SPORTS ADVISORS
NFL Preseason
N.Y. Giants at Detroit
The Super Bowl champion Giants start warming up for their title defense when they travel to Ford Field to open the preseason against the Lions.
After going 7-1 SU and ATS in the 2005 and 2006 preseasons, New York slipped to 1-3 SU and ATS last August, all as an underdog. Meanwhile, Detroit was 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS in the preseason last year, and it has cashed in just four of 16 preseason games dating to 2004 (6-10 SU). The home field hasn’t helped the Lions in that span, as they’ve gone 2-6 ATS (4-4 SU) at Ford Field.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning will get the start, but he’s only expected to play the first two series at the most, and all the starters should be gone by the second quarter. Journeymen Anthony Wright and David Carr will follow Manning, and rookie Andre Woodson could also see some time.
New York’s receiving corps will be thin, with Plaxico Burress, Steve Smith, David Tyree and Mario Manningham all sitting with minor injuries.
Jon Kitna is back as the Lions’ starting quarterback, but he and the rest of the first-string offense and defense will be on the field for only about 10 snaps, coach Rod Marinelli said. No. 2 QB Dan Orlovsky will follow Kitna and play about 1½ quarters, with former second-round pick Drew Stanton finishing up.
The under is 8-4 in New York’s last three preseason campaigns, including 7-1 on the road, and the under is 4-2 in Detroit’s last six preseason home contests.
ATS ADVANTAGE:UNDER
N.Y. Jets at Cleveland
On the day they reportedly agreed to a trade for Brett Favre, the Jets head to Cleveland for an exhibition game against the Browns, who will attempt to continue their recent preseason hot streak.
New York, entering coach Eric Mangini’s third season, went 3-1 SU and ATS last year in preseason play, and the Jets are 11-5 SU over the past four exhibition campaigns (9-7 ATS), including 5-2 SU and ATS in their last seven preseason road contests.
Mangini has kept his quarterback situation under wraps throughout camp, and with the apparent acquisition of Favre, it looks as though Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens are now battling for the backup job. Both are expected to play tonight, with rookie Erik Ainge and Brett Ratliff getting time in the second half.
Cleveland also went 3-1 SU and ATS in the 2007 preseason and is 11-5 SU and 12-4 ATS dating to 2004, one year before the arrival of coach Romeo Crennel. The Browns are also 6-2 ATS in Cleveland over the past four preseasons.
Browns quarterback Derek Anderson will play the first quarter, with Brady Quinn expected to step in for the second and third quarters, followed by Ken Dorsey.
The under has been the preseason play the past three years for Cleveland, going 8-4 overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE:CLEVELAND
Baltimore at New England
The AFC champion Patriots, who fell one game short of a historic perfect season last year, get back at it when they open the preseason against the Ravens at Gillette Stadium.
New England, entering its ninth season under coach Bill Belichick, has been an average preseason squad the past three years, going 6-6 SU (2-2 all three years) and 6-5-1 ATS. In the past two summers, though, the Pats are 3-1 SU and ATS as a favorite, all of more than three points.
Baltimore, now under rookie head coach John Harbaugh after Brian Billick was fired following the 2007 season, went 1-2 SU and ATS last year in the preseason and is 8-7 SU and ATS over the past four exhibition seasons. On the road in that span, the Ravens went 3-4 SU and ATS.
Quarterback Tom Brady is nursing a calf injury and will be a game-time decision for the Patriots. If Brady plays, it likely won’t be for more than two series, and he’ll be followed by Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez and rookie Kevin O’Connell, all of whom are battling it out to be Brady’s backup.
QB Kyle Boller will start for the Ravens and is expected to play most, if not all, of the first half, followed by Troy Smith in the third quarter and rookie Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter. Baltimore will be without RB Willis McGahee and tight end Todd Heap, both down with injuries.
The over is 3-1 in New England’s last four home preseason games, with both contests in Foxboro last year topping the total. On the flip side, the under is on an 8-3 run over the past three exhibition campaigns for Baltimore.
ATS ADVANTAGE:NEW ENGLAND
Kansas City at Chicago
The Bears, who reached the Super Bowl in the 2006 season but missed the playoffs last year, open 2008 against the Chiefs at Soldier Field.
Chicago went 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in the 2007 preseason and is 10-7 SU (8-8-1 ATS) in exhibition games since coach Lovie Smith took over in 2004. The Bears have gone 1-1 SU each of the last five preseasons and are just 3-7 ATS at Soldier Field during that stretch.
Kansas City, in a precursor to its 4-12 regular season, went 0-4 SU and ATS last August and is just 2-10 SU and ATS in its last 12 exhibition contests. Since 2004, the Chiefs are 0-8 SU and ATS in preseason road games.
QB Kyle Orton gets the starting nod for the Bears tonight and will play the first quarter, followed in the second quarter by Rex Grossman, with both quarterbacks playing behind the first team. Caleb Hanie is expected to play in the second half.
Herm Edwards, entering his third season as Chiefs coach, said Brody Croyle’s starting job is safe. Croyle is expected to start tonight and could play into the second quarter, though Edwards wouldn’t specify the exact game plan. He did say Tyler Thigpen will replace Croyle and get most of the remaining snaps before handing off to veteran Damon Huard.
The over went 3-1 in the preseason for Chicago last year, but the under is 6-2 in Kansas City’s last two exhibition campaigns.
ATS ADVANTAGE:CHICAGO
New Orleans at Arizona
The Saints, who slid to 7-9 last year after nearly making the Super Bowl in 2006, travel to University of Phoenix Stadium to take on the Cardinals.
New Orleans, entering its third year under coach Sean Payton, went 3-2 SU and ATS in the 2007 preseason, including 2-0 SU and ATS in true road games and 3-1 ATS as an underdog. Over the past five preseasons, the Saints are just 8-13 SU and ATS in August, but they are 6-4 SU and ATS on the highway.
Arizona went 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS in coach Ken Whisenhunt’s first preseason last year. The Cards have been a middling team at home the past four Augusts, going 2-6 SU and 4-4 ATS. They’re also 2-4 ATS as a favorite the last four summers.
QB Drew Brees will start for the Saints and is expected to play the whole first quarter, with Mark Brunell coming on and playing into the third quarter, followed by Tyler Palko. New Orleans will be shorthanded on offense, though, with RB Deuce McAllister, TE Jeremy Shockey and WR Devery Henderson all sitting out, and WR Marques Colston questionable.
QB Matt Leinart will have a limited start for the Cardinals, playing one to two series, and Kurt Warner will follow for one to two series as both passers battle for the No. 1 job. Brian St. Pierre and rookie Anthony Morelli are slated to take the snaps the rest of the way, though all four QBs are likely to be without injured wideouts Anquan Boldin and Early Doucet.
The under has cashed in five of New Orleans’ last seven preseason contests, but the over has been the play in five of Arizona’s last six exhibition games and is 4-2 at home for the Cardinals in the past three summers.
ATS ADVANTAGE:NEW ORLEANS and OVER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
N.Y. Yankees (62-52) at Texas (60-55)
The Yankees send Mike Mussina (14-7, 3.44 ERA) to the mound looking to even their four-game road series against the Rangers, who are set to go with young right-hander Scott Feldman (4-4, 4.97).
After losing the first two games of this series, New York held on for a 5-3 victory Wednesday, moving to just 4-7 in its last 11 overall and 4-7 in its last 11 on the road. Still, the Yankees are on positive streaks of 14-5 against winning teams and 17-7 versus the A.L. West.
Despite Wednesday’s setback, Texas has still won four of its last six and is on further runs of 6-2 against the A.L. East and 14-7 against right-handed starters.
The Rangers still lead the season series 4-2 against the Yankees, but going back a few years, New York is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings overall and 14-3 in the last 17 in Arlington.
The Yankees have won three of Mussina’s last four starts, including an 8-2 home shelling of the Angels on Saturday, in which the veteran right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in seven innings. Mussina has surrendered just 12 earned runs in 44 innings (2.45 ERA) over his last seven starts.
The Rangers have lost three of Feldman’s last four outings, including the last two in a row. On Saturday against Toronto, the 25-year-old yielded four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-4 home setback. In his last four starts, Feldman has given up 17 earned runs in 21 innings (7.29 ERA).
Mussina is 5-1 with a 3.43 ERA in seven road starts this year, and he’s 17-13 with a 3.74 ERA in 36 career starts against Texas. Feldman, meanwhile, has a rash of no-decisions at home this season, going 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts). He’s also 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against New York.
The over is on a 10-2 spree for New York and an 11-3-1 run for Texas, but the under is 6-2 in Mussina’s last eight starts and 8-2 in Feldman’s last 10. The under is also 4-1 in Mussina’s last five efforts against the Rangers.
ATS ADVANTAGE:N.Y. YANKEES
