Triple Threat Sports Guaranteed Selections
6* Arizona/Oakland OVER
Cardinals are in the final stages of the QB battle between Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner, and this is the first time in the preseason that both will play with the first string, as Whisenhunt will play the top units into the 3Q, with Leinart getting the first 1.5 quarters and Warner the rest. This is a strong offensive club with two starting quality QB's, making it no surprise they have scored 22.2ppg in the preseason (25.0 away) the last two years with the exception of the "lets get the hell out of here" Week Four contest last season. As for the Raiders, tonite will be an interesting game. Coach Lane Kiffin explains it this way: "We're going to come out and throw it a lot...It'll be good to see. I know we can run the football. That's no secret. We were good last year, I think we'll be better this year. ... To come out and run the ball again, and do it this game, really isn't important, because I'm not worried about that. I want to see how much we can do with our first unit throwing the ball."
Well that certainly sounds like an Over comment to us, as it should take away those time consuming run based drives the Raiders are used to, keeping the clock an ally of the Over. Cards do not have a great defense, and Bertand Berry (leading sacker) will not even start tonite, so Oakland has a shot at doing well here on offense. Also, while we do expect the Oakland offense to do well (starters will play 3Q), note that JaMarcus Russell still is young, and this will be the most passing he has been asked to do in his pro career. Mistakes are quite likely to happen, and big mistakes lead to "Pick Six" chances for the Cardinal defense, or excellent field position for the Arizona offense, both of which point toward the Over. Finally, note that last year these two teams met in the preseason and there were 50 points put on the board. Kiffin and Whisenhunt are good friends, and both need good showings from the offense tonite. Says here both will be happy when the night is OVER.
Seabass
10 Atl
20 Cin
20 Fla/Ari Under
50 Red Sox
50 Det
Comp Mets
Charlies Sports
Chiefs / Dolphins Under 33½ (500*)
Browns +3 (30*)
Jets -3 (20*)
Saints -2½ (20*)
Raiders -3 (10*)
Tampa Bay +3 (10*) free play
Larry Ness
Weekend Wipeout Winner
Was/Car Over
Las Vegas Insider MLB
Baltimore Orioles
Situational GOW 15*
LA Angels.
Jack Clayton Guaranteed Selections
4* Saints/Bengals Over
Both offenses are loaded with talent, while the defenses are thin and rebuilding. The Saints last week scored 27 points, but gave up 405 yards and 31 points to Houston. The Saints new look defense has a ways to go. At least their offense is loaded behind QB Drew Brees, who plays his most minutes in this one. They take on a terrible Cincy defense that is so thin on talent. The Bengals just gave up 27 points and 375 yards at home to the Lions and now face the most talented offense in the NFC. QB Carson Palmer has a new WR in Jerome Simpson. Simpson, the team's second-round draft pick, is coming off a 114-yard game on five receptions. He has six preseason catches for 127 yards. Have to look for plenty of points in this shootout. Play the Saints/Bengals over the total
Wizard of Odds Guaranteed Selections
TOP RATED LATE STEAM BASEBALL WINNER
Chicago White Sox w/Vazquez -135
The Hitman Guaranteed Selections
5000 LARGE DIAMOND BASEBALL TOTALS DOMINATOR
Minnesota and LA Angels OVER 9
Cajun-Sports
NFLX Late Phone Selection
3* Cleveland Browns +3 over Detroit Lions
The Browns make the short trip to take on the Lions in the third preseason game for both teams Saturday afternoon. Quarterback Derek Anderson will likely miss the game due to a concussion suffered in Monday's loss to the Giants. That means second-year-pro Brady Quinn will make his first start of any kind on Saturday. Quinn has had a strong training camp to date and has completed 20-of-29 passes for 257 yards with a touchdown and an interception in 2 preseason games.
Detroit will be attempting to continue the positive momentum they've accrued in preseason wins over the Giants and Bengals. Lions starting quarterback Jon Kitna has played well, but still at issue for the Lions is the starting running back job.
After their "pantsing" Cleveland received on national television last Monday, the last practice before today's Detroit game was much crisper. Frequent team meetings on the field were devoted to small lapses. We expect a much better effort here from the Browns, as we often look to play ON a team off a poor performance by its 1st and 2nd-stringers. If a veteran unit was dominated by its counterpart in the previous game, there’s a good chance they will have a fire lit under them.
We also like to play ON a coach with a goal of winning the game. Some coaches do not care if they lose a preseason game, while some coaches hate to lose any game at all – even exhibition games. The third exhibition game is a dress rehearsal for the regular season. "It's always important to win," said Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel, meaning any game any time.
Following Detroit's easy win at Cincinnati, we have the opportunity here to play AGAINST a team relaxed off a win and not concerned about another victory. Usually, a win in the preseason allows a coach to feel zero pressure the following week, and he can look at players. Generally, teams are weaker ATS after a win, and it intensifies with streaks.
Off 2 NFLX wins, the Lions are certainly relaxed to the point where they are planning on sticking to the normal preseason "script". While some head coaches like to play their starters for the entire first half and even into the third quarter during the third preseason game, head coach Marinelli has a different plan. The bulk of his starters only will be on the field for about 25 snaps (about a quarter and a half) while some key players, such as Kitna and wide receivers Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, might get pulled before the end of the first quarter.
"I want to protect these players a little bit, too. The longer they go, the better chance of an injury,'' said Marinelli, adding that he'll do some rotating with the first unit. "We want to get as many guys as we feel are competing for those jobs and rotate them with the first group. I want to look at them all -- against their starters -- to get a better evaluation.''
This will certainly favor the visitors here, who don't quite have that luxury, especially off last week's disastrous showing by Cleveland's starters. Crennel and the Brownies have been at their best as an underdog, going 7-1 ATS as a preseason dog, while Detroit is 0-6-1 ATS as a practice favorite, creating a strong trend dichotomy in Cleveland's favor.
Also of note, the Browns are 4-0 ATS in their 3rd preseason game and 4-0 SU & ATS in their second preseason road game. Meanwhile, the Lions are 0-4 ATS in their second exhibition home game and an ugly 1-10 ATS in Game 3.
We expect another strong outing here from Brady, as he and his team should get off to a strong start and finish with a SU & ATS victory.
PROJECTED FINAL MARGIN: CLEVELAND BY 3 OVER DETROIT
Winners Inc. Guaranteed Selections
5000* POWER HOUSE BASEBALL WINNER
St Louis w/Lohse -156
The Hitman Guaranteed Selections
5000 LARGE DIAMOND BASEBALL DOMINATOR
Boston w/Lester -158
JIMMY SIRODY
A's at Mariners
Prediction: A's
Seattle and Oakland may very well be the two worst teams on planet baseball but somebody has to win Saturday night. Why not Oakland? The Mariners had lost seven straight and 11 of 12 prior to Friday's series opener. At least the Athletics have captured four of their last 10 and split their last four on the road. Seattle has crashed and burned in 27 of 41 as favorites and come up short in 25 of 35 against lefties, including five of six at Safeco Field. The Mariners are 1-6 in Jarrod Washburn's last seven home starts and the veteran southpaw is 1-12 after giving up two or more home runs over the last three seasons. It's tough to make a case for Dana Eveland, who is making his first start since allowing nine run in two innings at Fenway Park on Aug. 2. But the A's are the lesser of two evils and Eveland throws with the correct hand.
Jack Clayton Guaranteed Selections
Game of the Year
Chiefs at Dolphins
New coaches often have their teams playing at a high level, even in preseason. They need to impress a lot of people. In this case, Miami has a lot of young bodies fighting for time. Plus, this is an organization off an embarrassing 1-15 season. They went to Jacksonville last week and won as a dog, playing great. Miami's impressive rookie linemen are generating buzz around the league. One NFC personnel director watched the Dolphins and asserted they will be a lot better than people think. "I like Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford a lot -- big, physical, strong guys who play with a lot of energy," he said. "Jake Long will be fine. Donald Thomas has limitations in the passing game, but I like his toughness. He's a mauler." The most important news of all, of course, is at QB and Miami has solved that key spot with two new acquisitions, Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. They take on a K.C. team that has little going for them. The Chiefs QB rotation is terrible with inexperienced (and ineffective) Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen. Miami and their home field will roll. Play the Dolphins.
PPP/Gavazzi
4 Jax
3 Cleve
3 Nyg
Rick George Guaranteed Selections
7* Minnesota +125
The Angels have lost 7 of 9 while the Twins have won 8 out of 9 including the last 2 vs the Angels. Galralnd is no bargain minus money vs the hottest team in the league take the nice price. Thank you and good luck tonight
Lockline Sports
NFL
Cleve
Wash
Oak