Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Saturday 8/18/18
Saturday's Tip Sheet
August 17, 2018
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.
Jaguars vs. Vikings Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 17th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the top defenses in the National Football League last season, and it took them a long way since quarterback Blake Bortles was able to keep his turnovers to an amount that was palatable. And they have every reason to believe they can be a legitimate contender for the AFC title.
The Minnesota Vikings are brimming with optimism as they come into 2018 because they feel like they have upgraded themselves at the quarterback position. And since they can be confident that they will have a ground game that is more than good enough, they are the favorites in the NFC North.
These are two of the best stop units in the league, even though such a thing gets diluted a little because of the activity the second, third and even fourth team players wind up getting in pre-season games. But early on, things will be interesting as they meet on Saturday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
See all the NFL Preseason Previews
Minnesota won its opening game by a 42-28 score visiting the Denver Broncos, while Jacksonville lost at home to the New Orleans Saints last week by a 24-20 score.
TV: 1 PM ET, NFL Network. LINE: Vikings -4. O/U: 40.5
ABOUT THE JAGUARS: Blake Bortles had an outing relatively without an accident in the pre-season opener, completing six of his nine passes without an interception or sack. He led the team on a fifteen-play drive to score in the first quarter and punctuated it with a two-yard touchdown run. He struggled in the first joint practice with the Vikings, finding himself confused a little by the coverages and throwing the ball into the hands of Minnesota defensive backs on a couple of occasions. Cody Kessler, whose NFL reputation is that he throws the short ball well but can't get a team down the field, but he was sharp against the Saints, hitting on 14 of his 17 attempts. The real nightmare was experienced by Tanner Lee, a sixth-round pick out of Nebraska who completed four of eight passes, fumbled the ball twice and suffered five sacks. All of this happened in the fourth quarter. Needless to say, he's facing an uphill battle to make the squad. Running backs Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon were among the Jacksonville players who more or less took a neutral stance for the National Anthem, choosing to stay in the locker room. The Jags played "clean" last week, being flagged only three times for 25 yards. Doug Marrone has shown an indifferent attitude toward success in the pre-season, with a 5-9 straight-up, 3-8-3 ATS mark.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS: The Vikings could not have asked for much more from Kirk Cousins than what they got in his one and only series, as he completed all four of his passes with a touchdown. He looked sharp and in command, and good to go for the regular season. Of course, he'll get some more work this week, against a challenging defense. The Vikings were #1 in the NFL last season in scoring defense and total defense, but the Jags were #2 in both categories. For what it's worth, Denver (last week's opponent) was third in total defense in 2017. It appeared as if backup quarterbacks Trevor Siemian and Kyle Sloter were especially psyched up to play against their former teammates. Siemian, who basically switched teams with Case Keenum, was 11-of-17 for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Sloter connected on nine of 11 passes with a TD. We know that Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray are going to be the top two running backs for the Vikings, but there is room for someone else, and Roc Thomas would like to volunteer for the job. He made a nice bid last week, with a 78-yard TD catch (in which he did all the work himself) and another touchdown reception. Thomas is an undrafted rookie out of Jacksonville State (in Alabama), who had transferred from Auburn. He is well worth watching. Mike Zimmer improved his pre-season record to 14-4 straight-up and 13-5 against the spread, so his disposition toward exhibition games is a bit different than that of Doug Marrone.
EXTRA POINTS
1. These teams are holding joint practices this week, and in light of some of the skirmishes that have taken place in similar situations, a dozen players from both the Jags and Vikings sat down and met in an effort to avoid fighting during these scrimmages.
2. Minnesota's offensive line suffered a blow when left guard Nick Easton was forced to have neck surgery, ending his season. Kaleb Johnson, recently cut by the Chicago Bears, was signed in his place. He's been with six NFL teams but has yet to play in the regular season.
3. Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Dante Fowler have each been suspended a week for an incident surrounding a dust-up between Fowler and a teammate and a local beat reporter who showed a video of it. Since then, Ramsey was revealed to have unloaded on some NFL quarterbacks in a magazine interview, calling Josh Allen "trash" and Matt Ryan "overrated," among other criticisms.
PREDICTION: Vikings 28, Jaguars 13
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Raiders vs. Rams Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 17th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
The Oakland Raiders have a few things to work on, and it may take a while for Jon Gruden to find himself in mid-season form. But some bad calls had him fired up in last week's game, as he explained: "Chucky was starting to come put." That would appear to be a good sign.
The Los Angeles Rams may have made more bold moves than any other NFL team in the off-season, adding players who could be legitimate difference-makers in their bid for an NFL title. But none of that was in evidence in the pre-season opener, as almost all the starters were rested.
The Raiders opened up their schedule with a 16-10 victory over the Detroit Lions, while the Rams looked like they were going through the motions a little in a 33-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
See all the NFL Preseason Predictions
These teams will meet up on Saturday afternoon at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
TV: 4 PM ET, NFL Network. LINE: Rams -2.5. O/U: 38.5
ABOUT THE RAIDERS: On the Raiders' second play from scrimmage against the Lions last week, Marshawn Lynch took a handoff and went 60 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. Alas, the play was called back due to a penalty, and Gruden was, in his own words, "really ticked off." A holding call was assessed against left tackle Kolton Miller, a rookie and first-round draft pick out of UCLA, but the new/old head coach nonetheless called it a "well-blocked play." By the way, offensive coordinator Greg Olson, in his second tout of duty with the team, explained that "Chucky" (Gruden's nickname, from derived from the popular 'Child's Play' character) actually came out on the third day of practice, after the players had hit a bit of a "lag." Gruden says "I don't want time to go by like that. I want an urgency. And when I sense a lack of urgency, I react." Connor Cook, who started the last playoff game the Raiders were in, get the bulk of the quarterback work, as he went 11 of 19 for 141 yards. EJ Manuel, generally known as being a flopped first-round pick for the Buffalo Bills, had 46 yards passing, but did not look at all in command of the offense. Manuel admitted that after being rushed into the starting spot in Buffalo by coach Doug Marrone, then getting benched in favor of veteran Kyle Orton, "My confidence took a huge hit, honestly. I can speak on that very openly cause I’ve gone through a lot. I think I went through a period of somewhat depression." Gruden is now 31-16 straight-up in pre-season games, and that's one of the best marks among active coaches. That translates to a 25-18-4 ATS mark.
ABOUT THE RAMS: You can consider Sean McVay's motivation to win the first pre-season game to be low at best. There is no other explanation as to why he would sit 20 of his 22 starting players for the game against the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has a pretty good pre-season record under John Harbaugh. The result was a rather embarrassing 33-7 defeat. Jared Goff was held out of the proceedings, which left things in the hands of backups. There is a little panic about Sean Mannion, who connected on just three of his 13 passes and was sacked twice. He is considered the #2 guy, but there is some speculation as to whether the Rams might have to go to the "street" and seek some veteran help to back up Goff. Interestingly, Mannion, who set Pac-12 records while at Oregon State, had been a 65% pre-season passer in each of the last two years. Brandon Allen (10-15, 73 yards) is talented, but not ready to take the reins of an NFL offense if it came to that. Goff gave the Rams' staff a bit of a scare on Wednesday when, during a simulated game, he went down after one of his linemen was pushed into him. QB's are not supposed to get hit under such circumstances, but prior to this, Ben Roethlisberger had gone down and hit his head in a similar situation, and that put him in concussion protocol. So naturally, McVay was relieved when his QB was alright. "To say I was holding my breath, I think it would be probably a little bit more than that,” the head coach said. The Rams were outgained by a 403-170 margin and flagged for eleven penalties against the Ravens. Needless to say, they'll try to improve upon their eleven first downs against a Raider defense that is somewhat vulnerable.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant, who was picked up by the Raiders in a trade with Pittsburgh, was ticketed to make an impact but he has been downgraded on the depth chart. He was targeted four times against Detroit and caught one pass for 16 yards.
2. The Raiders, of course, spent thirteen seasons in Los Angeles and played at the Coliseum (1982-1984). They won Super Bowl XVIII as the Los Angeles Raiders, beating the Washington Redskins 38-9.
3. Rookie running back John Kelly, a sixth-round pick from Tennessee, is making a bid to be a backup for Todd Gurley with the Rams. He had 77 yards in the losing cause against Baltimore. Last season, Kelly lost yardage on 27% of his carries, worst of all eligible backs.
PREDICTION: Raiders 20, Rams 19
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Bengals vs. Cowboys Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 16th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
The Cincinnati Bengals had to be happy with at least some of what they were doing last week against the Chicago Bears, and they were able to get what they wanted out of their first-team offense. Considering that they have to do battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, they've got their work cut out for them.
The Dallas Cowboys have been rather consistent on the road during pre-season play, going without a win since 2014, and that pattern held last week against the San Francisco 49ers, as they blew a double-digit lead. But such things are secondary when it comes to exhibition play; they were also satisfied with what they saw out of their signal-caller and they know they have a good-looking rookie wide receiver.
NFL Football Previews and Predictions
Cincinnati had a nine-point halftime lead but had to score a late touchdown to beat the Chicago Bears 30-27 last week, while Dallas allowed two fourth-quarter TD's to drop a 24-21 decision to the Niners.
Now these teams meet in the third leg of an NFL Network triple-header on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
TV: 7 PM ET, NFL Network. LINE: Cowboys -3 (-120). O/U: 41.5
ABOUT THE BENGALS: Cincinnati scored a 30-27 win over Chicago last week, but what must have pleased fans the most was the play of quarterback Andy Dalton, who has been much maligned in some circles and isn't exactly a favorite of fantasy players. Dalton completed six of his eight passes for 103 yards, and threw for a pair of scores. He also threw a pick-six, but the general consensus is that John Ross blew his route and the interception resulted. Ross, last year's first-round pick, did not contribute at all as a rookie, and if he can't make a recovery this season, it's going to throw a monkey wrench into Marvin Lewis' plans to have an offense that can really stretch the field. Ross' speed is well-known and well-documented; in fact, he set a record with 4.22 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. Auden Tate, a seventh-round pick this year, caught the winning TD pass last week and is being hailed by no less an authority than A.J. Green as "a young Brandon Marshall." Joe Mixon, who did not blow anyone's doors off last year as a prospective feature back, has lost a lot of weight in a quest to do what's needed to be the workhorse. He left Wednesday's practice, limping off the field for reasons unexplained. Interesting - among those backs who carried the ball at least 170 times, only two had lower averages than his 3.5 ypc, and one of them was his Oklahoma teammate, Samaje Perine. What's also interesting is how down-the-middle Marvin Lewis' record has been in pre-season games: 31-30 straight-up and 31-30-1 against the spread.
ABOUT THE COWBOYS: Dak Prescott didn't play long in last week's game in Santa Clara against the 49ers, but he was sharp, leading the team down the field on a touchdown drive, capped off by a 30-yard TD pass to rookie Michael Gallup of Colorado State. Gallup is the guy Cowboys fans have been keeping an eye on, as he demonstrated precise route-running in college. This is a team that is looking for answers at the receiver spot. Believe it or not, sixteen different people caught passes last week. Cooper Rush may have the inside track on the backup job. He wasn't too bad last week, going 15 0f 23 for 145 yards and a score. Mike White, the rookie out of Western Kentucky, made his debut and was 6-of-11 for 63 yards. Prescott says the guy he's been most impressed with in camp is Tavon Austin, who may not have been utilized the right way with the Rams. "He's a guy you can put out there, inside, outside and trust he's going to get open," says Dak. Ezekiel Elliott says that he doesn't think the NFL's new helmet rule will have much of an effect on him. "Most of the time, running backs, you're not going to be a defenseless player unless you're catching the ball, so a lot of times it's going to be a receiver," he says. The Cowboys covered, even in defeat last week, so Jason Garrett's pre-season record improved to 11-19 ATS.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Cowboys center Travis Frederick, one of the best in the business, sustained some stingers in practice and so he went to see a neck and spine specialist, who confirmed that he wasn't dealing with major issues. But he will not likely play in Saturday's game.
2. After Andy Dalton led a Cincinnati TD drive that beat Baltimore and helped Buffalo get to the playoffs, Bills fans made numerous donations to Dalton's charity as a way of thanking him. Now Dalton and his wife has tanked them back, by making a donation to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.
3. Jaylon Smith, the linebacker who missed all of last season with a knee injury after being drafted out of Notre Dame, made just one tackle for the Cowboys against San Francisco, but Will McClay, the team's VP of Player Personnel, says that "His recovery is remarkable. He's 100 times better than he was last year."His recovery is remarkable. He's 100 times better than he was last year."
PREDICTION: Cowboys 24, Bengals 17
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Buccaneers vs. Titans Preview and Predictions in NFL
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers know that they are "up against it" in the NFC South, and that head coach Dirk Koetter is on the proverbial "hot seat" if things don't go well. They got off to a winning start in the pre-season, not that it was the most important thing on the agenda. And they are looking pretty good with the "Plan B" they have to cover for Jameis Winston during his three -game suspension.
The Tennessee Titans are set to make the next move forward after replacing Mike Mularkey with new head coach Mike Vrabel. What's really important to them is getting a bounce-back season out of QB Marcus Mariota, who faltered a bit last year, although that did not prevent the Titans from making it to the playoffs.
Tampa Bay came away with a 26-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins in their opening game, while Tennessee took it on the chin to the tune of 31-17 at Lambeau Field at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks get together as the Titans and Bucs meet up on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
TV: 8 PM ET, Local coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Titans -3 (+100). O/U: 41
ABOUT THE BUCS: Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to keep the quarterback seat warm for the Bucs until Winston serves his three-game suspension out, and he was in very good form in the pre-season opener, completing all eight passes. Ryan Griffin saw a lot of action, going 20 of 26 for 179 yards and a touchdown, and his presence will be needed as the primary backup once the season gets underway. Winston got more reps than usual with the starting unit, since he'll have that period of inactivity once September gets here. He was crisp too, going 11 of 13 for 102 yards. Vernon Hargreaves, a mainstay in the Tampa Bay defensive backfield, is sidelined with a groin injury, so there are youngsters back there who have to step up for the team. They devoted a lot of their drafting to that area of the field - M.J. Stewart (Auburn), Carlton Davis (Auburn) and Jordan Whitehead (Pittsburgh). They are all likely to make the team, but they'll have a chance to cement themselves into the picture. The Buccaneers need all the help they can get; remember, this is a team that surrendered more yardage from scrimmage than any other club in the NFL last season (378 yards a game).
ABOUT THE TITANS: Mariota didn't see much time in the opener against Green Bay, throwing just three passes. But he led the team on a first quarter touchdown drive. Blaine Gabbert, who is ticketed for backup duty, is an old hand at this stuff, and he went nine for 15, but the guy who got the real baptism was Luke Falk, the rookie out of Washington State who completed ten of 19 and had a TD pass. He is the Pac-12's all-time career leader in completions, passing yards and touchdowns. But the "Air Raid" system he played under coach Mike Leach at Wazzu doesn't necessarily make it conducive to a smooth transition to the NFL, and so one can expect that the transition will be bumpy. The Titans' secondary did not get the job done last week; the Packers had 356 yards through the air (almost eight yards an attempt) and ran up 31 first downs. All three QB's - DeShone Kizer, Brett Hundley and Tim Boyle - all threw for over a hundred yards, so whether it was first, second or third team, Tennessee wasn't stopping anybody, although they did record three sacks.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Tony Dungy recently got inducted into the Bucs' Ring of Honor, and he had this to say about Winston to a Tampa Bay Times reporter: “For Jameis, he has to be a leader all the time. He’s a great leader on the field. He’s a great leader in the locker room.......Now, he has to take it on his shoulders to lead off the field and away from the building as well.”
2. The new member of the Tennessee backfield, Dion Lewis, said that the New England Patriots, where he rushed for 896 yards last year, didn't necessarily make an effort to keep him in the fold. "If they wanted me they could’ve had me," he told a reporter. "But obviously, they didn’t want me, they didn’t think I was good enough to be there."
3. The Titans and Bucs have been conducting joint practices, and Koetter has been very impressed by the way his corps of receivers has been handling the Tennessee secondary. "They came out smoking," the head coach said.
PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Titans 20
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49ers vs. Texans Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 16th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
The San Francisco 49ers like to think they are launching into a new era with a new quarterback, and they are very optimistic that they can mount a strong bid to win the NFC West division title. And it had to be an encouraging thing that the reserves - who are battling for the opportunity to make the team - came from behind to capture a victory in the pre-season opener.
The Houston Texans finally found themselves a productive quarterback last season, but unfortunately they lost him to a knee injury. Now they have him back, and he got himself back into the swing of things last week, and that was a good thing. In a competitive AFC South, they will need their on-field leader.
NFL Football Previews and Predictions
So the Niners, off the 24-21 home win over the Dallas Cowboys, pay a visit to NRG Stadium to face the Texans, who beat the Kansas City Chiefs last week, in the second pre-season game for both squads.
TV: 8 PM ET, Local coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Texans -2.5. O/U: 41.5
ABOUT THE NINERS: Jimmy Garoppolo was used for only one drive in the pre-season opener against Dallas, completing three of six passes. CJ Beathard, who started some games last year and really took his lumps before Jimmy G assumed the starting role, was 10 for 20. Nick Mullens, a first-year pro out of Southern Miss, led the team on two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, including a seven-yard TD pass to rookie Richie James to win it. The Niners' offensive line did not allow a sack. The team is very excited about second-round draft pick Dante Pettis, who has been wowing everybody in practice and hauled in a 53-yard pass against the Cowboys. He's also got a baseball pedigree, as his dad, Gary Pettis, a major league center fielder, is third base coach for the Astros. So when Dante got to town for the Niners' joint practices with the Texans', he took batting practice with the team and reportedly hit more than share of pitches out of Minute Maid Park. Injuries have hit the Niners hard, and one move made recently was to sign Alfred Morris, who has been a 1000-yard rusher in the past, to a deal. By the way, Richard Sherman, still recovering from his Achilles injury, is taking it slow and has only had a few reps in practice drills. Kyle Shanahan is now 3-2 straight-up and against the spread in pre-season for his brief NFL coaching career.
ABOUT THE TEXANS: While the Niners signed a Morris, the Texans cut one. Houston used three quarterbacks in the pre-season opener against Kansas City, but Stephen Morris, who is #4 on the depth chart, didn't see action. He was let go on Monday as coach Bill O'Brien made other roster moves. DeShaun Watson, who led the Texans to a lot of points before suffering a knee injury last year, got a series, and is a full participant in the joint practices. O'Brien has no doubt that last year's first-round draft pick will be ready for the regular season opener. If anything happens to Watson, the Texans would have to turn to Brandon Weeden, who was once seen as the answer at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns but has since settled into the role of career backup. He was nine of 11 for 97 yards and two touchdowns last week, earning himself a QB rating of 143.0. Another quarterback on the Houston roster is a good guy to have around. Joe Webb, who once started an NFL playoff game for the Minnesota Vikings, is the third stringer, and can also line up at any number of positions, including running back and wide receiver, and he chips in on special teams and even a little defense. He's thrown only seven passes in regular season play since 2011. O'Brien hasn't been a bad coach in pre-season play, with a 10-6 record, both straight-up and against the number.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Texans have signed Nick Rose, who has kicked for the Redskins and Chargers, to a contract. Ka'imi Fairbairn, their regular kicker, is out for this week with an injury.
2. In a joint practice between the Niners and Texans, DeAndre Hopkins got into a fight with San Francisco corner Jimmy Ward (who got burned by Dak Prescott on a touchdown pass last week) and was ejected from the proceedings. He did, however, shake Ward's hand before he left the field.
3. San Francisco running back Matt Breida suffered a shoulder injury against Dallas, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he expects him to be out "for some time." Tight end George Kittle also injured his shoulder in the game. They'll probably miss the rest of the pre-season.
PREDICTION: Texans 21, Niners 17
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Bears vs. Broncos Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 17th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
There are some people who are giving the Chicago Bears a chance to make an impact in the NFC North, and a lot will depend on a quantum leap by their second-year signal-caller and his rapport with a revamped corps of receivers. Matt Nagy, the new head coach, is trying to create a positive atmosphere in camp, but you can't beat the boost that comes when you are able to sign a first-round draft choice who was holding out, and who they'll need to go toe-to-toe with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions.
The Denver Broncos are already in the middle of an interesting quarterback controversy, which has arisen not because of a two-touchdown loss last week, but because of what happened that almost brought this team back from a big deficit. Chad Kelly, making his first appearance, showed a lot of swagger and has now surpassed disappointing Paxton Lynch on the depth chart, and Lynch is none too happy about it. Does he have to do something dramatic to save his NFL life?
National Football League Previews and Predictions
We'll find out on Saturday night as the Bears and Broncos do battle at Mile High Stadium. In their pre-season opener, the Bears lost 30-27 to the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Broncos dropped a 42-28 home decision to the Minnesota Vikings.
TV: 9 PM ET, Local coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Broncos -3 (-125). O/U: 41
ABOUT THE BEARS: The Bears finally got first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, the All-America linebacker from Georgia, to sign a contract, and he quickly demonstrated his skills on the practice field, where, in the words of first-year head coach Matt Nagy, "his instincts showed up." It is possible that Smith could see some snaps against the Broncos. When a team has invested its future in a young quarterback, you naturally take a look at the progress he's making in pre-season games. But Mitchell Trubisky, who only started one year at North Carolina before the Bears made him the second selection in the 2017 draft, then came into the lineup in mid-season to take over from Mike Glennon, got to throw only four passes against Cincinnati. Tyler Bray, trying to hold on to the #3 spot behind Trubisky and Chase Daniel, got the bulk of the activity, and he had his ups and downs, going 18 of 27 for 219 yards. Ryan Nall, an undrafted rookie from Oregon State, had a 69-yard run, and tight end Daniel Brown, who is vying for a roster spot, had a 56-yard reception. Rookie wideout Anthony Miller didn't get a whole lot of activity, but he continues to be very impressive in team drills. Allowing two first-quarter touchdowns, however, does not make a strong statement for the defense. Remember that even with the regime change, this unit retained some continuity as coordinator Vic Fangio was kept on board.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS: Obviously the Broncos were not at the same place defensively that they are going to be in the regular season, but to surrender 406 yards from scrimmage and 42 points in the pre-season opener is an indication that there is much work to be done. And to be shredded by a pair of quarterbacks who had previously been rejected by this team was also an embarrassment. What made some of this palatable was the story that emerged at the quarterback spot. In the second half, Chad Kelly came into the game and engineered a pair of touchdown drives that actually put the Broncos ahead 28-27. This came after a rather lackluster effort by Paxton Lynch, who completed six of 11 passes for 24 yards. Remember that Lynch is the guy who had been drafted in the first round out of Memphis, and has been given several chances to prove he could take command of the offense, but hasn't. Meanwhile, Kelly, who had been thrown off the team at Clemson but went on to have success at Ole Miss, including a memorable upset of Alabama, was "Mr. Irrelevant," as the last player taken in the 2017 draft, and did not get to compete because of an injury. Now Kelly, who made some rookie mistakes but also went 14-of-21 for 177 yards and those two TD's, is the name on everybody's lips because Bronco fans are looking at a future beyond Case Keenum, who isn't seen as a long-term solution. And he has surpassed Lynch on the depth chart, so look for him to see extended action against second-team players this week. John Elway, the chief football executive for this team, who traded up to take Lynch in the 2016 draft, admitted that he may have made a mistake there and that he may seek some veteran help to back up indicating Lynch's days in the Rockies may be numbered.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Elway may indeed look for that veteran backup, but Colin Kaepernick won't be under consideration. He explained that the Broncos wanted to trade for Kaepernick after Peyton Manning retired, but the controversial signal-caller would not agree to a contract offer that included a pay cut.
2. Von Miller, Super Bowl MVP and All-Pro pass rusher for the Broncos, called Trubisky a "great quarterback" after a joint practice between the teams. "He was great last year," Miller said. "Great in college as well. He's their franchise quarterback... He can do a little bit of everything so you have to be prepared for everything."
3. There are spots open in the Broncos' backfield, and Phillip Lindsay, who played at the University of Colorado, is making a strong bid for one of them. Lindsay, who was not drafted, had only a couple of carries, but also returned kicks and had a 19-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter to put Denver ahead.
PREDICTION: Broncos 21, Bears 17
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Seahawks vs. Chargers Preview and Predictions in NFL
NFL Previews 17th August 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
It's kind of hard to tell what we're going to get out of the Seattle Seahawks this season because they have had to bid farewell to so many familiar names who helped guide the team to a Super Bowl championship and establish an atmosphere of intimidation. Right now what they'd really like to have is a ground game that produces, but their top draft pick isn't available to aid that quest at the moment.
The Los Angeles Chargers overcame a lot of early-season difficulties to come within a whisker of making the playoffs last season, and many of the pundits are expecting that they will carry their momentum from last year into the current campaign and win the AFC West. But they will have to clean up some of their mental mistakes from last week if they plan to do so.
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In their pre-season opener, the Seahawks lost 19-17 to the Indianapolis Colts, providing a nice re-entry for Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck. The Chargers dominated from scrimmage against the Arizona Cardinals, but mistakes doomed them to a 24-17 defeat in the desert.
These teams meet up in the late game on Saturday at the smallest venue in the NFL - the StubHub Center in Carson, CA.
TV: 10 PM ET, Local coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Chargers -3 (-120). O/U: 39
ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS: Seattle saw what it needed to out of starting quarterback Russell Wilson, who had the offense for just one drive, but took it down the field, completing four of five passes, culminating with a TD pass to Nick Vannett, who is trying to fill the void at tight end that was left by the departure of Jimmy Graham. First-round draft choice Rashaad Penny (San Diego State) suffered a broken finger and had to have surgery. It should keep him out until after the season opener, but it shouldn't be all that serious a thing for the long haul. Of course, head coach Pete Carroll is counting on Penny to be the guy who carries the load for a club that failed to get a consistent ground game going in 2017. CJ Prosise, the Notre Dame alum, is dealing with a hip flexor, so this opens up the door for a number of others, including Chris Carson, who had four carries for 26 yards. But there are not a lot of alternatives to choose from. Rookie Alex McGough had extensive action at the quarterback position (playing the whole second half) and completed ten of his 13 passes, getting sacked twice. McGough, whose name is pronounced "Magoo," has a lot of native ability and was impressive in spring drills after being drafted in the seventh round. But the learning curve for him has been a big one. he has struggled with grasping the playbook, and one must keep in mind that he didn't have a whole lot to work with when he played at Florida International. He'll continue to get snaps, but most of his throws will probably be of the low-risk variety, and he's not really a strong possibility to beat out Austin Davis for the backup job. At the moment, the Seahawks are +4500 to win the Super Bowl and +450 to capture the NFC West.
ABOUT THE CHARGERS: Anthony Lynn did not use Philip Rivers in the first pre-season game because he feared the action would be "too sloppy." But he will utilize his starting quarterback on Saturday. In his stead, the battle for the backup QB spot commenced against Arizona. Geno Smith had the most success, completing 14 of 23 passes for 218 yards. Cardale Jones hit on half of his twelve passes, and Nic Shimonek came in during the fourth quarter and averaged 2.8 yards an attempt. Truth be told, Shmonek, a rookie from Texas Tech, would like to hang around as the #3 man while Smith or Jones is sent packing, but he did not capitalize on a last-second drive that could have tied or won the game, even though the officials aided the Bolts with some key penalty calls. The Chargers ran out of time inside the Cards' five-yard line. Lynn was upset at the post-game press conference, citing his team's undisciplined play, which included four turnovers and had 155 yards in penalties. "Like I just told the guys, it doesn’t matter how much you dominate a team. If you lose in those two ways, it’s going to be a long night. And it was long," said Lynn. Joey Bosa, the Pro Bowl defensive lineman, will miss his second straight pre-season game on Saturday, the residue of a foot injury. The Chargers are +110 favorites to win the AFC West championship and a +1750 shot for Super Bowl 53.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Brian Schottenheimer is the new offensive coordinator for the Seahawks; he is the son of long-time head coach Marty Schottenheimer and has served as an assistant for a number of teams, including the St. Louis Rams, where he was the offensive coordinator from 2012-14.
2. The turnovers and penalties ruined what was a pretty good Charger effort, at least from a statistical standpoint. They had a 387-174 yardage edge, with 35 minutes of possession time, while holding the Cards to 0-for-11 on third down. It was the first time since 2016 that a team failed to convert a third down opportunity in a pre-season game.
3. Pete Carroll has put together a tremendous record in the pre-season; even after last week's loss, he is 32-18 straight-up and 31-16-3 against the spread in the exhibition slate.
PREDICTION: Chargers 23, Seahawks 17
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