Sunday 10/4/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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Preview: Kansas City at Cincinnati

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio


The Cincinnati Bengals aim for their first 4-0 start since 2005 when they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs are trying to avoid their third straight defeat – they were torched by Aaron Rodgers and company in a 38-28 loss at Green Bay on Monday night – and have a tough task in slowing down Cincinnati’s passing game.



Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton recorded a career-high 383 passing yards while throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another in rallying his team to a 28-24 win at Baltimore last week. But the Bengals have been here before – they started 3-0 a year ago before finishing 10-5-1 and losing in the wild-card round for the fourth straight year. “It just reminds me of last year when we were 3-0, then we kind of blew it,” running back Jeremy Hill told reporters. “We’re not content with what we have right now. We have to keep on pounding and keep on working.” The Bengals have won three straight meetings with Kansas City, which hasn’t won at Cincinnati since 1984.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Bengals -4. O/U: 44.5



ABOUT THE CHIEFS (1-2): Kansas City has to find a way to sustain drives, having converted just 5-of-30 third-down tries - by far the worst rate in the league. If the Chiefs can keep the offense on the field, they have a nice collection of weapons around quarterback Alex Smith - including running back Jamaal Charles (231 rushing yards, four touchdowns), receiver Jeremy Maclin (17 catches, 250 yards, one TD) and tight end Travis Kelce (16, 244, two). The struggling secondary gets back Sean Smith from a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, which will help the Chiefs make up for the loss of fellow cornerback Phillip Gaines, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Packers.

ABOUT THE BENGALS (3-0): Dalton’s maturity as a quarterback has stabilized Cincinnati’s offense, as the fifth-year signal-caller leads the AFC with a 121 rating, and A.J. Green had a game for the ages last week with 10 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns - including the game-winner. The ground game took a downward tick last week, but the one-two punch of Hill and Giovani Bernard has combined for 358 rushing yards and two scores. The Bengals have been tough against the run - holding two opponents under 100 yards - and have forced six turnovers, but they gave up a whopping 362 passing yards last week.



EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chiefs have allowed 14 sacks while the Bengals have given up only two.

2. Dalton is aiming for the first streak of four consecutive games with a triple-digit QB rating of his career.

3. Kansas City already has allowed five rushing touchdowns through three games after yielding an NFL-low four last season.



PREDICTION: Bengals 30, Chiefs 26

 

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Preview: Cleveland at San Diego

When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Philip Rivers has been under constant pressure throughout the season and was reduced to a spectator as the San Diego Chargers dropped their second straight contest. After getting the wind knocked out of him last week, the veteran quarterback looks to help the Chargers rebound when they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

An ailing offensive line has been part of the problem for Rivers, who has been sacked four times in San Diego last two games - a 24-19 setback to Cincinnati in Week 2 and a 31-14 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. When protected, Rivers routinely has found a familiar target in Keenan Allen, as the third-year wideout ranks third in the NFL with 29 receptions and sixth with 315 yards. Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden is expected to keep tabs on Allen, but Cleveland's more public issue remains whether Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel is under center. McCown went 28-for-49 for 341 yards and two touchdowns last week but his late interception proved costly in the Browns' 27-20 setback to Oakland.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -7.5. O/U: 45

ABOUT THE BROWNS (1-2): Travis Benjamin continued his strong start to the season by reeling in his fourth touchdown in three games last week. The 25-year-old only has 10 catches to share the team lead with tight end Gary Barnidge. Dwayne Bowe, who signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal in March, could return to the field on Sunday after seeing just eight snaps this season due to a nagging hamstring injury.

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (1-2): Rookie running back Melvin Gordon admitted that he's "hungry to score" after being held out of the end zone in his first three contests. The rookie running back has rolled up 190 yards on 44 carries and could be in line to get to the dinner table against a Cleveland club that has allowed the most rushing yards (475) and the second-highest yards per carry (4.9). Unfortunately for Gordon, San Diego left tackle King Dunlap (concussion), left guard Orlando Franklin (ankle) and center Chris Watt (groin) did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday and right guard D.J. Fluker (ankle) is also ailing.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chargers' eight turnovers are second only to Indianapolis (10) for the most in the league.

2. Cleveland has lost three straight meetings in San Diego and hasn't emerged victorious since an overtime win in 1991.

3. The Chargers have recorded just one sack, tied with Miami for the fewest in the NFL.

PREDICTION: Chargers 24, Browns 17

 

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Preview: Green Bay at San Francisco

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

After seeing their defense ripped to shreds in each of the last two games, the San Francisco 49ers face the unenviable task of attempting to slow down Aaron Rodgers and the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Rodgers was in rare form on Monday, throwing three of his five touchdown passes to Randall Cobb in Green Bay's 38-28 victory over Kansas City to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Rodgers has completed 73.6 percent of his throws through three games, significantly better than his career-best mark of 68.3 in 2011 and Drew Brees' NFL record of 70.62 in 2009. The two-time NFL MVP has thrown a league-high 10 touchdowns and has yet to toss an interception - with the latter being an all-too-frequent occurrence for Colin Kaepernick. The San Francisco quarterback was picked off four times last week - the first two were returned for touchdowns - in a 47-7 shellacking by Arizona. For all of his troubles, Kaepernick owns a 3-0 career with two postseason victories over Green Bay.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -8.5. O/U: 48.5

ABOUT THE PACKERS (3-0): James Jones hasn't missed a beat since returning to Green Bay, tying Cobb for the team lead with four touchdown receptions - one shy of Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald for the league lead. Fellow wideout Davante Adams (sprained ankle) lasted just three plays versus the Chiefs and hasn't practiced this week, but disputed reports that he is nursing a high-ankle sprain. A sprained right ankle didn't slow Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 46 yards on 10 carries last week and caught all three passes despite sharing a bit more time than usual with backup James Starks.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (1-2): With Kaepernick struggling, San Francisco needs to receive a jolt from its ground game in order to ignite an offense that is averaging a league-low 15 points per contest. Carlos Hyde set the NFL on its ear with a 168-yard, two-touchdown performance in the season opener, but has been limited to just 94 yards on 28 carries in a pair of blowout losses to Pittsburgh and Arizona. The 24-year-old is nursing a minor leg injury, while fellow running back Reggie Bush returned to practice for the first time since straining his left calf in the season opener.

EXTRA POINTS

1. San Francisco's minus-4 turnover differential is the third-worst in the league, trailing only Indianapolis (minus-7) and Washington (minus-5).

2. Green Bay LB Julius Peppers, 35, has recorded 2.5 sacks over the last two weeks.

3. The 49ers have permitted 15 pass plays of 20 or more yards, which is tied with Oakland for the most in the NFL.

PREDICTION: Packers 45, 49ers 14

 

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Preview: St. Louis at Arizona

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

The high-flying Arizona Cardinals, undefeated and leading the NFL in scoring, go for their fourth consecutive victory when they host the St. Louis Rams on Sunday in an NFC West matchup. Arizona's hot start has been sparked by quarterback Carson Palmer, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in a victory over the Rams in November 2014.

"What happened last time we played them?" joked Palmer, who has thrown for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions in the Cardinals' hot start, which includes a combined 95 points over the past two weeks. Arizona has yet to trail this season and is averaging 42 points following last week's 47-7 annihilation of San Francisco. The Rams need to get their offense untracked after scoring a combined 16 points in consecutive defeats against the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals have won the last three meetings while limiting St. Louis to a total of 30 points.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Cardinals -7. O/U: 42.5

ABOUT THE RAMS (1-2): Nick Foles, acquired in an offseason trade for fellow quarterback Sam Bradford, has tossed only one interception but has only two scoring passes for St. Louis, which ranks last in the NFL in total yards per game (274.3). Rookie Todd Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in this year's draft, made his season debut last week and rushed for only nine yards on six carries in his first action since tearing a knee ligament at Georgia last season. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is an emerging star on a defense that is tied for the league lead with 13 sacks.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (3-0): The return of Palmer has sparked a revival in the career of wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who has 23 catches on the season and has hauled in five touchdown passes over the past two weeks. Chris Johnson, signed in late August, has provided a huge lift in the absence of injured starter Andre Ellington, rushing for 110 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week. Arizona's secondary promises to provide a formidable challenge for Foles after returning a pair of interceptions for touchdowns less than six minutes into last week's win over the 49ers.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Palmer has won his last nine starts, the longest active streak in the league.

2. Rams leading WR Kenny Britt did not practice Tuesday and Wednesday due to an ailing shoulder.

3. Fitzgerald has at least one catch in 173 straight games, playoffs included.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 27, Rams 13

 

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Preview: Minnesota at Denver

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

There are only seven undefeated teams remaining in the NFL, and the Denver Broncos will try to remain a member of that group when they host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Vikings are winners of two straight after dropping their season opener and Adrian Peterson is beginning to regain his MVP form after missing nearly an entire campaign.

There were questions about both Peterson and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning after slow starts to the season, but both have proven they still are potent offensive weapons over the last couple of games. Manning is in the process of combining his style of play with coach Gary Kubiak’s run-oriented offense, and he turned in his best performance of the season while operating out of the pistol formation in a 24-12 win at Detroit last Sunday. Peterson managed 31 yards in Minnesota’s season-opening loss at San Francisco but totaled 260 in home wins over Detroit and San Diego. The former MVP will be going up against a Denver front that ranks sixth in the NFL against the rush, allowing an average of 82.7 yards.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Broncos -7. O/U: 43

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2-1): The combination of a strong running game and a strong defense have set expectations high for Minnesota, and that defense could have cornerback Xavier Rhodes back from a concussion in time for Sunday. Rhodes and company are preparing for a test despite the fact that Denver enters the week 30th in the NFL in total offense with an average of 290.7 yards. “If you make a mistake, (Manning’s) going to find it,” coach Mike Zimmer told reporters. “That’s one of the big things. Sometimes you make a mistake in some other ballgames and you get away with it because the quarterback didn’t see it. He’s not going to miss any. We’re going to have to be on point with everything we do.”

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (3-0): While Manning and the offense are just starting to round into form, the Denver defense has been one of the top units in the NFL from Week 1. The Broncos are limiting opponents to league-leading averages of 259 total yards and 176.3 passing yards while sitting second in the NFL with 10 takeaways, led by Aquib Talib’s two interceptions. "We have a long way to go, but (the defense has) been special because it's been deep with a lot of guys playing,” Kubiak told reporters. “And it has a special thing about when it gets its hands on the football, which it does a great deal, it makes big plays.”

EXTRA POINTS

1. Broncos T Ty Sambrailo (shoulder) was held out of practice Wednesday and is questionable.

2. Peterson needs one more TD to pass Randy Moss (93) for second place on Minnesota’s all-time list.

3. Denver is averaging 57 rushing yards and totaled one TD on the ground in the first three weeks.

PREDICTION: Broncos 28, Vikings 17

 

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Preview: Dallas at New Orleans

When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, October 4, 2015
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Drew Brees declared that he is "very confident" he'll be under center when the New Orleans Saints vie for their first victory of the season when they host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Nursing a bruised rotator cuff in his right shoulder, the veteran quarterback made the proclamation on Wednesday during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Brees has been a limited participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday after sitting out last week's 27-22 setback to NFC South rival Carolina. The Cowboys won't shed a tear for the plight of the Saints, as quarterback Tony Romo (broken collarbone) will remain a bystander until at least Week 11 while the return of flashy wideout Dez Bryant (foot) is still up in the air. Backup Brandon Weeden fared well by completing 22-of-26 passes for 232 yards, but was unable to stretch the field as Dallas unraveled late and dropped a 39-28 decision to Atlanta. While Weeden is attempting to snap a nine-start losing streak, the Saints are hoping to avoid an 0-4 start for the third time in nine years (2007, 2012).

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Off. O/U: Off

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (2-1): Running backs Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar enjoyed career performances last week, with the former rushing for 87 yards and three touchdowns while the latter had a personal-best 10 receptions for 100 yards. Tight end Jason Witten has 21 catches to enjoy his best three-game start to a season and looks to exploit a New Orleans' defense that has surrendered 17 receptions for 268 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends. "(The Panthers moved Greg Olsen) around and were able to hit on some big plays, some good throws and good catches, so you always hope you can kind of capitalize on some areas there," Witten told ESPN.

ABOUT THE SAINTS (0-3): Mark Ingram has struggled to get untracked on the ground (3.3 yards per carry), but the former Heisman Trophy winner has matched Brandin Cooks for the team lead with 16 receptions. Coach Sean Payton told the team's official website that they'd like to expand the role of running back C.J. Spiller, who has been limited to four rushes for 11 yards and three receptions for 41 yards in two games since returning from knee surgery. Khiry Robinson, who leads the team with a 4.0 rushing average, amassed 105 total yards in New Orleans' 38-17 setback to Dallas in 2014.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Dallas can establish a franchise record with 11 consecutive road victories with a win Sunday, while New Orleans is looking to snap a six-game skid at home.

2. Brees sits two passing touchdowns shy of 400 for his career.

3. Cowboys WR Terrance Williams, held without a catch last week, reeled in six catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns in his last meeting with the Saints.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 27, Saints 21

 

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Totals4U

Early Sunday's Free Selection: Houston Texans/Atlanta Falcons over 47

 

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#1 Sports

Early Sunday's free selection: Kansas City Chiefs + 3 1/2

 

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Huddle Up Sports

Bonus Play

Houston/Atlanta over 46.5

 

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Golden Dragon Sports

Bonus Play:
San Diego -7

 

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Mike Wynn

Bonus Play: San Diego -7 Over Cleveland

 

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Platinum Plays

Free Pick: San Francisco 49ers +7½ over Green Bay

 

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Mr Vegas

FREE NFL play for Sunday, October 04, 2015.

The East Coast is getting battered this weekend with a storm. While little rain is expected for this game, the wind will be ann issue. Both teams prefer to run the football which chews up yards and the clock. Philadelphia's offense has not gotten going yet, but the defense has been outstanding, No. 1 against the run. Opposing teams are averaging just 3.1 yards per carry against the Eagles. The Eagles are the only team to hold all three opponents to less than 3.4 yards per carry. They've allowed just four runs of 10 yards or more, and only the Ravens have allowed fewer. Philadelphia is 4-1 under the total in October as well as 5-2 under following a win. They face a Washington team bad QB play in RG3 and Kirk Cousins (3 TDs, 4 INTs). WR DeSean Jackson is still limping around with a hamstring injury and is day to day. Washington is on a 6-2 run under the total at home, plus 19-7 under at home against a team with a losing road record. Play Philadelphia/Washington Under the total.

 

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High Stakes Syndicate

Free Selection for Early Sunday: St Louis Cardinals - 135

 

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John Anthony Sports

Early Sunday's Free Selection: Giants/Bills over 45 1/2

 

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Razor Sharp

FREE PICK FOR EARLY SUNDAY:Take CAROLINA/TAMPA BAY UNDER the total of 39½

 

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Nevada Sharpshooter

As a free winner for Sunday take SAN DIEGO -7½ over Cleveland

 

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The Vegas Steam Line

Your free winner for Sunday: Take CAROLINA -3 over Tampa Bay

 

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Jeff Saad of Las Vegas Sports Services

Sunday 10/04/2015 NFL Bonus Play:

Jacksonville can stuff the run and pressure the QB and the Colts have some serious offensive concerns this week. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is questionable for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a right shoulder injury. Veteran Matt Hasselbeck would start in Luck's place if he doesn't play. The Colts also signed journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson on Friday. The Jaguars are 4-0 ATS following a loss, and 5-1 ATS after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game. Indy has been overvalued with a soft defense, on an 0-4 ATS run. And when these rivals meet the road team is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 meetings. Play Jacksonville.

 

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R&R TOTALS

FREE NFL Over-Under Sunday 10-4-15
UNDER 45 San Diego/Cleveland