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

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  • Friday's Top Parlay
    August 17, 2018

    By Tom Wilkinson


    NFL Preseason Betting – Bills vs. Browns

    The Buffalo Bills visit the Cleveland Browns on Friday night in a game that can be seen on NFL Network. This game has some intrigue surrounding it, as Cleveland’s starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was the Buffalo starter last season. Starters for both teams should see more action than a week ago but it is still the second preseason game, so starters probably won’t go much more than a quarter. Let’s look at Friday’s game and NFL picks.

    Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns
    Date and Time: Friday, August 17, 2018, 7:30 p.m. ET
    Location: FirstEnergy Field, Cleveland, OH
    NFL Odds: Browns -3 (-120), O/U 40.5
    Bills vs. Browns TV Coverage: NFL Network


    The Bills lost to Carolina in Week 1 of the preseason, while the Browns beat the Giants. The Bills have a battle for the starting quarterback job between AJ McCarron, Nathan Peterman and Josh Allen. None of the three have separated themselves so far. Last week it was Peterman getting the start followed by McCarron and Allen. This week should be different. There is a good chance that this week it will be McCarron getting the start. Allen has been practicing with the second team this week so he figures to follow, and it should be Peterman in the latter part of the game.

    On the other side, the Browns don’t have a quarterback battle despite what fans think, as Taylor is the clear starter. There is no question that Baker Mayfield is the future, but right now Taylor is going to start. The question that has come up this week is whether or not Mayfield will be the backup to start the regular season. The Browns also have Drew Stanton and he is a capable NFL backup quarterback. Mayfield looked great last week and it could be that the Browns are making a mistake by awarding Taylor the starting job this early, but there is no controversy in Cleveland, at least among the players.

    Taylor is expected to play about a quarter on Friday with Mayfield getting two quarters. Stanton is also expected to play. Taylor will have some extra motivation going against his former team. “Definitely how I think it ended there, it’s motivation for this year,” Taylor said to the media on Tuesday.

    Player to Watch

    It is hard not to focus in on Mayfield, especially after how well he played last week. The fans are already calling for Mayfield to get the starting job, but that is not going to happen right now. Mayfield realizes the situation and he also understands Taylor is a proven quarterback. “You hear (offensive coordinator Todd) Haley talk about not being a yo-yo guy. You want to be consistent,’” Mayfield said to the media, “And Ty really, really is the example of that. He’s the same guy every day. You know exactly what you’re going to get out of him, and that’s important for our guys to see that. They see the standard. They see the expectations, and he lives up to it every day.” Taylor played well last week, going 5-of-5 for 99 yards and a TD, but Mayfield made big plays and showed his ability.

    Key Stats

    As I have said before when it comes to the preseason, the only numbers I really look at are coaches’ records. McDermott was 1-3 in the preseason a year ago with the Bills and Buffalo is 0-1 this season. Hue Jackson is a bad head coach but after going 0-4 in his first two preseasons as head coach, he went 4-0 last season with the Browns.

    Bills vs. Browns Picks

    I think this line is inflated simply because of what the Browns did last week. These are two very evenly matched teams and home field doesn’t mean much in the preseason. It is also worth noting that in Week 2 of the preseason, teams coming off a loss facing a team coming off a win have been an excellent bet. I will take the points and go with the Bills on Friday night.

    Bills vs. Browns Pick: Buffalo +3 and Over 40.5
    Bills vs. Browns Score Prediction: Bills 23, Browns 20
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • Weekend Best Bets
      August 17, 2018

      Profitable SU & Total Picks for the coming Weekend

      Week 2 of the NFL preseason is already underway, with a trio of games played on Thursday night. There is a lot more action to come over the next few days, though, which means many more wagering opportunities ahead. If you had been playing along with our picks this week, you would have had a couple of winners last night, with the Jets covering the spread and the Steelers/Packers game going way OVER, just as we had picked.

      Atlanta Falcons (+100) vs Kansas City Chiefs

      It was not a good time to be a Falcons fan last week, as they did not look particularly good in a 17-0 loss to the Jets. Yes, it’s just preseason and that offense will come to life, but this is not the way that any team wants to get their preparations for the new season started. You can bet that the players will have heard all about it, and I’m positive Atlanta are going to come out and try to get a grip on this game quickly. The defense should have an easier time against a Chiefs team that struggled to move the ball consistently last week, which is why I am all over the Falcons here.

      Dallas Cowboys (-170) vs Cincinnati Bengals

      People very often say that betting in the preseason is a bit of a crapshoot, but there are some things to look for that can help you win. One thing that always seems to happen is that teams who have a coach on the hot seat very often come out and try to get things off to a positive start. Jason Garrett of the Cowboys is a coach who would appear to be on a short leash this season, and given that Dallas lost their preseason opener, there is going to be some pressure to get a win here. I think Dallas can come out and take care of the Bengals at home.

      Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns (Total 41, OVER -110)

      When looking at the point total, I very often look at teams who have a bit of a QB battle going on. That was the reason why we went with the Steelers/Packers and the OVER last night. QB’s are a competitive lot, and they will go all out to win the battle against their teammates. It looks as though we have a good battle going on in Cleveland, with Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield both looking great in Week 1. This week, Taylor will have the added bonus of going against the team that cut him loose. I think we see some points here, which means the OVER hits.

      Jacksonville Jaguars vs Minnesota Vikings (Total 40, OVER -110)

      Both of these teams are well aware that they have very good defensive units, and while it may seem odd to go with the OVER here, it just makes sense to me. The Jags are still a little unsure about Blake Bortles and his ability to run the offense, while the Vikings are trying to make Kirk Cousins comfortable in his new offense. What that means to me is that both teams will be focusing more on the offensive side of the game than the defensive. Proof positive came last week when Minnesota put up 42 on the Broncos. I see this one going OVER.
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
        GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


        KC at ATL 07:00 PM
        ATL +1.0
        O 40.0


        NYG at DET 07:00 PM
        DET -3.0
        U 40.0


        BUF at CLE 07:30 PM
        CLE -3.0
        O 41.5


        MIA at CAR 07:30 PM
        CAR -3.0
        O 43.5

        ARI at NO 08:00 PM
        NO -3.5
        O 41.5
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • NFL Preseason Capsules
          August 17, 2018


          CLEVELAND (AP) Buffalo quarterback AJ McCarron sustained a potentially serious shoulder injury, throwing the Bills' quarterback situation into total disarray, during a 19-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Friday night.

          McCarron, who signed with Buffalo as a free agent for a chance to start after four years as a backup in Cincinnati, completed just 3 of 6 for 12 yards during four series.

          The 27-year-old didn't show any obvious signs of being hurt - he was hit hard from behind by Myles Garrett and sacked by Larry Ogunjobi - and the Bills didn't disclose his injury until the fourth quarter.

          McCarron is competing with Nathan Peterman and rookie Josh Allen for Buffalo's starting job.

          Allen, the No. 7 overall pick, out-performed McCarron and Peterman rallied the Bills (2-0) with a late touchdown pass to tight end Nick O'Leary.

          Rookie Nick Chubb and Carlos Hyde had touchdown runs for the Browns (1-1).

          PANTHERS 27, DOLPHINS 20

          CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Christian McCaffrey had 120 yards from scrimmage in the first half, including a 71-yard touchdown run and Carolina defeated Miami.

          McCaffrey had 92 yards rushing on five carries and caught four passes for 28 yards for Carolina (2-0).

          Cam Newton overcame an early interception and two sacks by Robert Quinn to finish 9 of 12 for 89 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to speedy rookie tight end Ian Thomas to give Carolina a 13-9 lead before exiting near the end of the first half.

          Ryan Tannehill was an effective 14 of 17 for 100 yards despite playing without wide receivers DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills, but Miami (0-2) struggled to finish drives and settled for three field goals in the first half. Kenyan Drake had 54 yards rushing on eight carries.

          CHIEFS 28, FALCONS 14

          ATLANTA (AP) - After a dismal showing in the first preseason game, Matt Ryan and Atlanta found their offensive rhythm.

          Ryan guided the Falcons right down the field for a touchdown on their first possession, hooking up with Austin Hooper on a 4-yard scoring pass , and led another impressive drive before calling it a night in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

          Ryan finished 5 of 7 for 90 yards, looking very much like the quarterback who won the MVP during the 2016 season even though two of his top weapons, receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman, were held out for the second week in a row.

          It was certainly an encouraging contrast to the preseason opener, when the Falcons (0-2) were blanked 17-0 by the New York Jets and Ryan played only one brief series.

          Kansas City's new starting quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, had an up-and-down game. The second-year player was intercepted on a deep throw by Falcons safety Damontae Kazee, who drifted over from the middle of the field to pick a ball intended for Sammy Watkins.

          Mahomes caught a break when another ill-advised throw into the end zone was dropped by Falcons cornerback Blidi Wren-Wilson, allowing the Chiefs to salvage a field goal.

          But, with just 17 seconds left in the first half, Mahomes made the most of his final pass. Three Atlanta defensive backs inexplicably allowed Tyreek Hill to get behind them, and Mahomes delivered the pass in stride for a 69-yard touchdown.

          Mahomes was 8 of 12 for 138 yards.

          GIANTS 30, LIONS 17

          DETROIT (AP) - Davis Webb took advantage of his opportunity to play for Eli Manning, throwing a go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter to help New York beat Detroit.

          Webb was 14 of 20 for 140 yards with an 8-yard TD pass to Wayne Gallman Jr., who scored for a second time later in the game. Webb showed poise in the pocket and touch down the field, connecting on a perfectly lofted 40-yard pass to Russell Shepard to set up Aldrick Rosas' 55-yard field goal in the second quarter.

          Webb, a 2017 third-round pick, bounced back from a poor performance last week. He was 9 of 22 for 70 yards, sailing passes over open receivers in the preseason opener against Cleveland to raise some concerns about whether he's ready to be the team's No. 2 quarterback.

          The Lions started Matthew Stafford after sitting him in last week's game at Oakland and he had a shaky game behind a porous offensive line. Stafford was 2 of 5 for 51 yards and was sacked twice and hit once as he threw.

          Jake Rudock replaced Stafford in the second quarter and finished 23 of 30 for 171 yards with a TD. Rudock came back in the fourth, reliving veteran Matt Cassel, who threw an interception.

          CARDINALS 20, SAINTS 15


          NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Free-agent acquisition Sam Bradford and 10th overall draft choice Josh Rosen combined to provide a promising outlook for Arizona's quarterback situation.

          After Bradford completed all six of his passes for 61 yards, Rosen went 10 of 16 for 107 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown to rookie Christian Kirk in a preseason victory over New Orleans.

          David Johnson bowled his way into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals the game's opening score, capping a six-play, 61-yard drive led by Bradford.

          Kirk finished with four receptions for 49 yards, and Chad Williams caught three passes for 44 yards for Arizona.

          Saints quarterback Drew Brees sat out the entire game, as he also did when the Saints won their preseason opener in Jacksonville last week.

          The two reserves competing to back up Brees were able to move the team in spurts but were inconsistent and had issues with ball security, combining for four fumbles, two of which resulted in turnovers by Taysom Hill.

          Hill, a second-year pro who got the start, also was intercepted twice and finished 11 of 15 for 68 yards to go with 43 yards rushing, all of it coming on one long scramble that led to New Orleans' first field goal.

          Savage, who played most of the second half, was 6 of 7 for 53 yards, but was sacked three times.
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Saturday, August 18, 2018
            Time (ET) Away Home
            1:00 PM Jacksonville Jaguars Minnesota Vikings
            4:00 PM Oakland Raiders Los Angeles Rams
            7:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals Dallas Cowboys
            8:00 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans
            8:00 PM San Francisco 49ers Houston Texans
            9:05 PM Chicago Bears Denver Broncos
            10:00 PM Seattle Seahawks Los Angeles Chargers


            *******************


            NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

            DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

            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...........22- 28........44.00%.....-44.00
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Saturday’s 10-pack

              Average home attendance for college hoop teams in California last year:

              1) San Diego State 11,344

              2) UCLA 8,620

              3) California 7,376

              4) Fresno State 6,033

              5) Stanford 4,169

              6) USC 4,151

              7) St Mary’s 2,984

              8) Cal-Bakersfield 2,796

              9) Long Beach State 2,708

              10) Cal-Santa Barbara 2,123

              Quote of the Day
              “Former CIA director John Brennan…….is one of the finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.”
              William H McRaven, a retired Navy admiral

              Saturday’s quiz
              Which current major league manager retired from playing in 2006, managed a minor league team in 2007, then un-retired and played for Milwaukee in 2008?

              Friday’s quiz
              Besides Bill Belichick (18 years), Marvin Lewis of the Bengals is the NFL head coach who has been in his job the longest- this will be his 16th season in Cincinnati.

              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.

              *******************

              Saturday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….

              13) Never give up on your dreams: In 1976, Cornell fired its football coach. When an Ivy League coach gets the boot, it is often a career-killer. Especially when your record was 3-15.

              But this guy went back to coach in college, coached DB’s at Stanford for three years, got hired by the 49ers as a DB’s coach, was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1983, then was named head coach of the 49ers in 1989.

              13 years after being fired by a freakin’ Ivy League school, George Seifert won the Super Bowl as head coach of the 49ers. Never give up on your dreams.

              12) After practice the other day, Steelers’ WR Antonio Brown caught 129 passes on the JUGS machine, the last 50 with a defender trapping one arm so he had to catch balls one-handed.

              Much like Steph Curry shooting 3’s, you become great at your craft by working at it.

              11) George Kottaras played seven years in the major leagues, caught 246 games; I remember him best from helping the A’s win their division in 2012.

              Kottaras is the last catcher to hit for the cycle, which he did for Milwaukee in 2011. His triple that night was one of only three career triples that he hit.

              10) Speaking of cycles, 2B Aaron Hill hit for the cycle twice in 12 days for Arizona in 2012; Hill hit .266 in a 13-year career, but he did hit over .300 in both 2011, 2012. Hitting for the cycle twice in 12 days is a hell of an accomplishment.

              9) Alex, I’d like Stupid Decisions for $100, please:

              Back in 1979, when the Big East was founded as a basketball-only league, two teams turned the new league down; Holy Cross and Rutgers. Whoops.

              Holy Cross wound up joining the Patriot League, had a nice run with Ralph Willard as coach 12-15 years ago, but they could’ve been in the freakin’ Big East!!!

              Colleges use sports as a way to raise big money for the entire school, via wealthy boosters; if Holy Cross had been just a decent Big East team (their program was very good in the late 70’s), they’d probably be D-I in football now, too. One decision sent their school in a totally different direction.

              8) Remind me not to ask Jalen Ramsey of the Jaguars for help evaluating NFL QB’s for fantasy football. His analysis this week of both Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady: “Doesn’t suck”

              7) Marlins’ pitcher Jose Ureña got a six-game suspension for drilling Ronald Acuña in the first inning Wednesday; lot of outraged people on Twitter about the incident.

              Our society has gotten very soft; when I was a little kid, stuff like that was normal. Hitters knew how to protect themselves, how to get out of the way.

              Last time a starting pitcher hit his first batter of the game and got ejected: John Lackey on May 16, 2009, when he drilled Ian Kinsler after Kinsler had homered twice the day before.

              Don Drysdale hit 154 batters in his Hall of Fame career, one because he was told to walk him intentionally, so he plunked him with the first pitch instead, to save time.

              6) Kid named Trey Quinn is a WR who played for SMU; he was the last player taken in the NFL Draft last spring, but has had a strong training camp and may make the Redskins’ squad.

              Ten years ago. Quinn threw a no-hitter in the Little League World Series; his team from St Charles, LA lost the US Championship game, finished 4th in the World Series.

              5) What was up in Green Bay Thursday? 9:35 left in 3rd quarter, Packers led Pittsburgh 48-22; they went on to win, 51-34. A wide receiver named Kumerow caught a long TD pass, wound up with three catches for 114 yards; he played college ball at Wisconsin-Whitewater, a long way from Lambeau Field.

              4) Oakland pitcher Brett Anderson’s last two home starts:
              — A 1-0 win over Detroit in 13 innings
              — A 2-0 loss to Seattle in 12 innings.

              3) When I watch the Padres play late at night on the Extra Innings package, I wish they’d go back to their brown/gold uniforms that they wore when they first came into the major leagues.

              San Diego’s best player back then was a first baseman named Nate Colbert; boy could he hit. On August 1, 1972, Colbert hit five homers, knocked in 12 runs in a doubleheader in Atlanta.

              Colbert hit 38 homers that year, knocked in 111 runs; he wound up with 173 career homers, and one of the best single days in baseball history.

              2) Mets beat Philly 24-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday; teams can bring up a 26th player for twinbills, so it should be illegal for them to use a position player to pitch in a doubleheader. Teams have enough pitchers; they just coddle them so much, it is ridiculous.

              More and more, teams are openly giving up in games, letting position players pitch, letting the regular pitchers stick to their normal schedules. God forbid anyone’s feelings get hurt.

              1) People bet on the Little League World Series; I wish I was making that up.

              Thursday, a kid from Puerto Rico was pitching a no-hitter in the last inning, leading 2-0, when his manager took him out— he had thrown 88 pitches, and was untouchable. But he was taken out of the game.

              I was watching the game in a bar with no sound, so I’m assuming the guy removed his pitcher because if he hit 90 pitches, he was done pitching for several days.

              What a gamble, and a losing one. The reliever quickly squandered the lead, and the Asian team won 3-2 in nine innings.

              Good theater, but lot of stress for 11-13 year old kids. And the people who bet on them.
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • B]Saturday's Tip Sheet
                August 17, 2018
                [/B]
                By Kevin Rogers

                Bengals at Cowboys (-3, 41) - 7:00 PM EST

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

                The Bengals and Bears went back and forth last week before Cincinnati scored a late touchdown to beat Chicago, 30-27 at home. Andy Dalton threw for 103 yards and two scores, but also had a pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Chicago. Cincinnati improved to 3-1 in its past four preseason openers, but the Bengals have lost three consecutive road exhibition games. Last season, the Bengals scored a total of 23 points in losses at Washington and Indianapolis, while cashing the UNDER in five of the past seven road preseason affairs.

                Dallas
                Head Coach: Jason Garrett (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Mike White
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: David Helman

                The Cowboys jumped out to a 14-0 lead over the 49ers last week before falling to San Francisco, 24-21. Dallas managed a cover as four-point underdogs, but allowed 356 passing yards to San Francisco, while dropping its ninth consecutive preseason road game dating back to 2012. Dak Prescott looked solid in his limited time by tossing a 30-yard touchdown pass to Michael Gallup, while rookie Bo Scarbrough rushed for a touchdown. Dallas has won three of its past four home exhibition contests since 2016, as the Cowboys face the Bengals in preseason play for the first time since 2013.

                49ers at Texans (-2.5, 41) - 8:00 PM EST

                San Francisco

                Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan (3-2 SU, 3-2 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Bethard, Nick Mullens
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Cam Inman

                The 49ers closed out last season with five straight victories to give this franchise hope for the 2018 season. San Francisco erased a 14-0 deficit to edge Dallas in the Week 1 preseason opener, 24-21 behind a Nick Mullens touchdown toss to Richie James in the final minute. Jimmy Garappolo threw for 34 yards on three completions as the Niners won their preseason opener for the second straight season. The 49ers are facing the Texans in the preseason for the first time since 2016 when Houston picked up a 24-13 road victory as three-point underdogs.

                Houston
                Head Coach: Bill O'Brien (10-6 SU, 10-6 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Deshaun Watson, Brandon Weeden, Joe Webb
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Aaron Wilson

                The Texans held off the Chiefs, 17-10 in the exhibition opener at Arrowhead Stadium as Houston grabbed an early 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of touchdown connections from Brandon Weeden to Jordan Akins. Deshaun Watson lasted one series for Houston as he completed one pass in his first action since tearing his ACL last October. Since 2015, the Texans have won four of five home preseason games, while Houston owns a 3-1 SU/ATS record under O'Brien in the second game of the preseason.

                Buccaneers at Titans (-3, 41) - 8:00 PM EST

                Tampa Bay

                Head Coach: Dirk Koetter (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston, Ryan Griffin
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rick Stroud

                The Buccaneers squeezed by the Dolphins in Week 1 on the road, 26-24 thanks to a late 26-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro. Tampa Bay racked up 326 yards passing, including 102 from Jameis Winston, who is suspended for the first three games of the regular season. Likely starter Ryan Fitzpatrick posted a 6-for-8, 55-yard performance with the first team, while the Bucs scored their most points in a preseason game since Week 3 of 2016 against Cleveland. In 2017, Tampa Bay finished UNDER the total in all four exhibition games before drilling the OVER against Miami last week.

                Tennessee
                Head Coach: Mike Vrabel (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Marcus Mariota, Blaine Gabbert, Luke Falk (Rookie)
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Erik Bacharach

                The Titans fell apart in the second half of a 31-17 defeat at Green Bay last week to lose Mike Vrabel's debut as head coach. Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass to Darius Jennings on the opening drive, but Tennessee would find the end zone only once more, which came in the final two minutes of the game. The Packers, without Aaron Rodgers, torched Tennessee for 356 yards through the air, while sending the Titans to their fourth preseason loss in the last five tries. Tennessee has rolled in its home preseason opener the last few seasons by winning four straight in this situation, including a 34-27 triumph over Carolina in 2017.

                Bears at Broncos (-3, 40.5) - 9:00 PM EST

                Chicago

                Head Coach: Matt Nagy (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Mitchell Trubisky, Chase Daniel, Tyler Bray
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Patrick Finley

                The Bears are making an effort to move up in the NFC North this season following a 5-11 campaign. Chicago suffered a second straight close defeat in the preseason by falling at Cincinnati, 30-27, one week after losing by a point to Baltimore in the Hall of Fame game. The Bears scored only one offensive touchdown in the first three quarters, but managed to take a 27-23 fourth quarter lead before allowing a late score with 2:04 remaining. Chicago faced Denver in last season's preseason opener at Soldier Field and lost, 24-17 as the Bears have lost to the Broncos in each of the past two preseasons.

                Denver
                Head Coach: Vance Joseph (4-1 SU, 3-1-1 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Case Keenum, Chad Kelly, Paxton Lynch
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Kyle Fredrickson

                The Broncos won all four preseason games last season, but were drilled early by the Vikings in a 42-24 home defeat last Saturday. Denver allowed over 400 yards of offense to Minnesota, while Case Keenum did not have an impressive debut against his former team by completing 1-of-4 passes for five yards. Chad Kelly is making an argument for backup behind Keenum as the former Ole Miss standout threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie running back Royce Freeman found the end zone. Denver has not lost consecutive preseason games since 2012, as the Broncos look for a better defensive effort this week after allowing 50 points in four preseason games in 2017.

                Seahawks at Chargers (-3, 39.5) - 10:00 PM EST

                Seattle

                Head Coach: Pete Carroll (32-18 SU, 34-15-1 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Russell Wilson, Austin Davis, Alex McGough (Rookie)
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mike Vorel

                Seattle has been one of the most consistent teams to back in the preseason but the Seahawks were tripped up by the Colts last week, 19-17. The Seahawks have limited opponents to 21 points or less in nine consecutive preseason games, while falling to 7-2 in this span. Seattle has been a strong team to back in the preseason on the road by winning five of the past six away from CenturyLink Field, while covering in six straight opportunities as a road preseason underdog since 2011. Last August, the Seahawks went into Los Angeles and clobbered the Chargers, 48-17 as one-point road favorites.

                Los Angeles
                Head Coach: Anthony Lynn (1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS in preseason)
                Quarterback Rotation: Philip Rivers, Geno Smith, Cardale Jones
                Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Dan Woike

                The Chargers turned the ball over three times in a 24-17 defeat at Arizona last week in spite of outgaining the Cardinals, 387-174. Philip Rivers did not suit up for Los Angeles, but Geno Smith put together a solid debut with the Chargers by throwing for 218 yards and a touchdown. Since starting 2-0 in the 2015 preseason, the Chargers have dropped nine of their last 11 exhibition contests, while being favored only once in this span when they lost to the Saints last season, 13-7.
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Saturday's Top Wager
                  August 17, 2018

                  By Kyle Markus

                  NFL Preview - Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Rams

                  The Los Angeles Rams have some high hopes for the regular season, but may be content to keep most of their talented parts under wraps during the exhibition slate. Quarterback Jared Goff and some other key pieces may not play in Week 2 of the preseason against the Oakland Raiders. It not only would keep the players healthy, but complicating matters is the fact that these two teams face off to begin the regular season.

                  Obviously neither side is going to show too much of their hand in this one, so it’s hard to say which side will come out on top. The Rams are the slight favorites by virtue of the home field advantage in NFL gambling.

                  This NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Rams will be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California at 4 p.m ET on Saturday, August 18th, 2018. The game will be nationally televised on NFL Network.

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

                  Odds Analysis

                  The Rams have been listed as the slight 1-point favorites for this matchup. The Raiders have gotten nearly 70 percent of the action, which makes sense considering each side could play almost all backups because of the rematch in a few weeks. Los Angeles is the -115 favorite on the moneyline.

                  The scoring total is listed at 38.5 points. The “under” is the much more popular choice, as 85 percent of the action is heading that was in NFL wagering.

                  Last Time Out

                  The Rams were smoked by the Ravens, 33-7, in their preseason opener. An offense that led the NFL in scoring a season ago was dormant in this one because most of its stars played little or not at all. Goff sat out, as did star running back Todd Gurley and new receiver Brandin Cooks. The Rams also kept some of their elite defensive players on the sidelines. This team knows it is good and is willing to trade any advantage of getting into a preseason rhythm for the guarantee of avoiding injury.

                  The Raiders began the preseason with a 16-10 win over the Lions. Starting quarterback Derek Carr did play for Oakland, completing 2-of-4 passes for 11 yards. Backup quarterback Connor Cook played well, completing 11-of-19 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Jordy Nelson and Martavis Bryant both played as Oakland was more willing to use its starters.

                  Players Not To Watch

                  Both teams are currently missing superstars. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is holding out because he wants a new contract and Raiders pass-rusher Khalil Mack is doing the same. While neither would have played a ton in this game, it’s possible one or both could have registered a sack or a forced fumble based on their ridiculous skill level.

                  Donald and Mack are game-changing talents and Defensive Player of the Year candidates provided they return to their teams. As it currently stands, neither will be on the sideline for this matchup.

                  Free NFL ATS Picks

                  The Rams could very well make a Super Bowl run but they are treating the preseason like the meaningless exhibition it is. The Raiders seem to care a little bit more under coach Jon Gruden. This should be a very vanilla contest as neither side wants to show the other any tricks up their sleeve, but expect Oakland to try harder and come away with the win in NFL gambling.

                  NFL ATS Pick: Oakland Raiders 21, Los Angeles Rams 17
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Saturday's Top Parlay
                    August 17, 2018

                    By Tom Wilkinson

                    NFL Preseason Betting – Seahawks vs. Chargers

                    The Seattle Seahawks visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night in a game that can be seen on NFL Network. The Seahawks routed the Chargers in the preseason a year ago, winning 48-17. It should be a much different outcome on Saturday, as the Seahawks don’t look to be nearly as talented or deep as they were a year ago, while the Chargers are considered a serious playoff contender in the AFC. The Chargers are listed as 3-point home favorites in this contest. Let’s look at Saturday’s game and NFL picks.

                    Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Chargers
                    Date and Time: Saturday, August 18, 2018, 10:00 p.m. ET
                    Location: StubHub Center, Carson, CA
                    NFL Odds: Chargers -3, O/U 39.5
                    Seahawks vs. Chargers TV Coverage: NFL Network


                    The Seahawks have the look of a team that is going to suffer a serious fall this season. They have lost a lot of talent on defense, have a new offensive coordinator, a new defensive coordinator, and they have done next to nothing to add to their talent level. One of the players they were counting on to make an impact, running back Rashaad Penny will not play until the regular season, as he is out with a broken finger. Penny is expected to begin the season as the backup to starter Chris Carson.

                    Both of these teams have serious questions at the backup quarterback position. Russell Wilson and Philip Rivers are quality starters, but there is next to nothing behind them. The Seahawks are going with Austin Davis and rookie Alex McGough. It is not any better for Los Angeles as they are going with Cardale Jones and Geno Smith. It is hard to have any confidence in either team once Wilson and Rivers head to the sideline.

                    Players to Watch

                    The focus on Saturday will be on the backup quarterbacks. The Seahawks were hoping that Davis would take the backup job and show that he can handle things if Wilson gets hurt. He didn’t play well last week, but McGough didn’t show that he is ready to give Davis a battle for the backup job. The Seahawks are so concerned that they brought in veteran backup quarterback Josh Johnson into camp this week. Considering Johnson has never won a game as an NFL quarterback, it shows how desperate the Seahawks are.

                    The Chargers have a battle going on between Jones and Smith for the backup job. Jones was 6-of-12 las week for 50 yards. He didn’t inspire much confidence, although he did scramble around and gained 15 yards on the ground. We know what Smith is and that is an interception waiting to happen. He was 14-of-23 for 218 yards last week with one TD and one interception.

                    Key Stats

                    Anthony Lynn of the Chargers has shown that he doesn’t care much about the preseason. The Chargers were 1-3 a year ago in the preseason and they are already 0-1 this season. Pete Carroll seems to care more about the preseason and thinks winning games is important. His teams are 22-11 in the preseason and the Seahawks were 4-0 last preseason. The Seahawks started off this preseason with a loss, so Carroll will have his players motivated to get this win.

                    Seahawks vs. Chargers Picks

                    If this was a regular season game there is no question that I would be leaning to the Chargers. They look like the better team on both sides of the ball this season. This is not the regular season, however, and there is no question that Carroll puts more emphasis on winning preseason games than does Lynn. I will take the points with Seattle in this contest.

                    I also think the total is worth a strong look. Both teams have questionable backup quarterbacks and it is hard to see either team doing much on offense once the starters leave. I know that there were some high scoring games last week in the preseason, but each of these teams scored just 17 points apiece. I will also take this game under the total.

                    Seahawks vs. Chargers Pick: Seahawks +3 and Under 39.5
                    Seahawks vs. Chargers Score Prediction: Seahawks 20, Chargers 17
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
                      GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


                      JAC at MIN 01:00 PM
                      MIN -4.0
                      U 40.5


                      OAK at LAR 04:00 PM
                      LAR +1.0
                      O 38.0


                      CIN at DAL 07:00 PM
                      CIN +3.0
                      O 41.0


                      SF at HOU 08:00 PM
                      SF +3.0
                      O 41.0


                      TB at TEN 08:00 PM
                      TEN -3.0
                      O 41.0


                      CHI at DEN 09:05 PM
                      CHI +3.0
                      O 43.0


                      SEA at LAC 10:00 PM
                      LAC -3.0
                      U 40.0
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • NFL Preseason Capsules
                        August 19, 2018


                        ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys had another efficient preseason showing.

                        Andy Dalton bogged down a bit with his Cincinnati Bengals.

                        Prescott led a pair of scoring drives in three possessions, capped by a scrambling 6-yard scoring pass to Terrance Williams, before the Bengals rallied after halftime for a 21-13 exhibition victory Saturday night.

                        The Bengals had just two first downs in three Dalton-led possessions a week after he threw for two touchdowns with an offense that was revamped after finishing last in the NFL. One of the first downs was on Dalton's 13-yard scramble after the Bengals (2-0) started with a pair of three-and-outs.

                        A week after throwing a 30-yard touchdown to rookie Michael Gallup on his only drive of the preseason opener in San Francisco, Prescott was 10 of 15 for 86 yards. The TD drive for a 10-0 lead was kept alive by an 8-yard slant to Gallup, who reached out for a nice catch inside the Cincinnati 10.

                        TEXANS 16, 49ERS 13

                        HOUSTON (AP) - Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and Houston earned a preseason win over San Francisco.

                        Watson led the Texans down the field, going 5 of 8 for 73 yards, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Ellington.

                        It was a much lengthier outing than the preseason opener in Kansas City when Watson attempted just one pass in his return to game action after missing the second half of his rookie season with a torn ACL.

                        Watson's efficiency matched a nice opening drive from San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo, who threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Trent Taylor.

                        Garoppolo's night ended after his second drive when a deep pass to Dante Pettis bounced off Pettis' hands and was intercepted by Johnson Bademosi. Garoppolo was 10 of 12 for 136 yards.

                        BUCCANEERS 30, TITANS 14

                        NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Jameis Winston gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a potent reminder of what they will miss when the quarterback sits out his three-game suspension to start the regular season.

                        Winston threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns after coming off the bench in the second quarter, and the Buccaneers beat Tennessee in the teams' second exhibition game.

                        Ryan Fitzpatrick started for a second straight week as the Buccaneers (2-0) prepare the veteran to run the offense while Winston sits out for violating the league's personal conduct policy after the NFL investigated an allegation Winston groped a female Uber driver in Arizona in March 2016. Fitzpatrick helped the Bucs hold the ball for 9 minutes of the first quarter, but they settled for a field goal as the quarterback was 5 of 13 for 46 yards passing.

                        Winston completed eight of his first nine passes and left with a 151.4 passer rating. He threw for big chunks, hitting Mike Evans for 38 yards and then DeSean Jackson on a 54-yarder. Winston found Chris Godwin in a pack of Titans in the end zone for an 8-yard TD and connected with Justin Watson for a 21-yard TD that gave the Bucs a 20-7 halftime lead.

                        RAMS 19, RAIDERS 15

                        LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rookie John Kelly rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown, and the Rams welcomed the Raiders back to the Coliseum with a preseason victory over Oakland.

                        Chris Warren rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders in their return to the venerable stadium that was their home for 13 seasons during their largely successful tenure in Los Angeles. Their still-passionate Southern California fan base turned out in force, filling the 95-year-old arena with black jerseys and loud cheers.

                        JAGUARS 14, VIKINGS 10

                        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Yannick Ngakoue had an 11-yard sack that helped Jacksonville's defense hold Kirk Cousins and Minnesota's starting offense to three completions and three points, and the Jaguars reserves rallied for a victory over the Vikings.

                        Cousins was crisp in his only series last week , but the Vikings went three-and-out on two of their four possessions with their new quarterback. Latavius Murray's second fumble, stripped by Malik Jackson, was recovered by Calais Campbell to end another drive. Cousins finished just 3 for 8 for 12 yards.

                        Minnesota's defense was closer to midseason form, though, with an interception by Harrison Smith of Blake Bortles and another sure pick by Mackensie Alexander that was bobbled and dropped.

                        Bortles played the entire first half and went 12 for 20 for 159 yards, producing a touchdown run by Leonard Fournette on one of his seven series, the last of three possessions the Vikings starters were still in the game.
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • Monday, August 20, 2018
                          Time (ET) Away Home
                          8:00 PM Baltimore Ravens Indianapolis Colts


                          ********************


                          NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

                          DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

                          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...........30- 33........47.61%.....-31.50
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • Sunday’s six-pack

                            — Red Sox put Chris Sale (shoulder) back on the DL

                            — A’s 7, Astros 1— These teams are tied for first in the AL West.

                            — Denver punter Shane Tripucka is the nephew of former NBA star Kelly Tripucka.

                            — Rockies 5, Braves 3 (10)— Atlanta led 3-0 in 9th inning.

                            — High school football started in Las Vegas this week; has to be damn hot playing ball in the desert, in August.

                            — Golfer Kevin Stadler broke his club in anger Saturday; the head of the club hit a fan, who needed six stitches. Whoops.

                            Quote of the Day
                            “Hell, I’d have done the same damn thing if any of my coaches had done something. … My first reaction would have been: ‘Well, shoot, we’ve done something wrong, but we can’t make it right by letting the whole damned world know about it.’”
                            Former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, in 1976, talking about Richard Nixon, of all people

                            Sunday’s quiz
                            When the Chargers started play in the AFL in 1960, what city did they call home?

                            Saturday’s quiz
                            Phillies manager Gabe Kapler retired from playing in 2006, managed a minor league team in 2007, then un-retired and played for Milwaukee in 2008.

                            Friday’s quiz
                            Besides Bill Belichick (18 years), Marvin Lewis of the Bengals is the NFL head coach who has been in his job the longest- this will be his 16th season in Cincinnati.

                            *****************************

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

                            13) I asked a few days ago why Ohio State never got rid of this assistant coach Zach Smith, despite multiple off-field screw-ups. Now I kind of know.

                            Turns out Smith is the grandson of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, the coach who succeeded the legendary Woody Hayes as Buckeyes’ coach.

                            Urban Meyer once called Bruce “his second father”; Smith was considered a good recruiter but not much of a football tactician/teacher.

                            Meyer tried to give an old friend’s grandson the benefit of the doubt, and the guy badly abused the privilege. Now it is a mess, but not many coaches with a 73-8 record get fired.

                            12) It is unclear whether Eagles’ QB Carson Wentz will be available for Philly’s season opener against the Falcons. Super Bowl hero Nick Foles hurt his shoulder when he was sacked in the game Thursday night, which leaves open the possibility that Nate Sudfeld could be the #1 QB for the Iggles when they open this season in 19 days.

                            11) Giants’ pitcher Dereck Rodriguez, who has been doing great for the last month, went on the DL with hamstring issues; he tweaked his hamstring jumping over the dugout fence to get on the field during the Nick Hundley/Yasiel Puig incident the other night.

                            Not good.

                            10) Bills’ QB AJ McCarron broke his collarbone Friday night, basically handing the starting job to rookie Josh Allen.

                            9) I know it is preseason, but Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes threw a TD pass to Tyreek Hill Friday night that traveled 68.6 yards in the air, longer than any TD thrown in any game all of last season.

                            8) Friday night, Daniel Zamora became the 54th player to play for the Mets this season, tying their all-time franchise record for most players used in a season. Zamora was brought up from AA Binghamton, which is unusual.

                            7) A reminder that in 1972, Steve Carlton went 27-10 pitching for a Phillies team that went 59-97. One of the greatest seasons ever for a pitcher.

                            6) Another reminder: actor/pro wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson played college football at Miami, FL and in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders, before he started his career as a pro wrestler. If I remember right, he backed up Warren Sapp at Miami.

                            5) When he was 14, Mets’ 3B Todd Frazier worked as a carnival barker on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. At the basketball shooting booth, where the rim may not have been totally round.

                            4) Red Sox’ AAA farm team is moving from Pawtucket, RI to Worcester, MA in 2021; they’ve been in Pawtucket since 1973. Worcester is much closer to Boston; they’ll build a new stadium that hopefully will revitalize the Worcester area.

                            3) Pirates lost consecutive games 1-0 games Thursday/Friday for first time since May 9 (at Padres), 10 (at Dodgers), way back in 1985. Both Chicago runs came on home runs.

                            2) White Sox put Yoan Moncada back in the leadoff spot Friday, despite fact that he was hitting .144 since the All-Star break, with 31 strikeouts in his last 60 plate appearances.

                            1) Thanks to Ken Thomsen and Andrew Fain for having me on their excellent radio show Friday night. Good baseball talk from out in Las Vegas; you can listen weeknights from 10-12pm on sportsxradio.com. You’ll be smarter about sports if you do.
                            Last edited by StarDust Bum; 08-19-2018, 01:55 AM.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • Handicapping Lions (6.5)
                              August 20, 2018


                              The Detroit Lions have a new head coach in Matt Patricia and a lot of optimism heading into the 2018 season. The Lions have a quality quarterback in Matthew Stafford and Patricia is expected to improve the defense.

                              Oddsmakers are not sold that Detroit is going to be any better than last season, as they set the win total for the Lions at just 6.5 games. Let’s look at the schedule for Detroit to see if they will go over or under that number.

                              2018 Detroit Lions Regular Season Win Total
                              Over 6.5 (-140)
                              Under 6.5 (+110)


                              2018 Detroit Lions Schedule Analysis

                              Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, vs. New York Jets


                              The Lions opener up at home on Monday night against a New York team that doesn’t have much of an offense. It really can’t get much easier for Patricia in his first game as head coach.

                              Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at San Francisco 49ers

                              The Lions will get a much stiffer test in Week 2 as they visit a San Francisco 49ers team with a potent offense. The Lions rarely do well on the West Coast and this looks like a loss.

                              Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. New England Patriots

                              Patricia will get a chance to face his former team in Week 3. The Patriots are the better team, but this game is in Detroit and it could be tight.

                              Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Dallas Cowboys

                              The Cowboys can run the ball, but whether they can do enough in the passing game is the question. The Lions can definitely put up a fight and have a chance to win this one.

                              Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, vs. Green Bay Packers

                              The Lions have struggled in the past against Aaron Rodgers, but this game is at home and Detroit is capable of pulling out a high scoring victory.

                              Week 6: Bye

                              Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at Miami Dolphins


                              The Dolphins could be improved this season and Detroit is usually a poor road team. The Lions may struggle in this one.

                              Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Seattle Seahawks

                              The Seahawks are not nearly as good as in past seasons, especially on defense. This will likely be a shootout, but the Lions should come out on top.

                              Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at Minnesota Vikings

                              The Lions have actually done pretty well in Minnesota in recent seasons, but the Vikings are still the better team and should get this win.

                              Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Chicago Bears

                              The Bears are expected to be much better this season and winning in Chicago won’t be the cakewalk it has been recently.

                              Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Carolina Panthers

                              The Panthers rolled over the Lions last season, so this is a revenge game for the Lions. The Lions will have the home field edge, and Stafford is a better quarterback than Newton.

                              Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, vs. Chicago Bears

                              The Lions have dominated the Bears in Detroit recently and this is a Thanksgiving Day game and we know the Lions usually win those.

                              Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, vs. Los Angeles Rams

                              The Lions get extra time to prepare for this one and they will need it, as the Rams are loaded on both sides of the ball. This will be a homecoming game for Ndamukong Suh. This game could be high scoring and looks like a toss-up.

                              Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9 at Arizona Cardinals

                              The Cardinals should be much better this season, but whether or not they have a healthy Sam Bradford by this point in the season is the question. This is a winnable road game for Detroit.

                              Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Buffalo Bills

                              The Bills don’t have a quality quarterback, but this is still a cold weather game and that is not good news for the Lions.

                              Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Minnesota Vikings

                              The Lions may need this game to stay in playoff contention. The Lions have struggled to protect Stafford against a stout Minnesota defense. This could be a low scoring contest in late December.

                              Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Green Bay Packers

                              The Lions have actually won two of the last three at Green Bay, but this will be a cold weather game and it is hard to see Detroit getting the road win unless the Packers have already clinched and have nothing to play for.

                              2018 Detroit Lions Win Total Prediction

                              The schedule for Detroit is actually pretty favorable, so it is possible the Lions flirt with a winning record and a playoff spot. We’ll go over the total of 6.5 wins for the Lions in 2018.
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Monday's Top Parlay
                                August 20, 2018


                                By Tom Wilkinson

                                NFL Preseason Betting – Ravens vs. Colts


                                The Baltimore Ravens have been an outstanding preseason team in recent years, going unbeaten in each of the last two seasons. They have also won their first two preseason games this season, so they come into Monday night’s game at the Indianapolis Colts on a 10-game winning streak in the preseason. Both teams have quality backup quarterbacks following their starters, so this game could be high scoring. Let’s look at the matchup and Monday Night Football picks.

                                Date and Time: Monday, August 20, 2018, 8:00 p.m. ET
                                Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
                                NFL Odds: Ravens -1, O/U 43
                                Ravens vs. Colts TV Coverage: ESPN


                                This will be the third preseason game for the Ravens since they played in the Hall of Fame Game, while the Colts are playing their second game. The Ravens have won both of their preseason games, while the Colts are coming off a win against Seattle last week. The Ravens should be giving Joe Flacco at least a quarter of work and then Baltimore figures to split up the remaining time between Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III. The Ravens have to decide if Jackson is ready to be a backup quarterback this season or if they need to hang onto RGIII. Jackson has moved around and showed his athletic ability but he is just 11 of 28 passing and he has been sacked five times.

                                The Colts gave Andrew Luck his first action last week and he looked good, going 6 of 9 for 64 yards. Indianapolis has a quality backup quarterback in Jacoby Brissett who was the starter for the Colts last season while Luck was out. Indianapolis also has Phillip Walker and Brad Kaaya who might see mop up duty. The Colts will be without starting running back Marlon Mack who has a hamstring injury and they will probably be without leading receiver T.Y. Hilton who has a sprained shoulder.

                                Players to Watch

                                The focus will be on Andrew Luck in this contest. He did look good last week but he played against a Seattle defense that simply isn’t what it used to be. He should get a much stiffer test this week against the Ravens. They led the league last season with 22 interceptions. Luck won’t have Mack in the backfield and there is a good chance he won’t have his favorite receiver, as T.Y. Hilton is dealing with a minor shoulder injury.

                                Key Stats

                                As I have mentioned many times now in the preseason; I don’t think there are many stats worth looking at except the coaches’ records. It is hard to ignore what the Ravens have done in the preseason under Harbaugh. They are 30-12 straight up under Harbaugh and 28-14 against the spread. Those are simply spectacular numbers. The Ravens have a good quarterback rotation of Flacco, Jackson and RGIII, so they should be able to move the ball throughout the game against a weak Indianapolis defense.

                                The Colts won their first preseason game under new head coach Frank Reich. Getting that first win was important for Reich, so the Colts may not have the urgency to win in the preseason this week. The Colts do have Luck and Brissett, but their defense is poor.

                                Ravens vs. Colts Picks

                                I definitely can’t go against the dominating win streak of the Ravens in the preseason. Baltimore simply wins under Harbaugh in the preseason and there is no reason to go against them in this contest. The Colts got their win for Reich out of the way and they come into this game banged up with Mack and Hilton hurting. I can’t see them taking any chances this week with their key players, so Luck shouldn’t play more than a quarter. I will take the Ravens to win this contest on Monday night. I also think the total is worth a look, as both teams have solid backup quarterbacks and the Colts have a weak defense so this could turn into a high scoring contest. I will also play the game over the total.

                                Ravens vs. Colts Pick: Ravens -1 and Over 43
                                Ravens vs. Colts Score Prediction: Ravens 27, Colts 20
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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