Throughout the years, I've been often surprised by how many handicappers attack the weekly slate of games looking for all sorts of angles and trends, many of them statistically-based, as they seek clues for the upcoming card. That's fine, but it should probably be accompanied by a simple measurable that can prove most beneficial to handicapping the upcoming slate of games, yet often overlooked.
I have long believed that before tackling the weekly slate, a quick review of how teams are performing vs. the spread, specifically an easy-to-use list of current spread streaks, win and lose, should be the first step in scoping the weekly card.
Why? Identifying just a handful of streaking point spread teams, win or loss, early in their ascents or descents, can often make the difference between a