Sunday 10/9/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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WNBA Future Odds

Odds to Win 2016 WNBA Finals (10/31/16)

Team Odds

Minnesota Lynx 7/5
Los Angeles Sparks 11/5
New York Liberty 6/1
Chicago Sky 10/1
Atlanta Dream 14/1
Phoenix Mercury 15/1
Indiana Fever 15/1
Seattle Storm 30/1

How To Bet WNBA Futures

The “Odds to Win” wager in soccer is also commonly referred to as a future wager. Bettors must correctly select a team to win an event that takes place a later time. The money wagered will be tied up until there is an outcome and bettors will receive fixed odds when they place the wager. The future odds are normally updated on a weekly basis and wagers can be placed throughout the season.

To figure out your Win Amount, take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered. Ex. Chicago Sky (10/1) to win the championship. Chicago is listed as an 10/1 betting choice to win the WNBA Championship. If you wager $100 on Chicago to win it all and they capture the championship, then you would win $1000 (10 ÷ 1 x 100). You would collect $1100, which includes your win and stake ($100).

 

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Preview: Sparks (26-8) at Lynx (28-6)

Date: October 09, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

MINNEAPOLIS - The only thing standing between the Minnesota Lynx and a fourth WNBA championship is the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Lynx are the defending champions and have won the league title three times in the last five years. The core group of players during Minnesota's dominant run -- Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen -- is back for more against a Sparks club that hasn't clinched a title since 2002.

It's an unusual matchup that pits two Western Conference teams against each other in the Finals. That's because of the new format that seeds the eight playoff teams regardless of conference. As a result, the top-seeded Lynx open the Finals on Sunday as the host to the second-seeded Sparks.

The first time the two teams met in the regular season was a battle of unbeatens. The Lynx were 12-0 at the time and the Sparks were 11-0. It marked the first time in professional American sports that two undefeated teams met with at least 10 wins and no losses.

Minnesota won that game by three to improve to a 13-0 en route to a 28-6 regular-season record.

After sweeping Phoenix in three games in the conference semifinals, the Lynx will have waited an entire week between games. Los Angeles last played Oct. 4 after winning Game 4 against Chicago to advance to the Finals.

"It feels like we finished the regular season a long time ago," Whalen told WNBA.com. "I think we've practiced more in the last however many weeks than during the entire rest of the season."

The matchup features plenty of star power on both sides. Moore and Los Angeles' Candace Parker are both former MVPs, and the Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike finished third in the league in points per game during the regular season (19.7).

Minnesota was 2-1 in the three games against Los Angeles this season. That record means little now, though, in this best-of-five series.

"There's history between us over the years and history of this season," Parker told WNBA.com. "I'm careful to call it a rivalry because we haven't held up our end of the bargain; they've beaten us. I think we put ourselves in the position to hopefully make it that now."

 

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Georgia-South Carolina game pushed to Sunday
By The Sports Xchange

The Georgia Bulldogs-South Carolina Gamecocks football game scheduled for Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., was moved to Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET because of Hurricane Matthew.
"Due to the potential impact of the hurricane on Columbia and the surrounding area, it is in the best interest of safety to play the game on Sunday rather than Saturday night," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. "I appreciate the cooperation of the schools who worked closely to make the appropriate operational adjustments in order to accommodate this change in the schedule."
Hurricane Matthew's path was far from certain as of Thursday night, but forecasts call for heavy rain and gusty winds around central South Carolina on Friday and Saturday with things clearing on Sunday.
A University of South Carolina spokesperson told NBC's affiliate in Atlanta, WXIA, that the school is confident it will be able to host the game after being in constant communication with the governor's office, other state and local officials, state and local law enforcement agencies, the National Weather Service and the SEC about potential weather issues.
"We will be able to staff traffic, security and other game day operations," the spokesperson said in an email to WXIA. "The safety of everyone affected by the storm and the minimization of the impact on emergency personnel were the most important factors considered in making the decision."
Hurricane Matthew also forced Saturday's scheduled football game between LSU and No. 18 Florida in Gainesville, Fla., to be postponed. The SEC and the schools will attempt to reschedule the game for later this season if possible.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview Georgia Bulldogs at South Carolina Gamecocks
Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 2:30pm
Preview and Prediction
by Cody McClure

Now is the time to shine for Georgia freshman QB Jacob Eason

As Hurricane Matthew makes its way up the East Coast, many college football teams decided to postpone or reschedule games. The SEC announced on Thursday that the LSU-Florida game scheduled to be played in Gainesville was “indefinitely postponed,” and it may not happen at all, depending on who you ask. But Georgia and South Carolina are ready to go. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks, originally scheduled to meet on Saturday, will play Sunday afternoon in Columbia.

Georgia comes into the game off the heels of an emotional loss on a Hail Mary to Tennessee — just after it had connected on a long touchdown pass of its own with 10 seconds to go. It’s one the Bulldogs certainly would love to have back, with a chance to just knock the ball down in the end zone. But it’s over with now and Georgia is faced with the task of responding.

South Carolina has shown signs of life this season with an improved defense under first-year head coach Will Muschamp. The problem for the Gamecocks is that they have trouble scoring points. Still, they have been able to attain a couple of wins over Vanderbilt and East Carolina. And in losses to superior SEC West foes, Mississippi State and Texas A&M, the defense played pretty well.

Sunday will mark the 69th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks. Georgia holds the all-time series lead 48-18-2 and has won two of the last three meetings. However, South Carolina has had plenty of success in this series in recent memory, having won four of the last six. The ‘Dawgs haven’t won in Columbia since 2008.

Georgia at South Carolina
Kickoff: Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET (postponed from Oct. 8)
TV Channel: SEC Network
Spread: Georgia -7


Three Things to Watch

1. Offensive Opportunity for South Carolina
The Gamecocks are last in the SEC in both scoring offense (14 points per game) and total offense (302 yards per game). They just can’t seem to find the end zone, which was Will Muschamp’s biggest criticism when he was the head coach at Florida. But this game should at least provide South Carolina some opportunities. Georgia is giving up almost 31 points per game — good for second to last in the SEC in that category. The Bulldogs don’t give up a ton of yards but they are one of the SEC’s worst in terms of yielding good field position. They give up a lot of yards on kickoffs and have struggled in the punting game. With decent field position, maybe the Gamecocks could put up a few more points.

2. Gamecocks’ D vs. Georgia Running Game
South Carolina looks pretty solid on defense. Even though the Gamecocks don’t have Muschamp’s recruits in yet — and Steve Spurrier didn’t leave him much to work with — there has still been marked improvement under the defensive-minded head coach, and that’s a good sign. This South Carolina defense has already forced nine turnovers. And though it is giving up more yards per game than other stout defenses, it has done a good job of bending but not breaking. The Gamecocks are allowing fewer than 19 points per game. But Georgia presents a difficult challenge with its three-headed rushing attack. Nick Chubb appears to be ready to go, despite battling an ankle injury. Even if he’s not at full strength, Brian Herrien and Sony Michel have done an admirable job of carrying the load in the backfield.

3. Georgia QB Jacob Eason
The ‘Dawgs true freshman sensation has finally emerged as “the guy” at quarterback, as many expected he would this season. Eason had a shining moment with the touchdown bomb late against Tennessee last week. It was honestly probably one of the most beautiful throws an SEC quarterback has made in years. And also, it’s kind of tough to blame Eason for the loss to the Volunteers. He did his part. This guy is for real. Georgia fans should be thankful they finally have their quarterback — and one that is going to have some more big moments in the SEC. Expect Eason to be relied on again this week if the South Carolina defense is able to bottle up the Bulldogs’ running game.

Final Analysis

To tell the truth, this isn’t a bad matchup for South Carolina. And with the exception of last year, these teams usually play pretty close games. Even though the Gamecocks haven’t been able to score a ton of points, I expect this one to be close — especially with it being in Columbia. South Carolina’s defense should be able to match up against the Georgia running game and the pressure will be put on Jacob Eason. The question is, will the freshman quarterback deliver in a hostile environment? I think he will. This is a good test for Eason and a better opportunity for him to make some plays.

Prediction: Georgia 21, South Carolina 17

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview Georgia Bulldogs at South Carolina Gamecocks
Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 2:30pm
Preview and Prediction
by Cody McClure

Now is the time to shine for Georgia freshman QB Jacob Eason

As Hurricane Matthew makes its way up the East Coast, many college football teams decided to postpone or reschedule games. The SEC announced on Thursday that the LSU-Florida game scheduled to be played in Gainesville was “indefinitely postponed,” and it may not happen at all, depending on who you ask. But Georgia and South Carolina are ready to go. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks, originally scheduled to meet on Saturday, will play Sunday afternoon in Columbia.

Georgia comes into the game off the heels of an emotional loss on a Hail Mary to Tennessee — just after it had connected on a long touchdown pass of its own with 10 seconds to go. It’s one the Bulldogs certainly would love to have back, with a chance to just knock the ball down in the end zone. But it’s over with now and Georgia is faced with the task of responding.

South Carolina has shown signs of life this season with an improved defense under first-year head coach Will Muschamp. The problem for the Gamecocks is that they have trouble scoring points. Still, they have been able to attain a couple of wins over Vanderbilt and East Carolina. And in losses to superior SEC West foes, Mississippi State and Texas A&M, the defense played pretty well.

Sunday will mark the 69th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks. Georgia holds the all-time series lead 48-18-2 and has won two of the last three meetings. However, South Carolina has had plenty of success in this series in recent memory, having won four of the last six. The ‘Dawgs haven’t won in Columbia since 2008.

Georgia at South Carolina
Kickoff: Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET (postponed from Oct. 8)
TV Channel: SEC Network
Spread: Georgia -7


Three Things to Watch

1. Offensive Opportunity for South Carolina
The Gamecocks are last in the SEC in both scoring offense (14 points per game) and total offense (302 yards per game). They just can’t seem to find the end zone, which was Will Muschamp’s biggest criticism when he was the head coach at Florida. But this game should at least provide South Carolina some opportunities. Georgia is giving up almost 31 points per game — good for second to last in the SEC in that category. The Bulldogs don’t give up a ton of yards but they are one of the SEC’s worst in terms of yielding good field position. They give up a lot of yards on kickoffs and have struggled in the punting game. With decent field position, maybe the Gamecocks could put up a few more points.

2. Gamecocks’ D vs. Georgia Running Game
South Carolina looks pretty solid on defense. Even though the Gamecocks don’t have Muschamp’s recruits in yet — and Steve Spurrier didn’t leave him much to work with — there has still been marked improvement under the defensive-minded head coach, and that’s a good sign. This South Carolina defense has already forced nine turnovers. And though it is giving up more yards per game than other stout defenses, it has done a good job of bending but not breaking. The Gamecocks are allowing fewer than 19 points per game. But Georgia presents a difficult challenge with its three-headed rushing attack. Nick Chubb appears to be ready to go, despite battling an ankle injury. Even if he’s not at full strength, Brian Herrien and Sony Michel have done an admirable job of carrying the load in the backfield.

3. Georgia QB Jacob Eason
The ‘Dawgs true freshman sensation has finally emerged as “the guy” at quarterback, as many expected he would this season. Eason had a shining moment with the touchdown bomb late against Tennessee last week. It was honestly probably one of the most beautiful throws an SEC quarterback has made in years. And also, it’s kind of tough to blame Eason for the loss to the Volunteers. He did his part. This guy is for real. Georgia fans should be thankful they finally have their quarterback — and one that is going to have some more big moments in the SEC. Expect Eason to be relied on again this week if the South Carolina defense is able to bottle up the Bulldogs’ running game.

Final Analysis

To tell the truth, this isn’t a bad matchup for South Carolina. And with the exception of last year, these teams usually play pretty close games. Even though the Gamecocks haven’t been able to score a ton of points, I expect this one to be close — especially with it being in Columbia. South Carolina’s defense should be able to match up against the Georgia running game and the pressure will be put on Jacob Eason. The question is, will the freshman quarterback deliver in a hostile environment? I think he will. This is a good test for Eason and a better opportunity for him to make some plays.

Prediction: Georgia 21, South Carolina 17

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview Charlotte 49ers at Florida Atlantic Owls
Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 12:00pm
Prediction & Preview

Line: Florida Atlantic -14

The 49ers of Charlotte head to Florida Atlantic to take on the Owls on Saturday. Both teams have been underwhelming this season, although the 70 points that the 49ers allowed to Louisville doesn’t look quite so bad anymore, until you allow 52 points to Old Dominion on Saturday. Yup, Charlotte allowed 52 points to an Old Dominion team that sometimes their basketball team doesn’t score. The defense in Charlotte needs a little work. Their opponents, the Florida Atlantic Owls, lost a tough game to their interstate rival Florida International 33-31 on a late field goal. The Owls were the better team for most of the game and should have gotten the W.

Charlotte needs to tighten it up on D

Giving up 70 points in a loss to Louisville really isn’t all that bad considering they put up a 60 spot on Florida State. But allowing 52 points to Old Dominion, will make you look in the mirror. Old Dominion quarterback David Washington threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns, and they ran for over 200 yards as well with Jeremy Cox running for another three touchdowns. Charlotte didn’t have much to be proud of, but they did run on 178 yards. Although if that takes you 49 carries, maybe it’s really not all that to be proud of. Charlotte needs to play a better all around game to have a chance on Saturday.

Robert Washington leads the 49ers with 268 yards rushing and three TDs. Charlotte ranks 126th in points allowed per game (44.2ppg), 123rd in passing yards allowed (313.8ypg) and 115th in total yards per game (485.ypg).

Late field goal dooms the Owls

A back and forth game on Saturday with the Florida International Golden Panthers had the Owls up 31-30 entering the fourth quarter. The final quarter was different as both team’s defenses buckled down and the Owls lost as the only scoring in the 4th was a field goal by the Golden Panthers became the difference. The Owls problem was they couldn’t throw the ball. They ran the ball fine, amassing 236 yards on the ground from only 36 carries, but they managed only 92 yards through the air. They need to find a middle ground where they can pick up some first downs and move the ball through the air as well.

On the season, FAU is led by quarterback Jason Driskel, who has 995 passing yards with four TDs and four picks. He struggled against FIU, completing 9 of 20 for 92 yards and one touchdown.

The Charlotte 49ers are:

1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
1-6-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss.
1-8-2 ATS in their last 11 games overall.

The Florida Atlantic Owls:

(no trends available)

Florida Atlantic may not have a superstar quarterback, but they can run the ball some and that may be all you need against the 49ers this year. Their defense is atrocious and if Old Dominion put up 52, I have to think Florida Atlantic will be in the same ballpark. Let’s take the Owls in an easy, easy win.

Pick: Florida Atlantic -14

 

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Tech Trends - Week 6
By Bruce Marshall

CHARLOTTE at FAU...FAU 0-5 vs. line TY and 3-12-1 vs. points since early 2015. Owls no covers last seven as home chalk.

Charlotte, based on FAU negatives.


GEORGIA at SOUTH CAROLINA...Home team 5-0-1 vs. line last six in series Muschamp 10-5-1 last 15 as dog (Gators & Gamecocks) since 2012.

South Carolina, based on team and series home trends.

 

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NCAAF

Home side won six of last seven Georgia-South Carolina games; Dawgs lost last three visits here, by 3-28-11 points. Favorites are 4-1-1 vs spread in series. Georgia allowed 79 points in losing last two games; they got their hearts torn out on last-play Hail Mary by Tennessee LW. Dawgs are giving up 32.5 pts/game vs I-A foes- they’re 5-7 in last 12 games as a road favorite. Carolina lost three of last four games; they allowed 432 rushing yards in last two games. SC has been held to 14 or less points in four of five games this year. Since 2009, Gamecocks are 7-1 as a home underdog.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Vegas Money Moves - Week 5
By Micah Roberts

The betting public in Las Vegas is showing just how excited they are about Tom Brady making his regular season debut Sunday, or maybe they're just showing how much they hate the winless Browns. Either way, New England laying -10.5 at Cleveland has been a popular wager during Week 5 action through Friday.

William Hill's 108 sports book across Nevada reported they have the most money bet on the Brady return-game among all 12 Sunday games and 90 percent of that cash has been laying the points with the Patriots. They've also got one of the most one-sided ticket counts of the week at 89 percent. The only team with larger ticket ratio than New England's is Philadelphia at a 91 percent clip for its road game at Detroit.

Needless to say, but I will anyway, most sports books will be rooting hard for the popular Patriots-Eagles two-team parlay not to come through. If those two sides hit, they'll be key to the majority looking to cash three, four and five team parlays. They are the root two-teamer to a disastrous weekend for the books. Last week those two sides were Denver and Dallas and bettors cleaned up.

Let's take a look at all the movement from the week with the help of the South Point's veteran sports book director Chris Andrews, who has one of the most unique mix of wagers at his property between sharps and Joe Public. And he's also found his book some Cleveland money.

The Vikings have been impressive and public likes them too now after not believing so much the first four weeks -- all Vikings wins and covers. Minnesota tickets are being wagering at a 4.5-to-1 clip over the Texans and money large enough to matter has bet the Vikings from -6 up to a high of -7 on Friday. The total has stayed at 40 all week.

In a battle of woeful 1-3 teams, not many seem to have an opinion on the Dolphins being 3.5-point home favorites over the Titans. It hasn't moved all week, despite Andrews taking a wager on Tennessee from a sharp. The Titans are seeing a few more tickets written on them. The total has also been stagnant at 43.

It's easy to understand why the public hates the Browns, who have yet to win and have covered only once despite looking competitive in their last three. Tom Brady is back and that's all that matters. It's been a steady -10.5 with the exception Boyd Gaming and the Golden Nugget currently at -11 hoping that some large money shows on the Browns to lessen the risk. "We were at 11 and and took a good size bet from a wise guy," Andrews said. "The public is all over the Patriots, but if the game kicked off now, we'd need the Patriots a little bit." The total has dropped from 47 down to 46.5.

The South Point opened the Steelers as 7.5-point home favorites over the Jets and settled at -7 Monday night before going back to -7.5 on Friday. "We had wise-guy money on the Jets early on, but since going back to 7.5, we haven't seen anything," Andrews said. "Revis and Decker are both expected to miss so maybe the game is no longer attractive to them." The total dropped from 48.5 to 48 on Wednesday.

Baltimore was steady at -4 for its home game against Washington until Friday when Andrews moved them to -3.5. "Sharps took the +4, but it's an otherwise dead game as far as interest goes," he said. The total has gone from from 46.5 down to 46. The Redskins have gone Over in all four of their games.

"We've got lots of Eagles money from small money to large money," Andrews said. "Wise guys laid -2.5 and -3 with them and the public has been playing parlays throughout the week on them. The 3-0 Eagles are now 3.5-point road favorites at Detroit and the total is 46.

The Colts are 4.5-point home favorites against the Bears with a total at 47.5. "There's nothing there," Andrews said while scanning his bookmaking screen. "What little play there is is evenly split with a shade high on the Colts."

"We had great play on the Falcons which kind of surprises me," Andrews said of the Falcons who play at 4-0 Denver this week. "Sharps took +6 and even +5.5, and we're even getting the parlay action believing in Atlanta. We need Denver right now." Books love being in position to need good teams when the masses are betting the other way. It's rare, though. The total is sitting at 47.

"The public is split on the Rams, but wise-guys like Buffalo." They took +3 on Monday and took +2.5 on Friday. The total has dropped from 40 to 39.

We've got a classic old AFL match-up with the Raiders as 3.5-point home favorites over San Diego, which Andrews says he's "seen decent play both ways -- it's a good number."

"It's been all Bengals so far with the wise-guys and the public is on them as well." Andrews opened Dallas as 1-point home favorites, but the Bengals are now -1.5. The total hasn't moved off of 45.5. The Bengals have covered nine of their last 10 road games.

"The public likes the Pack and wise guys like the Giants," said Andrews. "This will be a big game for us not just because it's the final game on Sunday, but also because of all the teaser and parlay risk we'll have on Green Bay." Sharps took +7.5 and the South Point is sitting at -7 and 48.

BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL TO BOOKMARK

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook is offering a great special to reward bettors for getting their plays in early. Every Thursday from 3-11 p.m. PT, bettors can lay -105 juice, as opposed to the standard -110, on all pro and college football sides.

It may not sound like a big deal for the bettor saving $1 while laying $21 to win $20, but for the bettor that saves $500 on a bet to win $10,000, it's huge. The info doesn't help you out this week, but file it away as something to take advantage of next week and every week after through football season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Total Talk - Week 5
By Chris David

Week 4 Recap

The ‘over’ went 8-7 last weekend with seven teams scoring 30-plus points. Atlanta and Pittsburgh once again showed their explosive ability as they posted 48 and 43 points respectively. Through four weeks, the ‘over’ holds a slight edge at 33-29-1.

Quick Observations

-- Tampa Bay scored 31 in Week 1 and followed that effort with seven points in Week 2. Coincidentally, the Buccaneers posted 32 in Week 3 and were held to seven again last Sunday to Denver.

-- The Bills shutout the Patriots 16-0 last Sunday, the third blanking of the season and that’s rare considering we only had two all of last season. In the first two bagels of 2016, it should be noted that the winning team lost its next game while the loser rebounded. Buffalo visits Los Angeles and New England travels to Cleveland in Week 5.

Off the Bye

The NFL breaks started last week as the Packers and Eagles got an early rest and four teams will be off in Week 5. Handicapping off the bye is never easy but I tend to lean towards coaches that have a decent tenure with their current squads.

Green Bay – Sticking with the above, head coach Mike McCarthy has led Green Bay to an 8-2 record off the bye since he arrived in 2006. The Packers have seen the ‘under’ go 7-3 during this span and only three of those games were played at Lambeau Field. In those three wins and easy covers, the Pack only allowed 23 points.

Philadelphia – Similar to McCarthy, Andy Reid was a great coach after the bye but he’s long gone in Philly and so is Chip Kelly, who was let go last year. That leaves us with the rookie Doug Pederson and it will be interesting to see if the unbeaten Eagles lose any momentum this Sunday when they visit Detroit.

Halftime Tendencies

The Vikings, Broncos and Titans have all seen the ‘under’ go 3-1 in the second-half this season, which is attributed to great defensive efforts. The production from Denver and Minnesota isn’t surprising, but Tennessee has only surrendered 35 points in the final 30 minutes of its first four games and that number shrinks to just 14 if you take away three defensive and special team scores.

Knowing Atlanta has watched the ‘over’ start 4-0, it shouldn’t be surprising to know that it’s 7-1 to the ‘over’ in all of its halftime wagers.

The ‘over’ has gone 3-1 in the second-half for both the Raiders and Redskins. Those results have been attributed to poor defensive numbers, with Washington (413 YPG) and Oakland (460 YPG) ranked 29th and 32nd in total defense.

AFC meets NFC

The ‘under’ was a great investment last season in non-conference games as it went 41-21-2 (66%). The pendulum has slowly swung the other way in the 2016 campaign with the ‘over’ starting 11-7 (61%) in the first four weeks.

There are six non-conference games set for Sunday and these are tough handicaps because these clubs haven’t met since 2012 due to the alternating schedules in the NFL.

Houston at Minnesota: Hard to make an argument for the ‘over’ (40 ½) in this game. They both enter with identical 3-1 ‘under’ records and neither team likes to play fast. The Minnesota defense has been lights out against quality QBs and it’s hard to imagine Brock Osweiler doing much better on the road. First team to 20 might be the winner here.

Washington at Baltimore: This “Beltway Series” total could be argued either way because Washington’s defense isn’t very good (413 YPG 28 PPG) and Baltimore (256 YPG, 18 PPG) boasts one of the better groups in the league. The Redskins have seen the ‘over’ go 4-0 yet this is the lowest total (45) they’ve seen posted this season and that alone makes me hesitant to lean high.

Chicago at Indianapolis: Seems like a high total (48) knowing the Bears are the only team in the NFL to be held under 20 in each of their first four games. However, the Colts have allowed 30-plus points in three of their first four. Hoyer has actually played well (69%, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) for the Bears but John Fox has the team playing super slow to protect its beat-up defense.

Atlanta at Denver: When offense meets defense, the latter usually comes out on top. Will that be the case on Sunday? Atlanta’s numbers are off the charts offensively but its defense is very suspect and unfortunately for them, Denver’s defense is great. Dating back to 2015, the Broncos have allowed 13.4 PPG in seven matchups against NFC foes.

Buffalo at Los Angeles: This is the lowest total on the board (39) and hard to disagree with the number. Both clubs have each played in a couple shootouts, but I would consider those outcomes anomalies and still lean to the low side in this spot. We’ve had two totals close in the thirties this season and the ‘under’ cashed easily in both games.

Cincinnati at Dallas: Despite playing a rookie at QB, the Dallas offense (395 YPG) is ranked second on total yards and 10th in points (25.2 PPG). The Bengals defense is a major test and the return of linebacker Vontaze Burfict last week helped the team only allow one touchdown. Cincinnati’s offense has 18 scores, unfortunately 12 of them are field goals. Not having tight end Tyler Eifert healthy has certainly hurt the Bengals in the red zone.

Divisional Matchups

Arizona and San Francisco played Thursday and it looked like an ‘under’ winner with the scored knotted 7-7 at half but the pair combined for 40 in the second and the ‘over’ (42 ½) connected.

San Diego at Oakland: This will be the only divisional matchup on Sunday and it’s also happens to have the highest total for Week 5. The ‘under’ has gone 4-2 the last six encounters but that run could likely end at the Coliseum this Sunday. The Chargers (30.2 PPG) and Raiders (27 PPG) have both put up eye-opening offensive numbers this season and neither is stout defensively. The trend that makes me lean ‘over’ in this spot is Oakland’s defensive tendencies off a win. Dating back to last season, the team is allowing 30.5 PPG after a victory and they just beat Baltimore 28-27 last Sunday on the road.

Tampa Bay at Carolina: (See Below)

Under the Lights

Including this past Thursday’s matchup between the Cardinals and 49ers, total bettors have seen the ‘over’ go 7-6-1 in primetime games this season.

N.Y. Giants at Green Bay: Tough scheduling spot for the Giants, who are playing consecutive road games in primetime spots. New York’s offense (18.2 PPG) hasn’t found any rhythm under new coach Ben McAdoo, which is surprising since they put up 26.2 PPG last season with him as the offensive coordinator. Even though QB Eli Manning hasn’t been sharp, the Giants have averaged 34.3 PPG in their last four versus G-Bay and he’s tossed 10 touchdowns during this span. Green Bay’s offense (25 PPG) hasn’t been exactly stellar this season either but they showed their muscle versus Detroit (34-27) in Week 3. Make a note of the strong bye trends (see above) for the Packers in this matchup.

Tampa Bay at Carolina: After QB Cam Newton was ruled ‘out on Saturday, oddsmakers sent out an opener of 44 ½. With a healthy Newton last season, the Panthers blasted the Buccaneers twice (37-23, 38-10) and the ‘over’ cashed in each game. Prior to those games, the ‘under’ was on a 3-0 run. Make a note that all three NFC South divisional matchups this season have gone ‘over’ the number, directly attributed to Atlanta’s total record.

Fearless Predictions

We had our first losing week of the season albeit 20 cents ($20). Through four weeks, the bankroll ($260) remains in the black and that’s the goal. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: New York-Green Bay 47 ½

Best Under: New England-Cleveland 47

Best Team Total: Over 26 ½ Indianapolis

Three-Team Total Teaser (9-Point, +100)
Over 38 ½ New York-Green Bay
Over 39 Chicago-Indianapolis
Under 54 Cincinnati-Dallas

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SuperContest Picks - Week 5

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest is the biggest, most prestigious, challenging pro football handicapping contest in the country. The fees are $1,500 per entry.

Contestants must pick 5 pro football games against the spread each week for the entire 17-week season. The individual that has the best record after the season will be deemed the winner.

The LVH Casino at Westgate Las Vegas Resort is a hotel, casino, and convention center, which is located in Las Vegas, Nevada. LVH SuperBook vice-president Jay Kornegay is in charge of the SuperContest.

This year's contest has 1,854 entries, which is an all-time record.

Each week throughout the season, we'll post the Top 5 Consensus Picks in the SuperContest on Saturday afternoon and list all of the selections for each matchup.

Week 5

1) Cincinnati -1 (841)
2) Philadelphia -3 (568)
3) Minnesota -6.5 (508)
4) Pittsburgh -7 (494)
5) N.Y. Giants +7.5 (476)

SuperContest Week 5 Matchups & Odds
Away Team Selections Home Team Selections
Arizona (-3.5) 130 San Francisco (+3.5) 78
Houston (+6.5) 273 Minnesota (-6.5) 508
Tennessee (+3.5) 332 Miami (-3.5) 131
New England (-10.5) 368 Cleveland (+10.5) 282
N.Y. Jets (+7) 221 Pittsburgh (-7) 494
Washington (+4) 397 Baltimore (-4) 240
Philadelphia (-3) 568 Detroit (+3) 443
Chicago (+4.5) 331 Indianapolis (-4.5) 203
Atlanta (+5.5) 314 Denver (-5.5) 383
Buffalo (+2) 430 Los Angeles (-2) 325
San Diego (+3.5) 441 Oakland (-3.5) 334
Cincinnati (-1) 841 Dallas (+1) 215
N.Y. Giants (+7.5) 476 Green Bay (-7.5) 143
Tampa Bay (+6.5) 224 Carolina (-6.5) 95


Weekly and Overall Consensus Records
Week Consensus Record Overall Record Percentage
1 3-2 3-2 60%
2 0-5 3-7 30%
3 0-5 3-12 20%
4 1-4 4-16 20%

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gridiron Angles - Week 5
By Vince Akins

NFL PLAY ON ATS TREND:

-- The Vikings are 10-0 ATS since Nov 02, 2014 as a favorite after they allowed fewer points than expected last game.

NFL PLAY AGAINST TREND:

-- The Cowboys are 0-10 ATS since Sep 19, 2010 at home off a game as a favorite where they had at least 32 minutes time of possession.

TOP NFL PLAYER TREND:

-- The Falcons are 0-8 O/U since Nov 01, 2015 after a game where Julio Jones had at least seven receptions.

NFL ATS SYSTEM:

-- Teams which made 5+ field goals last game are 42-54-2 ATS. Active against Cincinnati.

NFL O/U UNDER TREND:

-- The Texans are 0-10 O/U since Oct 11, 2009 as a dog of more than three points after they committed at least two turnovers last game.

NFL O/U OVER TREND:

-- The Chargers are 10-0-1 O/U since Nov 12, 2006 on the road off a game as a favorite where they had less than 28 minutes time of possession.

NFL BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Redskins are 10-0 ATS as a dog vs a team that has forced an average of at least 5.9 punts per game season-to-date.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

We are down to just three Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races and two are Sunday at Keeneland.

The $500,000 Spinster (G1) serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), but the race drew a compact field of five led by 4-5 chalk I’m a Chatterbox.

The $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) on the other hand drew a full field of 14 two-year-olds that will go 1 1/16 miles on turf with a fees-paid trip to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) hanging in the balance.

The juvenile races have treated us well so far at the Keeneland meeting. On Friday we nailed Dancing Rags on top in the Darley Alcibiades (G1), the upset winner returning $26.60. We also nailed the exacta for $213.00 and the $1 trifecta which returned $897.30.

On Saturday we had Classic Empire on top in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), the winner returning $5.20 as the favorite. But we got longshot Lookin At Lee home for a recommended exacta that returned a hefty $82.20 while missing out on the trifecta.

I could not look past the Chad Brown trained Ticonderoga (7-2) in the Bourbon. The colt was a good looking maiden winner at Belmont Park in his second career start.

Don’t forget Belmont Park will be in action on Monday.


Here is the opening race from Keeneland to get the day off to a good start:

KEE Race 1 Clm $16,000 (1:05 ET)
#8 Top Gato 3-1
#5 McQ 7-2
#4 Bear's Big Boy 7-2
#2 Xtra Luck 6-1

Analysis: Top Gato drops into an easier spot here after stalking the early pace and coming with a mild late run while wide to finish fourth last out against $8,000 starter allowance foes at Arlington Park on the fake stuff. Three back this guy beat Alw-1 foes over that surface. He has a couple of wins on dirt in nine trips and looks like a good fit in this spot.

McQ faded and was eased last out at Indiana Grand against Alw-1 optional claimers. He has won his two previous starts, beating $25,000 claimers two back at Churchill Downs going seven furlongs. He figures to bounce back with a better effort on the class drop.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 2,4,5,8
TRI: 5,8 / 2,4,5,8 / 2,3,4,5,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 OClm $40,000N2X (4:46 ET)
#8 Whiskey Seven 4-1
#7 Summer Breezing 5-2
#4 Final Chapter 3-1
#5 Wicked Freud 6-1

Analysis: Whiskey Seven won his first two career starts and last out in his first go at this level her was bumped coming out of the gate, stalked the early pace and finished up well for third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths ads the 4-5 chalk. His last outing was coming back off a 2 1/2 month break and the rice trainee still appears to have more upside than most of these. he is by War Chant out of a Grand Slam mare that has dropped two other winners including stakes winner Princess Violet ($777,810).

Summer Breezing set the early fractions and weakened late to finish third against open Alw-2 optional claimers in his first start off the claim by the Englehart barn. He was claimed for $40,000 out of a race at this condition two back where he checked in fifth. He won at this level four back over the turf here which was labeled as good and we may have some give to the ground today.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 3,4,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 4,5,7,8 / 4,5,6,7,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:

KEE Race 8 The Bourbon G3 (5:10 ET)
#2 Ticonderoga 7-2
#5 Keep Quiet 9-2
#11 Heaven Is Waiting 10-1
#10 Ancient Warfare 10-1

Analysis: Ticonderoga is coming off a sharp looking maiden score in his second career start at Belmont park. In his debut he ran a game second beaten a head by Good Samaritan, who returned to win the Summer (G2) at Woodbine in his next outing. The fifth place finisher J.S. Choice came back to break his maiden in his next outing and then ran second in the Pilgrim (G3) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1. Our top pick was a $850,000 Keeneland purchase, by Tapit out of the multiple graded stakes winner Keertana ($1 million). Brown won this race with Balance the Books in 2012.

Keep Quiet tracked the early pace and finished gamely in a runner up finish in the With Anticipation (G2) last out at the Spa in his first start against winners. He picked up his maiden win two back at the Spa in gate tow ire fashion, drawing clear to win by 5 1/4 lengths. He should be forwardly placed here with Geroux in the irons. He is out of a Sillery mare that has dropped seven other turf winners.

Heaven Is Waiting is the second runner sent out by Brown. The colt pressed the early pace and finished gamely to break his maiden in his debut by a neck at 4-1 at Belmont Park going long. Castellano sticks with our top pick but we get a suitable replacement with Gallardo, who recently shifted his tack to New York and is in to ride for this barn. The colt is out of a Kingmambo mare that has dropped two other turf winners. He draws a tough spot but still has plenty of upside.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 2,5,10,11
TRI: 2,5 / 2,5,10,11 / 2,3,5,10,11

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R1: #7 War Canoe 8-1
R4: 32 Banner Wave 15-1
R4: #5 Kathy’s Song 12-1
R5: #1 Saltine Warrior 10-1
R6: #5 Feets of Strength 10-1
R6: #8 Lucky Town 12-1
R7: #3 Devine Union 8-1
R7: #1 One Call Away 10-1
R9: #11 Arthur Avenue 8-1
R9: #3 Ranger’s Coming 12-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Broncos Host Falcons in Offense Versus Defense Battle'

The Denver Broncos’ defense has picked up where it left off after last season's run to the Super Bowl. They'll face a tough test on Sunday when they host the high-flying Atlanta Falcons, who lead the NFL in points per game (38).

The Falcons are now 3-1 after a 48-33 win over Carolina at home in which Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw for 503 yards and four touchdowns. WR Julio Jones caught 12 of those passes, including one for a touchdown; he racked up 300 yards on the day. The Falcons have now scored 93 points in their last two games.

After earning a 27-7 win in Tampa Bay, the Broncos are one of three undefeated teams left in the NFL (along with Philadelphia and Minnesota). Rookie Paxton Lynch filled in admirably for the injured starter Trevor Siemian, passing for 170 yards and a touchdown. The defense held the Buccaneers to 215 yards while forcing three turnovers.

Denver is a 6-point favourite for this contest. They’re 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five meetings with Atlanta, and the Falcons are 2-3 SU and 2-2 ATS in four trips to Denver since 1982.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Sunday Night Football'

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers October 9, 8:30 EST

The Giants off their second consecutive loss this past Monday night are in a very tough spot. Giants are not only playing on short rest, caught in back-2-back road games but are visiting Lambeau Field to play a rested Packer squad off its BYE WEEK.

Lay the expected -7.5 points. Giants are a vig losing 3-3 ATS away on short rest, have struggled to cash in the second of back-2-back road games going 2-4-1 ATS, 0-3-1 ATS in an underdog roll. On the other side, Packers tend to keep backers happy facing a team off MNF (4-1 ATS) and during Pumpkin month at home (8-2 ATS). Additionally, Packers have been good bets as home chalk of 7.5 or less during regular season posting a 7-2 ATS record last eight, 11-4-1 mark the past sixteen handing visitors seven-half or less.

The most compelling numbers in favor of Green Bay are the figures compiled following a 'BYE Week'. The Packers are a sparkling 9-1 against the betting line. Evidence is the key in making any case, and the numbers illustrate Green Bay is the right choice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

We are down to just three Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races and two are Sunday at Keeneland.

The $500,000 Spinster (G1) serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), but the race drew a compact field of five led by 4-5 chalk I’m a Chatterbox.

The $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) on the other hand drew a full field of 14 two-year-olds that will go 1 1/16 miles on turf with a fees-paid trip to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) hanging in the balance.

The juvenile races have treated us well so far at the Keeneland meeting. On Friday we nailed Dancing Rags on top in the Darley Alcibiades (G1), the upset winner returning $26.60. We also nailed the exacta for $213.00 and the $1 trifecta which returned $897.30.

On Saturday we had Classic Empire on top in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), the winner returning $5.20 as the favorite. But we got longshot Lookin At Lee home for a recommended exacta that returned a hefty $82.20 while missing out on the trifecta.

I could not look past the Chad Brown trained Ticonderoga (7-2) in the Bourbon. The colt was a good looking maiden winner at Belmont Park in his second career start.

Don’t forget Belmont Park will be in action on Monday.


Here is the opening race from Keeneland to get the day off to a good start:

KEE Race 1 Clm $16,000 (1:05 ET)
#8 Top Gato 3-1
#5 McQ 7-2
#4 Bear's Big Boy 7-2
#2 Xtra Luck 6-1

Analysis: Top Gato drops into an easier spot here after stalking the early pace and coming with a mild late run while wide to finish fourth last out against $8,000 starter allowance foes at Arlington Park on the fake stuff. Three back this guy beat Alw-1 foes over that surface. He has a couple of wins on dirt in nine trips and looks like a good fit in this spot.

McQ faded and was eased last out at Indiana Grand against Alw-1 optional claimers. He has won his two previous starts, beating $25,000 claimers two back at Churchill Downs going seven furlongs. He figures to bounce back with a better effort on the class drop.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 2,4,5,8
TRI: 5,8 / 2,4,5,8 / 2,3,4,5,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 OClm $40,000N2X (4:46 ET)
#8 Whiskey Seven 4-1
#7 Summer Breezing 5-2
#4 Final Chapter 3-1
#5 Wicked Freud 6-1

Analysis: Whiskey Seven won his first two career starts and last out in his first go at this level her was bumped coming out of the gate, stalked the early pace and finished up well for third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths ads the 4-5 chalk. His last outing was coming back off a 2 1/2 month break and the rice trainee still appears to have more upside than most of these. he is by War Chant out of a Grand Slam mare that has dropped two other winners including stakes winner Princess Violet ($777,810).

Summer Breezing set the early fractions and weakened late to finish third against open Alw-2 optional claimers in his first start off the claim by the Englehart barn. He was claimed for $40,000 out of a race at this condition two back where he checked in fifth. He won at this level four back over the turf here which was labeled as good and we may have some give to the ground today.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 3,4,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 4,5,7,8 / 4,5,6,7,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:

KEE Race 8 The Bourbon G3 (5:10 ET)
#2 Ticonderoga 7-2
#5 Keep Quiet 9-2
#11 Heaven Is Waiting 10-1
#10 Ancient Warfare 10-1

Analysis: Ticonderoga is coming off a sharp looking maiden score in his second career start at Belmont park. In his debut he ran a game second beaten a head by Good Samaritan, who returned to win the Summer (G2) at Woodbine in his next outing. The fifth place finisher J.S. Choice came back to break his maiden in his next outing and then ran second in the Pilgrim (G3) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1. Our top pick was a $850,000 Keeneland purchase, by Tapit out of the multiple graded stakes winner Keertana ($1 million). Brown won this race with Balance the Books in 2012.

Keep Quiet tracked the early pace and finished gamely in a runner up finish in the With Anticipation (G2) last out at the Spa in his first start against winners. He picked up his maiden win two back at the Spa in gate tow ire fashion, drawing clear to win by 5 1/4 lengths. He should be forwardly placed here with Geroux in the irons. He is out of a Sillery mare that has dropped seven other turf winners.

Heaven Is Waiting is the second runner sent out by Brown. The colt pressed the early pace and finished gamely to break his maiden in his debut by a neck at 4-1 at Belmont Park going long. Castellano sticks with our top pick but we get a suitable replacement with Gallardo, who recently shifted his tack to New York and is in to ride for this barn. The colt is out of a Kingmambo mare that has dropped two other turf winners. He draws a tough spot but still has plenty of upside.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 2,5,10,11
TRI: 2,5 / 2,5,10,11 / 2,3,5,10,11

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R1: #7 War Canoe 8-1
R4: 32 Banner Wave 15-1
R4: #5 Kathy’s Song 12-1
R5: #1 Saltine Warrior 10-1
R6: #5 Feets of Strength 10-1
R6: #8 Lucky Town 12-1
R7: #3 Devine Union 8-1
R7: #1 One Call Away 10-1
R9: #11 Arthur Avenue 8-1
R9: #3 Ranger’s Coming 12-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday

TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE

Belmont Park (1st) Flying K C, 7-2
(8th) Banana Thief, 5-1


Belterra Park (1st) Flip Daddy, 4-1
(8th) Luscious Lucy, 6-1


Fort Erie (3rd) Desert Strike, 10-1
(4th) Lake Simcoe, 9-2


Fresno (6th) Protocol, 6-1
(7th) Arbeja, 9-2


Gulfstream Park West (4th) Express Jet, 5-1
(7th) Whiskey Wizard, 4-1


Hastings (3rd) Occupy Vancouver, 7-2
(8th) We'regoodasgold, 7-2


Keeneland (3rd) Whatwhatwhat, 9-2
(7th) Diamond Earring, 6-1


Laurel (4th) Vielsalm, 3-1
(8th) Right Squall, 8-1


Mountaineer (3rd) Lulu's Pride, 10-1
(9th) How About Peace, 9-2


Parx Racing (1st) Lust for Diamonds, 5-1
(6th) Musical Comedy, 6-1


Santa Anita (1st) Woot Woot, 3-1
(9th) Diplodocus, 4-1


Woodbine (4th) Mick the Conqueror, 3-1
(9th) Lions Bay, 7-2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (91-71) at Nationals (95-67)

Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: October 09, 2016 1:08 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Late in the summer of 2015, Rich Hill made two starts for the Long Island Ducks in the independent Atlantic League.

"He was lights out. He was unbelievable," Long Island manager Kevin Baez said. "I couldn't believe we had him, really. He was a pleasure to watch."

Earlier that year, the well-traveled left-hander pitched 25 games for Triple-A Syracuse -- the top farm team of the Washington Nationals.

Hill's journey takes him to Nationals Park, where he starts Game 2 of the National League Division Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers against host Washington on Saturday afternoon.

"I just didn't see it working out here in Washington," Hill said Friday, adding that he was impressed with the Nationals organization.

The year for Hill included a trade from the Oakland Athletics, dealing with a blister that put him on the disabled list and being pulled by manager Dave Roberts while he was tossing a no-hitter. Now he tries to give his team a 2-0 lead in the NLDS after a 4-3 victory Friday in which Clayton Kershaw pitched only five innings but earned the victory.

"I think looking back on it and really is just -- and I've said this over and over again, is staying in the moment," Hill said of his season. "Taking each day as it is and being as productive as I can be within the time I have for every day that I get to play this game. And really, that's the best way that I can sum it up."

Hill did not pitch against Washington this year. He last faced the Nationals in 2012 with the Boston Red Sox.

The last time the Massachusetts native pitched at Nationals Park was is in 2009 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Saturday, he will have to deal with speedy leadoff hitter Trea Turner.

"Obviously he's an explosive runner and he can do damage on the basepaths," Hill said. "This is obviously a very good lineup. Keeping Turner off the basepaths would be a positive."

Hill is 1-1 with a 4.34 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Nationals with 17 strikeouts and six walks in 18 2/3 innings.

"I think the thing that's impressed me most about Rich are two things," Roberts said Friday. "One thing is his intent; everything he does every day is for a purpose, and I didn't appreciate that not knowing him. And how intense he is on his pens, not only his start days, but his pens.

"The other thing I appreciate is admitting his growth as a player, as a person, in the sense that as a young player ... a lot of distractions got to him and things were out of his control. But I think that now when you watch Rich and talk to Rich, he lives in the moment. And I think that lends itself to just pitching with conviction on every single pitch."

His only postseason appearance came in Game 3 of the 2007 NLDS as a starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was tagged with the loss after giving up six hits and three runs in three innings while striking out three with two walks as the Cubs lost 5-1.

Hill, 36, becomes the oldest Dodgers pitcher to start in the playoffs since 40-year-old Greg Maddux took the mound against the New York Mets in the 2006 NLDS.

Hill will be opposed by Washington right-hander Tanner Roark, who has also had a nomadic existence as he prepares for his postseason start.

"He has good stuff," Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said.

Roark, a 25th-round pick by the Texas Rangers, was used out of the bullpen in 2014 in the NLDS by the Nationals after he won 15 games as a starter.

"It's definitely a dream come true," Roark said Friday. "You know, to get your first start in the postseason. But you've got to go out there and be in confident in everything that I do, and you know, be aggressive and keep doing what I did all during the season. Not change anything and just be myself."

Roark was 16-10 with a 2.83 ERA in 34 games (33 starts) this year. He was tagged with the loss against the Dodgers on June 21 as he gave up three runs and six hits in 7 1/3 innings in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won that game 3-2 during a stretch when the Nationals lost a season-high seven straight games during a West Coast swing.

Roark is 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three games (one start) in his career against the Dodgers.

The University of Illinois native was told Thursday he would start Game 2.

"You know, I was obviously very excited to get the Game 2 start at home," he said. "And to pitch in front of 42,000 people, it's always a good feeling."

Roark faces a Dodgers' lineup with several left-handed hitters, including prohibitive NL Rookie of the Year favorite Corey Seager, Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez.

"I mean, they have faced me before and I've faced them before and I've faced them in previous years," Roark said. "So go back and definitely watch a little video and read the scouting report, because obviously we've come a long way since June. So they have made adjustments and I've made adjustments myself."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game 3 - Texas at Toronto

American Leauge Division Series - Game 3
Texas Rangers (95-67) at Toronto Blue Jays (89-73)
First pitch: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 Odds: Blue Jays -190, Rangers, Total 9 (Under -115)

After two games in Arlington, the American League Division Series between the Rangers and Blue Jays shits to Toronto for Game 3.

The AL West-champion Rangers (95-67) had the best record in the American League during the regular season, but all of a sudden they find themselves in a precarious situation.

The series is shifting to Toronto, where the Blue Jays (89-73)—who defeated the Orioles in the AL Wild Card Game on a dramatic walk-off home run—play in front of one of the most raucous crowds in the sport.

The pitching matchup heavily favors the Blue Jays, at least on paper. RHP Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP), who led the AL in ERA, will take the ball for manager John Gibbons. He’ll be opposed by RHP Colby Lewis (6-5, 3.71 ERA, 1.13 WHIP).

The Blue Jays took three of four from the Rangers at Rogers Centre back in early May. Jeff Banister’s club went 42-39 on the road during the regular season. The Jays posted a 46-35 home mark.

The Rangers haven’t seen much of Sanchez, who only lost twice in 2017, but they’ve had some success against him in limited action. DH Carlos Beltran (.295, 29 HR, 93 RBI), acquired from the Yankees at the trade deadline, is 4-for-8 against the 24-year-old with a homer and four RBIs.

3B Adrian Beltre (.300, 32 HR, 104 RBI), who had another excellent year at age 37, has two hits against him in six at-bats—one of those hits was a homer.

SS Elvis Andrus (.302, 8 HR, 69 RBI, 24 SB) is 2-for-5 against him, 1B Mitch Moreland (.233, 22 HR, 60 RBI) is 2-for-6 and 2B Rougned Odor (.271, 33 HR, 88 RBI) is 3-for-8. Lewis faced the Jays twice this season.

On May 4, in Toronto, he took a no-decision after allowing three earned runs in seven innings. He took another no-decision 10 days later at home, holding the Blue Jays to two earned runs on four hits in seven innings. In nine career postseason appearances (eight starts), Lewis is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA in 53 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays have seen their fair share of Lewis, and the right-hander could be in for a long night.

RF Jose Bautista (.234, 22 HR, 69 RBI) is 5-for-17 against him with two homers and 10 walks and DH Michael Saunders (.253, 24 HR, 57 RBI) is 7-for-26 with a homer, a triple and two doubles. 1B Justin Smoak (.217, 14 HR, 34 RBI) has hit two homers off him, and CF Kevin Pillar (.266, 7 HR, 53 RBI has taken him deep as well.

Lewis has done a surprisingly good job of keeping 3B Josh Donaldson (.284, 37 HR, 99 RBI) and 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.263, 42 HR, 127 RBI) in check. They’re 2-for-15 and 1-for-15 with a homer against him, respectively.

Sanchez, like Lewis, faced the Rangers twice this season and took two no-decisions. He allowed three earned runs in seven innings in his first start, and gave up six earned runs in 6 2/3 in the second. In nine postseason appearances last season—no starts—Sanchez didn’t give up an earned run in 7 1/3 innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (95-67) at Blue Jays (89-73)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: October 09, 2016 7:38 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays try to clinch their American League Division Series with the Texas Rangers on Sunday in the minimum three games.

They need only look back to the ALDS last year, however, to remind them how quickly things can turn.

Last year, the Rangers won the first two games of the ALDS in Toronto and the Blue Jays swept the next three games to take the series.

The roles are reversed this year with Toronto winning the first two games in Arlington, Texas.

The Blue Jays are saying the right things.

"This thing is far from over," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We need to keep playing great baseball. I said (Friday) down in Texas they had the best record in the American League for a reason. You don't luck into that. So we've got to come out and play good baseball. They have as much and more talent than most teams in all of baseball. So they'll be ready to go. So we've got to be ready to go."

The Blue Jays start right-hander Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00 ERA during the regular season) Sunday while the Rangers counter with right-hander Colby Lewis (6-5, 3.71 ERA).

"It's a situation, (an) all-hands-on deck must-win type of deal," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "There's nobody not available to us. But, look, there will be no panic. There will be no reactionary type situation. It will be, I think, a well thought out, decision-making process, however the game unfolds for us. And I think about it this way: What a different scenario sitting here this time last year."

The Blue Jays have injury concerns that could influence Game 3.

They already are without reliever Joaquin Benoit, who is out for the series after tearing a calf muscle running from the bullpen to take part in the bench-clearing incident with the New York Yankees on Sept. 26.

Now they are uncertain about the status of left-hander Francisco Liriano and second baseman Devon Travis.

Liriano was struck on the back of the head Friday in Game 2 by a line-drive single hit by Rangers outfielder Carlos Gomez, a ball that continued into right center. He has been diagnosed with a mild concussion. Liriano responded well to tests Saturday, but there is no timetable for a possible return.

Toronto replaced Liriano on their ALDS roster with right-hander Danny Barnes. Under a new rule, Liriano would not have to miss the ALCS should they advance. Most injured players who are replaced during the postseason must miss the next series, but a concussion is an exception.

Travis was scratched from the game Friday with a sore right knee. An MRI showed a bone bruise and no structural damage. He received a cortisone injection but there is no timetable for his return, either. Darwin Barney replaced Travis, who said he does not know how he was injured.

Sanchez led the American League in ERA this season but had little success against the Rangers.

In two starts against Texas this season, he was 0-0 with a 5.93 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs in 6 2/3 innings against them the second time he faced them, May 15 at Globe Life Park.

"I don't want to take any game in the postseason as pressure," Sanchez said. "It's still baseball. It's still 60 feet, six inches. You've still got to get 27 outs. Maybe the stakes are a little higher but you try not to put any pressure on yourself ... this game is crazy."

Lewis was 0-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays this season. He is 3-6 with a 6.17 ERA in 13 career games (12 starts) against Toronto and 2-3, 5.81 in six starts at Rogers Centre.

Lewis was asked Saturday if he felt a burden in trying to prolong the Rangers' season.

"I don't feel like it's a burden," he said. "I feel like it's an opportunity. ... I feel like it's an opportunity for me to go out, perform, see what I can do, embrace it. So there's not any added pressure or anything like that."