2018 nfl football sneak peek at teams/predictions/news/notes/picks etc. !

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Saturday, August 25, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
1:00 PM Kansas City Chiefs Chicago Bears
4:00 PM Houston Texans Los Angeles Rams
4:00 PM Tennessee Titans Pittsburgh Steelers
4:30 PM San Francisco 49ers Indianapolis Colts
7:00 PM Atlanta Falcons Jacksonville Jaguars
7:00 PM Baltimore Ravens Miami Dolphins
8:00 PM New Orleans Saints Los Angeles Chargers


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NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/24/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
08/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........37- 42........46.83%.....-46.00

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Saturday’s six-pack

It is never too late to be what you want to be:

— At age 24, future author Stephen King was working as a janitor and living in a trailer.

— At age 27, Vincent Van Gogh quit being a missionary and decided to go to art school.

— At age 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter.

— Julia Child didn’t release her first cookbook until she was 39.

— Samuel L Jackson didn’t get his first movie role until he was 46.

— Grandma Moses didn’t begin her painting her career until she was 76.

Quote of the Day
“They’re going to have nerds in the dugout. And I’ve said it: If [New York GM Brian] Cashman had any balls, he’d have done that a long time ago. Or he’d like to now. Put a nerd in uniform. Because anybody can manage today. There’s 100 pitches, and then you start parading your 10 relievers in.”
Former relief ace Goose Gossage, not a fan of the way baseball is run these days

Saturday’s quiz
Where did Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins play his college football?

Friday’s quiz
Troy Aikman played college football at Oklahoma and UCLA.

Thursday’s quiz
Right now, David Fizdale is the head coach of the New York Knicks.


Saturday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here……

13) Cole Hamels’ last five starts with last place Texas: 1-3, 11.86.

Cole Hamels’ first five starts with the contending Cubs; 4-0, 1.06.

Go figure.

12) Browns’ QB Tyrod Taylor dislocated the pinky on his left hand Thursday night, but for some unknown reason, came back into the game later on. Not sure that was a smart thing to do.

11) Speaking of which, Cam Newton scrambled against the Patriots Friday night, not only didn’t he slide, he dove head-first, got upended and landed on his left shoulder. He was OK, but whats the point of diving head-first and taking a hit?

New rule this year: if a QB dives-head-first, it gets treated just like he was sliding feet-first, it gets marked at the furthest point backwards where he touched the ground.

10) If you look at Week 1 NFL games the last five years, under was 42-36-1 in those games.

I’m thinking that since starters play so little football in the summer and in exhibition games, teams aren’t going to be as sharp (or in as good condition) as later on in the season.

Last year, under was 11-4 in Week 1 games. Something to think about.

9) Detroit Lions were only NFL team LY to have two WR’s catch passes for 1,000+ yards: Marvin Jones caught 61 passes for 1,101 yards, and Golden Tate caught 92 passes for 1,003 yards.

8) Over last 14 years, only preseason #1 college football teams to win the national title that year were USC in 2004 and Alabama last season.

7) Over last five years, best five college football teams against the spread:
— Temple 40-21, 65.6%
— Colorado State 37-23, 61.7%
— Duke 36-23, 61.0%
— Houston 35-24, 59.3%
— Navy 35-24, 59.3%

6) Home team lost eight of the last ten Cowboy-Eagle games.

5) Cubs’ rookie infielder David Bote has five home runs this year; all five either tied the game or put the Cubs ahead- two of the homers were walk-offs.

4) Xavier and Illinois basketball teams are both playing in the Maui Classic in November; the two teams are chartering a plane together, so they can get a bigger plane and have more room than if they flew commercial. Teams are on opposite sides of the bracket in the tournament.

3) Former Xavier coach Chris Mack is now the Louisville coach; his non-conference schedule this season includes games with Tennessee, either Kansas/Marquette, Michigan State, at Seton Hall, at Indiana and Kentucky. They’ll be ready for ACC play.

2) Indians-Royals game Friday night was delayed because the fountains behind the centerfield fence at Kauffman Stadium overflowed, flooding the warning track in part of the outfield.

1) A wiseguy who lives near the Milwaukee airport painted “Welcome to Cleveland” on the roof of his business, apparently to confuse people flying into Milwaukee. Funny guy.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s six-pack

It is never too late to be what you want to be:

— At age 24, future author Stephen King was working as a janitor and living in a trailer.

— At age 27, Vincent Van Gogh quit being a missionary and decided to go to art school.

— At age 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter.

— Julia Child didn’t release her first cookbook until she was 39.

— Samuel L Jackson didn’t get his first movie role until he was 46.

— Grandma Moses didn’t begin her painting her career until she was 76.

Quote of the Day
“They’re going to have nerds in the dugout. And I’ve said it: If [New York GM Brian] Cashman had any balls, he’d have done that a long time ago. Or he’d like to now. Put a nerd in uniform. Because anybody can manage today. There’s 100 pitches, and then you start parading your 10 relievers in.”
Former relief ace Goose Gossage, not a fan of the way baseball is run these days

Saturday’s quiz
Where did Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins play his college football?

Friday’s quiz
Troy Aikman played college football at Oklahoma and UCLA.

Thursday’s quiz
Right now, David Fizdale is the head coach of the New York Knicks.


Saturday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here……

13) Cole Hamels’ last five starts with last place Texas: 1-3, 11.86.

Cole Hamels’ first five starts with the contending Cubs; 4-0, 1.06.

Go figure.

12) Browns’ QB Tyrod Taylor dislocated the pinky on his left hand Thursday night, but for some unknown reason, came back into the game later on. Not sure that was a smart thing to do.

11) Speaking of which, Cam Newton scrambled against the Patriots Friday night, not only didn’t he slide, he dove head-first, got upended and landed on his left shoulder. He was OK, but whats the point of diving head-first and taking a hit?

New rule this year: if a QB dives-head-first, it gets treated just like he was sliding feet-first, it gets marked at the furthest point backwards where he touched the ground.

10) If you look at Week 1 NFL games the last five years, under was 42-36-1 in those games.

I’m thinking that since starters play so little football in the summer and in exhibition games, teams aren’t going to be as sharp (or in as good condition) as later on in the season.

Last year, under was 11-4 in Week 1 games. Something to think about.

9) Detroit Lions were only NFL team LY to have two WR’s catch passes for 1,000+ yards: Marvin Jones caught 61 passes for 1,101 yards, and Golden Tate caught 92 passes for 1,003 yards.

8) Over last 14 years, only preseason #1 college football teams to win the national title that year were USC in 2004 and Alabama last season.

7) Over last five years, best five college football teams against the spread:
— Temple 40-21, 65.6%
— Colorado State 37-23, 61.7%
— Duke 36-23, 61.0%
— Houston 35-24, 59.3%
— Navy 35-24, 59.3%

6) Home team lost eight of the last ten Cowboy-Eagle games.

5) Cubs’ rookie infielder David Bote has five home runs this year; all five either tied the game or put the Cubs ahead- two of the homers were walk-offs.

4) Xavier and Illinois basketball teams are both playing in the Maui Classic in November; the two teams are chartering a plane together, so they can get a bigger plane and have more room than if they flew commercial. Teams are on opposite sides of the bracket in the tournament.

3) Former Xavier coach Chris Mack is now the Louisville coach; his non-conference schedule this season includes games with Tennessee, either Kansas/Marquette, Michigan State, at Seton Hall, at Indiana and Kentucky. They’ll be ready for ACC play.

2) Indians-Royals game Friday night was delayed because the fountains behind the centerfield fence at Kauffman Stadium overflowed, flooding the warning track in part of the outfield.

1) A wiseguy who lives near the Milwaukee airport painted “Welcome to Cleveland” on the roof of his business, apparently to confuse people flying into Milwaukee. Funny guy.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Best Bets
August 23, 2018

NFL Preseason Week 3 Saturday Best Bets

It's starting to feel like “go-time” for NFL franchises across the league with September less than two weeks away now, and that means that this weekend's NFL preseason action is the last time we will see many of the big name starters in the league until then. How teams choose to attack Week 3 of the preseason is up to the respective coaching staff's and it will be interesting to see just how some teams go about that business this weekend, but that doesn't mean we can't find a few angles to take advantage of in certain situations, and there are a few that stick out on Saturday's slate of games.

So with that in mind and seven different NFL games on Saturday that basically span the entire day, let's get right down to the two plays that stick out on this betting board, as collecting betting units to the bankroll is the goal as well.

Best Bet #1: Miami (Pk)

The Miami Dolphins are hosting Baltimore on Saturday evening and I'm really surprised at all the love Baltimore has already received here. The Ravens are getting upwards of 80% of the ML/ATS action here thanks to a 3-0 SU start to their preseason but this couldn't be a worse spot for the Ravens when you break it down.

First off, Baltimore's coming off a very short week having played in Indianapolis on MNF a few days ago and that in itself is a brutal scheduling spot. But when you add in the fact that this is also the 4th preseason game for Baltimore (they won the HOF game) and then their preseason finale next Thursday, this contest is the middle portion of a three games in 11 days stretch for Baltimore, so expect plenty of starters and key guys to barely see the field. And with that extra game played already, the chances that John Harbaugh and the Ravens coaching staff use this Week 3 game as a true “dress rehearsal” type contest are probably slim to none.

Secondly, getting “revenge” in a preseason game isn't really a thing, but the Miami Dolphins organization hasn't forgotten about the 40-0 beatdown they took in Baltimore on TNF last year. Miami will be using this week as one where their starters see at least a half of playing time, so just from a pure talent perspective, Miami's likely going to have a distinct advantage from the 2nd quarter on. With the guys who are still there that suffered last year's beating to Baltimore likely looking to make a play or two, I'm expecting Miami to head into halftime with a lead and never really look back.

Finally, you've got the betting percentages already heavily one-sided with Baltimore love as it looks like the majority of bettors are simply being reactionary in wanting to back a 3-0 SU team to win yet another preseason affair. Being overly reactionary to recent results can be the death knoll to a betting bankroll, and given everything else that's working in Miami's favor for this game, I don't see how you can take anything but the home side here. The Dolphins would love to get their first win of the year – even if it doesn't really count – and against a tired and disinterested Ravens team this week they should get it.

Best Bet #2: Atlanta +3

The Atlanta Falcons are another winless NFL team in the 2018 preseason so far as they've really been overly cautious and quite vanilla with their playing roster and play-calling. Scoring just 14 points through two preseason games (including being shutout once) is not what many expected from a team that's been touted as possibly one of the best offensive attacks in the league in 2018, but the Falcons have yet to really have all their dynamic weapons out on the field at once. That probably won't change this week with health still being a main concern, but against a Jacksonville defense that was one of the best in the league a year ago and expected to be ranked in a similar position this year, I don't think the Falcons play-calling will be anywhere near as vanilla as it has been.

Atlanta will want to “test out” some of their more exotic calls to see what could possibly work against elite defensive teams down the road, and even if those plays don't bring a tremendous amount of success this week with backups and the like being involved, there will be enough that do work to give the Falcons a chance at an outright win here.

Jacksonville is not really a team I want to back that often in a favorite role this year (preseason or not) as I'm not sure their offense can be trusted on a weekly basis. Sure, the Jags defense will be dominant enough against some teams to win SU and ATS as favorites this year, but when that defense is up against offensive-minded teams like Atlanta, grabbing the points with the offensive side is likely where I'll look. It's already worked once this preseason – with another NFC South team no less – when New Orleans came into Jacksonville and won outright 24-20 as +2 road 'dogs, and with Atlanta needing to see more production from their own offense, a similar scoreline could end up being the result this week.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Top Action
August 22, 2018

NFL Preseason Week 3 Preview

Baltimore vs. Miami

It is very often said that preseason football is impossible to predict, simply because you never really know who is going to be playing, or for how long, on any given night. You also need to understand that the playbook being used in those games is a rather vanilla collection of plays that will probably not see the light of day in the regular season.

The reality, though, is that there are a couple of things you can generally look for when making picks in the preseason, one of which is coaches who are coming into the season on the hot seat. In those instances, you tend to get a team that is a little more inspired to win in the preseason, as they are looking to set the tone for the season ahead.

One such coach is John Harbaugh whose job is in real peril if the Ravens fail to make the playoffs again this season. It has been a solid preseason for the Ravens, and it will continue this week with a trip to Miami to face the Dolphins.

Game Information

NFL Preseason - Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
Sat. Aug 25, 2018 7:00 PM ET
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Miami Dolphins pk -110 | U 41½ -110

Why bet on the Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens played in the Hall of Fame Game to open the preseason, which is why, at 3-0, they have had one more game than every team other than the Chicago Bears, the team they faced in that opener. It’s a solid start for a team that is really feeling the pressure coming into this season. Besides the coach being in the hot seat, you have a starting QB who was put on notice with the drafting of Lamar Jackson in the offseason. That was a sure sign that the front office is ready to blow things up if things do not go well this regular season. The Ravens are top 10 in scoring this preseason, averaging 23.3 PPG, and it has been Jackson who has delivered in a big way. His passing numbers are not spectacular, going 18/43 for 201 yards and 2 TD’s, but it is his flexibility that counts, as he has also average 4.2 yards per carry when he has taken off.

Why bet on the Miami Dolphins

Things are not quite as rosy in Miami, as the Dolphins have lost both of their preseason games to this point. They have been moving the ball well, averaging 363.5 YPG, good for 5th overall, in their two games, but that has not translated into points. It is worth pointing out, though, that we have seen very little of Ryan Tannehill at the QB slot, with back-up Brock Osweiler getting the majority of the reps in those opening games. Where the Dolphins must be pleased is with the production that they have been getting from their running game, but again, neither of their two leading rushers in preseason have pounded the ball into the end zone. Both losses have been of the close variety, so there is perhaps no reason to push the panic button just yet.

Expert Pick and Series Prediction

The Ravens have very much looked like a team on a mission this preseason, as they have come out strong in every game. I like them to keep their positive run going with a win here.

Predicted Score: Baltimore Ravens 24 Miami Dolphins 20

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Saturday's Afternoon Action
August 23, 2018

NFL Preseason Week 3 - 49ers vs. Colts

Every preseason, there are always a few storylines that make us focus on a couple of teams more than any other. Oftentimes, we want to see how the high draft picks look in the pros as we try to determine who will be great and who will be a bust. It’s also always interesting to see how players adjust after making a high profile, big money move to another team.

While neither of those scenarios are really playing out in San Francisco or Indianapolis, these are still a pair of teams that we are keeping an eye on through the preseason games. The 49ers saw their fortunes take a bit of a turn at the tail end of last season when they picked up Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots, as he came in and won all 5 games that he started.

In Indianapolis, we are all paying attention to the return of Andrew Luck after a long spell out with injury. These are two men that could very well play a major role in the rise or fall of their respective teams.

NFL Preseason - San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts
Saturday, August 25 at 4:30 PM ET
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Indianapolis Colts pk -110 | U 43½ -110

Why bet on the San Francisco 49ers

If there was a knock on Garoppolo last season in his 5-game stint, it was that he had a tendency to throw a few too many picks. He has seen limited playing time this preseason, but the INT remains a bit of an issue. He barely saw the field in the opener against Dallas, but we got a decent look in the Week 2 loss to Houston, where Jimmy G went 10/12 for 136 yards and a TD, but also an INT.

That score was one of the few that the 49ers have had this preseason, as their 18.5 PPG is way down in the standings. Their inability to punch home scores is all the more frustrating when you see that they are first in average total yards per game and second in average passing yards. This is a team that looks as though they may be forced to throw, as the running game has stalled early, averaging just 91 YPG.

Why bet on the Indianapolis Colts

Colts fans have been holding their breaths through the opening two weeks of the season, waiting too see if Andrew Luck is going to hold up after returning from injury. The fact here is that the outcomes of these games mean little to Colts fans, as it’s all about getting Luck some playing time and hoping that he can stay healthy.

The numbers for Luck are not great, as he has gone 12/22 for 114 yards and an INT through his brief appearances. He has shown nice little flashes at times, though, although there does need to be some concern that he has already been sacked 3 times in those limited appearances. The Colts are going to need to get that sorted out if they expect Luck to last the entire season under center.

Expert Pick and Series Prediction

I don’t think we are in for a whole lot of scoring here, but I do believe that it will be the 49ers who come away with the Week 3 win on the road.

San Francisco 49ers 20 Indianapolis Colts 13

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

KC at CHI 01:00 PM
CHI +6.0
O 43.5

HOU at LAR 04:00 PM
HOU -3.0
U 40.0

TEN at PIT 04:00 PM
TEN +4.0
O 43.5

SF at IND 04:30 PM
SF +0.0
U 42.0

ATL at JAC 07:00 PM
ATL +4.0
U 39.0

BAL at MIA 07:00 PM
MIA +1.0
U 41.0

NO at LAC 08:00 PM
NO +1.0
O 43.0

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— John McCain’s mother is still alive; she is 106 years old.

— Reds’ P Homer Bailey makes $21M this year; Cincinnati is 1-16 in his starts.

— Hawai’i 43, Colorado State 34— Ugly start to the season for the Rams.

— Wyoming 29, New Mexico State 7— Disappointing home opener for the Aggies.

— Washington Nationals have been shut out in their last three games.

— Betting handle for Travers Day at Saratoga Saturday was $52,086,597; that includes everywhere around the country where people wager on horse racing.

Quote of the Day
“You’re not as bad as you think.”
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne to Nick Saban in 1995, when the Cornhuskers beat Saban’s first Michigan State team 50-10 in the season opener.

Sunday’s quiz
Which current major league team used to be known as the Seattle Pilots?

Saturday’s quiz
Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins played his college football at Michigan State.

Friday’s quiz
Troy Aikman played college football at Oklahoma and UCLA.

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Sunday’s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but…….

13) ESPN’s Sunday night game this week is New York-Baltimore, because ESPN is obsessed with New York and the Red Sox. There is no other way to explain it.

Putting the pathetic (37-93) Orioles on national TV in late August during the heat of the pennant race is gross stupidity. Meanwhile, Cardinals-Rockies is an important series in the NL Wild Card race, but no chance ESPN ever puts Colorado on national TV, and for that, they’re idiots.

12) Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pirates 7-6 in 15 innings Friday night, in a strange game where the Brewers scored four times in the first inning, blew a 9th-inning lead, then scored three times to win the game after Pittsburgh grabbed a 6-4 lead in the 15th.

Milwaukee never scored from the 2nd to 14th inning; they were down 6-4 in the 15th, had two on and two out with pitcher Jordan Lyles, a career .123 hitter up- he drew a walk, and two hits later, the Brewers had an emotional win.

11) Why did the Cubs trade for Daniel Murphy? Murphy has the best batting average of any regular player ever at Wrigley Field, over .400.

10) One of my all-time favorite TV shows was Magnum, PI; for better or worse, I can still recite stuff from episodes I first saw 35 years ago.

CBS is re-making Magnum PI this fall; not sure how I feel about that.

9) Detroit Lions tried a 62-yard FG just before the half in Tampa Friday; Adam Humphries caught the ball nine yards deep in the end zone and ran it back 109 yards for a TD, lot like the Alabama-Auburn game a few years ago.

Not a lot of real fast, athletic guys blocking for field goals, so Detroit’s tackling was suspect.

8) Lions were down 27-6 in third quarter of this (meaningless) game, but rallied to win 33-30, scoring a TD with 0:30 left for the win, after an 80-yard punt return for a TD brought them back to within 30-26 with 4:53 left. Meaningless, but very entertaining.

7) New Orleans Saints faked a punt in the first quarter of their game with the Chargers Saturday, then went for 2 points after their first TD. Thats what preseason games are for, to try stuff. In two weeks, everyone will get real conservative and we’ll know the regular season is here.

6) I wouldn’t hate it if the NFL put in a rule that said any kickoff that went thru the uprights would be worth one point, kind of like a rouge in the CFL. Would make kickoffs more exciting.

5) Pretty big change to basketball recruiting next spring/summer; there will be only two weekends of games (one in April, one in July) where college coaches can go to the games.

4) Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven, who made his living with a great curveball, says kids shouldn’t throw a curve until they’re 13 or 14 years old.

3) Happy 72nd birthday to the great Rollie Fingers, who saved 341 games during his Hall of Fame career. In his five busiest seasons, Fingers AVERAGED five outs an appearance, which means he would come in with one out in the 8th inning and finish the game.

Anybody doing that these days?

2) RIP to Senator John McCain, who passed away Saturday after a bout with brain cancer. He had a lot of what we need more of today; character, guts and the knowledge that even though we often disagree on things, we’re all Americans and our opinions need to be tolerated.

RIP, sir.

1) This tweet is from Steve Schmidt, who ran Sen McCain’s Presidential campaign in 2008:

“John McCain belongs to the ages. He perfectly loved this country and served it with valor, courage and integrity for 60 years. He was a patriot and a hero and America will never see a political leader like him again. He was the greatest man I’ve ever known. Godspeed John McCain”

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, August 26, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
4:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals Buffalo Bills
8:00 PM Arizona Cardinals Dallas Cowboys


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NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/25/2018 6-7-1 46.15% -8.50
08/24/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
08/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........43- 49........46.73%.....-54.50

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Sunday's Top Action
August 24, 2018

NFL Preseason Week 3 - Cardinals vs Cowboys

We have talked before about how easy it is to get carried away by the results delivered during preseason football. There are going to be teams who go through their 4 games unbeaten and looking like world beaters only to fall flat on their face once the regular season begins. You are also going to see some of the favorites to win it all this season look absolutely awful in the preseason, with the Philadelphia Eagles a prime example of that right now.

As we continue with Week 3 of the preseason, we get another look at an Arizona Cardinals team who are rather surprisingly sitting with a 2-0 record. This will be a new look Cardinals team in 2018, with a new head coach and a first-round draft pick QB on the books. They are expected to be a .500 team at best but have looked pretty good in their two games so far.

Arizona will get another very solid test on Sunday night when they head into the House That Jerry Built for a prime-time game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, August 26 at 8 PM EST
AT&T Stadium, Arlington
NBC, NFL Game Pass, NBCSports.com, fuboTV
Odds: Arizona Cardinals -2 -110 | -135 | O 40½ -110

Why bet on the Arizona Cardinals

While the Cardinals made a move to land their potential QB of the future at the NFL draft, they also made the smart move of bringing in a seasoned veteran to bring the young man along in his early years as a pro. Sam Bradford has certainly had some solid moments as a starter in this league, but injuries have always held him back from reaching his full potential.

Still, he is a good fit for this team, and given what we have seen from him so far, he will do a good job for the Cardinals as they give Josh Rosen room to grow. The young man has shown some promise during preseason, going 16/28 for 148 yards and 1 TD.

Overall, though, the offense has been poor, sitting down near the bottom of all the stats in both passing and rushing, with the latter being particularly troublesome.

Why bet on the Dallas Cowboys

There were quite a few people, myself included, who were surprised to see Jason Garrett survive the slew of coaching cuts that came at the end of last season. 2017 saw the Cowboys take a step backwards after being in the playoffs the previous season, although you do have to take into account that they were without their start running back for portions of the season due to suspension.

The reality here is that there is probably no way the coach survives another year if the Cowboys do not make the playoffs this season. Their 0-2 start to the preseason may just have made his seat a little hotter, especially with the offense looking less than flattering through those opening 2 losses.

We should get a look at some of the starters this week, so perhaps things will change for the Cowboys.

Expert Pick and Game Prediction

It may only be preseason, but this Dallas team needs a win, and they might just use a home game in prime-time to make it happen. I like the Cowboys to win a close one on Sunday night.

Dallas Cowboys 21 Arizona Cardinals 17

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Sunday's Tip Sheet
August 25, 2018
By Kevin Rogers

Bengals at Bills (-1.5, 41.5) - 4:00 PM EST

Cincinnati
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (32-31 SU, 33-29-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Andy Dalton, Jeff Driskel, Matt Barkley, Logan Woodside (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Katherine Terrell

Buffalo
Head Coach: Sean McDermott (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Josh Allen (Rookie), Nathan Peterman
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Joe Buscaglia

For the first time since 2013, the Bengals have jumped out to a 2-0 start in the preseason. Cincinnati edged Chicago in the exhibition opener at home, 30-27 in a game that closed as a pick-em. Quarterback Andy Dalton tossed three touchdown passes in the first quarter, although only two counted for the Bengals. Dalton connected with running back Joe Mixon on a 24-yard strike and hit wide receiver Tyler Boyd for a three-yard score.

However, Dalton was picked off by Chicago’s Kyle Fuller in between the two early Cincinnati touchdowns as the Bears’ defensive back returned the interception 47 yards for a score. Chicago rallied back to take a 27-23 fourth quarter lead before backup QB Jeff Driskel hit Auden Tate for a 33-yard connection for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:04 remaining. Driskel finished with 140 yards passing, while Dalton threw for 103 yards in Cincinnati’s second straight preseason opener victory.

The Bengals overcame a 10-0 halftime deficit in last week’s 21-13 road triumph over the Cowboys as three-point underdogs. Cincinnati punted on all three of Dalton’s drives in the first half before the Bengals turned the ball over twice prior to halftime. Things turned around in the second half as the Bengals scored on each of their first four drives, including touchdowns from Tra Carson and Brian Hill. Cincinnati’s running game never took off as the Bengals rushed for 54 yards on 24 carries, one week after racking up 144 yards on the ground against Chicago.

The Bills lost their first three preseason games in 2017 before winning the meaningless finale against the Lions, 27-17. Buffalo has picked up a split through its first two exhibition contests in 2018, although it started with a 28-23 home defeat to Carolina in Week 1. All three Buffalo quarterbacks (Nathan Peterman, Josh Allen, and A.J. McCarron) threw for at least 116 yards, while Allen, the rookie from Wyoming, hit Ray-Ray McCloud for a 14-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to five in the final 70 seconds.

In the second preseason game at Cleveland last week, the Bills punted on the first four possessions with McCarron under center. However, Allen tried to make a case for the starting quarterback role as he led Buffalo on a 15-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with a two-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater to tie the game at 7-7. Peterman put the Bills ahead for good in the fourth quarter by hitting tight end Nick O’Leary on a 35-yard touchdown strike for the 19-17 win, but the game stayed UNDER the total of 42 ½.

Buffalo and Cincinnati are meeting in the preseason for the first time since 2010 when the Bills took care of the Bengals, 35-20 as three-point home underdogs. That game also took place during Week 3 of the preseason, as the Bills own a dreadful 1-5 SU/ATS record in the last six “dress rehearsal” contests, while hitting the UNDER four times in this stretch. Cincinnati has dropped each of its last two Week 3 preseason contests, even though the Bengals led Washington and Jacksonville in the fourth quarter before falling short.

Cardinals (-2, 40.5) at Cowboys - 8:00 PM EST

Arizona
Head Coach: Steve Wilks (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Sam Bradford, Josh Rosen (Rookie), Mike Glennon
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mike Jurecki

Dallas
Head Coach: Jason Garrett (12-19 SU, 10-18-3 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Cooper Rush, Mike White (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: David Helman

Arizona is not only starting a new chapter this season as longtime head coach Bruce Arians is off to the television booth and veteran quarterback Carson Palmer announced his retirement. Former Panthers’ defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is the new head coach in the desert, while the quarterback competition is heating up with veteran Sam Bradford and former UCLA standout Josh Rosen vying for the top spot.

The Cardinals have picked up a pair of preseason victories over the Chargers and Saints through two weeks, while allowing a total of 32 points in those wins. In week 1 against Los Angeles, the Cardinals took advantage of four Chargers’ turnovers and a defensive touchdown to grab a 24-17 triumph as three-point home favorites. Los Angeles outgained Arizona, 387-174, while limiting the Cardinals to 11 first downs. Bradford led Arizona to a touchdown in his only drive, although he threw one pass and the Cardinals ran the ball seven times. In Rosen’s four drives, the Cardinals punted each time even though two possessions ended in Chargers’ territory.

Arizona’s offense got on track at New Orleans last week by posting two touchdowns and a field goal in the second quarter to grab a 17-3 halftime lead. The Saints made a modest rally, but the Cardinals went into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and left with a 20-15 triumph as 4 ½-point underdogs. Arizona’s defense created four New Orleans turnovers, while Bradford was a perfect 6-for-6 for 61 yards and Rosen added 107 yards passing along with a touchdown.

The Cowboys seek their first preseason victory after falling short against the 49ers and Bengals through two games. Dallas has led at halftime in each contest, but second half meltdowns have sent the Cowboys to an 0-2 start in the preseason for the first time since 2015.

Jason Garrett’s team stormed out to a 14-0 advantage at San Francisco in the opener, highlighted by a Dak Prescott touchdown pass and a touchdown run by former Alabama tailback Bo Scarbrough. However, the Niners rallied from a 21-10 fourth quarter deficit to score two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 18 seconds remaining. Dallas fell to 0-6 in Week 1 preseason games (not including the Hall of Fame game) since 2012 in a 24-21 setback to San Francisco, but the Cowboys cashed as 3 ½-point underdogs.

The Cowboys started strong again last week against the Bengals by taking a 10-0 halftime lead. However, Cincinnati outscored Dallas in the second half, 21-3 to top the Cowboys, 21-13 as three-point underdogs, while staying UNDER the total of 41 ½. Prescott led Dallas’ lone touchdown drive by hitting Terrance Williams from six yards out early in the second quarter. However, running back Ezekiel Elliott did not play, while Scarborough was limited to -2 yards on four carries.

Prescott will likely sit on Sunday night for Dallas, while Rosen is a game-time decision due to a right thumb injury. The Cowboys have dropped three of their past four “dress rehearsal” contests, with the last loss at home in this situation coming to Minnesota in 2015. Arizona has won two of its past three Week 3 exhibition games, while hitting the OVER twice. Dallas and Arizona hooked up in the Hall of Fame game last season as the Cowboys left Canton with a 20-18 win as 1 ½-point favorites.

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CIN at BUF 04:00 PM
CIN +1.5
O 41.5

ARI at DAL 08:00 PM
DAL +2.5
U 39.5

[StarDust Bum]

Dalton enjoys warm welcome in Bengals' 26-13 win over Bills
August 26, 2018

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton doesn't believe he could have scripted a better visit to Buffalo on Sunday.

The donation he made to Buffalo's Roswell Park Cancer Institute to open the day was special. The two standing ovations he received from Bills fans before the preseason game were chilling.

And Dalton was able to keep his emotions in check on the first snap from scrimmage to hit John Ross for a 57-yard touchdown pass in leading the Bengals to a 26-13 victory.

''It was a good day. I think the way it started was the best part,'' Dalton said. ''The game went well, too.''

The Bills could not say the same about their offense, and a three-way quarterback competition that remains unsettled.

Rookie Josh Allen struggled in his first preseason start , while getting little protection from an offensive line that allowed five sacks in the first half alone. He finished 6 of 12 and was sacked for more yards (39) than he had passing (34).

''I didn't do a good enough job getting the ball out on time,'' the first-round pick said. ''I've got to do a better job, but there's a lot to learn from.''

Dalton eased whatever concerns the starters raised with their sputters in last week's 21-13 win at Dallas by producing three scoring drives - two touchdowns and a field goal - over five series against the Bills.

Dalton finished 11 of 16 for 180 yards and two touchdowns - including a 14-yarder to A.J. Green - to celebrate the warm reception he received in Buffalo nine months after playing a key role in the Bills making the playoffs and ending a 17-year playoff drought.

It happened in the final minute of the season finale against Baltimore on New Year's Eve. Dalton's 49-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Tyler Boyd sent the Bengals to a 31-27 win, and eliminated the Ravens from playoff contention.

Bills fans responded immediately by making over $450,000 to Dalton's charitable foundation.

''It's a crazy story, and it's been fun to be on this side of it,'' Dalton said. ''The best part is all the money that was raised.''

Buffalo's offense continues to raise concerns two weeks before opening the regular season at Baltimore.

Allen generated just three first downs before being forced out of the game in the final minute of the first half. He was escorted off the field to be evaluated for a possible concussion after being tackled by Carlos Dunlap in the end zone.

Though Allen was cleared to return, he stayed on the sideline while Nathan Peterman finished the game.

This was a week after the starters went three-and-out in four series and starter AJ McCarron was sacked once and hit several other times before being sidelined with an injury to his right throwing shoulder in a 19-17 win at Cleveland.

''It's disappointing,'' Bills coach Sean McDermott said. ''We're going to make sure we're helping him with protection and catching the football and not beating ourselves with penalties. Let's just start there.''

SACK ATTACK

Linebacker Carl Lawson had 2 1/2 of the Bengals five sacks in the first half, and nearly had an interception. He was in position to pick off Allen's underthrown pass up the right sideline only to have tight end Charles Clay break it up.

PETERMAN TIME

The Bengals led 23-0 before the Bills mounted a comeback with two scores late in the third quarter.

Peterman hit Jason Croom for a 17-yard touchdown, and then Travaris Cadet scored on a 1-yard run on a drive set up by Rafael Bush intercepting Bengals backup Matt Barkley's pass. Peterman finished 16 of 21 for 200 yards, and upped his preseason total to 33 of 41 for 432 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

WELCOME BACK

Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert had one catch for 11 yards while targeted three times in making his preseason debut. The Bengals' 2013 first-round draft pick is coming off back surgery and was limited to playing just two games last year.

INJURIES

Bengals: Left tackle Cordy Glenn stood on the sideline, but did not return after hurting his right shoulder in the first quarter. Coach Marvin Lewis said Glenn was fine. Guard Christian Westerman (back) and running back Jarveon Williams (left knee) did not return.

Bills: Backup linebacker Julian Stanford did not return after hurting his nose in the first half. RB LeSean McCoy (hip/groin) and left tackle Dion Dawkins (hip) did not play after being injured in practice this week.

ANTHEM UPDATE

The Bengals stood together along the sideline except for Dunlap, who stood on the field at the 45 with his hand on his chest. No member of the Bills appeared to protest.

UP NEXT

Bengals: Host Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night.

Bills: At Chicago Bears on Thursday night.

[StarDust Bum]

Peterson, Cards take 27-3 preseason win as Cowboys stars sit
August 26, 2018

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Patrick Peterson hasn't faced a starting quarterback in the preseason.

The three-time All-Pro cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals is getting himself in regular-season form anyway.

Peterson returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown after Dallas decided to sit quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott in what was supposed to be the dress rehearsal, and the Cardinals rolled to a 27-3 exhibition victory over the Cowboys on Sunday night.

The Cardinals (3-0) forced eight turnovers to give them 16 takeaways in the preseason. That included two muffed punts by Dallas (0-3), the second recovered for a touchdown by Trent Sherfield to open the scoring in the first quarter.

Prescott's absence made it three straight weeks that Arizona didn't face the opposing starter. San Diego's Philip Rivers skipped the opener, and Drew Brees sat for New Orleans last week.

Sam Bradford led two largely ineffective series for the Cardinals after completing all seven of his passes in the first two preseason games. He was 1 of 4 for 6 yards as Arizona generated just one first down.

Josh Rosen, the 10th overall pick and likely backup to Bradford in the regular season, didn't play after injuring the thumb on his throwing (right) hand in practice last week.

The Cowboys were missing center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin, part of the reason Prescott didn't play. The other reason was a longer-than-planned touchdown drive of 16 plays on Prescott's final possession of the second preseason game against Cincinnati.

Owner Jerry Jones said last week he didn't need to see Elliott, the 2016 NFL rushing leader as a rookie, in a preseason game. It figures to be the first time in three seasons that Elliott, who is healthy, will miss the entire preseason since starters are generally expected to sit in the finales.

EARLY CELEBRATION

Peterson stepped in front of Cooper Rush's pass to Tavon Austin along the sideline and held the ball in the air most of the way on the easy stroll to the end zone. Rush, who won the backup job as a rookie with a strong preseason last year, was 11 of 17 for 93 yards with two interceptions.

Peterson also forced a fumble by toppling Rod Smith when the running back tried to hurdle him. Smith was originally ruled down, but replay showed the ball coming out before his arm hit the ground. The Cardinals intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles, not counting the muffed punts.

ANOTHER MILESTONE

Dallas defensive end Randy Gregory had another milestone in his return after missing last season on a substance-abuse suspension. Gregory, who made his preseason debut last week, easily beat starting left tackle D.J. Humphries with a spin move to sack Bradford on Arizona's third offensive play.

ANOTHER MISSING STAR

Like Elliott, Arizona running back David Johnson didn't play, likely signaling the end of his preseason at eight carries for 50 yards with a touchdown. Chase Edmonds had 55 yards on 11 carries. T.J. Logan, a fifth-round pick last year before spending the entire season on injured reserve, ran 59 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

MOMENT OF SILENCE

A moment of silence was held before the national anthem for the late Sen. John McCain, with his hometown Cardinals on the sideline. Receiver Larry Fitzgerald looked up to see the image of McCain on the huge video board hanging over the center of the field, and the crowd cheered afterward. McCain died Saturday.

INJURIES

Cardinals: RB D.J. Foster, listed third in the depth chart, injured a knee during a touchback on a kickoff and didn't return.

Cowboys: Already thin at safety, Dallas lost Kavon Frazier to a left shoulder injury in the first quarter. He was starting in place of Xavier Woods, who injured a hamstring last week against Cincinnati.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

There were no apparent protests during the pregame playing of ''The Star-Spangled Banner.''

UP NEXT

Preseason finales for both teams Thursday night: Cowboys at Houston; Cardinals at home against Denver.

[StarDust Bum]

WEEK 4

Thursday, August 30, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Miami Dolphins Atlanta Falcons
7:00 PM Indianapolis Colts Cincinnati Bengals
7:00 PM Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions
7:00 PM New England Patriots New York Giants
7:00 PM New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles
7:30 PM Washington Redskins Baltimore Ravens
7:30 PM Carolina Panthers Pittsburgh Steelers
7:30 PM Jacksonville Jaguars Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8:00 PM Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears
8:00 PM Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans
8:00 PM Los Angeles Rams New Orleans Saints
8:00 PM Minnesota Vikings Tennessee Titans
8:30 PM Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs
10:00 PM Denver Broncos Arizona Cardinals
10:00 PM Los Angeles Chargers San Francisco 49ers
10:00 PM Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks


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NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/26/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/25/2018 6-7-1 46.15% -8.50
08/24/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
08/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........45- 51........46.87%.....-53.50