Friday’s NFL Week 2 preseason betting primer
The first game of the second week of NFL preseason is in the books, but there’s plenty of action remaining as the league reaches the halfway point of its exhibition schedule. Here’s a look at betting notes for Friday’s preseason action:
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots (-3, 46.5)
* With Riley Cooper (foot) and Jeremy Maclin (hamsttring) both expected to be out Friday night, expect to see a cast of unknowns line up for the Eagles at wide receiver – a group that includes Josh Huff, Arrelious Benn and Jordan Matthews. Quarterback Nick Foles will be hoping for a better performance from his offensive line, which struggled in the opener against Chicago.
* Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo sat out his third consecutive practice Thursday and is expected to miss Friday’s game as he continues his recovery from a season-ending pectoral muscle tear. Veteran quarterback Tom Brady will make his preseason debut against Philadelphia after sitting out the exhibition opener, though it isn’t immediately clear how long the 37-year-old will play.
Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3, 43)
* The Titans want to see a lot more of starting quarterback Jake Locker, who has looked good in practice but was on the field for just 12 plays in the opener and wound up attempting only two passes. With three of Tennessee’s five wide receiver spots (Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Justin Hunter) spoken for, Friday will see Derek Hagan, Marc Mariani, Michael Preston and Brian Robiskie battle for the final slots.
* The Saints will be without franchise quarterback Drew Brees, who continues to nurse an oblique injury and is aiming to return in time for New Orleans’ third preseason game. Brees isn’t the only key starter expected to be on the sidelines Friday night; he’ll be joined by cornerback Champ Bailey, receiver Kenny Stills and linebackers David Hawthorne and Victor Butler.
San Diego Chargers at Seattle Seahawks (-6, 38.5)
* The Chargers are expected to roll with rookie offensive lineman Chris Watt on Friday against a defensively elite Seahawks team playing in front of a raucous home crowd. Fellow first-year player Jason Verrett, still recovering from surgery in March to repair a posterior labral tear, will not be in the lineup but the first-round defensive back is expected to see action before the regular-season opener.
* Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is expected to give both candidates for the backup quarterback job – Tavaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor – an equal number of snaps against the Chargers. Seattle came into its preseason opener having outscored opponents 125-37 in the second half of its last eight exhibition games, but was outscored 14-6 in the second half against Denver last week.
Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders (-2.5, 39.5)
* Don’t expect to see wide receiver Calvin Johnson much, if at all; head coach Jim Caldwell hasn’t said whether Megatron will suit up Friday, but he’s still recovering from off-season knee and finger surgeries and may want one more week to recover. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley has fallen down the depth chart due to uninspired play and poor work habits, and will give way to new starter C.J. Mosley this week.
* Lost in an endless flurry of scuffles and squabbles during its joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys was the fact that the Oakland offense looked good in the days leading up to Friday’s encounter with Detroit. Former practice squad tight end Brian Leonhardt has been taking first-team reps with Mychal Rivera, and may be pressed into significant duty Friday due to a spate of injuries at the position
The first game of the second week of NFL preseason is in the books, but there’s plenty of action remaining as the league reaches the halfway point of its exhibition schedule. Here’s a look at betting notes for Friday’s preseason action:
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots (-3, 46.5)
* With Riley Cooper (foot) and Jeremy Maclin (hamsttring) both expected to be out Friday night, expect to see a cast of unknowns line up for the Eagles at wide receiver – a group that includes Josh Huff, Arrelious Benn and Jordan Matthews. Quarterback Nick Foles will be hoping for a better performance from his offensive line, which struggled in the opener against Chicago.
* Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo sat out his third consecutive practice Thursday and is expected to miss Friday’s game as he continues his recovery from a season-ending pectoral muscle tear. Veteran quarterback Tom Brady will make his preseason debut against Philadelphia after sitting out the exhibition opener, though it isn’t immediately clear how long the 37-year-old will play.
Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3, 43)
* The Titans want to see a lot more of starting quarterback Jake Locker, who has looked good in practice but was on the field for just 12 plays in the opener and wound up attempting only two passes. With three of Tennessee’s five wide receiver spots (Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Justin Hunter) spoken for, Friday will see Derek Hagan, Marc Mariani, Michael Preston and Brian Robiskie battle for the final slots.
* The Saints will be without franchise quarterback Drew Brees, who continues to nurse an oblique injury and is aiming to return in time for New Orleans’ third preseason game. Brees isn’t the only key starter expected to be on the sidelines Friday night; he’ll be joined by cornerback Champ Bailey, receiver Kenny Stills and linebackers David Hawthorne and Victor Butler.
San Diego Chargers at Seattle Seahawks (-6, 38.5)
* The Chargers are expected to roll with rookie offensive lineman Chris Watt on Friday against a defensively elite Seahawks team playing in front of a raucous home crowd. Fellow first-year player Jason Verrett, still recovering from surgery in March to repair a posterior labral tear, will not be in the lineup but the first-round defensive back is expected to see action before the regular-season opener.
* Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is expected to give both candidates for the backup quarterback job – Tavaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor – an equal number of snaps against the Chargers. Seattle came into its preseason opener having outscored opponents 125-37 in the second half of its last eight exhibition games, but was outscored 14-6 in the second half against Denver last week.
Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders (-2.5, 39.5)
* Don’t expect to see wide receiver Calvin Johnson much, if at all; head coach Jim Caldwell hasn’t said whether Megatron will suit up Friday, but he’s still recovering from off-season knee and finger surgeries and may want one more week to recover. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley has fallen down the depth chart due to uninspired play and poor work habits, and will give way to new starter C.J. Mosley this week.
* Lost in an endless flurry of scuffles and squabbles during its joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys was the fact that the Oakland offense looked good in the days leading up to Friday’s encounter with Detroit. Former practice squad tight end Brian Leonhardt has been taking first-team reps with Mychal Rivera, and may be pressed into significant duty Friday due to a spate of injuries at the position
NFLX Trends & Angles – Week 2
August 14, 2014
Well the home teams and the ‘under’ have been the cash cows so far in the 2014 preseason. After the Hall of Fame game was played at a neutral site, the home teams went 12-3-1 ATS and 14-2 straight up in Week 1! Meanwhile, the ‘under’ is now a wallet-filling 13-4 including Hall of Fame week.
More relevant to our Trends & Angles last week, all underdogs went just 6-9-1 ATS, which was not good for our angle that said to play on all underdogs in Week 1. We did mention a good subset of that historically was to play on underdogs of +3½ or more, and that subset split 1-1 ATS.
Luckily, our other general angle was to take the ‘under’ in games with totals of 36 or more and it turned out all but one game qualified, with the ‘under’ going a nifty 11-4 on qualifying plays!
Unfortunately, the angles regarding the three coaches we are following the entire preseason went 0-3, as the two we are playing on lost and the one we are fading covered the spread. Our Week 1-specific coaching angles did fare a bit better though going 2-1 ATS.
Before moving on to out Week 2 Trends & Angles, remember to check those teams’ websites for player rotations and expected game plans, as the one thing that makes the NFL preseason both unique and beatable is that coaches usually reveal those things beforehand and then more or less stick to the plans.
In regards to Week 2 specifically, this could be the week that offers the most profit potential of any preseason week! That is because Week 2 has been a contrarian’s dream as a nice profit could have been made over the years simply by playing on teams that lost straight up in Week 1 and against teams that won straight up in Week 1.
You will see our three favorite angles in that regard when we get to the Week 2 General Angles. But let us kick off our look at Week 2 with our disappointing recap of the three coaches we are looking at the entire preseason.
Coaches To Follow
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): The tide could be turning for the negative here as after going 0-4 during preseason last year, the Steelers lost their opener to the Giants last week 20-16. That still leaves Tomlin at 19-11 overall in preseason since taking over as head coach, but remember that record stood at 19-6 after his first six years in Pittsburgh.
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): Carroll’s Seahawks were a perfect 4-0 in preseason each of the last two years and had won nine straight preseason games overall before their 2014 opener, but they lost 21-16 to the Denver Broncos in a Super Bowl rematch. That could make Seattle extra dangerous this week as Carroll generally likes to build a winning culture in these games and he is Seattle is still 11-6 overall since Carroll took over as head coach. You can also bet that Carroll will not tolerate any complacency after winning the Super Bowl.
Coach To Fade
Mike Smith (Atlanta Falcons): This is Mike Smith’s seventh year are the coach of the Falcons, and not only did he have a dismal record before last week but he has also yet to have a winning preseason. He had also been 1-11 the last three preseasons with two 0-4 seasons including last year. Unfortunately for us, Atlanta opened up 2014 with a 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, improving Smith to 8-17 overall in preseason as the Atlanta coach.
Now that the bad news is out of the way, let us move on to the great week-specific winning contrarian Trends & Angles exclusively for preseason Week 2 that we alluded to earlier, with all ATS records being over the last 14 preseasons since 2000.
Preseason Week 2 General Trends
Play on Week 2 underdogs coming off a straight up loss (72-33-2, 68.6% ATS): No that is not a misprint, as teams that have lost straight up in Week 1 and are then underdogs in Week 2 have covered at better than a 68 percent clip over 105 decisions in 14 years, and yet people still refuse to bet on preseason! These exhibition games are all about motivation, and in Week 2, teams that lost their openers are usually motivated to put forth a better performance to at the very least gain some peace of mind. Remember that talent means nothing in these games, so this angle even works if the underdog off a loss is among the very worst teams in the league.
Play against Week 2 favorites coming off a straight up win (62-46-1, 57.4% ATS):Granted this winning percentage is lower than most of our other angles, but the volume makes up for it as this still works out to +11.40 units at -110 odds and even more at reduced juice options. This is actually the exact opposite angle as our previous one. Teams that won in Week 1 often feel some sense of contentment getting a preseason win out of the way, and now the coaches can put a greater emphasis on evaluating personnel in Week 2, especially with the regular season dress rehearsal coming up in Week 3. Had the team lost Week 1, then most coaches would have had more of a balance between evaluating players and trying to get a win.
Play on any Week 2 team coming off a straight up loss against a team coming off of a straight up win (70-42-1, 62.5% ATS): This angle combines the two motivations from our first two angles, except that it applies to all games and not only underdogs, so this is one of our few preseason trends that actually points to some favorites.
Preseason Week 2 Coaches
Starting with the three coaches we are following the entire preseason, Tomlin is just 4-3 in Week 2 while Carroll is only 2-2, but Smith is 1-5 in Week 2, which is in keeping with his overall profile.
Other notable Week 2 coaching marks:
Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals, 8-3): Interestingly, coming into this season, Lewis was 5-8 in Week 1 (plus two Hall of Fame games) and 2-9 in Week 3, so it appears Week 2 is the week when he usually has his team ready to bounce back well from the opener, and once he gets that win he backs off a bit the following week. Well, the Bengals lost in Week 1 again this year to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mike McCarthy (Green Bay Packers, 6-2): Similarly to Lewis, McCarthy was just 2-7 in Week 1 (plus one Hall of Fame game) entering this season before usually getting the best out of his team in Week 2. And again, the Packers lost last week to the Tennessee Titans.
John Fox (Denver Broncos, 4-8): Fox is the polar opposite of Lewis in that he entered this year 9-4 in Week 1 plus one Hall of Fame game and 8-4 in Week 3, usually making Week 2 his “breather” week. And once again he opened up this preseason with a win while getting a little bit of Super Bowl revenge over the Seattle Seahawks in the process.
August 14, 2014
Well the home teams and the ‘under’ have been the cash cows so far in the 2014 preseason. After the Hall of Fame game was played at a neutral site, the home teams went 12-3-1 ATS and 14-2 straight up in Week 1! Meanwhile, the ‘under’ is now a wallet-filling 13-4 including Hall of Fame week.
More relevant to our Trends & Angles last week, all underdogs went just 6-9-1 ATS, which was not good for our angle that said to play on all underdogs in Week 1. We did mention a good subset of that historically was to play on underdogs of +3½ or more, and that subset split 1-1 ATS.
Luckily, our other general angle was to take the ‘under’ in games with totals of 36 or more and it turned out all but one game qualified, with the ‘under’ going a nifty 11-4 on qualifying plays!
Unfortunately, the angles regarding the three coaches we are following the entire preseason went 0-3, as the two we are playing on lost and the one we are fading covered the spread. Our Week 1-specific coaching angles did fare a bit better though going 2-1 ATS.
Before moving on to out Week 2 Trends & Angles, remember to check those teams’ websites for player rotations and expected game plans, as the one thing that makes the NFL preseason both unique and beatable is that coaches usually reveal those things beforehand and then more or less stick to the plans.
In regards to Week 2 specifically, this could be the week that offers the most profit potential of any preseason week! That is because Week 2 has been a contrarian’s dream as a nice profit could have been made over the years simply by playing on teams that lost straight up in Week 1 and against teams that won straight up in Week 1.
You will see our three favorite angles in that regard when we get to the Week 2 General Angles. But let us kick off our look at Week 2 with our disappointing recap of the three coaches we are looking at the entire preseason.
Coaches To Follow
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): The tide could be turning for the negative here as after going 0-4 during preseason last year, the Steelers lost their opener to the Giants last week 20-16. That still leaves Tomlin at 19-11 overall in preseason since taking over as head coach, but remember that record stood at 19-6 after his first six years in Pittsburgh.
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): Carroll’s Seahawks were a perfect 4-0 in preseason each of the last two years and had won nine straight preseason games overall before their 2014 opener, but they lost 21-16 to the Denver Broncos in a Super Bowl rematch. That could make Seattle extra dangerous this week as Carroll generally likes to build a winning culture in these games and he is Seattle is still 11-6 overall since Carroll took over as head coach. You can also bet that Carroll will not tolerate any complacency after winning the Super Bowl.
Coach To Fade
Mike Smith (Atlanta Falcons): This is Mike Smith’s seventh year are the coach of the Falcons, and not only did he have a dismal record before last week but he has also yet to have a winning preseason. He had also been 1-11 the last three preseasons with two 0-4 seasons including last year. Unfortunately for us, Atlanta opened up 2014 with a 16-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, improving Smith to 8-17 overall in preseason as the Atlanta coach.
Now that the bad news is out of the way, let us move on to the great week-specific winning contrarian Trends & Angles exclusively for preseason Week 2 that we alluded to earlier, with all ATS records being over the last 14 preseasons since 2000.
Preseason Week 2 General Trends
Play on Week 2 underdogs coming off a straight up loss (72-33-2, 68.6% ATS): No that is not a misprint, as teams that have lost straight up in Week 1 and are then underdogs in Week 2 have covered at better than a 68 percent clip over 105 decisions in 14 years, and yet people still refuse to bet on preseason! These exhibition games are all about motivation, and in Week 2, teams that lost their openers are usually motivated to put forth a better performance to at the very least gain some peace of mind. Remember that talent means nothing in these games, so this angle even works if the underdog off a loss is among the very worst teams in the league.
Play against Week 2 favorites coming off a straight up win (62-46-1, 57.4% ATS):Granted this winning percentage is lower than most of our other angles, but the volume makes up for it as this still works out to +11.40 units at -110 odds and even more at reduced juice options. This is actually the exact opposite angle as our previous one. Teams that won in Week 1 often feel some sense of contentment getting a preseason win out of the way, and now the coaches can put a greater emphasis on evaluating personnel in Week 2, especially with the regular season dress rehearsal coming up in Week 3. Had the team lost Week 1, then most coaches would have had more of a balance between evaluating players and trying to get a win.
Play on any Week 2 team coming off a straight up loss against a team coming off of a straight up win (70-42-1, 62.5% ATS): This angle combines the two motivations from our first two angles, except that it applies to all games and not only underdogs, so this is one of our few preseason trends that actually points to some favorites.
Preseason Week 2 Coaches
Starting with the three coaches we are following the entire preseason, Tomlin is just 4-3 in Week 2 while Carroll is only 2-2, but Smith is 1-5 in Week 2, which is in keeping with his overall profile.
Other notable Week 2 coaching marks:
Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals, 8-3): Interestingly, coming into this season, Lewis was 5-8 in Week 1 (plus two Hall of Fame games) and 2-9 in Week 3, so it appears Week 2 is the week when he usually has his team ready to bounce back well from the opener, and once he gets that win he backs off a bit the following week. Well, the Bengals lost in Week 1 again this year to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mike McCarthy (Green Bay Packers, 6-2): Similarly to Lewis, McCarthy was just 2-7 in Week 1 (plus one Hall of Fame game) entering this season before usually getting the best out of his team in Week 2. And again, the Packers lost last week to the Tennessee Titans.
John Fox (Denver Broncos, 4-8): Fox is the polar opposite of Lewis in that he entered this year 9-4 in Week 1 plus one Hall of Fame game and 8-4 in Week 3, usually making Week 2 his “breather” week. And once again he opened up this preseason with a win while getting a little bit of Super Bowl revenge over the Seattle Seahawks in the process.
Wunderdog Sports Free Pick
San Diego @ Seattle
Pick: Seattle -5.5
Seattle comes home for its opener, and this team is an absolute beast at Century Link Field in the postseason, regular season and preseason - especially for hard-driving coach Pete Carroll, who is 22-11 ATS in August. This team has loads of depth and talent, especially on defense, and even in losing to the high-powered Broncos last week, they only allowed 274 yards. On offense, their preseason QB rotation is loaded with three players who have a lot of NFL regular season starting experience in Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor. Coach Carroll demands physical play - and gets it. San Diego is in town for their first road game with nothing to prove after a 27-7 rout of Dallas. A year ago in week two in their first road game, the Chargers turned it over four times in a loss at Chicago, surrendering 33 points. These teams met early last August too, and the Seahawks won in San Diego 31-10, as part of a 4-1 SU/ATS Seattle preseason run. Go with the defending champs at home.
San Diego @ Seattle
Pick: Seattle -5.5
Seattle comes home for its opener, and this team is an absolute beast at Century Link Field in the postseason, regular season and preseason - especially for hard-driving coach Pete Carroll, who is 22-11 ATS in August. This team has loads of depth and talent, especially on defense, and even in losing to the high-powered Broncos last week, they only allowed 274 yards. On offense, their preseason QB rotation is loaded with three players who have a lot of NFL regular season starting experience in Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor. Coach Carroll demands physical play - and gets it. San Diego is in town for their first road game with nothing to prove after a 27-7 rout of Dallas. A year ago in week two in their first road game, the Chargers turned it over four times in a loss at Chicago, surrendering 33 points. These teams met early last August too, and the Seahawks won in San Diego 31-10, as part of a 4-1 SU/ATS Seattle preseason run. Go with the defending champs at home.
NFL Preseason Point Spreads and Picks
By: Mike Wilkening
Sportingnews
Of the 16 games slated for the second full week of the preseason, one has a bigger total than all the rest.
And it’s not close.
The total for Friday’s Patriots-Eagles tilt (7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network) sits at 47, a healthy number for the regular season but positively super-sized for the exhibition slate. The OVER/UNDER is 4 points higher than any other game on this week’s board, and it is at least 6 points higher than 11 other preseason contests.
Nevertheless, the number makes sense.
For starters, these clubs met last August in Philadelphia and combined for 53 points, with the Patriots posting a 31-22 win. The total in that game was a mere 40, though.
Second, it’s reasonable to believe Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could get some reps in Friday’s game after sitting out the exhibition opener at Washington. With Brady seemingly unlikely to get much playing time in the last preseason game, if any, the Patriots have just two games for the first-team offense to tighten the screws. He was sharp in the 2013 preseason, completing 34-of-44 passes for 357 yards.
Third, the Eagles have had a knack for being in high-scoring exhibitions in Chip Kelly’s two-year tenure. In five preseason games under Kelly, the Eagles have been outscored 125-115. Philly is 4-1 O/U in those games.
Finally, the OVER has been a good play in the Patriots’ second preseason game in recent years, cashing 7-of-10 times since 2004, according to Covers.com data.
The Patriots are 3-point favorites in Friday night’s game in Foxborough. That’s a fairly normal preseason line.
The total? That’s a different story.
The Linemakers’ lean: While neither of these teams will be overly concerned about losing their first preseason game, we like the Eagles to bounce back in this spot. Mark Sanchez was solid in relief last week vs. the Bears, and Nick Foles will look to shake off his shaky, two-interception performance. Philly plus the points is the play.
As you watch for fireworks in New England, here’s a look at the other three contests to be played Friday night. Lines are the Las Vegas consensus as of Thursday afternoon, and preseason point spread data is from Covers.com. For updated point spreads and totals, visit our live odds page.
Tennessee at New Orleans (-3.5, 43)
Now this is interesting: Since 2012, the Saints are 9-1 against the spread in exhibition games. Moreover, they are 5-0 ATS and 4-1 straight-up in preseason play since Sean Payton returned last season. The Saints are also 4-1 to the OVER in exhibition play since 2013.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees (oblique) looks questionable for Friday. If he can’t go, the Saints will lean on Ryan Griffin and Luke McCown. Griffin was solid in the exhibition opener, completing 16-of-23 passes for 179 yards and one TD.
The Titans won and covered in their preseason opener vs. Green Bay, but the Packers rested quarterback Aaron Rodgers and tailback Eddie Lacy, and the game was played in rainy conditions. Facing the Saints indoors, even if Brees is just a spectator, could be a better litmus test for Ken Whisenhunt’s club.
Detroit at Oakland (-2.5, 39.5)
Keep an eye on how the Raiders’ offensive line fares against the Lions’ front four. Of the 13 penalties called against Oakland in the exhibition opener, four were false starts and three were offensive holding.
Also, handicappers will want to monitor the Lions’ offense when starting quarterback Matthew Stafford gives way to backups Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore. Orlovsky led the Lions to just three points in more than 2.5 quarters of play in the exhibition opener. Moore, meanwhile, was 11-of-13 for 121 yards and a touchdown pass to win out the game.
With a 10-6 loss to Minnesota in the first exhibition game, Oakland fell to 3-6 against the number in preseason play in Dennis Allen’s tenure.
San Diego at Seattle (-6, 38.5)
The Seahawks’ 21-16 loss at Denver on August 7 snapped Seattle’s 10-game preseason covering streak, a run dating back to 2011. In defeat, Seattle was penalized 14 times, but just once for defensive pass interference. Also, Seattle was not penalized for defensive holding or illegal contact.
San Diego emphasized the run in its preseason debut vs. Dallas, rushing 42 times and attempting just 16 passes. However, when the Chargers passed, they did quite well. San Diego quarterbacks were 14-of-16 for 243 yards against the Cowboys, with Philip Rivers going 4-of-4 for 61 yards in his lone series.
The Chargers are 3-2 against the number in exhibition games in Mike McCoy’s tenure as head coach.
The Linemakers’ lean: Our Kenny White made the total 36 for this game, so he offers a small lean to the UNDER. “When you’re looking at totals in preseason, if you have UNDER teams, go UNDER. If you have OVER teams -- like Chicago and Philly (last week) -- go OVER! They’re usually easy.”
By: Mike Wilkening
Sportingnews
Of the 16 games slated for the second full week of the preseason, one has a bigger total than all the rest.
And it’s not close.
The total for Friday’s Patriots-Eagles tilt (7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network) sits at 47, a healthy number for the regular season but positively super-sized for the exhibition slate. The OVER/UNDER is 4 points higher than any other game on this week’s board, and it is at least 6 points higher than 11 other preseason contests.
Nevertheless, the number makes sense.
For starters, these clubs met last August in Philadelphia and combined for 53 points, with the Patriots posting a 31-22 win. The total in that game was a mere 40, though.
Second, it’s reasonable to believe Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could get some reps in Friday’s game after sitting out the exhibition opener at Washington. With Brady seemingly unlikely to get much playing time in the last preseason game, if any, the Patriots have just two games for the first-team offense to tighten the screws. He was sharp in the 2013 preseason, completing 34-of-44 passes for 357 yards.
Third, the Eagles have had a knack for being in high-scoring exhibitions in Chip Kelly’s two-year tenure. In five preseason games under Kelly, the Eagles have been outscored 125-115. Philly is 4-1 O/U in those games.
Finally, the OVER has been a good play in the Patriots’ second preseason game in recent years, cashing 7-of-10 times since 2004, according to Covers.com data.
The Patriots are 3-point favorites in Friday night’s game in Foxborough. That’s a fairly normal preseason line.
The total? That’s a different story.
The Linemakers’ lean: While neither of these teams will be overly concerned about losing their first preseason game, we like the Eagles to bounce back in this spot. Mark Sanchez was solid in relief last week vs. the Bears, and Nick Foles will look to shake off his shaky, two-interception performance. Philly plus the points is the play.
As you watch for fireworks in New England, here’s a look at the other three contests to be played Friday night. Lines are the Las Vegas consensus as of Thursday afternoon, and preseason point spread data is from Covers.com. For updated point spreads and totals, visit our live odds page.
Tennessee at New Orleans (-3.5, 43)
Now this is interesting: Since 2012, the Saints are 9-1 against the spread in exhibition games. Moreover, they are 5-0 ATS and 4-1 straight-up in preseason play since Sean Payton returned last season. The Saints are also 4-1 to the OVER in exhibition play since 2013.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees (oblique) looks questionable for Friday. If he can’t go, the Saints will lean on Ryan Griffin and Luke McCown. Griffin was solid in the exhibition opener, completing 16-of-23 passes for 179 yards and one TD.
The Titans won and covered in their preseason opener vs. Green Bay, but the Packers rested quarterback Aaron Rodgers and tailback Eddie Lacy, and the game was played in rainy conditions. Facing the Saints indoors, even if Brees is just a spectator, could be a better litmus test for Ken Whisenhunt’s club.
Detroit at Oakland (-2.5, 39.5)
Keep an eye on how the Raiders’ offensive line fares against the Lions’ front four. Of the 13 penalties called against Oakland in the exhibition opener, four were false starts and three were offensive holding.
Also, handicappers will want to monitor the Lions’ offense when starting quarterback Matthew Stafford gives way to backups Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore. Orlovsky led the Lions to just three points in more than 2.5 quarters of play in the exhibition opener. Moore, meanwhile, was 11-of-13 for 121 yards and a touchdown pass to win out the game.
With a 10-6 loss to Minnesota in the first exhibition game, Oakland fell to 3-6 against the number in preseason play in Dennis Allen’s tenure.
San Diego at Seattle (-6, 38.5)
The Seahawks’ 21-16 loss at Denver on August 7 snapped Seattle’s 10-game preseason covering streak, a run dating back to 2011. In defeat, Seattle was penalized 14 times, but just once for defensive pass interference. Also, Seattle was not penalized for defensive holding or illegal contact.
San Diego emphasized the run in its preseason debut vs. Dallas, rushing 42 times and attempting just 16 passes. However, when the Chargers passed, they did quite well. San Diego quarterbacks were 14-of-16 for 243 yards against the Cowboys, with Philip Rivers going 4-of-4 for 61 yards in his lone series.
The Chargers are 3-2 against the number in exhibition games in Mike McCoy’s tenure as head coach.
The Linemakers’ lean: Our Kenny White made the total 36 for this game, so he offers a small lean to the UNDER. “When you’re looking at totals in preseason, if you have UNDER teams, go UNDER. If you have OVER teams -- like Chicago and Philly (last week) -- go OVER! They’re usually easy.”
Friday's Preseason Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider
Preseason Recap: The home teams have won 15 of the first 17 preseason contests, including Chicago's comeback victory over Jacksonville on Thursday. Home clubs own a 12-4-1 ATS record, as the Bears failed to cover against the Jaguars last night, while the only road teams to win outright have been the Saints (at Rams) and Bills (at Panthers). The 'under' has cashed in 14 of 18 exhibition games (including the Hall of Fame game), including each of the last five contests since last Saturday.
Eagles at Patriots (-2½, 47)
2014 Preseason Records: NE (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS), PHI (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Patriots (+3½) beat Eagles, 24-6 in 2013
Week 1 Review: New England was dominated by Washington, 23-6 as Tom Brady rested in the preseason opener for the Pats. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for New England in exhibition openers. The Eagles fell to the Bears as one-point road favorites, 34-28, as Chicago scored the final 17 points of the contest.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: Joe Nelson - Chip Kelly is now 2-3 S/U and ATS in the preseason and this will be a second straight road game which could take a toll at this stage in the season. New England is 6-3 S/U in the last nine home games in the preseason, averaging 27 points per game. Given Belichick’s respect for Kelly this is a game his team will take seriously and the Patriots should have opportunities early and late in this matchup.
Titans at Saints (-3, 43)
2014 Preseason Records: TEN (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), NO (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Titans (+4½) beat Saints, 10-6 in 2012
Week 1 Review: The Saints outlasted the Rams as short road underdogs, 26-24, as New Orleans was just one of two teams (Buffalo) to win on the highway last week. The Titans held off the Packers in a driving rainstorm in Nashville, 20-16 as -2½-point favorites.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: Doc's Sports - Never like to lay this many points in the exhibition season, but New Orleans played to win in game 1 and I see that trend continuing in Week 2. Hard to take away much from the Tennessee–Green Bay game since weather played a role, but playing in the Superdome is always a factor that greatly favors the home team. Drew Brees did not play in Week 1 and the Saints still managed to complete 27 of their 40 passes. New Orleans wins this game by double digits.
Lions at Raiders (-2½, 39)
2014 Preseason Records: DET (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), OAK (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Raiders (+3) beat Lions, 31-20 in 2012
Week 1 Review: The Raiders fell to the Vikings as three-point underdogs, 10-6, as Oakland scored a late touchdown and failed on a two-point conversion in the final minutes. The Lions rallied past the Browns, 13-12 to cash as 1½-point home underdogs, as the lone touchdown came in the contest came by Detroit with 1:05 remaining.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: The Gold Sheet - The Oakland coaching staff is fighting for its job this season and was very upset with the team's poor performance last week at Minnesota, as evidenced by the team's several fights this week while scrimmaging with Dallas. Detroit is not very deep on defense, especially in the secondary, which should yield opportunities to new Oakland No. 1 QB Matt Schaub, impressive rookie Derek Carr, and young veteran Matt McGloiin. New Detroit coach Jim Caldwell is from the Tony Dungy "low key" school of thought in preseason, with Caldwell going only 4-8 vs. the spread while head coach at Indianapolis and only 1-5 vs. the spread as a visitor.
Chargers at Seahawks (-6, 38½)
2014 Preseason Records: SD (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), SEA (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Seahawks (-3) beat Chargers, 31-10 in 2013
Week 1 Review: Seattle's eight-game preseason winning streak came to an end in a Super Bowl rematch with Denver, as the Seahawks lost 21-16 as one-point road favorites. The Chargers cruised past the beat-up Cowboys, 27-7 as 3½-point home favorites, snapping a two-game home losing streak in the preseason.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: James Manos - It's obvious that Seahawks HC Pete Carroll takes the preseason seriously as he's gone 21-13 SU and 24-10 ATS in his NFL preseason coaching appearances, including going 8-0 SU combined in 2012 and 2013. The Seahawks did lose their preseason opener this season at Denver, but that was a huge revenge setup for the Broncos, and anyone who really watched the game could see that both coaches were making an effort to WIN. This will be Seattle's first home game since winning the Super Bowl and they should be welcomed by the loud and racous crowd that give the Seahawks the best homefield advantage in the NFL. The Chargers enter off demolishing Dallas and San Diego accomplished all it's goals in that game.
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider
Preseason Recap: The home teams have won 15 of the first 17 preseason contests, including Chicago's comeback victory over Jacksonville on Thursday. Home clubs own a 12-4-1 ATS record, as the Bears failed to cover against the Jaguars last night, while the only road teams to win outright have been the Saints (at Rams) and Bills (at Panthers). The 'under' has cashed in 14 of 18 exhibition games (including the Hall of Fame game), including each of the last five contests since last Saturday.
Eagles at Patriots (-2½, 47)
2014 Preseason Records: NE (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS), PHI (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Patriots (+3½) beat Eagles, 24-6 in 2013
Week 1 Review: New England was dominated by Washington, 23-6 as Tom Brady rested in the preseason opener for the Pats. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for New England in exhibition openers. The Eagles fell to the Bears as one-point road favorites, 34-28, as Chicago scored the final 17 points of the contest.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: Joe Nelson - Chip Kelly is now 2-3 S/U and ATS in the preseason and this will be a second straight road game which could take a toll at this stage in the season. New England is 6-3 S/U in the last nine home games in the preseason, averaging 27 points per game. Given Belichick’s respect for Kelly this is a game his team will take seriously and the Patriots should have opportunities early and late in this matchup.
Titans at Saints (-3, 43)
2014 Preseason Records: TEN (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), NO (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Titans (+4½) beat Saints, 10-6 in 2012
Week 1 Review: The Saints outlasted the Rams as short road underdogs, 26-24, as New Orleans was just one of two teams (Buffalo) to win on the highway last week. The Titans held off the Packers in a driving rainstorm in Nashville, 20-16 as -2½-point favorites.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: Doc's Sports - Never like to lay this many points in the exhibition season, but New Orleans played to win in game 1 and I see that trend continuing in Week 2. Hard to take away much from the Tennessee–Green Bay game since weather played a role, but playing in the Superdome is always a factor that greatly favors the home team. Drew Brees did not play in Week 1 and the Saints still managed to complete 27 of their 40 passes. New Orleans wins this game by double digits.
Lions at Raiders (-2½, 39)
2014 Preseason Records: DET (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), OAK (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Raiders (+3) beat Lions, 31-20 in 2012
Week 1 Review: The Raiders fell to the Vikings as three-point underdogs, 10-6, as Oakland scored a late touchdown and failed on a two-point conversion in the final minutes. The Lions rallied past the Browns, 13-12 to cash as 1½-point home underdogs, as the lone touchdown came in the contest came by Detroit with 1:05 remaining.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: The Gold Sheet - The Oakland coaching staff is fighting for its job this season and was very upset with the team's poor performance last week at Minnesota, as evidenced by the team's several fights this week while scrimmaging with Dallas. Detroit is not very deep on defense, especially in the secondary, which should yield opportunities to new Oakland No. 1 QB Matt Schaub, impressive rookie Derek Carr, and young veteran Matt McGloiin. New Detroit coach Jim Caldwell is from the Tony Dungy "low key" school of thought in preseason, with Caldwell going only 4-8 vs. the spread while head coach at Indianapolis and only 1-5 vs. the spread as a visitor.
Chargers at Seahawks (-6, 38½)
2014 Preseason Records: SD (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), SEA (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Previous Preseason Meeting: Seahawks (-3) beat Chargers, 31-10 in 2013
Week 1 Review: Seattle's eight-game preseason winning streak came to an end in a Super Bowl rematch with Denver, as the Seahawks lost 21-16 as one-point road favorites. The Chargers cruised past the beat-up Cowboys, 27-7 as 3½-point home favorites, snapping a two-game home losing streak in the preseason.
Expert Handicapper Analysis: James Manos - It's obvious that Seahawks HC Pete Carroll takes the preseason seriously as he's gone 21-13 SU and 24-10 ATS in his NFL preseason coaching appearances, including going 8-0 SU combined in 2012 and 2013. The Seahawks did lose their preseason opener this season at Denver, but that was a huge revenge setup for the Broncos, and anyone who really watched the game could see that both coaches were making an effort to WIN. This will be Seattle's first home game since winning the Super Bowl and they should be welcomed by the loud and racous crowd that give the Seahawks the best homefield advantage in the NFL. The Chargers enter off demolishing Dallas and San Diego accomplished all it's goals in that game.
Five to Follow MLB Betting: Friday August 15, 2014 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews
To no surprise, the Colorado Rockies have ruled out Troy Tulowitzki for the rest of the season. It’s a shame because Tulo might have been the NL MVP had he stayed healthy, and this move also will cost him the NL batting title. He leads the league by far in average at .340, but a player needs 502 plate appearances to qualify. Tulo will end his season with 375. Here’s a look at five interesting matchups Friday around MLB.
Yankees at Rays (-136, 7)
New York had to be encouraged by what it saw from Michael Pineda on Wednesday night, but it’s about time to write off the Yankees’ playoff hopes in 2014. They have lost four straight games — currently the longest streak in AL — and the East Division hopes are gone. Yes, the Bombers are 3.5 games out of the second wild-card spot entering Thursday, but only the second one is available because the Angels will grab the first. There are four other teams ahead of New York. It’s not happening. Brandon McCarthy (7-11, 4.31) starts Friday’s opener in St. Petersburg. He’s 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts since being dealt from Arizona. This will be his first start this year vs. the Rays. Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb (7-6, 3.41) has managed to avoid the Yankees this season. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 23.
Key trends: New York is 4-12 in its past 16 against the AL East. Tampa Bay is 1-4 in Cobb’s past five at home. The Rays are 4-1 in Cobb’s past five vs. New York. The “under” is 5-1 in his past six against the Yankees.
Early lean: I’m a big Cobb fan — the Rays are going to be just fine pitching-wise next year when Matt Moore returns. Take them and the under here.
Orioles at Indians (-161, 7)
Not that it really matters at this point as the Tribe remain without injured Nick Swisher and Daniel Murphy, but the team will get back outfielder Michael Bourn on Friday. He hasn’t played since July 5 due to a hamstring injury and has largely been an injury-plagued bust since the Tribe gave him a big free-agent contract before the 2013 season. He probably won’t be much of a stolen base threat the rest of the season to ensure that hamstring doesn’t get worse. The Indians aren’t totally out of it yet but teetering on the edge. They start one of the best pitchers in the AL, to the surprise of many, in Corey Kluber (13-6, 2.46). He is 6-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his past seven outings. He shut out the Orioles on May 24 at Camden Yards over seven innings. Lefty Wei-Yin Chen (12-4, 3.90) goes for Baltimore. He had a five-start winning streak snapped last time out, allowing four runs in five innings at Toronto. He allowed five runs over 6.2 innings on May 22 vs. Cleveland.
Key trends: The Orioles have won 10 of their past 11 series openers. The Indians are 5-0 in Kluber’s past five against teams with a winning record. The under is 7-1 in Cleveland’s past eight against lefties. The under is 9-2 in Baltimore’s past 11 road games.
Early lean: How can you not go under here? Surprised it’s a +100 dog.
Pirates at Nationals (-160, 7)
Pittsburgh is playing pretty well without Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, but it looks like Walker might have to join McCutchen on the DL. The second baseman (.277, 16 HRs, 50 RBIs) hasn’t played since Aug. 9 due to a back injury. Washington’s surprising Tanner Roark (11-7, 2.86) could dominate that depleted lineup on Friday. He is 5-5 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 home starts but has never faced Pittsburgh. Charlie Morton (5-11, 3.62) gets the call for Pittsburgh, which has lost his past four outings. He got his first win of the season on May 23 vs. the Nationals, allowing a run over 5.2 innings. Adam LaRoche is 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs against Morton.
Key trends: The Pirates are 1-5 in Morton’s past six on the road. The Nats are 6-1 in Roark’s past seven against teams with a winning record. The over is 5-0-1 in Washington’s past six series openers.
Early lean: Nats at +140 on the runline.
Padres at Cardinals (-128, 7.5)
San Diego entered Thursday with the longest winning streak in baseball (five games) but is going to lose first baseman Yonder Alonso (.240, 7 HRs, 27 RBIs) to the disabled list with a right forearm strain. Too bad, as he’s been part of the reason the Padres are playing so much better lately. He was hitting .522 with two homers and five RBIs this month. That’s one less guy for Lance Lynn to worry about. Lynn (12-8, 2.97) allowed three runs last time out in a win over Baltimore, which was notable because he hadn’t allowed that many since June 28. He lost in San Diego on July 29, allowing just one earned run over six innings. Red-hot Jedd Gyorko is 2-for-5 with two RBIs off him. San Diego’s Tyson Ross (11-10, 2.60) would probably have 15 wins if he played on a better offensive team. He has tied a Padres record with 10 straight starts of six or more innings while allowing two or fewer earned runs. That includes beating the Cardinals opposite Lynn on July 29, allowing a run over six innings.
Key trends: San Diego is 5-0 in Ross’ past five against the NL Central. The under is 9-2 in Ross’ past 11 on the road against teams with a winning record. The under is 7-0 in Lynn’s past seven at home.
Early lean: Ross has been great, but it seems Cards should be bigger favorites at home. They are the pick with another under.
Brewers at Dodgers (-171, 7)
Milwaukee rested Ryan Braun for Thursday’s game in Chicago as his hand/thumb has flared up lately, but don’t read anything into that. It was just a getaway day game with the Brewers flying to L.A. afterward. He’ll no doubt be in there Friday night. The Brewers haven’t scored more than three runs in their past four games entering Thursday’s finale. It will be tough exceeding three on Friday against the Dodgers’ Zack Greinke (12-8, 2.84). He will be looking for a little payback after the Brewers beat him last week in Milwaukee, hitting Greinke for four runs and eight hits over six innings. Lyle Overbay is a career .346 hitter with three home runs and eight RBIs in 26 at-bats vs. Greinke. Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson (2-3, 4.00) lost to L.A. last week, giving up two runs and eight hits over six innings. This will be his first road start since May 25.
Key trends: Milwaukee has won four straight series openers. The Dodgers are 7-1 in Greinke’s past eight at home against teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Nelson’s past four. It is 6-1 in Greinke’s past seven.
Early lean: Dodgers at +125 on the runline and under again as Greinke shuts down the Brew Crew.
by Alan Matthews
To no surprise, the Colorado Rockies have ruled out Troy Tulowitzki for the rest of the season. It’s a shame because Tulo might have been the NL MVP had he stayed healthy, and this move also will cost him the NL batting title. He leads the league by far in average at .340, but a player needs 502 plate appearances to qualify. Tulo will end his season with 375. Here’s a look at five interesting matchups Friday around MLB.
Yankees at Rays (-136, 7)
New York had to be encouraged by what it saw from Michael Pineda on Wednesday night, but it’s about time to write off the Yankees’ playoff hopes in 2014. They have lost four straight games — currently the longest streak in AL — and the East Division hopes are gone. Yes, the Bombers are 3.5 games out of the second wild-card spot entering Thursday, but only the second one is available because the Angels will grab the first. There are four other teams ahead of New York. It’s not happening. Brandon McCarthy (7-11, 4.31) starts Friday’s opener in St. Petersburg. He’s 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts since being dealt from Arizona. This will be his first start this year vs. the Rays. Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb (7-6, 3.41) has managed to avoid the Yankees this season. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 23.
Key trends: New York is 4-12 in its past 16 against the AL East. Tampa Bay is 1-4 in Cobb’s past five at home. The Rays are 4-1 in Cobb’s past five vs. New York. The “under” is 5-1 in his past six against the Yankees.
Early lean: I’m a big Cobb fan — the Rays are going to be just fine pitching-wise next year when Matt Moore returns. Take them and the under here.
Orioles at Indians (-161, 7)
Not that it really matters at this point as the Tribe remain without injured Nick Swisher and Daniel Murphy, but the team will get back outfielder Michael Bourn on Friday. He hasn’t played since July 5 due to a hamstring injury and has largely been an injury-plagued bust since the Tribe gave him a big free-agent contract before the 2013 season. He probably won’t be much of a stolen base threat the rest of the season to ensure that hamstring doesn’t get worse. The Indians aren’t totally out of it yet but teetering on the edge. They start one of the best pitchers in the AL, to the surprise of many, in Corey Kluber (13-6, 2.46). He is 6-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his past seven outings. He shut out the Orioles on May 24 at Camden Yards over seven innings. Lefty Wei-Yin Chen (12-4, 3.90) goes for Baltimore. He had a five-start winning streak snapped last time out, allowing four runs in five innings at Toronto. He allowed five runs over 6.2 innings on May 22 vs. Cleveland.
Key trends: The Orioles have won 10 of their past 11 series openers. The Indians are 5-0 in Kluber’s past five against teams with a winning record. The under is 7-1 in Cleveland’s past eight against lefties. The under is 9-2 in Baltimore’s past 11 road games.
Early lean: How can you not go under here? Surprised it’s a +100 dog.
Pirates at Nationals (-160, 7)
Pittsburgh is playing pretty well without Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, but it looks like Walker might have to join McCutchen on the DL. The second baseman (.277, 16 HRs, 50 RBIs) hasn’t played since Aug. 9 due to a back injury. Washington’s surprising Tanner Roark (11-7, 2.86) could dominate that depleted lineup on Friday. He is 5-5 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 home starts but has never faced Pittsburgh. Charlie Morton (5-11, 3.62) gets the call for Pittsburgh, which has lost his past four outings. He got his first win of the season on May 23 vs. the Nationals, allowing a run over 5.2 innings. Adam LaRoche is 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs against Morton.
Key trends: The Pirates are 1-5 in Morton’s past six on the road. The Nats are 6-1 in Roark’s past seven against teams with a winning record. The over is 5-0-1 in Washington’s past six series openers.
Early lean: Nats at +140 on the runline.
Padres at Cardinals (-128, 7.5)
San Diego entered Thursday with the longest winning streak in baseball (five games) but is going to lose first baseman Yonder Alonso (.240, 7 HRs, 27 RBIs) to the disabled list with a right forearm strain. Too bad, as he’s been part of the reason the Padres are playing so much better lately. He was hitting .522 with two homers and five RBIs this month. That’s one less guy for Lance Lynn to worry about. Lynn (12-8, 2.97) allowed three runs last time out in a win over Baltimore, which was notable because he hadn’t allowed that many since June 28. He lost in San Diego on July 29, allowing just one earned run over six innings. Red-hot Jedd Gyorko is 2-for-5 with two RBIs off him. San Diego’s Tyson Ross (11-10, 2.60) would probably have 15 wins if he played on a better offensive team. He has tied a Padres record with 10 straight starts of six or more innings while allowing two or fewer earned runs. That includes beating the Cardinals opposite Lynn on July 29, allowing a run over six innings.
Key trends: San Diego is 5-0 in Ross’ past five against the NL Central. The under is 9-2 in Ross’ past 11 on the road against teams with a winning record. The under is 7-0 in Lynn’s past seven at home.
Early lean: Ross has been great, but it seems Cards should be bigger favorites at home. They are the pick with another under.
Brewers at Dodgers (-171, 7)
Milwaukee rested Ryan Braun for Thursday’s game in Chicago as his hand/thumb has flared up lately, but don’t read anything into that. It was just a getaway day game with the Brewers flying to L.A. afterward. He’ll no doubt be in there Friday night. The Brewers haven’t scored more than three runs in their past four games entering Thursday’s finale. It will be tough exceeding three on Friday against the Dodgers’ Zack Greinke (12-8, 2.84). He will be looking for a little payback after the Brewers beat him last week in Milwaukee, hitting Greinke for four runs and eight hits over six innings. Lyle Overbay is a career .346 hitter with three home runs and eight RBIs in 26 at-bats vs. Greinke. Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson (2-3, 4.00) lost to L.A. last week, giving up two runs and eight hits over six innings. This will be his first road start since May 25.
Key trends: Milwaukee has won four straight series openers. The Dodgers are 7-1 in Greinke’s past eight at home against teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Nelson’s past four. It is 6-1 in Greinke’s past seven.
Early lean: Dodgers at +125 on the runline and under again as Greinke shuts down the Brew Crew.
| We have a big day of action today, including a several official bets! Let's get to them: New York Yankees {A} bet - Official system bet (+1.5 Run Line) New York Mets {A} bet - Official system bet (Money Line) Texas {A} bet - Unofficial system bet (fails RPI filter. Warning: massive RPI gap difference!) Tony the sports betting "Champ" |
Here was today's (aug14) release.
Email us to become a member. Just $40 for the rest of August.
Dave and Tim
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dave Aquino <capperdt@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 14, 2014 at 11:40 AM
Subject: 08.14.14
To: Dave Aquino <capperdt@gmail.com>
Jerome is leaving us, looking elsewhere. We wish him the best. Thanks!
MLB Handicappers
Mike: (7-3) - Milwaukee
John: (6-3) - pirates/tigers under 8.5 (buy 1 run)
Jim: (6-5) - none
BD: (4-3) - Detroit
Tom: (3-0) - LA Dodgers
Tex: (4-1) - none
MH: (1-2) - none
Len: (1-1) - reds/rockies over 9.5
Today's Selections
NFL: none
WNBA: none
CFL: none
This guy is so confusing, who the hell are these other guys??? I could add some winners too!!!
Email us to become a member. Just $40 for the rest of August.
Dave and Tim
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dave Aquino <capperdt@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 14, 2014 at 11:40 AM
Subject: 08.14.14
To: Dave Aquino <capperdt@gmail.com>
Jerome is leaving us, looking elsewhere. We wish him the best. Thanks!
MLB Handicappers
Mike: (7-3) - Milwaukee
John: (6-3) - pirates/tigers under 8.5 (buy 1 run)
Jim: (6-5) - none
BD: (4-3) - Detroit
Tom: (3-0) - LA Dodgers
Tex: (4-1) - none
MH: (1-2) - none
Len: (1-1) - reds/rockies over 9.5
Today's Selections
NFL: none
WNBA: none
CFL: none
This guy is so confusing, who the hell are these other guys??? I could add some winners too!!!
BOB BALFE
MLB SELECTION
BOSTON REDSOX/HOUSTON ASTROS – OVER 8.5
(Keuchel/Buchholz)
Clay Buchholz has been awful this year. When he starts the Redsoxs usually lose and they get pounded. Keuchel is a great pitcher and I hope he gets a chance to pitch on a playoff bound team because he could be a household name. This Astros Bullpen however stinks. Look for a lot of runs just like last night. Take the OVER.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -3
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS +6
MLB SELECTION
BOSTON REDSOX/HOUSTON ASTROS – OVER 8.5
(Keuchel/Buchholz)
Clay Buchholz has been awful this year. When he starts the Redsoxs usually lose and they get pounded. Keuchel is a great pitcher and I hope he gets a chance to pitch on a playoff bound team because he could be a household name. This Astros Bullpen however stinks. Look for a lot of runs just like last night. Take the OVER.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS -3
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS +6
