Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

November Paths for Five NFC Contenders

Friday, Oct 29, 2021

Week 8 of the NFL season started with a huge Thursday night clash in the NFC as the Packers narrowly held off the Cardinals in a battle of top NFC contenders. Five teams have created separation in the NFC as top conference title threats, here is a look at the November paths for those teams as the potential playoff bracket is starting to come into form. These teams are listed in the current standings as of 10/29/2021 Green Bay Packers (+450 to win the NFC as of 10/29/21) Green Bay is 7-1 and on top of the NFC standings after knocking off the league’s final undefeated team on Thursday night in Week 8. The Packers also earned the head-to-head tiebreaker with Arizona in pursuit of earning the top seed in the NFC for a second consecutive season. Winning while short-handed was a great result for Green Bay, now winners of seven straight games since the opening loss to the Saints but Green Bay has the weakest scoring differential of the top threats in the NFC and will have a difficult November path. The Packers will have an extended turnaround ahead of Week 9 after the early game in Week 8, but they will head to Kansas City next for a difficult game, even if the Chiefs have been vulnerable this season. Green Bay catches a break in Week 10 as a potentially difficult home game with Seattle seems likely to be without Russell Wilson, although some are suggesting his timetable could be moved up. A huge division game at Minnesota is ahead in Week 11 while on Thanksgiving weekend the Packers host the Rams before a Week 13 bye week. A 2-2 November might be considered an acceptable result for Green Bay with some of the season’s most difficult games ahead in the next few weeks. Arizona Cardinals (+550 to win the NFC as of 10/29/21) Falling from the ranks of the unbeaten was a tough result for Arizona last week, particularly given the golden opportunity to escape with a win that was there in the final minute last week vs. Green Bay. Given how difficult the NFC West was projected to be this season, any Cardinals fan must still be thrilled that the team is 7-1, a year after finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs entirely last season. The Cardinals have the top scoring differential in the NFC and while there are wins over Houston and Jacksonville included to boost the numbers, Arizona has road wins over Tennessee, the LA Rams, and Cleveland as this is not an empty 7-1 resume. The Cardinals have two difficult division games remaining in November but playing at San Francisco and at Seattle no longer looks quite as difficult as expected. Russell Wilson could be back for the Seahawks in time for that Week 11 game but with a home game with Carolina in Week 10, the next three weeks are a very manageable path for the Cardinals as moving back ahead of the Packers is certainly a possible outcome by the end of the month. Getting a long layoff ahead of the Week 9 game with San Francisco could be greatly beneficial given the lingering injury issues for a few key players but it is clear that Arizona isn’t going anywhere as a serious NFC threat even after taking its first loss. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+250 to win the NFC as of 10/29/21) The Buccaneers haven’t necessarily looked like the defending Super Bowl champions in a 6-1 start but a big reason the Buccaneers were the prohibitive favorite in the NFC while having a great chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions is a favorable schedule. Tampa Bay’s best win so far this season was the narrow opening week win over Dallas as they lost their big road test to the Rams. Tampa Bay won’t play the other three NFC contenders on this list and the most formidable remaining game is a December home game with Buffalo as the path to the best record in the NFC remains clear for Tampa Bay. October closes with a big division game in New Orleans and a win in that game would give Tampa Bay a significant cushion in the division race. Tampa Bay has a bye week in Week 9 before a playoff rematch at Washington in Week 10. The Buccaneers will complete its series with the four NFC East teams hosting the Giants in Week 11 before a potentially dangerous game in Indianapolis in Week 12. With only three November games, the bye week may be the most important factor for Tampa Bay this month and it is hard to see this group having more than two losses heading into December. Los Angeles Rams (+400 to win the NFC as of 10/29/21) The Rams have started 6-1 but they are behind in the NFC West race by virtue of the head-to-head loss hosting Arizona in Week 4. Los Angeles does have a big potential tiebreaker under its belt from beating Tampa Bay in Week 3 and five of six wins for Los Angeles have been against the NFC as Los Angeles will be facing AFC teams in three of the next five games. The Week 14 game at Arizona will loom large in the division race and the chances for the Rams to be the top NFC seed are hurt by a late season schedule closing with Minnesota, Baltimore, and San Francisco, all teams that seem likely to need late season wins in the wild card race. In the short term the Rams have a serious shot to move up to being the #1 seed in the NFC in November as they close the month at Green Bay after a bye week for a great opportunity to earn a key tiebreaker. After playing as a big favorite in Houston this week, a big AFC test is ahead Sunday night in Week 9 with the Titans before a Monday night game in San Francisco in Week 10 as the Rams will be in the spotlight in November with a chance to move up in the NFC pecking order. Dallas Cowboys (+600 to win the NFC as of 10/29/21) As strange as it sounds Dallas may be the overlooked and undervalued team in the NFC race. There is not much of a case for Dallas being the most complete nor the best team in the NFC, and the current Dak Prescott injury situation is a big shadow over that prospect. The NFC East will provide Dallas with a better opportunity than the rest of the conference however. The only noteworthy wins for Dallas so far are narrow road escapes vs. the Chargers and Patriots but Dallas has an incredibly favorable remaining schedule and still has a realistic chance to end up with the top record in the NFC. Dallas was off in Week 7 and Prescott’s status remains up in the air for Week 8 at Minnesota in one of the most difficult remaining games of the season. If Dallas can win that game, they have home dates with Denver and Atlanta the next two weeks before a big Week 11 game in Kansas City that should be a highly anticipated game. Dallas closes November with the Raiders on Thanksgiving Day and while four of the final six games will be road games for the Cowboys, four of those final six games will be division games. Dallas has a substantial lead in the NFC East and may not face much pressure to go for the #1 seed in the NFC, but at full strength the Cowboys are only likely to be an underdog in two of three remaining games from November to January. Last season there was much talk of how much more valuable being the #1 seed was in the NFL playoff field with the switch to a 14-team field and only two teams getting playoff bye weeks, but the Super Bowl champion wound up being the #5 seed in the NFC team as a wild card that won three road games before catching a big advantage with a home Super Bowl. The #1 seed did win the NFC in 2019 and 2017 with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl as the #1 seed in 2017 as the last NFC team to do so and over time it should play out to be a significant advantage in the new playoff format. The standings are likely to shuffle significantly in the upcoming weeks and while Green Bay has the current momentum as the top spot, they appear to have the most difficult path in the coming weeks to hold as they try to repeat as the #1 seed in the NFC again this season.

College Football's Sweet Snowman System

by Tom Stryker

Friday, Oct 29, 2021

When I was on the links, I never really cared for the dreaded snowman. For those of you that didn’t play golf, a snowman is a slang term players use for a score of eight on any individual hole. Let me tell you, when I first started hacking away, the snowman and I were really good friends. Thankfully, game eight in the college football season has been much kinder in a sports wagering way. With the help of my college football database, the same one that was featured in the December 13th, 2010, issue of the ESPN Insider magazine, I’ve been able to isolate and profit from a number of late season technical sets that have performed very well. Here is a unique game eight situation that has been extremely profitable. Take a look: Since 1980, PLAY ON any college football game eight team that holds a 4-3 SU record provided they enter off two or more straight up wins and are currently lined up against a conference foe that owns a team won/loss percentage of .500 or better. 41-Year ATS Record = 66-30 ATS for 68.7 percent This Week’s Plays = TROY STATE, WISCONSIN, and LA-MONROE (ULM) There are a couple of additional parameters that can be added to this general system that really make it pop. If our “play on” side is running with revenge and priced as a favorite or an underdog of +14 or less, this Sweet Snowman System tightens up to a spectacular 28-6 ATS for 82.3 percent. Last year, the Badgers (-1) visited Iowa City and dropped a 28-7 decision to the Hawkeyes. This season, UW is a -3.5-point home favorite over Iowa, and it fits this exclusive situation perfectly. (Troy State is priced at +19 and ULM is at grabbing +27.5 so they don’t apply.) The Badgers will use the strength of this Sweet Snowman System and “jump around” to a huge win early on Saturday afternoon. Good luck with Wisky this week!

NFL Stock Rising and Falling: Week 8

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Oct 29, 2021

It's hard to believe but we're nearing the halfway point of the 2021 NFL season. With only 13 teams having posted above .500 records to date the stakes are especially high entering Sunday's action. Here's a quick look around the league at two teams that are on the rise and two that are on their way down in this week's edition of 'Stock Rising and Falling'.Stock risingAtlanta FalconsI'm hesitant to include the Falcons in this category as their last two wins have come against the likes of the Jets and Dolphins. However, the runway is clear for Atlanta to keep rolling as hosts the reeling Panthers this week. We've finally seen veteran QB Matt Ryan find some chemistry with much-hyped rookie TE Kyle Pitts and it should only be a matter of time before WR Calvin Ridley rounds back into form. Ridley has found it tough sledding in the post-Julio Jones era but I would anticipate Ryan force-feeding him a little more in the weeks to come. Defensively, the Falcons haven't had to be great but the good news is, they won't face a truly elite offensive opponent until Week 10 when they travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys.Indianapolis ColtsThe Colts got off to a slow start this season but that was to be expected as they faced a brutal early schedule that included games against the (then healthy) Seahawks, Rams, Titans and Ravens in the first four weeks. They've turned the corner since, posting consecutive wins over the Texans and 49ers and now comes a true statement game against the division-rival Titans on Sunday in Indy. I've never been all that high on QB Carson Wentz but there's no denying he's put the team on his back lately, throwing eight touchdown passes while running for another without tossing a single interception in the last four games. He gets another mouth-watering matchup against the Titans defense this week and I would anticipate head coach Frank Reich coming up with an aggressive offensive gameplan to take advantage of that unit being on a bit of a heater.Stock fallingMiami DolphinsI question what type of spot the Dolphins are in mentally after last Sunday's demoralizing last-second loss against the Falcons. Credit Miami for battling back and taking the lead late in that game, but it couldn't make it stand up as its defense once again dropped the proverbial ball. Of course, defense was supposed to be the strength of the Fins but that simply hasn't been the case. Now Miami faces the unenviable task of traveling to Buffalo to face a Bills squad that will be in a foul mood following a Monday night loss against the Titans (which was followed by a bye week). The good news is that relief should come in the form of five of Miami's next six games coming against the Texans, Jets (twice), Panthers and Giants. San Francisco 49ersIs it another lost season in Santa Clara? It certainly appears headed that way after the 49ers fell in a rain-soaked primetime game against the Colts last Sunday. Rookie QB Trey Lance is still banged-up while Jimmy Garroppolo looks like anything but the answer under center. While injuries have certainly played a role in the 49ers struggles this season, there are other issues lying beneath the surface. We've seen the wide receiving corps fail to make plays at key points while the running backs just haven't been afforded nearly the time and space we've seen them enjoy in recent years. San Fran's defense is healthier than it was during a disastrous 2020 campaign but it hasn't made much of a different as opponents are routinely marching up and down the field on them. Maybe the Niners right the ship in a favored role in Chicago this Sunday but sitting at 2-4 the path to the playoffs is anything but clear.

The Worst College Football Teams in the Country

by Oskeim Sports

Friday, Oct 29, 2021

Each week, college football fans, players, coaches, and more sift through an endless supply of information about the sport with most of it geared toward the best. The best coach. The best quarterback. The best player. The best team. What about the worst team? Not that you want to be in that category, but if there is a best there has to be a worst, right? So, which team or teams would fit into the category of worst? The U’s If your college team is identified with a “U” at the beginning of its name, you might have one of the worst college football teams in the country. UNLV, emphasis on the “L,” is 0-7. The Rebels looked like they might grab their first win last week but allowed San Jose State to block a field goal and then drive the length of the field for the game-winning touchdown in the game’s final minutes. UConn (1-8) and UMass (1-6) actually played each other in this year. UMass picked up its only win of the 2021 season, a 27-13 defeat of the Huskies whose only win came against FCS Yale and even that wasn’t easy. UConn held off a late Yale rally after leading 21-0 to win 21-15. 19 Straight It’s hard to lose 19 straight games as an FBS program. Arizona has done it pretty easily though the Wildcats did put up a fight against a two-win Washington last week. Arizona, which is 0-6 thus far this season, led 16-7 in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats allowed two fourth-quarter Washington touchdowns and lost 21-16. The Wildcats will go after their first win in 20 games this weekend when they play at USC. This Is Kansas, Dorothy Ahh…Kansas. Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. When is it basketball season? The Jayhawks are currently 1-6 with new head coach Lance Leipold attempting to build something. After a season-opening win over that juggernaut known as FCS South Dakota, the Jayhawks have lost games by scores like 49-22, 45-7, and 59-7. The Jayhawks can’t score – 17.7 points per game ranks 117th in the nation – and they can’t stop anybody. Kansas gives up 46.8 points a game. That ranks 129th. Only Arkansas State (47.8 ppg) is worse. Florida International There’s an FBS program named Florida International? Wow! Who knew. Apparently, no one really cares since Florida International University, aka FIU, is 1-6 this season. They are one of the worst defensive teams in the country giving up 40.8 points per game. That ranks 125th out of 130 FBS programs. Not good. The Panthers' only win this season came against FCS LIU, aka Long Island University, a program that is in its second year of play at the FCS level. Yikes! Green Wave Tulane is one of the few FBS programs whose nickname does not end with the letter “s.” The Green Wave are also one of the worst college football programs in the country. Tulane is currently 1-7 and soon to be 1-8 as the Green Wave face No. 2 Cincinnati this weekend. In their last three games, the Green Wave defense has waved bye-bye to numerous touchdown scorers. Tulane has given up 147 points in those three games. The Wave is right in there with UMass and Kansas ranking 128th in scoring defense allowing opponents 46 points per game. That won’t win many games. Blue Mexico State Coaches and players are sad at New Mexico State since they are just 1-6 this season. That’s nothing new. The only win this season came against FCS South Carolina State. The Aggies lost to Hawaii 48-34 last week and that was their second loss of the season to the Rainbow Warriors this season. New Mexico State is so bad they have to fill their schedule with teams they have already lost to.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, NHL, NBA, and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 10/29/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Oct 29, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in MLB, NCAAF, CFL, the NBA, and the NHL.The World Series in Major League Baseball resumes with Game 3 on Fox with the first pitch at 8:09 PM ET. Houston evened this series at 1-1 with a 7-2 victory at home against Atlanta on Wednesday. The series moves to Atlanta for the next three days. The Astros turn to Luis Garcia tonight against the Braves Ian Anderson. Both teams are a -110 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Week 9 of the college football season continues with two games between FBS opponents. Tulsa hosts Navy on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET. The Golden Hurricane has won three of their four last four games with their 32-31 win at South Florida as a 7.5-point favorite on October 16th. They are 3-4 on the season. The Midshipmen have lost three in a row after their 27-20 loss to Cincinnati as a 28.5-point underdog on Saturday. Navy has a 1-6 record. Tulsa is an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 47.Nevada plays at home against UNLV on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET. The Wolf Pack had their three-game winning streak end with a 34-32 loss at Fresno State as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. They have a 5-2 record. The Rebels remained winless after a 27-20 loss to San Jose State as a 6-point underdog on Thursday of last week. Nevada is a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 58.Two games kick off Week 13 in the Canadian Football League on ESPN+. Calgary visits Ottawa at 7 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 42.5. Hamilton plays at Edmonton at 9:45 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 43. Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Toronto hosts Orlando at 7:10 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 210. Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Brooklyn plays at home against Indiana as an 8-point favorite with a total of 223.5. Miami is at home against Charlotte on ESPN as a 6-point favorite. Sacramento travels to New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 219.5. Two games in the NBA begin at 10:10 PM ET. Denver is at home against Dallas on ESPN as a 1-point favorite. Portland hosts the Los Angeles Clippers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 224. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against Cleveland at 10:40 PM ET as a 9-point favorite. Six games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Four games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Florida visits Detroit as a -185 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers are at home against Columbus as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Washington hosts Arizona as a -265 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Carolina is at home against Chicago as a -175 money line favorite with a total of 6. Vegas hosts Anaheim at 8:08 PM ET as a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Dallas plays at home against Ottawa at 8:38 PM ET as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.

Early Season Look at NBA Futures

by ASA, Inc.

Thursday, Oct 28, 2021

This article will be contrarian to what you normally read regarding a Future prediction as we aren’t going to give you teams to bet on, but instead, teams to avoid in your betting strategies. It’s early in the NBA season but some things have become all-to-clear in our eyes and we’ll go on record with the following speculations. NBA TEAMS “NOT” TO PUT ON YOUR FUTURES TICKET Los Angeles Lakers +550 We had our thoughts on this Lakers team going into the season but wanted to see the team’s chemistry in the first few games before coming to this conclusion. The Lakers won’t play in the Finals this season and will not have the opportunity to win it all in 2022. This team had the best overall defensive efficiency numbers in the NBA a year ago allowing just 1.071-Points Per Possession. The offense was another matter ranking 24th in terms of Offensive Efficiency. LeBron forced the Lakers hand in the offseason and rebuilt this aging roster to his liking and it doesn’t look good. How have the Lakers gotten better offensively or defensively? Russell Westbrook is a triple-threat machine when he dominates the basketball but that doesn’t fit the Lakers style and LeBron. Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo are well past their prime and not the complimentary pieces James and Anthony need. We are only a few games in, and the Lakers offensive numbers have improved slightly over last year’s, but their defensive efficiency has dipped to 25th allowing 1.120-Points Per Possession. Don’t be surprised if this roster gets shook up before the All-Star break when LeBron and the Lakers get desperate to make a playoff run. RUNNER UP – WHO NOT TO BET Golden State Warriors +900 The Warriors should not be the 4th highest bet team to win the NBA Finals. The West is loaded at the top with Utah, Denver, Phoenix and even the Clippers, Blazers and Mavericks. The Warriors lofty numbers here are swayed by the eventual return of Klay Thompson and evolution of James Wiseman. If we combine the East and West, our model currently has the Warriors as the 10th best team in the NBA. The Warriors had a .542 winning percentage a year ago and the 14th best average Margin of Victory of +0.9PPG. Golden State was 24-10 SU last season against teams ranked 17th or worse in the NBA and 15-25 SU against teams ranked 16th or better. It’s tough to get through the Playoffs when you can’t beat the league's best teams.

World Series Game 3 Preview

by Ben Burns

Thursday, Oct 28, 2021

With the teams splitting the first two games at Houston, we're down to a "Best Of Five" World Series. A pivotal Game 3 goes Friday, at Atlanta. It'll be the first time that two rookie starting pitchers oppose each other in the WS, since 2006. Let's take a closer look. THE STARTERSIan Anderson goes for the Braves. Having not reached enough innings last year, he's still technically a "rookie." However, he's already got plenty of postseason experience. In fact, this will already be his eighth career playoff start. He's 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA through the first seven, striking out 36 in 30 2/3 innings. This season, he was 9-5 with a 3.58 ERA.Luis Garcia doesn't have the playoff numbers that Anderson does. However in Game 6 of the ALCS, when Houston needed him most, he bounced back with an absolutely dominant performance. In fact, he took a no-hitter into the 6th inning. It was the second most number of "no-hit" innings by a rookie, in playoff history. (Wacha had a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings in the 2013 NLDS.) He was 11-8 with a 3.48 ERA on the season. THE ODDSDespite the Braves "having home field advantage," the Game 3 line is essentially a "pick'em." Perhaps, that's because playing at home hasn't been much of an advantage, in recent Fall Classics. Houston's Game 2 win was the first (victory) by a home team since Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. The Braves were 42-38 at home this season. The Astros were 44-37 on the road. THE O/U LINEThe first two games have seen the final scores land right on, or near, the number. Game 1 saw eight runs scored. Game 2 saw the teams combine for nine. Fittingly, at most shops, the O/U line is 8.5 for Game 3. GAME 3 IS IMPORTANTLast year, the Dodgers and Rays were tied 1-1. The Dodgers took Game 3 and went on to become champions. That game marked the 17th time in 40 years that the World Series was tied after two games. Including the Dodgers last year, 13 of the 17 Game 3 winners went on to win the series. While there were a few recent teams that did lose Game 3 and went on to win, that's still better than 76% over a 40-year span. Recall that the Astros were tied 1-1 in the 2017 WS. They won Game 3 and went on to win in seven.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/28/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 28, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and the NHL.Week 8 in the National Football League kicks off with Arizona hosting Green Bay on Fox and the NFL Network at 8:20 PM ET. The Cardinals remained unbeaten after their first seven games with their 31-5 victory against Houston as a 20.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Packers improved to 6-1 on the season with their 24-10 win against Washington as an 8.5-point favorite on Sunday. Arizona is a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The college football season continues with two games between FBS opponents to begin of Week 9 at 7:30 PM ET. East Carolina plays at home against South Florida on ESPN. The Pirates lost their second in a row after a 31-24 loss in overtime at Houston as a 13.5-point underdog on Saturday. They have a 3-4 record this season. The Bulls ended a three-game losing streak with a 34-13 win against Temple as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. They improved their record to 2-5. East Carolina is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 56. Coastal Carolina is at home against Troy on ESPN2. The Chanticleers lost for the first time in seven games this year with a 30-27 upset loss at Appalachian State as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Trojans have won two in a row after their 31-28 victory at Texas State as a 7-point favorite on October 16th. They improved to 4-3 with the win. Coastal Carolina is a 17.5-point favorite, with the total at 51.5.Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Philadelphia hosts Detroit as a 10.5-point favorite. Atlanta visits Washington as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 222. Two more NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against New York as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 215. Utah travels to Houston as a 9-point road favorite with a total of 222.5. Dallas is at home against San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. Golden State hosts Memphis at 10:10 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233. Nine games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays at home against Arizona as a -320 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Pittsburgh is at home against Calgary as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Carolina hosts Boston as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6. Colorado visits St. Louis at 8:08 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games start at 10:08 PM ET. Minnesota travels to Seattle as a -110 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Anaheim plays at home against Buffalo as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vancouver is at home against Philadelphia at 10:11 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two games close out the card in the NHL at 10:41 PM ET. Winnipeg visits Los Angeles to play the Kings as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. San Jose hosts Montreal as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6.

NFL Week 8 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Oct 27, 2021

BEST GAME – Green Bay at Arizona (-3.5)Green Bay 6-1 SU, 6-1 ATSArizona 7-0 SU, 6-1 ATSThe Packers and Aaron Rodgers haven’t exactly kissed and made up, but their marriage of accommodation appears to be holding firm through the first half of the schedule. Rodgers’s three TD passes and 274 yards through the air offset getting sacked three times by Washington on Sunday, and the Pack are putting some air between themselves and the rest of the NFC North. A lot of credit has to go to a more-than decent defense which held the WFT to three points on four second-half red zone trips. This, despite missing four starters. Whether GB can hold it together twice in five days will be interesting when the Packers hit the road Thursday night against the undefeated and dominant Cardinals. Arizona had the next-beat thing to a bye this past Sunday, with Houston in town, and will have a huge prep edge against Green Bay. This game also has the highest total (53.5) on the board, due no doubt to the Cardinals’ potent offense (7th in the NFL) going against what has to be a rubber-legged GB defense that may or may be near full strength.WORST GAME – Philadelphia at Detroit (+3)Philadelphia 2-5 SU, 3-4 ATSDetroit 0-7 SU, 4-3 ATSWith a 17-game schedule and an extra playoff team in the mix, five losses in seven games may not be the death sentence that it once was. But the Eagles have to right the ship, and fast, after an embarrassing and error-laden loss at Las Vegas. Simply put, Philly couldn’t move the ball until the fourth quarter when it didn’t matter. When your QB (Jalen Hurts) is also your leading rusher, there are problems. But the winless Lions don’t want to hear about anyone’s else’s issues, and it’s no consolation that Detroit has come close several times and actually has a better record ATS than 19 other teams in the NFL.BIGGEST SPREAD – Los Angeles Rams at Houston (+14.5)Los Angeles 6-1 SU, 4-3 ATSHouston 1-6 SU, 3-4 ATSTime for the Rams to make hay while the sun shines, because after this (Lions and Texans back to back) schedule respite, they have division leaders Tennessee, Green Bay and Arizona in three of the next four weeks. Yikes. So it’s imperative that LA – which had problems at home against the Lions and couldn’t put the game away until late – stays focused. All Houston is focused on, meantime, is whether or not Deshaun Watson will be traded. Houston’s defense is not the worst in the league, but the offense just can’t move the ball, leading books to make the Texans a huge home dog in this one.SMALLEST SPREAD – Dallas at Minnesota (+1.5)Dallas 5-1 SU, 6-0 ATS, 5-1 O/UMinnesota 3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS, 3-3 O/UAfter a long, dark period, things finally seem to be breaking right for the Boys. A bye week followed Dallas’s strenuous overtime victory over the Patriots in Foxboro, gave everyone time to heal before what should be a tight game in Minnesota. The Vikings have been a so-so team, losing close games to powerhouses Arizona and Cincinnati, and are only two possessions from being 5-1 instead of .500. But as Bill Parcells said, “You are what your record says you are,” so the Vikes really need this one badly if they are to make it a race in the NFC North. If things go south in the North this weekend, Minnesota could be three losses down to the Packers.SMALLEST TOTAL – San Francisco at Chicago (39.5)San Francisco 2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS, 3-3 O/UChicago 3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS, 1-6 O/UThis is the only game in the NFL so far this season with a total under 40, according to teamrankings.com, and it befits two teams whose offenses are struggling mightily and two quarterbacks who are having trouble getting their teams into the end zone. There are constant questions about SF’s Jimmy Garoppolo, and they are louder still today after what his coach said was his worst game of the season in a loss to Indianapolis. It’s doubtful that Justin Fields sympathizes much after turning the ball over five times (three INTs, two lost fumbles) and his Bears putting up only three points in a loss to Tampa Bay.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/27/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 27, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in MLB, NBA, and the NHL.Game 2 in the World Series in Major League Baseball begins at 8:09 PM ET on Fox, with Houston hosting Atlanta. The Braves took Game 1 with a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. Atlanta pitches Max Fried against the Astros’ Jose Urquidy. Houston is a -115 money line favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Ten games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. The card tips off at 7:10 PM ET with Charlotte visiting Orlando as a 6-point road favorite with a total f 217. Four games start at 7:40 PM ET. Boston hosts Washington as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 225.5. Brooklyn plays at home against Miami as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 218. Indiana travels to Toronto as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 218.Atlanta plays at New Orleans in the first game of an ESPN doubleheader at 7:40 PM ET. The Hawks have won two of their first three games after a 122-104 victory against Detroit as an 11.5-point favorite on Monday. The Pelicans ended a three-game losing streak with their 107-98 upset victory at Minnesota as a 5.5-point underdog on Monday. Atlanta is a 6-point road favorite with a total of 220.Two games tip-off at 8:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at home against Minnesota as a 7.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Oklahoma City. Two games begin at 10:10 PM ET. Phoenix is at home against Sacramento as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 226. Portland hosts Memphis on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET. The Trail Blazers have lost two of their first three games after their 116-86 loss at Los Angeles against the Clippers on Monday. The Grizzlies won their first two games of the season before losing at Los Angeles against the Lakers, 121-118, as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Portland is a 2-point favorite with a total of 234.The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against Cleveland at 10:40 PM ET. The Clippers are an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 217.Five games are on the National Hockey League slate. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Florida is at home against Boston as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 6. Washington plays at home against Detroit as a -205 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Toronto visits Chicago at 7:38 PM ET as a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Dallas is at home against Vegas at 8:38 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Edmonton hosts Philadelphia on TNT at 10:08 PM ET. The Oilers have won their first five games this season after a 5-3 victory at Vancouver on Friday. Philadelphia has split their opening four-game homestand that concluded with a 4-2 loss to Florida on Saturday. Edmonton is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NHL and NBA Previews and Odds - 10/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in MLB, NBA, and the NHL.The World Series in Major League Baseball begins at 8:09 PM ET, with the Houston Astros hosting the Atlanta Braves on Fox. Houston has won three straight games with their 5-0 victory against Boston on Friday. The Astros rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the ALCS to defeat the Red Sox in six games. Manager Dusty Baker turns to Framber Valdez tonight as his starting pitcher. The left-hander posted an 11-6 record in the regular season with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 22 starts. He has a 1-0 record in this postseason with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Atlanta advanced to the World Series with a 4-2 victory at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. The Braves won the NLCS in six games. Manager Brian Snitker counters with Charlie Morton as his starting pitcher. The right-hander had a 14-6 record with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 33 regular season starts. Morton has an 0-1 record in the playoffs this year with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 14 1/3 innings. Houston is a -145 money line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings).Five games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. New York plays at home against Philadelphia on TNT at 7:40 PM ET. After winning their first two games of the season, the Knicks come off their first loss in a 111-104 setback at home to Orlando as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. The 76ers have won two of their first three games of the season after their 115-103 win at Oklahoma City as a 10-point favorite on Sunday. New York is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 217.Golden State travels to Oklahoma City at 8:10 PM ET as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. Two games tip-off at 8:40 PM ET. Dallas plays at home against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Sacramento as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 220.5. The nightcap for the doubleheader on TNT has Utah playing at home against Denver at 10:10 PM ET. The Jazz have won their first two games after a 110-101 victory at Sacramento as a 10-point favorite on Friday. The Nuggets had won their first two games of the season before losing at home last night to Cleveland, 99-87, as a 9.5-point favorite. Utah is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 219.5.Seven games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. New Jersey is at home against Calgary as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 6. Tampa Bay travels to Pittsburgh as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado hosts Vegas on ESPN at 8:08 PM ET. The Avalanche ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory at Tampa Bay on Saturday. The Golden Knights have lost four in a row after their 2-0 loss at home to the New York Islanders on Sunday night. Colorado is a -185 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Nashville plays at home against San Jose at 8:38 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:08 PM ET. Minnesota visits Vancouver as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Winnipeg plays at Anaheim as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Seattle is at home against Montreal as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.

Ness Notes: Fall Classic No. 117

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021

The 2021 World Series is the 117th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. It features the National League champion Atlanta Braves and the American League champion Houston Astros. The series begins on October 26, with a potential seventh game scheduled for November 3. It's come "a long way, baby!" The very first World Series was played in 1903, when Honus Wagner and the Pittsburgh Pirates met Cy Young and the Boston Americans. The first game of that series was played on Oct 1 at the Huntington Avenue Ball Field in Boston where Northeastern University now stands, almost one month earlier than this year's "Fall Classic" will play its Game 1. Pittsburgh won the first game 7-3 but Boston won the best-of-nine series, 5-3, with Young winning Games 5 and 7. A note to Boston fans; the team changed its name to the Red Sox in 1908. There was no Fall Classic in 1904 due to bitterness between the AL and NL but it returned by 1905 and has been played every year since except for 1994 (player strike). Now there's a thought. MLB played the World Series all through World War II but the ONLY two times it was NOT played (1904 and 1994) was due to 'battles' between owners vs owners or owners vs players. The more things change, the more they stay the same.The LA Dodgers, the defending champs with MLB's highest payroll (about $260 million) and the NY Yankees (2nd-largest payroll of about $203 million) are NOT here. The Braves began the 2021 season having won three straight NL East titles and in 2020, led the Dodgers 3-1 in the NLCS, only to lose the next three games. As for the Astros, they had won 101, 103 and 107 games from 2017-19 but then went just 29-31 in 2020. However, under an expanded postseason, the Astros 'snuck in' and then made it all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS, before falling to the Rays. The Astros rebounded to win the AL West with a 95-67 record in 2021 and have now made the World Series for the THIRD time in the last five seasons (note: Houston has made five straight appearances in the ALCS!). Picking Atlanta to meet Houston before the season started would not have been far-fetched but it was a highly unlikely scenario at the trade deadline back on July 30. Atlanta's superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. had been lost for the season with a torn AC in mid-July and the Braves didn't have a winning record until their 111th game of 2021 (56-55) and that represents the deepest into a season any World Series team has gone before getting above .500. Atlanta finished with 88 wins, which was the fewest of the 10 playoff teams in 2021. Yes, the Braves didn't have a winning record until Aug 6 but since then (including the playoffs), they've gone 40-21.Of course, the Astros storyline is obvious. Can a villain atone for its previous sins? It will probably take a long time before the Astros are viewed as anything but the sport's outlaws but the Astros can pride themselves on improving the team's recent resume. I note above that the Astros made their FIFTH straight appearance in the championship series and I'll add here that they are just the THIRD franchise to do that. Again, Houston now plays in the World Series for the THIRD time in five seasons. With a second championship in this run, this time without an asterisk, Houston will cement an impressive legacy. I noted that the Braves had to play without Acuna since the All Star break but Atlanta also was without Mike Soroka (13-4, 2.68 ERA in 2019), who hasn't pitched since early 2020 because of Achilles surgery. Houston can feel Atlanta's pain, as the Astros made it back to the World Series despite ace Justin Verlander missing the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. You may have heard of Justin, or at least his wife! Houston earned its way into the World Series thanks to an offense that has scored 67 runs in 10 playoff games, with SIX of its seven wins coming by at least five runs. Forty-five of those 67 runs have come with two outs, a testament to a lineup that had the lowest strikeout rate in the majors in the regular season.There's also a pretty good storyline working for BOTH managers. The 72-year-old Dusty Baker was hired by Houston prior to the 2020 season to bring stability to a team rocked by its cheating scandal. As noted above, despite a 29-31 record in the abbreviated regular season, Baker managed his team to Game 7 of the ALCS. Now, he is back in the World Series for the first time since his 2002 Giants lost to the Angels in seven games. It's the longest span between World Series appearances since Bucky Harris was the player-manager for the Washington Senators in 1925 and then the manager for the Yankees in 1947. Baker is 12th in regular-season wins but all 11 managers ahead of him have all won a World Series and all except Bruce Bochy are in the Hall of Fame. Baker's managerial career has been filled with heartbreaking losses, mostly notably his Game 6 defeats with the Giants in that 2002 World Series and the Cubs in the 2003 NLCS (can you say Steve Bartman?). Is this finally Dusty's year?The 66-year-old Atlanta manager Brian Snitker is a 'baseball-lifer." He has been a member of the Braves organization since 1977. As a player, he reached Triple-A for two games. He began managing in the minors in 1982 and had been a loyal organization member for 40 years when the Braves first named him interim manager in 2016. They kept him in the job after he went just 72-90 in his first full season in 2017 but he has since managed the club to FOUR straight NL East titles. An interesting aside is that Snitker's son Troy, is an assistant hitting coach for the Astros. Snitker is well aware that all Braves fans are tied to Atlanta's impressive yet unfulfilling past. From 1991 to 2005, the Braves were one of the most successful teams in baseball, winning an unprecedented 14 consecutive division titles (omitting the strike-shortened 1994 season in which there were no official division champions). That team produced one of the greatest pitching rotations in the history of baseball. Most notably, this rotation consisted of pitchers Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. Pitcher Steve Avery also was a significant contributor to the rotation during the period of 1991–1993. The Braves won the National League West division from 1991 to 1993, and after divisional realignment, the National League East division from 1995 to 2005 (omitting the 1994 strike season). However, the Braves advanced to the World Series just FIVE times in that span (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 1999), winning just ONE title (in 1995 against the Cleveland Indians).Ironically, the Braves again own a distinct advantage in this series when it comes to starting pitching, as Morton (Game 1 starter), Max Fried (Game 2 starter) and Ian Anderson (Game 3 starter) are all in good form. In contrast, Lance McCullers Jr. is likely to miss the World Series after not pitching since leaving Game 4 of the ALDS with forearm discomfort. That leaves Houston with Framber Valdez in Game 1, Luis Garcia in Game 2 and Jose Urquidy. in Game 3. Then again, heading into the World Series, relievers have thrown 54% of postseason innings. For the Astros, it's been 57%, and for the Braves, 49%. Houston is the slight favorite to win both the series (William Hill has the odds at Houston -145) and Game 1 (William Hill has Houston -130).Will the Series extend into November? That's the fun part, not knowing. Enjoy, one way or the other.Good luck...Larry

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Ness Notes: Fall Classic No. 117

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