Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/10/2021

Tuesday, Aug 10, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features 17 games in MLB. Two games start in the afternoon in the opening games of the two seven-inning doubleheaders. Milwaukee plays at Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET after their game on Monday got postponed because of rain. Freddy Peralta is set to pitch for the Brewers against Justin Steele of the Cubs. Toronto visits Los Angeles to play the Angels at 6:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays will be the technical home team batting last in the opener to make up for the postponed game on April 11th in their temporary first home of the season in Dunedin, Florida. For statistical purposes, the Angels will be considered the home team. Los Angeles pitches Chris Rodriguez against Toronto starting pitcher Steven Matz. The Blue Jays are a -160 money line favorite with the total set at 7.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Three games start at 7:05 PM ET. St. Louis travels to Pittsburgh for the opening game of their three-game series. J.A. Happ pitches for the Cardinals against the Pirates Steven Brault. St. Louis is a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Baltimore hosts Detroit in Game 1 of their three-game series. The Orioles pitch Keegan Akin against the Tigers Casey Mize. Baltimore is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Philadelphia in the opener of their three-game series. Max Scherzer pitches for the Dodgers against Aaron Nola for the Phillies. Los Angeles is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Boston plays at home against Tampa Bay in the first game of their three games series. The Red Sox pitch Eduardo Rodriguez against the Rays Luis Patino. Boston is a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Mets host Washington in the opener of their three-game series. Carlos Carrasco pitches for the Mets against Paolo Espino of the Nationals. New York is a -250 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Oakland visits Cleveland in Game 1 of their three-game series. The A’s pitch Sean Manaea against the Indians Triston McKenzie. Oakland is a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Cincinnati travels to Atlanta at 7:20 PM ET for the opener of their three-game series. Sonny Gray pitches for the Reds against Drew Smyly of the Braves. Both teams are priced at -110 with the total at 9.5. The second game of the Brewers/Cubs doubleheader is set at 8:05 PM ET. Milwaukee pitches Aaron Ashby against Chicago’s Alec Mills. Three games start at 8:10 PM ET. Houston hosts Colorado in the opener of their two-game series. Jake Odorizzi pitches for the Astros against Jon Gray for the Rockies. Houston is a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox are in Minnesota for the second game of their three-game series. The White Sox pitch Dallas Keuchel against the Twins Griffin Jax. Chicago is a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 10. The New York Yankees play at Kansas City in the second game of their three-game series. The Yankees pitch Nestor Cortes, Jr. against the Royals' Daniel Lynch. New York is a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. San Francisco hosts Arizona at 9:45 PM ET in the opener of their two-game series. Alex Wood pitches for the Giants against Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks. San Francisco is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. The second game of the Blue Jays/Angels doubleheader starts at 10:07 PM ET. Toronto pitches Ross Stripling against Los Angeles starting pitcher Jose Suarez. The Blue Jays are a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two games start at 10:10 PM ET. Seattle plays at home against Texas in the first game of their three-game series. Logan Gilbert pitches or the Mariners against Kolby Allard of the Rangers. Seattle is a -220 money line favorite with a total of 8. San Diego plays at home against Miami in the second game of their three-game series. The Padres pitch Craig Stammen against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Marlins. San Diego is a -240 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.

MLB Division Races Heating Up

by Ben Burns

Monday, Aug 09, 2021

With the calendar now well into August, things are really heating up at the ballpark. The American League Central Division, dominated by the Chicago White Sox this season, is the only division where we know the winner. The other five divisions are very much up for grabs. Naturally, when handicapping games, it's important to know which teams still have a chance and which teams are now playing out the string. Let's take a closer look.AL EASTFour of the five teams still have hopes of winning the division. The Rays enter the week with a 4-game lead over Boston. New York and Toronto aren't far behind. All four teams will be fighting it out right until the end. The Orioles, of course, are long out of contention.AL CENTRALAs mentioned, the White Sox have all but mathematically won this division. Not only will none of the other teams (Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, KC) catch Chicago, none are alive in the Wild Card race. AL WESTThe Astros can't quite shake the A's. Houston leads Oakland by 2.5 games. The other teams in the division, Seattle, LA and Texas, are out of the running. No shot at the Wild Card for any of those three, either. NL EastThree of five teams in the East are alive. None have a shot at the Wild Card, so it's truly a winner-takes-all affair. The surging Phillies currently hold a 2-game lead over the Braves. The Mets are only half a game back of the Braves. Washington and Miami are done.NL CentralWith a 5-game lead over the Reds, the Brewers are in fairly good shape at the moment. They better not falter though, as the Wild Card isn't likely an option. The Cards, Cubs and Pirates are playing for pride.NL WestEveryone knew the Dodgers would be strong. Most thought, however, that it would be San Diego which would challenge them. The Padres have indeed played well. Only 3.5 games behind the defending champs, they're in good shape for a Wild Card spot. It's the Giants who continue to surprise though. At 71-41, they've got the best record in baseball. Could the three top teams in baseball all be in the same division? The next few weeks are going to be exciting. We know that the teams fighting for the playoffs will give their best effort. Remember to also keep a close eye on the ones which are playing out the string. Those teams will be calling up young players and evaluating talent. Some will relish the chance to play spoiler and will keep playing hard. Others are likely to really struggle. Identifying which category the various clubs fall into will help with your handicapping. Enjoy the pennant races and best of luck with all your wagers.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/09/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 08, 2021

The Monday sports card features five games in MLB.Cincinnati travels to Cleveland for their one-game series at 6:10 PM ET. The Reds won their fifth game in a row with their 3-2 victory against Pittsburgh on Sunday. It is Luis Castillo’s turn in the starting rotation. The right-hander has a 6-10 record with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in 23 starts. The Indians won their second game in their last three with their 7-5 victory against Detroit yesterday. Sam Hentges appears set to be the Cleveland starting pitcher. The left-hander has a 1-4 record with a 7.86 ERA and a 2.01 WHIP in eight starts and 17 appearances this season. Cincinnati is a -165 money line road favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Milwaukee visits the Chicago Cubs at 8:05 PM ET in the opening game of their four-game series. The Brewers lost their third game in their last five with their 5-4 loss to San Francisco on Sunday. They pitch Freddy Peralta, who has an 8-3 record with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in 20 starts and 21 games this season. The Cubs have lost four straight and six of their last seven after a 9-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox last night. They counter with Alec Mills, who has a 5-4 record with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in 69 1/3 innings. Milwaukee is a -180 money line road favorite. The New York Yankees play at Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET in Game 1 of their three-game series. The Yankees had their five-game winning streak end in a 2-0 loss to Seattle on Sunday. Jameson Taillon is the New York starting pitcher. He has a 7-4 record with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The Royals lost their third game in a row in a 6-5 loss at St. Louis yesterday. Carlos Hernandez pitches for Kansas City. He has a 3-1 record with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Yankees are a -170 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox are at Minnesota on ESPN at 8:10 PM ET in the opening game of their three-game series. The White Sox won their third straight game in a 9-3 victory on the road against the Cubs last night. They pitch Lucas Giolito with his 8-8 record, 3.98 ERA, and a 1.16 WHIP in 22 starts this season. The Twins won their third game in their last four in a 7-5 victory at Houston on Sunday. Beau Burrows looks slated to pitch to make his first start of the season for Minnesota. He has a 0-0 record with an 11.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in nine innings. Chicago is a -170 money line road favorite with a total of 9.San Diego hosts Miami at 10:10 PM ET in the first game of their three-game series. The Padres won their fourth game in their last six with a 2-0 victory at home against Arizona on Sunday. Joe Musgrove takes the mound for San Diego with a 7-7 record along with a 2.87 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. The Marlins lost their third game in a row in a 13-8 loss at Colorado yesterday. They pitch Zach Thompson, who has a 2-4 record with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in nine starts. The Padres are a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 08, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in MLB. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. Three games open the slate at 1:05 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays at Baltimore in the final game of their four-game series. Michael Wacha pitches for the Rays against Jorge Lopez. Tampa Bay is a -180 money line road favorite with the total set at 10.5. Philadelphia hosts the New York Mets on TBS in the third game of their three-game series. The Phillies pitch Zack Wheeler against the Mets Taijuan Walker. Philadelphia is a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees are at home against Seattle in the fourth game of their four-game series. Luis Gil pitches for the Yankees against the Mariners Yusei Kikuchi. New York is a -150 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Toronto hosts Boston at 1:07 PM ET in the final game of their four-game series. The Blue Jays pitch Hyun Jin Ryu against the Red Sox Garrett Richards. Toronto is a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two games start at 1:10 PM ET. Cleveland plays at home against Detroit in Game 3 of their three-game series. Zach Plesac pitches for the Indians against Wily Peralta of the Tigers. Cleveland is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Cincinnati is at home against Pittsburgh in the fourth game of their four-game series. The Reds pitch Tyler Mahle against the Pirates Bryse Wilson. Cincinnati is a -255 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Atlanta hosts Washington at 1:20 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. Max Fried pitches for the Braves against Patrick Corbin of the Nationals. Atlanta is a -225 money line favorite with a total of 9. Two games start at 2:10 PM ET. Houston plays at home against Minnesota in the fourth game of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Lance McCullers against the Twins Kenta Maeda. Houston is a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee is at home against San Francisco in the final game of their three-game series. Brett Anderson pitches for the Brewers against Johnny Cueto of the Giants. Milwaukee is a -120 money line favorite with a total of 9. St. Louis hosts Kansas City at 2:15 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. The Cardinals pitch Jon Lester against the Royals Kris Bubic. St. Louis is a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Colorado plays at home against Miami at 3:10 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. Kyle Freeland pitches for the Rockies against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Marlins. Colorado is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 10.5. Oakland hosts Texas at 4:07 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. The A’s pitch James Kaprielian against the Rangers Jordan Lyles. Oakland is a -275 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Los Angeles Angels in the final game of their three-game series. Walker Buehler pitches for the Dodgers against Reid Detmers of the Angels. The Dodgers are a -310 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. San Diego plays Arizona in the third game of their three-game series. The Padres pitch Blake Snell against the Diamondbacks Madison Bumgarner. San Diego is a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox play at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs on ABC at 7:09 PM ET. The White Sox pitch Dylan Cease against Zach Davies of the Cubs. The White Sox are a -190 money line favorite.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 08/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Aug 07, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in MLB and the CFL. Sixteen games are on the MLB docket. Five games begin in the afternoon. The New York Yankees host Seattle at 1:05 PM ET in the third game of their four-game series. The Yankees pitch Andrew Heaney against the Mariners Chris Flexen. New York is a -220 money line favorite with the total set at 10 (all odds from DraftKings). The Chicago White Sox play at the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 PM ET in Game 2 of their three-game series. Carlos Rodon pitches for the White Sox against Adbert Alzolay of the Cubs. The White Sox are a -210 money line road favorite. Toronto is at home against Boston at 3:07 PM ET in the opener of their seven-inning doubleheader. The Blue Jays pitch Robbie Ray against the Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta. Toronto is a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. Oakland hosts Texas at 4:07 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. Cole Irvin pitches for the A’s against Drew Anderson of the Rangers. Philadelphia is at home against the New York Mets on FS1 at 4:15 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. The Phillies pitch Ranger Suarez against the Mets Tylor Megill. Philadelphia is a -115 money line favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay visits Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET in the third game of their four-game series. Shane McClanahan pitches for the Rays against Spenser Watkins of the Orioles. Tampa Bay is a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 10. The Blue Jays host the Red Sox in the second game of their doubleheader at 7:07 PM ET. Toronto pitches Jose Berrios against Boston’s Tanner Houck. The Blue Jays is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 7. Five games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Milwaukee is at home against San Francisco in the second game of their three-game series. Brandon Woodruff pitches for the Brewers against Aaron Sanchez of the Giants. Milwaukee is a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Cleveland hosts Detroit in Game 2 of their three-game series. The Indians pitch Eli Morgan against the Tigers Tyler Alexander. Cleveland is a -135 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Cincinnati plays at home against Pittsburgh in the third game of their four-game series. Vladimir Gutierrez pitches for the Reds against Mitch Keller of the Pirates. Cincinnati is a -190 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Houston is at home against Minnesota in the third game of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Luis Garcia against the Twins Michael Pineda. Houston is a -195 money line favorite with a total of 9. St. Louis hosts Kansas City at 7:15 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. Kwang-Hyun Kim pitches for the Cardinals against Brad Keller of the Royals. St. Louis is a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Atlanta is at home against Washington at 7:20 PM ET in Game 2 of their three-game series. The Braves pitch Charlie Morton against the Nationals’ Josiah Gray. Atlanta is a -265 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Colorado is at home against Miami at 8:10 PM ET in the second game of their three-game series. Austin Gomber pitches for the Rockies against Jesus Luzardo of the Marlins. Colorado is a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. San Diego hosts Arizona in the second game on FS1 at 8:40 PM ET. The Padres pitch You Darvish against the Diamondbacks Taylor Widener. San Diego is a -310 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 9:10 PM ET. Julio Urias pitches for the Dodgers against Jose Barria of the Angels. The Dodgers are a -320 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The opening week of the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. Toronto visits Calgary on ESPN+ at 7 PM ET. Ottawa travels to Edmonton on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET.

2021 NFL: Best and Worst Preseason QB Rotations

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Aug 06, 2021

It’s widely known that when handicapping the NFL pre-season, QB rotations are extremely important. Is there a big drop off after the starter plays a series or two (or not at all) or does the back up and even 3rd stringer have some experience? Answering those questions can go a long way in being successful at handicapping the NFL before the regular season begins. There are obviously many other factors that come into play but QB rotations are at or near the top of the list. Here are a few of our our best & worst QB rotations as we get ready to hit the pre-season with a full slate starting on Thursday, August 12th. ASA’s BEST NFL QB ROTATIONS SAN FRANCISCO – The Niners rotation looks very solid for the pre-season. We like the fact that rookie Lance is pushing Garoppolo and from all reports Jimmy has responded nicely. Below those two there is some experience as well including former 1st rounder Josh Rosen. (Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance, Nate Sudfeld, Josh Rosen). CHICAGO – Now the Bears don’t have any top tier QB’s as of now, but their depth for the meaningless games in August is very good. Dalton & Foles are veterans who’ve combined to attempt almost 7,000 career passe attempts while Fields is a huge talent as a rookie. (Andy Dalton, Justin Fields, Nick Foles). DENVER – Similar to Chicago, no great QB’s here but a very solid rotation for pre-season purposes. On top of that, Lock & Bridgewater are battling for the starting job so we should get their best effort each time out. Rypien isn’t a bad 3rd string option as he actually started and won a game for the Broncos last year. (Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater, Brett Rypien). LAS VEGAS – Solid at all 3 QB spots. Derek Carr had one of his best seasons last year and his back up Mariota might be the top 2nd stringer in the league. After that Peterman is at least a decent 3rd option with a few NFL starts under his belt. (Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, Nathan Peterman). ASA’s WORST NFL QB ROTATIONS GREEN BAY – Well we know the starter is here and we’d be surprised if he got many snaps in the pre-season. The Packers know what he can do and they now have the offensive system down in his 3rd year with head coach LaFleur. So that leaves Love & Benkert to pick up the majority of the snaps. Word is Love has improved but still has a ways to go which is why GB had no intentions on trading Rodgers and Benkert has never played in a NFL game. (Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Kurt Benkert). TENNESSEE – Similar to GB, Tannehill is the proven starter and won’t need many reps in NFLX. After that the Titans are left with Matt Barkley who has a terrible career completion percentage and has thrown twice as many interceptions (22) as TD’s (11) and Woodside who has 3 career pass attempts. (Ryan Tannehill, Matt Barkley, Logan Woodside). MINNESOTA – This one is pretty simple. After Kirk Cousins the Vikings are stuck with 3 players who have never taken a snap in the NFL. Not much more needs to be said. (Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond, Nate Stanley, Jake Browning). NY JETS – We like the potential of projected starter Zach Wilson, but the 1st year player from BYU has never taken a snap in the league. He’s not the only inexperience signal caller on this team as 3 of their 4 QB’s have never played in an NFL game. Their 4th, Josh Johnson, was out of the league for 4 years before coming back to play a few games with Washington in 2018. He hasn’t played since then. (Zach Wilson, James Morgan, Mike White, Josh Johnson).

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 08/06/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Aug 06, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in MLB and the CFL. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. One game starts in the afternoon. The Chicago White Sox travels the short drive north to Wrigleyville to play the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 PM ET in the opener of their three-game series. Lance Lynn pitches for the White Sox against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs. The Southsiders are a -155 money line road favorite (all odds from DraftKings). Three MLB games begin at 7:05 PM ET. Philadelphia hosts the New York Mets on ESPN in the first game of their three-game series. The Phillies pitch Kyle Gibson against the Mets Marcus Stroman. Philadelphia is a -115 money line favorite with the total set at 9. Tampa Bay visits Baltimore for Game 1 of their three-game series. Ryan Yarbrough pitches for the Rays against John Means of the Orioles. Tampa Bay is a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Yankees are at home against Seattle in the second game of their four-game series. The Yankees are opening with Wandy Peralta against the Mariners’ starting pitcher Marco Gonzales. Toronto plays at home against Boston at 7:07 PM ET in the first game of their four-game series. Alek Manoah pitches for the Blue Jays against the Red Sox’s Nathan Eovaldi. Boston is a -145 money line favorite with a total of 9. Two games start at 7:10 PM ET. Cincinnati plays at home against Pittsburgh in the second game of their four-game series. The Reds pitch Wade Miley against the Pirates J.T. Brubaker. Cincinnati is a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Cleveland is at home against Detroit in the first game of their three-game series. Cal Quantrill pitches for the Indians against Matt Manning of the Tigers. Cleveland is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Atlanta is at home against Washington at 7:20 PM ET in the opening game of their three-game series. The Braves pitch Kyle Muller against the Nationals Erick Fedde. Atlanta is a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Two MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at home against San Francisco in Game 1 of their three-game series. Corbin Burnes pitches for the Brewers against the Giants Logan Webb. Milwaukee is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Houston hosts Minnesota in the second game of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Zack Greinke against the Twins Bailey Ober. Houston is a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. St. Louis is at home against Kansas City at 8:15 PM ET in the first game of their three-game series. Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals pitches against Mike Minor of the Royals. St. Louis is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 8. Colorado plays at home against Miami at 8:40 PM ET in Game 1 of their three-game series. The Rockies pitch German Marquez against the Marlins Sandy Alcantara. Colorado is a -105 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Oakland hosts Texas at 9:40 PM ET in the opening game of their three-game series. Chris Bassitt pitches for the A’s against Mike Foltynewicz of the Rangers. Oakland is a -275 money line favorite with a total of 8. Two games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Los Angeles Angels in the first game of their three-game series. The Dodgers pitch David Price against the Angels Patrick Sandoval. The Dodgers are a -210 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. San Diego is at home against Arizona in Game 1 of their three-game series. Ryan Weathers pitches for the Padres against Caleb Smith of the Diamondbacks. San Diego is a -210 money line favorite with a total of 9.The Canadian Football League continues its opening week with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the British Columbia Lions at 9:30 PM ET. ESPN+ has the broadcast.

2021 NFL: Looking at the O/U Totals for the NFC

by Will Rogers

Thursday, Aug 05, 2021

NFC EASTJerry Jones must be tearing his hair out with the Cowboys failing every year to take advantage in the NFL’s weakest division. Even with six division games against the likes of Washington, the Giants and the Eagles, oddsmakers have set the Boys’ Over / Under total at just 9 (in a 17-game season). Winning double digits used to be ice cream for Dallas, but these days nothing is guaranteed in north Texas. At least the quarterback situation is settled after months of uncertainty, and Dak Prescott is probably the best of a mediocre lot in the division.***It’s entirely possible that both New York teams finish last in their divisions this season. Giants’ O / U is set at 7.5 in most places, and Over bettors would have to see lots go right before cashing. Daniel Jones needs a breakout season. It that doesn’t happen, there’s little chance of getting to 8 wins.***It looks like Washington will roll with Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB, and that – along with a solid defense – might be enough to get the Football Team to limp to another East title and a playoff berth. Getting to 9 wins (the O / U is set at 8) seems attainable.***Says a lot about your franchise when a soft schedule in a soft division is one of your top assets, and the O / U is still only 6.5. Then again, maybe last season (4-12, last place) was a one-off for the Birds. Carson Wentz is gone, and no one is really sure if Jalen Hurts is the QB of the future. He’ll have all of this season to establish himself.NFC NORTHGreen Bay fans are now able to sleep at night now that Aaron Rodgers didn’t follow through on his bluff to sit out the season, and oddsmakers have settled on 10 as the Pack’s O / U number. Whether they can get to the 11 needed to cash is another matter, and a lot depends on Rodgers’s frame of mind. Will he show management who’s boss by being a locker room diva, or will he drop the drama and produce the same numbers on the field that he has in the recent past? And what about NEXT year? Will the spring/summer of 2022 bring more of the same?***Minnesota (9) looked ready to pounce if things went south for GB, but then the Vikes developed a QB situation of its own when Kirk Cousins and two backups were sidelined due to Covid concerns. Now coach Mike Zimmer is beside himself, and bettors with Over tickets are wondering if they made a huge mistake.***The Lions (4.5) are the Lions, and it doesn’t appear that much is going to change. Except the quarterback (Matthew Stafford is gone, Kared Goff is in), the head coach (Matt Patricia is out, Dan Campbell is in) and a lot of other players.***The Bears (7.5) are saying that Justin Fields will not be thrown to the wolves right away and that Andy Dalton will start the season under center. One bad loss will probably change that.NFC SOUTHThe Super Bowl-champion Bucs will be running it back with the same cast of characters that flourished under Tom Brady, and if you like the Over you’ll have to swallow hard because the number is most places has been set at an aggressive 12. The uber-competitive Brady enters the season at 44 years old, but what’s lost in the talk about his age is that he has very good offensive players around him – and the Tampa Bay defense isn’t bad, either.***Drew Brees is gone, and while the Saints (9) still have talent, none one knows what’s going to happen under center. Jameis Winston has shown he can still play, but Taysom Hill could beat him out.***Atlanta (projected at 7.5) needs a re-boot, but will run Matt Ryan out for another season. The offense will be different, with Julio Jones gone and rookie TE Kyle Pitts now a primary focus.***Carolina is also at 7.5, and whether you think the Panthers can cover that number depends on how you feel about Jets reject Sam Darnold, who threw more interceptions (11) than TDs (9) last season.NFC WESTAfter all their draft shenanigans, the 49ers could be blowing smoke. But so far they say they REALLY like what they’re seeing in rookie QB Trey Lance, and maybe the plan to start vet Jimmy Garoppolo will be altered before it even gets going. As far as betting goes, can Lance get San Francisco to 11 wins (the O / U is 10.5) in his first season if he DOES get the job?***After last year’s .500 season Arizona is smack dab in the middle of the projection pack again at 8.5, and the feeling is that the Cardinals seem ready to kick things into high gear.***Russell Wilson has been a double-digit winner for Seattle in every year except 2017 (9 wins then), so the 10-win projection this time seems doable.***The Rams (10.5) went 10-6 last season and seem absolutely giddy about their prospects with Matthew Stafford replacing Jared Goff, and an easy schedule that includes the likes of Houston and the Giants makes LA backers smile even more.

2021 CFL Preview: Ottawa RedBlacks

by Sean Murphy

Thursday, Aug 05, 2021

We've saved the worst for last? Few are expecting the RedBlacks to contend for a Grey Cup title in 2021 but there are also reasons for optimism in the nation's capital. Here's a quick look at what to expect from Ottawa this season.Paul LaPolice takes over head coaching duties after a successful term as offensive coordinator in Winnipeg. He'll be tasked with turning around a RedBlacks squad that lost 15 of their final 16 games in 2019. Gone are the days of an ultra-efficient RedBlacks offense led by Trevor Harris and Greg Ellingson. Veteran QB Matt Nichols hopes to provide some stability at the quarterback position. He obviously has a good rapport with new head coach LaPolice from their days together in Winnipeg. Nichols won't have all that high of a bar expectations-wise after Dominique Davis struggled mightily two years ago. Keep in mind, LaPolice was able to get a ton of production out of what was perhaps a mediocre offense, at least talent-wise, over the years in Winnipeg. No team boasts fewer household names on the offensive side of the football. The likes of RB Timothy Flanders and WRs Nate Behar and Terry Williams will be tasked with lifting the offense following a disastrous 2019 campaign. With that in mind, it's not difficult to understand why most are picking the RedBlacks to finish last in the East Division. The defense could turn out to be the strength of the team with some notable returning talent, keyed by DL Avery Ellis, but again, this is a unit lacking starpower and there are more questions than answers entering the new season. The RedBlacks will look to hit the ground running in their opener as they hit the road to face the Edmonton Elks.As I mentioned, Ottawa is a decided underdog when it comes to Grey Cup futures, currently priced around 13-1 at most books.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, CFL and MLB Previews and Odds - 08/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Aug 05, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL preseason, MLB, and the CFL. The kickoff of the NFL preseason takes place with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The Pittsburgh Steelers play the Dallas Cowboys at 8 PM ET on Fox. The Steelers are a 1-point favorite with the total set at 33 (all odds from DraftKings). Twelve games are on the MLB docket. Six games start in the afternoon. The New York Mets conclude their four-game series at Miami at 12:10 PM ET. The Mets pitch Rich Hill against the Marlins Trevor Rogers. New York is a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Boston plays at Detroit at 1:10 PM ET in the final game of their three-game series. Martin Perez pitches for the Red Sox against Tarik Skubal. Boston is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 10. The Los Angeles Angels are at Texas in the fourth game of their four-game series. The Angels pitch Dylan Bundy against the Rangers Spencer Howard making his debut with the team. Los Angeles is a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Colorado hosts the Chicago Cubs at 3:10 PM ET in the finale of their three-game series. Antonio Senzatela pitches for the Rockies against the Cubs Jake Arrieta. Colorado is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 11. San Francisco plays at Arizona at 3:40 PM ET in the finale of their four-game series. The Giants pitch Alex Wood against the Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly. San Francisco is a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Philadelphia is at Washington at 4:05 PM ET in the fourth game of their four-game series. Aaron Nola pitches for the Phillies against Joe Ross of the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -160 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees host Seattle at 7:05 PM ET in the opener of their four-game series. The Yankees pitch Nestor Cortes, Jr. against the Mariners Tyler Anderson. New York is a -190 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Toronto is at home against Cleveland at 7:07 PM ET in the final game of their four-game series. Ross Stripling pitches for the Blue Jays against the Triston McKenzie of the Indians. Toronto is a -195 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Cincinnati plays at home against Pittsburgh at 7:10 PM ET in Game 1 of their four-game series. The Reds pitch Sonny Gray against the Pirates Wil Crowe. Cincinnati is a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Kansas City at 8:10 PM ET in the third game of their three-game series. Dallas Keuchel pitches for the White Sox against Daniel Lynch of the Royals. Chicago is a -210 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. Houston hosts Minnesota at 8:10 PM ET in the opening game of their four-game series. The Astros pitch Framber Valdez against the Twins Griffin Jax. Houston is a -275 money line favorite with an over/under of .9.5. Atlanta concludes their three-game series at St. Louis on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. Kyle Muller pitches for the Braves against Wade LeBlanc of the Cardinals. Atlanta is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 9.The Canadien Football League returns for the first time since the Grey Cup in November of 2019 after last year's season was canceled due to COVID. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on ESPN2 at 8:30 PM ET. The Tiger-Cats are a -3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 52.5.

CFL 2021: West Division Season Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Aug 04, 2021

CFL 2021 Season Preview – West Division Quick HittersBC Lions – This team went only 5-13 last season (2019) and that included 0-10 in the division and no team in the division allowed more points than the Lions. This is another team, like Edmonton, that is testing out a rather inexperienced defensive line. How quickly units like this jell in a shortened 14-game season is going to be key. BC is talented on offense but this is still a team that pulled up the rear in the West in 2019 and appears to be poised to do the same this season. Also QB Michael Reilly will be playing his 2nd season in BC. Formerly he was with Edmonton and his ratio was a combined 58-25 in 2016-17 and then 50-33 in 2018-19. This includes a 20-15 TD-INT ratio in 2019 with the Lions. Calgary Stampeders – Off a 12-6 season and had best record within divisional games too as the Stampeders were 8-2 in divisional match-ups. Calgary, however, got bounced in the first round of the post-season by eventual 2019 Grey Cup Champion Winnipeg. The Stampeders could have some lingering hunger from the way 2019 ended after a solid regular season. However, Calgary has downgraded a bit in terms of overall talent level in recent seasons. Though well-coached, can they must enough to be the top team in the division this season? I just do not see them being quite as strong as they were in past seasons. Edmonton Elks – The Elks went 8-10 in the 2019 season but snuck into the playoffs where they did win one playoff game against an East Division team but then lost in the 2nd round. Edmonton had trouble in divisional games with a 3-7 record. The Elks have a revamped defense but will it take some time to jell? Yes they are talented but you have to play well together as a unit. The new look on defense could be a pleasant surprise but tough to trust them right out of the gate. The offense looks strong and QB Trevor Harris could have a huge season with all the weapons around him but the new head coach and defensive system will be important to watch early on. Saskatchewan Roughriders – Lost in the division finals to the eventual 2019 Grey Cup Champion Blue Bombers but had a 13-5 regular season including an 8-1 mark at home. The Roughriders are known for being tough to play against in Saskatchewan! In 2021, the Riders might be tough to play everywhere! Can the defense hold up though? Combo of solid QB in a good OC’s system should lead to big things on offense but some concerns about personnel losses on defense. If the D holds together and the offense has the dynamic edge it certainly could, then this team could end up on top in the division. Winnipeg Blue Bombers – Being 3rd best in the West did not stop the Blue Bombers from marching all the way through the post-season to win it all by defeating Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and then Hamilton. Winnipeg, like Saskatchewan was very tough to beat at home as they had an 8-1 record as a host. The Blue Bombers will have a target on their backs because they are trying to repeat but they do look solid again overall with many key pieces back from last year’s team. Even though they won the title with Zach Collaros at QB how will he perform for a full season which would be his first since 2018 with Saskatchewan? The Bombers could drop some.

2021 CFL Preview: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Aug 04, 2021

In our penultimate installment of CFL team previews, let's take a look at the Tiger-Cats, who have unfinished business to take care of after falling just short of a Grey Cup title in 2019.Jeremiah Masoli will get the nod as starting quarterback to open the season but he'll likely give up some snaps to capable backup (and potential future starter) Dane Evans. There are some questions on the offensive line with Ryker Matthews no longer anchoring the left side. Remember, it was the offensive line that got dominated in that 2019 Grey Cup loss to Winnipeg. With that being said, the offense remains largely unchanged at the skill positions. This is likely to once again be one of the league's most explosive offenses. Wide receivers Bralon Addison and Brandon Banks make up one of the best 1-2 punches at that position in the entire league. Meanwhile, RB Don Jackson was brought over from Calgary to compliment Sean Thomas-Erlington, who returns from injury. Defensively, the Ti-Cats are once again loaded after allowing the league's fewest points per game in 2019. That doesn't mean there aren't departures to deal with, however, with cornerback Delvin Breaux Sr. electing to retire and linebacker Larry Dean moving on to Saskatchewan. Simoni Lawrence will be asked to do a lot and lead this defense back to the levels it reached two years ago and he's certainly proven capable of lifting the defense in the past. This is an extremely well-coached unit that shouldn't take long to come together, even with some new faces in the mix.Special teams doesn't get talked about enough in the CFL as it's a big facet of the game, particularly up north. The Ti-Cats might just have the best special teams in the league led by coach Jeff Reinebold. With an absolutely electric return game, Hamilton is always a threat to score on punts and kickoffs. No team boasts shorter odds to win the Grey Cup than Hamilton as it checks in priced at around 4-to-1 at most books.

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