Thursday 8/20/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

When not viewing the service plays.
Make sure to enjoy the rest of what the RX has to offer.

First time here at the RX.
Make sure to visit the Newbies Room
Click here to go there now

 

[superbeets]

STADIUM:

German Bundesliga 1 Fr 21Aug 19:30

Hertha Berlin

v

W Bremen

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		21/20	5/2	13/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HERTHA BERLIN	RECENT FORM
HLALHDALAWAW​ Most recent​	2 - 2 3 - 2 1 - 0 2 - 3	HWADHLALAD*HL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Hertha averaged a divisional low of 3.2 shots on target per game last term

EXPERT VERDICT: Werder Bremen's defence was the joint-worst in the Bundesliga last season, conceding 65 goals, and they were straight back into old habits during a 3-0 defeat to Schalke in their opener. But at least they score freely, so hosts Hertha look too short after avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth last season.

RECOMMENDATION: Werder Bremen
2

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 20:00

Southampton

v

Midtjylland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		1/3	15/4	9	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
HWALHWAWADHL​ Most recent​	Unknown	AWHLHWAWAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Southampton have scored at least two goals in five of their last six home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Southampton cruised past Vitesse Arnhem in the last round of the Europa League and should see off Midtjylland. The Danes have won four of their five games this season but after losing to Apoel in the Champions League, they must improve to trouble the Saints.

RECOMMENDATION: Southampton-Southampton double result
2


REFEREE: Clement Turpin STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Spanish Primera Liga Fr 21Aug 19:30

Malaga

v

Seville

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		11/5	11/5	13/10	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MALAGA	RECENT FORM
HDALHLAWALHL​ Most recent​	2 - 3 3 - 2 0 - 0 2 - 1	ADAWHWAWAWND*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Malaga have kept just one clean sheet in their last 14 league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Malaga failed to win any of their final five home league matches of last season and will not welcome a visit from neighbours Seville, who won 3-2 the corresponding fixture in May. Seville scored in each of their final 13 away matches last term and knocked four past Barcelona in the Uefa Super Cup, so goals should not be a problem.

RECOMMENDATION: Seville
2

 

[superbeets]

French Division 1 Fr 21Aug 19:30

Montpellier

v

Paris St-G.

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ESPN		13/2	3	1/2	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MONTPELLIER	RECENT FORM
HDAWHLALHLAL​ Most recent​	1 - 2 0 - 3 1 - 1 1 - 1	AWHWNW*NWAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Montpellier have scored only four goals in their last ten league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Paris St-Germain have started their title defence with two wins and two clean sheets while Montpellier are bottom of the embryonic table, without a point or a goal. The home side may struggle to turn things around against a PSG side who blasted out of the blocks against GFC Ajaccio last time out and can do something similar again.

RECOMMENDATION: PSG-PSG double result
2

 

[superbeets]

Scottish Championship Fr 21Aug 19:45

Morton

v

St Mirren

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ALBA		21/10	14/5	11/10	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MORTON	RECENT FORM
AWHWHLHWHDAL​ Most recent​	3 - 4 2 - 3 0 - 2 1 - 4	HWALHWALHLAW​ Most recent​

EXPERT VERDICT: Morton haven’t won yet in the Scottish Championship, and neither have St Mirren so this could be tight. Despite gaining promotion from League One last term, Morton still lost five times at home, while St Mirren won six away before being relegated from the Premiership.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

English Championship Fr 21Aug 19:45

Birmingham

v

Derby

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		2	12/5	6/4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BIRMINGHAM	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHWAWAD​ Most recent​	0 - 4 3 - 3 3 - 1 2 - 2	ADHLADALHDHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Gary Rowett has lost nine of 37 games as Birmingham manager

EXPERT VERDICT: Birmingham have made a solid start to the Championship campaign and they have the defensive nous to nullify Derby. Blues, who beat Reading on the opening day before holding Burnley to a draw on the road, have also had a free midweek to prepare for this match which could help whereas Derby faced Middlesbrough.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist's Bonus Play for Thursday, August 20

(907) ATLANTA BRAVES VS (908) CHICAGO CUBS

Take: over the total.

Reason: Your Bonus Play Thursday, August 20, 2015 is in the MLB contest between the Braves and the Cubs from Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Braves are in town struggling in the field and on the mound. This is Atlanta's fourth straight road game, off a trip at San Diego. The Braves go with 23-year old Mike Foltynewicz (4-4, 5.61 ERA), with teams hitting .315 off him. Foltynewicz got hit around in Saturday's loss against the Diamondbacks, allowing nine hits and six earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched. He is 0-2 on the road with a 4.78 ERA. The over is 10-2 when the Braves face a right-handed starter and 11-4-2 over the total overall. The Chicago Cubs have picked up the offense the last month, keying a strong second half run. The over is 9-3 in the Cubs last 12 home games and this shapes up as an offensive show. Play the Braves/Cubs over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ART ARONSON

1* Bonus Play OVER Giants/Pirates.

A couple of guys who have seen much better days square off on Thursday night and suffice it to say, when the smoke clears at the end of this one, we're expecting the total to eclipse the posted number. The visitors hand the ball to Jake Peavy (3-5, 4.18 ERA), who earned a victory despite throwing poorly in his last start, giving up five runs off nine hits over 5 2/3's innings vs. the Nationals on Saturday. Peavy had looked pretty decent for a while, but the sub-par effort was his worst of the season and unfortunately for the veteran, a date on the road is not what the doctor ordered to get untracked as he's just 1-3 with a ballooned 4.23 ERA away from friendly confines thus far. The home side counters with Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.36 ERA) who comes in after giving up two runs off four hits over 6 1/3's innings in a no-decision vs. the Mets on Saturday. Note that Morton has struggled with consistency from game to game and owns a pedestrian 4.10 ERA in all "night" contests this year. With these two sometimes volatile starters squaring off, there's no question that the OVER does indeed become a legitimate investment opportunity in this matchup.

AAA Sports

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MARC LAWRENCE

Play - Rangers w/Perez-Tigers w/Simon OVER.

Edges - Rangers: Martin Perez 6.26 away ERA more than two runs higher than his 4.24 home ERA this season. Tigers: Alfredo Simon 8.18 ERA last ten overall starts. With 6 of the last 7 games in this series having played to 9 or more total runs, and each of the last 4 games between these two teams here in this park averaging 12.5 runs per contest, we recommend a 1* play on the OVER in this game. Thank you and good luck as always.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

National League
Giants @ Pirates
Peavy is 1-1, 3.18 in his last four starts; four of his last six went over.

Morton is 1-1, 4.70 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Pittsburgh won seven of last nine games with the Giants; over is 3-0-2 in last five series games. Pirates won ten of last 12 games (over 8-3-2). SF won five of its last seven games; under is 7-2-1 in its last ten.

Diamondbacks @ Reds
Corbin is 2-0, 3.15 in his last four starts (over 3-1).

Lamb allowed five runs in six IP (99 PT) in his first MLB start.

Arizona won three of last four games with Cincinnati; seven of last eight tilts in series stayed under the total. D'backs lost five of last seven games; three of last four stayed under. Reds lost eight of last ten games; their last three all stayed under the total.

Phillies @ Marlins
Williams is 1-1, 2.00 in his last three starts.

Hand is 1-1, 3.71 in his last three starts (under 2-1).

Philly won three of last four games with Miami (over 3-1); Phils lost six of last eight games (over 6-3 in last nine). Marlins scored 28 runs in winning three of last four games; over is 6-1-1 in their last eight.

Braves @ Cubs
Foltynewicz is 1-2, 6.45 in his last four starts (over 3-0 in last three).

Arrieta is 3-0, 1.65 in his last four starts; under is 5-1-1 in his last seven.

Atlanta won seven of last ten games with the Cubs, with last three staying under- they scored one run total in last two. Braves lost seven of last nine games overall (over 3-2 in last five). Cubs lost last three games, allowing 25 runs in last two-- five of their last six games went over.

Nationals @ Rockies
Scherzer is 0-1, 7.80 in his last three starts (over 4-1 in last five).

Flande is 0-0, 5.91 in his last two starts; his last three went over.

Washington is 8-3 in last 11 games with Colorado; over is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Nationals won last two nights after losing six in a row; under is 5-3 in their last eight. Rockies lost eight of last nine games; four of their last six games went over the total.

American League
Indians @ Bronx
Tomlin allowed two runs in 6.1 IP (84 PT) in his first '15 start.

Nova is 4-1, 3.68 in his last five starts; under is 6-1-1 in his last eight.

Bronx lost four of last five games with Cleveland (over 6-3 in last nine), but they won six of last seven games overall; five of their last eight stayed under the total. Indians lost four of last five games (last three all went over).

Rangers @ Tigers
Perez is 1-0, 3.10 in his last three starts (under 2-1).

Simon is 1-1, 7.27 in his last three starts (over 7-3 in last ten).

Texas lost its last three games with Detroit; six of last seven series games got over the total. Rangers won six of last seven games overall; under is 4-1-1 in their last six. Tigers won three of last four games, scoring 25 runs the last two nights- their last three games went over, with Cabrera back in lineup.

Twins @ Orioles
Duffey in 1-1, 6.75 in his first two starts (over 1-1).

Gonzalez is 0-2, 6.64 in his last ten starts; over is 7-3 in his last ten.

Minnesota won its last four games with Baltimore; over is 3-1-1 in last five in series. Twins lost five of last seven games; four of last six stayed under. Orioles won five of last six games; three of their last four went over the total.

Royals @ Red Sox
Duffy is 2-0, 2.76 in his last three starts; eight of his last nine stayed under.

Miley is 1-1, 4.70 in his last six starts; four of his last five went over.

Royals lost eight of last ten games with Boston; last five series games went over the total. KC won its last five games, allowing 12 runs (under 4-1). Red Sox won four of last six games; their last ten games all went over.

Rays @ Astros
Archer is 1-2, 5.33 in his last four starts; his last three went over.

McHugh is 1-1, 1.80 in his last three starts; eight of his last nine stayed under.

Tampa Bay lost five of last six games; under is 3-1 in last four games. Astros won five of last seven games; eight of their last 11 stayed under total. Rays won eight of their last 11 games with Houston (under 8-2-1) but lost last two.

White Sox @ Angels
Quintana is 0-1, 4.34 in his last three starts; five of his last six went over.

Tropeano is making first start since July 24; he is 1-1, 3.00 in his two starts this season (under 2-0).

White Sox lost last three games with Angels, scoring four runs; home side won 12 of last 13 series games. Chicago lost five of last six games; over is 1-3 in its last four games. Angels won last three games; six of their last nine went under the total.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
SF-Pitt-- Peavy 5-5; Morton 11-4
Az-Cin-- Corbin 4-4; Lamb 0-1
Phil-Mia-- Williams 7-12; Hand 2-4
Atl-Chi-- Foltynewicz 6-7; Arrieta 16-8 (8-1 last 9)
Wsh-Colo-- Scherzer 13-11; Flande 2-2

Clev-NY-- Tomlin 0-1; Nova 5-4
Tex-Det-- Perez 4-2; Simon 13-9
Min-Balt-- Duffey 1-1; Gonzalez 12-10
KC-Bos-- Duffy 12-6 (7-1 last 8); Miley 11-13 (1-6 last 7)
TB-Hst-- Archer 14-11; McHugh 15-9
Chi-LA-- Quintana 9-15; Tropeano 1-1

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
SF-Pitt-- Peavy 1-10; Morton 8-15
Az-Cin-- Corbin 1-8; Lamb 1-1
Phil-Mia-- Williams 6-19; Hand 3-3
Atl-Chi-- Foltynewicz Arrieta 4-24
Wsh-Colo-- Scherzer 5-24; Flande 2-4

Clev-NY-- Tomlin 0-1; Nova 1-9
Tex-Det-- Perez 0-6; Simon 3-22
Min-Balt-- Duffey 1-2; Gonzalez 6-22
KC-Bos-- Duffy 4-18; Miley 7-24
TB-Hst-- Archer 6-25; McHugh 8-24
Chi-LA-- Quintana 13-24; Tropeano 0-2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tiger to play Wyndham Championship
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Tiger Woods, who has missed three consecutive cuts in major championships, will play in the Wyndham Championship this week for the first time in his career.

Woods is headed to Greensboro, N.C., in an attempt to make the season-ending FedExCup playoffs. The tournament begins Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in the final regular-season event of the PGA Tour season.

Woods weighed the decision after missing the cut at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., to fall to No. 286 in the World Golf Rankings.

Woods informed tournament officials Monday that he would be there, according to his agent, Mark Steinberg.

"We discussed it in detail over the weekend. It was not appropriate to confirm during the PGA Championship," Steinberg told ESPN.com in an email. "Tiger has heard great things about the event and is looking forward to the week."

Wyndham tournament director Mark Brazil tweeted the news Monday morning: "Bam! Tiger is coming!"

Woods, who has finished just five of the 10 tournaments he played this year, is 187th in the FedEx Cup standings -- 292 points behind No. 125 Charl Schwartzel. Only the top 125 advance to the first FedEx Cup playoff event, the Barclays, the week of Aug. 24.

Woods would need to at least finish alone in second place to have any shot of making it into the playoff.

"I think it's more just building," Woods said Saturday after missing the cut at the PGA Championship. "People keep asking me this week, 'Is it your season?' No, it's not really about the season, it's about the year.

"I know that we have a different -- I haven't quite come to grips with the whole non-calendar season yet, this whole wraparound thing, so for me I still consider it a year. And I still have plenty of golf to be played for the rest of the year. And as I said, on a global level."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tour heads to Greensboro

Tournament: Wyndam Championship
Date: Aug. 20 - Aug. 23
Venue: Sedgefield Country Club
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina

The final stop of the PGA TOUR’s regular season is in Greensboro, North Carolina this week as the players tee it up at Sedgefield Country Club on Thursday afternoon. This tournament was first established in 1938 and has taken place at this venue for each of the previous seven seasons, as the players who are not currently in the top-125 of the FedEx Cup standings get a final attempt to make it into the playoffs.

The par-70, 7,130-yard course has given way to plenty of scoring since moving to Sedgefield as the venue has yielded a winning score of 14-under or better each season; including a tournament record aggregate score of 259 by Carl Pettersson in 2008. Plenty of non-American golfers have been able to take down the trophy here in the last seven years, with four of the winners being from outside of the United States. One of them won here last season as Camilo Villegas ended a four-year winning drought with a come-from-behind win; outlasting Bill Haas and Freddie Jacobson with a 63 on both Thursday and Sunday.

In the 2014 installment of the event, only one player (Sang-Moon Bae) moved into the top-125 with his performance here and plenty of men will be looking to do that once again this week. Scott Langley (126), S.J. Park (128), the aforementioned Villegas (129) and Ryo Ishikawa (130) stand the best chance of punching their ticket to the Barclays this week as they currently sit on the bubble.

On the other hand, there will be some big names attempting, but likely missing, to get to the playoffs as K.J. Choi (147), Martin Kaymer (149), Graeme McDowell (156), Ernie Els (170) and Tiger Woods (187) are long shots. The field will feature just one top-15 player from the Official World Golf Rankings in No. 12 Adam Scott and will have another eight from the top-30; including No. 16 Hideki Matsuyama, No. 17 Brooks Koepka, South African No. 20 Branden Grace and a couple of Europeans in No. 21 Martin Kaymer and No. 27 Paul Casey.

Many of these players are running hot after a solid showing at the PGA Championship last week where Grace and Koepka finished in the top-five and Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker and Billy Horschel grabbed top-25s.

With the playoffs just around the corner, let’s take a look at a few players who could do well this week.

Golfers to Bet

Brooks Koepka (14/1): Koepka has been steadily climbing up the OWGR rankings this year with tournament after tournament of strong results. He’s missed a mere one cut in 18 outings and has been near the top plenty with 12 top-25s, seven top-10s, a third and a victory in that time. Koepka has done no worse than 18th in his last six events and showed that he can ball with the best in the game at the PGA Championship where he tied for fifth and finished in the top-18 in his third consecutive major. He improved each day at Whistling Straits, finishing with a 66 on Sunday after putting 1.341 strokes better than the field. This Florida State University grad is dominant in nearly all facets of his game, ranking in the top-10 in driving distance (309 yards per, 7th on TOUR), strokes gained putting (0.695, 3rd on TOUR) and holes per eagle (68.8, 2nd on TOUR) which has led to an impressive scoring average of 69.572 (3rd on TOUR). Koepka is still behind the top players in the United States golf scene, but his name may be just as big as theirs very soon.

Webb Simpson (26/1): Simpson dropped out of the top-50 in the OWGR this past week after doing no better than 25th at any of his last four events. Despite his recent poor streak, he has made 15-of-18 (83%) cuts on the year and has four top-10s; including a runner-up finish at the Wells Fargo Championship. He is a frequent visitor to this venue and has been great in his last five attempts, putting up four top-11 performances and doing no worse than 22nd. In 2014, he tied for fifth when here after shooting three rounds of 67 or better and also took home the trophy in 2011; defeating runner-up George McNeill by three strokes with a score of 18-under-par. Simpson’s putting has been holding him back as he ranks 169th on TOUR in strokes gained putting while making up for it with 1.313 strokes gained from tee-to-green (7th on TOUR). This 30-year-old won’t stay away from the top of the leaderboard too long and should play well at a course where he is very comfortable.

Nick Watney (70/1): Watney has not had the best of seasons in 2015, making 15-of-24 cuts (62.5%), but has nearly made it into the top-50 of the FedEx Cup standings thanks to seven top-25s, three top-10s and a runner up finish. His second-place came at the AT&T National back in February as he narrowly missed grabbing his sixth career PGA TOUR victory. Watney is coming in on the heels of a solid showing at the PGA Championship last week, where after opening with a poor Thursday 78, shot 10-under-par in the next three days and ended with a score of four-under behind hitting 73.61% of greens in regulation. He hits the ball far enough (293.3 yards per, 67th on TOUR) and has managed to rank 51st in strokes gained from tee to green, so he has the ability to score on this course and should add to his top 25s by week’s end.

Boo Weekley (90/1): Weekley may not be one of the sexier names to pick, but for these odds he is actually a strong candidate to put up big numbers. Over the past three years he has made it to the weekend in 54-of-72 attempts (75%) and already has six top-10s, including a second and a third, in the 2015 campaign. This three-time PGA TOUR winner has made the cut in each of his last seven outings, ranking in the top-16 three times during that stretch, and showed he can still be competitive amongst the best last week when he tied for 37th at the PGA Championship behind a Saturday 65. Weekley may not have done too well in previous years at this course, but with his recent strong play and a top-50 ranking in both strokes gained from tee-to-green (39th) and ball striking (46th), getting to the weekend and being competitive is certainly possible.

Tim Clark (170/1): Clark has missed four of his past five cuts, but will be heading to the Barclays next week nonetheless thanks to his runner-up performance at the WGC-HSBC Champions event earlier in the season. He will look to get back on track at a course where he has plenty of success over the past few years, getting into the top-26 in both 2013 and 2014 and coming up just short with a second in 2013. That year he shot 16-under for the tournament and was an incredible six-under-par on the short holes, but could not keep up with Sergio Garcia who defeated him by two strokes. The 39-year-old South African has two victories and 13 career runner-ups, so he knows how to compete on the TOUR, and while his length off the tee (276.7 yards per) may hurt his chance at a victory, he is likely to have a nice showing and end his recent struggles.

Odds to win Wyndham Championship

Brooks Koepka 14/1
Brandt Snedeker 15/1
Hideki Matsuyama 15/1
Branden Grace 19/1
Adam Scott 21/1
Bill Haas 24/1
Billy Horschel 24/1
Justin Thomas 24/1
Martin Kaymer 24/1
Paul Casey 26/1
Webb Simpson 26/1
Ryan Moore 30/1
Charl Schwartzel 35/1
Will Wilcox 35/1
Tiger Woods 45/1
Luke Donald 50/1
Carl Pettersson 55/1
Harris English 60/1
Cameron Smith 65/1
Jason Dufner 65/1
Brendon Todd 70/1
Nick Watney 70/1
Patrick Rodgers 70/1
Austin Cook 75/1
Russell Knox 75/1
Brian Harman 80/1
George Coetzee 80/1
Boo Weekley 90/1
Chad Campbell 90/1
Ollie Schniederjans 90/1
Ben Martin 100/1
Camilo Villegas 100/1
Charles Howell III 100/1
David Toms 100/1
Jonas Blixt 100/1
Daniel Summerhays 110/1
Colt Knost 120/1
Byeong Hun An 130/1
George McNeill 130/1
Jason Kokrak 130/1
Johnson Wagner 130/1
Ryo Ishikawa 130/1
Vaughn Taylor 130/1
Brendon de Jonge 140/1
Jerry Kelly 140/1
Daniel Berger 150/1
Scott Langley 150/1
Scott Pinckney 150/1
Sean OHair 160/1
Bryce Molder 170/1
Ricky Barnes 170/1
Stewart Cink 170/1
Tim Clark 170/1
Scott Brown 180/1
Chris Stroud 190/1
John Peterson 190/1
Jonathan Byrd 190/1
Martin Laird 190/1
Morgan Hoffmann 190/1
Tom Hoge 190/1
Brian Stuard 200/1
Ernie Els 200/1
Hudson Swafford 200/1
Whee Kim 200/1
William McGirt 200/1
Billy Hurley III 210/1
Steve Wheatcroft 210/1
Andres Gonzales 220/1
Brian Davis 220/1
Chesson Hadley 220/1
Jhonattan Vegas 220/1
K.J. Choi 220/1
Mark Wilson 220/1
Carlos Ortiz 230/1
J.J. Henry 230/1
Adam Hadwin 240/1
Jim Herman 240/1
Matt Every 240/1
Chez Reavie 250/1
John Huh 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Martin Flores 250/1
Robert Garrigus 250/1
Roberto Castro 250/1
Gonzalo Fdez Castano 300/1
Jason Gore 300/1
Kyle Reifers 300/1
Luke Guthrie 300/1
Alex Prugh 350/1
Bo Van Pelt 350/1
Chad Collins 350/1
Ken Duke 350/1
Lucas Glover 350/1
Michael Putnam 350/1
Michael Thompson 350/1
Zac Blair 350/1
Ben Crane 400/1
Derek Ernst 400/1
Derek Fathauer 400/1
Erik Compton 400/1
Jeff Overton 400/1
John Merrick 400/1
Justin Leonard 400/1
Kyle Stanley 400/1
Spencer Levin 400/1
Steven Alker 400/1
Tom Gillis 400/1
Vijay Singh 400/1
Aaron Baddeley 450/1
Alex Cejka 450/1
Blayne Barber 450/1
Cameron Percy 450/1
Charlie Beljan 450/1
Heath Slocum 450/1
Andrew Loupe 500/1
Andrew Putnam 500/1
Andrew Svoboda 500/1
Arjun Atwal 500/1
Ben Curtis 500/1
Bill Lunde 500/1
Brice Garnett 500/1
Byron Smith 500/1
Carlos Sainz Jr. 500/1
D.A. Points 500/1
Davis Love III 500/1
Dudley Hart 500/1
Eric Axley 500/1
Greg Chalmers 500/1
Jerry Haas 500/1
Jim Renner 500/1
Joe Affrunti 500/1
Jonathan Randolph 500/1
Josh Teater 500/1
Mark Hubbard 500/1
Max Homa 500/1
Neal Lancaster 500/1
Nicholas Thompson 500/1
Nick Taylor 500/1
Oscar Fraustro 500/1
Robert Allenby 500/1
Roger Sloan 500/1
Ryan Armour 500/1
S.J. Park 500/1
Sam Saunders 500/1
Scott Gardiner 500/1
Scott Verplank 500/1
Steve Flesch 500/1
Tim Wilkinson 500/1
Trevor Immelman 500/1
Troy Kelly 500/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 500/1
Zack Sucher 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preseason Week 2 Essentials
By Tony Mejia

Week 1 of the preseason went in the books with a Tim Tebow touchdown run as the final score. That’s fitting since the exhibition season often feels like Fantasyland. There’s always something teasing the imagination that can lead you to some wild proclamations.

For instance, the Vikings are 2-0 and clearly a lock for the Super Bowl since Adrian Peterson sat both games out and star safety Harrison Smith barely played. Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel is about to set the league on fire.

A lot of people out there got more ammo for their argument, disproven to this point, that Kirk Cousins would be a better quarterback for Washington than Robert Griffin III. The Patriots are going to be 0-1 with Jimmy Garoppolo if Tom Brady fails to pull off a full pardon on his suspension via appeal.

It’s a Small World here. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride over there.

The latter could definitely be utilized as an accurate description of Jameis Winston’s and Marcus Mariota’s debuts, or my fun run going 17-2-1 against the spread.

The preseason isn’t necessarily as random as the natural inclination to disparage it as meaningless forces you to believe. In some ways, it’s more easily predictable than the regular season despite far more participants and varying degrees of skill. Minnesota still has a ways to go before making reservations for Santa Clara and RG III still gives Washington its best chance to win, but not all we saw was a mirage.

Kansas City’s Daniel, if nothing else, has likely lit a fire under Alex Smith. Andy Reid isn’t going to ride out a lengthy slump. What we saw out of Winston and Mariota was likely a microcosm of what we should expect. There was some brilliance surrounded by plenty of miscues. Jimmy G. didn’t look so hot. Tebow is fourth on the Eagles pecking order of quarterbacks and showed why in between an impressive opening drive and his final glorious plunge into the end zone, struggling with reads and pressure.

There’s going to be considerably more material to scrutinize in Week 2, especially with more talent taking the field for longer periods. Here’s how the schedule unfolds:

Thursday, Aug. 20

Detroit at Washington: The Griffin-Cousins debate surges on in D.C. Since the next home game will be in the final week of the preseason, this will be the lone opportunity for the fans at FedEx Field to put in their two cents and have it register. RG III was 4-of-8 in the opener and needs to play well against a Lions team that should again compete for a playoff spot if healthy.

Buffalo at Cleveland: This nationally televised showcase pits Rex Ryan against his former defensive coordinator and confidant Mike Pettine for the first time as head coaches. With QB competitions going on in both cities, it will be interesting to see who stands out. Tyrod Taylor and Johnny Manziel are running second, but hoping to stand out by making plays with their legs that projected starters Matt Cassel and Josh McCown can’t.

Friday, Aug. 21

Atlanta at N.Y. Jets: The NYJ QB gig is Ryan Fitzpatrick’s now, so don’t expect them to risk losing him given the lack of experience behind him. You may ultimately see him draped in heavy duty plastic couch covers before the preseason is through. Rookie Bryce Petty threw for just 50 yards on 18 pass attempts against Detroit and will take the bulk of the snaps here too. The early battles between Falcons receivers and Jets corners might be the only reason to watch.

Seattle at Kansas City: There are a ton of intriguing story lines in this one, but none better than former K-State star Tyler Lockett taking his show to Arrowhead after an electric home debut where he racked up over 200 yards in returns. We’ll also see if Daniel can exploit a depleted Seahawks secondary after going 17-for-21 with three touchdown passes at Arizona.

Saturday, Aug. 22

Miami at Carolina: The Panthers are looking for their offensive line to gel throughout this month, so getting subjected to Ndamakong Suh this early is likely a blessing. Cam Newton led a scoring drive but struggled with his accuracy, while Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was clutch in leading a scoring drive in his lone series against Chicago. Both will get more work here.

Baltimore at Philadelphia: Two of the three teams to score 30 or more in their preseason opener square off here. All eyes will be on Sam Bradford, expected to make his debut after missing all of last season after re-tearing his ACL last August. Considering how shaky Mark Sanchez looked, the Eagle faithful on hand will be crossing their fingers that he’ll look healthy and ease their concerns.

Chicago at Indianapolis: The Bears won their preseason opener 27-10 on the strength of their backups and third-stringers because the Jay Cutler-led offense and rebuilt defense were actually disappointing. Their first units will see more action against the Colts, who are likely to dust off Andrew Luck for more than the few snaps he took on Sunday.

New England at New Orleans: Since Tom Brady unexpectedly played last week, you know he’ll be a part of the equation here. Still, getting Garropolo more comfortable should be the main concern in this second preseason test. Drew Brees makes his debut as he moves on from departed favorite target Jimmy Graham.

Jacksonville at N.Y. Giants: The Eli Manning-led first unit managed one first down and 38 yards in four series against the Bengals, so boos may be heard insanely early if the listless play continues against the Jaguars. TE Julius Thomas broke his right hand on Friday, so Jacksonville’s newest weapon will miss the rest of the preseason.

Denver at Houston: Veteran Peyton Manning will need to avoid a meeting with J.J. Watt for a drive or two, debuting after sitting out last week’s win in Seattle. The Texans will have Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer continue their QB battle after both had solid showings against the 49ers on Saturday night.

Oakland at Minnesota: No, Peterson won’t play, but a defense that continues to look terrific can take another step forward as head coach Mike Zimmer looks to improve his preseason record to 7-0. The Raiders gave up three points themselves in stifling St. Louis 18-3 last Friday, so facing a quality opponent on the road could be a real confidence builder for an improving young team.

San Diego at Arizona: The Cardinals welcomed back Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, showed them love and made sure they stayed upright in brief cameos. Expect more of the same against the Chargers, who didn’t even crack 75 passing yards against Dallas last week.

Sunday, Aug. 23

Green Bay at Pittsburgh: How much of two of the NFL’s most prolific offenses will we get to see here? If this were a regular-season affair, the total would be set over 50. Rodgers actually threw the ball 19 times against New England, so we might get a fun opening half if both coaches are feeling frisky and willing to trust their offensive lines to keep their franchise quarterbacks upright.

Dallas at San Francisco: Cowboys running back Gus Johnson separated his shoulder to bow out in the race to replace DeMarco Murray, but banged-up top candidates Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar may all suit up and get some action at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers got 120 total yards out of Aussie rugby player Jarryd Hayne in the preseason opener, so he won’t be sneaking up on the Cowboys.

St. Louis at Tennessee: The Rams got nothing going with their backups in Oakland, failing to score after starter Nick Foles left the game. Foles should get a longer look here, as will Mariota, who threw his first interception in his opening quarter against live action after going through camp unblemished.

Monday, Aug. 24

Cincinnati at Tampa Bay: The season’s unoffical first Monday night game has some appeal. Winston attempts to bounces back from a rocky debut to the Andy Dalton-led offense looking to go 2-for-2 on dominating opening drives. A.J. Green caught a pass, Jeremy Hill broke off a few strong runs and an offense that has the personnel to be imposing looked mighty impressive against the Giants.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's Preseason Tips
By Kevin Rogers

Week 2 of the preseason gives us an opportunity to digest all the happenings from the opening week which saw plenty of stars play for a limited time. In Week 1, home teams posted an impressive 11-5 straight-up and against the spread mark, as the Packers, Panthers, and Broncos were the only three underdogs to cash (and win outright). The ‘over’ went 8-7-1 last week, while eight teams scored 11 points or fewer.

Lions at Redskins (-2 ½, 40) – 7:30 PM EST

Detroit
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (6-11 SU, 8-9 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, Kellen Moore, Garrett Gilbert

The Lions dominated the woeful Jets in their preseason opener, 23-3 as four-point home favorites. Detroit racked up over 400 yards of offense, including 193 yards on the ground, highlighted by Nebraska rookie Ameer Abdullah’s 67 yards. Detroit accumulated 26 first downs, compared to six from New York, as the Lions improved to 4-1 in their last five preseason openers.

Since 2011, the Lions have turned into one of the best underdogs in preseason action, covering six of the last seven when receiving points in the exhibition season, including a 3-0 ATS mark in 2014. In five preseason games since Caldwell took over, Detroit has cashed the ‘under’ four times.

Washington
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy, Kirk Cousins

The Redskins rallied from a 14-3 deficit to beat the Browns, 20-17 last Thursday in a pick-em spot. In spite of the close score, Washington outgained Cleveland by 198 yards, as the Redskins turned the ball over twice in the win. Kirk Cousins put together a solid outing for the ‘Skins by completing 12 of 14 passes for 154 yards, while leading Washington to the go-ahead score in the third quarter.

Washington may not have performed well in the 2014 regular season by going 4-12, but the Redskins won three of four preseason games last August. The ‘under’ improved to 4-1 in Gruden’s preseason tenure, while the Redskins enter Thursday’s action riding an eight-game home exhibition winning streak since 2011.

Bills at Browns (-3, 40) – 8:00 PM EST

Buffalo
Head Coach: Rex Ryan (11-14 SU, 11-14 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel, E.J. Manuel, Matt Simms

The Bills are definitely not sold on a quarterback as they creep closer to their regular season opener against the Colts. Buffalo dropped its preseason opener to Carolina, 25-24 as three-point favorites, in spite of racking 368 yards of offense. The Bills held the ball for over 37 minutes, as E.J. Manuel tossed a 51-yard touchdown pass in third quarter. However, Manuel isn’t the front-runner for Buffalo’s starting quarterback.

Former Raven Tyrod Taylor gets the start at Cleveland, coming off a 5 for 8 effort against Carolina for 49 yards. Taylor will give way to Matt Cassel, who threw just one incompletion in eight attempts last week, then Manuel will likely see time in the second half after all the starters are out. LeSean McCoy is sidelined this week after suffering a hamstring injury, but another ex-Eagle stepped up against the Panthers as Bryce Brown rushed for 52 yards and one touchdown on six carries.

The Bills have dropped three of their past four preseason games away from Orchard Park, while Buffalo is 1-7 ATS in its last eight preseason contests overall.

Cleveland
Head Coach: Mike Pettine (1-4, SU, 2-3 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Thaddeus Lewis

The Browns didn’t accomplish much offensively in their 20-17 setback to the Redskins last Thursday, accumulating 170 yards. The lone highlight came from Johnny Manziel, who scampered for a 12-yard touchdown run several plays following a Washington fumble on a punt return. Manziel didn’t put up bad numbers, completing 7 of 11 passes for 42 yards, but the Heisman Trophy winner will once again play second-fiddle to Josh McCown, who makes his second straight start.

Cleveland hasn’t performed well in the preseason under Pettine, losing four of five games. Three of the four defeats have come by three points or less, while owning a 1-3 ATS record as a favorite. Can the Browns bust out of the gate against the Bills like they did against the Redskins? Cleveland scored 14 points in the first half last Thursday, a stark contrast from last preseason when the Browns failed to put up more than seven points in the opening half in three of four exhibition games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's NFL Week 2 preseason betting primer

Players get their second chance of the NFL preseason to prove their worth and battle for roster spots when four teams take to the field Thursday. Here are the news and notes you need-to-know about Thursday's preseason action.

Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins (-2.5, 40)

*Despite finishing with 9.6 yards per rush in Week 1, Lions' RB Ameer Abdullah says he was "a little rusty." The rookie has also been moved to second on the Lions depth chart in the backfield.

*RGIII may have been banned from talking to the media after saying he was the "best quarterback in the league," but he kept talking to the media Tuesday. "It's more about going out and affirming that for me, I go out and I play, I know I'm the best quarterback on this team. I feel like I'm the best quarterback in the league and I have to go out and show that."

Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns (-3, 40)

*LeSean McCoy is unlikely to see the field before the regular season after suffering a hamstring injury in practice. Add that to injuries to Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown and Boobie Dixon and the Bills will need to rely on rookies Bronson Hill and Ricky Seale in the backfield.

*There must be something in the water at the Browns camp because the secondary keeps sustaining injuries. Justin Gilbert injured his hamstring Tuesday and joined Joe Haden, Tashaun Gipson, Pierre Desir, K'Waun Williams, De'Ante Saunders and Robert Nelson Jr. as defensive backs suffering from injuries on the Browns.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 8
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites went 3-1 SU in Week 8
-- Favorites went 3-1 ATS in Week 8
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 SU record in Week 8
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 ATS record in Week 8
-- The 'Over/under' went 2-2 in Week 8

Team Betting Notes

-- Calgary (5-2) came off of their bye week and looked rejuvenated as they smashed Ottawa (4-3) by a 48-3 count. The Stampeders entered the game 0-6 ATS, but covered by a mile. They actually took care of the 'over' on their own, just their second over in seven tries this season.

-- The RedBlacks will be on the road again in Toronto (5-2), and they're not nearly as effective on the road as they are at home. Ottawa is 1-2 SU/ATS as the away team, and 3-1 SU/ATS at home. One thing that has been consistent for the RedBlacks has been the 'over', cashing for the fourth time in five games.

-- Winnipeg (3-5) was dropped at home by a 27-20 count against Toronto. The Blue Bombers have had the 'under' hit in six straight games, mostly due to their ineptitude on offense. They have average just 13.5 points per game over their past four outings.

-- Montreal (2-5) lost for the third straight games, and they failed to cover for the second consecutive outing. After starting out 3-1-1 ATS, the Alouettes have failed to cover in each of the past two. The 'under' is the play when involving Montreal, as the 'under is 6-1 overall.

-- Hamilton (5-2) slaughtered the BC Lions (3-4), winning their fourth straight game. Even more impressive, they have covered four in a row, and six of their seven games overall. The offensive outburst stopped a four-game 'under' streak, too.

-- Edmonton (5-2) will host Hamilton Friday in an early-season clash of titans. The Eskimos have covered five of the past six games, and the 'under' has also hit in five of the past six.

-- Saskatchewan (0-7) returns Saturday to host Calgary. They have dropped all seven of their games, but five of their losses have been by a combined 16 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 9
By David Schwab

Week 8 Betting Recap

Week 8 of the 2015 CFL regular season wrapped things up this past Saturday and in a reversal from the previous betting trends, the favorites came out on top with a 3-1 record both straight-up and against the spread. The lone exception was Edmonton’s 15-12 victory against Montreal as a two-point road underdog last Thursday.

Toronto got things started as a 5 ½-point road favorite over Winnipeg with a 27-20 victory last Friday. Hamilton pummeled British Columbia 52-22 as an 8 ½-point favorite at home and Calgary made short work of Ottawa in a 48-3 romp as 10-point home favorites.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Montreal Alouettes (2-5 SU, 3-3-1 ATS) vs. British Columbia Lions (3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS)
Point-spread: BC-3
Total: 49 ½

Game Overview

Montreal continues its downward spiral after a posting a 2-2 SU (2-1-1 ATS) start. Last week against Edmonton, the offense sputtered behind quarterback Rakeem Cato with just 178 yards passing. The ground game was also stopped in its tracks with a total of just 63 rushing yards. The Alouettes are now ranked seventh in the CFL in scoring with an average of 20.3 points a game.

The Lions are another team headed in the wrong direction following a 2-1 start (SU and ATS). They have now lost three of their last four games both ways while giving-up an average of 32 points a game. BC fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter of last week’s loss to Hamilton and never recovered. John Beck took over at quarterback for an ineffective Travis Lulay.

Betting Trends

The Alouettes are just 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road games against BC and the total has stayed UNDER in three of the last four meetings. This will be the first meeting this season.

Friday, Aug. 21

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-2 SU, 6-1 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -2 ½
Total: 50

Game Overview

Hamilton is tied with Toronto for the early lead in the East Division behind an offense that is putting-up an average of 34.7 points a game, which is tops in the CFL. Leading the way has been quarterback Zach Collaros with a league-high 2,014 yards passing. He has tossed 14 touchdowns against six interceptions and his overall completion rate is an impressive 71.3 percent on 223 attempts.

Edmonton has forged to the top of the West Division along with Calgary behind the stingiest defense in the CFL. Through its first seven games, this unit has allowed a total of 101 points for an average of just 14.4 PPG. Matt Nichols continues to fill in for an injured Mike Reilly at quarterback, but James Franklin replaced him in the third quarter of last week’s win. Nichols is not listed on the injury report, but slotback Adarius Bowman is listed as questionable for Friday night.

Betting Trends

Edmonton has a slight 5-3 edge both SU and ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in three of the last four games. The Eskimos are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a SU winning record.

Saturday, Aug. 22

Calgary Stampeders (5-2 SU, 1-6 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-7 SU, 1-6 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -7 ½
Total: 51 ½

Game Overview

The Stampeders come into this heated West Division rivalry with a head of steam after winning four of their last five games SU, but last week’s romp over Ottawa was the first time they covered the spread this year. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell continued to light thing up with 243 yards passing and two touchdown throws in that game. He now has 1,865 passing yards on the year and nine touchdown throws.

Saskatchewan is coming off a bye week after a dismal 0-7 SU start. It covered ATS for the first time this season in Week 7’s tight 30-26 loss to Toronto as a nine-point road underdog. The total went OVER (49 points) for the first time in its last four games. Both Darian Durant and Kevin Glenn are on the shelf with serious injuries, so look for Brett Smith or possibly Tino Sunseri to get the start on Saturday for the Roughriders at quarterback.

Betting Trends

Calgary has won four of the last five meetings SU and it is 3-1-1 ATS. The total has gone OVER in three of the five games. This will be the first meeting between the two this year.

Sunday, Aug. 23

Ottawa RedBlacks (4-3 SU, 4-3 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Toronto -9
Total: 50 ½

Game Overview

Ottawa will look to get back on track after last week’s pasting at the hands of Calgary. It has been one of the biggest surprises in the CFL this season with four victories it its first six games both SU and ATS. The RedBlacks are going to have to find a way to pick-up the pace on offense with a league-low 19.1 PPG. Last week Quarterback Henry Burris was replaced by Thomas DeMarco, but turnovers plagued this team all night long no matter who was under center.

The Argonauts have feasted on the bottom feeders in the CFL this season, but they are 1-2 SU (2-1 ATS) against teams with a SU winning record. Trevor Harris only threw for 168 yards in last Friday’s win over Winnipeg, but he tossed two touchdowns while completing 18 of his 24 total attempts. He is now ranked second in the CFL in total passing yards with 1,987 and his 16 touchdown throws are the most in the league.

Betting Trends

This will be the first meeting this season after these two East Division foes split last season’s series 1-1 both SU and ATS with the home team winning each time. The total stayed UNDER in both contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ti-Cats pegged as road dogs in Edmonton
Andrew Avery

The biggest matchup on the CFL docket sees the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visiting the Edmonton Eskimos Friday night and the Westgate LV Superbook has tabbed the visitors as 2.5-point underdogs for the affair.

The Ti-Cats are tops in the Eastern Division with a 5-2 record (6-1 against the spread) while the Eskimos are in second place in the Western Division with a 5-2 record (5-2 ATS).

The Superbook opened the total at 50.

Here is a look at the rest of the matchups and the odds courtesy the Westgate LV Superbook:

Montreal Alouettes at B.C. Lions (-3, 48.5)

Calgary Stampeders at Saskatchewan Roughriders (+6, 51.5)

Ottawa RedBlacks at Toronto Argonauts (-9, 50.5)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the day: Alouettes at Lions

Montreal Alouettes at BC Lions (-3, 48.5)

The BC Lions look to get back on track when they host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday. The Lions have dropped three of their last four games following an embarrassing 52-22 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as they allowed the most points in a single game since a 55-9 setback to the Calgary Stampeders in 1998.

BC quarterback Travis Lulay threw two more interceptions to give him seven in his last three games, and the Lions hope he can regain his confidence as they strive to beat the Alouettes in Vancouver for the fifth straight time. Montreal looks to get back into the win column after dropping a 15-12 decision to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 8. It was a familiar story for the Alouettes, who held a late lead in the fourth quarter before falling on a last-second field goal to lose their third consecutive game by three points. Montreal's five defeats this season have come by a combined 15 points, and it looks to turn its fortunes around by replicating a 50-17 victory over the Lions in the East Division semifinals last year.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

LINE HISTORY: The opening lines have yet to move since hitting the board at BC -3, 48.5.

INJURY REPORT: Alouettes - N/A Lions - G Cody Husbad (Ques-Undisclosed), DL Ese Mrabure-Ajufo (Ques-Undisclosed)

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2-5 SU, 4-3 ATS, 1-6 O/U): Rakeem Cato was limited to 14-of-22 passing with an interception, and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since a Week 3 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Montreal defensive end Michael Sam, who is the CFL's first openly gay player, announced his decision to take a break from football because of personal reasons. "The last 12 months have been very difficult for me to the point where I became concerned with my own mental health," Sam said on Twitter. "Because of this I am going to step away from the game at this time."

ABOUT THE LIONS (3-4 SU, 2-4-1 ATS, 4-3 O/U): Lulay went 13-of-20 for 139 yards and two interceptions in the loss to the Tiger-Cats and has failed to top 200 yards passing in each of his last two games while Andrew Harris, who leads the CFL in rushing, was held to 36 yards. "We didn't come to play," Harris told reporters. "It's hard to be perfect every day." BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award in 2014, suffered a torn Achilles tendon against Hamilton and was placed on the six-game injured list.

TRENDS:

*Alouettes are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 meetings in BC.
*Lions are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 9.
*Under is 5-0 in Alouettes last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
*Over is 5-0-1 in Lions last 6 home games.

CONSENSUS: 63.7 percent are backing the Lions -3 with 58 percent on the under.