VEGAS EXPERTS
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Monday, September 15th, 7:05 PM ET
Dice-K is unbeaten in 11 road starts this season and carries in a sterling 21-5 overall team start record. However, the Rays' Scott Kazmir has nearly matched him with a 18-6 TSR on the year, including 14-2 in night games. Boston is just 1-9 in domes this season and most of that damage has been done here in Tampa where they are 0-6. The Red Sox are just 6-14 this year in league play against pitchers with a 3.20 ERA or better.
Play on: Tampa Bay
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Monday, September 15th, 7:05 PM ET
Dice-K is unbeaten in 11 road starts this season and carries in a sterling 21-5 overall team start record. However, the Rays' Scott Kazmir has nearly matched him with a 18-6 TSR on the year, including 14-2 in night games. Boston is just 1-9 in domes this season and most of that damage has been done here in Tampa where they are 0-6. The Red Sox are just 6-14 this year in league play against pitchers with a 3.20 ERA or better.
Play on: Tampa Bay
CKO
Philadelphia...Donovan McNabb is back and so apparently is the
deep ball in Philly! All McNabb did was pass for 361 yards in the
Birds' 38-3 romp past the Rams on opening day, with three different
Philly receivers (Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis, and Cal rookie DeSean
Jackson) each cracking the 100-yard barrier, the first time that
was done by the Eagles since their 1960 championship year when
Timmy Brown, Pete Retzlaff, and Tommy McDonald all turned the trick
in a 38-28 win over the Redskins on December 18. What's
interesting is that the Eagles' top two wideouts, Reggie Brown and
Kevin Curtis, both missed the game due to injury. Pittsburgh...
Willie Parker is apparently back from a broken leg, at least based
upon his opening-week performance against Houston (138 YR and 3
Tds) in the Steelers' 38-17 romp. Illinois rookie RB Rashard
Mendenhall, expectred to get the bulk of the short-yardage carries
(and cracks at the goal line from close range), indeed carried 10
times, but didn't record a TD against the Texans.
TECH EDGE
PHILADELPHIA at DALLAS (Monday, September 15).Birds have won and
covered last 2 (as dog each time) and 3 of last 4 at Dallas. Andy
4-1 as dog LY, 8-2 in role since '06, and 19-8 last 27 as dog away
from home. Tech edge-Eagles, based on team and series trends.
Philadelphia...Donovan McNabb is back and so apparently is the
deep ball in Philly! All McNabb did was pass for 361 yards in the
Birds' 38-3 romp past the Rams on opening day, with three different
Philly receivers (Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis, and Cal rookie DeSean
Jackson) each cracking the 100-yard barrier, the first time that
was done by the Eagles since their 1960 championship year when
Timmy Brown, Pete Retzlaff, and Tommy McDonald all turned the trick
in a 38-28 win over the Redskins on December 18. What's
interesting is that the Eagles' top two wideouts, Reggie Brown and
Kevin Curtis, both missed the game due to injury. Pittsburgh...
Willie Parker is apparently back from a broken leg, at least based
upon his opening-week performance against Houston (138 YR and 3
Tds) in the Steelers' 38-17 romp. Illinois rookie RB Rashard
Mendenhall, expectred to get the bulk of the short-yardage carries
(and cracks at the goal line from close range), indeed carried 10
times, but didn't record a TD against the Texans.
TECH EDGE
PHILADELPHIA at DALLAS (Monday, September 15).Birds have won and
covered last 2 (as dog each time) and 3 of last 4 at Dallas. Andy
4-1 as dog LY, 8-2 in role since '06, and 19-8 last 27 as dog away
from home. Tech edge-Eagles, based on team and series trends.
THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NFL
Philadelphia (1-0 SU and ATS) at Dallas (1-0 SU and ATS)
A matchup between bitter NFC East rivals caps Week 2 of the NFL season, as the Eagles visit Texas Stadium for a prime-time battle with the Cowboys.
Philadelphia throttled the Rams in its season-opener, rolling 38-3 as a 9?-point home favorite, rolling up 526 total yards (414 passing) and 28 first downs while limiting St. Louis to 218 yards and eight first downs. QB Donovan McNabb looked in midseason form, completing 21 of 33 passes for 361 yards with three TDs and no interceptions as the Eagles won their fourth straight regular-season game (3-1 ATS) dating to last December.
Dallas was just as impressive as Philly in Week 1, hammering the Browns 28-10 and easily cashing as a six-point road favorite to halt an 0-5 ATS slide in regular-season and playoff games. Tony Romo (24-for-32, 320 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was sharp, and the Cowboys amassed 487 total yards while holding the Browns to 205.
Dallas crushed the Eagles 38-17 as a three-point road favorite in last year?s first meeting, but the Philadelphia turned the tables late in the season with a 10-6 upset victory in Dallas as a 10-point underdog. In fact, the Eagles are 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four visits to Texas Stadium, including back-to-back outright upsets the last two years. Going back further, Andy Reid?s team has covered the number in nine of its last 12 trips to Dallas.
Also in this rivalry, the underdog is on a 6-1 ATS roll, and the visitor is 4-1 ATS in the last five.
Philadelphia has thrived in the underdog roll going back to 2006, cashing in eight of its last 10 as a pup, including going 4-1 ATS as a ?dog last season. Also, the Eagles have cashed in six consecutive road games, and they?re 19-8 ATS in their last 27 as a road pup.
Dallas has covered in six consecutive September contests and five of its last six Week 2 affairs. On the flip side, Wade Phillips? squad is mired in ATS funks of 0-4 against the NFC East, 0-5 versus the NFC and 1-4 on Monday nights. In fact, the Cowboys are only 9-17 ATS (14-12 SU) all-time in Monday night games at Texas Stadium.
The straight-up winner went 12-1-1 ATS in Sunday?s 14 contests and is now 27-2-1 ATS through the first two weeks of the season.
For the Eagles, the under is on streaks of 4-1 overall, 4-1 in September, 6-2 versus the NFC East and 13-5-2 on Monday night. The under is also 5-0 in Dallas? last five overall, but otherwise the Cowboys are on over streaks of 6-2-1 on Monday nights, 5-2-1 in September and 6-1 following a spread-cover. Finally, the under is 3-0 in the last three series meetings at Texas Stadium.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PHILADELPHIA
NFL
Philadelphia (1-0 SU and ATS) at Dallas (1-0 SU and ATS)
A matchup between bitter NFC East rivals caps Week 2 of the NFL season, as the Eagles visit Texas Stadium for a prime-time battle with the Cowboys.
Philadelphia throttled the Rams in its season-opener, rolling 38-3 as a 9?-point home favorite, rolling up 526 total yards (414 passing) and 28 first downs while limiting St. Louis to 218 yards and eight first downs. QB Donovan McNabb looked in midseason form, completing 21 of 33 passes for 361 yards with three TDs and no interceptions as the Eagles won their fourth straight regular-season game (3-1 ATS) dating to last December.
Dallas was just as impressive as Philly in Week 1, hammering the Browns 28-10 and easily cashing as a six-point road favorite to halt an 0-5 ATS slide in regular-season and playoff games. Tony Romo (24-for-32, 320 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was sharp, and the Cowboys amassed 487 total yards while holding the Browns to 205.
Dallas crushed the Eagles 38-17 as a three-point road favorite in last year?s first meeting, but the Philadelphia turned the tables late in the season with a 10-6 upset victory in Dallas as a 10-point underdog. In fact, the Eagles are 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four visits to Texas Stadium, including back-to-back outright upsets the last two years. Going back further, Andy Reid?s team has covered the number in nine of its last 12 trips to Dallas.
Also in this rivalry, the underdog is on a 6-1 ATS roll, and the visitor is 4-1 ATS in the last five.
Philadelphia has thrived in the underdog roll going back to 2006, cashing in eight of its last 10 as a pup, including going 4-1 ATS as a ?dog last season. Also, the Eagles have cashed in six consecutive road games, and they?re 19-8 ATS in their last 27 as a road pup.
Dallas has covered in six consecutive September contests and five of its last six Week 2 affairs. On the flip side, Wade Phillips? squad is mired in ATS funks of 0-4 against the NFC East, 0-5 versus the NFC and 1-4 on Monday nights. In fact, the Cowboys are only 9-17 ATS (14-12 SU) all-time in Monday night games at Texas Stadium.
The straight-up winner went 12-1-1 ATS in Sunday?s 14 contests and is now 27-2-1 ATS through the first two weeks of the season.
For the Eagles, the under is on streaks of 4-1 overall, 4-1 in September, 6-2 versus the NFC East and 13-5-2 on Monday night. The under is also 5-0 in Dallas? last five overall, but otherwise the Cowboys are on over streaks of 6-2-1 on Monday nights, 5-2-1 in September and 6-1 following a spread-cover. Finally, the under is 3-0 in the last three series meetings at Texas Stadium.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PHILADELPHIA
<TABLE style="TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="85%" height="100%">your winning picks
****BEST BET****
DALLAS COWBOYS (-7) VS. Philadelphia Eagles: This is an early battle for supremacy in the ultra-competitive NFC East as the Cowboys and Eagles both come off demolitions in Week 1. Dallas QB Tony Romo doesn't have good history against the Eagles at home as he has thrown only 1 TD and 5 INT's in his last two such outings against the Birds. The Eagles are also a great bet as an underdog under Andy Reid as they are 41-21-2 ATS in that role. This will be a close game and should go right down to the wire. THE PICK: Philadelphia Eagles +7
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****BEST BET****
DALLAS COWBOYS (-7) VS. Philadelphia Eagles: This is an early battle for supremacy in the ultra-competitive NFC East as the Cowboys and Eagles both come off demolitions in Week 1. Dallas QB Tony Romo doesn't have good history against the Eagles at home as he has thrown only 1 TD and 5 INT's in his last two such outings against the Birds. The Eagles are also a great bet as an underdog under Andy Reid as they are 41-21-2 ATS in that role. This will be a close game and should go right down to the wire. THE PICK: Philadelphia Eagles +7
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<TABLE style="TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="85%" height="100%">SPORTS REPORTER
MONDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 15
*DALLAS over PHILADELPHIA by 4
DALLAS, 30-26.
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MONDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 15
*DALLAS over PHILADELPHIA by 4
DALLAS, 30-26.
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MARC LAWRENCE PLAYBOOK
DALLAS over Philadelphia by 7
Impressive outings by both teams puts this game in the national spotlight,
under the Monday Night lights to boot. Good numbers abound for both
sides, too. The Eagles are 11-6 SU and ATS on Mondays behind Andy Reid,
including 7-0 SU and ATS when playing off a win of 7 or more points. They are
also 19-12 SU and 21-10 ATS on the division road under Andy. The Cowboys
counter at 17-11 ATS in Monday night division duels, including 9-3 in Games
1 thru 3. Wade Phillips chips in at 12-3 SU and ATS at home off a win versus
an opponent off a win, including 6-1 in division games. His 1-6 ATS mark in
Monday night games is the only negative note.
DALLAS over Philadelphia by 7
Impressive outings by both teams puts this game in the national spotlight,
under the Monday Night lights to boot. Good numbers abound for both
sides, too. The Eagles are 11-6 SU and ATS on Mondays behind Andy Reid,
including 7-0 SU and ATS when playing off a win of 7 or more points. They are
also 19-12 SU and 21-10 ATS on the division road under Andy. The Cowboys
counter at 17-11 ATS in Monday night division duels, including 9-3 in Games
1 thru 3. Wade Phillips chips in at 12-3 SU and ATS at home off a win versus
an opponent off a win, including 6-1 in division games. His 1-6 ATS mark in
Monday night games is the only negative note.
hiladelphia +7Matt Rivers
For Monday take the Nats at home.
Dave Cokin
SEA Mariners @ KC Royals
Take KC Royals
I'm no fan of Kyle Davies, but the KC righty has a great chance to be a winner tonight. That's because he's lined up against the pathetic Mariners and the absolutely brutal Carlos Silva. No one has been worse than Silva this season, and there's nothing at all misleading about his ugly 4-14 ledger. The Royals are back home off a couple of nice wins at Cleveland, and should pick up another victory tonight.
Jim Feist
NYM Mets @ WAS Nationals
Take Under
Washington is a large pitcher friendly park, which is obvious when you see that the Nationals have the second worst offense in the National League. For this game, two pitchers who know how to throw strikes take the mound. NY righty Pedro Martinez has just 33 walks in 91 innings. He also loves facing this light-hitting Washington lineup, at 5-2 in his career against them with a 2.40 ERA. Washington lefty John Lannan is not bad and has allowed fewer hits than innings pitched. NY is off two low scoring tilts, 5-0 and 3-2, against the Braves and now heads to Washington. The Mets are going to use their best relievers, if needed, as they are in a heated pennant race. The Mets limited the damage to their NL East lead on a day when Philadelphia beat Milwaukee. Manager Jerry Manuel's club now leads the Phillies by 2.5 games with 14 to play. Don't look for a lot of offense in this park with these veteran hurlers. Play the Mets/Nationals under the total.
Scott Spreitzer
Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees
Prediction: Chicago White Sox
I'm taking the price with the White Sox on Monday. Chicago is in the thick of a pennant race, while the Yankees are already focusing on next season. Normally, the public overrates "must win" teams at this time of year. That doesn't happen when those teams play the Yankees though, because the public always overrates the win potential of the Yankees! New York did get a couple of victories against division leader Tampa Bay in its last two games. That just sets up a nice value spot on the visitor on Monday. New York will throw Mexican League pitcher Alfredo Aceves. Chicago is throwing veteran Mark Beurhle, a pitcher who wants to make his final appearance at historic Yankee Stadium a memorable one. Weather wreacked havoc with Chicago's schedule this past weekend. They'll be ready to play some baseball, and in a "live dog" spot to boot. The White Sox plus the price is the play.
Sean Higgs
New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals
Play: Over
Tonight, I am backing the over in the Mets/Nats match-up. These two teams have over in 9 of the last 10 in Washington, and in 4 straight. Lannan has gone 6-1-1 over his last 8 starts. The Nats as a team have gone 13-4 over their last 17 and 7-1 over last 8 at home. Pedro has gone 8-1 over in his last 9 road games vs teams with losing records. The over is 20-6-1 in Pedro's last 27 road starts.
Greg Daraban
Chicago WS at 962 New York Yankees
The White Sox swept the Tigers Sunday in Doubleheader. The Yankees beat Tampa which helped their hated rival Boston.Tonight the Sox send out Buehrle who who is 13-11 and avery solid 3.88 ERA. Aceves goes for NY he is just 1-0.
Take Chicago WS
For Monday take the Nats at home.
Dave Cokin
SEA Mariners @ KC Royals
Take KC Royals
I'm no fan of Kyle Davies, but the KC righty has a great chance to be a winner tonight. That's because he's lined up against the pathetic Mariners and the absolutely brutal Carlos Silva. No one has been worse than Silva this season, and there's nothing at all misleading about his ugly 4-14 ledger. The Royals are back home off a couple of nice wins at Cleveland, and should pick up another victory tonight.
Jim Feist
NYM Mets @ WAS Nationals
Take Under
Washington is a large pitcher friendly park, which is obvious when you see that the Nationals have the second worst offense in the National League. For this game, two pitchers who know how to throw strikes take the mound. NY righty Pedro Martinez has just 33 walks in 91 innings. He also loves facing this light-hitting Washington lineup, at 5-2 in his career against them with a 2.40 ERA. Washington lefty John Lannan is not bad and has allowed fewer hits than innings pitched. NY is off two low scoring tilts, 5-0 and 3-2, against the Braves and now heads to Washington. The Mets are going to use their best relievers, if needed, as they are in a heated pennant race. The Mets limited the damage to their NL East lead on a day when Philadelphia beat Milwaukee. Manager Jerry Manuel's club now leads the Phillies by 2.5 games with 14 to play. Don't look for a lot of offense in this park with these veteran hurlers. Play the Mets/Nationals under the total.
Scott Spreitzer
Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees
Prediction: Chicago White Sox
I'm taking the price with the White Sox on Monday. Chicago is in the thick of a pennant race, while the Yankees are already focusing on next season. Normally, the public overrates "must win" teams at this time of year. That doesn't happen when those teams play the Yankees though, because the public always overrates the win potential of the Yankees! New York did get a couple of victories against division leader Tampa Bay in its last two games. That just sets up a nice value spot on the visitor on Monday. New York will throw Mexican League pitcher Alfredo Aceves. Chicago is throwing veteran Mark Beurhle, a pitcher who wants to make his final appearance at historic Yankee Stadium a memorable one. Weather wreacked havoc with Chicago's schedule this past weekend. They'll be ready to play some baseball, and in a "live dog" spot to boot. The White Sox plus the price is the play.
Sean Higgs
New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals
Play: Over
Tonight, I am backing the over in the Mets/Nats match-up. These two teams have over in 9 of the last 10 in Washington, and in 4 straight. Lannan has gone 6-1-1 over his last 8 starts. The Nats as a team have gone 13-4 over their last 17 and 7-1 over last 8 at home. Pedro has gone 8-1 over in his last 9 road games vs teams with losing records. The over is 20-6-1 in Pedro's last 27 road starts.
Greg Daraban
Chicago WS at 962 New York Yankees
The White Sox swept the Tigers Sunday in Doubleheader. The Yankees beat Tampa which helped their hated rival Boston.Tonight the Sox send out Buehrle who who is 13-11 and avery solid 3.88 ERA. Aceves goes for NY he is just 1-0.
Take Chicago WS
