Thursday 9/15/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 18:00

AZ Alkmaar

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Dundalk

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		1/4	9/2	12	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT AZ ALKMAAR	RECENT FORM
ALAWAWHDHWHW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HLADAWAWAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: AZ have won ten of their last 13 games, losing once

EXPERT VERDICT: PSV are the only team to have beaten AZ this season and John van den Brom’s ultra-mean outfit have conceded only one goal in their last five matches. It will be a proud night for Dundalk, who are also in good form. They beat BATE and pushed Legia all the way, so can hold their own in a low-scoring game.

RECOMMENDATION: AZ Alkmaar to win 1-0
1


REFEREE: Clayton Pisani STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 18:00

Feyenoord

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Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		10/3	13/5	17/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT FEYENOORD	RECENT FORM
HWAWHWAWHWHW​ Most recent​	1 - 3	ND*NWAWHWAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Feyenoord blanked in just three league games last season

EXPERT VERDICT: Feyenoord have started the season in fine form, scoring 15 goals in five Eredivisie matches to top the table, but have yet to face a side of Manchester United’s calibre.While ruthless against the lesser sides, Feyenoord lost four of six meetings against fellow top-four teams last term and take a big step up in class against United.

RECOMMENDATION: Man Utd to win 2-1
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REFEREE: Jesus Gil Manzano STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 20:05

Southampton

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Sparta Prague

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		4/7	3	5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
AWHWHDALHDAL​ Most recent​	Unknown	AWADHWHWAWHD​ Most recent​

EXPERT VERDICT: Sparta Prague impressed in the Europa League last term, going unbeaten in a group containing Schalke and beating Lazio en route to the quarter-finals, and they look a nice price to get a result at St Mary’s. Southampton played well against Arsenal at weekend but still lost, which is a worrying sign for Saints.

RECOMMENDATION: Sparta Prague
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REFEREE: Manual Grafe STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA Betting Recap - 9/5-9/11
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes (Monday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 11)

-- Favorites went 11-4 straight up (SU)
-- Underdogs went 8-7 against the spread (ATS)
-- Home teams posted a 10-5 SU record
-- Home teams posted a 8-7 ATS record
-- The 'over' went 9-6

Team Betting Notes

-- Los Angeles (24-8) was favored in three games in the past week, and they lost all three straight up for their longest losing streak of the season. The Sparks are struggling mightily against the spread, going 0-4 ATS in the past four outings, and 2-10 ATS over the past 12. After starting out 8-2 ATS in their first 10 games the Sparks are 6-16 ATS over their past 22 outings.

-- Chicago (16-15) had a difficult week, losing two of their three games straight up. They also have lost star Elena Delle Donne indefinitely due to a thumb injury which required surgery. She is set to undergo the procedure Tuesday after suffering the injury Sept. 7 against Washington (12-19).

-- The Mystics have really gone downhill in the second half of the season, going 3-11 since July 1 after starting out 9-8.

-- Connecticut (11-20) is in a bit of a tailspin again, dropping each of their past three games and failing to cover in each. The Sun have allowed an average of 92.7 points per game, helping the 'over' hit in each of the three outings, too.

-- Indiana (16-15) is playoff bound, and they're ramping up for a nice postseason run. The Fever have won three in a row while going 3-1-1 ATS over the past five and 11-5-1 ATS over the past 17 outings.

-- Seattle (15-17) won their fourth straight game Sunday and were rewarded by clinching a playoff spot. They have won four in a row, and the Storm have covered six in a row, and nine of their past 10 games. They travel to Phoenix Thursday before wrapping up the season at home next Sunday against Chicago. They're 2-0 SU/ATS vs. Phoenix this season, and 0-2 SU/1-1 ATS vs. Chicago.

-- Phoenix (14-17) put an end to a three-game losing and non-cover skid against Atlanta (14-13), avenging a four-point loss on the road earlier in the week. Phoenix improved to 2-1 SU/ATS against Atlanta this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Storm (15-17) at Mercury (14-18)

Date: September 15, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Phoenix Mercury can clinch the WNBA's final playoff spot with a win over the Seattle Storm on Thursday at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

Seattle (15-17) has already secured its place in the postseason. The Storm is third in the Western Conference, 11 games behind the first-place Minnesota Lynx and 9 1/2 games behind the second-place Los Angeles Sparks.

Phoenix (14-18) is fourth in the Western Conference, one game behind Seattle in the West and, more importantly, one game ahead of the Washington Mystics for the final playoff berth. One win by Phoenix or one loss by Washington would give the Mercury the No. 8 seed and eliminate the Mystics from playoff contention.

Phoenix swept the season series against Washington and will hold the tiebreaker advantage should they finish with identical records. The Mystics will play the Atlanta Dream earlier Thursday night and conclude the regular season Sunday against the Connecticut Sun. The Mercury will end the regular season against the San Antonio Stars on Sunday.

Phoenix has lost four of its last five games to put its playoff hopes in jeopardy. The Mercury is coming off a 90-85 loss to Los Angeles. DeWanna Bonner came off the bench to score 20 points in the loss. Brittney Griner had 19 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Mercury shot 44.9 percent and led by as many as 14 midway through the third quarter, but the Sparks rallied to win behind Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray.

Seattle is surging as it prepares for the playoffs. The Storm have won four in a row by an average of 14 points per game, including a 102-78 rout of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Liberty and a 78-60 victory over Los Angeles.

All five starters scored in double figures in the win over Los Angeles. Breanna Stewart had 20 points and eight rebounds while Crystal Langhorne added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mystics (13-19) at Dream (16-16)

Date: September 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

In order to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Washington Mystics must win Thursday when they visit the Atlanta
That won't be easy against an Atlanta team that still has plenty of incentive to play well as it closes out the regular season.

Atlanta (16-16) is tied with the Indiana Fever for third place in the WNBA's Eastern Conference, one game behind the second-place Chicago Sky and 4 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Liberty. Chicago would be seeded fourth if the playoffs began today, but the Dream still has a chance to secure the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye.

Washington (13-19) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, three games behind Atlanta and Indiana. More importantly, the Mystics are one game behind the Phoenix Mercury for the final playoff spot.

One win by Phoenix or one loss by Washington would give the Mercury the No. 8 seed and eliminate the Mystics from playoff contention. Phoenix swept the season series against Washington and will hold the tiebreaker advantage should they finish with identical records.

The Mercury will play the Seattle Storm later Thursday night before concluding the regular season against the San Antonio Stars on Sunday. The Mystics will end the regular season Sunday against the Connecticut Sun.

Washington had lost two in a row to put its playoff hopes in peril before upsetting New York 75-62 on Tuesday. Stefanie Dolson had 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 19 points and six rebounds. The Mystics shot just 38.7 percent from the field, but they held the Liberty to 32.8-percent shooting.

Atlanta has lost two in a row and three of its last five. The Dream are coming off a 71-67 loss to San Antonio. Bria Holmes scored 20 points in the loss while Elizabeth Williams had 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Dream shot 30.7 percent from the field and made 2 of 18 from 3-point range while allowing the Stars to shoot 42.2 percent.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Houston at Cincinnati
By Joe Nelson

This week’s Thursday night game puts the American Athletic Conference in the spotlight in a rematch of one of the best games from the conference race last season.

Cincinnati has been consistently successful in the last decade but this year Houston is the team to watch after turning in a big opening week victory and currently sitting at #6 in the AP Poll.

Here is a preview of the Thursday night showcase game between Houston and Cincinnati.

Match-up: Houston Cougars at Cincinnati Bearcats
Venue: Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
Time/TV: Thursday, Sep. 15, 7:30 PM ET – ESPN
Line: Houston -8, Over/Under 64
Last Meeting: 2015, at Houston (-9) 33, Cincinnati 30.

Current head coaches at Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Tennessee had success at Cincinnati before taking higher profile jobs as the program has had just one losing season in the last decade while posting nine or more wins in seven of those seasons. Cincinnati is certainly a program that will be considered in the Big XII expansion and has to be considered one of the top programs outside of the current five major conferences.

Tommy Tuberville had a fairly successful 10-year run at Auburn before leaving after a marginal 2008 season. He coached at Texas Tech for three seasons and then after the 2012 season he made what most considered at best a lateral move to Cincinnati. After a pair of 9-4 seasons the Bearcats slipped to 7-6 last season, falling short of AAC titles the past two seasons after finishing in a three-way tie for the title in 2014.

Hayden Moore filled in successfully as a freshman for Gunner Kiel and he hasn’t surrendered the starting quarterback job leading the Bearcats to a 2-0 start with wins over FCS Tennessee-Martin and a notable win at Purdue last week. An offense that averaged nearly 34 points per game hasn’t been quite as prolific so far this season but Moore has thrown for 510 yards with five touchdowns and senior running back Tion Green has 150 yards on 32 carries so far to lead the offense. All of the top receivers from last season’s squad departed but so far senior Nate Cole has stepped up with 12 catches including three for touchdowns.

Defense is generally the concern for Cincinnati as the Bearcats allowed over 31 points per game last season with particular struggles against the run, allowing 192 yards per game on the ground on nearly 5.0 yards per rush. Cincinnati’s worst losses came against teams that could run, notable against BYU and South Florida in double-digit defeats as well as struggling to contain the run in the matchup with Houston last season.

While last season Cincinnati had three early season losses to fall short of expectations, they went into Houston last November with the Cougars a top 20 team at 8-0 and nearly came away with the upset. Houston took a 30-14 lead in the third quarter with a safety but Cincinnati outscored Houston 16-3 the rest of the way to get within three points and the Bearcats had the ball back near midfield before running out of downs.

Houston had a 589-427 yardage edge but also had three turnovers and very little success running the ball as the Cougars had a 266-66 yardage edge on the ground. Cincinnati also had 11 penalties in the game and a big disadvantage in time of possession.

These teams met in the regular season finale in 2014 with Cincinnati winning 38-31 at home in a win that gave the Bearcats a share of the AAC title. The stakes appear to be much higher for Houston this season, even though this is just the third game of the season.

After going 13-1 last season with a win over Florida State in the Peach Bowl the Cougars opened the season on the national radar and with an upset over Oklahoma in the opening week this is a team that continues to climb in the polls and most feel will have a shot to be undefeated.

The opening week win over Oklahoma was at NRG Stadium and despite falling behind early the Cougars rallied to take a lead at the half. The big play in the game was a third quarter return touchdown after a long field goal try for the Sooners that fell just short but Houston had eight more first downs in the game and more yardage as they shut down what was expected to be one of the nation’s top offensive teams. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. kept up with Baker Mayfield throwing for over 300 yards and the lines on both sides of the ball had strong play.

Last week Ward did not play vs. FCS Lamar with a right shoulder injury as junior Kyle Potsma stepped in admirably as he did last season in a few instances. The running game led the way last week with 381 rushing yards and the defense was dominant in the shutout with just 73 yards allowed. Getting that type of performance will be a great challenge this week as Houston and second year head coach Tom Herman look to continue what they hope will be a special season.

Houston entered the season as the heavy favorite in the AAC West and the leading candidate to return to a major bowl game as the top Group of 5 squad. Those hopes are alive as Houston climbs the polls but down the road a perfect season may still not be enough as the schedule will be quite weak overall. This game projects to be the toughest road game of the season for Houston as the late season test against Louisville will be at home.

While the conversations about whether or not Houston has a chance at the College Football Playoff will be for another day, this Thursday night spotlight game is the matchup most expect to see again in December for the AAC title game. While more may be at stake for the Cougars this is a great opportunity for Cincinnati to get a signature win as well in what could be a bounce-back season for the program after last season’s mediocrity.

Historical Trends:

-- Last season’s win for Houston was the first in the series since 1999, snapping a five-game winning streak for Cincinnati.

-- Going back to 1993 Houston is just 3-8 S/U and ATS in this series with all of the S/U wins coming at home.

-- Six of the last eight meetings between these schools have been decided by seven or fewer points.

-- Since 1989 Cincinnati is 75-56-1 ATS at home with a 32-18 ATS mark as a home underdog.

-- Cincinnati was a 7-point favorite hosting this matchup in 2014 and has not been this big of a home underdog since ironically hosting Oklahoma (+14) in a 29-31 loss in 2010.

-- Going back to November of 2012 Houston is on a 15-1 ATS run as a road team with the only miss being the upset loss at Connecticut last November.

-- The Cougars are 6-1 S/U and ATS as a road favorite since 2013 and in that time the program has been among the nation’s best ATS performers at 28-14 ATS overall since the start of the 2013 season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cougars (2-0) at Bearcats (2-0)

Date: September 15, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

CINCINNATI - Thursday games are not a large part of Tom Herman's experience, but the Houston coach is quickly playing catchup.

His undefeated and sixth-ranked Cougars are scheduled to play the first of this season's four non-Saturday night games this week when they travel to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

"It's not a bad thing on the back end," said Herman, whose team played one Thursday game last season - his first in a long time, he said. "You like it when you can take a deep breath on Friday and Saturday and let your kids heal and relax a little bit, but to go from our offense playing 97 snaps against Lamar and then turn it around on Sunday and for all intents and purposes have a Tuesday practice in terms of preparing for a game week - I understand why they do it. The ratings are off the charts when you play these Thursday night games, and we're in the entertainment business, but we play four of these. We have three Thursday night games and Friday night game, so in a 12-game schedule, a third of our games are not on a Saturday. That takes its toll on players' bodies. We're playing four games in 20 days. You do the match. That's a lot of pounding on a young man's body in a short amount of time."

Houston (2-0) is coming off a 42-0 win over Lamar that was delayed 3 ½ hours by lightning and torrential rain that was beneficial from the aspect that quarterback and Heisman Trophy-candidate Greg Ward Jr. was able to use the down time to get extra treatment on his banged-up shoulder. He ended up not playing against Lamar.

"He was out in pads (Sunday) night and practiced," Herman said on Monday during his weekly media session. "He's still sore, but the soreness is all muscular, so we're doing everything we can, from massages to dry needling, to make sure that the muscles that surround the shoulder are ready to go."

Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville is -- and isn't -- looking forward to seeing Ward.

"We saw him play quarterback for the first time four years ago, so we've seen him every year," Tuberville said Monday on the AAC weekly coaches teleconference. "He makes plays. Obviously, we're going to have to play much better than we have been playing to contain a quarterback like Greg Ward."

The Bearcats are scheduled to play three non-Saturday games, including the last two Fridays of the regular season. They are coming off a 38-20 win at Purdue - the first for the program at a Big Ten site in 59 years - in which they build up a 31-7 lead and fought off a Boilermaker comeback that cut the lead to 31-21 halfway through the fourth quarter. Cincinnati (2-0) had five interceptions in the game, three by senior safety Mike Tyson.

Houston, the first top 10 team to visit 40,000-seat Nippert Stadium since then-fifth-ranked West Virginia played there on Nov. 17, 2007, holds a 14-10 advantage in the all-time series against Cincinnati, but the Bearcats have won four of the last five games. The Cougars prevailed, 33-30, last season - a typically close outcome. The last three games between the two teams have been decided by a combined 18 points.

"As good as they were last year, they've improved on both sides of the ball," said Herman, for whom the trip will be somewhat of a homecoming, since he's a Cincinnati native who still has family in the area. "Their defensive line and their defensive tackles seem to be in a lot better shape. They're moving around better. Their two safeties are really good players hat make a ton of tackles for them. They seem to be a little more sound in what they're doing. They're in the right places at the right time on defense.

"On offense, the quarterback (sophomore Hayden Moore) is playing at an extremely high level. He's a really good player behind a massive offensive line. They're running the ball a little bit better than they have in years past. It will be a challenge."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 3
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday, Sept. 15

Matchup Skinny Edge

HOUSTON at CINCINNATI...Cougs had problems vs. Cincy LY and did not cover, though UH now 6-1 vs. spread away from TDECU Stadium. UH 29-14-1 vs. points since late 2012, though 0-2-1 vs. spread last three vs. Bearcats. Cincy 8-2 as home dog since 2006.

Slight to Cincy, based on team and series trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bearcats look for upset

Houston (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) vs. Cincinnati (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Lines: Houston (-8.5)

It's tough to deny how good the 6th ranked Houston Cougars have looked so far in this young season.

Houston knocked off Oklahoma in Week 1 as a double-digit underdog, and followed that up with a 42-0 victory over FCS Lamar with their backup QB.

This week they hit the national spotlight once again, albeit on the road, to face a Cincinnati Bearcats team that has won their two games this season by an average of 19.5 points.

Clearly there has to be some concern for Houston backers about the health of starting QB Greg Ward's shoulder, but a big part of the reason he sat last week vs. Lamar was to give that shoulder extra time to heal for this AAC showdown.

Ward and his Cougars teammates held on to a 33-30 home win as 9-point favorites last year against the Bearcats and the entire Houston team knows they'll be in for another tough fight on the road this season.

But this team is now a year older and has already shown some impressive fortitude in beating Oklahoma, but they'll need a healthy and strong Ward under center to cover this number as road favs.

Cincinnati comes into this game with the mindset that they'd love to knock off everyone's AAC darling right now and throw themselves into the rankings.

Beating a 6th ranked Houston team would likely give a lot of credence to that argument and with a 2-0-1 ATS record (2-1 SU) the last three years vs. Houston, the Bearcats are a legit outright contender here.

QB Hayden Moore has been impressive in his first two starts of the season, and Cincinnati definitely has the offensive weapons at their disposal to keep up with the Cougars should this game turn into a shootout.

Not surprisingly, much of the early money has come on Houston as many bettors are buying into the hype that this team has a legit chance to be a playoff buster and go undefeated in 2016.

Even if that is the case, 8.5 points is a lot to lay on the road in a conference rivalry game, on a short week, and under the national spotlight. That point is even more important when you consider that the last three games between these two since they became conference rivals have all been decided by a touchdown or less.

Throw in a sore shoulder for Houston's QB, and I would not be surprised to see this line come back down around a touchdown by kickoff.

Therefore, if you are inclined to go against the majority right now and grab the points with the home dog, I suggest you do so sooner than later.

Cincinnati is on a 11-3-1 ATS run against conference opponents and although Houston is 21-4-1 ATS in their last 26 on the road, their early season upset win vs. Oklahoma has put lofty expectations on this Houston team and with that comes point spreads that are a touch inflated.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday’s games

Houston QB Ward (shoulder) sat out last week’s cakewalk; he is expected back here. Cougars lost five of its last six vs Cincinnati, losing last four visits here (0-3-1 vs spread) by average score of 44-30. Underdogs are 6-2-1 vs spread in last nine series games. This figures to be Houston’s toughest game until Nov*19 game vs Louisville. Bearcats had 262 rushing yards in 38-20 win LW at Purdue, but Boilers also threw for 401 yards, red flag vs Ward. Cincy was +5 in TOs last week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Opening Line Report - Week 2
By Marcus DiNitto

While bettors and bookmakers alike must be careful not to overreact to what they saw in the opening week of a football season, certainly there are lessons to be learned from finally getting to watch each team in action.

John Avello, vice president of race and sports at the Wynn Las Vegas, said while “everything pretty much played to form” on Sunday, there are a few teams’ ratings that warrant adjustments based on Week 1 performances.

“The Lions are a little better than I thought, Tampa Bay’s pretty good, too,” Avello offered as examples.

He also mentioned the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and the Vikings’ Shaun Hill as quarterbacks who impressed him Sunday.

Here’s a look at early lines for Week 2 of the 2016 NFL season. Number are current as of 10 p.m. ET, with opening numbers and early movement noted as well.

Thursday, Sept. 15

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-3 even, 42.5)

While the opening number of Bills -3 was given the slightest of adjustments in the Jets’ direction, it’s unlikely we’ll see this line stray too far from the key number ‘3’. The last eight meetings between these AFC East foes have featured point spreads of 2.5 to 3.5. “3’s the right number. That’s where it’s got to be,” said Avello.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (0-1) at Bills (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2016 8:25 PM EDT

There was plenty of blame to go around for season-opening losses by the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, but with three days between games and an AFC East rival ahead Thursday night in Week 2, each team turned the page quickly.

Bills offensive coordinator Greg Roman stood up and faced the music Monday afternoon, a day after his offense turned in one of the team's worst performances in recent memory.

Buffalo's total offense output of 160 yards was its worst in 10 years, and its lowest in a season opener since 1979. Roman accepted blame for a game plan that never got into sync.

"I will definitely take the blame myself," Roman said. "I think I can do a better job putting us in positions to be successful."

What was so odd about what took place in Buffalo's 13-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens is that Roman never allowed the Bills to get into any rhythm.

Buffalo did take the last meeting in the series - and the past five - to bump the Jets out of the playoffs in the final week of the 2015 season.

"We know each other pretty well," Jets coach Todd Bowles said. "They're still tough. Rex is smart. He understands the game very well."

The most glaring issue Week 1 for the Bills was the lack of deep throws dialed up for Tyrod Taylor, something in which the quarterback excelled last season in his first year as the starter. His longest pass was a 33-yarder on a broken play to tight end Charles Clay, and the only other pass that topped 10 yards was a 19-yarder to Sammy Watkins.

"We weren't able to get into a rhythm and take those shots when we wanted to," Roman said. "We got a little bit disjointed. We have to stay on the field. When we do that, we're pretty darn good."

There were five instances in which the Bills faced second-and-8 or longer where Roman called for a run, and none of those plays produced a first down. Only once did Buffalo recover and get points, and that was on its lone touchdown drive in the second quarter.

The Jets sacked Andy Dalton seven times but the Cincinnati Bengals rattled away a 23-22 win in Week 1.

The job that stares Roman in the face is trying to get the offense on track against one of the best defensive lines in the NFL in Thursday night's home opener against the Jets (8:25 p.m. ET). Baltimore was stout in the front seven and did a great job overpowering the Bills' offensive line, and things will likely get tougher in this game against the likes of Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams. Wilkerson, dealing with ankle and toe issues, might not practice leading up to the game.

"They have so many good players up front," center Eric Wood said. "All of us have to show up each play because any one of them can really embarrass you. Another tough test, and we've got to play better this week."

And the Bills may have to do so without left tackle Cordy Glenn, who is expected to miss the game with an ankle injury, and leading receiver Sammy Watkins (foot). Glenn played half the game last week before exiting. Cyrus Kouandjio took over and, like the rest of the line, struggled.

To a man, the linemen are thrilled to be playing on Thursday night because it allowed them to quickly wash away that lousy performance in Baltimore. Wood said they were already working on the game plan on the flight back from Baltimore because of the time crunch, and he said it had a cleansing effect.

"I think it was a blessing in disguise to get that stinker out of the way and move on and have a great opponent like the Jets coming up," Bills guard Richie Incognito said. "It was great to turn the page fast and get on to the Jets."

"We are a very prideful group and we know what we're capable of and we didn't play up to our potential. When you have a poor showing like that early in the season it leaves a poor taste in your mouth. So we're coming out extra motivated. We're fired up."

Thursday's contest is the 111th regular-season meeting between the teams. Buffalo leads the series 59-51.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

AFC East heats up Thursday


New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills

Lines: New York (-1); Total set at 40.5

These two AFC East rivals both enter Week 2 after a loss to an AFC North opponent.

Buffalo was in Baltimore and took a 13-7 defeat, while the Jets couldn't hold onto a late lead and gave up a game-winning FG to Cincinnati in the final minute to lose 23-22.

Those defeats put these two organizations in the familiar position of looking up at the New England Patriots in the standings after they beat Arizona on SNF, and now both of these teams know how important a win on Thursday night will be.

Right off the bat, bettors will notice that this line has already seen significant movement since it opened on Sunday evening. The number then was set at Buffalo (-3) and the Bills anaemic showing against the Ravens clearly left an impact on the betting public. Buffalo did play alright on defense, but the offense was futile.

The Bills had just 160 yards of total offense in the game and converted just 11 first downs (one by penalty and two on 4th down) the entire game. They were constantly in 3rd-and-long situations that continually put them behind the sticks, and many bettors believe it's too hard to see a drastic change in that regard on a short week.

After all, the Jets did look fairly solid for the most part, but they let Bengals WR AJ Green go off for 180 receiving yards and did give up that final drive that led to a FG. There is no denying that New York looked like the much better team of these two in Week 1, but I would caution against making snap judgements on NFL teams after one week of play. What's that old saying? Nobody is ever as good as they appear after a solid performance, and nobody is ever as bad as they appear after a clunker.

So while the Jets have gotten all the early money in this spot, I wouldn't be surprised to see some buyback on this line soon. Even if that opening number of -3 for Buffalo was solely based on a typical home field advantage (which it wasn't), the Bills have still won five in a row against the Jets (5-0 ATS too), and beat them by identical 22-17 scores in both meetings a year ago.

In fact, Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is just 2-8 SU in 10 career games against a Rex Ryan-led defense and that's one of those trends that makes you wonder if Rex is completely in Fitzpatrick's head at this point.

Home teams have typically been the better bet on TNF since these games became a regular part of the NFL schedule in 2006, and you likely aren't going to see a better number on the Bills then the one that's currently out there. The Jets may have looked like the better team after Week 1, but I'm betting they'll have the worse record after Week 2.

Take the Buffalo Bills +1 and/or on the money line.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday Night NFL betting preview: Jets at Bills

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (+1, 40)

The Buffalo Bills' offense looked anemic in a season-opening loss and is in need of a jolt as the club hosts coach Rex Ryan's former team in the AFC East-rival New York Jets on Thursday night. Buffalo recorded just 11 first downs, 48 plays behind center and 160 yards of total offense in a 13-7 setback to Baltimore on Sunday.

"Tape doesn't lie,” Ryan told the New York Post on Monday. "We really struggled and we clearly have to get better in a hurry ... and, oh by the way, we're playing against even a better defense (in the Jets)." While New York's aggressive front recorded seven sacks in its 23-22 season-opening loss to Cincinnati, veteran cornerback Darrelle Revis granted A.J. Green a cushy stay on Revis Island and could receive the call to shadow Sammy Watkins. The third-year wideout, who insisted to ESPN that he'll "definitely play" on Thursday despite nursing a sore left foot, reeled in 11 receptions for 136 yards as the Bills posted a 22-17 victory over the Jets in January for their fifth straight win in the series. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three fourth-quarter interceptions versus his former team as New York was derailed in its bid to clinch its first playoff berth since 2010.

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.

LINE HISTORY: The Bills opened this game favored by a field goal at home, but since then bettors and injury concerns has caused the line to jump the fence to Jets -1.

As for the total, it has come down a fair amount since opening at 42.5 with the current total sitting at 40.

POWER RANKINGS: Jets (-1) - Bills (+1.5) + home field (-3) = Bills +0.5

INJURY REPORT:

Jets - WR Q. Enuwa (probable Thursday, ribs), LB B. Carter (questionable Thursday, shoulder), S C. Pryor (questionable Thursday, undisclosed), DE M. Wilkerson (questionable Thursday, toe), TE K. Davis (questionable Thursday, ribs), LB D. Harris (questionable Thursday, shoulder), CB D. Roberts (doubtful Thursday, foot), DL J. Jenkins (doubtful Thursday, calf).

Bills - WR S. Watkins (questionable Thursday, foot), RB J. Williams (questionable Thursday, ribs), CB K. Seymour (questionable Thursday, hamstring), WR W. Powell (questinable Thursday, undisclosed), Qb C. Jones (questionable Sunday, shoulder), TE J. Dray (questionable Thursday, ankle), DT J. Worthy (questionable Thursday, knee), TE C. Clay (questionable Thursday, knee), T C. Glenn (out Thursday, ankle), S C. Anderson (out Thursday, foot).

WEATHER REPORT: It should be a beautiful night for football at Orchard Park. The forecast calls for clear skies with temperatures in the low 60's during the game. There could be a six to seven mil per hour wind gusting from east to west, towards the northwestern endzzone.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "On Monday morning we were sitting at Bills -2.5, but were taking all Jets action at that number (over 90 percent) forcing us to go move all the way to the Jets -1, where we were still seeing over 80 percent of the action on the Jets. We are now Jets -1.5 with just under 85 percent of the action on the Jets We have also moved the total down from 42.5 to 40.5 where we are seeing just under 75 percent on the Over." - Michael Stewart.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "For the second consecutive season the Bills and Jets meet on a Thursday night. Both teams are coming off shaky week one performances. Buffalo's simplistic road game plan at Baltimore back-fired as penalties ruined their chances. Meanwhile, the Jets could not avoid big mistakes on their home field against the powerful Bengals."

"With a short week in a division game Vegas has this setup with a common resulting number of one-point in the Jets favor (four games decided by a point week one)." - Zack Cimini.


ABOUT THE JETS (0-1, 0-1 ATS, 1-0 O/U): New York's offense received mixed reviews in the opener as versatile veteran Matt Forte (96 rushing, 59 receiving) amassed 155 yards from scrimmage in his debut, but former Chicago Bears teammate Brandon Marshall was limited to just three catches and committed a costly drop in the fourth quarter. The 32-year-old Marshall downplayed any residual issues with an ailing hip and looks to get back on track versus Buffalo, against which he has reeled in a touchdown pass in each of his last four meetings. Leonard Williams recorded 2 1/2 sacks in the opener, fellow defensive tackle Steve McLendon added two and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson had 1 1/2 for the Jets, who will see Sheldon Richardson make his 2016 debut after serving a one-game suspension for violating the personal-conduct policy.

ABOUT THE BILLS (0-1, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Ryan dismissed the possibility of shutting down Watkins after the New York Daily News reported that the move could be done as a precaution following the wideout's admission that his surgically repaired foot was sore. Watkins had four catches for a team-high 43 yards against the Ravens, but Tyrod Taylor only connected on 15 of 22 tosses for 111 yards in the game. LeSean McCoy, who recorded his 60th career touchdown in the opener, gashed the Jets for 112 yards rushing and five catches for 47 yards receiving in Buffalo's 22-17 win on Nov. 12.

TRENDS:

* Jets are 0-5 ATS in their last five games in Buffalo.
* Bills finished last season 4-0 ATS in their final four home games.
* Under is 5-1 in the Bills' last six Thursday games.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five games in Buffalo.

CONSENSUS: The public is backing the shot road fave in this spot, with 60 percent of wagers backing the Jets. As for the total, 56 percent of wagers are on the Under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NFL Picks: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills Odds and Expert Predictions
by Alan Matthews

My choice to be the first coach fired this season was Buffalo's Rex Ryan at +1000 when that prop was out, and he might be gone after this game if the Bills are stomped at home by the rival New York Jets on Thursday night to fall to 0-2.

I don't want to make any grand proclamations after one week, but the AFC East already looks over. The Patriots were able to go to arguably the NFC's best team, Arizona, and win on Sunday night without Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and two starting offensive linemen. Now I tend to think they will be 4-0 when Brady returns from suspension and probably have at least a two-game lead in the division because every other East team lost in Week 1. The Pats are -350 to win the East again, with the Jets at +650, Bills at +850 and Dolphins at +900. To be fair, New York, Buffalo and Miami all could have won.

Not that the Jets need any more motivation here against their former head coach in Rex Ryan, but the Bills were the reason New York missed the playoffs last year. If the Jets had just beaten the Bills once, they would have been in. But Buffalo won a pair of 22-17 decisions, including at home in Week 17 to eliminate the Jets from a wild-card spot. Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick decided to have perhaps his worst game of the year at the worst time, completing just 16 of 37 for 181 yards and three picks. Buffalo held the ball for nearly 40 minutes.

You can see this game on CBS, the NFL Network and, in a new twist this year, streaming live on Twitter.

Jets at Bills Betting Story Lines

New York played quite well in Week 1 but lost to 23-22 to a very good Bengals team, albeit one that was missing Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert and top linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Nick Folk had given the Jets a 22-20 lead on a 23-yard field goal with 3:23 left, but Mike Nugent won it on a 47-yarder with 54 second to go. The Jets allowed a ton of passing yards by Andy Dalton, and Darrelle Revis was absolutely torched by A.J. Green, but that defense had seven sacks. That unit played without suspended defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, one of the better players at his position in the NFL. He'll be back here.

Running back Matt Forte had a nice Jets debut, rushing 22 times for 96 yards and leading the team with 59 yards receiving on five catches. So much for being past his prime. My concern about the Jets this year was that Fitzpatrick was going to regress after a career year, and he wasn't great vs. Cincinnati, completing 19-for-35 for 189 yards, two TDs, a pick and a rating of 77.0.

Ryan's teams historically have struggled on offense, and that was the case in Week 1 as Buffalo lost 13-7 in Baltimore. Bills QB Tyrod Taylor was a pleasant surprise last year and earned himself a big new extension in training camp, but he was 15-for-22 for just 111 yards against Baltimore. LeSean McCoy rushed 16 times for 58 yards and a TD, but the Bills totaled only 67 yards on 24 attempts. This team is going nowhere without a running game.

There are conflicting reports on Bills top receiver Sammy Watkins. He broke his foot in the offseason and had surgery but played Week 1 and had four catches for 43 yards. Apparently that foot is really causing him major discomfort. It's not broken again, but he might have to be shut down for quite a while if the pain continues (so say some reports). As of now, Watkins says he's playing on Thursday. The Bills need him as they have a pretty weak group of pass-catchers otherwise. Buffalo could be without starting left tackle Cordy Glenn here after he left Week 1 with an ankle injury that also bothered him in camp. I don't have high hopes for this offense.

Jets at Bills Betting Odds and Trends

The game is a pick'em with a total of 40. So no moneyline. On the alternate lines, the Jets are -1 (-103) and the Bills -1 (-103). Last year, New York was 2-3-2 against the spread on the road and 3-4-0 "over/under." Buffalo was 5-3 ATS at home and 4-4 O/U.

The Jets are 6-2-1 ATS in their past nine vs. the AFC East. They are 1-4 ATS in their past five after a loss. The Bills are 4-0-1 ATS in their past five vs. the AFC East. They are 8-3 ATS in their past 11 following an ATS loss. The under is 5-2 in the Jets' past seven on Thursday. The under is 12-5 in Buffalo's past 17 at home. The under is 4-1 in the past five meetings in Buffalo. The Jets have failed to cover the past five in the series.

Free NFL Picks: Jets at Bills Betting Predictions

The clubs have split the past 20 games in the series. By the way, this is one of those Color Rush games. Buffalo managed to sweep last year despite not reaching 300 total yards in either game. This one is tough because I think the Jets are better and the Bills are banged up, but these quick turnarounds do favor the home teams usually. The heavy early lean is on New York. I'll go with the Jets and the under even though it's a low total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Week 2 Essentials
By Tony Mejia

Entering the Week 1 Monday night dud of a doubleheader, 11 of the NFL’s first 14 games were decided by one score, which included six games settled by two points or less. It’s unlikely that this second week will be as riveting, but it doesn’t hurt to hope. Here’s the card and what you need to identify before wagering:

Thursday, Sept. 15

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo: There’s truly no such thing as a Week 2 must-win, but this one will make you think twice about how definitive that statement is. The Jets suffered a gut-wrenching home loss to Cincinnati where they played well, but multiple core guys made mistakes, so a setback here could linger. Given how tough the rest of the early schedule is, a win could make a difference in salvaging the season. The Bills scored a week-low 7 points and have top receiver Sammy Watkins attempting to gut it out through discomfort in his surgically repaired left foot, so the clouds are already circling entering this key home game. Tyrod Taylor’s mobility should come in handy against a New York d-line that gets after quarterbacks as well as anyone in the league. He’ll be operating behind a new starting left tackle since Cordy Glenn has been ruled out due to an ankle injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 2
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday, Sept. 15

NY JETS at BUFFALO (CBS/NFL Network, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Bills won and covered both meetings by identical 22-17 scores last season. That's now five straight wins and covers in series for Buffalo. Rex 3-1 as home chalk LY. Jets 2-0-1 as dog last season for Bowles.
Tech Edge: Bills and slight to "under," based on team and "totals" trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week*2 NFL

NJ Jets (0-1) @ Buffalo (0-1)– Buffalo ran only 48 plays for 160 yards in 13-7 loss at Baltimore; they are 15-8 vs spread in last 23 home games; they won last five series games (both 22-17 LY); home side won six of last eight series games. Jets lost last three visits here, by 19-23-5 points. Bills are 6-2 in last eight home openers (7-2 vs spread in last nine); they’re 4-1 as a favorite in HOs. Jets are 14-5 vs spread in last 19 road openers, covering last three in spite of going 1-4 SU in last five. Jets covered seven of last eight as an underdog in AO’s- since 2011, they’re 10-14-3 as road dogs. Gang Green lost last week despite seven sacks, 52 rushing yards. Bills are 13-8 in last 21 games with spread of 3 or less; Jets are 5-8-1 in last 14. Last three Buffalo home openers stayed under, as did six of Jets’ last nine road openers.