SPORTS ADVISORS
NFL PRESEASON
Philadelphia (1-1 SU and ATS) at New England (0-2 SU and ATS)
The Patriots, who could again be without injured QB Tom Brady, look for their first win of the preseason when they take on the Eagles at Gillette Stadium
The Patriots went to Tampa Bay on Sunday night and, minus Brady for the second straight week, they got crushed 27-10 as a three-point road underdog. New England mustered just 174 yards and had three turnovers, while Tampa had 295 yards and no turnovers. New England, which has finished 2-2 SU the last three preseasons, needs to win the next two weeks to extend that streak.
Philadelphia scored 24 fourth-quarter points to erase a 10-0 deficit and beat Carolina 24-13 as a 3½-point home favorite last week. Backup QB Kevin Kolb led the rally and finished 14 of 27 for 155 yards passing, with one TD and one INT, and the Eagles outgained the Panthers 386-212. Still, the Eagles are just 9-14 (11-12 ATS) in August dating to 2005, including 2-4 SU and ATS going back to last year.
Brady was in pads for Wednesday’s practice, but his playing status remains uncertain. If he doesn’t go, Matt Cassel would likely get the start, followed by Matt Gutierrez and rookie Kevin O’Connell, all three of whom are battling for the No. 2 job.
There are no such QB issues for the Eagles, who will have Donovan McNabb and the starters go for three quarters, according to coach Andy Reid. In last week’s outing, McNabb was 11 of 24 for 98 yards, with no TDS or INTs. A.J. Feeley and Kolb will finish out the game.
While coach Bill Belichick hasn’t put any real emphasis on home exhibition contests (4-4 SU and ATS the past four years), New England has come to play in Week 3, going 5-1 SU and ATS the last six years, including 3-0 SU and ATS the last three. In fact, the Pats have won those last three Week 3 contests by a combined score of 92-10.
The over is 5-1 in the Eagles’ last six preseason games overall, 3-1 in their last four on the road and 3-1 in New England’s last four August contests in Foxboro.
ATS ADVANTAGE:OVER
Tennessee (2-0, 1-1 ATS) at Atlanta (0-2, 1-1 ATS)
The Titans look to keep their perfect preseason going when they travel to the Georgia Dome to take on the Falcons.
After blowing out the Rams 34-13 in its exhibition opener, Tennessee eked out a 17-16 victory over Oakland a week ago, coming up short as a 3½-point home choice. Titans QB Vince Young (4-for-13, 37 yards) struggled, and the Titans defense allowed 195 rushing yards. Now Tennessee heads out on the road, where it is 12-3-1 ATS over the last eight years of preseason play. The Titans are also 10-1 ATS in their last 11 as an exhibition underdog.
Atlanta took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter on Saturday against Indianapolis, but couldn’t hold it, losing 16-9 as a 3½-point home favorite. The Falcons committed five turnovers (3 INTs) while forcing only one. Still, the Falcons are 9-5-1 ATS since the start of the 2005 preseason, including 6-3 (5-3-1 ATS) at home. On the flip side, they’re just 1-3-1 ATS as a chalk during this stretch.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher said QB Vince Young and the rest of the starters are expected to go the entire first half and perhaps longer. Young has led seven drives in the first two preseason games but come up with only one score (a field goal). He will be relieved in the second half by veteran Kerry Collins, with Ingle Martin and Paul Thompson perhaps getting some mop-up time, as well.
Rookie QB Matt Ryan (8 of 16, 62 yards, 1 INT last week) will start and could play into the third quarter for the Falcons, likely followed by Joey Harrington, Chris Redman and possibly D.J. Shockley.
The Falcons are 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in Week 3 of the preseason the last four years, including a 20-6 rout at Tennessee in 2006.
The over is 4-2 in Atlanta’s last six summer contests at the Georgia Dome, and the Titans are on over streaks of 4-1 overall and 4-0 on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ATLANTA
Houston (2-0, 1-0-1 ATS) at Dallas (0-2 SU and ATS)
The Texans make the short road trip to Texas Stadium for a bragging-rights matchup against the instate rival Cowboys, who will be at home for the first time this preseason.
Houston churned out 405 total yards in last week’s 31-27 upset win over the Saints as a three-point road underdog. The Texans are 7-3 (6-2-2 ATS) in the preseason under third-year coach Gary Kubiak after going 2-10 SU and ATS the previous three summers. Also, with Kubiak at the helm, Houston is 4-1 on the road in August (3-1-1 ATS) and 5-1 ATS as an underdog.
The Cowboys opened the exhibition campaign with a pair of SU and ATS road losses at San Diego (31-17) and Denver (23-13). However, now they return to Texas Stadium, where they are 9-0-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in exhibition action since 2003, including 2-0 SU and ATS last year in coach Wade Phillips’ first summer with the team.
Houston topped the Cowboys 28-16 as a 2½-point home underdog in Week 3 last year and is 2-0 ATS in Week 3 under Kubiak. However, the last time these teams met in Dallas in the preseason was in 2005, and the Cowboys rolled 21-9 as a three-point chalk.
QB Matt Schaub, who was extremely sharp last week in going 14 of 16 for 187 yards and two TDs, should go the whole first half and perhaps beyond for the Texans. Sage Rosenfels will relieve Schaub, with rookie Alex Brink and Shane Boyd in mop-up duty.
Phillips indicated he might go the first three quarters with QB Tony Romo and the rest of his starting offense. Romo, who went 6-for-9 for 33 yards in just two possessions last week in Denver, will be relieved by veteran Brad Johnson, with Richard Bartel possibly coming on late.
Houston has topped the total in six straight preseason games going back to last year, and the over is 5-1 in the team’s last six August road affairs. Also, the over is 4-1 in Dallas’ last five overall in the summer.
ATS ADVANTAGE DALLAS and OVER
Green Bay (0-2 SU and ATS) at Denver (1-1, 1-0-1 ATS)
The Packers, off to a bumpy preseason start in the Aaron Rodgers era, travel to Invesco Field at Mile High for a meeting with the Broncos.
Green Bay looked terrible in Saturday’s 34-6 loss at San Francisco, getting outgained 355-182 while losing three fumbles. The Packers are now 1-4 SU and ATS on the road and 1-5 ATS as an underdog in August under coach Mike McCarthy. They’ve also lost five straight preseason games in Week 3, going 1-4 ATS. In fact, in the last three years, Green Bay has been outscored 96-33 in Week 3.
Denver got a strong outing from QB Jay Cutler (16 of 26, 178 yards, one TD) en route to Saturday’s 23-13 rout of Dallas as a two-point home favorite. The Broncos are now 21-10-2 ATS the last eight-plus preseasons under coach Mike Shanahan, including 6-1 (4-3 ATS) at home since 2005. Also, Denver is 3-1 (2-2 ATS) the last four years in Week 3.
McCarthy said Rodgers and the rest of the offensive starters will play the entire first half against the Broncos, and possibly into the third quarter. Rodgers was 9 of 16 for 58 yards last week, but he was sacked four times, and the first unit mustered just 46 total yards and four first downs on 25 snaps against the 49ers. Rodgers is expected to give way to rookie Brian Brohm, followed by fellow rookie Matt Flynn.
Cutler, who went the entire first half last week, should do the same this week and might go into the third quarter with the rest of the starters, though Shanahan hasn’t divulged specifics of his QB rotation. Patrick Ramsey would likely relieve in the second half, followed by Darrell Hackney.
The under is 4-0 in Denver’s last four summer games at Invesco Field. However, the over is 7-3 in Green Bay’s last 10 exhibition contests, including 3-1 on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE DENVER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota (73-54) at L.A. Angels (77-49)
Joe Saunders (14-5, 3.14 ERA) toes the slab for the Angels in the second game of a four-game set against the Twins, who will counter with Glen Perkins (10-3, 4.17) in a battle of southpaws.
In Thursday night’s series opener, an extended pitchers’ duel broke out as the Twins earned a 2-1 win in 12 innings, with Denard Span’s RBI single plating the winning run. The Angels, in an uncharacteristic rut, have now lost six of their last eight games. However, they are still on a 5-2 run at home and are on additional streaks of 23-8 with Saunders starting at home, 23-9 against winning teams and 23-9 in their last 32 games against left-handed starters.
The Twins are on impressive hot streaks of 7-1 against the A.L. West, 17-4 against lefties, 39-18 overall and 9-3 in Perkins’ last 12 starts. However, Minnesota has still dropped seven of its last nine against the Angels and 19 of its last 27 in Anaheim.
Los Angeles had won five straight behind Saunders before Sunday’s 4-3 loss at Cleveland. In that outing, he allowed three runs on eight hits in five innings and got his fourth no-decision in his last six starts. On the positive end, the Angels are 5-0 in Saunders’ last five home starts.
Minnesota has prevailed in six of Perkins’ last eight starts, including his last two outings. On Sunday against Seattle, he allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings of an 11-8 home victory, the ninth straight game that he’s pitched at least six innings.
Saunders is 6-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 12 home starts this season, and he’s 2-0 with a minuscule 1.20 ERA in two career outings against Minnesota. Perkins, meanwhile, is 3-1 with a 4.60 ERA in seven road starts this year, and this will be the 25-year-old’s first career appearance against Los Angeles.
In this rivalry, the under is 5-1-1 in the last seven matchups and 18-8-3 in the last 28 meetings in L.A. Also, the under is 24-9-3 in the Halos’ last 36 games against lefties. For the Twins, though, the over has cashed in five of their last seven roadies and 17 of their last 23 games against A.L. West opponents.
ATS ADVANTAGE:L.A. ANGELS
