Allen Eastman
Take Vanderbilt (+10) over South Carolina
Vanderbilt brings back just three offensive starters from 2008 and is just 3-14 and 5-11-1 ATS against the Gamecocks. But they managed a road upset, 17-6 as 13-point underdogs, last season and it was their highest win over a ranked opponent in 70 years. This should be a close game so we’ll take the points.
EZWINNERS
1 STAR: (908) DETROIT (+$141) over LA Angels
(Listing Rogers only)
(Risking $100 to win $141)
1 STAR: (901) PITTSBURGH (+$114) over Cincinnati
(Action)
(Risking $100 to win $114)
ARMVIN
KANSAS CITY ROYALS -109
WASHINGTON/NY GIANTS Over 41
VANDERBILT 10
PlayByPlayInc.
Wash/NYG Over
SC/ Vandy Over
Mighty Quinn
Redskins
Mike Wynn
Braves
Nathan Armstrong
WASHINGTON
VANDERBILT
JerseySteveWins
Vanderbilt +10
Vegas Vet
Pittsburgh
Aftermath Sports
Pittsburgh/Cincinnati Over 9.5
Jason Deihl
LA Angels -1.5
floridabookybusters
Oakland/Kansas City Under 9
James Patrick Sports
Nationals/Braves Over
ARTHUR RALPH
Redskins/Giants 41 .5 Under
JH-SPORTSLINE
Redskins +4.5
Cappers Access
Redskins
Vandy
Joe Wiz
Twins
Angels
Bob Donahue
Royals Gm 2
Lance's Lock
Redskins
Maddux Sports
Washington/NY Under 41.5
NFL Wise Guys
Giants
Vegas Hotsheet
South Carolina -10
Killer Bee Sports
Vanderbilt +10
Joey Hannigan Playmakers
South Carolina -9.5
ELP sports
Toronto
Insider Sports Report
Minnesota/Toronto UNDER 9
MVP
NATIONALS +115
RAZOR SHARP
NY YANKEES/TAMPA BAY UNDER
TOTALS 4 U
OAKLAND/KANSAS CITY UNDER
BIG TIME SPORTS
A's / ROYALS UNDER 8.5
#1 SPORTS
ATHLETICS/ROYALS UNDER 9
Hawkeye
Atlanta
DARK HORSE
LA Angels -145
Sports Advisors
NFL
Washington at N.Y. Giants
The defending Super Bowl champion Giants kick off the NFL’s 2008 season at home against the NFC East rival Redskins, who are looking for a return trip to the playoffs, this time under first-year coach Jim Zorn.
New York (10-6 SU and ATS in 2007) won three of its last five regular-season games to earn a wild-card spot, then left the Big Apple for four straight weeks en route to four straight playoff upsets. The Giants capped their stunning run with a 17-14 Super Bowl victory over previously unbeaten New England as a 12½-point underdog, the franchise’s third Super Bowl title.
Washington (9-7, 7-7-2 ATS in 2007) was a surprise guest at the 2007 playoff party, closing the season with four straight wins to steal a wild-card spot. However, the Redskins’ postseason stay didn’t last long, as they went scoreless for three quarters in an opening-round game at Seattle, then gave up three fourth-quarter TDs in a 35-14 loss to the Seahawks as a three-point underdog.
Giants QB Eli Manning, who had a serviceable regular season (3,336 passing yards, 23 TDs, 20 INTs), threw just one INT in the playoffs versus six TD tosses, including the title winner to Plaxico Burress in the final minute of play. Manning and Burress return to an offense that averaged 23.3 points and 331.4 yards per game, both of which ranked in the middle of the NFL’s pack.
Defensively, New York yielded 21.9 points and 305 yards per outing, the latter ranking fifth-best in the league. However, gone are defensive line stalwarts Michael Strahan (retirement) and Osi Umenyiora (season-ending injury), who combined for 22 sacks last year.
After starting QB Jason Campbell (knee) went down late last year, journeyman Todd Collins took over the offense and helped the Redskins to their late-season flourish. Campbell, who will return to his starting role, completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,700 yards in 13 games last year, with a TD-to-INT ratio of 12-11. Washington put up 20.9 points and 333.4 yards per game in 2007, and yielded 19.4 points and 305.2 yards per outing.
Including the playoffs, the Giants were a moneymaking machine away from home last year, going 10-2 ATS in road/neutral site games. In East Rutherford, however, they were 3-5 SU and 4-4 ATS, failing to cash in three of their last four home games. New York was also 6-4 ATS laying points last year and split the cash in its six division games. On the positive end, Tom Coughlin’s club enters 2008 on ATS streaks of 6-0 overall (playoffs included), 16-6 since late 2006, 5-1 in conference play and 9-4-1 inside the NFC East.
The Redskins went 4-4 SU and 4-3-1 ATS on the road last year, though they did cash in back-to-back roadies against the Giants and Vikings in December en route to making the playoffs. Washington is on a 4-1 ATS run overall but is just 9-19-4 ATS in its last 32 September games and 2-6-2 ATS in its past 10 season openers.
These two teams split last year’s season series, with the road team scoring an upset in each contest. The favorite is on a 5-2 ATS run in the last seven clashes.
Defending Super Bowl champs are 6-0-1 ATS the last seven years in these season-opening prime-time affairs.
For Washington, the under has cashed in five straight season openers and is on further runs of 6-1-1 in September and 17-8-3 against the NFC East. Meanwhile, for New York, the under is on streaks of 5-1 in division play and 5-1 inside the conference. Finally, the under has been the play in five straight series meetings at Giants Stadium.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. GIANTS and UNDER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(24) South Carolina (1-0 SU and ATS) at Vanderbilt (1-0 SU and ATS)
Two teams coming off impressive blowout wins open the SEC campaign against one another, as Steve Spurrier takes South Carolina to Vanderbilt for a battle with the Commodores in a nationally televised affair.
The Gamecocks looked sluggish in taking just a 3-0 first-half lead last Thursday against N.C. State, but then exploded for 31 points after the break en route to a 34-0 victory as a 14-point home favorite. South Carolina, which snapped a five-game SU and six-game ATS losing skid with the win and cover, was dominant on defense, allowing just 138 total yards (49 passing) while forcing four turnovers.
Vanderbilt went to Miami (Ohio) last Thursday as a 3½-point road underdog and rolled to a 34-13 upset victory, snapping a four-game slide (1-3 ATS) that dated to the end of the 2007 campaign. The Commodores had just a 20-yard edge in total offense (360-340), but they had 269 rushing yards, while the defense picked off three Miami (Ohio) passes.
South Carolina will have revenge in mind tonight after last season’s stunning 17-6 loss to Vandy as a 13-point home favorite – a defeat that started the Gamecocks’ season-ending five-game slide and snapped a seven-game winning streak over the Commodores. The visitor has dominated this rivalry from a pointspread perspective, going 5-0 ATS in the last five clashes, and South Carolina has won five straight at Vandy.
The Gamecocks are on ATS streaks of 9-3 against winning teams, 10-3-1 on the road, 5-1 in September and 4-0 on Thursday nights. However, they failed to cash in their last four SEC games in 2007. Meanwhile, the Commodores are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 in September, but 5-11 ATS in their last 16 at home and 3-6 ATS in the last nine as a home pup.
After a shaky outing from starting QB Tommy Beecher last week (12 completions, 4 INTs), Spurrier has turned his offense over to sophomore Chris Smelley, who went 5-for-5 for 92 yards and two TD passes in relief of Beecher versus N.C. State. However, last year at Vandy, Smelley finished 14-for-24 for just 154 yards with no TDs and two INTS.
For Vanderbilt, the under is on runs of 10-3 overall, 7-1 at home, 8-1 in SEC play and 6-1 in September. Meanwhile, the under is 5-2 in South Carolina’s last seven overall and 25-9 in its last 34 on the highway.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA and UNDER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
N.Y. Yankees (75-64) at Tampa Bay (84-53)
The Yankees gun for an important three-game sweep of the first-place Rays, but to do so they’ll need Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08 ERA) to outpitch Tampa ace Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13).
Despite cruising to wins of 7-2 on Tuesday and 8-4 on Wednesday, New York still trails the first-place Rays by 10 games in the A.L. East and wild-card-leading Boston by 6½ games. The Yankees have won six straight on the road, scoring 50 runs in the six contests. However, they’re 5-11 in Rasner’s last 16 starts overall and 2-7 in his last nine on the highway.
Tampa Bay has followed up a five-game winning streak with consecutive losses, and its A.L. East lead over Boston is down to three games. The Rays are still on impressive runs of 23-9 overall, 48-14 at home, 55-27 against right-handed starters, 36-19 against winning teams and 5-2 versus A.L. East rivals. Tampa is also 16-5 in Kazmir’s last 21 trips to the mound overall and 20-8 in his last 28 outings at home.
New York has now won nine of the last 12 meetings with the Rays, including the last four in a row.
Rasner has just one quality start in his last 10 outings, and he’s surrendered 10 runs (seven earned) in his last two outings spanning 9 1/3 innings, with the Yankees beating Baltimore 8-7 on the road and losing to Toronto 7-6 at home. The right-hander is just 2-6 with a 5.53 ERA on the road, and tonight marks his first career start against Tampa Bay.
Kazmir is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last three starts, allowing five runs in 17 1/3 innings, with Tampa Bay beating the Rangers (7-4 on the road), White Sox (5-3 on the road) and Orioles (14-3 at home). The Rays are 7-1 in Kazmir’s last eight trips to the hill, with the southpaw yielding two earned runs or fewer in six of those contests.
Kazmir is 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 home starts, and the Rays have won 10 of those outings. Also, even though he’s just 3-4 in 11 career games (10 starts) against the Yankees, he’s got a 2.76 ERA. In two starts versus the Bronx Bombers this season, he’s 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA.
The first two games of this series have flown over the posted total. The over is also 8-2 in New York’s last 10 games overall (5-0 last five), 6-1 in New York’s last seven on the road, 7-2 in Tampa’s last nine overall (5-0 last five, all at home) and 9-3-1 in Rasner’s last 13 trips to the bump.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES and OVER
Matt Foust
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants Under 41.0
The NFL season ramps up tonight with a NFC East division battle between the Giants and Redskins. New York will play host as they celebrate last season’s Super Bowl Championship. It should be an exciting game, but we are going to go with a play on the under 41.
The Washington Redskins have a number of offensive weapons and one of those is quarterback Jason Campbell. However, Campbell, along with his offensive teammates, will be working Jim Zorn’s offense for the first time in a game that counts. They will be doing so in front of a fired up capacity crowd. It will not be an easy task for them to move up and down the field, and they will need to establish the running game if they are to do so. If they get the ground game rolling, they will eat more clock, if they do not, Campbell and the offense will be in for a long night. They Giants secondary can be exploited, but if Campbell is under pressure, that possibility remains remote. Despite the loss of Strahan and Umenyiora, the Giants defensive line is still solid, and Justin Tuck is a game changing force.
The Giants, like the Redskins, will be working against a solid run defense, but I look for them to go right after Washington’s defensive line. Coughlin wants to control the clock and get Eli Manning in a comfort zone; the best way to do that is to pound the ball on the ground. The Giants will be looking to win the same way they did in the post-season: shut down the other team’s passing game with pressure on the quarterback, control the clock by pounding the ball on the ground, and take advantage of big play opportunities when they present themselves. This is also a good formula for going under the total.
Things to consider: The under was 4-2 last season when the Giants played a division opponent, the under is 5-9-1 in the Giants last 15 games as a home favorite versus an NFC East foe, the under is 4-10-1 in the Giants last 15 as a home favorite against any team, the under is 3-10-2 in Washington’s last 15 games as a road dog versus an NFC East team, and the under is 7-0-1 in the last eight games between these two teams at New York (average game score 25.6).
Pick: Take the UNDER 41
FRANK ROSENTHAL
901 PIRATES OVER 9.5 SB+
907 ANGELS-150 SB
912 RAYS-165 SB
NFL - WEEK 1
452 GMEN-4 SB
UNDER 41.5 SB
COLLEGE FOOTBALL THURSDAY
301 SO CAROLINA-9.5 SB
WILD BILL
Pirates +120 (5 units)
Reds-Pirates Over 9 1/2 (5 units)
Washington +115 (5 units)
Padres +210 (5 units)
Twins +105 (5 units)
Twins-Jays Over 8 1/2 (5 units)
A's +105 game 1 (5 units)
A's game 2 (5 units)
Vanderbilt +10 (5 units)
Chris Jordan
Anaheim -140 at DETROIT
How this team is laying this cheap a price is beyond me, but okay, let’s take Ervin Santana and lay the chalk against Kenny Rogers. While Santana has seemed to regain his form lately, stifling the Devil Rays, Twins and Rangers in his last three starts, Rogers has been rocked by the lowly Royals twice by identical numbers – six innings and six earned runs. And Detroit’s southpaw is 3-5 at home on the season with a 4.79 ERA, while he’s 1-6 since July 28, having given up 33 earned runs over 40-1/3 innings for an ERA of 7.36. It’s almost tempting to play this one on the run line.
Instead, though, let’s just lay the chalk with Santana, as he’s comes in after pitching brilliantly against the Rangers last Friday, allowing just one run on five hits over eight innings. He was spot on with his 97 mile-per-hour fastball, which was complimented nicely by an assortment of devastating sliders and an occasional changeup. His command of the zone was phenomenal, as he struck out seven and walked just one. And since he’s 4-2 with a 4.62 ERA in six career starts against Detroit, I’d say he’ll be confident in this one.
3♦ ANGELS
LOCK OF THE DAY
Thursday's Lock: NYG/Redskins Over 41
We'll make a small wager on the Over in tonight's NFL Opener. The Giants have lost their two best defensive players since winnng the Superbowl, Strahan and Umenyiora. Washington will be able to score some points in this game. Jason Campbell is a capable QB and the Skins have some super talent at wide receiver. Eli Manning will also get the G-men into the endzone at least three times. The Over is our pick.
Brandon Lang
15 Dime NY Giants
Free Sou Carolina
Sean Higgs
Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves
Play: Washington Nationals
Tonight, Sean Higgs will back the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves. Streaking Nats are 8-1 their last 9 and have won 5 straight over the Braves. Braves are 0-8 in Reyes' last 8 starts.
Larry Ness
MIN (-105) vs TOR
The Twins are stumbling as they get ready to play the final game of their 14-game road trip tonight in Toronto. The Twins had lost six in a row to the Jays as they began the series on Tuesday. Minnesota let a 5-1 lead slip away in that game (lost 7-5) and then last night, after scoring to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth, closer Joe Nathan couldn't hold the lead, suffering his sixth blown save (Twins lost 6-5 in 11 innings). The Twins have now dropped EIGHT of their last 11 games but luckily, remain just one game back of the White Six in the AL Central. Meanwhile, Toronto will attempt to make it NINE straight wins over the Twins, going back to last year. Jesse Litsch (9-8, 4.01 ERA) gets the call for Toronto and he was not sharp in his most recent outing (last Thursday), allowing 10 hits but only three ERs in a 3-2 loss at Tampa. That game followed two strong outings from Litsch, since his return from the minors in mid-August. Litsch had been demoted after a three-start stretch (spanning the All Star game) in which he had allowed 22 hits and 15 ERs over 12.2 innings (10.66 ERA). Litsch had pitched 13 innings without allowing a single ER in games against Detroit and Boston, prior to that shaky outing against the Rays. While the Twins are definitely reeling, they do have Kevin Slowey on the mound, who will enter this game 4-0 with a 2.32 ERA over his last five starts (team is 4-1). Slowey's made two previous starts on Minnesota's never-ending road trip, going 1-0 (team is 2-0) with a 2.92 ERA (15 Ks and just four walks). I may be "spitting into the wind" here, but I'll back Slowey and the Twins.
Jorge Gonzalez
LA ANGELS
The Angels finally came back down to earth in last nights 9-6 loss to the Detroit. Despite the loss, the Angels are by far the best team in baseball from this season with a record of 41-26. Don’t expect much of a let down by the Angels. I like them to bounce back here in this spot and win this series against the Tigers. The Angels will send Ervin Santana (14-5, 3.31) to the mound to face veteran Kenny Rogers (9-12, 5.28). Santana has been sensational over his last six starts striking out 48 batters while walking only six on his way to four victories. On the other hand Rogers has been getting cranked over his last three outings with an ERA of 7.50. The Tigers have won just one of Rogers last six starts. Take the Angels here to take the runner game in this series.
Tom Freese
NY YANKEES
New York has won 6 straight road games and they are 39-13 in Game 3 of a series. The Yankees are 21-11 after a win by 4 or more runs. Tampa Bay is 3-7 their last 10 home games vs. the Yankees. The Ray's ace starter Scott Kazmir has not pitched past the sixth in 13 of his last 14 starts.
Scott Delaney
PIRATES / REDS OVER
Matinee total may be going early, but for me it’s well worth the play with these two pitchers going at it. Tom Gorzelanny is 1-7 on the road with a 9.50 ERA, and all eight of his starts on the highway have soared past the number. He also comes in after losing two straight since returning to the rotation, as Milwaukee drilled him twice (Aug. 23 and 29), giving up nine earned runs over 12 innings of work. And when he did face the Reds back on May 28, he lasted just one inning after giving up six earned runs. On the other hand, we have Josh Fogg, who is 1-3 at home in six home starts this season, and has a 9.00 ERA to go along with it. He too has been horrendous lately, as he’s given up nine earned runs in his last three starts, spanning 15 innings. He just lost to the Pirates on Aug. 13, when the Bucs got a hold of him for four earned runs over five innings. Four of his home starts have gone over, and given the rather generous number in this one, I see this one going high as well.
3♦ OVER