Thursday’s 6-pack
— Reds’ star OF Nick Castellanos has a microfracture in his right wrist.
— Texas/Oklahoma seem primed for a move from Big X to SEC, which would be a major shakeup for college sports.
— Cardinals 3, Cubs 2 (10)— Yadier Molina walked it off with an RBI double.
— St Louis pitchers have hit 72 batters this year; next highest in MLB is San Diego (58)
— Astros are 5-7 this year in games where they had shot at sweeping series.
— White Sox’ DH Yermin Mercedes abruptly announced his retirement on Instagram last night; he is still on AAA Charlotte’s roster, so it isn’t official yet.
Quote of the Day.
“It’s affecting amateur coverage, pro coverage. At some point, you have to have meetings — and not just meetings with your scouts, but meetings with your front office, the executives, the general managers … it’s more than talking with your scouts and getting a pulse, ‘OK, we like him in the first round, we like him in the second round,’ or whatever.”
An unnamed National League executive, talking about July’s schedule of events, which are different than they’ve been in recent years
Thursday’s quiz
Bo Jackson played in the NFL and the major leagues; which team did he spend most of his baseball career with?
Wednesday’s quiz
Alex Cora first managed the Red Sox in 2018; John Farrell managed Boston before he did.
Tuesday’s quiz
Rolf Benirschke was host of Wheel of Fortune for six months in 1989; before that, he kicked for the San Diego Chargers for ten years. [/SIZE]
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Thursday’s Den: First draft of my Week 1 NFL article
Dallas @ Tampa Bay
— Last 4 years, Cowboys are 5-9-1 ATS as road underdogs.
— Dallas lost three of last four road openers SU.
— Cowboys are 10-4 ATS last 14 games as a dog in road openers.
— Under is 6-3 in their last nine road openers.
— Under is 5-2 in their last seven Week 1 games.
— Defending Super Bowl champs are ATS in Week 1 the next year.
— Tampa Bay was 3-2-1 ATS LY as a home favorite.
— Buccaneers won three of last four Week 1 games.
— Bucs won/covered three of last four home openers.
— Tampa scored 27+ points in four of last five home openers.
— Four of their last five Week 1 games went over.
— Dallas won 7 of last 8 series games.
— Cowboys lost 3 of last 5 visits here, scoring 6-0-7 points in losses.
— Favorites are 5-2 ATS in last seven series games.
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Sunday games
Pittsburgh @ Buffalo
— Steelers opened on road last six years (3-2-1 SU, 2-3-1 ATS)
— Steelers are 10-3 ATS in last 13 games as road underdogs.
— Pittsburgh is 3-1-1 SU last five road openers.
— Under is 7-1 in their last eight road openers.
— Bills are 11-6 ATS in last 17 games as home favorites.
— Home team won their last six Week 1 games.
— Bills are 9-5 ATS last 14 home openers.
— Buffalo is 6-2 ATS as a favorite in home openers.
— Crowd should be mixed for this game; tough day for security guards.
— Bills beat Pittsburgh last two years, after losing previous six meetings.
— Steelers gained only 224 yards, lost 26-15 here LY; Buffalo scored on pick-6.
— Pittsburgh won four of last five visits to Orchard Park.
NJ Jets @ Carolina
— Jets have new coach, new QB.
— Jets started 0-1 four of last five years.
— Last five years, Gang Green is 10-22-2 ATS as road dogs.
— Jets are 11-4 ATS in last 15 road openers.
— Over 5-2 last seven road openers.
— Last 2 years, Panthers lost 30-27/34-30 at home in Week 1.
— Last 5 years, Carolina is 10-16 ATS as a home favorite.
— Panthers are 6-11-1 ATS last in 18 home openers.
— Under 16-6-1 last 23 home openers.
— Sam Darnold played 3 years for the Jets, going 13-25 as their QB.
— Panthers are 3-2 in last five series games, scoring 30+ in all three wins.
— Jets lost 30-20/30-3 in last two visits to Charlotte.
Philadelphia @ Atlanta
— New coach; 2nd-year QB started four games (1-3) LY.
— Eagles won four of last five season openers.
— Last 5 years, Eagles are 12-13 ATS as road underdogs.
— Philly won 5 of last 7 Week 1 games on road.
— Over 7-4-1 in their last dozen road openers.
— New coach, new GM for Atlanta.
— Last 5 years, Falcons are 15-18 ATS as home favorites.
— Falcons lost four of last five Week 1 games.
— Atlanta is 17-5 ATS in last 22 home openers.
— Since 2004, Falcons are 8-1 ATS as a favorite in HO’s.
— Over is 4-1 in Atlanta’s last five home openers.
— Eagles are 11-5 in last 16 series games.
— Philly lost last three visits here, by 4-2-4 points.
— For what its worth, Matt Ryan is from Philadelphia
Minnesota @ Cincinnati
— Last three years, Vikings are 6-3 ATS as road favorites.
— Minnesota won/covered four of last five Week 1 games.
— Vikings are 0-3-1 SU, 0-4 ATS last four road openers.
— This is first time in 5 years Vikings open on road.
— Under 12-5 in their last 17 road openers.
— Cincinnati started out 1-0 four of last seven years.
— Bengals are 8-7-1 ATS last 16 games as home dogs.
— Cincy won/covered once in last five home openers.
— Bengals are 3-6-1 ATS as favorite in home openers.
— Under is 9-4 in their last 13 home openers.
— Coach Zimmer was Bengals’ DC from 2008-13.
— Home side won last four series games.
— Vikings lost last two visits here, 42-14/37-8.
San Francisco @ Detroit
— Last 2 years, 49ers won road opener 31-17/31-13.
— 49ers won 8 of last 10 season openers.
— Niners are 5-3 ATS last eight games as road favorite.
— Under 6-1 last seven season openers.
— Under 7-4-1 last dozen road openers.
— New coach, new GM, new QB for Lions.
— Pretty sure Detroit will try hard to run ball a lot.
— 0-2-1 SU last three season openers (favored in all 3)
— Lost four of last six home openers.
— Over 8-3 last 11 home openers.
— Lions’ last ten season openers went over the total.
— 49ers won 8 of last 9 series games.
— Favorites are 4-0-1 ATS in last five series games.
— Niners won 2 of last 3 visits here, losing 32-15 in last visit, in 2015.
Arizona @ Tennessee
— Arizona is 1-3-1 SU in last five Week 1 games.
— Cardinals lost 4 of last 5 road openers SU, but covered 10 of last 13.
— Last 2 years, Arizona is 6-3-1 ATS as road underdogs.
— Under 10-5 last 15 road openers.
— Tennessee lost SU last three times they opened season at home.
— Titans are 2-5 SU last seven home openers (2-7 ATS last nine)
— Last five years, Tennessee is 14-11-2 ATS as home favorites.
— Under is 6-3 in last nine home openers.
— Arizona won three of last four series games.
— Titans lost last meeting 12-7 in desert in 2017.
— Redbirds split last two visits here; Tennessee gained 460-531 TY, though.
Seattle @ Indianapolis
— Seahawks split last six season openers SU.
— Seattle is 8-4-1 ATS in last 13 games as road underdogs.
— Seattle won last 2 road openers 28-26/38-25, after losing 11 of previous 12.
— Seahawks are 3-12-1 ATS in last 16 road openers.
— Over is 5-2 in last seven road openers.
— Colts started out 0-1 the last seven years.
— First game for Carson Wentz as a Colt.
— Last three years, Indy is 9-10-1 ATS as a home favorite.
— Won last two home openers, covered 3 of last 4.
— Last five season openers went over total.
— Colts won three of last five series games.
— Seattle lost 34-28/34-17 in last two visits here.
— Seahawks won last meeting 46-18 at home, in 2017.
LA Chargers @ Washington
— New coach, new OC for Chargers.
— Bolts are 8-4-2 ATS last 14 games as road favorites.
— Chargers are 4-0-1 ATS last five Week 1 road games.
— Bolts are 6-2-1 ATS last nine road openers
— Bolts are 10-5-1 ATS as underdogs in road openers.
— QB Fitzpatrick gets to start for another NFL team.
— Washington is 4-7 ATS in last 11 games as home underdogs.
— Washington covered last three Week 1 games.
— Washington is 1-4 ATS in last five home openers as a dog.
— Washington is 2-7 SU in last nine home openers.
— Over is 7-3 in their last ten home openers.
— Chargers won four of last five series games.
— Bolts split last two visits here, losing last visit, in 2013.
Jacksonville @ Houston
— First NFL game for Urban Meyer figures to be interesting.
— Jaguars won season openers three of last four years.
— Last 3 years, Jacksonville is 8-12-1 ATS as road underdogs.
— Jaguars lost 11 of last 13 road openers, but covered last four.
— Under is 12-6 in their last 18 road openers.
— HC Culley is also new head coach; he’s never been a coordinator.
— Texans are 9-14-1 ATS last 24 games as home favorites.
— Texans lost three of last four home openers, scoring 14.5 ppg.
— Houston is 1-5 ATS in last six home openers.
— Under 10-6 in their last 16 home openers.
— Texans won last six series games.
— Jaguars are 6-3 ATS in last nine visits to Houston.
— Two guys who have never been NFL head coaches before.
Cleveland @ Kansas City
— Browns are 2-19-1 SU in season openers (1-1-1 last three)
— Last 5 years, Cleveland is 12-19-1 ATS as road underdogs.
— Browns are 3-5-1 ATS last nine road openers.
— Last five road openers stayed under total.
— Chiefs won last six season openers, covered last four.
— Last five years, they scored 33-42-38-40-34 in Week 1.
— Last four years, Chiefs are 20-14 ATS as home favorites.
— KC won last five home openers, covered last four.
— Over 4-0-2 in their last six home openers.
— Chiefs beat Cleveland 22-17 here in LY’s playoffs (led 19-3 at half).
— Chiefs won last four series games, three by 6 or fewer points.
— Browns covered last four visits to Arrowhead.
Miami @ New England
— Since 1994, under is 22-5 in Miami’s road openers (12-0 last 12)
— Dolphins lost four of last six season openers.
— Dolphins are 8-4 ATS in last dozen games as road underdogs.
— Miami is 5-12 SU in last 17 road openers (5-3 ATS last 8)
— Patriots started 1-0 in 15 of last 17 seasons.
— New England won 7 of last 8 home openers (4-1 ATS last five)
— Last five years, Patriots are 27-15-1 ATS as home favorites.
— Under 7-2 last nine home openers.
— These teams split their season series the last four years.
— New England covered first meeting the last six years.
— Dolphins lost 11 of last 12 visits to Foxboro (1-8 ATS last nine).
Green Bay @ New Orleans
— Green Bay won last six season openers (5-1 ATS)
— Packers are 5-3 ATS in last eight games as road underdogs.
— Green Bay won/covered last four Week 1 road games.
— Over is 12-3 in their last 15 road openers.
— Saints have new QB for first time since 2005.
— Last 3 years, Saints are 10-14 ATS as home favorites.
— New Orleans lost five of last seven season openers.
— Saints are 1-5 ATS in last six home openers.
— Last 3 years, scored 40-30-34 points in home opener.
— Saints lost five of last seven season openers.
— Teams split last eight series games.
— Packers won 37-20 here LY, their first win in last four visits to Superdome.
Denver @ NY Giants
— Denver lost last four road openers, scoring 16.8 ppg.
— Last 5 years, Broncos are 18-22 ATS on the road.
— Broncos are 7-10 ATS last 17 road openers.
— Giants started nine of last ten seasons 0-1.
— Last four years, Giants are 9-22-1 ATS at home.
— Big Blue is 1-8 SU, 0-9 ATS last nine home openers.
— Giants scored 14.2 ppg in last five home openers.
— Under 7-0 in their last seven home openers.
— Denver won three of last five series games.
— Broncos split last two series games played here.
Chicago @ LA Rams
— Chicago is 1-6 in last seven Week 1 games.
— Bears are 2-4 ATS last six road openers.
— Last five years, Chicago is 10-16-1 ATS as road underdogs.
— Bears are 4-6 SU in last ten road openers.
— Under 16-5 in their last 21 road openers.
— First game for Stafford as Rams’ QB, after 12 years in Detroit.
— Rams also have a new defensive coordinator.
— Under McVay, Rams are 4-0 SU in Week 1.
— Rams won/covered last six home openers.
— Under McVay, LA is 14-12-1 ATS as home favorites.
— Under is 4-1 in last five home openers.
— First game with fans at SoFi Stadium.
— Bears won six of last nine series games, but lost 24-10 here LY.
— Chicago’s only TD in that game was scored by the defense.
— Bears lost three of last four road series games, losing by 14-10-21 points.
Baltimore @ Las Vegas
— Baltimore won/covered last five season openers
— Ravens won/covered four of last five road openers.
— Baltimore is 12-5-1 ATS in last 18 games as road favorites.
— Over is 9-4-1 in their last 14 road openers.
— Las Vegas won four of last five season openers.
— Raiders won three of last four home openers.
— Last three years, Raiders are 7-7 ATS as home underdogs.
— Las Vegas is 3-5 ATS in last eight tries as a dog in HO’s.
— Over is 5-2 in their last seven home openers.
— First game with fans at Allegiant Stadium.
— Ravens won six of last eight series games.
— Ravens split last four trips to Oakland; this is their first visit to Las Vegas.
— Underdogs won three of last four series games SU.
