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

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Week 2 Favorites - Best Bets
August 14, 2018

2018 NFL Preseason Week 2: Home Favorites worth Betting

Even when it’s only a preseason game, teams still feel the need to put on a show for their home fans. In fact, it can be argued that the need is even greater in the preseason, as it’s an opportunity to show the fans just how good things are going to be for the coming season.

With that in mind, we have decided to take a look at the match-ups in Week 2 of the NFL preseason to see if we can find a few home favorites to play, or perhaps even put together in a parlay ticket.

Keep in mind that you can start betting on all Preseason Week 2 odds at YouWager.eu.

Now, let’s get right to the picks.

Atlanta Falcons (-1) over Kansas City Chiefs

It may just be preseason, but make no mistake about it, the Falcons were embarrassed by their 17-0 defeat at the hands of the New York Jets last week. It’s not very often that you see the Falcons get totally shut down, and the chances of it happening in back to back games seems pretty slim. The Chiefs lost to the Texans in the opening week of preseason and only managed to put 10 points on the board in the process. There are going to be some growing pains there with the changes made in the offseason, and I believe those will continue with a loss to the Falcons this week.

Cleveland Browns (-3.5) over Buffalo Bills

There is some serious optimism brewing in Cleveland right now, and for good reason. It looks as though the Browns, who have had QB issues for as long as anyone can remember, may actually now have two solid guys at that position. Tyrod Taylor, who came over from the Bills, looked great in the opening week, but he was overshadowed by rookie sensation Baker Mayfield, who tossed 2 TD passes in his first outing as a pro. It’s never a good idea to get too hyped up in preseason (remember that the Browns won all 4 preseason games last year), but I think the Browns keep the good times rolling with another win.

New Orleans Saints (-3) over Arizona Cardinals

The Saints are coming off a very nice win in the opening week of preseason, taking down the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20 on the road. This week, they will host a Cardinals team that delivered a surprising win in Week 1, but who look seriously overmatched here. The spreads tend to not be too big in preseason, and the Saints are in here as a 3 ½ point favorite, a number that I believe to be great value. I like the Saints to win and cover in this one, and I believe they need to be a part of any parlay ticket you might play this week.

Minnesota Vikings (-4) over Jacksonville Jaguars

You don’t like to pick a favorite after just one week of preseason football, but my pick of Minnesota to win the Super Bowl this season suddenly looks very good indeed. The Vikings absolutely pounded the Broncos 42-28 on the road, with Kirk Cousins looking very good in a brief appearance. The Vikings head home this week to face a Jacksonville team looking to get their first W after losing at home to the Saints last week. Not so sure the Vikings will win in blowout fashion this week, but I still like them to win.

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Thursday's Top Parlay
August 15, 2018

By Tom Wilkinson

NFL Preseason Betting – Steelers vs. Packers

The Green Bay Packers are favored at home on Thursday night, as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 NFL preseason action.

The Steelers are not expected to play starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in this contest, but the Packers are expected to give Aaron Rodgers some playing time.

This might be the only playing time in the preseason for Rodgers. Green Bay has been a good home team in the preseason in recent seasons and they are listed as 5.5-point home favorites in this contest.

Let’s look at this Thursday night contest and NFL picks.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers
Date and Time: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
NFL Odds: Packers -5.5, O/U 42.5
Steelers vs. Packers TV Coverage: Local

The Steelers and Packers both won their preseason openers, although neither team played many starters. It will be a little bit different this week, especially for the Packers, with Rodgers expected to play. The Steelers are not expected to play Roethlisberger or Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell isn’t expected to play until the regular season.

The Packers will have Rodgers, but he likely won’t play for much more than a quarter. The Steelers won’t be playing Big Ben at all and backup Landry Jones may not see much playing time either. Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said that he wants to get Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs a lot of work on Thursday.

“Landry knows he’s not going to be afforded that many reps because the young guys will get the chance to get those reps,” Fichtner said recently to the media, “We’ll keep that posture the rest of the preseason.” Jones will likely start this game on Thursday and he will probably play at least a quarter. He went three series last week against the Eagles and played well. Dobbs came in and completed 9 of 13 passes and led two touchdown drives. Rudolph played the entire second half and had his ups and downs.

Following Rodgers for the Packers will be Brett Hundley and Deshone Kizer. It is possible that Tim Boyle gets mop up work.

Players to Watch

The Packers need to find a starting running back, so the focus in the preseason will be on the backfield. Aaron Jones is out for the first two games of the season due to suspension, so Green Bay has to figure out if Ty Montgomery or Jamaal Williams will be the starter. They also need to find some depth behind those two. Neither Joel Bouagnon nor Akeem Judd looked very good last week against Tennessee.

Green Bay also is looking for some receiving depth, as they have major questions behind Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. One player who is making some noise is Jake Kumerow. He had three catches for 76 yards and a TD last week. He is still a longshot to make the roster, but he is making it interesting.

Key Stats

The Steelers and Packers have not played in the preseason at Lambeau Field since 1996 when the Packers won 24-17. The Packers are 14-10-1 in the preseason all-time against Pittsburgh. The Packers have scored 20 points or more in each of their last five preseason games. The Packers have won six straight preseason home games and eight of their last nine at Lambeau.

Steelers vs. Packers Picks

The Packers have the edge in this game for two reasons, they are at home and they have the better quarterback rotation. The Packers have two proven backups behind Rodgers in Hundley and Kizer, while the Steelers have Landry and then some question marks. The Packers have been a really good team at home in the preseason of late, having won their last six games.

If the Steelers were playing Big Ben and had more of their starters going they would be worth a look, but without them it is hard to make a case for taking Pittsburgh. I will lay the points and take the Packers to get this win on Thursday night.

Steelers vs. Packers Pick: Packers-Under
Steelers vs. Packers Score Prediction: Packers 24, Steelers 13

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Handicapping Redskins (6.5)
August 16, 2018

The Washington Redskins have a new quarterback in Alex Smith, but they suffered a major loss in the preseason, as rookie running back Derrius Guice was lost for the season due to injury. The Redskins went 7-9 last season and it may be difficult for Washington to do much better in 2018, as the schedule is difficult and the Redskins really didn’t make any moves to improve their team. Let’s look at Washington’s schedule for this season to see if they will go over or under their win total.

2018 Washington Redskins Regular Season Win Total
Over 6.5 (-140)
Under 6.5 (+110)

2018 Washington Redskins Schedule Analysis

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Arizona Cardinals

The Redskins will be facing a different Arizona team, as the Cardinals have a new head coach in Steve Wilks, a new quarterback in Sam Bradford and a healthy David Johnson. The odds at BetDSI have this game as a pick.

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Redskins get another game against a team that will look much different this season, as the Colts have a new head coach in Frank Reich and a healthy Andrew Luck.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Green Bay Packers

The Redskins will face a healthy Aaron Rodgers and they will likely be listed as home underdogs. None of the first three games for Washington are sure wins.

Week 4: Bye

Week 5: Monday, Oct. 8, at New Orleans Saints

The Redskins come off an early season bye and have to travel to New Orleans to face the high-powered Saints. The Redskins have lost eight of their last Monday Night Football games.

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, vs. Carolina Panthers

The Redskins have had all kinds of trouble stopping Cam Newton and the Panthers. The Panthers are 4-0 with Newton and Cam has thrown nine TDs and no interceptions in the four games.

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have won eight of the last ten against the Redskins and the last five at FedEx Field. Perhaps Alex Smith can end the home losing streak.

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, at New York Giants

The Giants are going to be better this season with a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. and an exciting rookie in Saquon Barkley. Alex Smith has had all kinds of trouble in his career against the Giants with eight interceptions in four games.

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have an offense that should give Washington trouble, but Atlanta has failed to use their weapons properly with Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator. This is a winnable game for Washington.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Redskins will need to win this game if they are to have any hopes of having a winning season.

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Houston Texans

The theme for the Redskins schedule this season is that they are facing teams who will look much different than they did a year ago. The Texans have a healthy Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt. This will be a tough home game for the Redskins.

Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, at Dallas Cowboys

The Thanksgiving game is never easy for the Redskins, as they have won just once in Dallas on Thanksgiving. Their only win in eight tries came in 2012.

Week 13: Monday, Dec. 3, at Philadelphia Eagles

The Redskins will have a tough time in this Monday night contest against Carson Wentz and the defending Super Bowl champs.

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, vs. New York Giants

The Redskins began this season having won three of the last four against the Giants.

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Jacksonville Jaguars

The schedule doesn’t do the Redskins any favors, as they have to go to Jacksonville and face a brutal Jaguars defense.

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, at Tennessee Titans

The Titans made the playoffs last season and they look to be another playoff contender this season. This is another tough road game for Washington.

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The regular season finale looks like yet another loss, as the Eagles are better on both sides of the ball.

2018 Washington Redskins Win Total Prediction

Looking at the schedule it is hard to find even six wins for the Redskins this season. We’ll go under the total with Washington in 2018.

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Thursday's Preseason Essentials
August 15, 2018
By Tony Mejia

Philadelphia at New England (-3.5, 42.5), 7:30 p.m. ET: Carson Wentz declared that “it’s gonna be close” as to whether he’ll be able to participate in this season opener, which increases the likelihood we won’t see him participate this preseason. Nick Foles has been getting starter’s reps in practice and will take the field for the first time in a game since his MVP performance in Super Bowl LII. He’ll likely play the opening quarter before giving way to Nate Sudfeld and Joe Callahan, who struggled against Pittsburgh in a 31-14 loss at the Linc. The offense was able to generate a few big plays in the passing game via second-year WR Shelton Gibson and rookie tight end Dallas Goedert but needs to see more out of other receivers looking to make an impression since Alshon Jeffery may not be ready for the opener. Mike Wallace has an opportunity to impress immediately with Foles back.

Tom Brady was picked off by Philly corner Jalen Mills in Wednesday’s scrimmage, so since he’s expected to participate despite talk of a back issue opening the week, it will be interesting to see how he fares in what will be his only action in Foxboro until Sept. 9 against Houston. Julian Edelman, Eric Decker and Rob Gronkowski have all participated in workouts against Philly this week, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bill Belichick pull them back here. Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling will again take the bulk of the snaps, so the post Brady-portion of action in this one should feature an increased emphasis on a running game that thrived in the second half against Washington. Jeremy Hill, Ralph Webb and Mike Gillislee combined for 140 yards and three touchdowns on 39 carries against the ‘Skins last week.

Pittsburgh at Green Bay (-5.5/43), 8 p.m. ET: Ben Roethlisberger suffered what appeared to be a head injury in practice, so the Steelers won’t expose him in this game and are going to take a long look at their projected backups and roster hopefuls on the heels of an impressive performance against Philly. RB Le’Veon Bell still hasn’t reported and Antonio Brown and Cam Heyward have already been ruled out. Landry Jones and JuJu Smith-Schuster hooked up for a 71-yard score and will presumably be out there to start this one before giving way to rookie Mason Rudolph and young Josh Dobbs. The Steelers have won four of their last five exhibition contests and do have the ammunition to hang around here since they’ve got a stable of running backs looking to impress in order to preserve their spot when Bell does return. Fitz Toussaint, James Conner, Stevan Ridley and rookie Jaylen Samuels will all get work. Thus far, Conner has been the standout.

While we won’t see Big Ben, you future Hall-of-Fame QB itch should be scratched by Aaron Rodgers’ likely appearance. Although it will likely be a cameo, he told reporters that he wants to take a few snaps with some of his new guys, which ramps up the sense of urgency for the drives he’ll participate in. Brett Hundley has a ton of experience, while newcomer DeShone Kizer and fourth-stringer Tim Boyle were both productive in last week’s impressive romp over Tennessee. Green Bay ended up with 31 first downs last week and will likely want to put on a good show for fans that won’t see the team take the field again until the Sept. 9 season opener against the Bears.

N.Y. Jets at Washington (-1.5/38.5), 8 p.m. ET: Sam Darnold’s debut has Jets nation excited. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 96 yards and a score against Atlanta, following it up by continuing to excel in practice. If he’s going to be out there for the opening snap inside Detroit’s Ford Field when the Jets’ offense takes the field, he’ll need to avoid major missteps over the next two preseason games. In joint practices against Washington this week, he dropped a few jaws and impressed ‘Skins star corner Josh Norman, who praised his poise and accuracy. “It’s crazy to see that at an early age,” said Norman.

Darnold has gotten the bulk of the reps against Washington’s first-team defense, so the presumption is that he’ll get the nod at FedEx Field with new offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates continuing to test his limits. Teddy Bridgewater was impressive enough that he’s now potentially trade bait considering how effectively he managed to move the Jets in his first action since late November and first truly significant work since the 2016 preseason. New York scored 10 points on two 10-play drives before giving way to the rookie. Since the team knows exactly what they have in veteran Josh McCown, it is likely to be the Darnold/Bridgewater show again WR Terrelle Pryor still won’t make it back but there are plenty of options who have looked sharp thus far.

Washington lost at New England after surrendering 26 unanswered points but led 17-0 with Colt McCoy at the controls. Although Brady didn’t play, the defense excelled before giving way to backups that are unlikely to stick on the final 53-man roster, so they should be up for the challenge of trying to quiet the Jets. Offensively, Alex Smith has shined against New York’s secondary in workouts this week and will be making his first appearance after sitting against the Patriots. McCoy, who went 13-for-18 with two TD passes at Foxboro, should against see extensive action before giving way to Kevin Hogan. The former Stanford standout couldn’t get the ‘Skins offense moving at all in a scoreless second half and fumbled after being sacked with just over 4:00 minutes remaining to cement his team’s fate in the preseason opener.

These teams let some bad blood spill over in their practice sessions, so there should be a healthy spirit of competition with the stakes a little higher in this second dress rehearsal.

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Thursday's Top Wager
August 16, 2018
By Bookmaker
By Kyle Markus

NFL Preview - Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots

Tom Brady missed the first game of the preseason with a sore back but is expected to return to the field this week. It will be as part of a Super Bowl rematch as the New England Patriots host the Philadelphia Eagles. While a preseason game won’t have the same type of atmosphere as the biggest game in the world, it will be interesting to see how both teams are coming along.

The Patriots and Eagles are once again the two favorites to win the Super Bowl and will try to iron out any issues in the exhibition season. New England is the home team in this one and will be the favorite to come away with the win in this one. It won’t be any solace after losing the Super Bowl but both teams are looking forward to 2018 at this point in NFL gambling.

This NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will be held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts at 7:30 p.m ET on Thursday, August 16th, 2018.

We'll have NFL football odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NFL season.

Odds Analysis

The Patriots are the 3.5-point favorites, but the majority of the bettors feel like that spread is too big for a preseason game in which outcomes are hard to determine. The Eagles are getting nearly 73 percent of the action to cover. The Patriots are -182 favorites while the Eagles are +157 underdogs on the moneyline.

The scoring total is 43 points, which is one of the highest totals of the week. The “over” is the more popular choice in NFL wagering.

Last Time Out

The Patriots began the preseason with a 26-17 victory over the Redskins. They jumped out to an early 10-0 lead after one quarter and had a 17-3 advantage at the half. Jeremy Hill had a nice day rushing the ball, toting it 11 times for 51 yards and a touchdown. Brian Hoyer got the majority of the action at quarterback with Brady sidelined. Devin Lucien had four catches for 71 yards.

The Eagles lost to the Steelers in their debut by a score of 31-14. Philadelphia quarterback Nate Sudfeld was 10-of-14 for 140 yards with a pair of touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. Shelton Gibson had a big day, catching a pair of passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Rasul Douglas picked off a pass on defense.

Injury Update

Brady is expected to debut in this one, as is Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who outplayed Brady in the Super Bowl. Foles missed the first preseason game with spasms in his neck but is in line to start. He has been practicing with the first-team offense throughout training camp as starting quarterback Carson Wentz continues to make his way back from a torn ACL.

Foles could be needed in the first part of the season, so he wants to continue to develop a nice rapport with his weapons. Keep an eye on Brady and Foles to make sure neither suffers a setback leading up to the game. If either misses the contest, it would greatly help the other team’s chances of covering the spread.

Free NFL ATS Picks

The Eagles would like to play a little better but don’t have much to prove. The Patriots have some new receivers and Brady will likely want to find a rhythm with them in this game after missing the preseason opener. That should be enough to get New England on top early and it should cruise to the win in NFL betting.

NFL ATS Pick: New England Patriots 27, Philadelphia Eagles 17

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Thursday's Top Parlay
August 15, 2018

By Tom Wilkinson

NFL Preseason Betting – Steelers vs. Packers

The Green Bay Packers are favored at home on Thursday night, as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 NFL preseason action.

The Steelers are not expected to play starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in this contest, but the Packers are expected to give Aaron Rodgers some playing time.

This might be the only playing time in the preseason for Rodgers. Green Bay has been a good home team in the preseason in recent seasons and they are listed as 5.5-point home favorites in this contest.

Let’s look at this Thursday night contest and NFL picks.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers
Date and Time: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
NFL Odds: Packers -5.5, O/U 42.5
Steelers vs. Packers TV Coverage: Local

The Steelers and Packers both won their preseason openers, although neither team played many starters. It will be a little bit different this week, especially for the Packers, with Rodgers expected to play. The Steelers are not expected to play Roethlisberger or Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell isn’t expected to play until the regular season.

The Packers will have Rodgers, but he likely won’t play for much more than a quarter. The Steelers won’t be playing Big Ben at all and backup Landry Jones may not see much playing time either. Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said that he wants to get Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs a lot of work on Thursday.

“Landry knows he’s not going to be afforded that many reps because the young guys will get the chance to get those reps,” Fichtner said recently to the media, “We’ll keep that posture the rest of the preseason.” Jones will likely start this game on Thursday and he will probably play at least a quarter. He went three series last week against the Eagles and played well. Dobbs came in and completed 9 of 13 passes and led two touchdown drives. Rudolph played the entire second half and had his ups and downs.

Following Rodgers for the Packers will be Brett Hundley and Deshone Kizer. It is possible that Tim Boyle gets mop up work.

Players to Watch

The Packers need to find a starting running back, so the focus in the preseason will be on the backfield. Aaron Jones is out for the first two games of the season due to suspension, so Green Bay has to figure out if Ty Montgomery or Jamaal Williams will be the starter. They also need to find some depth behind those two. Neither Joel Bouagnon nor Akeem Judd looked very good last week against Tennessee.

Green Bay also is looking for some receiving depth, as they have major questions behind Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. One player who is making some noise is Jake Kumerow. He had three catches for 76 yards and a TD last week. He is still a longshot to make the roster, but he is making it interesting.

Key Stats

The Steelers and Packers have not played in the preseason at Lambeau Field since 1996 when the Packers won 24-17. The Packers are 14-10-1 in the preseason all-time against Pittsburgh. The Packers have scored 20 points or more in each of their last five preseason games. The Packers have won six straight preseason home games and eight of their last nine at Lambeau.

Steelers vs. Packers Picks

The Packers have the edge in this game for two reasons, they are at home and they have the better quarterback rotation. The Packers have two proven backups behind Rodgers in Hundley and Kizer, while the Steelers have Landry and then some question marks. The Packers have been a really good team at home in the preseason of late, having won their last six games.

If the Steelers were playing Big Ben and had more of their starters going they would be worth a look, but without them it is hard to make a case for taking Pittsburgh. I will lay the points and take the Packers to get this win on Thursday night.

Steelers vs. Packers Pick: Packers-Under
Steelers vs. Packers Score Prediction: Packers 24, Steelers 13

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Thursday's Top Total
August 16, 2018
By Tom Wilkinson

NFL Preseason Betting – Jets vs. Redskins

Sam Darnold will be in the spotlight on Thursday night, as the New York Jets visit the Washington Redskins on ESPN. Darnold was the top pick of the Jets in the NFL Draft and there is a good chance he will get the start on Thursday night. Darnold took most of the snaps with the starters in practice on Tuesday and he has looked good in camp and he played well last week against the Falcons. This game will also mark the debut of the new ESPN Monday Night Football announcing team of Joe Tessitore and Jason Witten. Let’s look at Thursday’s game and NFL picks.

New York Jets vs. Washington Redskins
Date and Time: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 8 p.m. ET
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
NFL Odds: Redskins -1, O/U 38.5
Jets vs. Redskins TV Coverage: ESPN

The second week of the preseason is when the starters begin to get more playing time. The Jets have a quarterback battle between Darnold, Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater. It was thought that McCown would probably be the starter to begin the season, but Darnold has looked really good and is making a strong case to take the job.

McCown may still end up beginning the season as the starter, but Darnold has a chance to impress on Thursday night. He took 23 of 28 reps with the starters on Tuesday, while Bridgewater had just three with the starters. McCown took five with the starters. If you look at last season, head coach Todd Bowles gave both backup quarterback a half of action in the second preseason game and held out McCown. If he follows that script on Thursday it would be Darnold playing the first half and Bridgewater playing the second half.

On the other side, the Redskins have no questions with their quarterbacks. Alex Smith is the unquestioned starter and Colt McCoy is the clear backup. If the Redskins keep three quarterbacks it will be Kevin Hogan as the No. 3. The focus for Washington is in the backfield, as Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine are battling for the starting job. Head coach Jay Gruden has yet to pick a starter and said he will just “let it play out and see what happens."

Player to Watch

The focus will be on Darnold in this contest. He made some nice plays in his debut last week and he has looked really good in joint practices this week with the Redskins. He has put himself into the mix for the starting quarterback job. Now he gets the chance to play with the starters and go against starting defenses. The next two games will determine if he gets to begin the season as the Jets starting quarterback.

If you look simply at the camp stats, Darnold has a chance to win the starting job. He has had 299 reps, 112 with the starters and he has thrown 15 TDs and five interceptions. McCown has thrown seven TDs and one interception in camp, while Bridgewater has thrown five TDs and two interceptions.

Key Stats

The Redskins lead the all-time preseason series 6-4. The teams used to play every other year in the preseason, as they met every other year from 2006-2010. The Redskins have won the last three preseason meetings, including 22-18 in 2016.

Jets vs. Redskins Picks

The Jets are getting a lot of love from the oddsmakers and the public, as they are just one-point road underdogs. I lean to New York a little bit in this game, but I simply hate going with the public. I think the better choice in this game is to play the total. These two teams have really good backup quarterback situations. The Jets have a very capable quarterback in Bridgewater who is expected to follow Darnold on Thursday night and the Redskins have a very good backup in McCoy who will follow Smith. Scoring has been way up so far in the preseason and this game looks like it could be high scoring, so I will go over the total.

Jets vs. Redskins Pick: Over 38.5
Jets vs. Redskins Score Prediction: Redskins 24, Jets 23

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHI at NE 07:30 PM
NE -4.0
O 43.0

PIT at GB 08:00 PM
GB -5.0
U 43.0

NYJ at WAS 08:00 PM
WAS -1.0
U 39.0

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Brady, Patriots beat Eagles 37-20 in Super Bowl rematch
August 16, 2018

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Tom Brady shook off the rust of a long layoff and then found time to shake hands with Nick Foles, six months after they met in the Super Bowl.

Brady moved the Patriots with ease in their rematch against the Eagles, with a little help from running back James White. Foles left with a shoulder injury after giving up a strip sack that led to Ja'Whaun Bentley's scoop and score, but the reigning Super Bowl MVP stuck around to get his long-awaited congratulations from the reigning NFL MVP after New England's 37-20 win Thursday night.

''That was kind of made up to me because that was never my intention. I wouldn't be a bad sport,'' said Brady, who never made it to Foles for a handshake after the Eagles' 41-33 victory in the Super Bowl. ''I have a lot of respect for Nick. I know how hard it is to win that last game. They did it, congratulations to them.''

In his first action since losing in the NFL title game, Brady led New England to scores on four of the six series he played, completing 19 of 26 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns to help stake New England to a 27-7 halftime lead.

''It's the first time having to do that in about six months,'' Brady said after Brian Hoyer finished up the victory. ''I feel like my timing could be better in certain areas. I've been doing this or a long time, so a lot of it is second nature at this point.''

EAGLES QBS

Foles managed one first down in his first three possessions and then coughed the ball up on a hit from defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn. Bentley recovered and ran 54 yards for a touchdown that gave New England a 17-0 lead.

The hit knocked Foles out of the game. It was one of eight sacks by the Patriots.

''I was getting ready to throw a deep ball and a guy grabbed it as I was following through,'' Foles said. ''It feels all right. It feels pretty good. Hopefully there's no issues.''

Coach Doug Pederson said Foles will be evaluated Friday.

''I'm going to wait until I speak to my doctors,'' Pederson said.

Foles finished 3 for 9 for 44 yards. Third-stringer Nate Sudfeld played most of the next three quarters, completing 22 of 39 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Erstwhile Eagles starter Carson Wentz is on the verge of returning to 11-on-11 practice, but the team is not sure if he will be ready for the Sept. 6 opener against Atlanta.

Philadelphia's Shelton Gibson had five catches for 90 yards and a 4-yard TD reception in the second quarter that made it 17-7.

WHITE, FLAGS

White caught six passes for 61 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown, and also ran for 31 yards in the first half.

''I don't think you could ask any more of a teammate than what James provides us and the trust that everyone has in him,'' Brady said, comparing him to past Patriots part-time backs like Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen and Danny Woodhead. ''I feel like he never makes a mistake, and it's pretty amazing to have that.''

The Eagles had five penalties for 50 yards in the first quarter - including two for lowering the head to initiate contact and one for hitting a defenseless receiver - and 97 penalty yards in all.

Hoyer completed five of 13 passes for 32 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson.

OTHER INJURIES

Eagles: In addition to Foles, the Eagles also lost receiver Bryce Treggs (hamstring), tight end Richard Rodgers (knee), tight end Joshua Perkins (head), tackle Taylor Hart (cramps), receiver Kamar Aiken (hamstring) and defensive back Stephen Roberts (ankle).

Patriots: First-round draft choice Isaiah Wynn was taken away from the medical tent on a cart with a left ankle injury. Wynn, who was taken No. 23 overall, did not play the previous week against Washington. New England's other first-round pick, No. 31 overall selection running back Sony Michel, has not played because of a procedure on his knee.

ANTHEMS

Philadelphia defensive backs Malcolm Jenkins and De'Vante Bausby remained in the tunnel during the national anthem before the game, a week after raising their fists in protest in the exhibition opener. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett remained in the locker room Thursday night, NBC Philadelphia reported on Twitter.

A picture tweeted by the station showed Jenkins and Bausby bowing their heads as they looked out toward the field.

Jenkins and Bennett have been among the most vocal NFL players protesting racial inequality during the pregame playing of the ''Star-Spangled Banner.'' The NFL Network tweeted a video of Jenkins coming out for warmups wearing a shirt that said, ''YOU AREN'T LISTENING.''

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Aaron Rodgers throws TD pass, Packers top Steelers 51-34
August 16, 2018

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Aaron Rodgers needed just one drive to look at home in his first action at Lambeau Field in almost a year.

Rodgers connected with tight end Jimmy Graham for an 8-yard score , and Tramon Williams had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the Green Bay Packers' 51-34 win Thursday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Five minutes after throwing the pick, Mason Rudolph found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 4-yard touchdown pass. Rudolph, who is competing with Joshua Dobbs for a backup job, was just 5 of 12 for 47 yards in playing the first half.

Dobbs didn't look much better after throwing a 22-yard interception returned for a touchdown by rookie cornerback Josh Jackson in the third quarter. But Dobbs finished strong and connected with rookie receiver James Washington for two second-half touchdowns .

Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger watched from the sideline in shorts and a T-shirt. He and second-stringer Landry Jones had already been ruled out for the game when Roethlisberger left a training camp practice on Tuesday with a possible concussion.

Big Ben looked just fine while chatting with Rodgers as they walked to their respective locker rooms at halftime.

Rodgers was done for the night after one series, but he was much more productive.

''I thought Aaron did a heck of a job the little time he was in there,'' coach Mike McCarthy said.

Rodgers was 2 of 4 for 35 yards in his first game at Lambeau since Sept. 28. He broke his collarbone two weeks later at Minnesota, an injury that doomed the Packers in a 7-9 season.

Green Bay is always a threat in the NFC as long as Rodgers is healthy. This year, he has an intriguing option in the red zone in the 6-foot-7 Graham, who signed as a free agent in the offseason.

Rodgers drew the Steelers offside on third-and-10 from the 13 for a 5-yard penalty.

On the next play, he stood tall in the face of a rush before throwing a high pass into the middle of the end zone for Graham. He spiked the ball before heading into the stands for his first Lambeau Leap.

''That was fun. Those two have been having a great camp,'' McCarthy said.

Besides Roethlisberger, the Steelers didn't have two other stars. Receiver Antonio Brown sat out, while running back Le'Veon Bell still hasn't signed his franchise tender.

But Smith-Schuster is picking up where he left off following a promising rookie year after scoring his second preseason TD. The score wrapped up a wild opening 5 minutes in which the Packers raced out to a 14-point lead before the Steelers scored two straight touchdowns.

Green Bay's backups pulled away from there.

Second-string quarterback Brett Hundley was 6 of 9 for 77 yards. He also scored on a 10-yard run . Third-stringer DeShone Kizer connected with receiver Jake Kumerow for an 82-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

James Conner had a 26-yard touchdown run for the Steelers in the first quarter while the Packers still had many starters on the field. Washington scored on a 19-yard pass from Dobbs after turning and extending his arms past a defender to retrieve the ball.

INJURIES

Steelers: Backup C Patrick Morris left in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury.

Packers: RG Justin McCray (calf) and RB Jamaal Williams (ankle), both starters, left the game in the second quarter. ... Kumerow left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

There were no apparent displays of protest by players on either team during the national anthem.

UP NEXT

Steelers: Host the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 25.

Packers: Visit the Oakland Raiders on Aug. 24.

[StarDust Bum]

Jets' Darnold looks like rookie in 15-13 loss to Redskins
August 16, 2018

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) Limited playing experience in high school and college makes Sam Darnold appreciate every game, even if it's just the preseason.

The third overall pick made his first exhibition start for the New York Jets on Thursday night and showed some of the growing pains of a rookie quarterback by throwing an interception , taking two sacks and having a couple of balls batted out of the air.

Darnold was 8 of 11 for 62 yards in the first half before giving way to Teddy Bridgewater in a game the Jets lost to the Washington Redskins 15-13 on a last-second field goal.

''Any game experience is huge,'' said Darnold, who felt he played well but wasn't as sharp as his 13 of 18 for 96 yards preseason debut. ''I feel like I'm going to continue to grow and get better every single day, and that's what I'm most excited about is to see how much I'm going to be able to grow and get better.''

Darnold went in looking like the front-runner to win New York's starting QB competition, and it's still muddled after Bridgewater was 10 of 15 for 127 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Veteran Josh McCown didn't play after starting the first preseason game because coach Todd Bowles already knows what he has in the 39-year-old.

''It's already been cloudy,'' Bowles said. ''It'll be a tough choice.''

Darnold showed flashes for the Jets (1-1), going 5 of 5 on his second drive but was sacked by Preston Smith to force a field goal on a night full of them. Bridgewater took some intentional risks to test the left knee he injured two years ago to the point Bowles joked he had a neighborhood he could send the former Vikings quarterback to if he wanted to get hit.

''Some of those plays, I could've thrown the ball away or run out of bounds, but I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could take a hit and it was fun,'' Bridgewater said.

Redskins starter Alex Smith was 4 of 6 for 48 yards in one series, his only work so far in the preseason. Smith said he always wished he could play more but acknowledged ''it's a fine line.''

Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins made all five of his field-goal attempts, including a 40-yarder as time expired to win it for the Redskins (1-1).

INJURIES

Jets: CB Jeremy Clark left with a hamstring injury. ... LT Kelvin Beachum (foot), RG Brian Winters (abdominal), RB Isaiah Crowell (concussion) and DL Steve McLendon (leg) did not play.

Redskins: RB Samaje Perine injured an ankle on his first carry, a 30-yard run , and did not return. Coach Jay Gruden said Perine twisted his ankle but expects him to be OK ... RB Byron Marshall was evaluated for a lower-leg injury that Gruden said was fine after an MRI. ... LT Trent Williams, RB Chris Thompson, WR Maurice Harris and Jamison Crowder, TE Jordan Reed, OT Ty Nsekhe and DL Matt Ioannidis and Phil Taylor were among those nursing or coming off injuries who didn't dress.

REDSKINS RB COMPETITION

After second-round pick Derrius Guice's season ended because of a torn ACL , Rob Kelley was up first to show he deserves to be Washington's starter. Kelley had seven carries for 17 yards, Perine was impressive on his one run before being injured, Marshall had a kick-return fumble that was overturned on video review and Kapri Bibbs made six catches for 47 yards with only 6 yards on the ground.

''It will be a tough deal for us to figure all that out, but we will,'' Gruden said.

UNDISCIPLINED JETS

Linebacker Jordan Jenkins was flagged on the game's opening drive for roughing the passer against Smith when he drove the QB into the ground. Darron Lee was penalized for a horse-collar tackle on Redskins punt returner Danny Johnson. Then, there was rookie Frankie Luvu, who led with his helmet into Colt McCoy on a more egregious roughing-the-passer violation than what Jenkins had.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

All players appeared to stand for the national anthem. Jets players locked arms along the visiting sideline with no one remaining in the locker room.

NEXT UP

Jets: See what more Darnold can do in game action when they face the Giants on Aug. 24.

Redskins: Are expected to give Smith more snaps Aug. 24 when they host the Denver Broncos.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, August 17, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Kansas City Chiefs Atlanta Falcons
7:00 PM New York Giants Detroit Lions
7:30 PM Miami Dolphins Carolina Panthers
7:30 PM Buffalo Bills Cleveland Browns
8:00 PM Arizona Cardinals New Orleans Saints


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NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

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...........19- 21........47.50%.....-20.50

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s 6-pack

Odds on SEC QB to pass for the most yards this season:

2-1- Drew Lock, Missouri

3-1- Jordan Ta’amu, Ole Miss

6-1- Jake Bentley, South Carolina

8-1- Jake Fromm, Georgia and Jarrett Stidham, Auburn

12-1- Nick Fitzgerald, Miss State, Tua Tagovailia, Alabama

20-1- Kyle Shurmur, Vanderbilt, Nick Starkel, Texas A&M

Quote of the Day
“You’ve lost three games, he’s hit three home runs. You’ve got to hit him.”
Keith Hernandez, applying old-school baseball logic to Ronald Acuna’s battering the Marlins this week- they drilled him with the first pitch Wednesday, and all hell broke loose.

Friday’s quiz
Besides Bill Belichick (18 years), which NFL head coach has been in his job the longest?

Thursday’s quiz
Eldrick Woods won the 1997 Masters and his first PGA Tour money title; Tom Lehman won the money title the year before, in 1996.

Wednesday’s quiz
Mets’ OF Austin Jackson is the only current major leaguer whose first name and last name are both state capitals.

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

13) 14 of 32 NFL teams have a new offensive coordinator this season; 10 teams have new defensive coordinators.

Two offensive coordinators are coming in from the college ranks, and that should be interesting; former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich is the Bears’ new OC and Brian Daboll comes in from Alabama to run the Buffalo Bills’ offense.

12) When the AAF debuts next spring, the 8-team football league will have well-known head coaches: Steve Spurrier, Mike Martz, Dennis Erickson, but the most interesting coach might be Michael Vick, who will be an offensive coordinator in the new league next spring.

11) There are eight special teams coaches in the NFL who have been with their current team longer than the head coach of that team. Thats 25% of the league.

10) Tampa Bay 3, New York 1— Spunky Rays are 62-59, and 8-7 against their divisional rivals from the Bronx.

Hitters 6-9 in the New York lineup Thursday are hitting: .218, .211, .170, .129

9) Last I checked, the Westgate NFL handicapping SuperContest had 911 entries. Contest had around 2,800 entries last year- they think it will wind up with around 3,300-3,500 entrants at $1,500 a pop— first prize will over $1M, all for picking five NFL games a week and doing it better than anyone else.

8) Duke and Kentucky had the best basketball recruiting classes this year, because they always do— who else gets their summer tour games shown on ESPN? Sports Illustrated was suggesting this week that Oregon may have the third-best recruiting class in the country this season, so that will be interesting to follow.

7) One of the better scenes in Hard Knocks so far was QB Tyrod Taylor telling coach Hue Jackson to call out players who aren’t hustling in practice, while showing film of them not hustling. Easy to visualize Taylor being a coach someday.

6) When the Mets went from Baltimore to Philadelphia after Wednesday night’s game, they flew the 90-mile trip instead of taking a bus or the train. The flight took 19 minutes.

5) Dodgers 2B Brian Dozier blamed some allergy medicine for making him dizzy; pitcher Ross Stripling blamed a soft hotel bed at the Ritz-Carlton for his sore back. No wonder football players get annoyed that they don’t have guaranteed contracts but baseball players do.

4) Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase started a program this offseason to bring high school and youth teams to see the Dolphins practice. More than 1,800 kids have taken advantage of this and have seen Miami practice/work out. Good for the Dolphins. Good for the kids.

3) WHIP is a baseball stat that measures baserunners a pitcher allowed (Walks + Hits divided by Innings Pitched). Whats weird about the stat is that hit batters are not included, and they should be, moreso than an intentional walk, which isn’t the pitcher’s fault.

2) Cardinals’ 1B Matt Carpenter hurt his hand Wednesday; x-rays were negative. Carpenter proved to the Cardinals’ trainer that his hand was OK by opening a jar of salsa in the clubhouse.

1) Colorado State football coach Mike Bobo, 44, is being treated for peripheral neuropathy.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, peripheral neuropathy is “a result of damage to your peripheral nerves, often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body. … Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins.”

We wish Coach Bobo well in his recovery.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Preseason Essentials
August 17, 2018

N.Y. Giants at Detroit (-3/40), 7 p.m. ET: If this were a playoff game, Giants rookie RB Saquon Barkley feels like he’d play through a hamstring tweak. Since it’s obviously not, you won’t see him out there playing at Ford Field. After participating in practices against the Lions all week, it will be interesting to see if Odell Beckham, Jr. makes his preseason debut despite his contract situation remaining in limbo. Pat Shurmur says he has a plan that won’t be revealed until Friday night. He’s been matched up with Lions All-Pro corner Darius Slay and more than held his own despite not playing a game in more than 10 months. The Giants have some depth issues they’re looking to address in the secondary with safeties Darian Thompson and Curtis Riley dealing with hamstring issues. QB Eli Manning will start but backup Davis Webb is likely to get the bulk of the snaps under center. Rookie Kyle Lauletta, who impressed in the home loss to Cleveland last week, should join Alex Tanney in playing the second half.

After sitting out last weekend’s road loss in Oakland, QB Matthew Stafford may debut. That decision has yet to be made, but Matt Patricia is making his home debut as Detroit’s head coach and would love to pull out a victory. DE Ziggy Ansah is also questionable with a pulled hamstring after taking part in drills for the first time this week. Detroit has some decisions to make along its offensive line and will be looking for more from running backs Ameer Abdullah and rookie Kerryon Johnson, an Auburn product who amassed 67 yards as last Friday’s bright spot. Whether Stafford plays or not, backups Jake Rudock and Matt Cassel will continue to vie for the No. 2 role since the Lions may not keep three quarterbacks. That makes this game huge for both given New York’s issues in the secondary.

Kansas City at Atlanta (PK/39.5), 7 p.m. ET: Patrick Mahomes’ debut didn’t go as well as the Chiefs hoped in part because he didn’t get much protection up front, so we’ll see how he fares since he and the starters are expected to play the entire first half against the Falcons. Andy Reid has lost more preseason games (41) than any current head coach and has his lowest winning percentage in Week 2 (7-11, 38.9%), so we’ll see if he can reverse that trend. The goal for Mahomes is to get him comfortable operating at a faster pace, but accomplishing that on the road won’t be easy. The starting offensive line isn’t intact since right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is in concussion protocol. Running backs Damien Williams (shoulder), Charcandrick West (concussion) and Spencer Ware (knee) are out, so look for plenty of Kareem Hunt before he gives way to Kerwynn Williams and rookie Darrel Williams. Chad Henne should lead the backups out for the third quarter, while Matt McGloin is expected to finish things out.

Atlanta’s first points in this contest will be their first in the preseason since they were unable to get on the board against the Jets last Friday night. Matt Ryan participated but didn’t have big guns Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, both of whom were healthy scratches. It remains to be seen whether Dan Quinn will throw them out there for this one but all indications are that they won’t be out there for too long. Rookie Calvin Ridley will look to make an impact and is also expected to factor in on kickoffs and punts, things he didn’t do at Alabama. The first-team defense is also expected to participate more than they did at Met Life Stadium, so we’ll see if the Falcons can snap a five-game exhibition losing streak as a result. If the game comes down to a late field goal, backup kicker David Marvin may get the nod against since veteran Matt Bryant has been nursing an injury.

Miami at Carolina (-3/43), 7:30 p.m. ET: The Dolphins are hoping Ryan Tannehill can take another step forward after tearing his ACL and MCL before last year’s first preseason game and watched him complete four straight passes on his only drive, which ended with a missed 53-yard field goal. He’ll be out there much longer in this second contest but won’t have projected starting receivers DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills in the lineup due to injury, which means newcomer Albert Wilson and third-year man Jakeem Grant are in line for more reps. Danny Amendola, who got in nine snaps with his new team in last week’s loss to the Bucs, should also see extensive action. David Fales, Brock Osweiler and Bryce Petty are vying to impress at QB in a crowded race, while Frank Gore may participate after being impressive in camp so far despite sitting out last week’s loss. With Kenyan Drake, an improved Senorise Perry and rookie Kalen Ballage all looking for backfield touches, it will be fun to see if the Dolphins can establish their desired faster tempo on the road against a sound defensive team like the Panthers.

Cam Newton played two first-quarter drives, the second of which resulted in a Christian McCaffrey 2-yard TD run and included three completions of at least 15 yards. He should play into the second quarter here before giving way to Garrett Gilbert and eventually, Taylor Heinicke, who threw for a game-high 121 yards on just seven completions against Buffalo last week, creating the team’s fourth-quarter separation. Carolina rushed for only 53 yards on 26 carries and is still figuring things out up front with a number of new bodies vying for spots on the offensive line. There are issues in the secondary to contend with as well, but Ron Rivera likes the healthy competition he’s seen to date. CB Ross Cockrell was lost for the season early in camp while backup LaDarius Gunter remains in concussion protocol. Safety Damian Parms was placed IR with a pectoral injury last week. Former Miami Hurricane Corn Elder could play a large role against Dolphins receivers as a result.

Buffalo at Cleveland (-3.5, 40.5), 7:30 p.m. ET, NFLN: Bills QB Nathan Peterman got the start against Carolina last week and completed all seven of his passes on a first drive that reached the end zone on a 28-yard score to Kelvin Benjamin, but he was working with the third-team offense a few times this week. A.J. McCarron may get his opportunity to play with the 1s if you read the tea leaves, but head coach Sean McDermott hasn’t decided who will start out under center when the team takes the field in Cleveland. Rookie Josh Allen is also in the mix and seems likely to take play extensively once again. The cannon-armed No. 7 pick completed only nine of 19 passes against the Panthers, but did throw a touchdown and showed off his excellent athleticism with a few eye-opening scrambles. Benjamin has been dealing with a knee issue that has require heavy icing over the past few days, so it would be surprising to see him out there. That should create more opportunities for former Browns first-rounder Corey Coleman, who didn’t play immediately after being acquired. Tight end Charles Clay has been banged up, while RB LeSean McCoy is reportedly in great shape but wasn’t on the field in Week 1.

Baker Mayfield might play the entire second half if Hue Jackson opts to move veteran Drew Stanton up to No. 2 behind starting QB Tyrod Taylor, who will be fun to watch against his former team and is expected to play at least three drives. The Browns picked up a win in their opener as Mayfield connected for a pair of TD passes, finding tight end David Njoku and rookie WR Antonio Callaway, who are both undeniably talented. Josh Gordon remains away from the team and Dez Bryant visited but hasn’t signed, so Cleveland’s lack of receiver depth could be a factor since Callaway won’t play every snap like he did after being punished for a run-in with the law in the opener. We should see more from new No. 1 Jarvis Landry, whose influence in the receivers’ room has been felt immediately. Thunderstorms could be an issue for this contest, so be aware of that since neither team will want to expose key players to a wet field.

Arizona at New Orleans (-3.5/41), 8 p.m. ET: Steve Wilks’ first training camp as Cardinals’ head coach came to an end on Wednesday and produced a number of highlights. The return of RB David Johnson and arrival of QB Sam Bradford are the big stories for Arizona, who held off the Chargers 24-17 with a late red-zone stop last Saturday. Johnson broke off a pair of 14-yard runs while Bradford completed a six-yard pass to Ricky Seals-Jones before calling it a night. Rookie QB Josh Rosen and RB Chase Edmonds each put a few highlights on tape and look impressive. WR Brice Butler isn’t expected to participate tonight. Look for Johnson and Bradford to play about a quarter before calling it a night, but the bigger mystery will be whether Wilks leaves more of his regulars out there to make life easier on Rosen, who wasn’t afforded the luxury of playing alongside Larry Fitzgerald in his debut. Rookie center Mason Cole impressed in his first action as a starter but will now get to snap and block in a road atmosphere that should be quite festive considering it’s the Superdome and all. Defensively, LBs Deone Bucannon and Josh Bynes remain out, which has led to the Cards playing a lot of nickel in practices, increasing the reps for talented second-year safety Budda Baker, whose name you should hear often here.

Despite giving Drew Brees the night off, the Saints rallied past Jacksonville with a pair of fourth-quarter scores as the versatile Taysom Hill improved his chances of remaining on the final 53-man roster. Jayrone Elliott helped changed the game with 2.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles, so he’ll be one to watch when this game is decided in the second half. The Saints defense wasn’t pleased with their first-half effort in allowing the Jaguars move the ball at will, so we’ll whether they can get a handle on Arizona in the early going. DE Alex Okafor suffered a bone bruise and ankle sprain in practice this week and won’t play. We will likely see Brees, Alvin Kamara and the first-team offense for a spell here, but head coach Sean Payton has historically not put too much emphasis on preseason games with the exception of the third dress-rehearsal. He’s 9-3 in those games and 15-24 in all others, including a 6-6 mark in the second contest.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Top Wager
August 17, 2018

By Kyle Markus

NFL Preview - Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

Josh Rosen’s debut was rocky. The Arizona Cardinals’ rookie quarterback will look for a better outing in his second NFL appearance. Rosen is expected to get some time with the first team when the Cardinals hit the road to face the New Orleans Saints on Friday in Week 2 of the preseason.

Rosen is not expected to unseat Sam Bradford for the starting quarterback job but preseason experience is valuable as he figures to get the reins at some point down the line. The Saints do not have any such quarterback questions as Drew Brees remains as one of the most dominant passers in the NFL.

New Orleans is gearing up for what could be a special season, but there isn’t much to figure out during the exhibition calendar, as backups will play the majority of the time. The Saints are at home in this matchup and are decent favorites in NFL gambling.

This NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints will be held at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana at 8 p.m ET on Friday, August 17th, 2018.

We'll have NFL football odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NFL season.

Odds Analysis

The Saints are listed as 3.5-point favorites, which is a nice cushion for a preseason game. New Orleans is gathering about 55 percent of the action to cover. The Cardinals are the +160 underdogs to pull the upset, while New Orleans is the -185 favorite on the moneyline.

The scoring total is listed at 41.5 points, with the “under” the more common choice in NFL odds.

Last Time Out

The Saints began the preseason with a 24-20 win over the Jaguars. Brees didn’t play but his backups looked pretty good. Taysom Hill completed 8-of-9 passes for 72 yards while Tom Savage was also accurate. Hill also carried the ball seven times for 52 yards and a touchdown as he turned some heads with that performance. Stars like Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram all saw some action.

The Cardinals won in coach Steve Wilks’ debut, beating the Chargers 24-17. The first-team offense had a nice showing, as star running back David Johnson carried the ball twice for 14 yards in his return to the field after missing 15 games in 2017 with a dislocated wrist. Rookie Chase Edmonds capped the team’s first drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal. Linebacker Jeremy Cash returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter but he later tore his ACL and is out for the season.

Player To Watch

Rosen -- Low snaps and pressure made it an uncomfortable debut last week for Rosen. He was playing with the second-stringers and now should get some time with the starters. If a better line gives him some help, Rosen should improve. It will be interesting to see if players like Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald are in the game with Rosen to give him elite weapons to throw to.

The UCLA product has talent but the NFL is still a lot comprehend, and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if he struggles again in Week 2.

Free NFL ATS Picks

The Saints may not give Brees a lot of work, but the Cardinals are also not expected to put Bradford in the game for too long. Hill was very impressive in the opener and could have himself a nice game against the Cardinals’ backup defenders.

Rosen’s first start on the road won’t be easy. Look for the Saints to both win this game and cover the spread in NFL gambling. The “under” is the choice on the scoring total.

NFL ATS Pick: New Orleans Saints 17, Arizona Cardinals 13