Las vegas hilton supercontest top 5 picks # of times selected
#1 falcons -2 1/2 118 contestants
#2 49ers -3 117 contestants
#3 packers -2 1/2 104 contestants
#4 houston -2 1/2 97 contestants
#5 chiefs +8 87 contestants
.........................................................................
top 8 went 7-1 last week.
Only loss, because 2 teams in 1 game made top 8.
bol 2 all!!
#1 falcons -2 1/2 118 contestants
#2 49ers -3 117 contestants
#3 packers -2 1/2 104 contestants
#4 houston -2 1/2 97 contestants
#5 chiefs +8 87 contestants
.........................................................................
top 8 went 7-1 last week.
Only loss, because 2 teams in 1 game made top 8.
bol 2 all!!
BEN BURNS
BIG NFL DIVISIONAL TOTAL OF THE MONTH
10* UNDER Raiders/Chargers (44 or better)
Game: San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders Game Time: 10/10/2010 4:15:00 PM Prediction: under Reason: I'm playing on San Diego and Oakland to finish UNDER the total. These teams have both been involved in some high-scoring games so far. The Raiders have seen three of their four games finish above the total, including each of the last two. The Chargers have seen three of four games finish above the total, including each of the past three. Those results have helped to provide us with a generously high O/U number to work with on Sunday afternoon. I believe that its too high. Let's look at the actual number first. Currently, its sitting above the important or 'key' number of 44. While we haven't seen many games landing on 44 yet this season (its still early) historically, that is among the more popular final combined scores. (24-20, 23-21, 27-17, 30-14 etc). Looking at last season's meetings between these teams and we find that the O/U lines were set at 41.5 for the game at San Diego and 42.5 for the game here at Oakland. What happened? The game at San Diego finished with 40 points and the game here at Oakland finished with, you guessed it, 44 points. Even though the 'under' was 1-1 in those games, the same scores would have produced a 2-0 mark to the 'under' with today's higher line. Looking back further and we find that nine of the last 11 meetings in this series have finished with 44 or fewer combined points. NONE of those games produced greater than 47 points and the 11 games averaged 40.6 points. (Two of the 11 finished th exactly 44.) Note that seven of the last eight games had O/U lines of 44 or less, again going back to the point about line value. I successfully played on the Chargers to finish 'under' the total in their only divisional game, the only Charger total which I have played. That was in their opener vs. the Chiefs. (I also won with the Chiefs in that game.) The Raider have yet to play a divisional game yet this season. However, if we look at the last two seasons we find that the UNDER was a profitable 7-3-2 in their divisional games. True, the Chargers offense is still potent. However, its been pretty darn good for quite a few years now and we still haven't been seeing too many 'shootouts' in this series. Also, note that the offense is only averaging 17 points on the road, scoring 14 and 20 points. As for defense, the Chargers are allowing only 17.7 points and just 235.5 yards per game. The Raiders have yet to score more than 24 points in a game and are averaging 19. Even though one of their two home games was against high-scoring Houston, they're still allowing a somewhat respectable 22.5 points per game here. Overall, opposing teams are averaging 305.7 yards against them. Both teams have been running the ball quite frequently. The Raiders have run the ball at least 25 times per game and an average of 31 times per game. The Chargers have run the ball at least 29 times (38 last time) in three of their four games and are averaging 29 rushing attempts per game. As you know, regular running plays help to keep the clock moving, a good thing when trying to cash an 'under' ticket. The Raiders, who are off back to back losses, have seen the UNDER go 8-3 the last two seasons when coming off two or more consecutive losses. While I respect the SD offense, I expect those numbers to improve here. *10
BUFFALO (-1 or better)
10* DALLAS (-7 or better)
Game: Tennessee Titans vs. Dallas Cowboys Game Time: 10/10/2010 4:15:00 PM Prediction: Dallas Cowboys Reason: I'm playing on DALLAS. I may have played against the Cowboys when they lost vs. the Redskins, but I still respect them and feel that they're among the most dangerous teams in the NFC. I also feel that this will be a good spot for them to come through with a big win. To their credit, the Titans have fared very well against teams from the NFC in recent seasons. This year, they've already beaten up on the Giants, which was their only road game. That may have been partly a case of the Titans catching the Giants at the right time though, as New York was fresh off a nationally televised blowout loss vs. the Colts, in the Manning vs. Manning showdown. No such luck this time. The Cowboys responded to their 0-2 start by blowing out a very good Houston team in their last game. They've since had a bye. Note that the Cowboys are an outstanding 16-5 in post-bye games, since the bye was implemented by the NFL in 1990. Under Phillips, the Cowboys have not only won all three games following their bye, but they even have at least a three-game winning streak after the break in all three of Phillips' seasons as head coach. Some of you will recall that I had a big play (*10 "Personal Favorite") on the Cowboys, following their bye last season. Laying -5 or -5.5 points, Dallas crushed a solid Atlanta team by a score of 37-21. The previous season, following their bye, the Cowboys went on the road and won outright at Washington. In 2007, following their bye, they traveled to Philadelphia and smashed the Eagles by a score of 38-17. In other words, regardless of one's opinion of Phillips, there's no denying that he's been able to have the Cowboys "ready to go," following their past byes. It should also be noted that the bye should have allowed tight end Jason Witten and left guard Kyle Kosier (among others) the time to heal and be ready to play here. That may not have been the case if the Cowboys played last week as both players had suffered knee injuries in the win over Houston. Witten was quoted as saying: "This is a good time for us to play well and take care of what we need to do. It's too early to panic or anything like that. But we got ourselves in a hole, and we know we're still in good shape, but we have to start playing well and put some wins together." While the media won't spend much time talking about it, the Titans suffered some costly injuries along the defensive line last week. That's not a good thing right before traveling to Dallas. Of course, it should also be mentioned that the Titans secondary allowed Kyle Orton and the Broncos to go 35 of 50 and throw for nearly 350 yards last week. Underdogs have gotten off to a strong start to the season but here's a case where I expect the favorite to 'get the cash'. *10
UNDER jets/vikings (38 or better)
UNDER lions/rams (41 or better)
UNDER chiefs/colts (44 or better)
BIG NFL DIVISIONAL TOTAL OF THE MONTH
10* UNDER Raiders/Chargers (44 or better)
Game: San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders Game Time: 10/10/2010 4:15:00 PM Prediction: under Reason: I'm playing on San Diego and Oakland to finish UNDER the total. These teams have both been involved in some high-scoring games so far. The Raiders have seen three of their four games finish above the total, including each of the last two. The Chargers have seen three of four games finish above the total, including each of the past three. Those results have helped to provide us with a generously high O/U number to work with on Sunday afternoon. I believe that its too high. Let's look at the actual number first. Currently, its sitting above the important or 'key' number of 44. While we haven't seen many games landing on 44 yet this season (its still early) historically, that is among the more popular final combined scores. (24-20, 23-21, 27-17, 30-14 etc). Looking at last season's meetings between these teams and we find that the O/U lines were set at 41.5 for the game at San Diego and 42.5 for the game here at Oakland. What happened? The game at San Diego finished with 40 points and the game here at Oakland finished with, you guessed it, 44 points. Even though the 'under' was 1-1 in those games, the same scores would have produced a 2-0 mark to the 'under' with today's higher line. Looking back further and we find that nine of the last 11 meetings in this series have finished with 44 or fewer combined points. NONE of those games produced greater than 47 points and the 11 games averaged 40.6 points. (Two of the 11 finished th exactly 44.) Note that seven of the last eight games had O/U lines of 44 or less, again going back to the point about line value. I successfully played on the Chargers to finish 'under' the total in their only divisional game, the only Charger total which I have played. That was in their opener vs. the Chiefs. (I also won with the Chiefs in that game.) The Raider have yet to play a divisional game yet this season. However, if we look at the last two seasons we find that the UNDER was a profitable 7-3-2 in their divisional games. True, the Chargers offense is still potent. However, its been pretty darn good for quite a few years now and we still haven't been seeing too many 'shootouts' in this series. Also, note that the offense is only averaging 17 points on the road, scoring 14 and 20 points. As for defense, the Chargers are allowing only 17.7 points and just 235.5 yards per game. The Raiders have yet to score more than 24 points in a game and are averaging 19. Even though one of their two home games was against high-scoring Houston, they're still allowing a somewhat respectable 22.5 points per game here. Overall, opposing teams are averaging 305.7 yards against them. Both teams have been running the ball quite frequently. The Raiders have run the ball at least 25 times per game and an average of 31 times per game. The Chargers have run the ball at least 29 times (38 last time) in three of their four games and are averaging 29 rushing attempts per game. As you know, regular running plays help to keep the clock moving, a good thing when trying to cash an 'under' ticket. The Raiders, who are off back to back losses, have seen the UNDER go 8-3 the last two seasons when coming off two or more consecutive losses. While I respect the SD offense, I expect those numbers to improve here. *10
BUFFALO (-1 or better)
10* DALLAS (-7 or better)
Game: Tennessee Titans vs. Dallas Cowboys Game Time: 10/10/2010 4:15:00 PM Prediction: Dallas Cowboys Reason: I'm playing on DALLAS. I may have played against the Cowboys when they lost vs. the Redskins, but I still respect them and feel that they're among the most dangerous teams in the NFC. I also feel that this will be a good spot for them to come through with a big win. To their credit, the Titans have fared very well against teams from the NFC in recent seasons. This year, they've already beaten up on the Giants, which was their only road game. That may have been partly a case of the Titans catching the Giants at the right time though, as New York was fresh off a nationally televised blowout loss vs. the Colts, in the Manning vs. Manning showdown. No such luck this time. The Cowboys responded to their 0-2 start by blowing out a very good Houston team in their last game. They've since had a bye. Note that the Cowboys are an outstanding 16-5 in post-bye games, since the bye was implemented by the NFL in 1990. Under Phillips, the Cowboys have not only won all three games following their bye, but they even have at least a three-game winning streak after the break in all three of Phillips' seasons as head coach. Some of you will recall that I had a big play (*10 "Personal Favorite") on the Cowboys, following their bye last season. Laying -5 or -5.5 points, Dallas crushed a solid Atlanta team by a score of 37-21. The previous season, following their bye, the Cowboys went on the road and won outright at Washington. In 2007, following their bye, they traveled to Philadelphia and smashed the Eagles by a score of 38-17. In other words, regardless of one's opinion of Phillips, there's no denying that he's been able to have the Cowboys "ready to go," following their past byes. It should also be noted that the bye should have allowed tight end Jason Witten and left guard Kyle Kosier (among others) the time to heal and be ready to play here. That may not have been the case if the Cowboys played last week as both players had suffered knee injuries in the win over Houston. Witten was quoted as saying: "This is a good time for us to play well and take care of what we need to do. It's too early to panic or anything like that. But we got ourselves in a hole, and we know we're still in good shape, but we have to start playing well and put some wins together." While the media won't spend much time talking about it, the Titans suffered some costly injuries along the defensive line last week. That's not a good thing right before traveling to Dallas. Of course, it should also be mentioned that the Titans secondary allowed Kyle Orton and the Broncos to go 35 of 50 and throw for nearly 350 yards last week. Underdogs have gotten off to a strong start to the season but here's a case where I expect the favorite to 'get the cash'. *10
UNDER jets/vikings (38 or better)
UNDER lions/rams (41 or better)
UNDER chiefs/colts (44 or better)
HOT LINES
Sunday's Best MLB Bets
San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves (-134, 7)
How will the Giants recover from blowing what appeared to be a sure-thing 2-0 lead in the series when they led 4-0 in the sixth inning on Friday night?
Well, they might not. And they will certainly regret failing to take care of business at home against this Atlanta team. The Braves were a mediocre (borderline bad) 35-46 on the road during regular season, but they were an MLB-leading 56-25 at home.
Atlanta hit .270 at home, .247 on the road; slugged .423 at home, .380 on the road; scored 391 runs at home, 347 on the road; hit 74 home runs at home, 65 on the road.
That can't be called a coincidence, because the pitchers did similar work. The Braves' staff boasted a 3.18 ERA at Turner Field but that ballooned to 3.96 away from home. As for Sunday's starter Tim Hudson, he was 6-4 with a 3.25 ERA on the road. At home? 11-5 with a paltry 2.48 ERA.
Pick: Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds (118, 7.5)
The Reds have had all kinds of problems this series, from not getting a single hit against Roy Halladay in Game 1 to Jay Bruce's loss of a fly ball in the lights in Game 2. Veteran Scott Rolen was asked if he had any advice for some of Cincinnati's youngsters who have looked lost through two games.
"There's some old guys with some tough breaks in this series as well," Rolen answered, as reported by the USA Today. "I don't know, I might ask a few questions myself, trying to get back. Obviously, I'm not swinging the bat well myself and I'm kicking the ball around a little bit. So I don't have much advice to kick out to anybody right now."
The Reds had more errors than hits in Game 1 (one to none) and they had as many errors as runs in Game 2 (four to four). Arguably the best team in baseball at capitalizing on opponents' mistakes, the Phillies did it again on Friday. They converted the four Cincinnati miscues into a whopping five unearned runs.
Pick: Philadelphia Phillies
Sunday's Best MLB Bets
San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves (-134, 7)
How will the Giants recover from blowing what appeared to be a sure-thing 2-0 lead in the series when they led 4-0 in the sixth inning on Friday night?
Well, they might not. And they will certainly regret failing to take care of business at home against this Atlanta team. The Braves were a mediocre (borderline bad) 35-46 on the road during regular season, but they were an MLB-leading 56-25 at home.
Atlanta hit .270 at home, .247 on the road; slugged .423 at home, .380 on the road; scored 391 runs at home, 347 on the road; hit 74 home runs at home, 65 on the road.
That can't be called a coincidence, because the pitchers did similar work. The Braves' staff boasted a 3.18 ERA at Turner Field but that ballooned to 3.96 away from home. As for Sunday's starter Tim Hudson, he was 6-4 with a 3.25 ERA on the road. At home? 11-5 with a paltry 2.48 ERA.
Pick: Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds (118, 7.5)
The Reds have had all kinds of problems this series, from not getting a single hit against Roy Halladay in Game 1 to Jay Bruce's loss of a fly ball in the lights in Game 2. Veteran Scott Rolen was asked if he had any advice for some of Cincinnati's youngsters who have looked lost through two games.
"There's some old guys with some tough breaks in this series as well," Rolen answered, as reported by the USA Today. "I don't know, I might ask a few questions myself, trying to get back. Obviously, I'm not swinging the bat well myself and I'm kicking the ball around a little bit. So I don't have much advice to kick out to anybody right now."
The Reds had more errors than hits in Game 1 (one to none) and they had as many errors as runs in Game 2 (four to four). Arguably the best team in baseball at capitalizing on opponents' mistakes, the Phillies did it again on Friday. They converted the four Cincinnati miscues into a whopping five unearned runs.
Pick: Philadelphia Phillies
Big Al
GIANTS @ BRAVES Under 7
At 4:35 pm, our complimentary selection is on the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves 'under' the total. Superior starting pitching has been the story in games one and two of this series, and it finally took a bullpen meltdown by the Giants relievers in game two for somebody to break through and actually score some runs. Expect the starting pitching battle to continue again this afternoon in Atlanta as two more warriors in lefthander Jonathan Sanchez and righthander Tim Hudson take the mound for their respective teams. Hudson in particular was impressive down the stretch for his team, especially given the lack of run support he was getting most of the time when he went out there. He received some help from his hitters in his last start on October 3, but in the 13 starts before that one, the Braves only scored more than four runs once, and only plated more than three on three occasions. Sanchez found himself in a very similar situation as Hudson late in the season, as the Giants hitters scored more than four runs only three times in his last 11 starts, but Sanchez has been so brilliant down the stretch that his team still went 7-4 in those games. The Braves hitters had plenty of trouble in the first two games with Lincecum and Cain, who are both righthanders, and now they have to face a very good lefty knowing that they have struggled this season against them (11th in the NL in batting vs. southpaws). Take the 'under.'
GIANTS @ BRAVES Under 7
At 4:35 pm, our complimentary selection is on the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves 'under' the total. Superior starting pitching has been the story in games one and two of this series, and it finally took a bullpen meltdown by the Giants relievers in game two for somebody to break through and actually score some runs. Expect the starting pitching battle to continue again this afternoon in Atlanta as two more warriors in lefthander Jonathan Sanchez and righthander Tim Hudson take the mound for their respective teams. Hudson in particular was impressive down the stretch for his team, especially given the lack of run support he was getting most of the time when he went out there. He received some help from his hitters in his last start on October 3, but in the 13 starts before that one, the Braves only scored more than four runs once, and only plated more than three on three occasions. Sanchez found himself in a very similar situation as Hudson late in the season, as the Giants hitters scored more than four runs only three times in his last 11 starts, but Sanchez has been so brilliant down the stretch that his team still went 7-4 in those games. The Braves hitters had plenty of trouble in the first two games with Lincecum and Cain, who are both righthanders, and now they have to face a very good lefty knowing that they have struggled this season against them (11th in the NL in batting vs. southpaws). Take the 'under.'
ICE PICKS
Sunday's Best NHL Bets
Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (-119, 5.5)
Calgary Flames head coach Brent Sutter believes in nipping things in the bud before they blossom into full-fledged problems.
Sutter blasted his team Friday, following their poor showing in a 4-0 season-opening loss to the rival Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
"Use your f-ing heads," Sutter shouted to his players at practice on Friday.
The Flames allowed three third-period goals to the Oilers despite outshooting their opponents 37-33 for the game. Calgary spent 32 minutes in the penalty box and allowed Edmonton’s special teams to score two power-play goals and a shorthanded marker.
Sutter explained to reporters the laundry list of issues his team had in the first game of the season, pointing the finger at his blueline, which constantly left goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff out to dry.
"There were times you saw two defensemen and you couldn't see any forwards," Sutter said of Thursday’s game. "They were two zones ahead of where our defense was.
"There were times you saw a defenseman leading the rush. All of a sudden, the puck is turned over, and bang there's a 2-on-1. That isn't what we're about."
Hockey fans can expect a better effort from Calgary when it hosts the Los Angeles Kings Sunday night. The Flames and Kings have played under the total in five of their last six meetings, including a trio of 2-1 games which stayed below the 5.5-goal total in December of last year.
Pick: Under
Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers (-149, 5.5)
While the rest of the NHL kicked off its 2010-11 campaign, the Florida Panthers sat and waited.
Florida will finally take the ice against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and is hoping to avoid the slow starts that have plagued the franchise in recent seasons.
The Panthers dropped eight of the first 10 games last year, started 8-11-3 in 2008-09 and, since the 2005-06 season, have a record of 46-64-17 in the opening two months of the schedule.
“We were focused on getting off to good starts before, and it hasn't worked out,” goaltender Tomas Vokoun told the Miami Herald. “We have to get a better start because we're not the kind of team that can chase teams down by getting eight-game winning streaks going. Everyone realizes that. We have to be consistent throughout the year.”
The Panthers face an Edmonton squad that opened its season with a bang. The Oilers thumped Calgary 4-0 on Thursday and own a 5-1 record in their last six head-to-head contests with Florida.
Pick: Edmonton Oilers
Sunday's Best NHL Bets
Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (-119, 5.5)
Calgary Flames head coach Brent Sutter believes in nipping things in the bud before they blossom into full-fledged problems.
Sutter blasted his team Friday, following their poor showing in a 4-0 season-opening loss to the rival Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
"Use your f-ing heads," Sutter shouted to his players at practice on Friday.
The Flames allowed three third-period goals to the Oilers despite outshooting their opponents 37-33 for the game. Calgary spent 32 minutes in the penalty box and allowed Edmonton’s special teams to score two power-play goals and a shorthanded marker.
Sutter explained to reporters the laundry list of issues his team had in the first game of the season, pointing the finger at his blueline, which constantly left goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff out to dry.
"There were times you saw two defensemen and you couldn't see any forwards," Sutter said of Thursday’s game. "They were two zones ahead of where our defense was.
"There were times you saw a defenseman leading the rush. All of a sudden, the puck is turned over, and bang there's a 2-on-1. That isn't what we're about."
Hockey fans can expect a better effort from Calgary when it hosts the Los Angeles Kings Sunday night. The Flames and Kings have played under the total in five of their last six meetings, including a trio of 2-1 games which stayed below the 5.5-goal total in December of last year.
Pick: Under
Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers (-149, 5.5)
While the rest of the NHL kicked off its 2010-11 campaign, the Florida Panthers sat and waited.
Florida will finally take the ice against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and is hoping to avoid the slow starts that have plagued the franchise in recent seasons.
The Panthers dropped eight of the first 10 games last year, started 8-11-3 in 2008-09 and, since the 2005-06 season, have a record of 46-64-17 in the opening two months of the schedule.
“We were focused on getting off to good starts before, and it hasn't worked out,” goaltender Tomas Vokoun told the Miami Herald. “We have to get a better start because we're not the kind of team that can chase teams down by getting eight-game winning streaks going. Everyone realizes that. We have to be consistent throughout the year.”
The Panthers face an Edmonton squad that opened its season with a bang. The Oilers thumped Calgary 4-0 on Thursday and own a 5-1 record in their last six head-to-head contests with Florida.
Pick: Edmonton Oilers
Bettors’ Best Friend (BBF): Sunday’s Wagering Tips
Lines To Keep An Eye On
The Braves opened as -125 favorites over the Giants at most betting sites, but the line has steadily climbed to -134.
The Reds opened as 125 underdogs at most betting sites, but the line has dropped to 118.
The Bills opened at even money against the Jaguars, but the line has moved to -1.5.
The Colts opened as 8.5-point favorites against the Chiefs, but the line is now at -7.
The Panthers opened as 3-point underdogs against the Bears, but they are now 2.5-point favorites with Jay Cutler having been ruled out for Chicago.
Weather To Watch
Rays at Rangers: A 12 mph wind is expected to blown in from right field to the third base line.
Who’s Hot
The Braves are 8-2 in Tim Hudson’s last 10 home starts.
The Phillies are 21-5 in their last 26 home games.
The Chiefs are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall dating back to last season.
The over is 8-1 in the Broncos last nine games overall.
The Oilers are 6-1 in their last seven home games dating back to last season and the under is 8-2 in their last 10 home games.
Who’s Not
The Rays are 1-5 in their last six playoff games.
The Reds are 0-5 in Johnny Cueto’s last five starts.
The Bills are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 home games.
The Eagles are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.
The Flames are 0-5 in their last five games overall dating back to last season.
Key Stat
339.5, 119.0 – Yards per game of passing offense by Denver and passing yards per game allowed by Baltimore. Both are tops in the NFL, respectively. Something will have to give when Kyle Orton and the Broncos go up against Ray Lewis and the Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens, however, have just one interception (second worst in the league) and Orton has thrown only three picks in four games.
Injuries That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked:
Injuries to which attention is paid do not often bode well for the player in question, but in this case the news is good for Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis. He was a full participant in Saturday’s practice and has been upgraded to probable for Monday night’s game against Minnesota. That’s especially good news for the Jets since they will be facing new Viking Randy Moss for the second time already this season.
Reds’ shortstop Orland Cabrera aggravated pulled muscles in his side during the Game 2 loss in Philadelphia. Cabrera, who missed 27 games throughout August and September due to the problem, is not expected to play on Sunday. In the first two games of the series, Cabrera was one of only three Cincinnati starters who had prior playoff experience.
Biggest Games On The Slate
Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers (-120, 9)
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts (-7, 45.5)
Notable Quotable
“I've always believed in myself. And when the opportunity presented itself, I'm performing for the Jets. They took a chance on me. That's what makes me happy more than anything is that I'm proving them right. People took shots at the Jets when they signed me. 'What are they doing? He's done.' It's more about proving [the Jets] right than proving anybody else wrong.” – New York Jets’ running back LaDainian Tomlinson on his apparent 2010 resurgence. Tomlinson has 341 rushing yards (good for seventh in the NFL despite having already had a bye week) and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Tips And Notes
The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback quandary on their hands heading into Sunday’s home game against the Falcons. Jake Delhomme is questionable with a high ankle sprain sustained in Week 1 so Seneca Wallace is expected to start. Delhomme, however, could come in for a change of pace if Wallace struggles, or maybe even if Wallace doesn’t struggle. Atlanta can at least count on seeing running back Peyton Hillis in Cleveland’s backfield. “He had a little tightness,” coach Eric Mangini said of Hillis’ thigh injury suffered during Thursday’s practice. “It shouldn't be an issue for the game, but we'll just take some precautions here.”
Several media outlets are reporting that the Braves do not know what they are going to do with Billy Wagner in the wake of his oblique injury that felled him in Game 2. However, the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that the closer is out for this series and the entire NLCS if the Braves advance. Regardless, Wagner is definitely out Sunday and it’s safe to assume he's gone for at least the series against San Francisco. "We've been a team all year that just rolls with the punches," said Sunday starter Tim Hudson. "We still have to go out there and play. Injuries are part of the game and adversity is part of the game. We're not the most talented club, but I feel like we have the most heart and a lot of guts."
In the first of two games in Prague between the Bruins and Coyotes, Boston lost 5-2 and coach Claude Julien said he was “embarrassed.” However, the Bruins have to be feeling better about themselves having signed both defenseman Zdeno Chara and center Patrice Bergeron to long-term deals in between the season opener and Sunday’s game. "These are two very, very important pieces of our team," explained GM Peter Chiarelli said. "Very important individuals on and off the ice. There's uncertainty as the season progresses in trying to retain these types of players and as they get closer to the free[-agent] market you never know what is going to happen. It's an extreme show of good faith on both sides to want to get a deal done.”
Lines To Keep An Eye On
The Braves opened as -125 favorites over the Giants at most betting sites, but the line has steadily climbed to -134.
The Reds opened as 125 underdogs at most betting sites, but the line has dropped to 118.
The Bills opened at even money against the Jaguars, but the line has moved to -1.5.
The Colts opened as 8.5-point favorites against the Chiefs, but the line is now at -7.
The Panthers opened as 3-point underdogs against the Bears, but they are now 2.5-point favorites with Jay Cutler having been ruled out for Chicago.
Weather To Watch
Rays at Rangers: A 12 mph wind is expected to blown in from right field to the third base line.
Who’s Hot
The Braves are 8-2 in Tim Hudson’s last 10 home starts.
The Phillies are 21-5 in their last 26 home games.
The Chiefs are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall dating back to last season.
The over is 8-1 in the Broncos last nine games overall.
The Oilers are 6-1 in their last seven home games dating back to last season and the under is 8-2 in their last 10 home games.
Who’s Not
The Rays are 1-5 in their last six playoff games.
The Reds are 0-5 in Johnny Cueto’s last five starts.
The Bills are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 home games.
The Eagles are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.
The Flames are 0-5 in their last five games overall dating back to last season.
Key Stat
339.5, 119.0 – Yards per game of passing offense by Denver and passing yards per game allowed by Baltimore. Both are tops in the NFL, respectively. Something will have to give when Kyle Orton and the Broncos go up against Ray Lewis and the Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens, however, have just one interception (second worst in the league) and Orton has thrown only three picks in four games.
Injuries That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked:
Injuries to which attention is paid do not often bode well for the player in question, but in this case the news is good for Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis. He was a full participant in Saturday’s practice and has been upgraded to probable for Monday night’s game against Minnesota. That’s especially good news for the Jets since they will be facing new Viking Randy Moss for the second time already this season.
Reds’ shortstop Orland Cabrera aggravated pulled muscles in his side during the Game 2 loss in Philadelphia. Cabrera, who missed 27 games throughout August and September due to the problem, is not expected to play on Sunday. In the first two games of the series, Cabrera was one of only three Cincinnati starters who had prior playoff experience.
Biggest Games On The Slate
Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers (-120, 9)
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts (-7, 45.5)
Notable Quotable
“I've always believed in myself. And when the opportunity presented itself, I'm performing for the Jets. They took a chance on me. That's what makes me happy more than anything is that I'm proving them right. People took shots at the Jets when they signed me. 'What are they doing? He's done.' It's more about proving [the Jets] right than proving anybody else wrong.” – New York Jets’ running back LaDainian Tomlinson on his apparent 2010 resurgence. Tomlinson has 341 rushing yards (good for seventh in the NFL despite having already had a bye week) and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Tips And Notes
The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback quandary on their hands heading into Sunday’s home game against the Falcons. Jake Delhomme is questionable with a high ankle sprain sustained in Week 1 so Seneca Wallace is expected to start. Delhomme, however, could come in for a change of pace if Wallace struggles, or maybe even if Wallace doesn’t struggle. Atlanta can at least count on seeing running back Peyton Hillis in Cleveland’s backfield. “He had a little tightness,” coach Eric Mangini said of Hillis’ thigh injury suffered during Thursday’s practice. “It shouldn't be an issue for the game, but we'll just take some precautions here.”
Several media outlets are reporting that the Braves do not know what they are going to do with Billy Wagner in the wake of his oblique injury that felled him in Game 2. However, the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that the closer is out for this series and the entire NLCS if the Braves advance. Regardless, Wagner is definitely out Sunday and it’s safe to assume he's gone for at least the series against San Francisco. "We've been a team all year that just rolls with the punches," said Sunday starter Tim Hudson. "We still have to go out there and play. Injuries are part of the game and adversity is part of the game. We're not the most talented club, but I feel like we have the most heart and a lot of guts."
In the first of two games in Prague between the Bruins and Coyotes, Boston lost 5-2 and coach Claude Julien said he was “embarrassed.” However, the Bruins have to be feeling better about themselves having signed both defenseman Zdeno Chara and center Patrice Bergeron to long-term deals in between the season opener and Sunday’s game. "These are two very, very important pieces of our team," explained GM Peter Chiarelli said. "Very important individuals on and off the ice. There's uncertainty as the season progresses in trying to retain these types of players and as they get closer to the free[-agent] market you never know what is going to happen. It's an extreme show of good faith on both sides to want to get a deal done.”
NEWSLETTER QUICK GUIDE
CKO GOLDSHEET
10* = 2-2......SF
9*= 2-2........TB
NFL TOTALS: 6-1 ***...UNDER JAX, UNDER ATL
NC POWERPLAYS
4*= 5-3-1.... NEW ORL , SD
3*= 0-4-1....BUFF, OVER HOUST
2*= 1-4
1*= 2-1...CHIC
NC POWERSWEEP
4* = 2-2....NEW ORL
3* = 3-1....CHIC
2* = 4-3-1....BALTY , CLEVE
SYSTEM SELECTION = 2-1...ST LOUIS , CHICAGO
PRO ANGELS
4* = 0-0-1
3* = 4-4-1....BALTY , ST LOUIS, GB , DALLAS
NFL TOTALS:
3* = 7-5....UNDER KC , OVER HOUST, UNDER BALTY
2* = 3-5.... UNDER BUFF , OVER ST LOUIS
NELLY GREEN SHEET
5* = 1-3...NEW ORL
4*= 3-1....CLEVE
3*= 2-2.....ST LOU
2*= 3-1....HOUST
1*= 1-3.....TB
‘OVER’/’UNDER’ OF THE WEEK = 4-0****...OVER DETROIT
TRENDS OF THE WEEK = 1-3....KC , TB
Marc Lawrence Playbook
AWESOME ANGLE OF THE WEEK: 3-4...OAKLAND
5* = 3-1...NY GIANTS
4* = 1-2-1....ARIZ
3* = 3-1....KC
TOTALS:
5* = 2-2.....UNDER CLEVE
4* = 2-2....UNDER CINCI
3* = 3-1.....OVER ZONA
MONEYMAKER
NFL BEST BETS : 12-3-1***** JETS, KC , CHICAGO, OVER HOUST
OPINIONS: 8-5: ARIZ , BUFF , TB
POINTWISE:
1* =
2* = 2-2....BALTY
3* = 3-1...TENN
4* = 2-3....SF
5* = 3-3.....ZONA , BUFF
STATFOX PLATINUM SHEET
NFL: CONSENSUS BEST BETS : 26-33-2.....BALTY , BUFF, INDY , DET , ATL , TB , CAR , GB . HOUST , NEW ORL , SD . TENN , SF, MINNY
THE GOLDSHEET EXTRA
NFL: TECHNICAL PLAYS OF THE WEEK : 3-2 ...ST LOUIS
THE GOLD SHEET
NFL KEY RELEASES: 8-4...WASH , HOUST , OVER SD
THE RED SHEET:
88* = 1-3-1....HOUST , SD
87* = 6-6....BALTY , BUFF, JETS
THE SPORTS REPORTER
Best Bets: 2-5..... GREEN BAY, SAN DIEGORecommended: 5-6....DENVER, DETROIT
WINNING POINTS
BEST BET : 5-3.....GBAY , SD
PREFERRED: 5-2-1....INDY , ATL
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
NFL BEST BETS: 5-10-1 **** ATL , NEW ORL , SD , UNDER ATL
CKO GOLDSHEET
10* = 2-2......SF
9*= 2-2........TB
NFL TOTALS: 6-1 ***...UNDER JAX, UNDER ATL
NC POWERPLAYS
4*= 5-3-1.... NEW ORL , SD
3*= 0-4-1....BUFF, OVER HOUST
2*= 1-4
1*= 2-1...CHIC
NC POWERSWEEP
4* = 2-2....NEW ORL
3* = 3-1....CHIC
2* = 4-3-1....BALTY , CLEVE
SYSTEM SELECTION = 2-1...ST LOUIS , CHICAGO
PRO ANGELS
4* = 0-0-1
3* = 4-4-1....BALTY , ST LOUIS, GB , DALLAS
NFL TOTALS:
3* = 7-5....UNDER KC , OVER HOUST, UNDER BALTY
2* = 3-5.... UNDER BUFF , OVER ST LOUIS
NELLY GREEN SHEET
5* = 1-3...NEW ORL
4*= 3-1....CLEVE
3*= 2-2.....ST LOU
2*= 3-1....HOUST
1*= 1-3.....TB
‘OVER’/’UNDER’ OF THE WEEK = 4-0****...OVER DETROIT
TRENDS OF THE WEEK = 1-3....KC , TB
Marc Lawrence Playbook
AWESOME ANGLE OF THE WEEK: 3-4...OAKLAND
5* = 3-1...NY GIANTS
4* = 1-2-1....ARIZ
3* = 3-1....KC
TOTALS:
5* = 2-2.....UNDER CLEVE
4* = 2-2....UNDER CINCI
3* = 3-1.....OVER ZONA
MONEYMAKER
NFL BEST BETS : 12-3-1***** JETS, KC , CHICAGO, OVER HOUST
OPINIONS: 8-5: ARIZ , BUFF , TB
POINTWISE:
1* =
2* = 2-2....BALTY
3* = 3-1...TENN
4* = 2-3....SF
5* = 3-3.....ZONA , BUFF
STATFOX PLATINUM SHEET
NFL: CONSENSUS BEST BETS : 26-33-2.....BALTY , BUFF, INDY , DET , ATL , TB , CAR , GB . HOUST , NEW ORL , SD . TENN , SF, MINNY
THE GOLDSHEET EXTRA
NFL: TECHNICAL PLAYS OF THE WEEK : 3-2 ...ST LOUIS
THE GOLD SHEET
NFL KEY RELEASES: 8-4...WASH , HOUST , OVER SD
THE RED SHEET:
88* = 1-3-1....HOUST , SD
87* = 6-6....BALTY , BUFF, JETS
THE SPORTS REPORTER
Best Bets: 2-5..... GREEN BAY, SAN DIEGORecommended: 5-6....DENVER, DETROIT
WINNING POINTS
BEST BET : 5-3.....GBAY , SD
PREFERRED: 5-2-1....INDY , ATL
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
NFL BEST BETS: 5-10-1 **** ATL , NEW ORL , SD , UNDER ATL
