Thursday 8/25/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 19:45

West Ham

v

Astra Giurgiu

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BT2		2/7	9/2	8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
ALALHWALADHW​ Most recent​	2 - 2	ADALHLHWHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Astra’s two goals at West Ham last season came against ten men

EXPERT VERDICT: West Ham have made qualifying for the Europa League a priority this season and they can do just that against Astra in the second leg of their playoff tie. The Hammers were held to a 1-1 draw in Giurgiu but the Romanians were hammered 3-0 at Copenhagen on their last European road trip.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham-West Ham double result
2


REFEREE: Manual Grafe STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 27Aug 12:30

Tottenham

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Liverpool

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SS1		11/8	12/5	2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT TOTTENHAM	RECENT FORM
HDADHLALADHW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 3 0 - 5 2 - 1	HDADHLAWALAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Premier League matches involving Liverpool averaged 2.97 goals last season

EXPERT VERDICT: Having already lost ground to Chelsea and the Manchester clubs, both these teams will be eager for three points. Jurgen Klopp's side, facing their third straight Premier League away fixture, have struggled at the back but were scintillating going forward against Arsenal. Both teams to score looks likely, but at least three goals have been scored in seven of the teams' last ten meetings.

RECOMMENDATION: Over 2.5 goals
3


REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 27Aug 15:00

Everton

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Stoke

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		8/11	13/5	17/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
ALALHWHDAWHW​ Most recent​	3 - 4 0 - 1 4 - 0 1 - 0	HDALHWADHLAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stoke have not kept a clean sheet in 12 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Everton look a better-balanced team this season and can continue their bright start by beating Stoke at Goodison. The Toffees defended well in their 2-1 victory at West Brom and looked powerful in attack while Stoke do not appear to have progressed over the summer.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton
2


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 27Aug 15:00

Chelsea

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Burnley

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		1/4	9/2	14	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CHELSEA	RECENT FORM
ALADHDHWAWHW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 3 - 0 1 - 1 2 - 1	AWHWAWHLHWAD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Burnley won just two points away at top eight teams in their last top-flight season

EXPERT VERDICT: Burnley had 19 per cent possession and scored with their only two shots on target against Liverpool, but are unlikely to get as lucky at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have left it late to win both of their opening games, but if they can take more of their chances they should win with ease.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea-Chelsea double result
2


REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 27Aug 15:00

C Palace

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Bournemouth

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		13/10	11/5	23/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT C PALACE	RECENT FORM
HWALND*HLALHW​ Most recent​	1 - 2 2 - 3 3 - 0 4 - 1	ALHDALHLALAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Crystal Palace have won two of their last ten home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Crystal Palace are the only top-flight team yet to score a league goal and it may take time for Christian Benteke to start firing. Benteke has had little playing time during pre-season and their attacking woes look set to continue. Bournemouth drew nine league games last season.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 27Aug 15:00

Leicester

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Swansea

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		8/11	13/5	17/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
ADHWADNLALHD​ Most recent​	4 - 0 2 - 0 2 - 1 2 - 1	HWAWHDAWHLAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leicester are unbeaten in their last 16 home league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester have struggled to find last season’s form, but they can get their title defence up and running with a win over Swansea. Claudio Ranieri went with a similar side that won the league against Arsenal and that made a big difference. The Foxes have won the last three meetings to nil.

RECOMMENDATION: Leicester to win 2-0
3


REFEREE: Roger East STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Odds to win 2016 FedEx Cup

The 2016 FedEx Cup begins on Aug. 25, 2016 as the top golfers in the world will go head-to-head over four tournaments with an opportunity to win over $10 million.

Americans have won seven of the first nine FedEx Cup championships since the event began in 2007.

Jordan Spieth is the defending champion and oddsmakers have him listed as a 7/1 betting choice to repeat this fall.

The favorite as of early August is Jason Day at 4/1 odds.

The four tournaments that will count toward the point totals are listed below:

Aug 25 - The Barclays

Sept. 2 - Deutsche Bank Championship

Sept. 8 - BMW Championship

Sept. 22 - Tour Championship

Listed below are all of the odds for this year’s event.

Odds to win 2016 FedEx Cup Championship (10/2/16)
Jason Day 4/1
Dustin Johnson 9/2
Henrik Stenson 7/1
Jordan Spieth 8/1
Rory McIlroy 10/1
Adam Scott 20/1
Phil Mickelson 20/1
Brandt Snedeker 25/1
Patrick Reed 25/1
Bubba Watson 30/1
Justin Rose 30/1
Rickie Fowler 30/1
Brooks Koepka 40/1
Hideki Matsuyama 40/1
Matt Kuchar 40/1
Russell Knox 40/1
Branden Grace 50/1
Jimmy Walker 50/1
Sergio Garcia 50/1
Daniel Berger 60/1
Justin Thomas 60/1
Zach Johnson 80/1
Bill Haas 100/1
Charl Schwartzel 100/1
Emiliano Grillo 100/1
JB Holmes 100/1
Jason Dufner 100/1
Jim Furyk 100/1
Kevin Kisner 100/1
Kevin Na 100/1
Louis Oosthuizen 100/1
Ryan Moore 100/1
Scott Piercy 125/1
Charley Hoffman 150/1
Marc Leishman 150/1
Paul Casey 150/1
Shane Lowry 150/1
Tony Finau 150/1
Brendan Steele 200/1
Chris Kirk 200/1
Danny Lee 200/1
David Lingmerth 200/1
Gary Woodland 200/1
Graeme McDowell 200/1
Harris English 200/1
Webb Simpson 200/1
Billy Horschel 250/1
Charles Howell III 250/1
Luke Donald 250/1
Robert Streb 250/1
Russell Henley 250/1
Ryan Palmer 250/1
Ben Martin 300/1
Keegan Bradley 300/1
Patrick Rodgers 300/1
Graham DeLaet 500/1
Cameron Smith 1000/1
Hunter Mahan 1000/1
Matt Jones 1000/1
Morgan Hoffmann 1000/1
Steven Bowditch 2000/1
Brendon Todd 5000/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golfers to Bet - The Barclays

Tournament: The Barclays
Date: Thursday, August 25th
Venue: Bethpage Black Course
Location: Old Bethpage, NY

The top golfers in the world are set to compete in The Barclays on Long Island this weekend. After a rather lousy string of tournaments, The Barclays should bring golf fans the excitement they’ve been waiting for.

This field is set to include almost all of the big name golfers, as Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose will all be teeing off on Thursday.

Vijay Singh will also be playing in this tournament, and he has actually won this event four times in his career (1993, 1995, 2006, 2008).

Two other multiple winners that will be competing are Ernie Els (1996, 1997) and Sergio Garcia (2001, 2004). The last time Bethpage Black was the course played in this tournament was in 2012 and Nick Watney edged out Brandt Snedeker by three strokes to win it that year.

Watney will not be on the course when these guys tee off on Thursday, but Snedeker will be.

With that information out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the best values to win this gigantic tournament this weekend:

Golfers to Watch

Jason Day (11/2) - Jason Day has not played since the PGA Championship in late July, but he was excellent in that tournament and that was without much preparation. Day was with his wife in the hospital in the days leading up to that one, so he went in a bit cold and still shot a 13-under to finish in second place. Now the superstar returns to The Barclays, which he has really dominated over the past few years. Day shot a 19-under to win this tournament in 2015, defeating Henrik Stenson by six strokes. He also came in second place in 2014, so clearly this is an event that he is very comfortable at. Day also happens to be having one heck of a season, as he has won three events and has finished inside the top-five six times. With favorable 11/2 odds, it’d be irresponsible not to put a few units on Day this weekend.

Henrik Stenson (19/2) -Stenson got off to a rough start this season, but he has really bounced back and is now playing as well as anybody coming into The Barclays. After withdrawing from the U.S. Open, Stenson returned a month later and won The Open Championship with a 20-under. There was no let down for him after that, as he finished tied for seventh at the PGA Championship and then finished in second at the Olympics. With the way Stenson is swinging the club right now, it’s hard to pass up on him at 19/2. He could end up paying off huge and it would shock pretty much nobody if he were to win this thing. Of all of the top golfers in the field, Stenson is the guy that is most likely to provide a huge payday because of his odds.

Brandt Snedeker (30/1) - As previously mentioned, Snedeker has come close to winning this thing before. In 2012, Snedeker shot a seven-under and finished in second place in this tournament and that also happened to have been the last time Bethpage hosted this event. He should feel very confident when he gets out there on the course on Thursday, but his performance here last time is not the only reason. Snedeker also happens to be coming off of a very good showing at the Wyndham Championship, as he shot a 15-under and ended up tying for third in that one. He’s a very high upside play at 30/1 and is worth putting a unit or two on in this one.

Emiliano Grillo (70/1) - When looking for a guy that could be considered a dark horse to win this one, Grillo is somebody that really stands out. He is playing extremely well recently and has the talent to earn a big victory on Sunday. Grillo comes into this one after having finished tied for 13th with a six-under at the PGA Championship and then tying for eighth place with a seven-under at the Men’s Olympics. He has now finished inside the top-15 at five of the past seven tournaments he has played in and could make a splash by winning this one on Sunday. He’s a tremendous value at 70/1 and is certainly worth putting a unit on.

Odds to win The Barclays
Jason Day 11/2
Dustin Johnson 8/1
Rory McIlroy 9/1
Henrik Stenson 19/2
Jordan Spieth 29/2
Justin Rose 19/1
Hideki Matsuyama 22/1
Brooks Koepka 25/1
Phil Mickelson 25/1
Adam Scott 30/1
Brandt Snedeker 30/1
Bubba Watson 30/1
Branden Grace 35/1
Matt Kuchar 35/1
Jim Furyk 45/1
Patrick Reed 45/1
Rickie Fowler 45/1
Louis Oosthuizen 50/1
Billy Horschel 60/1
Daniel Berger 60/1
Jimmy Walker 60/1
Si Woo Kim 60/1
Charl Schwartzel 65/1
Russell Knox 70/1
Emiliano Grillo 75/1
Zach Johnson 80/1
Ryan Moore 95/1
Kevin Kisner 100/1
Kevin Na 100/1
Luke Donald 100/1
Paul Casey 100/1
Justin Thomas 110/1
William McGirt 110/1
Johnson Wagner 120/1
Bill Haas 130/1
Keegan Bradley 130/1
J.B. Holmes 140/1
Kevin Chappell 140/1
Gary Woodland 150/1
Lucas Glover 150/1
Marc Leishman 150/1
Daniel Summerhays 170/1
David Lingmerth 170/1
Graeme McDowell 170/1
Harris English 170/1
Danny Lee 180/1
Jason Dufner 190/1
Russell Henley 190/1
Ryan Palmer 190/1
Steve Stricker 190/1
Ricky Barnes 210/1
Tony Finau 210/1
Webb Simpson 210/1
Charley Hoffman 220/1
Jhonattan Vegas 230/1
Aaron Baddeley 250/1
Brendan Steele 250/1
Charles Howell III 250/1
Chris Kirk 250/1
Francesco Molinari 250/1
Graham Delaet 250/1
Patrick Rodgers 250/1
Robert Garrigus 250/1
Robert Streb 250/1
Scott Piercy 250/1
Jamie Lovemark 300/1
Roberto Castro 300/1
Alex Cejka 350/1
Hudson Swafford 350/1
Martin Laird 350/1
Ben Martin 400/1
Brian Harman 400/1
Jason Kokrak 400/1
Luke List 400/1
Patton Kizzire 400/1
Brett Stegmaier 450/1
Colt Knost 450/1
Jonas Blixt 450/1
Scott Brown 450/1
Seung-Yul Noh 450/1
Andrew Loupe 500/1
Billy Hurley III 500/1
Blayne Barber 500/1
Cameron Tringale 500/1
Jerry Kelly 500/1
John Senden 500/1
Kevin Streelman 500/1
Sean OHair 500/1
Smylie Kaufman 500/1
Adam Hadwin 550/1
David Hearn 550/1
Freddie Jacobson 550/1
Jon Curran 550/1
K.J. Choi 550/1
Kyle Reifers 550/1
Spencer Levin 550/1
Harold Varner III 600/1
James Hahn 600/1
Jim Herman 600/1
Vaughn Taylor 600/1
Ben Crane 650/1
Boo Weekley 650/1
Brian Stuard 650/1
Bryce Molder 650/1
Chad Campbell 650/1
Chez Reavie 650/1
John Huh 650/1
Sung Kang 650/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 650/1
Vijay Singh 650/1
Derek Fathauer 700/1
Fabian Gomez 700/1
David Toms 750/1
Jason Bohn 750/1
Mark Hubbard 750/1
Michael Kim 750/1
Peter Malnati 750/1
Troy Merritt 750/1
Zac Blair 750/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 to Watch: The Barclays
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Jason Day, Australia -- The No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings also leads the FedEx Cup standings and is defending champion of the Barclays. Last year in the FedEx Cup playoffs opener at Plainfield Country Club, he played the weekend in 63-62 to win by six strokes over Henrik Stenson of Sweden, a year after tying for second, two shots behind Hunter Mahan at Ridgewood Country Club. The Aussie is 31-under-par in the event in the last two years and has finished outside the top 25 in the playoffs opener only in the first of his eight appearances, when he tied for 31st in 2008. Day has won three times among his nine top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, the last victory in the Players Championship in May, and eight of his 10 titles have come in the last two years.

2. Dustin Johnson, United States -- The U.S. Open champion is second in the FedEx Cup point standings and the World Golf Rankings heading into the Barclays, in which he is making his eighth appearance. Johnson won the playoff opener in 2011 at Plainfield Country Club, claiming a two-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar when the tournament was shortened to 54 holes by the threat of Hurricane Irene. He has three other top-10 finishes in the Barclays, a tie for ninth last year at Plainfield, a tie for third in 2012 when it was last played at Bethpage Black, and a tie for 2010 at Ridgewood. Johnson also won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and leads the PGA Tour with 12 top-10s this season, but had his streak of six in a row snapped when he missed the cut in his last start in the PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

3. Henrik Stenson, Sweden -- Coming off a runner-up finish behind Justin Rose in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the big Swede is enjoying a season in which he won the Open Championship at Royal Troon and the BMW Championship in Germany among 10 results in the top 10 around the world. The 2013 FedEx Cup champion is No. 4 in the World Golf Rankings, second in the European Tour's Race to Dubai point standings and 14th in the FedEx Cup standings. This will be Stenson's fifth start in the Barclays, and last year he posted his best finish, recording four rounds in the 60s but still wound up six strokes behind runaway winner Jason Day in solo second at Plainfield. In 2009, when the U.S. Open was played at Bethpage Black, site of this year's Barclays, he tied for ninth, five strokes behind champion Lucas Glover.

4. Justin Rose, England -- The first Olympic golf champion since 1904 has some work to do in the next three weeks because he is 51st in the FedEx Cup standings and must be in the top 30 to qualify for the Tour Championship. He was slowed by a back injury early this year, but still has five finishes in the top 10 on the PGA Tour and showed his game was coming around when he shot 66-68 in the last two rounds of the PGA Championship to tie for 22nd at Baltusrol. Rose, No. 9 in the world, is playing in the Barclays for the 11th time and his best result was a tie for second in 2013 at Liberty National, where he had a chance to win on the final hole. But he ran his 25-foot birdie putt five feet past the hole, then missed the comebacker to make bogey and finish one stroke behind Adam Scott.

5. Jordan Spieth, United States -- The defending FedEx Cup champion is fifth in the standings at the start of the playoffs and hopes to get his game back on track after taking three weeks off since tying for 13th in the PGA Championship. He has two victories among six finishes in the top 10 this season, but has not been as sharp as he was in winning five times last year and rising to No. 1 in the world. Spieth is making his fourth appearance in the Barclays and last year he shot 74-73 -- 147 to miss the cut by five shots, after tying for 19th in 2013 and tying for 22nd in 2014. However, he had such a big lead in the standings that after also missing the weekend in the Deutsche Bank, he tied for 13th in the BMW Championship and won the Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup.

6. Adam Scott, Australia -- Victories in back-to-back outings at the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship to start the Florida Swing earlier this year, plus runner-up finishes in the CIMB Classic and the Northern Trust Open have Scott at third in the FedEx Cup standings entering the playoffs. However, his only other top-10 result since was a tie for 10th in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but his game seemed to be coming around when he finished 67-69-69 to tie for 18th in the PGA Championship. The Aussie is playing in the Barclays for the 13th time and won the tournament two years ago when he went out early in the last round and shot 66 at Liberty National. That stood up for a one-stroke victory over Rose, Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland and Graham DeLaet of Canada. He also was second, two shots behind Vijay Singh in 2006, and tied for ninth in 2010.

7. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- Most of McIlroy's good golf this season has been played off the PGA Tour, as he won the Irish Open, finished third on the Open de France, tied for fifth in the Open Championship at Royal Troon and had two other top-10 finishes on the Middle East Swing. He ranks third in the European Tour's Race to Dubai, but is only 35th in the FedEx Cup standings. Rory does have six finishes in the top 10 on the U.S. tour, the best a tie for third in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but he missed the cut in the U.S. Open at Oakmont and the PGA Championship at Baltusrol. This will be his fifth appearance in the Barclays and his best result was a tie for 19th in 2013 at Liberty National. In 2009, he closed with a 68 to tie for 10th in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, site of this week's tournament.

8. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Lefty remains winless since the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield, but he has finished second this year in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon, and has four other top-10s. He has climbed 21 spots in the World Golf Rankings this year to No. 13 and he enters the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 8 in the point standings. Mickelson is making his 14th start in the Barclays and his only top-10 results were a tie for sixth three years ago at Liberty National and a tie for seventh in 2007 at Westchester. However, when the U.S. Open was played at Bethpage Black on 2009, he tied for second, two strokes behind Lucas Glover. That's one of six runner-up finishes he has in our national championship without winning.

9. Sergio Garcia, Spain -- Returning from a tie for eighth in the Olympic Games in Rio, Garcia has finished in the top 10 in five of his last six outings on both major tours, even though the Games' result is not considered official. He started the run with a playoff victory over Brooks Koepka in the AT&T Byron Nelson in and ranks 20th in the FedEx Cup standings, as he also finished second behind Scott earlier this year in the Honda Classic. Garcia won the Westchester Classic before it became the Barclays to kick off the playoffs, in 2001 and 2004 in Westchester, and also lost to Vijay Singh in a playoff in 2008 at Ridgewood, and has three other results in the top five. He tied for 10th in the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, where the tournament will be played this week.

10. Jim Furyk, United States -- It seemed the 2010 FedEx Cup champion might not qualify for the playoffs this year until he shot a PGA Tour record 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship to tie for fifth. Furyk followed that up with a tie for 10th in the Wyndham Championship last week, although he faded a bit in a closing 70, and climbed to No. 82 in the point standings. He didn't get started this season until May after undergoing left wrist surgery in February, and his push actually began when he tied for second behind Johnson in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in June. Furyk has played what is now the Barclays 16 times, and his best result were solo second in 1998 and 2005 at Westchester and he has not finished outside the top 11 in the last three years.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PGA Tour Picks: The Barclays Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews

The PGA Tour's regular season concluded on Sunday at Wyndham Championship outside Charlotte with a guy I'll admit I know little about winning: 21-year-old South Korean Si Woo Kim for his first career Tour title. He shot a final-round 67 on Sunday to finish at 21-under 259 (tying tournament record) and beat out former world No. 1 Luke Donald by five shots. Kim really won the tournament on Friday with a course-record 60 and never looked back.

The victory jumped Kim, the youngest Tour winner this season, from 43rd to 15th in the FedEx Cup points standings, meaning he's probably going to qualify for the Tour Championship regardless of what happens in the first three playoff tournaments.

Needless to say, I didn't have Kim winning last week. I went with Charlotte native Webb Simpson, but he disappointed with a T71. I was also really high on Bill Haas, but he was T22. I did hit on Jim Furyk for a Top 10 at +200 and he finished T10. I also hit on a few head-to-head props.

So now we move on to playoff-opening Barclays at Bethpage State Park's tough Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y. The course hosted the U.S. Open in 2009 (Lucas Glover won at 4 under) and 2002 (Tiger Woods at 3 under). I'm sure the course isn't set up near as tough as those Opens, but it will still be challenging.

The Top 125 in the points advanced to the Barclays. Perhaps the biggest winner in Charlotte other than Kim was Shawn Stefani, who shot a final-round 66 on Sunday to finish T14 and jump from No. 133 to No. 123 in the points. The other guy who was on the outside looking in and played his way into the playoffs was Kyle Stanley, who was also T14 to rise from No. 127 to No. 116. Thus that means two guys who were inside the Top 125 had to be knocked out, and they were Matt Jones and Whee Kim, who both missed the cut at the Wyndham. The current guy at No. 125 is Seung-Yul Noh. The Top 125 in points also retain their Tour cards for the 2016-17 season and qualify for next year's Players Championship. Nos. 126-150 in the FedEx Cup retained conditional Tour status for next season.

The Top 100 after the Barclays move on to the next event in Boston; No. 100 currently is Jonas Blixt. Bethpage Black is a par-71, 7,468-yard monster public course. It also hosted this event in 2012, and Nick Watney won at 10-under 274, two shots ahead of Brandt Snedeker. Not all of the Top 125 are playing: Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry and Danny Willett and Anirban Lahiri aren't, but the first three have enough points where they will advance regardless.

The defending champion is points leader and world No. 1 Jason Day. He shot a final-round 62 last year at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey to finish at 19 under and lap the field by six shorts. Day, who nearly had to pull out of the tournament after hurting his back two days before it started, began the final round in a tie for the lead with Sangmoon Bae, who shot a 72.

Golf Odds: The Barclays Favorites

Day is the +750 favorite to repeat. Since the playoffs were instituted in 2007, no one has gone back-to-back in the tournament or even won it twice. Day was also second in the event two years ago but a different course than last year. He hasn't played since a runner-up in the PGA Championship.

Dustin Johnson, just 34 points behind Day, is +900. He won this tournament in 2011 at Plainfield. Johnson missed the cut in 2009 and was ninth last year. He comes off a MC at the PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy (+1000), Henrik Stenson (+1200) and reigning FedEx Cup champion Jordan Spieth (+1400) round out the favorites. Stenson finished second to Day last year and comes off a silver-medal performance in Rio. McIlroy didn't play this event last year and missed the cut at the PGA Championship. Spieth missed the cut at the 2015 Barclays and also last played at the PGA (T14).

Golf Odds: The Barclays Picks

For a Top 10, I like Day (-120), Stenson (+125) and Hideki Matsuyama (+250), who has back-to-back Top 5 finishes on Tour. I lean Stenson at +275 as the top European, Matsuyama (-150) as top Asian and Louis Oosthuizen (+185) as top South African. I'm not that high on McIlroy or Spieth this week.

Head-to-head, go with Day (-130) over Johnson (even), Stenson (-105) over McIlroy (-125), Justin Rose (even) over Spieth (-130), Brooks Koepka (-115) over Phil Mickelson (-115), and Matsuyama (-125) over Adam Scott (-105).

Always tougher to handicap a tournament that rotates courses, but I'll go with Stenson as he's on the best run of his career.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 9
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 SU in Week 9
-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 ATS in Week 9
-- Road teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 9
-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 9
-- The 'Over' went 3-1 in Week 9

Team Betting Notes

-- Calgary (6-1-1) rolled past the BC Lions (5-3) by a 37-9 count, cashing easily as a slight road underdog while creating separation in the West Division. It was the third straight cover for the Stampeders, as they improved to 6-1 ATS over the past seven outings. The 'under' has cashed in three in a row for the Stamps after a 3-0-1 'over' run in their previous four games. Calgary has also covered four in a row on the road.

-- The loss for the Lions snapped a four-game cover streak, and was just their second non-cover in eight tries overall this season. The 'under' also ended a four-game 'over' run for BC.

-- Edmonton (4-4) doubled up Toronto (4-4) by a 46-23 count, as the Argonauts slipped to 1-4 SU/ATS in five games at home this season. The 'under' is 3-0 on the road for Toronto, and the 'over' is 4-1 in five home games for the Argos. The Esks have covered three in a row after an 0-4-1 ATS start.

-- Hamilton (4-4) evened up their record in a rout of Saskatchewan (1-7), 53-7. The Roughriders are terrible, failing to cover in four straight games while averaging just 8.8 points per game. The 'over/under' is 4-4 for the Roughriders despite the fact they have allowed 29 or more points in seven of their eight games.

-- The Tiger-Cats snapped a two-game mini skid in style, and the win was their first in three tries at home. They're also 1-2 ATS in three games at their home stadium this season.

-- After a red-hot start to the season, Ottawa (4-3-1) continues to slide. The RedBlacks were embarrassed at home by Montreal (3-5) by 24 points, their fourth consecutive non-cover.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 10
By David Schwab

Week 9 Betting Recap

Quickly recapping a wild few days of action in Week 9 of the CFL regular season, Montreal was able to tighten things up in the East Division race with last Friday’s 43-19 pasting of Ottawa as a heavy 10-point road underdog.

Later that night, Calgary cemented its place as the frontrunner in the West Division with a 37-9 romp over British Columbia as a 2 ½-point underdog on the road.

Edmonton made a statement that it is ready for another possible Grey Cup title run with its 46-23 victory against Toronto on Saturday as a slight two-point road favorite.

Closing out things out for the week was Hamilton’s 53-7 rout of Saskatchewan as a 10-point favorite at home.

Here is a look at Week 10’s CFL slate.

Thursday, Aug. 25

British Columbia Lions (5-3 SU, 6-2 ATS) vs. Ottawa RedBlacks (4-3-1 SU, 3-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -3 ½
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview

BC’s loss last week has it a game and a half off the pace in the West Division title race through its first eight contests. Jonathon Jennings had been one of the hottest quarterback in the league the past few weeks, but he was actually pulled from the game against Calgary in the fourth quarter after going just 10-for-22 for 153 yards. In his place, Travis Lulay put the ball up seven times and completed four passes for 19 yards.

The RedBlacks still have a half game lead in the East Division over Hamilton and Toronto, but they are just 1-3 straight-up and 0-4 against the spread in their last four games. Their starting quarterback earlier in the season was Trevor Harris as a replacement for an injured Henry Burris until he hurt his knee. Harris has been upgraded to probable for Thursday night and he has already been named the starter for this game.

Betting Trends

-- Ottawa won both meetings last season SU and ATS with the total staying UNDER in each of those two games.

-- The series is now evenly split 2-2 SU over the past two years.

Friday, Aug. 26

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-4 SU, 4-3-1 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -2 ½
Total: 48

Game Overview

Winnipeg probably did not want to take last week off with a bye after winning its previous three games SU closing as an underdog. One of the big reasons for this team’s sudden turnaround has been the elevated play of quarterback Matt Nichols, who was given the starting job in place of an ineffective Drew Willy. Nichols has completed 70.4 percent of his 108 passing attempts for 887 yards and six touchdowns against just one interception during this three-game tear.

The Alouettes could be the toughest team to figure out this season. One week they are getting beat by double-digit spreads behind an offense that could not manage to score more than 12 points and the next week they are rolling up 43 points on the top team in their division. Kevin Glenn ended last week’s game against Ottawa with 382 yards passing and five touchdown throws while completing 25-of-30 attempts.

Betting Trends

-- Montreal drew first blood in this season’s series with a 22-14 victory on the road in Week 1 as a 2 ½-point underdog, but the Blue Bombers have covered ATS in four of their last five road games against the Alouettes.

-- The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last four meetings overall.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS) vs Edmonton Eskimos (4-4 SU, 3-4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -14
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview

The Roughriders are officially the worst team in the CFL this season after finishing last in the standings in 2015. They have the lowest scoring offense in the league with an average of 18.2 points a game and their defense has now allowed 286 points through eight games which is easily the highest amount in the CFL by 64 points. The prospect for any kind of turnaround does not look all that good with a 0-4 record (SU and ATS) in their last four games by an average margin of 23.5 points a game.

Edmonton got a pair of much needed wins in its last two games following a rare SU three-game slide. Last week’s road win against Toronto was the first time the Eskimos put up more than 40 points this season and it was also one of the few times they got some solid production from both their running game and their passing game. Mike Reilly ended the day with 362 yards passing and three touchdown throws while John White and Calvin McCarty combined for 101 yards and a score on the ground.

Betting Trends

-- Head-to-head in the West Division tilt, Edmonton has won the last four meetings SU but it failed to cover in a 39-36 overtime victory against the Roughriders on July 8 as a 9 ½-point home favorite.

-- The total has now gone OVER in the past two meetings.

Sunday, Aug. 28

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS) vs. Calgary Roughriders (6-1-1 SU, 6-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -5 ½
Total: 53 ½

Game Overview

The Tiger-Cats clawed their way back to .500 on the year behind quarterback Zach Collaros, who missed the first six games of the season recovering from a knee injury. He made the most of his home debut this season with 381 yards passing and five touchdown throws in the romp over Saskatchewan. He completed passes to eight different players, but his favorite receiver was Terrence Toliver with five catches for 139 yards and a score.

Calgary proved it is the team to beat in the CFL closing in the first half of the season. It is the highest scoring team in the CFL with an average of 31 points a game and defensively it is allowing an average of 20.1 points, which is also the best in the league. Bo Levi Mitchell continues to light things up at quarterback with the second-most passing yards (2,534) in the CFL and a tie for the most passing touchdowns (14).

Betting Trends

-- Calgary has won the last nine meetings SU, but the Tiger-Cats have the slight 5-4 edge ATS.

-- The total has stayed UNDER in the last seven games of this interdivision clash.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview B.C. Lions at Ottawa Redblacks
Thursday August 25th 2016 7:30 PM

The BC Lions (5-3) will look to get back on track when they battle the East Division-leading Ottawa REDBLACKS (4-3-1) Thursday night at TD Place Stadium. With last week’s 37-9 loss to Calgary in the rear view mirror, the focus is on getting back to basics in all three facets, especially on offence where Jonathon Jennings and company took a big step back, settling for only three field goals against the West Division -leading Stamps. “Just making plays, going out at a faster tempo and really being aggressive with everything that we do,” Jennings said when asked about how the approach needs to change. “We’re just trying to maintain our focus and coming in everyday at work trying to get better. They have a good team, an aggressive defence, they play a lot of man and they have two good quarterbacks on the other side of the ball. It will be a challenge for us, but hopefully we come out there and fight a little harder than we did last week.” This is an intriguing matchup in the sense that both teams are looking to move back after sub-par performances at home. The REDBLACKS are licking their wounds following a 43-19 loss to Montreal, a result that prevented them from opening a three-point lead atop the East Division.

Prepping For Harris:

Following their setback against Montreal, the REDBLACKS will give Trevor Harris the start at quarterback in place of Henry Burris. Harris has spent the last five weeks healing from a leg injury. Ronnie Yell and company know what to expect from the dynamic 30-year old pivot. “ Every week is a challenge, especially when you’re facing a elite quarterbacks in this league, which we have,” Yell said. “Trevor Harris is another elite quarterback and you have to show him respect. “We’re just ready to get after him, make him uncomfortable back there and get a couple of picks.” Harris’ breakout campaign in Toronto included a 340-yard passing effort and two touchdown passes in a 30-27 win over the Lions last July. Yell has taken notice of what Harris and the offence is capable of. “Film shows they run a lot of screens, they have a lot of gadget players such as Chris Williams and (Greg) Ellingson that they like to get the ball in their hands and just let them go to work. A lot of quick throws and getting their playmakers the ball.”

Backfield Shake Up:

After sitting out the last three games, Anthony Allen will once again be the featured running back as he replaces Jeremiah Johnson. In three appearances this season, Allen has averaged 4.9 yards per carry and had an impressive 107-yard performance in his Lions debut July 7th against Toronto. “I’ve been itching to get back on the field and I’m ready to just go out and ball for real,” Allen said. The Super Bowl Champion with the Baltimore Ravens will be expected to give the offence a much-needed shot in the arm. “We’re not going to hold anything back this week,” Allen added. “We’re going to go at ‘em with full force and try to run it down their throat.” The roster move is not an indictment of Johnson. The two-headed monster approach at running back has paid off as the Lions lead the CFL in total rushing yards with 742. Ottawa is best in the league at stopping the run, so as Allen stated, it will be an intense, physical battle up front to kick off week ten.

Gaitor Back In:

Anthony Gaitor starts at halfback after Steven Clarke suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Stampeders. The Florida International product made his CFL debut in Montreal on August 4th and made one of the biggest defensive plays of the Lions’ season, a forced a fumble that led to a touchdown return by Loucheiz Purifoy. It proved to be a turning point in the 38-18 victory. Gaitor impressed the coaching staff at training camp before dealing with a recurring hamstring injury. He was re-added to the practice roster on July 23rd.

Three Keys To Victory:

Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush: A big reason the Lions came up short last week was the inability to put pressure on Stamps’ QB Bo Levi Mitchell. And as you saw, he used the extra time to his advantage. The stout Lions’ defensive line gets a boost with the return of Mic’hael Brooks from a high-ankle sprain. Look for them to correct the miscues of last week and make sure they pressure Harris early.

Special Teams Battle: As bad as last week seemed, it was an eight-point game when Chris Rainey fumbled the second half kickoff that led to another Calgary major. The Leos’ special teams unit has been dynamic throughout 2016 and a big reason they have a winning record in the first half of the season. If they can allow Jennings to work with a short field, it would take loads of pressure off the entire offence.

Spread it out:

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but Jennings and the offence operates best when everyone is involved. Ottawa’s Mark Nelson is one of the CFL’s most respected defensive co-ordinators so you know the home team will have the right schemes dialled up. If number ten can utilize all his weapons to the best of their abilities, it provides an even better chance to win the first of two straight games in Ontario. A big part of improving will also come down to first down production, another area that was lacking against the Stampeders. If Khari Jones and his troops can consistently force the defence into second and short and force them to try and win the game themselves, Jennings can then further utilize his playmaking ability. Especially with his legs.

Quotable:

“We better not be thinking about post-Labour Day, just be thinking about Thursday night. We gotta be focussed on the task at hand. They (Ottawa) played probably as poorly as we played (last week) and they were at home. For both teams, this is a big game. Let’s not worry about Toronto, let’s not worry about post East Division, let’s just worry about Ottawa.”- Wally Buono when asked about the chances setting themselves up nicely for a post-Labour day stretch drive where they play five of the final eight games at home. One game at a time, always the mindset.

Extra Yardage:

The REDBLACKS prevailed in both meetings last season, including a 27-16 victory at TD place in the Lions’ season opener. Johnson rushed for a pair of touchdowns to help them prevail 31-18 at BC Place on September 13th.

Much like their three East Division counterparts, Ottawa has struggled at home in 2016, sporting a 1-2-1 record at their renovated digs.

The game can be heard on TSN 1040 with Scott Rintoul and Giulio Caravatta. The pre-game show gets underway at 2:30PM with Bob Marjanovich, Chris Burns and Lowell Ullrich. Viewers can tune in on TSN and those south of the border can see it on ESPN 2.

For the first time since 2004, the Lions will stay back east in between regular games. The University of Ottawa will become practice headquarters before the team makes the short flight to Toronto on Tuesday, the 30th. They face the Argos at BMO Field on August 31st.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week*10 CFL games

BC Lions (5-3) @ Ottawa*(4-3-1)– Lions got waxed 37-9 by Calgary at home*LW; they’re 3-1 vs spread this year in game following a loss. BC is 3-1 SU on road,*with only loss in OT at Calgary. Four of their last five games went over the total. RedBlacks lost three of last four games; four of their last six games were decided by 3 or less points. Ottawa is 1-3 at home; this is their 4th straight home game. RedBlacks swept Lions LY, winning both games as underdogs, after losing twice to Lions year before; under is 3-0-1 in series games. *

Winnipeg (4-4) @ Montreal (3-5)– Blue Bombers scored 33.7 ppg in winning their last three games after a 1-4 start; they’re 3-1 on road, with only loss 36-22 at Calgary. Montreal lost by 15-20 points in game following a win this year; they’re 1-3 at home, with only win over lowly Saskatchewan. Under is 4-1-1 in last six Winnipeg games. Alouettes (+2.5) won season opener 22-14 in Winnipeg, just their 3rd win in last ten series games. Bombers are 3-2 in last five visits here. Three of last four series games stayed under total.

Saskatchewan (1-7) @ Edmonton (4-4)– Roughriders lost last 4 games by combined 148-35 margin (avg score of 37-9); they lost 51-3 LW in Hamilton, lost 39-36 in OT on this field in Week 2, Riders’ 7th loss in last eight series games. Riders lost last 4 visits here, by 24-8-25-3 points (under 5-2 in last 7). Edmonton won last two games by 11-23 points, scoring 34.5 ppg; they’re 2-3 at home, 1-4 as home favorites- three of their last four games stayed under. Road team covered seven of eight Edmonton games this season. *

Hamilton (4-4) @ Calgary (6-1)– Stampeders won last nine series games, last three by*4 or less points; TiCats lost last 11 visits here, losing last four by combined total of 10 points (4-0 vs spread). Last seven series games stayed under the total. Hamilton allowed 41 ppg in losing last two road games, by 7-26 points- they’re 2-1 as road underdogs this year. Calgary won its last five games (4-1 vs spread), allowing total of 34 points in last three; they’re 2-1 as home favorites. Three of last four TiCat games went over the total. *

— Underdogs*21-12, home teams 10-25-1 vs spread…….Over: 15-19-2

— British Columbia Lions @ Ottawa RedBlacks* (-2.5, 56.5)
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers*@ Montreal Alouettes (-1.5, 48)
— Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Edmonton Eskimos*(-13.5, 56)
— Hamilton Tiger Cats @ Calgary Stampeders*(-5, 53.5)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dinero Talks Preseason Week 3
Tony Mejia


Bad-Beat Bears nab Preseason Week 2 cover

With the clock about to slip inside 10 seconds, Connor Shaw dove head-first to get a first down on 4th-and-10, extending a drive that had no business being extended by sacrificing his body to gain 11 yards at New England in the closing seconds of a game most would describe as “meaningless.”

The Bears had already picked up one fourth-down conversion on the drive, the final one in a 22-13 game that the Patriots backups gained control of after Chicago won the first quarter 11-0. In that sense, they were already feeling good about themselves, which made what happened at the end greedy.

Chicago called timeout following the Shaw scramble, set up a short out route to get closer for the final play with four seconds left and scored when Shaw hit converted quarterback B.J. Daniels on a 22-yard heave that was placed perfectly enough that he made two defenders look bad.

The play didn’t make the initial AP recap, which covered Tom Brady’s absence, Jimmy Garoppolo’s work and Jay Cutler’s improvement from the preseason opener. For bettors, the swing meant just as much as Malcolm Butler’s pick of Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX. New England laying three, or Chicago plus-3 if you’re feeling blessed, was decided by Shaw finding rookie Darrin Peterson for a 2-point conversion (!) with no time on the clock.

'Under' bettors were also toast, as the 'over' came in on the final touchdown.
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QBs debuts highlight Week 3 exhibition slate

One day, that type of bad beat will be the lead of every game recap distributed around the world, but we’re still at the point where people will admonish you and say “you shouldn’t bet on the preseason.”

And miss this?

Miss a two-point conversion being returned the other way to swing the winner in Baltimore-Indianapolis with minutes left to play?

Over the next decade-plus, I expect we’ll see references to the line and total continue to gain acceptance as a significant part of the action. The day is coming where we’ll see those colorful USA Today charts documenting national profits and losses is inevitable. Ironically, the fact the NFL continues to turn its nose up at the impact wagering has on its product while embracing fantasy is moronic since it makes the preseason far more watchable.

Here’s a look at Thursday and Friday’s games in Week 3 of the NFL exhibition schedule, the one that matters most since it’s utilized as a dress rehearsal and typically features starters working into the second half:
Thursday

Falcons at Dolphins: Pressure for Ryan Tannehill to finally get it this year leaves first-year coach Adam Gase with no real grace period. Thus far, Miami has looked rough in the red zone and it comes off a blowout loss at Dallas that had few bright spots. We could see boos early at the newly-renamed Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida. The Falcons are 2-0 thus far and will unleash Matt Ryan for at least a half.

Cowboys at Seahawks: Rookie Dak Prescott has been the preseason’s breakout star, so it will be fun to see how he fares up in Seattle, where the 12th Man will be in midseason form with Dallas in town. Wilson has gotten in a nice amount of work over the first two games, but it’s an important test for TCU’s Trevone Boykin. The rookie faces his hometown team hoping to keep Seattle for looking elsewhere for a veteran backup quarterback.
Friday

Patriots at Panthers: Brady was excused from Monday’s practice due to a personal issue, so don’t hold your breath on seeing him here either. Rob Gronkowski’s last preseason game came in 2012, so this one will be heavy on Carolina starters against New England backups. Garoppolo may get a full three quarters, although Bill Belichick is liable to give rookie Jacoby Brissett an extended look since he tends to march to his own drum this time of year.

Bills at ‘Skins: After taking last week’s game off, Kirk Cousins is expected to play into the third quarter here. Buffalo has been besieged by injuries this offseason, but comes off a 21-0 win over the Giants and typically pulls no punches defensively in any preseason game, much less the third one.

Browns at Bucs: Cleveland is excited that Robert Griffin III has done some really nice things this preseason, hitting big plays and showing it is possible for him to slide early enough to avoid unnecessary contact. The Bucs are debuting at home this preseason and are 7-23 at Raymond James Stadium over the past three years including exhibitions.

Steelers at Saints: Veteran Ben Roethlisberger has yet to play this preseason but will get his first taste of action in New Orleans. The Saints have lost a pair of road games thus far, so they’ll be looking for improvement against a Pittsburgh squad that went 0-2 at home over the first two weeks, getting shut out by Philadelphia last Friday.

Packers at 49ers: In a significant development, Aaron Rodgers opened the week taking all the snaps with the rest of the starters, which means it’s likely he’ll line up under center for the first time since last year’s playoff loss at Arizona. Blaine Gabbert has built a nice lead on Colin Kaepernick in the race to start at QB for San Francisco, but Chip Kelly is expected to get his first look at Kap in game action here. He’s been resting a “dead arm” thus far.
Saturday

Chiefs at Bears: The last time Chicago played at Soldier Field, it was manhandled by the Denver defense and failed to score. Jay Cutler got his first group going in New England and will work into the second half here, so if the Bears fail to score again, there will be serious cause for concern. The Chiefs are 0-2, but have lost a pair of one-point game and seen Alex Smith look terrific thus far, directing a pair of touchdown drives while going 12-for-16 for 173 yards and two TDs. Although Andy Reid doesn’t put much stock in preseason results, Kansas City went 4-0 last year and continues to answer the bell with a competitive approach.

Eagles at Colts: Rookie Carson Wentz started throwing again after being sidelined by a rib fracture, but he’s not playing here and may not get another chance this preseason. Chase Daniel hasn’t really pushed Sam Bradford, so this second half will be important for him to make some inroads. Andrew Luck played for the first time since last November on Saturday, completing all eight of his passes. Philadelphia has been stingy thus far, allowing just nine points over eight quarters and forcing numerous turnovers.

Lions at Ravens: Baltimore has won four of its last five preseason home games, but the Lions might be happy to be playing this one at M&T Bank Stadium since they were booed mercilessly by their own fans last week. Between turnovers and penalties, Detroit gave the paying customers plenty of ammo, so they’ll look for a better effort here as Matthew Stafford tries to continue operating at a high level despite shoddy offensive line play. The Ravens have held Joe Flacco back and were snake-bit by injuries last year, so they’ve picked up wins despite taking the cautious approach thus far.

Giants at Jets: This year’s Snoopy Bowl will be the first without Tom Coughlin since 2003, and although Ben McAdoo is right to downplay its significance, he’s coming off a 20-0 loss up in Buffalo and is in the wrong city to preach patience in. New York has been outscored 37-10 and its offensive line has often looked inept. The Jets have had their issues too, but Bryce Petty’s dramatic improvement to push Geno Smith for the No. 2 job has been an interesting development. If nothing else, it cements how shaky Smith is and how important it was to team stability to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will be joined in the backfield by Matt Forte for the first time. Todd Bowles won this annual battle as a rookie head coach, 28-18.

Titans at Raiders: After spending the first two weeks of the exhibition season on the road, Oakland will debut at home and should again showcase Derek Carr, who played the bulk of the first half in Green Bay. Jack Del Rio has taken a long look at his regulars thus far, so Tennessee should get a great indication of where it stands after this one. Although they’re just 1-1, the Titans have seen Marcus Mariota go 14-for-15 with an interception his lone mistake. Rookie Tajae Sharpe, a fifth-round pick out of UMass, has been the team’s leading receiver. Reigning Heisman Trophy recipient Derrick Henry has also looked sharp in tandem with DeMarco Murray. What’s real and what isn’t? We should get a better indication in what looks to be one of this week’s most compelling matchups given the young talent all over the field.

Rams at Broncos: Unheralded second-year QB Trevor Siemian is getting another chance to start, which bodes well for his chances of ultimately winning this three-man to find Peyton Manning’s successor. Mark Sanchez has disappointed with familiar-looking turnovers, while rookie Paxton Lynch has displayed flashes of brilliance but ideally wouldn’t immediately be thrown into the fire. Los Angeles looks like it will also play it safe with its investment, likely turning to Case Keenum, who has started 10-for-12 in running with the starters. Jarred Goff will take the reins eventually, but hasn’t looked ready. Oddsmakers have Denver as this week’s biggest favorite (-5).
Sunday

Chargers at Vikings: Minnesota sat Teddy Bridgewater last week due to a sore shoulder and he didn’t throw a pass on Monday, so it isn’t likely that we’ll see him here. Mike Zimmer managed to improve to 10-1 in exhibition play and is 4-0 in Minneapolis, so don’t be surprised if the Vikings ride veteran Shaun Hill and rookie Joel Stave to another win. Philip Rivers has led the Chargers to a score on his only drive this season, took last week off and may not see the normal extended action here. Kellen Clemens is trying to hold off Zach Mettenberger and rookie Mike Bercovici for the backup gig and may wind up seeing the most action. Despite Bridgewater’s likely absence, the Vikings (-4) still opened as the third-heaviest favorite this week.

Cardinals at Texans: The Carson Palmer-led first-team offense came up empty on three drives in San Diego last week and is just 7-for-13 this preseason with an interception. He may not have all his weapons again here with Larry Fitzgerald (knee) and John Brown (concussion) just getting back in the mix, so it remains to be seen how long Bruce Arians exposes him and that first group. J.J. Watt won’t play at all this preseason after back surgery, but the defense has allowed an average of 11.0 points per game in wins over the 49ers and Saints. Brock Osweiler made his home debut last week, throwing a touchdown and interception while going 12-for-19, so Texans fans should get another long look at their new QB here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 3 Preseason Trends
By Marc Lawrence

Week 3 of the NFL Preseason kicks off Thursday and concludes Sunday with 16 games on tap.

The third week is often called the "Dress Rehearsal" week as teams are expected to give extra minutes to starting units.

Handicapping exhibitions isn’t easy but veteran NFL Handicapper Marc Lawrence is here to help again as he breaks down Game 3 records of the preseason.

Looking at the below table from Lawrence’s PLAYBOOK magazine, you can view the Against the Spread records for all 32 teams from 1983.

Along with the overall ATS marks, Lawrence has identified Most Recent ATS trends for each team as well.

Best Game 3 Overall ATS Records (Week 3 Opponent)

New York Jets 21-11 (vs. N.Y. Giants)
Seattle Seahawks 24-9 (vs. Dallas)
San Francisco 49ers 20-13 (vs. Green Bay)
New England Patriots 19-13 (at Carolina)

Worst Game 3 Overall ATS Records (Week 3 Opponent)

Oakland Raiders 9-23 (vs. Tennessee)
Chicago Bears 13-20 (vs. Kansas City)
Dallas Cowboys 10-21 (at Seattle)

Most Recent Game 3 ATS Trends to Watch (Week 3 Opponent)

-- Oakland Raiders 1-7 ATS last eight (vs. Tennessee)
-- Philadelphia Eagles 6-0 last six (at Indianapolis)
-- Miami Dolphins 0-5 last five (vs. Atlanta from Orlando)
-- Detroit Lions 6-2 last eight (at Baltimore)
-- Washington Redskins 8-1 last nine (vs. Buffalo)
-- Kansas City Chiefs 2-7 last nine (at Chicago)

Listed below are all of the Game 3 ATS Preseason Trends for all 32 NFL teams.

Game 3 ATS Preseason Record (1983-2015)

Team ATS Record Most Recent ATS Trend

Arizona Cardinals 15-17 1-3
Atlanta Falcons 19-13 6-3
Baltimore Ravens 17-16 0-1
Buffalo Bills 17-15 1-3
Carolina Panthers 9-11 0-2
Chicago Bears 13-20 0-2
Cincinnati Bengals 14-18 2-0
Cleveland Browns 8-9 1-5
Dallas Cowboys 10-21 0-3
Denver Broncos 13-18 1-4
Detroit Lions 16-17 6-2
Green Bay Packers 16-15 0-1
Houston Texans 7-7 2-0
Indianapolis Colts 19-14 1-0
Jacksonville Jaguars 13-8 1-4
Kansas City Chiefs 14-17 2-7
Los Angeles Rams 18-14 7-1
Miami Dolphins 17-14 0-5
Minnesota Vikings 15-17 2-0
New England Patriots 19-13 2-0
New Orleans Saints 16-16 7-2
New York Giants 12-20 1-6
New York Jets 21-11 1-0
Oakland Raiders 9-23 1-7
Philadelphia Eagles 18-15 6-0
Pittsburgh Steelers 14-18 1-0
San Diego Chargers 18-12 3-1
San Francisco 49ers 20-13 7-2
Seattle Seahawks 24-9 4-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-13 4-1
Tennessee Titans 19-14 3-1
Washington Redskins 18-15 8-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's NFL Week 3 preseason betting primer and odds

Betting the NFL preseason can be tough. Week 3 of the NFL preseason kicks off Thursday with two games on the slate and we help you out by breaking down some of the best betting tidbits for these matchups.

Atlanta Falcons vs Miami Dolphins (-2.5, 43.5)

* Falcons WR Julio Jones was quoted during an interview about the importance of this game to have the first-team offense "hitting on all cylinders". They are expected to take this game very seriously and the starters will play the entire opening half, and perhaps some of the second half, in order to build off their successful appearance in preseason Week 2.

* It's unknown, at this point, if Dolphins' DE Cameron Wake will make his first appearance in a game since his season-ending Achilles injury on October 29th of last season. He's been participating in training camp and could very well play Thursday in order to get sharp for the regular season - he definitely will not play in preseason Week 4.

* Miami will likely use this game to hammer out their official running back depth chart. Second-year tailback Jay Ajayi and former Pro Bowler Arian Foster are deadlocked in a battle that will have to be settled, to a certain degree, Thursday night against the Falcons.

Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (-5, 44.5)

* Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant will not play Thursday night in Seattle after suffering a concussion in practice. You can expect the Cowboys to shut down Bryant until the start of the regular season. Dez tweeted that he was OK and the Cowboys are just being cautious in their handling of the big man.

* Jerry Jones' star draft pick, RB Ezekiel Elliott, will make his Cowboys debut after sitting out the team's first two preseason games with a tender hamstring. Head coach Jason Garrett said they will ease him back into game action with a limited package of plays. You should also expect Elliott to get some touches in preseason Week 4 in order to get him ready for the regular season.

* Tony Romo, and the rest of the starters, will play the entire first half and perhaps a series or two into the third quarter. That means less time for rookie quarterback Dak Prescott to take the NFL by storm with his preseason performance.

* Seahawks' likely starting running back Thomas Rawls will not play Thursday as he is still recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Head coach Pete Carroll stated that Rawls will be ready for their regular season opener and he may be made available for preseason Week 4 for a couple of touches to get his rythm back.

* Safety Kam Chancellor, defensive tackle Jordan Hill, rookie running back C.J. Prosise will all make their season debuts for the Hawks agaisnt Dallas.

* Seattle's starting offense has looked bad in the opening two preseason games and will play well into the second half Thursday night in their final attempt to get rolling for the regular season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's Preseason Tips

Falcons at Dolphins (-2 ½, 43 ½) – NBC, 8:00 PM ET
(Game played at Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL)

Atlanta
Head Coach: Dan Quinn (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Sean Renfree, Matt Simms
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: D. Orlando Ledbetter

Atlanta improved to 2-0 both straight up and against the spread in the preseason last Thursday as it dropped Cleveland 24-13 as a two-point road underdog. Even though the margin was only 11 points, the Falcons racked up 498 offensive yards and an eye-opening 31 first downs on the Browns while dominating the time of possession (39:59). If it wasn’t for a pair of RG3 deep touchdown bombs for Cleveland, this game would’ve looked much worse.

Atlanta is averaging 428.5 yards per game offensively in the preseason, which is ranked first in the NFL. The team has converted 48 percent of its third downs and only turned the ball over twice. Defensively, the Falcons haven’t created a turnover in either of their first two exhibitions but the unit has been stout with just 238.5 YPG.

Despite winning last week at Cleveland, the Falcons have recently struggled in road exhibition games. Including the Week 2 result, Atlanta is 3-9 SU (25%) in its last 12 as preseason visitors but it has managed to cover six of those games. Atlanta owns a 19-13 record in Game 3 of the preseason and is 6-3 in the last nine seasons, according to Marc Lawrence.

Miami
Head Coach: Adam Gase (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Brandon Doughty (Rookie), Zac Dysert
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Chris Perkins

After cruising past the Giants 27-10 in Week 1, the Dolphins were humbled 41-14 by the Cowboys. The defense was diced up for 433 total yards and that’s been a common theme this August. Miami’s run defense has looked awful in the preseason, surrendering 164 YPG and four rushing touchdowns in two games.

Fortunately, the first-team offense under quarterback Ryan Tannehill (162 yards, 2 TDs) looked very sharp. The unit had four possessions with Tannehill and he posted two touchdowns while another drive stalled inside the Dallas five-yard line due to a dropped touchdown pass by his tight end Jordan Cameron.

This game will be played in Orlando since Miami’s stadium is still completing renovations for the upcoming season. It’s technically a home game for the Dolphins and bettors could note that Miami is 4-1 in its last five home exhibitions but all five games were decided by five points or less.

The Dolphins have gone 17-14 overall in Game 3 since 1983 and are 0-5 the last five years.

Cowboys at Seahawks (-6, 44 ½) - NFL Network, 10:00 p.m. ET
(Joined in Progress at 11:00 p.m. ET)

Dallas
Head Coach: Jason Garrett (9-14 SU, 8-14-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tony Romo, Dak Prescott, Jameill Showers
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Todd Archer

The Cowboys are coming off an impressive 41-14 victory over Miami last Friday at home. Dallas led 27-14 at the break and outscored the Dolphins 14-0 in the second half. It was the second consecutive preseason game where Dallas scored 20-plus points in the first 30 minutes as it built a 24-7 lead over Los Angeles in Week 1 of the preseason.

Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott impressed in Week 1 versus the Rams (10-of-12, 139 yards, 2 TDs) and followed up that effort by accounting for four touchdowns in Week 2 versus the Dolphins. Tony Romo is expected to receive more minutes in Game 3 which will leave the clean-up duty to Prescott.

Including the loss at Los Angeles in Week 1 of the preseason, the Cowboys have dropped eight straight road games (2-6 ATS) in the preseason. The defense has surrendered 22.3 PPG during this span and this year’s unit hasn’t looked sharp in their two exhibitions, allowing 343.5 yards per game.

Dallas has been one of the best fades in Game 3 of the preseason (10-21 ATS) and they enter this Thursday with a three-game losing skid.

Wide receiver Dez Bryant (concussion) has been ruled 'out' while rooking running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to see his first action of the preseason for Dallas.

Seattle
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (27-16 SU, 29-13-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Russell Wilson, Trevone Boykin, Jake Heaps
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Bob Condotta

The Seahawks fell to 1-1 in the preseason after dropping an 18-11 decision to Minnesota last Saturday as 2 ½-point home favorites. The Vikings posted the game-winning score late on the fourth quarter with an interception return for a touchdown. The ‘under’ (38.5) connected for the second straight preseason game for Seattle.

The Seahawks offense has only managed to post 28 points in two games and none of those points have come from the first-team offense. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said that the starters will play the entire first half and at least one series in the third quarter on Thursday. Running back Thomas Rawls (ankle) is expected to sit out this game.

Despite losing last week to the Vikings, the Seahawks have gone 16-4 in their last 20 preseason games at home and have posted an impressive 14-5-1 ATS mark during this span. Dating back to 1983, Seattle has gone 24-9 ATS in Game 3 of the preseason and is 4-1 ATS the last five seasons.

 

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'Dress Rehearsal'

This week is the closest thing to a regular season game teams play during August. With games spread across Thursday to Sunday both fans and those with a penchant towards sports gaming should be in for an entertaining weekend of football.

Preseason results don’t count for anything in the end, but any NFL head coach should be somewhat concerned if his team is winless at this stage and should have troops play with a lot more urgency as this is really the last chance to ‘redeem’ themselves since Week Four usually involves just keeping everyone healthy.

On the flip side, any NFL head coach who's team is off to a perfect start is usually happy with overall performance and may very well have squads take their foot off the gas pedal and/or limit starters earlier than normal.

At this juncture there are eight winless, eight perfect teams heading into dress rehearsal week. So, do NFLx sports bettors side with the winless or the unblemished ?? History would suggest winless teams as this group has posted a 22-17 ATS record the past five years with those wearing road jerseys the best bets at 13-4 ATS. As for the flawless squads, you back them at some risk. The past five practice seasons teams with back-2-back wins heading into WK3 are just 19-18 ATS split betweem 6-8 ATS in front of a friendly crowd, 13-10 ATS in unfriendly territory.