Johnny’s Quick Picks for Dec. 21, 2023
PITTSBURGH, PA —
JOHNNY’S QUICK PICKS FOR DEC. 20 2023 – Welcome to my Quick Picks column, where I hand out winners, winners, and more winners every day. I fire off picks on everything from college hoops to the NHL.
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Hey, you can also click here to check out our Godzilla Wins Daily Staff Picks, where all of our expert log their picks for all sports. Tail the winners.
Read below for more John Fredericks Quick Picks for Dec. 21, 2023.
NFL
Saints at Rams (-4)
Make no mistake: the Rams are on a roll! Both teams are 7-7 and fighting for their playoff life.
While the Saints have looked better of late, the Rams are the better overall team. Stafford at home is solid and I just like their defense in this matchup.
New Orleans is smoke and mirrors, with or without Derek Carr.
Pick: Rams (-4)
 College Football
 South Florida (+3.5) Vs. Syracuse
 There is no way on God’s green earth I’m going to lay points on a Syracuse team who doesn’t score—and now have to play without their starting quarterback.
Syracuse fired head coach Dino Babers last month, replacing him with former Georgia assistant Fran Brown. Now they are favored with a red-shirt at the helm? No thanks.
Pick: South Florida (+3.5)
 College Hoops- Afternoon Delight 2:00 PM Tip!
Quinnipiac (-3) over Lafayette
Does Lafayette have a basketball team? Are they playing Lehigh? Those are good games. Everything else is downright pitiful.
Lafayette is 1-10 this season and 0-10 against D-1 competition. Yes, you read that right.
The Q-Cats contrast at 9-3 and have notched some classy wins. They are road warriors at 4-2 away from New York. I love the Bobcats speed: they run around like the Loyola teams of Paul Westhead fame, scoring 80 points a game on average.
Q-Ball is the transition game–Lafayette cannot keep up. Fatigue will set in as they have no bench (remember they are 1-10).
Pick: Quinnipiac (-3)
NHL
We took a little chin music on Monday in Nashville, but I remain undaunted! Play the long game, it’s a marathon not a sprint!
Toronto at Buffalo (+130)
The Leafs, after blowing out the Pens on Saturday night, got waxed by the Rangers in their last game of their homestand. Now they go to Buffalo and its let down city. The Sabres have owned Toronto of late: winners of two straight and six of the last nine.
Good Dog take here.
Pick: Sabres (+130)
Vancouver at Dallas (-148)
I’m waiting for the Vancouver to crash and burn. It will happen. I want to catch the top of the epic fall. Right here, right now. This Canucks team is just not that good. Dallas has lost seven straight to Vancouver! If you were at the roulette table that’s like black came up twenty times in a row! Ugh!
Pick: Dallas (-148)
Raleigh at Pens (-114)
At some point in time, Pittsburgh will start winning. On a one-game win streak, this may be the take-off point. Got that sneaky feeling…the Pens go on a barn burner win streak…
Pick: Pens (-114)
Ottawa at Colorado (-175)
I bet against Ottawa, I win. They lose. A lot. On the road. Every night.
Our Godzilla Wins assistant editor, Dan Angell, is a Senators fan. Why? Poor Dan. They just coughed up a 3-0 lead in Phoenix on Tuesday.
The Avalanche beat Ottawa 7-0 last year on the same ice as tonight.
Pick: Colorado (-175)
