Sunday Trends and Indexes 9/14

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Sunday September 14

Good Luck on day #258 of 2008!


NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.
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[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Sunday, September 14

There is baseball, auto racing, and a bit of hoops on Sunday, but we know what you really care about is football. The NFL leads off this edition of the Daily Sports Roundup.

The Gridiron Spotlight

Are the Giants finally getting some respect? Last year's Super Bowl winners are the biggest favorite on the board for Sunday. New York is favored by 8.5 points on the road - albeit against a Rams team that looks headed for another bad campaign. As well, the usual big faves, the Patriots, have to use Matt Cassel at quarterback against Brett Favre and the Jets, and they're actually pegged as 1-point road underdogs this week.

The Giants aren't the only big road favorite this weekend, as the Steelers are favored by 6.5 points in Cleveland. Pittsburgh wiped out the Texans in their opener last week, while the Browns didn't look like a playoff contender in a bad loss to the Cowboys. The last time the Browns beat the Steelers was October 2003, when they managed to pull out a 33-13 road victory. Pittsburgh is 7-1-1 ATS against Cleveland since that 2003 defeat.

Other NFL games and their lines heading into Sunday: Tennessee at Cincinnati (-1), Green Bay (-3) at Detroit, Oakland at Kansas City (-3.5), New Orleans (-1) at Washington, Chicago at Carolina (-3), Buffalo at Jacksonville (-5), San Francisco at Seattle (-6.5), Atlanta at Tampa Bay (-7), Miami at Arizona (-6.5), and San Diego at Denver (-1). As well, the Colts are listed as 1.5-point road favorites against the Vikings.

Other Notable Events

The Chase for the Sprint Cup gets started on Sunday afternoon, with the drivers taking part in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson are the 5/1 co-favorites to win at New Hampshire, with Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart both at 8/1. Johnson won the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond last weekend, while Busch heads into the '08 Chase in first place in the driver standings.

On the diamond, the battle for the National League Wild Card continues on Sunday with a doubleheader in Philadelphia. The Brewers' Dave Bush (9-10, 4.23 ERA) is expected to face the Phillies' Joe Blanton (2-0, 4.61 ERA) in Game 1, with Milwaukee's Jeff Suppan (10-8, 4.63 ERA) taking on Philly's Brett Myers (9-11, 4.22 ERA) in Game 2.

The Rest of the Schedule

Other games on the NL schedule include Atlanta at the Mets, Washington at Florida, St. Louis at Pittsburgh, the Cubs at Houston, the Dodgers at Colorado, San Francisco at San Diego, and Cincinnati at Arizona. The best NL arm on the hill is probably the Rockies' Aaron Cook (16-9, 4.16 ERA), although he has struggled in September.

Over in the American League the battle for first place in the AL East continues on two fronts on Sunday afternoon, with Tampa Bay at the Yankees, and Boston hosting Toronto. Rounding out the AL slate: Kansas City at Cleveland, Minnesota at Baltimore, Seattle at the Angels, Texas at Oakland, and Detroit at the White Sox (in a twin bill).

And finally, the WNBA concludes its regular season with five games on Sunday: Phoenix at Indiana, Houston at Chicago, Minnesota at Washington, Detroit at New York, and Seattle at Los Angeles. The league's playoffs will then get underway next week.

News from the Wire

Notable players listed as OUT for Sunday's NFL games heading into the weekend: Browns S Sean Jones (knee), Saints WR Marques Colston (thumb), Giants K Lawrence Tynes (left knee), Seahawks WR Bobby Engram (shoulder) and RB Maurice Morris (knee), Rams WR Drew Bennett (foot), and Titans QB Vince Young (knee/hamstring) . . . Rays 3B Evan Longoria returned to the team's starting lineup on Saturday afternoon.

A Peek at the Future

The Ravens/Texans game that was re-scheduled for Monday night has now been bumped from that timeslot as well due to hurricane damage at Houston's Reliant Stadium. That leaves the Eagles/Cowboys matchup as the lone Monday night contest again, with Dallas favored by 7 points against their division rival (with the total at 47) . . . the Red Sox and Rays begin a key AL series in Tampa Bay on Monday night, with Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2, 2.97 ERA) facing off against Scott Kazmir (11-6, 2.99 ERA).

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[pm530]

National Football League – Dunkel Index

NFL

Dunkel Index


Chicago at Carolina
The Bears look to carry the momentum of their Indianapolis win into Carolina where the Panthers are just 5-10 ATS over the last three seasons. Chicago is the underdog pick (+3) according to Dunkel, which has the Bears favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3). Here are all of this week's picks.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Game 191-192: Oakland at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 124.639; Kansas City 124.999
Dunkel Line: Even; 40
Vegas Line: Kansas City by 3 1/2; 36
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+3 1/2); Over

Game 193-194: Tennessee at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 128.581; Cincinnati 132.546
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 4; 34
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 1; 37 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-1); Under

Game 195-196: Indianapolis at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Indianapolis 133.394; Minnesota 136.452
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 3; 41
Vegas Line: Indianapolis by 2; 43 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+2); Under

Game 197-198: New Orleans at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 132.538; Washington 129.452
Dunkel Line: New Orleans by 3; 37
Vegas Line: Pick; 42
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans; Under

Game 199-200: Green Bay at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Green Bay 131.655; Detroit 132.439
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 50
Vegas Line: Green Bay by 3; 45
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+3); Over

Game 201-202: Chicago at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 131.865; Carolina 130.867
Dunkel Line: Chicago by 1; 44
Vegas Line: Carolina by 3; 37
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+3); Over

Game 203-204: NY Giants at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: NY Giants 131.636; St. Louis 124.390
Dunkel Line: NY Giants by 7; 38
Vegas Line: NY Giants by 9; 42
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+9); Under

Game 205-206: Buffalo at Jacksonville
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 132.349; Jacksonville 135.437
Dunkel Line: Jacksonville by 3; 33
Vegas Line: Jacksonville by 5 1/2; 37
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+5 1/2); Under

Game 207-208: Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 124.674; Tampa Bay 129.554
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 5; 43
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay by 8; 37 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+8); Over

Game 209-210: San Francisco at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 120.347; Seattle 125.732
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 5 1/2; 40
Vegas Line: Seattle by 7; 37 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+7); Over

Game 211-212: Miami at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 121.459; Arizona 126.336
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 5; 34
Vegas Line: Arizona by 6 1/2; 39
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+6 1/2); Under

Game 213-214: New England at NY Jets
Dunkel Ratings: New England 128.322; NY Jets 132.537
Dunkel Line: NY Jets by 4; 33
Vegas Line: NY Jets by 1 1/2; 37
Dunkel Pick: NY Jets (-1 1/2); Under

Game 215-216: Baltimore at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore 127.672; Houston 130.143
Dunkel Line: Houston by 2 1/2; 42
Vegas Line: Houston by 4 1/2; 37
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+4 1/2); Over
NOTE: The Baltimore Ravens/Houston Texans game has now been rescheduled to Sunday, November 9th.

Game 217-218: San Diego at Denver
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 132.879; Denver 135.654
Dunkel Line: Denver by 3; 49
Vegas Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 45 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+1 1/2); Over

Game 219-220: Pittsburgh at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 138.007; Cleveland 128.601
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 9 1/2; 48
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 6; 44 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-6); Over


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Game 221-222: Philadelphia at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 131.742; Dallas 141.659
Dunkel Line: Dallas by 10; 42
Vegas Line: Dallas by 7; 47
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-7); Under

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[pm530]

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL

Long Sheet


Week 2

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Sunday, September 14
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OAKLAND (4 - 12) at KANSAS CITY (4 - 12) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 2-2 against the spread versus OAKLAND over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS CITY is 3-1 straight up against OAKLAND over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TENNESSEE (10 - 7) at CINCINNATI (7 - 9) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 1-0 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
CINCINNATI is 1-0 straight up against TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANAPOLIS (13 - 4) at MINNESOTA (8 - 8) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NEW ORLEANS (7 - 9) at WASHINGTON (9 - 8) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 43-67 ATS (-30.7 Units) as a favorite since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 21-37 ATS (-19.7 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 7-21 ATS (-16.1 Units) in home games in September games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-0 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 1-0 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GREEN BAY (14 - 4) at DETROIT (7 - 9) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
GREEN BAY is 4-0 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
GREEN BAY is 4-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (7 - 9) at CAROLINA (7 - 9) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NY GIANTS (14 - 6) at ST LOUIS (3 - 13) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 36-55 ATS (-24.5 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 67-94 ATS (-36.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) against NFC East division opponents since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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BUFFALO (7 - 9) at JACKSONVILLE (12 - 6) - 9/14/2008, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
JACKSONVILLE is 1-1 against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
JACKSONVILLE is 1-1 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (4 - 12) at TAMPA BAY (9 - 8) - 9/14/2008, 4:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 2-2 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 2-2 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN FRANCISCO (5 - 11) at SEATTLE (11 - 7) - 9/14/2008, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) in a road game where the total is between 38.5 and 42 points since 1992.
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-2 against the spread versus SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 2-2 straight up against SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (1 - 15) at ARIZONA (8 - 8) - 9/14/2008, 4:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in September games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in home games against AFC East division opponents since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NEW ENGLAND (18 - 1) at NY JETS (4 - 12) - 9/14/2008, 4:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ENGLAND is 70-43 ATS (+22.7 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
NEW ENGLAND is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) in road games versus division opponents since 1992.
NY JETS are 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) in home games in September games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ENGLAND is 3-2 against the spread versus NY JETS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ENGLAND is 4-1 straight up against NY JETS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN DIEGO (13 - 6) at DENVER (7 - 9) - 9/14/2008, 4:15 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 4-0 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
SAN DIEGO is 4-0 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PITTSBURGH (10 - 7) at CLEVELAND (10 - 6) - 9/14/2008, 8:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 74-45 ATS (+24.5 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 2-2 against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 4-0 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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Monday, September 15
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PHILADELPHIA (8 - 8) at DALLAS (13 - 4) - 9/15/2008, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 119-84 ATS (+26.6 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-1 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 3-1 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

National Football League – Short Sheet

NFL
Short Sheet


Week 2

Sunday, September 14th

Oakland at Kansas City, 1:00 ET
Oakland: 5-14 ATS off DD home loss
Kansas City: 23-8 Under 1st two weeks of season

Tennessee at Cincinnati, 1:00 ET
Tennessee: 12-2 ATS Away off home division win
Cincinnati: 5-15 ATS after allowing 200+ rushing yards

Indianapolis at Minnesota, 1:00 ET
Indianapolis: 21-5 Over Away off SU loss as favorite
Minnesota: 6-0 Over at home off road loss

New Orleans at Washington, 1:00 ET
New Orleans: 17-5 ATS off home division win
Washington: 7-21 ATS at home in September

Green Bay at Detroit, 1:00 ET
Green Bay: 10-1 ATS Away off home game
Detroit: 7-2 Over 1st month of season

Chicago at Carolina, 1:00 ET
Chicago: 19-6 Over vs. NFC
Carolina: 0-6 ATS at home 1st half of season

NY Giants at St. Louis, 1:00 ET
NY Giants: 9-1 ATS in road games
St. Louis: 8-0 Under in September

Buffalo at Jacksonville, 1:00 ET
Buffalo: 5-1 ATS as a road underdog of 7 points or less
Jacksonville: 13-3 Over off road game

Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 1:00 ET
Atlanta: 8-1 Under on grass field
Tampa Bay: 26-6 Under 1st 2 Weeks of season

San Francisco at Seattle, 4:05 ET
San Francisco: 12-26 ATS Away if the total is between 38.5 and 42
Seattle: 16-4 Over at home after loss by 14+ points

Miami at Arizona, 4:15 ET
Miami: 0-6 ATS in September
Arizona: 13-3 Over off SU win

New England at NY Jets, 4:15 ET
New England: 70-43 ATS as an underdog
NY Jets: 6-19 ATS at home in September

San Diego at Denver, 4:15 ET
San Diego: 12-3 ATS vs. conference
Denver: 7-17 ATS playing with 6 or less days rest

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 8:15 ET NBC
Pittsburgh: 0-7 ATS after scoring 35+ points
Cleveland: 6-0 ATS off SU loss


Monday, September 15th

Philadelphia at Dallas, 8:30 ET ESPN
Philadelphia: 8-1 ATS as a road underdog
Dallas: 8-1 Over off ATS win

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[pm530]

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up


2008 Week 2 NFL analysis

Sunday, September 14

Raiders (0-1) @ Chiefs (0-1)—Long road trip on short work week for Raiders, who allowed 12 yards/pass attempt by Denver, and were crushed 41-14.- they’ve lost 10 of last 11 games in rivalry, five of six at Arrowhead (only one of the five was by more than four points). Oakland also lost its last five road openers, with three of five losses by five or less points. Chiefs had ball on the Patriot 5-yard line in last minute Sunday, with chance to tie game behind backup QB Huard, who is now back to being the starter. KC was 8-16 on third down in Foxboro, but lost to QB who hasn’t started a game since high school (Matt Cassel).

Titans (1-0) @ Bengals (0-1)— Kerry Collins gets nod under center for Titans, which may help Tennessee since he seems to have better grasp of new offense than Young. Titans upset Jags last week, despite an 18-yard deficit in average field position. They outrushed Jags 137-33. Bengals had just 89 passing yards in loss at Baltimore, getting just eight first downs (outgained 358-154). Cincinnati was 14-18 on third down last year, racking up 30 first downs in 35-6 home win vs Titan squad that scored just six points on five trips inside Bengal 20. Bengals won last four home openers; Titans lost six of eight road openers.

Colts (0-1) @ Vikings (0-1)—Home team is 11-0-1 in last dozen games of seldom-played series, with Colts 0-5-1 in last six visits to city where they haven’t played in 11 years. Both teams lost last week, so loser behind 8-ball early. Colts gave up 183 rushing yards to Bears, will have hands full vs. Peterson (Vikes had 187 yards on ground at Lambeau Monday night). Extreme mismatch at QB favors Colts, who had first September loss since ’04 last week. Indy is 7-1 in last eight road openers, with five of last six decided by five or less points. Under is 13-5 in Colts’ last 18 road openers, 14-5-1 in Vikings’ last 20 home openers.

Giants (1-0) @ Rams (0-1)—Defending champs won last 11 road games (10-1 vs spread), are on letdown alert coming off divisional win, visiting lame St Louis squad that was pathetic at Philly last week, giving up 414 passing yards to team playing without its two best WRs. Rams are 13-3 in last sixteen home openers, with underdog 5-0-1 vs spread in last six. Male Sheep lost last five games vs Giants, but won five of last six series games played here. Not lot of enthusiasm for Rams in St Louis these days— game still wasn’t sellout early in week. Giants allowed 36.3 pg in losing three of last four road openers. Trap game for Big Blue.

Saints (1-0) @ Redskins (0-1)—Saints’ top WR Colston (thumb) is out, as vagabond Saints (worked out in Indy last week because of hurricane) on road again—they won six of their last eight road openers, covered eight of last ten. Road team won last five series games, with Saints winning last two visits here (last in ’03). Skins have three extra days to prepare since they played in Thursday opener (outgained 354-209 by Giants). New Orleans needed late pick to hold off Bucs at home, winning despite starting eight of their 12 drives 80+ yards from paydirt- they had two TD drives of 80+ yds. Redskins’ last five home openers stayed under.

Packers (1-0) @ Lions (0-1)— Much like St Louis and Rams, lot of negativity around Lions’ squad. Detroit was gashed for 318 rushing yards last week, allowed rookie QB Ryan to average 11.1 yards/attempt- but they have won four of last five home openers. Packers hit road on short work week after solid win over Vikings Monday; Rodgers was 18-22/178 passing in impressive showing, but life on road can be tough. GB is 2-6 vs spread in last eight Week 2 road openers, but they also scored 68 points in winning last two visits here; they’ve won five in row, 13 of last 15 vs. Detroit. Under is 13-5 in Packers’ last 18 road openers.

Bears (1-0) @ Panthers (1-0)— Underdog is now 22-2 vs spread when you combine Carolina home/road openers over last 11+ years; dog covered 11 of their last 12 home openers. Panthers lost last four home openers, three by 10+ points. Both sides had impressive road wins last week, with Bears running ball for 183 yards, converting 10-16 on 3rd down, in easy win at Indy. Only Panther offensive TD was scored on last play of game in dramatic win at Qualcomm—this is second game of Smith’s suspension, so Carolina’s offense still little shorthanded. Chicago held Colts to 4.7 yards/pass attempt last week.

Bills (1-0) @ Jaguars (0-1)—Jax offense very thin on OL after losing three guys last week; they lost at Tennessee despite 18-yard edge in field position, which doesn’t happen much. Buffalo used two special teams TDs to rout Seattle- they lost five of last seven road openers that weren’t in Week 1, scoring 10-3-3 points in losing last three. Jags won nine of last 12 home openers, covered six of last eight as fave in such role. Jax got outrushed 137-33 last week; hard to see that turning around with two OL starters out for extended time. Last four Buffalo road openers stayed under, as did nine of last 13 Jaguar home openers.

Falcons (1-0) @ Bucs (0-1)—Atlanta steamrolled Lions with 318 rushing yards in 34-21 win last week, now visit tough Tampa site for Ryan’s first road start—Falcons lost 11 of last 15 vs Bucs, dropping five of last seven visits here, with only one of losses by less than nine points. Atlanta covered just one of last six road openers that weren’t in Week 1. Tampa had tough loss to Saints in Superdome; they lost four of last six home openers. Last four Falcon road openers stayed under, as did 12 of last 16 Buc home openers. Ryan hit on 62-yard TD pass on first pro throw, was 9-13/156 in debut, but will have to do more than that here.

Patriots (1-0) @ Jets (1-0)—Belichick is 87-24 as head coach with Brady, 41-57 without, and now sees Favre on other sideline as Spygate Rivalry kicks into new gear. Patriots won 12 of last 14 in series, taking last seven series games here (four wins by 10+ points). Both teams held off late challenges in red zone to win last week; Favre averaged 7.2 ypa in Miami, Pats averaged 6.8 vs Chiefs, and had two TD drives of 80+ yards. Jets covered just two of last 16 home openers; Patriots won three of last four road openers. Over is 6-2-2 in last 10 NE road openers, 5-7 in Jets’ last seven Swamp openers. Must-win for the Jets.

49ers (0-1) @ Seahawks (0-1)—Seattle won last five home openers, with four wins by 11+ points, but their WRs are decimated by injury. Seahawks averaged just 3.6 ypa on drizzly day in Buffalo last week, but club from Seattle should be able to play in rain. 49ers lost eight of last ten in series, grtting outscored 47-3 in pair of losses to Hawks LY- they lost four of last five visits here, with three losses by 24+ points. Niners averaged 7.6 ypa last week, but had five turnovers, four in first half, when game was still tied. 49ers are 4-1-1 vs spread in last six road openers. Seattle’s last seven home openers stayed under total.

Dolphins (0-1) @ Cardinals (1-0)—Arizona did what playoff teams do, holding ball for 18 plays, 10:08 after 49ers had closed within 20-13 with 12:05 to play last week. Cards kicked clinching FG to end game and start season 1-0 behind the mistake-free QB Warner (19-30/176 passing), 100 rushing yards by James. Cards won last two home openers in their new dome (34-27/23-20) after losing 15 of previous 18 openers at home, but Arizona is 1-8 vs Miami, winning 24-23 in ’04, only series game in last nine years. Miami threw 43 passes, ran just 17 times last week; they’ll try to balance those numbers in this game.

Chargers (0-1) @ Broncos (1-0)—Merriman wisely decided to have his knee fixed, so he is now out for year for Bolts’ defense, which only gave up one TD last week, but it came on last play of game, giving Carolina an unlikely road win. This makes Week 2 huge for San Diego, since loss puts them two games behind the Broncos (Chargers started 1-3 LY but still won division). San Diego came to Invesco and beat Denver 35-27/41-3 the last two years, after being 1-10 in previous 11 visits here. Broncos won last eight home openers- they looked sharp Monday, but hard to tell if it was them or Raiders’ sheer incompetence.

Steelers (1-0) @ Browns (0-1)—Steelers are 16-3 in series, taking last nine; they’ve won last seven visits here, will face desperate Cleveland team whose season is in dumper if they start with two home losses. Browns gave up 487 yards to Dallas last week (Romo averaged 10 yards/pass attempt), yielding four TDs on just eight drives, including pair of 80+ yard TD drives. Steelers ran ball for 183 yards in easy home win vs Houston- they’ve lost six of last eight road openers, but Pitt’s offense was perfect (35 points/five trips) in red zone last week. Anderson was just 11-24 passing last week; Browns had just 11 first downs.


Monday, September 15

Eagles (1-0) @ Cowboys (1-0)— Both teams cruised last week, this is early showdown to keep up with Giants in NFC East. Eagles are 12-4 in last 16 series games, winning six of last eight here; they covered eight of last nine road openers that weren’t in Week 1- they’re 7-4 vs. spread as dog in their road opener. Home side lost four of last five series games. Dallas is 6-4 vs spread in last ten home openers- Romo was 24-32/320 passing last week, McNabb was 26-39/414. Both sides figure to get more resistance here. Philadelphia’s last five road openers went under the total.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Added Trends

NFL
Additional Trends

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Trends Sheet
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Sunday, September 14

1:00 PM BUFFALO vs. JACKSONVILLE
Buffalo is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Buffalo is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Jacksonville is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo
Jacksonville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo


1:00 PM CHICAGO vs. CAROLINA
Chicago is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Chicago is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Carolina is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games


1:00 PM GREEN BAY vs. DETROIT
Green Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Green Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games
Detroit is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games


1:00 PM INDIANAPOLIS vs. MINNESOTA
Indianapolis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Indianapolis is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games at home


1:00 PM NEW ORLEANS vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 5 games
New Orleans is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Washington is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing New Orleans


1:00 PM NY GIANTS vs. ST. LOUIS
NY Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing St. Louis
NY Giants are 5-10 SU in their last 15 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
St. Louis is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home


1:00 PM OAKLAND vs. KANSAS CITY
Oakland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Kansas City
Oakland is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games


1:00 PM TENNESSEE vs. CINCINNATI
Tennessee is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 5-10-1 ATS in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cincinnati's last 7 games


4:05 PM ATLANTA vs. TAMPA BAY
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Atlanta
Tampa Bay is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Atlanta


4:05 PM SAN FRANCISCO vs. SEATTLE
San Francisco is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Seattle
San Francisco is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing at home against San Francisco


4:15 PM MIAMI vs. ARIZONA
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games


4:15 PM NEW ENGLAND vs. NY JETS
New England is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
New England is 19-1 SU in its last 20 games
NY Jets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against New England
NY Jets are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against New England


4:15 PM SAN DIEGO vs. DENVER
San Diego is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
San Diego is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Denver is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games at home


8:15 PM PITTSBURGH vs. CLEVELAND
Pittsburgh is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games
Cleveland is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games


Monday, September 15

8:30 PM PHILADELPHIA vs. DALLAS
Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Dallas is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games

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[pm530]

National Football League - Tips & Trends

NFL


Sunday, September 14

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Tips and Trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers [FOX | 1 PM ET]

Bears: The Bears are coming off an impressive opening week thrashing of AFC powerhouse Indianapolis. As usual, defense was the name of the game for Chicago. The Bears aggressive defense harassed Peyton Manning all night long, limiting the high-powered Colts offense to just 293 yards. The Chicago’s offense was led by rookie running back Matt Forte, who ran over Indy for 123 yards, including a big 50-yard touchdown. Overall, the Bears ran the ball 39 times for 183 yards. The bottom line is the Bears defense is healthy - something it wasn’t last season – and if it stays that way, Chicago has a chance to be serious contenders in the NFC North.

Bears are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Bears are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 17

Panthers (-3, O/U 37): No team got a bigger emotional boost in Week 1 than Carolina, who upset the Chargers on the final play of the game when Jake Delhomme hit tight end Dante Rosario in the back of the end zone for the winning score. Overall, Delhomme showed no ill effects from last season’s shoulder injury by throwing for 247 yards. Helping Delhomme was a Panthers ground game that rolled over a tough Chargers defense for 142 yards on 29 carries. Carolina’s combination of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart will be a handful for the Bears defense. Matt Forte had an impressive debut last week but could find things tougher today against a Panthers rush defense that held LaDainian Tomlinson to under 100 yards.

Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC.
The UNDER is 6-1 in Panthers last 7 home games.

Key Injuries - WR Steve Smith (suspension) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 20



New England Patriots at New York Jets [CBS | 4:15 PM ET]

Patriots: It’s the day that New England fans have dreaded. For the first time since 2001, someone other than Tom Brady will be taking snaps for the New England Patriots. With Brady out for the season with a knee injury, untested Matt Cassel will be handed the keys to the Patriots record-setting offense. Cassel looked good filling in for Brady last week, going 13-of-18 for 152 yards and a touchdown. However, Cassel hasn’t started a game since 1999 when he was a senior in high school, so you can expect Jets head coach Eric Mangini to show the inexperienced Cassel a lot of different looks on defense. Look for the Patriots to play more ball control and rely on their defense to win games now that they are without Brady.

Patriots are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 road games.
Patriots are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 meetings vs. the Jets.

Key Injuries - QB Tom Brady (knee) is OUT for the season.
TE Ben Watson (leg) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 14

Jets (-2.5, O/U 36.5): So far so good for Brett Favre in the Big Apple. Favre threw two touchdown passes and looked comfortable leading the Jets offense. The new-look Jets offensive line played well in the opener, giving Favre time in the pocket and creating holes for Thomas Jones, who ran for 101 yards on 22 carries. Young corners Darrelle Revis and Dwight Lowery played well against the Dolphins but they’ll be stepping up in class this week when they take on Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Co. One area of concern for the Jets is at kicker, where Mike Nugent was injured last week. The Jets signed veteran Jay Feely, and he’s expected to handle the placekicking duties today against the Patriots.

Jets are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games in Week 2.
The UNDER is 4-0 in New York's last 4 games following a SU win.

Key Injuries - K Mike Nugent (thigh) is day-to-day.
CB Justin Miller (toe) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 24 (Side Play of the Day)



Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns [NBC | 8:15 PM ET]

Steelers (-6, O/U 44): The Steelers erased any concerns people had about them in the preseason by dismantling the Texans on opening day, 38-17. The Steelers offense was a well-oiled machine against Houston. Ben Roethlisberger connected on 13-of-14 pass attempts, while Willie Parker rambled for 138 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, the Steelers linebackers caused all kinds of havoc for Matt Schaub and the Texans offense. That’s not good news for a Browns offensive line that had trouble blocking Dallas’ edge rushers at times last week. Pittsburgh sacked Schaub five times and picked him off twice.

Steelers are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings vs. the Browns.
The OVER is 10-4-1 in Steelers last 15 vs. AFC North.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 28 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)

Browns: If the Browns don’t play better defensively this week than they did against the Cowboys, they might as well not even get off the bus. Dallas did whatever they wanted to against the Browns punchless defense, racking up close to 500 yards of total offense. The biggest problem was the Browns pass rush. The problem being it was non-existent. If Cleveland lets Ben Roethlisberger just sit in the pocket all day, he’ll carve them up like Tony Romo did. Offensively, Cleveland looked out of sync against Dallas. Pro Bowl receiver Braylon Edwards had three big drops, while the running game was never a factor.

Browns are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Browns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. AFC.

Key Injuries - T Ryan Tucker (hip) is day-to-day.
C Rex Hadnot (knee) is day-to-day.
KR Joshua Cribbs (ankle) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 21

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Notes

MLB


Sunday, September 14

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
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Cubs-Astros games shifted to Milwaukee

CHICAGO (AP)—Two games between the Chicago Cubs and Astros that were postponed this weekend in Houston because of Hurricane Ike will now be played in Milwaukee.

The Cubs and Astros will play at 7:05 p.m. CDT on Sunday and 1:05 p.m. on Monday at Miller Park, with Houston being the home team. If the third game of the series is needed, it will be Sept. 29 at Houston.

Chicago leads the NL Central and Houston is in the wild-card race. The three-game set that was scheduled to begin Friday night in Houston was called off as the hurricane approached the Texas coast.

“Our preference would be that the tragedy never happened to the state of Texas and we could’ve played the games on schedule, but once the storm came there didn’t seem to be any alternative, and I think the Astros and the commissioner’s office worked hand in hand to come up with the best short-term solution they could with all the weather problems we’re having all over the country,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Saturday.

The Milwaukee Brewers play at Philadelphia on Sunday and are off Monday, making their ballpark available.

In April 2007, the Brewers hosted a series between the Indians and Angels that was moved because of inclement weather.

“Major League Baseball made the decision to move these games to Miller Park and given the lack of other viable options, we will be ready to serve as hosts,” Brewers executive vice president Rick Schlesinger said.

The Cubs could have a decided home-field advantage in the Brewers’ home park that is only 90 miles away. When they play Milwaukee on the road, the Cubs are often cheered by thousands of their own fans.

Tickets for the rescheduled game will range from $25 to $60. Only seats in the lower deck and loge levels will be available—there are no tickets for the upper deck and bleachers.

Houston had hoped to play the games at home, especially after going on a 38-16 run that pulled the Astros within 2 1/2 games of Milwaukee in the wild-card race.

The Cubs hold a six-game lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central.

The Cubs, who had an outdoor workout at Wrigley Field washed out by rain Saturday, played well at Miller Park in their last appearance in late July. That’s when they swept four games from the Brewers, helping Chicago build its cushion in the NL Central.

The Astros came to Wrigley Field earlier this month and swept a three-game series from the Cubs.

The official announcement that the first two games would be moved came from the commissioner’s office Saturday night.

Hendry said earlier, before the announcement, that the Cubs were ready for any eventuality.

“I told our guys today to come to Wrigley tomorrow morning and be ready to go tomorrow night,” Hendry said.

“I certainly didn’t have a destination for them, but that’s what I told them at 3 o’clock today—that they had to be prepared to be ready and be on a bus and be bussed to the airport, or bussed to play elsewhere, and be ready to play. That’s how I had to approach it.”

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB


Sunday, September 14

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Trend Sheet
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1:00 PM MINNESOTA vs. BALTIMORE
Minnesota is 7-0-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Minnesota is 11-2-1 SU in its last 14 games when playing Baltimore
Baltimore is 2-11-1 SU in its last 14 games
Baltimore is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games at home


1:05 PM KANSAS CITY vs. CLEVELAND
Kansas City is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland
Kansas City is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Cleveland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Kansas City


1:05 PM TAMPA BAY vs. NY YANKEES
Tampa Bay is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
NY Yankees are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay


1:10 PM ATLANTA vs. NY METS
Atlanta is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home


1:10 PM WASHINGTON vs. FLORIDA
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Florida is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
Florida is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Washington


1:35 PM MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Milwaukee is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Milwaukee is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 11-4-1 SU in its last 16 games at home


1:35 PM ST. LOUIS vs. PITTSBURGH
St. Louis is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
Pittsburgh is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games


1:35 PM TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto


2:05 PM CHI CUBS vs. HOUSTON
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games at home


2:05 PM DETROIT vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Detroit is 6-11-1 SU in its last 18 games
Detroit is 1-4-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 4-1-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
Chi White Sox are 1-4-1 SU in their last 6 games at home


3:05 PM LA DODGERS vs. COLORADO
LA Dodgers are 12-1 SU in their last 13 games
LA Dodgers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games on the road
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home


3:35 PM SEATTLE vs. LA ANGELS
Seattle is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Seattle is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games at home
LA Angels are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games


4:05 PM SAN FRANCISCO vs. SAN DIEGO
San Francisco is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Diego
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games


4:05 PM TEXAS vs. OAKLAND
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Texas is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing Texas
Oakland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Texas


4:10 PM CINCINNATI vs. ARIZONA
Cincinnati is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Cincinnati is 6-2-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 2-6-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cincinnati
Arizona is 1-6-1 SU in its last 8 games


7:35 PM MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Milwaukee is 1-4-2 SU in its last 7 games
Milwaukee is 1-5-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 3-4-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Philadelphia is 17-6-2 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Milwaukee


8:05 PM DETROIT vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Detroit is 1-2-2 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
Detroit is 1-4-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 1-4-2 SU in their last 7 games
Chi White Sox are 1-4-2 SU in their last 7 games at home

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


Sunday, September 14

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Tips and Trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox [TBS | 1:30 PM ET]

Blue Jays: Roy Halladay is coming off his first loss in six starts and has not enjoyed much success against the Red Sox during his career. Halladay is an even 11-11 lifetime vs. Boston with an inflated 4.51 ERA, and he gave up five runs and nine hits to the White Sox last time out on Wednesday in a 6-5 loss. He had gone 10-5 in his previous 16 road starts with one no-decision and owns a 2.79 ERA away from home this season.

Blue Jays are 12-3 in their last 15 games overall.
The OVER is 11-3 in Toronto's last 14 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Red Sox (-130, O/U 8.5): Jon Lester has been nearly unbeatable at Fenway Park this season, going 9-0 in his last 14 starts there since suffering his only home loss to the Tigers in the first month of the season. The Red Sox are 13-1 in those games, but Lester is still looking for his first career win vs. Toronto. He is 0-1 in three starts against the Blue Jays with a 4.24 ERA.

Red Sox are 13-1 in Lester's last 14 home starts.
The OVER is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

Key Injuries - OF J.D. Drew (.280; back) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5



Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies [1:35 PM ET]

Brewers: Dave Bush has been brutal on the road, and he has never beaten the Phillies. That doesn't bode well for Milwaukee on Sunday. Bush is 3-6 in 11 road starts with a 5.32 ERA, and he is 0-0 lifetime vs. Philadelphia in five starts with an even higher 6.18 ERA. Surprisingly, he won in his last road start at Pittsburgh on August 29 as he allowed one run and six hits in 6.2 innings of a 3-1 victory.

Brewers are 20-9 in their last 29 road games.
The OVER is 6-2-2 in Bush's last 10 starts overall.

Key Injuries - OF Gabe Kapler (shoulder) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Phillies (-130, O/U 10): The good news for Joe Blanton is that he hasn't suffered a loss since July 9. The bad news is that he has walked away with no-decisions in eight of his last 10 outings. Blanton has pitched a full six innings just once in his last six starts, and he is 3-9 in 19 home starts between Oakland and Philly.

Phillies are 7-1 in their last 8 Sunday games.
Phillies are 12-4 in their last 16 home games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 6



Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox [2:10 PM ET]

Tigers: Justin Verlander has never won in Chicago, going 0-5 with a 6.14 ERA. Verlander has also struggled in his last three starts overall, giving up 17 runs and 22 hits in just 13.1 innings. In his last appearance at US Cellular Field, he surrendered five runs and six hits in 7.2 innings of a 5-1 setback back on August 6, which was one of four straight losses.

Tigers are 12-3 in their last 15 Sunday games.
The UNDER is 9-3-2 in Detroit's last 14 Sunday games.

Key Injuries - B Carlos Guillen (back) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

White Sox (-140, O/U 9.5): Javier Vazquez is 1-1 in his last two starts but he’s pitched pretty well over that span. In his last 12 innings pitched, Vazquez has allowed just four runs. He’s been pretty average at home this year, going 6-6 with a 4.12 ERA. However, teams are only hitting .235 against Vazquez at US Cellular Field. The OVER is 4-0 in Vazquez’s last four starts.

White Sox are 37-16 in their last 53 home games.
The OVER is 6-2-1 in Chicago's last 10 Sunday games.

Key Injuries - 1B Paul Konerko (knee) is OUT.
3B Joe Crede (back) is OUT.
OF Carlos Quentin (wrist) is OUT.

PROJECTED SCORE: 6

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Sunday, September 14

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Sunday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (14-5, 3.23)

It didn't take Lester long to capture the hearts of Red Sox Nation with his compelling story and his spectacular 14-5 record have made him an icon in New England.

Lester is 2-0 and has a 0.93 ERA in his last three starts and is 7-2 in his last 10. He has surrendered just three earned runs in his last 18.2 IP and has struck out 22 batters in that period and 56 in his last 10 overall.

The Red Sox are 8-3 in their last 11 against the AL East and are 12-5 in their last 17 overall.



Slumping

Anibal Sanchez, Florida Marlins (2-4, 6.46)

Sanchez has just two triumphs in eight starts and is 0-2 in his last three. He has surrendered 11 earned runs in his last four innings of work.

Sanchez, who has made just 14 total starts the last two campaigns, is a respectable 2-1 at Dolphin Stadium but has a shaky 5.14 ERA in those outings.

The Fish are 2-5 in their last seven Sunday showdowns.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers (10-15, 4.78)

Verlander is winless in his last three starts and has just three wins in his last 10. He is 1-4 this season against the Chicago White Sox.

Verlander struggled in his last road start, a 6-4 setback to the Minnesota Twins. He relinquished four earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 IP. He is winless all-time at Chicago's
U.S. Cellular Field.

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[pm530]

Sunday Night Baseball

MLB


Sunday, September 14


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday Night Baseball: Tigers at White Sox
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Zach Miner and Javier Vazquez will go head-to-head for the third time this season when the Chicago White Sox host the Detroit Tigers in the final game of their three-game weekend series on Sunday night.

Miner (8-4, 4.29 ERA) and the Tigers have cashed against Vazquez (11-13, 4.29 ERA) and the White Sox in both matchups, including an 8-3 triumph the last time the teams met on August 7. Miner allowed only one earned run over six innings to earn the win for the Tigers, who went to the bank as +117 road underdogs.

Miguel Cabrera was the difference for bettors at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a homer and three runs batted in for Detroit. Magglio Ordonez added two RBIs for the Tigers, while Carlos Quentin went deep for Chicago.

Vazquez gave up five runs over seven innings to take the loss for the ChiSox, who lead the season series 9-6. The righthander was also the losing pitcher in Chicago's 6-4 defeat at the hands of Miner and Detroit on July 27. Miner gave up two runs over six innings to get the victory as ?109 home favorites, while Vazquez was tagged for six runs over seven innings on the night.

The two losses to Miner doesn't account for all of Vazquez's action against the Tigers this season. Vazquez surrendered five runs over six innings to take the loss in Chicago's 5-1 defeat to Detroit on June 11, as the Tigers cashed as ?108 home faves.

Vazquez's lone victory in four starts against Detroit came all the way back on April 13 at U.S. Cellular Field. The hard-throwing righty tossed seven scoreless innings to earn the win in the White Sox' 11-0 drubbing of the Tigers as ?137 favorites. On the season, the ChiSox are 1-3 against the moneyline in Vazquez's four starts against the Tigers, as the over went 2-1-1.

Both teams head into the game with some injuries. Detroit's Carlos Guillen is out indefinitely with lower back spasms and inflammation, while relievers Todd Jones and Joel Zumaya remain on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder and arm ailments, respectively.

The White Sox could be without Paul Konerko, who is day-to-day with a sprained MCL in his right knee. On top of Konerko's absence, Chicago will take the field without both Carlos Quentin and Joe Crede. Quentin might miss the rest of the season with a fractured wrist, while Crede is out indefinitely with tightness in his lower back.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Dunkel Index

MLB
Dunkel Index

Tampa Bay at NY Yankees
The Rays look to wrap up their nine-game road swing with their fourth win in five games, while the Yankees come in having dropped six of their last nine. Tampa Bay is the underdog pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Rays favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+135). Here are all of today's games

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Game 901-902: Atlanta at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Campillo) 16.184; NY Mets (Perez) 15.577
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-180); 9
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+170); Over

Game 903-904: Washington at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Balester) 15.400; Florida (Sanchez) 14.636
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida (-160); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+150); Over

Game 905-906: St. Louis at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Thompson) 13.731; Pittsburgh (Davis) 15.303
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 907-908: Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Bush) 13.786; Philadelphia (Blanton) 15.354
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2;
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-130); 10
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-130);

Game 909-910: Chicago Cubs vs. Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Zambrano) 15.015; Houston (Wolf) 16.549
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 911-912: LA Dodgers at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Maddux) 15.832; Colorado (Cook) 14.447
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+105); Under

Game 913-914: San Francisco at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Zito) 14.542; San Diego (Baek) 15.404
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-125); Over

Game 915-916: Cincinnati at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Cueto) 14.239; Arizona (Scherzer) 13.244
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Arizona (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+140); Over


Game 917-918: Kansas City at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Bannister) 14.190; Cleveland (Sowers) 14.957
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 11
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-180); 10
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-180); Over

Game 919-920: Tampa Bay at NY Yankees
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Jackson) 16.620; NY Yankees (Pavano) 15.832
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-145); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+135); Under

Game 921-922: Minnesota at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.759; Baltimore (Liz) 13.374
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 2 1/2; 12
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-165); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-165); Over

Game 923-924: Toronto at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Halladay) 17.990; Boston (Lester) 16.612
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Boston (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+120); Over

Game 925-926: Detroit at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 15.225; White Sox (Vazquez) 14.464
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 927-928: Texas at Oakland
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Padilla) 16.903; Oakland (Eveland) 15.290
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Oakland (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+100); Over

Game 929-930: Seattle at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 15.967; LA Angels (Santana) 15.179
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-170); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+160); Under

Game 931-932: Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Suppan) 14.658; Philadelphia (Myers) 16.734
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2; 10
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-175); 9
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-175); Over

Game 933-934: Detroit at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Rogers) 14.327; White Sox (Danks) 15.845
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Hot lines

MLB


Sunday, September 14

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Hot lines: Today’s MLB bets
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Texas at Oakland (-110, 9)

Despite their season success at McAfee Coliseum, the Texas Rangers missed an opportunity to secure their first road sweep of the Oakland Athletics in over three years.

The Rangers will try to regroup behind Vicente Padilla, who looks to remain perfect in three road starts against the Athletics on Sunday, when they play the finale of their four-game series.

Texas (73-76) has won 10 of 15 contests against the A's (68-80), and are 6-3 in Oakland.

The Rangers, winners of six of 10 overall, outscored the Athletics 13-1 in taking the first two games of this series, but were held to seven hits in a 7-1 defeat on Saturday.

Josh Outman won his first major league start, Jack Cust hit a two-run homer and Bobby Crosby had three RBIs as the A's benefited from a five-run fifth inning in which all the runs were scored with two outs.

"We certainly have to figure out how to get three outs in an inning once we get two," Texas manager Ron Washington told the Rangers' official Web site.

That prevented Texas being in position for its first sweep in Oakland since winning three games from May 2-4, 2005, and its first four-game sweep there since Sept. 23-25, 1977.

But the Rangers still have a chance to win a fifth straight series against the A's behind Padilla (13-7, 4.79 ERA), who turned in a solid outing in his first game back after being on the disabled list.

Pick: Texas


San Francisco at San Diego (-125, 8 1/2)

After watching their best young pitcher dominate while notching another win, the San Francisco Giants now send out the one they expected to be their ace for years to come.

Following a dreadful start to 2008, Barry Zito looks for his 10th win when the Giants close out their four-game series with the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

Now in the second year of a seven-year, $126 million contract, Zito (9-16, 5.35 ERA) opened this season by losing his first eight decisions. But he has since turned things around somewhat, going 9-8 with a 5.03 ERA, and the left-hander has beaten the Padres twice in that span, going eight innings each time and holding them to a total of three runs and seven hits with seven walks.

Zito has notched at least 10 wins in each of his previous seven seasons. His 16 losses this year, though, are a career high, and he's trying to avoid becoming the first Giants pitcher with 17 since Dave LaPoint in 1985.

On Tuesday, Zito didn't factor in San Francisco's 5-4 win over Arizona. He allowed two runs and five hits over six innings with three walks and nine strikeouts and also drove in the Giants' first run.

"I've learned a lot of stuff this year," Zito told the Giants' official Web site. "Sometimes it takes a lot of pain, a lot of struggling, to make you stronger. I'm motivated to stay within myself and not worry so much about results."

Pick: San Francisco

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