Bob Valentino
My free winner for Sunday is on the late card, as I like the Oakland Raiders to get it done against the San Diego Chargers in AFC West action in the Bay Area.
I'm putting this one on Oakland quarterback Derek Carr, who has shined in clutch situations this season for the Raiders, leading two late comebacks to help spark Oakland to its best start in 14 years.
Meanwhile, the start of the season been different for San Diego, where the Chargers have led all four games at the two-minute warning, but not surprisingly for this franchise, lost three of those in the closing minutes.
The Raiders have won all three road games while losing to Atlanta in their one home contest. They're now 3-6 at the Coliseum under coach Jack Del Rio the last two seasons. This team has emphasized the importance of this contest, beating the Bolts at home.
Count on Carr to lead this team to a late victory, as the Raiders pull away for the W.
3* RAIDERS
Chris Jordan
My Baseball free play for SUNDAY is on the Los Angeles Dodgers, over the Washington Nationals, and I want you listing both scheduled starting pitchers: Rich Hill and Tanner Roark.
Now that Los Angeles has gotten past the mighty Max Scherzer, the Dodgers can move on to Game 2, and really seize control of this series, backing the Nationals in a corner when the teams resume in L.A. next week.
Hill makes his postseason debut against the Nationals in Game 2 and comes in with a 1.83 ERA in six starts with the Dodgers, since being acquired from the A’s at the Trade Deadline. Manager Dave Roberts is smart enough to know what Hill is capable of, in making him the No. 2 pitcher in the postseason rotation.
Hill can handcuff the Nationals long enough to let the Dodgers unleash on Roark, who also will make his first career postseason start, after a season in which he finished sixth in the National League with a 2.83 ERA.
In Roark's last start against the Dodgers, back on June 21 in Los Angeles, he allowed three runs over 7 1/3 innings in a 3-2 loss. He will become unglued about the 5th inning.
I know everyone is dying to see a Nationals-Cubs showdown, with Bryce Harper against Kris Bryant - a battle of Las Vegas product by the way - but the Dodgers have other plans.
And I say this every postseason - in NBA, NHL and MLB - Game 1 is important to the road team more than anything. Game 3 is important to the home team. Same team, same goals - win games 1 and 3. The Dodgers won Game 1, and tonight they will prevail to go up 2-0.
I like L.A. in this one.
2* DODGERS
Bruce Marshall
Eagles / Lions Under 46
Young Carson Wentz has already been elevated to Frank Sinatra/Frank Rizzo/Pope status in Philly. But there are other reasons to like the Birds, as they seek to avenge LY's brutal 45-14 Thanksgiving beatdown at Detroit when Mark Sanchez was the Philly QB and when the Chip Kelly regime was unraveling. This game also marks the return of def. coord. Jim Schwartz to Ford Field, where he was dismissed as Lions HC after 2013. Detroit wobbling at 1-3 with numerous injuries, and the pressure on HC Caldwell is mounting. Schwartz should have an idea how to rattle Matthew Stafford with his aggressive Eagle defenders (only 9 ppg allowed; 2-0-1 "under" TY).
The Real Animal
Dallas +2.5
Maybe you could argue strength of schedule comes into play here with Cincinnati’s defeats coming to Pittsburgh and Denver. But they only beat the Jets by a single point and in three of four games this year have been held to 77 or less rushing yards. Last week the 77 yards on the ground came on 37 carries against the Dolphins at home. The three straight Dallas wins have come against Washington, Chicago, and San Francisco (combined 4-9), but two of those were on the road. Dez Bryant doesn’t sound like he can go and that is the only thing preventing this from being a premium pick. The Bengals are having trouble getting the ball into the end zone. They have been in the red zone 13 times this year with just four touchdowns. But this is a big adjustment for the Bengals. Last week they had it easy with Miami missing four offensive linemen. Now they take on one of the game’s best O-lines with Dallas. All Prescott has done is set an NFL record 131 passes without an interception. My confidence level with Andy and Marvin on the road remains close to zero.
Wunderdog
Texas @ Toronto
Pick: Under 9
After a day off and a day of rest for the bullpens, both managers will use their best arms when needed. The Texas offense struggled at home in the first two games, scoring a total of four runs, and now they head out on the road where they have gone UNDER five of the last six contests. Texas is 7-2-1 UNDER the total in Divisional Playoff road games. The Rangers are 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position in the series, including 2-for-18 in Game 2. Texas starter Colby Lewis (3.71 ERA) has a 2.75 road ERA this season and has been strong in the playoffs in the past, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.38 ERA in nine games (eight starts). The team is 7-3 UNDER when he starts with seven or more days of rest. Toronto plays fine defense in the field, #11 in baseball in fielding while on a 19-7-1 run UNDER the total. The Blue Jays start Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00 ERA), who led the AL in ERA during the regular season. He has allowed a total of three runs with 21 strikeouts in 19 innings over his last three starts. Toronto is 26-10 UNDER the total when he starts, plus the Blue Jays are 36-14-1 UNDER when they face a team with a winning record.
Jimmy Moore
San Diego Chargers +3.5
San Diego has covered 19 of their last 26 road trips to the Raiders and they will be extra motivated for a win coming into this one off of a SU loss as a favorite. Oakland has only covered 1 of their last 7 games in the first of back to back division games and they have only covered 2 of their last 11 as divisional home favorites. I just don't trust the Raiders 3-1 SU record here, take the Chargers as a very live dog here.