The bum's 2016 nfl preseason schedule along with picks and news !!

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AFC East Win Totals
August 16, 2016

NFL preseason action is in full swing now and that means there are only a few weeks left for bettors to get down on season win total options for the year. Sportsbook.ag has plenty of great numbers up there, but today we'll be looking at the AFC East division and what the best bet within the division may end up being.

Sportsbook.ag AFC East Season Win Total Odds:

Buffalo Bills: Over 8 (+105), Under 8 (-125)

Miami Dolphins: Over 7 (+100), Under 7 (-120)

New England Patriots: Over 10.5 (-140), Under 10.5 (+120)

New York Jets: Over 7.5 (-120), Under 7.5 (+100)

To start, all four of these division rivals will have to deal with the NFC West (Arizona, Seattle, San Francisco, L.A. Rams) and the AFC North (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland) as common opponents so it will be a tough year in general for the AFC East. That's why you've got the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins win total numbers all around the .500 mark as one of them looks to dethrone the Patriots reign atop the division.

Obviously, the big news out of New England this summer is that Tom Brady will miss the first four games and QB Jimmy Garoppolo is at the helm. With games at Arizona, vs. Miami, vs. Houston, and vs. Buffalo for New England to start the year, I'm sure the Pats would be glad to get out of there with a 2-2 SU or better mark. That in itself makes the “Under 10.5 wins at +120 for New England look rather attractive.

However, that is most likely not the best bet of these four options because Garoppolo could surprise, and you know once Brady gets back he'll be looking to take out his anger/frustration on his opponent each week.

The best season win total bet in the AFC East from my perspective is on the “over” 7 wins at +100 for the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins beefed up their defensive line this off-season with the addition of Mario Williams to go alongside a healthy Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh. QB Ryan Tannehill is always a bit of a question mark, but he's got a couple of great young WR's at his disposal (Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker), and the duo of Jay Ajayi and Arian Roster at RB could make for a dynamic backfield.

Schedule-wise they open up with a brutal two-game road trip at Seattle and at New England, but going up to Foxborough without having to deal with Brady might be that early break the 2016 Miami Dolphins need. Miami's schedule also softens up dramatically after the bye (Week 8), and ending the year with three straight division games could be the difference between the Dolphins playing playoff football or not. This team should be able to find a way to go 8-8 SU or better and the fact that the 'over' 7 is at plus-money, and a flat number of “7” for push purposes puts this wager over the top for me in the AFC East.

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49ers sign QB Christian Ponder
August 16, 2016

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) With Colin Kaepernick dealing with tightness in his throwing shoulder and Thaddeus Lewis out for the season with a knee injury, the 49ers signed free agent quarterback Christian Ponder on Tuesday.

Ponder, 28, hasn't appeared in an NFL game since October 2014 with the Minnesota Vikings.

San Francisco was down to two healthy quarterbacks, Blaine Gabbert and Jeff Driskel, as the team traveled Tuesday to Denver for two joint practices with the Broncos ahead of their preseason game Saturday.

Kaepernick hasn't thrown during practice since Aug. 10 and was held out of the preseason opener Sunday against the Texans. Prior to the injury, he was competing with Gabbert to start under first-year coach Chip Kelly.

''It's really a day-to-day thing,'' Kelly said of Kaepernick's injury. ''It's nothing that's a long-term thing. It's just a day-to-day thing. He says he feels better as we go, but we're not going to push him so that we can make a proper evaluation of him.''

Ponder becomes the third quarterback from the 2011 draft class on San Francisco's roster. He was taken 12th overall by the Vikings, two spots behind Gabbert and 24 selections ahead of Kaepernick.

In 2015, Ponder played in the preseason with the Oakland Raiders before his release Sept. 5. He was signed by Denver on Nov. 25 and released Dec. 8 after being inactive two games.

Lewis suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the second half of the 24-13 loss to Houston and was placed on injured reserve to make room for Ponder. Against Houston, Lewis led 49ers quarterbacks with 97 yards passing while completing 12 of 21. With Kaepernick out, Lewis replaced Gabbert after three possessions.

''I'm just really disappointed for (Lewis) because I thought he played well yesterday and was really starting to come on,'' Kelly said Monday.

With Minnesota, Ponder appeared in 38 games and made 36 starts. He completed 59.8 percent of his passes averaging 175 yards per game with 38 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. The Vikings used the 32nd overall pick in 2014 on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who started 12 games as a rookie and all 16 last season. They finished 11-5 and reached the playoffs.

Kaepernick said the tightness is a result of his return from three surgeries that limited his participation in the 49ers' offseason program.

''Taking it day-by-day,'' he said. ''Made a lot of throws, especially coming back from three surgeries, so want to make sure that we're staying ahead of things.''

Kaepernick had a procedure on his left shoulder in November that landed him on injured reserve. In January, he had two more on his left knee and throwing hand. He wasn't cleared to participate in full-team drills until the start of training camp July 31.

''My arm's always snapped back quick, so not too concerned about it,'' Kaepernick said.

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Jets' Matt Forte says he'll 'definitely' be ready for Week 1
August 16, 2016

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Matt Forte has his sights set on the regular season.

The New York Jets running back just needs his hamstring to be ready, too.

Despite growing concerns over the health of one of the Jets' key players on offense, Forte is confident he'll be able to play in the season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 11.

''I'll be available,'' Forte said Tuesday. ''Definitely.''

Forte tweaked a hamstring while running on his own before camp opened nearly three weeks ago and hasn't fully participated in a practice during training camp. He did individual drills Tuesday, though, as he did Sunday. The Jets were off Monday, but it marked consecutive practices that the 30-year-old running back was on the field.

Forte had not done positional drills since Aug. 2 before working in the past two practices.

''It's taken longer than I expected just because we're being super, super cautious about it,'' he said. ''At this point, there's no reason to rush back out there. I got a lot of reps in the offseason. I know the offense. By watching in camp, I know it a lot more. It doesn't take that long to get back into it. So, I'm looking forward to being on the practice field soon.''

Forte, signed as a free agent in March after eight seasons in Chicago, is uncertain whether he will be able to play in any preseason games. He would like to see a few snaps against the Giants on Aug. 27, the last game most of the team's starters will play.

''In the last five, six years, I've never played a ton in the preseason,'' Forte said. ''As long as I'm out at practice, I think I'll be fine.''

But, if he misses the game against the Giants, too, he's not overly concerned that he won't be ready when the games start to count.

Forte has run for 8,602 yards and 45 touchdowns in his career, and caught 487 passes for 4,116 yards and 19 scores during his career. He is coming off a career-low 898 yards rushing in 13 games, but is only two years removed from setting an NFL record for running backs with 102 receptions.

''This is the most anxious I've (been) and the most patience I've had to have with an injury,'' he said. ''I've always looked forward to, obviously, getting out there as soon as possible, but at this point in time, it's been a process throughout camp.''

Forte acknowledged that the training staff has had to hold him back from rushing onto the field too quickly - and possibly aggravating the hamstring injury.

''If it was up to me, I'd be going at it every day to try to be out there on my own terms,'' he said. ''A lot of times, they have to protect me from myself, so I (don't want to) overwork and have a setback.''

NOTES: WR Brandon Marshall has been excused ''for a day or two,'' coach Todd Bowles said, but will be ready to play against Washington on Friday night. ... C Nick Mangold got most of practice off so Bowles and the coaching staff could see others at the position. ... DE Muhammad Wilkerson fully participated in practice for the first time in training camp. The team had been easing him back after he broke his right leg against Buffalo in the last season's finale. ''He ran around fine,'' Bowles said. ''But he's still got some ways to go before he gets in shape.'' ... OLB Trevor Reilly (leg) and NT Steve McLendon (toe) both returned to practice after missing the past several.

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Raiders RB Murray hopes more help leads to bigger numbers
August 16, 2016

NAPA, Calif. (AP) Latavius Murray is counting on more help at running back leading to more big runs of his own this season for the Oakland Raiders.

After topping 1,000 yards rushing and going to the Pro Bowl as an alternate while carrying almost the entire running load for the Oakland Raiders last season, Murray believes he can have an even more productive bigger year this season because the Raiders added rookie DeAndre Washington and other potential runners to the mix.

''That's going to be the difference this year for me, having somebody to come in and carry the load for a little while and keep me fresh so when I come in I can do better things and have more of those explosive and big runs that I showed I can have,'' Murray said.

Murray got little relief last season when he ranked fourth in the NFL among all backs with 680 offensive snaps. Recently released Roy Helu Jr. was second among Raiders halfbacks with 91 offensive snaps as Oakland was the only team in the NFL that did not have at least two halfbacks play 100 or more snaps.

That heavy workload for a player for a player with just 82 carries his first two years in the NFL contributed to Murray having decreased production and late in the season.

Murray's yards per carry dropped from 4.8 yards the first eight games to 3.3 over the second half of the season. It also appeared to take a toll in games as Murray averaged just 2.2 yards per carry in the fourth quarter, down more than 2 yards a carry from the first three quarters.

''I think over the course of the season that it just may catch up to you,'' he said. ''There are just going to be those days where obviously I'm maybe not as fresh or explosive every single Sunday. They've done a great job of getting some other guys in there and showing me this training camp that's the plan for this season and to try to keep me fresh and keep me in a healthy state of mind so I can go out there and be the back I know I can be.''

Murray finished the season with 266 carries for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns. Oakland's second-leading rusher in 2015 was quarterback Derek Carr with 138 and fullback Jamize Olawale was the only other player to reach even 100 yards rushing for the season with 110.

That glaring need for a capable backup runner led the Raiders to draft DeAndre Washington in the fifth round after he rushed for 1,492 yards and 14 touchdowns last season at Texas Tech.

Washington has made a good first impression on the Raiders with strong play in camp and a productive exhibition debut. Washington gained 75 yards from scrimmage, juking safety Marqui Christian on a 25-yard run and adding a 32-yard reception to convert a third down.

''That's why they brought me in, to create mismatches against opposing defenses,'' Washington said. ''On that play, they were guarding me with a d-end so I had to make my money on that play definitely.''

Washington wasn't the only back who has stood out this summer. George Atkinson had five carries for 97 yards and two scores against the Cardinals and undrafted free agent Jalen Richard has been impressive in practice but sat out the exhibition game with an injury.

But with coach Jack Del Rio wanting the Raiders to be a dominant running team after struggling in that area last season, there figure to be plenty of carries to go around for Murray and whoever becomes his backup.

''I want to have more rushes,'' Del Rio said. ''I don't want him to have less. If anything, maybe a little more, but I want him to be more productive. We want other guys to be involved and be able to run it as well. We're working on becoming a team that's capable of running the ball well. We never really, truly established that last year.''

NOTES: The Raiders broke camp Tuesday. They will resume practice at their facility in Alameda after playing an exhibition game at Green Bay on Thursday night. ... Oakland signed free agent TE Jake McGee to replace Gabe Holmes, who could be out for the season with an ankle injury.

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Week 2 Preseason Trends
August 17, 2016

Preseason Coaching Records

Week 2 of the NFL Preseason kicks off Thursday and concludes Saturday with 16 games on tap.

Handicapping exhibitions isn’t easy but veteran NFL Handicapper Marc Lawrence is here to help in the second week.

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

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

Best Week 2 Overall ATS Records (Week 2 Opponent)

Minnesota Vikings 20-11 (at Seattle)
Miami Dolphins 19-11 (at Dallas)
New York Jets 21-10 (at Washington)
Philadelphia Eagles 21-11 (at Pittsburgh)

Worst Week 2 Overall ATS Records (Week 2 Opponent)

Kansas City Chiefs 6-26 (at Los Angeles)
Indianapolis Colts 13-20 (vs. Baltimore)

Most Recent Week 2 ATS Trends to Watch (Week 2 Opponent)

-- Carolina Panthers 2-7 ATS last nine (at Tennessee)
-- Dallas Cowboys 0-6 last six (vs. Miami)
-- Kansas City Chiefs 0-13 last 13 (at Los Angeles)
-- L.A. Rams 2-9 last 11 (vs. Kansas City)
-- Miami Dolphins 9-1 last 10 (at Dallas)

Listed below are all of the Week 2 ATS Preseason Trends for all 32 NFL teams.

WEEK 2 ATS PRESEASON RECORD (1983-2015)

Team ATS Record Most Recent ATS Trend

Arizona Cardinals 18-15 3-7
Atlanta Falcons 18-15 1-3
Baltimore Ravens 18-13 1-3
Buffalo Bills 14-17 2-0
Carolina Panthers 8-13 2-7
Chicago Bears 14-17 1-0
Cincinnati Bengals 13-19 0-2
Cleveland Browns 8-9 0-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-18 0-6
Denver Broncos 18-13 2-0
Detroit Lions 17-16 4-2
Green Bay Packers 18-15 5-2
Houston Texans 9-5 4-1
Indianapolis Colts 13-20 0-2
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-12 2-6
Kansas City Chiefs 6-26 0-13
Los Angeles Rams 13-20 2-9
Miami Dolphins 19-11 9-1
Minnesota Vikings 20-11 7-2
New England Patriots 18-14 5-1
New Orleans Saints 19-12 3-1
New York Giants 18-14 4-1
New York Jets 21-10 6-1
Oakland Raiders 12-21 0-3
Philadelphia Eagles 21-11 3-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 14-17 1-3
San Diego Chargers 19-14 4-1
San Francisco 49ers 17-15 4-2
Seattle Seahawks 18-15 4-0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-17 1-4
Tennessee Titans 18-14 5-2
Washington Redskins 15-15 1-0

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Thursday's Preseason Tips
August 17, 2016

Eagles at Steelers (-3 ½, 40 ½) – 7:00 PM EST

Philadelphia
Head Coach: Doug Pederson (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS record in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel, McLeod Bethel-Thompson
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Jeff McLane

Philadelphia took advantage of a fumble on the opening kickoff by Tampa Bay and scored two early touchdowns in a 17-9 victory as three-point favorites last Thursday. Carson Wentz put together a less than stellar NFL debut by completing 12-of-24 passes for 89 yards, while getting intercepted once. Wentz will not play this week as he suffered a rib injury in the win. Philadelphia posted 188 yards of offense, compared to 329 yards by Tampa Bay, but the Eagles’ defense intercepted the Buccaneers three times and recovered two fumbles. The Eagles are listed as a preseason underdog for the first time since a 42-35 loss at New England (+2) in Week 2 of the 2014 exhibition season.

Pittsburgh
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (21-18 SU, 16-22-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Dustin Vaughan
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mark Kaboly

Many of Pittsburgh’s key offensive weapons watched from the sidelines in its preseason opening loss to Detroit. However, the Steelers defense was shredded by the Lions, allowing 379 yards in a 30-17 defeat, while also giving up a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Gradkowski is sidelined for a few weeks with a hamstring injury, while Roethlisberger, running backs Le’Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams, and wide receiver Antonio Brown will sit once again. The Steelers have lost seven of their last eight preseason games, but Pittsburgh has won each of its past two home exhibition openers over Green Bay (2015) and Buffalo (2014).

Bengals at Lions (-2 ½, 41) – 7:30 PM EST

Cincinnati
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (28-26 SU, 28-25-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Andy Dalton, A.J. McCarron, Keith Wenning, Joe Licata (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Jim Owczarski

Cincinnati’s offense found the end zone only once in its 17-16 preseason opening defeat to Minnesota last Friday. The Bengals returned a punt for an 80-yard touchdown in the final minutes of regulation, but went for a two-point conversion and failed to lose by a point as the game closed at a pick-em. Cincinnati’s quarterbacks combined to throw for 249 yards, including 125 and a touchdown from A.J. McCarron. Five straight preseason games for the Bengals have finished UNDER the total, while Cincinnati has lost its last two Game 2’s of the preseason.

Detroit
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (9-12 SU, 11-10 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, Jake Rudock (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Dave Birkett

The Lions overcame an early interception return for a touchdown by Pittsburgh to pound the Steelers, 30-17. Although Stafford saw limited action (4-of-6, 58 yards), Orlovsky stepped up by throwing for 164 yards and a touchdown in the win. Detroit has won seven consecutive home exhibition games dating back to 2012, while owning a 6-1 ATS record in its last seven preseason contests in the favorite role. However, the Lions have lost three consecutive Week 2 games in the preseason, all of which came on the road.

Raiders at Packers (-3, 42 ½) – 8:00 PM EST

Oakland
Head Coach: Jack Del Rio (23-18 SU, 22-17-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Derek Carr, Matt McGloin, Connor Cook (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Vic Tafur

The Raiders turned in one of the more impressive performances in Week 1 by routing the Cardinals, 31-10 as 2 ½-point underdogs. George Atkinson III rushed for a pair of touchdowns and 97 yards on the ground as Oakland put up 166 yards rushing. The Raiders did allow 383 yards defensively, but Oakland created three turnovers. Oakland hasn’t won consecutive preseason games since 2010, while owning a 1-10 SU and 2-9 ATS road exhibition record in the last 11 on the highway.

Green Bay
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (21-20 SU, 21-20 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan (Rookie), Marquise Williams (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rob Demovsky

Aaron Rodgers will likely sit out his second straight preseason game after the Packers’ star didn’t play in a 17-11 home victory over the Browns last Friday. Rodgers will probably play only once in the preseason in Week 3 against the 49ers, as rookies Callahan and Williams combined to throw for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Cleveland. The Packers hope to get Hundley some reps after missing the Cleveland game with an ankle injury. Green Bay has won four of its past five preseason contests at Lambeau Field, including a 31-21 triumph over Oakland as seven-point favorites in 2014.

Bears at Patriots (-4, 40 ½) – 8:00 PM EST

Chicago
Head Coach: John Fox (31-26 SU, 27-29-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer, David Fales, Connor Shaw
Beat Twitter Follow: Zach Zaidman

The Bears put together the worst performance in the opening week of preseason by getting shut out at home by the Broncos, 22-0. Chicago amassed 194 yards, which included only 48 yards on the ground. The only good news is the Bears allowed just one offensive touchdown, as the second touchdown the Broncos scored came on a blocked punt in the end zone. Chicago has won four consecutive Game 2’s of the preseason, while the Bears have cashed the UNDER in four straight exhibition games overall.

New England
Head Coach: Bill Belichick (47-39 SU, 43-36-7 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Ben Volin

The Patriots’ defense found the end zone twice in last Thursday’s 34-22 victory over the Saints as New England returned an interception and a fumble for scores. Brady sat out last week as his replacement for the first four games of the regular season stepped up as Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 168 yards. New England rushed for 151 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown scamper by Tyler Gaffney. Brady is hoping to take some snaps against the Bears, as the Patriots go for their fourth consecutive Week 2 preseason victory.

Falcons at Browns (-2 ½, 37) – 8:00 PM EST

Atlanta
Head Coach: Dan Quinn (3-2 SU, 3-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Sean Renfree, Matt Simms
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: D. Orlando Ledbetter

Atlanta took control against Washington in the second quarter of its preseason opener by scoring 13 points en route to a 23-17 home victory. The Falcons covered as three-point favorites, as Schaub put together a solid performance by completing 10-of-15 passes for 179 yards. Atlanta outgained Washington by 125 yards to win its third consecutive exhibition opener. However, the Falcons have lost five of their last six exhibition games away from the Georgia Dome, including an 0-3 ATS mark as a road underdog of three points or less.

Cleveland
Head Coach: Hue Jackson (0-5 SU, 0-5 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler, Austin Davis
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mary Kay Cabot

The Browns managed to put together this scoring line in their opener against the Packers: 2-3-6-0. Cleveland picked up an early safety, a 46-yard field goal, and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kessler to Rashard Higgins, but missed the two-point conversion. The Browns fell to the Packers, 17-11, as Green Bay recorded two safeties on defense. Griffin threw for 67 yards and was intercepted once in his Cleveland debut as he tries to get comfortable running the Browns offense. Cleveland owns a 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS record in its past nine preseason games, while losing three of its previous four home exhibition contests.

Vikings at Seahawks (-3 ½, 38 ½) – 10:00 PM EST

Minnesota
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer (9-1 SU, 8-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill, Joel Stave (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Chris Tomasson

The Vikings continued their preseason success under Zimmer by holding off the Bengals, 17-16 in a pick-em role. Minnesota has held eight of 10 opponents to 17 points or less in the preseason since 2014, while winning four of five road games. Even though this is an exhibition game, the Vikings would like to put together a good performance against the Seahawks after losing twice to Seattle last season, including a 10-9 defeat in the Wild Card round.

Seattle
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (26-16 SU, 28-13-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Russell Wilson, Trevone Boykin, Jake Heaps
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Bob Condotta

The Seahawks have been a strong preseason team under Carroll as Seattle erased a 16-6 deficit to stun Kansas City last Saturday, 17-16. Boykin, the former TCU standout, found Tanner McEvoy in the end zone from 37 yards out on the final play to give the Seahawks the win and the cover as 3 ½-point underdogs. Boykin threw for 188 yards in his NFL debut, while the Seahawks racked up 358 yards of offense. Since 2012, the Seahawks have put together a 7-1 SU/ATS record at home in the preseason with the lone loss coming to Denver last season in a two-point defeat.

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NFL TONIGHT ALL PICKS ARE OPINIONS ONLY


THURSDAY, AUGUST 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHI at PIT 07:00 PM

PIT -2.5

U 38.0


CIN at DET 07:30 PM

DET -2.0

O 41.0


ATL at CLE 08:00 PM

ATL +2.0

U 37.5


CHI at NE 08:00 PM

NE -3.0

O 41.0


OAK at GB 08:00 PM

OAK +3.0

O 42.5


MIN at SEA 10:00 PM

MIN +3.0

U 38.5

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Friday's Preseason Tips

Jets at Redskins (-3 ½, 40) – 7:30 PM EST

New York
Head Coach: Todd Bowles (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, Christian Hackenberg (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rich Cimini

The Jets erased a 10-0 deficit to rally past the Jaguars, 17-13 to barely cash as three-point home favorites. Smith capped the comeback with a touchdown pass late in the first half to Charone Peake to give New York the lead for good as Jacksonville failed to score in the second half. Since Bowles joined the Jets last season, New York has won and covered four of five preseason games, while splitting a pair of road contests in 2015. Since 2013, the Jets have won three consecutive Game 2’s of the preseason, with all three of those contests sailing OVER the total.

Washington
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (6-3 SU, 5-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, Nate Sudfeld (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rick Snider

The Redskins displayed much success in Gruden’s two first preseasons, but Washington struggled in its exhibition opener at Atlanta in a 23-17 setback. Washington fell behind 23-3 in the third quarter as the Redskins scored two late touchdowns to make the final score look closer. The Redskins own a 3-1 SU/ATS record at FedEx Field in the last two preseasons, while each of their Game 2’s have been decided by a total of three points (both wins).

Dolphins at Cowboys (-3 ½, 40 ½) – 8:00 PM EST

Miami
Head Coach: Adam Gase (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Brandon Doughty (Rookie), Zac Dysert
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Omar Kelly

The Dolphins put together an ugly start against the Giants, falling behind 10-0 as the first team offense didn’t produce a first down. However, Miami took advantage of three New York turnovers in the second quarter and converted those into 17 points to take a 17-10 halftime lead. The Dolphins exited Met Life Stadium with a 27-10 triumph as 2 ½-point underdogs, while limiting the Giants to 69 passing yards. Miami has covered three of the last four exhibition games as an underdog, while the Dolphins face the Cowboys in the preseason for the first time since a 25-20 home victory in 2014.

Dallas
Head Coach: Jason Garrett (8-14 SU, 7-14-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tony Romo, Dak Prescott, Jameill Showers
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Todd Archer

The Cowboys were ready to spoil the Rams’ return to Los Angeles by jumping out to a 24-7 halftime lead last Saturday, which included returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Rams outscored the Cowboys, 21-0 in the second half to pick up a 28-24 win, but L.A. failed to cash as five-point favorites. Romo didn’t play last Saturday, but Prescott put together an impressive 10-of-12 effort for 139 yards and two touchdown passes in his NFL debut. Since beating the Dolphins in the 2013 Hall of Fame Game, the Cowboys own a dreadful 2-11 SU and 4-9 ATS record in the last 13 preseason contests, while losing four of their past five home exhibition games.

Cardinals at Chargers (-1 ½, 40 ½) – 9:00 PM EST

Arizona
Head Coach: Bruce Arians (6-7 SU, 7-5-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Matt Barkley, Jake Coker (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Kent Somers

The Cardinals were blitzed late in the first quarter by the Raiders last Friday, allowing a pair of touchdowns in the final 75 seconds. Oakland would tack two long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to bury Arizona, 31-10, even though the Cardinals racked up 383 yards in the defeat. Arizona won each of its two road preseason contests in 2015, while both games sailed OVER the total. However, the Cardinals lost to the Chargers last preseason in Week 2 at University of Phoenix Stadium, 22-19.

San Diego
Head Coach: Mike McCoy (5-8 SU, 7-5-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Philip Rivers, Kellen Clemens, Zach Mettenberger, Mike Bercovici (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Michael Gehlken

The Chargers were torched on the ground in last week’s 27-10 defeat at Tennessee, allowing the Titans to rush for 288 yards, which included a 71-yard and a 41-yard touchdown runs. The only bright spot offensively came when Rivers hooked up with second-year running back Melvin Gordon on a 44-yard touchdown. The Lightning Bolts have won three of their past four home preseason games, while posting a 4-0 ATS record in this span. In seven of the last eight exhibition contests, the Chargers have scored 17 points or less, while the UNDER is 5-2-1 in this span.

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Week 2 Preseason Trends

Preseason Coaching Records

Week 2 of the NFL Preseason kicks off Thursday and concludes Saturday with 16 games on tap.

Handicapping exhibitions isn’t easy but veteran NFL Handicapper Marc Lawrence is here to help in the second week.

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

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

Best Week 2 Overall ATS Records (Week 2 Opponent)

Minnesota Vikings 20-11 (at Seattle)
Miami Dolphins 19-11 (at Dallas)
New York Jets 21-10 (at Washington)
Philadelphia Eagles 21-11 (at Pittsburgh)

Worst Week 2 Overall ATS Records (Week 2 Opponent)

Kansas City Chiefs 6-26 (at Los Angeles)
Indianapolis Colts 13-20 (vs. Baltimore)

Most Recent Week 2 ATS Trends to Watch (Week 2 Opponent)

-- Carolina Panthers 2-7 ATS last nine (at Tennessee)
-- Dallas Cowboys 0-6 last six (vs. Miami)
-- Kansas City Chiefs 0-13 last 13 (at Los Angeles)
-- L.A. Rams 2-9 last 11 (vs. Kansas City)
-- Miami Dolphins 9-1 last 10 (at Dallas)

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Friday's NFL Week 2 preseason betting primer and odds

Former Pro Bowler Arian Foster makes his Dolphins debut Friday against the Cowboys.

Betting the NFL preseason can be tough. Week 2 of the NFL preseason continues Friday with three games on the slate and we help you out by breaking down some of the best betting tidbits for these matchups.

New York Jets at Washington (-3.5, 40)

* The Jets have one of the more interesting quarterback situations in the league heading into the 2016 season. Thankfully for Jets fans Ryan Fitzpatrick and the team worked out a deal, meanwhile Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and second-round pick Christian Hackenberg are battling for two roster spots. Expect Petty to try and put on a good show in order to keep his hopes of making the roster alive, while Hackenberg makes his NFL debut.

* Look for Washington to try and get their ground game rolling against the Jets, but it won't be easy against the Jets, a team they rushed for just 34 yeards on 17 carries in Week 6 last season. The preseason opener wasn't much better as the team rushed for 79 yeards on 24 attempts. Expect projected starter Matt Jones to get a few more carries this week, with backups Robert Kelly adn Mack Brown spliting the rest of the rushing duties.

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys (-3, 40.5)

* Running back Arian Foster is expected to make his Dolphis debut Friday against the Cowboys. The former Pro Bowler is recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered last November, so don't exect head coach Adam Gase to push him too much in his preseason debut. However, Foster is in a tight position battle with up and comer Jay Ajayi and will have to make a statement sooner rather than later.

* Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will also make his preseason debut Friday and is expected to play a series or two, according to team executive vice president Stephen Jones. Don't expect a heavy workload for Romo, especially after Dak Prescott's impressive debut against the Rams. Additionally, first round pick Ezekiel Elliot returned to practice this week, but won't suit up against the Dolphins.

Arizona Cardinals at San Diego Chargers (-1.5, 40.5)

* Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is still expected to coach Friday night's game against the Chargers after a health scare landed him in the hospital Tuesday. Arians was rushed to the hospital about 30 minutes before Tuesday's practice because his diverticulitis flared up. However, expect offensive coordinator to continue to call the plays against the Chargers as Arians will try to take over the reins next week.

* The Chargers made an under-the-radar free agent signing this offseason, by bringing in former Browns deep threat Travis Benjamin. Benjamin, who could pair nicely across from Keenan Allen, makes his Chargers debut Friday. Benjamin has been builing a good chemisty with quarterback Philip Rivers and look for the pair to build on that in Friday's game against the Cardinals.

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NFLX
Dunkel

Week 2

NY Jets @ Washington

Game 413-414
August 19, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Jets
120.516
Washington
127.930
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 7 1/2
35
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 3 1/2
40
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-3 1/2); Under

Miami @ Dallas

Game 415-416
August 19, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
120.464
Dallas
115.555
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 5
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 3 1/2
40 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+3 1/2); Over

Arizona @ San Diego

Game 417-418
August 19, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
114.803
San Diego
119.646
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego
by 5
36
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego
by 1 1/2
40 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego
(-1 1/2); Under




NFLX
Short Sheet

Week 2

NY Jets at Washington, 7:30 ET
New York: 20-6 ATS in road games against NFC East division opponents
Washington: 4-14 ATS in home games off 1 or more straight overs

Miami at Dallas, 8:00 ET
Miami: 7-4 ATS against NFC East division opponents
Dallas: 13-31 ATS off 1 or more straight overs

Arizona at San Diego, 9:00 ET
Arizona: 30-23 ATS after playing a non-conference game
San Diego: 1-5 ATS after allowing 400 or more total yards in their previous game

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AFC Standings

Tm W L Pts Pts PtDif

AFC East

New York Jets 1 0 17 13 4
New England Patriots 2 0 57 44 13
Miami Dolphins 1 0 27 10 17
Buffalo Bills 0 1 18 19 -1

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens 1 0 22 19 3
Cincinnati Bengals 1 1 46 31 15
Cleveland Browns 0 2 24 41 -17
Pittsburgh Steelers 0 2 17 47 -30

AFC South

Houston Texans 1 0 24 13 11
Tennessee Titans 1 0 27 10 17
Indianapolis Colts 1 0 19 18 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 0 1 13 17 -4

AFC West

Denver Broncos 1 0 22 0 22
Oakland Raiders 1 1 43 30 13
Kansas City Chiefs 0 1 16 17 -1
San Diego Chargers 0 1 10 27 -17


NFC Standings

Tm W L Pts Pts PtDif

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles 2 0 34 9 25
Dallas Cowboys 0 1 24 28 -4
Washington Redskins 0 1 17 23 -6
New York Giants 0 1 10 27 -17

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings 2 0 35 27 8
Green Bay Packers 2 0 37 23 14
Detroit Lions 1 1 44 47 -3
Chicago Bears 0 2 22 45 -23

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons 2 0 47 30 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0 1 9 17 -8
Carolina Panthers 0 1 19 22 -3
New Orleans Saints 0 1 22 34 -12

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams 1 0 28 24 4
Seattle Seahawks 1 1 28 34 -6
San Francisco 49ers 0 1 13 24 -11
Arizona Cardinals 0 1 10 31 -21

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PRESEASON OPINION RECORD:

WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 8-14-0 36.36% -3700

O/U Picks 9-12-1 42.86% -2100


FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

NYJ at WAS 07:30 PM

NYJ +3.5

U 40.0


MIA at DAL 08:00 PM

MIA +2.5

U 40.5


ARI at SD 09:00 PM

ARI +1.0

U 40.5

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KICKING OFF: Osweiler's home debut plus Foles plays ex-mates
August 20, 2016

Here's a glance at today'ss NFL preseason games. All times Eastern:

GOING YOUNG

- Carolina at Tennessee, 3 p.m.

Carolina rookie cornerbacks James Bradberry and Daryl Worley will get another meaningful audition at Tennessee. The defending NFC champion Panthers have a pair of vacancies, after All-Pro Josh Norman left and Charles Tillman retired. Bene Benwikere, the nickel back last year, is still in the mix, but coach Ron Rivera is strongly considering starting both Bradberry and Worley.

Fittingly, the wide receivers on the other side are in flux after the Titans traded disappointing 2015 second-round draft pick Dorial Green-Beckham this week to Philadelphia. The deal further cemented the status of rookie Tajae Sharpe and widened an opening for Justin Hunter. Veterans Harry Douglas and Andre Johnson are also trying to secure spots.

Titans running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry will have a chance to build on the momentum established against San Diego last week.

BAD-LUCK BILLS

- New York Giants at Buffalo, 4 p.m.

Buffalo will play its first game at the newly renamed New Era Field, after the Buffalo-based apparel company bought naming rights for the former Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills sure could use a break from a spate of bad news that has persisted throughout their offseason.

Just this week, linebacker IK Enemkpali was lost to a season-ending knee injury and starting defensive tackle Marcell Dareus received a substance-abuse policy suspension for the first four games of the regular season from the NFL.

The visitor will be the New York Giants, who have slated quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to play after resting last week. Free agent kicker Tom Obarski will get an extended look, with starter Josh Brown suspended for the regular-season opener because of a personal conduct issue.

FAMILIAR FOES

- Baltimore at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

Andrew Luck is expected to make his first start for Indianapolis since November when the Colts host Baltimore in a reunion of sorts among the coaching staffs. Colts coach Chuck Pagano and new defensive coordinator Ted Monachino both worked for Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh before leaving for Indianapolis, giving them a little insight into what Luck should prepare for in the second week of the preseason with his appearance expected to last a quarter or so.

Quarterback Joe Flacco almost certainly won't play for the Ravens, but rookie left tackle Ronnie Stanley will get another game to get settled after a decent debut.

YOU GUYS AGAIN?

- Tampa Bay at Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.

After a pair of joint practices with Tampa Bay, Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley likely won't play his starters as long as he usually does in the second preseason game. That means quarterback Blake Bortles, who led the first-team offense to 10 points last week in the first quarter, won't have as many snaps to stay sharp.

Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. will play his first home game since being drafted in the first round in 2015 and missing his rookie year to a knee injury. He was kicked off the field Thursday following a fight with Buccaneers guard Ali Marpet.

Rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo could use a few a touchdowns by the Tampa Bay offense. The 59th overall pick in the draft missed his only extra-point try last week, before making a 38-yard field goal.

ALL EYES ON OSWEILER

- New Orleans at Houston, 8 p.m.

All eyes will be on No. 17 for the Texans as Brock Osweiler makes his home debut. Osweiler played four series last week at San Francisco, going 4 for 7 for 27 yards and failing to lead the Texans to any scores. He's the new quarterback after signing a $72 million contract to leave Super Bowl champion Denver.

The Texans and Saints held joint practices this week. Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who played only one series last week at New England, is expected to last a little longer this week before getting the hook.

QUARTERBACK CLARITY?

- San Francisco at Denver, 9 p.m.

Blaine Gabbert will again get the stage to himself in San Francisco's starting quarterback derby, with Colin Kaepernick set to sit out a second game with a tired shoulder. Gabbert started 1 for 6 at Houston last week, before finishing with a touchdown pass to Vance McDonald. Christian Ponder also is expected to debut with the 49ers after signing this week as the third-stringer.

Denver quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are currently listed as co-starters, with coach Gary Kubiak yet to declare a starter. There are questions all over the Broncos offense, with Cody Latimer and Jordan Norwood trying to grab the No. 3 wide receiver spot and Ronnie Hillman trying to fend off Kapri Bibbs and rookie Devonte Booker to be the backup running back behind C.J. Anderson.

MOVING UP

- Kansas City at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.

The first pick in the draft, quarterback Jared Goff, is expected to take turns with the first team for Los Angeles. Transitioning from a spread offense at Cal to a pro-style scheme with the Rams, Goff has struggled at times in training camp with snaps and footwork under center.

In the second game for the Rams back in Los Angeles, running back Todd Gurley, defensive end Robert Quinn and cornerback E.J. Gaines are queued up for action after sitting out last week.

Chiefs quarterback Nick Foles will get some time against his former team. Benched as the Rams starter last year, Foles signed with Kansas City two weeks ago to back up Alex Smith.

EXPERIMENTING WITH EIGHT

The NFL, as it did in the second week of last year's preseason games, will experiment with an eighth on-field official. The league has used seven-person officiating crews since 1978, when the side judge was added. The middle judge will be 20 yards downfield, focusing on the center and guards with an emphasis on spotting defensive holding penalties.

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Saturday's Preseason Tips
August 20, 2016

Panthers at Titans (-1, 41 ½) – 3 PM EST

Carolina
Head coach: Ron Rivera (11-10 SU, 11-10 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Cam Newton, Derek Anderson, Joe Webb
Beat Twitter Follow: Joe Person

Barring unforeseen developments, the Panthers are going to give Newton three drives before next week’s ride into the second half. That may not sound like a lot, but Newton hit on his first five passes and easily got into the red zone in his only drive last week, so it will be fun to see continued progress with the returning Kelvin Benjamin, who also got his beak slightly wet in the preseason opener. Devin Funchess has excelled in camp, so keep an eye out for him against a Titans defense that excelled against San Diego last week. Carolina had won its last three road games before being clipped in Baltimore in Week 1.

Tennessee
Head coach: Mike Mularkey (7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Marcus Mariota, Matt Cassel, Alex Tanney
Beat Twitter Follow: Jim Wyatt

The defense is loaded with a lot of young talent, and competition for roster spots in the secondary should keep everyone as focused as they were last week, when the defensive backups allowed three points over the final three quarters. Offensively, DeMarco Murray ran for 93 yards, breaking off a 71-yarder, while reigning Heisman Trophy winner debuted with 74 yards on 10 carries, also finding the end zone. Bishop Sankey broke off a 41-yarder and the Titans collected 288 yards on the ground, so Carolina won't be able to key on Marcus Mariota, who led his offense to 10 points on two drives and is expected to get about a quarter this week. Tennessee has won five of its last six preseason home games.


Giants at Bills (-2 ½, 40 ½) – 4 PM EST

New York
Head coach: Ben McAdoo (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib, Logan Thomas
Beat Twitter Follow: Dan Duggan

Nassib got the start for New York last week with Manning sitting out and turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions to contribute to a loss. Manning will play on Saturday, joined by Odell Beckham, Jr., but they likely won’t play more than a quarter. Victor Cruz traveled but won’t play, and you can likely expect a heavy emphasis on the run game in the second half once Thomas takes over.

Buffalo
Head Coach: Rex Ryan (13-16 SU, 13-16 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tyrod Taylor, E.J. Manuel, Cardale Jones (Rookie)
Beat Twitter Follow: Mike Rodak

The Bills are expected to have starters play a quarter here, including Marcell Dareus in the fold despite his four-game suspension. Although the Colts sat Andrew Luck to avoid Ryan's blitzing defense, the Giants have no such fear, so the Bills should get a strong challenge. They were largely in control of the game they won last week, and Jones looked impressive late. Sammy Watkins and Reggie Bush are questionable.

Ravens at Colts (-3, 41) – 7 PM EST

Baltimore
Head coach: John Harbaugh (21-12 SU, 20-13 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Joe Flacco (?), Ryan Mallett, Josh Johnson, Jarrod Johnson
Beat Twitter Follow: Jamison Hensley

Flacco says he’s still not 100 percent back from knee surgery, so it isn’t likely that Harbaugh will expose him on the road since he’d have two more opportunities for game action next week. Mallett played the entire first half in last week’s 22-19 before giving way to both Johnsons. Terrence West scored two short touchdowns, so expect him and rookie Kenneth Dixon to remain the focal point of the offense. The Ravens rested 20 players last year and appear to be reticent to expose any of their veterans in an effort to avoid the injury bug. Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Steve Smith, Sr. and Breshard Perriman should all join Flacco on the bench.

Indianapolis
Head coach: Chuck Pagano (6-11 SU, 8-9 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Andrew Luck, Scott Tolzien, Stephen Morris
Beat Twitter Follow: Stephen Holder

Luck was probably going to take a few snaps in the Hall of Fame game that was canceled and was held out in Buffalo last week, so he'll make his much anticipated return here. The expectation is that he'll get at least a quarter, flanked by Frank Gore, who will try to revive a running game that saw the backs rack up a whole 10 yards on 19 carries. Pagano has lost eight of his last 10 exhibition games, including his last four at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Bucs at Jaguars (-3, 40 ½) – 7:30 PM EST

Tampa Bay
Head coach: Dirk Koetter (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Jameis Winston, Mike Glennon, Ryan Griffin
Beat Twitter Follow: Jenna Laine

Tampa Bay turned it over five times in the preseason opener, fumbling both the opening kickoff and on Winston's first drive from scrimmage. Other than drives they set up, the Bucs surrendered just three points, but the offense managed just nine points themselves. Winston was sharp, but his backups combined to throw three interceptions while finishing an inefficient 20-for-37. Coming off joint practices with Jacksonville this week, the Bucs should look more comfortable in Koetter's second preseason game as head coach. .

Jacksonville
Head coach: Gus Bradley (4-9 SU, 6-7 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Brandon Allen (rookie), Max Wittek (rookie)
Beat Twitter Follow: Ryan O'Halloran

Bortles completed six of seven passes in his brief stint against the Jets, hooking up with Allen Robinson for a 45-yard gain that set up Chris Ivory’s first touchdown with the Jags. The first team offense is likely to play well into the second quarter here, so we’ll get to see what progress Bortles has made with all his weapons. The Jaguars threw for 337 yards in New York last season, but failed to score in the second half despite Allen’s team-high 138 passing yards. He was picked off in the red zone on Jacksonville’s final play, failing to lead a comeback win.

Saints at Texans (-2 ½, 41) – 8 PM EST

New Orleans
Head coach: Sean Payton (19-19 SU, 21-16-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Drew Brees, Luke McCown, Garrett Grayson
Beat Twitter Follow: Mike Triplett

The Saints were involved in the highest-scoring game of Week 1 and had given up the most points this preseason until the Dolphins surrendered a 41-spot in Dallas on Friday. The New Orleans defense didn’t play as poorly as it sounds since two of New England’s scores were defensive, but it failed to force a turnover, allowed 151 rushing yards and didn’t cause much disruption outside of two Kasim Edebali sacks. Dennis Allen took over for Rob Ryan last year and is back in charge of a defense that needs to show it’s making some strides. They cut banged up corner Keenan Lewis on Friday. Offensively, Drew Brees looked sharp on his only throw at Foxboro, connecting with Brandin Cooks for 37 yards. He’ll play more here. New Orleans has lost six straight preseason games. The over has prevailed in four of their last five exhibitions.

Houston
Head coach: Bill O'Brien (5-4 SU, 5-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Brock Osweiler, Tom Savage, Brandon Weeden
Beat Twitter Follow: Aaron Wilson

Last year’s preseason was all about determining a winner in a tight QB race between Mallett and Brian Hoyer, both of whom are elsewhere now. There are no cameras shooting for “Hard Knocks” either, having moved on to Los Angeles for 2016 to chronicle the Rams in their new surroundings. Still, if Savage plays as well as he did in the opener against the 49ers, throwing for a pair of scores while Osweiler looked mediocre, may we’ll get some controversy after all. Despite having DeAndre Hopkins available, Osweiler couldn’t connect with his top target and finished 4-for-7. He’ll have more of an opportunity to cement his status as the No. 1 guy against New Orleans, and it's a good sign that he and Hopkins have shined in joint practices with the Saints this week. Houston will be playing its first game on NRG Stadium’s new synthetic surface.

49ers at Broncos (-5 ½, 40) – 9 PM EST

San Francisco
Head coach: Chip Kelly (7-6 SU, 7-6 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Blaine Gabbert, Cristian Ponder, Jeff Driskel (rookie)
Beat Twitter Follow: Cam Inman

A “dead” arm kept Colin Kaepernick from throwing for most of the week, which is why you don’t see his name above. The plan is to have him be a full participant come Monday in preparation for his preseason debut against the Packers on Aug. 26, which gives Gabbert an opportunity to widen his lead in the race to start the season opener against the Rams on Sept. 12. Ponder was signed earlier this week and practiced for the first time on Wednesday, looking rusty. Driskel may be among the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL, but the rookie had a hard time making basic throws in the quarter-plus he played in against Houston at home. Kelly’s 49ers ran 52 offensive plays and racked up over 300 yards in the first half against the Texans, so look for a fast tempo despite squaring off against Denver’s elite defense.

Denver
Head coach: Gary Kubiak (23-14 SU, 23-12-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Trevor Siemian, Mark Sanchez, Paxton Lynch (rookie)
Beat Twitter Follow: Mike Klis

Siemian will get his turn with the starters as he continues to make an unexpected run at becoming Peyton Manning’s permanent replacement. Sanchez had a strong debut with the “1s” against the Bears, finishing 10-for-13 with a touchdown while leading a 76-yard opening scoring drive, connecting with Demariyus Thomas. In that sense, Siemian has his work cut out for him in matching that level of productivity immediately, but Sanchez left the door open by getting intercepted and Siemian looked solid in Chicago once he got his turn. Denver’s defense shut out the Bears 22-0 and looked dominant doing it, surrendering 130 total net yards while registering seven sacks and an interception. The Broncos have beaten the 49ers in the preseason three straight years, outscoring them 63-18.

Chiefs at Rams (-1, 39) – 10 PM EST

Kansas City
Head Coach: Andy Reid (32-37 SU, 30-35-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Alex Smith, Nick Foles, Aaron Murray, Tyler Bray, Kevin Hogan (Rookie)
Beat Twitter Follow: Terez Paylor

The Chiefs surrendered a touchdown on Seattle’s final play, then allowed them to tack on a two-point conversion in suffering a 17-16 loss last Saturday afternoon. Despite the disappointing finish, the only team trying to give five quarterbacks a stage to audition looked quite effective in their preseason opener. Alex Smith led a masterful first drive, Nick Foles looked right at home as the primary backup, the defense intercepted Russell Wilson as he was driving the Seahawks into the end zone and Kansas City led 16-6 through three quarters. Jamaal Charles returned to practice this week as he continues the long road back from a torn ACL, but he won’t play, leaving Charcandrick West, Spencer Ware, Knile Davis and Darrin Reaves to anchor the ground game.

Los Angeles
Head coach: Jeff Fisher (39-42 SU, 37-42-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Case Keenum, Jared Goff (Rookie), Sean Mannion, Dylan Thompson
Beat Twitter Follow: Gary Klein

Falling behind Dallas 24-7 while being victimized by rookie Dak Prescott suddenly doesn’t look as disconcerting as it did last week. Mannion rallied L.A. to victory with three second-half touchdown passes, and even though it will be interesting to see what he does for an encore, all eyes will again be on No. 1 pick Goff, who will again replace Keenum but is expected to get time with the starters while playing into the second half. Goff was hassled mercilessly by Dallas and finished 4-for-9 for 38 yards with an interception, so Fisher and offensive coordinator Rob Boras will definitely be looking for improvement. Todd Gurley didn’t play in the opener and will make his 2016 debut, so this second and final preseason game at the Coliseum may be more important to L.A. than next week’s visit to Denver. Fisher was on the verge of falling to 2-13 in preseason play with the Rams before the unexpected Mannion-led comeback