair few reasons to ask for the same.

Speaking of statistics, it has to be mentioned that Flacco has seen a downturn in a few statistical areas over the last couple of seasons. He can point to his resume, especially if it includes a win on Sunday, and say he deserves $20 million or thereabouts a year, and he’d have a pretty convincing argument. But the Ravens can point at the downturn in his numbers as a deterrent. Also, the Ravens are built less around their QB in comparison to a few other contenders.

Ultimately, Flacco will likely have a $14.6 million franchise tag placed on him, which will ensure he’s in a Ravens uniform next season even if the two sides fail to agree a long-term deal by July, which is how long they’d have to hammer something out if the franchise tag is used. And ultimately, the Ravens will make him a well-compensated man in the future, and it could be for the amount or close the amount he‘s currently seeking. But ultimately, at this point in time, he’s not quite worth it, no matter what happens on Sunday.

But just like someone can hit the jackpot at 888 casino sites on a daily basis, Jim Harbaugh looks to have hit the jackpot with his gamble on taking the reins from veteran and former #1 draft pick Alex Smith and handing them to second-year signal-caller Colin Kaepernick.

The change was initially a forced one, as Smith went down with a concussion in the first half of a Week 10 showdown against the rival Rams. At that point, the 49ers were 6-2 and in first place in the NFC West, and Smith, who was 7 of 8 for 72 yards and a touchdown vs. the Rams before he went down, was one of the league leaders in passer rating and on pace to top the career highs in passing yards and touchdowns that he had set in 2011, when he led the 49ers to the cusp of a Super Bowl berth. In these situations, the starter usually retains his place when he’s healthy again, even if the backup plays very well.

In this situation, Kaepernick did indeed play well, so well that Harbaugh elected to proceed with him as the starter even when Smith was cleared to play before the following week’s game against the Bears. And if you’ve been tuning in to the NFL on even a semi-regular basis over the last couple of months, you’ll see that Kaepernick hasn’t done anything to relinquish that spot, and when the 49ers meet the Ravens in Sunday’s Super Bowl, it’s all but a certainty that the second-year pro will be running the show.

Since Kaepernick took over, Harbaugh has offered few definitive comments publicly in regards to the quarterback situation, but it’s pretty clear who the guy is for Sunday and going forward. Smith is seeking a release before the free agency period starts, and there’s really not much sense in returning to the 49ers, even if the door was somehow open for him to compete for the starting role.

Smith took some time to develop, but he overcame injuries, struggles, coaching changes, and multiple previous quarterback controversies to become a reliable starting quarterback. In Harbaugh’s two seasons as head coach, Smith’s 19-5-1 as the starter, and in that time period, he’s had few truly bad games. His maturation, relative youth (he’ll only be 29 in May), and success over the last couple of seasons means some decent offers should come his way, and he has a good chance to be a starter somewhere next season, even if it’s as a one-year guy.

However, he hasn’t had many truly great games either. With a highly productive rushing attack and a highly destructive defense, he wasn’t required to be Joe Montana or Steve Young (or even Jeff Garcia, when he was at his best with the 49ers), but he’s more game manager than playmaker.

On the other hand, Kaepernick is a playmaker, and that only adds to the potential of what the 49ers can do. Not only can he get it done through the air, but he can break off chunks of yardage on the ground with regularity and can take it to the house on any play. Smith is certainly no slouch with his feet, but Kaepernick is far, far superior in that area.

There’s no telling how he’ll fare on Sunday, and there’s no telling how he’ll fare going forward as the man in San Fran. But he’s more than justified Harbaugh’s gamble to this point, and with bags of talent, potential, and confidence in his pocket, there’s no reason to think that he won’t continue to do so.

In the AFC, all six postseason tickets have been booked, including Sunday’s results will determine how the top four seeds shake out. Meanwhile, in the NFC, the picture is far murkier. Atlanta has clinched the #1 seed, Green Bay has clinched the NFC North, and San Francisco and Seattle are locked into postseason berths, but beyond that, everything else is up in the air.

The NFL lines featuring this week’s most significant showdowns are guaranteed to get the most attention and action, as is always the case when there’s a big game. But just because it’s a big game doesn’t mean that it’s one that merits a big bet, and that certainly applies to this week’s big game between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. The NFC East title will be decided in the final game of the regular season, as these two longtime rivals are set to duke it out in primetime on Sunday night.

The Redskins will enter Sunday with three home wins in a row, and they’ve won six in a row overall, including a 38-31 triumph in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day.

That being said, they’re anything but a slam dunk on Sunday. As unpredictable as the Cowboys are, with the potential to look like Super Bowl contenders in one quarter and a last-place team the next, they’ve fared fairly well on the road this season, with wins over the Giants and Bengals and a near-miss at Baltimore. This is a game that they can definitely win, especially if Tony Romo plays as well as he has for most of the last couple of months.

RGIII hasn’t looked like a rookie that often this season, but this is pressure like none he has dealt with before. It could mean the end for quite a few players and for the coaching staff it the Cowboys fail, but the reason the end could be near–buckling under pressure time and again–could bite them again on Sunday. Both teams have played a lot of close games this season, and it’s likely that this one will come down to the last few minutes as well. But there are far too many unknowns at play to warrant serious action on the outcome of this one.

When the Steelers take on the rival Ravens on Sunday night, they’ll be doing so without Ben Roethlisberger, who suffered a sprained right shoulder and a dislocated rib on a sack late in the third quarter of Monday night’s game. And even though Roethlisberger is no stranger to being banged up, it’s unlikely that Sunday’s game will be the only one that he misses. With the serious pain that he’s dealing with – mostly from the dislocated rib – and the potential that the rib could puncture the aorta being a serious concern at the moment, he likely won‘t be allowed to return quickly even if he wants to, even if it means he misses most or all of the rest of the regular season. That will likely affect the Steelers’ odds with online sportsbooks like Sportsbetting.ag, but his health, both in the short term and long term, is much more important than football.

But when it comes to the football side of things, how will his absence affect the Steelers this week and going forward, if he winds up missing several weeks? Given the good season he was having before Monday night, any replacement would be a drop-off, but how much of a drop-off will there be with the reins now in the hands of former first-round pick Byron Leftwich, who’s set to make his first start since 2009 on Sunday night? Leftwich was a fairly respectable 7 of 14 for 73 yards against the Chiefs, but he’ll face a much sterner test against the Ravens, who have done a lot of bending defensively this season but are sure to bring their best for Sunday‘s showdown.

But even though his career as a starter and his lack of meaningful game action over the last several seasons won’t invoke a great deal of confidence, Leftwich, who’s spent four of the last five seasons with the Steelers (2008 & 2010-present) is highly familiar with the personnel and playbook, which counts for a lot. Also, to make his job a lot easier, Pittsburgh’s stable of running backs, which has produced three individual 100-yard performances in the last four weeks, will get a lot of touches, against a run defense that hasn’t been as stout this season as we’re used to seeing. Plus, the Steelers still boast one of the league’s best defenses, according to the latest NFL statistics. So, even though the Ravens are unsurprisingly favored, it won’t be a surprise if the Steelers extend their winning streak to five and tie things up atop the AFC North.

A win would be huge, because after Sunday, three of Pittsburgh’s next four games are on the road, at Cleveland, Baltimore, and Dallas. Tackling that stretch and the remainder of the homestretch would certainly be a lot easier with Big Ben on the field, no doubt about that. But the more the rust comes off, the more comfortable Leftwich will be and the better he should do. And if he can perform efficiently, the Steelers’ overall quality and winning pedigree should see them through successfully until their main man returns, whether it’s in a few weeks or just in time for the postseason.

Not only did they record a second straight turnover-less game offensively, the defense (two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, knocked Michael Vick out of the game) and special teams (punt return touchdown by Dwayne Harris) stepped up to help deliver a much-needed 38-23 road win over the rival Eagles. While the result only served to turn up the heat on Eagles coach Andy Reid, it took some heat off of Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, if only for a week.

As it stands, the Cowboys are still just 4-5 on the season, a game and a half behind the Giants in the NFC East standings and the same distance out of a wild card spot. But Sunday’s win could prove to be an extremely important one, not only because the Giants lost at Cincinnati on Sunday, but because of how well Dallas’ schedule sets up over the last seven weeks. The Cowboys’ next three games, and five of their last seven are at home, and the two road games they have, against the Panthers and Redskins, are both winnable. As poorly as Dallas started the season, a 10-win season is still a legitimate possibility, and in most years, 10 wins is enough to reach the postseason.

Of course, with these Cowboys, nothing ever seems to come easily, so a 1-6 finish would be equally as unsurprising as a 6-1 finish, but there is no question that the talent is there. But this season and in seasons past, the Cowboys have been undone by being mentally unglued at all of the wrong times, and until they prove that they can put it all together, they’ll still have that cloud hanging over their heads. But on Sunday, they made big plays when they needed to be made and did what it took to turn a close game into a comfortable win in the late stages, and that has to be encouraging going into a homestand that could catapult them squarely into the postseason hunt.

However, being the fresher team doesn’t always work out favorably, and it hasn’t thus far for the Tigers, who head back home down 2-0.

With the next three games in Detroit, this series is far from over, but Detroit’s bats are going to have to wake from their stupor. In Game 1, the Tigers were held to only three runs, with two of those runs coming in the ninth inning when the outcome was already all but decided. Three runs would’ve been enough to win last night’s Game 2, but they couldn’t muster a single run against Madison Bumgarner and relievers Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo in a 2-0 loss.

Detroit’s bats haven’t had too many big performances in the postseason, as you would expect when so many talented pitchers are on display. And it’s not at all surprising to see quality pitching performances from a team that has as many quality arms as the Giants, who shut down the Cardinals in the last three games of the NLCS and have carried that momentum into the World Series.

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But for the Tigers, the lack of production in San Francisco is nonetheless disappointing when you consider the bats they have, led by Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera and fellow big basher Prince Fielder. Of course, the hitters around them need to step up as well, as there’s a lot more pressure for a pitcher when he’s facing one of those two with runners on base, but there‘s even more pressure when those two are in the groove. Cabrera has been relatively quiet in the playoffs, hitting only .268 with one homer and six RBI in 11 games, and Fielder has been even quieter, hitting .205 with one homer and three RBI. But it must be noted that they combined for 35 doubles, 40 homers, 132 RBI, 112 runs scored, and a .334 average at Comerica Park in the regular season, so there’s reason to feel hopeful that their fortunes and the Tigers’ fortunes could see a turnaround starting Saturday night.

Detroit’s starting pitchers are certainly capable of matching San Francisco’s blow for blow, but it will still come down to the bats to come through in the clutch. There’s no doubt the ability is there, but will it shine through before it’s too late?

All the same, if your quarterback throws for three interceptions, loses a fumble, and throws for only 200 yards, it’s going to be tough for your team to overcome that. So, it’s always wise to pay close attention to how well your QB matches up with the opponent, because you’ll only have yourself to blame if you knew how likely it was that he’d struggle against a certain team but started him anyway.

Which signal callers should be shelved this week, and which ones can be started with confidence? Read on the rundown, which might include a surprise or two.

Start

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh (at Tennessee): Roethlisberger is 287 yards away from eclipsing Terry Bradshaw as the Steelers’ leader in career passing yards, and if he doesn’t break the record tonight, he’ll come close, as he should have a big game in Nashville.

Last time he faced the Titans, in a 38-17 win last season, he threw for five touchdowns, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he repeated the feat tonight. The Titans are last in the NFL in completion percentage against (74.6%), tied for 28th in touchdown passes allowed (12), and 25th in passing yards allowed per game (279.6). Those numbers would make for good reading for a quarterback who was in need of a big game, but they should make for really good reading for Big Ben, who’s off to a good start this season, with 1,124 yards, nine touchdowns, and only one interception in four games.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta (vs. Oakland): Speaking of quarterbacks who are off to good starts, Ryan has arguably been the best in the business to date, as he’s flourishing in Dirk Koetter’s offense. After posting huge numbers in back-to-back weeks, Ryan is now averaging more than 300 passing yards per game, and he leads the NFL in touchdown passes with 13.

His run of big games will continue this week, as he faces a Raiders defense that has allowed nine touchdown passes, hasn’t intercepted a pass, and has allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for an average of 283 yards per game and complete 71% of pass attempts. Atlanta’s last two games have been close, but this one will be over early.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia (vs. Detroit): Vick has had his struggles thus far, but he’s posted decent numbers in the last couple of weeks, completing 65% of his passes and not throwing an interception.

A big performance is only a matter of time, and the chances are high that big performance will be this week. The Lions haven’t given up a ton of passing yards, but they haven’t really been threatening against the pass either, failing to register an interception and recording only nine sacks. If Vick’s able to play without pressure, he’s going to make a lot of plays with his arm and his feet.

Sit

Carson Palmer, Oakland (at Atlanta): Palmer’s numbers indoors are impressive (1,687 yards, 13 touchdowns, six INTs in seven career games in domes), but he stands to struggle on Sunday at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons are second in the NFL in interceptions with nine, thanks in part to how well they’ve been able to pressure the QB (13 sacks in five sacks, which is tied for 12th in the league). Palmer’s been pretty good about avoiding mistakes this season, but he’s had to throw a lot of passes so far (162 in four games). And against a defense that likes to get its hands on the ball (14 takeaways, tied for 2nd in the NFL), the more he has to throw it, the more trouble it could lead to.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay (at Houston): Rodgers is usually an auto-start, regardless of the opponent. But unless he gets a new offensive line between now and Sunday, this week could be trouble for him. The Texans, who have 15 sacks this season, should have their way with Green Bay’s offensive line, which has surrendered 21 sacks, the second-worst total in the league. And pressure often leads to inefficiency and mistakes, and the Texans tick both of those boxes, having held opposing quarterbacks to a 51.2% completion rate (best in the league) and picking off seven passes (tied for 5th). Some risks just don’t need to be taken, and this is one.

Tony Romo, Dallas (at Baltimore): Another risk that doesn’t need to be taken is starting Romo at Baltimore. He’ll be raring to get back on track after throwing five interceptions against the Bears last time out in Week 4, but if you’re looking for a bounce-back game, it’s highly unlikely to come against the Ravens on the road.