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NFL Week 7: VW's Power Rankings

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Oct 19, 2023

Since we last spoke, most teams have played two games, 26 to be exact, with six others having a bye in Week 5 or 6. Of those who did play two, only seven enjoyed a 2-0 mark, and it's caused a bit of a ripple in the power rankings.I won't waste your time with jibber-jabber and will get right to it with this week's rankings:THE UPPER TIER1. Kansas City (5-1) - Back to the top for the Chiefs, who went 2-0 the last couple of weeks. And while we've yet to see the offense click, that's what makes this team so scary. Imagine when Patrick Mahomes and that offense does kick in. For now, the Chiefs' defense has them back at No. 1. (Last week 3)2. Miami (5-1) - The big test is Sunday night against Philly, but for now I still say the Dolphins could easily represent the AFC in February. They're averaging 6.5 yards per rushing attempt, which is hard to believe when Miami has neither a running quarterback nor a star running back. Run and win by committee. (Last week 6)3. San Francisco (5-1) - Not so invincible as everyone thought, eh? When the 49ers faced the No. 1 defense in the league, they had their bell rung convincingly. Then again, the Niners are a Jake Moody missed field goal away from a win. (Last week 1)4. Philadelphia (5-1) - Speaking of running into a staunch defense, like the 49ers, the Eagles hit a snag against the pesky Jets. Chalk it up for suffering through a bad day. Problem is, the blueprint may have been laid out. (Last week 2)5. Buffalo (4-2) - The Bills bounced back from their loss across the pond by knocking off the Giants. Of course, it took a fourth-quarter surge to get it done. Considering a split the last two weeks, and last week's lackluster performance, it's a one-spot dip. (Last week 4)6. Dallas (4-2) - After being humiliated by the 49ers two weeks back, the Cowboys responded with a resilient win Monday over the Bolts. Perfect timing for their bye week, as they'll have the right mindset while healing up. (Last week 5)7. Detroit (5-1) - This is the team that has my intrigue right now, especially after going to Tampa and limiting the Buccaneers to no touchdowns. Huge statement for their defense. Right now, the Lions might be the NFC's best. (Last week 9)8. Baltimore (4-2) - Dropping the Ravens one spot because I am perplexed with what looks to be a clunky offense. The Ravens may have found a way to hold on against the Titans in London, but they're not complete, yet. (Last week 7)9. Jacksonville (4-2) - Thursday will tell us a lot, especially if Trevor Lawrence doesn't play. The Jags have won three straight and now lead the AFC South. Let's see how they march out of New Orleans. (Last week 11)10. Seattle (3-2) - Off the bye, the Seahawks took an L. You can't blow that many scoring chances against a team like the Bengals and expect to win. Heck, you can't do that against the 32nd team in the league. (Last week 8)11. Cleveland (3-2) - Out of their bye, the Browns pull off the resounding upset of San Francisco. The Browns move up thanks to their defense, which everyone clearly knows about now, after shutting down the 49ers. Now they need to figure out the offense. (Last week 13)12. L.A. Chargers (2-3) - If Monday didn't define what Chargers fans annually experience, I'm not sure what else will. Blown chances result in close losses. It seems define the Bolts. Now they have to play the Chiefs and are in jeopardy of slipping down the AFC West. (Last week 10)13. Tampa Bay (3-2) - The Bucs ran into a wall, but I won't punish them that much. Detroit is a good team and it's an acceptable loss. Well, unless you ask Baker Mayfield, who ripped himself and the offense. They need to learn how to beat the league's elite. (Last week 12)14. N.Y. Jets (3-3) - From 1-3 to .500 with two wins, and suddenly those who thought the Jets could get it done with Aaron Rodgers, are becoming believers thanks to their defense. Don't sleep on the Fly Boys just yet. (Last week 16)15. Cincinnati (3-3) - Another team that started 1-3, but went 2-0 the last two weeks and now has a perfect spot to enjoy its bye week. Joe Burrow can get healthier, and that'll be dangerous for opponents. (Last week 17)16. Green Bay (2-3) - The Packers lost two weeks ago and now come into Week 7 off their bye much healthier. The loss to the Raiders could've been a win, had Jordan Love not thrown three picks. Let's see how they respond. (Last week 14)THE LOWER TIER:17. Pittsburgh (3-2) - The Steelers knocked off the Ravens and went into their bye week. Did they fix their offense? (Last week 18)18. Minnesota  (2-4) - Did last week's win over Chicago save the season? (Last week 15)19. New Orleans (3-3) - Losing on the road in Houston was not a good look. (Last week 19)20. Houston (3-3) - Beating the Saints the way the Texans did was a good look. (Last week 23)21. L.A. Rams (3-3) - All things considered, is McVay a Coach of the Year candidate? (Last week 24)22. Washington (3-3) - How did the Commanders get outgained by Atlanta, 402-193, and win? (Last week 25)23. Las Vegas (3-3) - The Raiders were left for dead two weeks ago. They've got life heading to Chicago this week. (Last week 30)24. Atlanta (3-3) - How did the Falcons outgain Washington, 402-193, and lose? (Last week 27)25. New England (1-5) - The Patriots' anemic offense should have Bobby Kraft thinking about making a coaching change. (Last week 20)26. Denver (1-5) - The Broncos' anemic offense should have Greg Penner thinking about making a coaching change. (Last week 21)27. Indianapolis (3-3) - No more Anthony Richardson isn't a bad thing. But Gardner Minshew might be. (Last week 28)28. Tennessee (2-4) - Two disappointing losses bring a bye at the right time. (Last week 22)29. N.Y. Giants (1-5) - We finally saw the Giants win a first half. Then they lost, again. (Last week 26)30. Arizona (1-5) - The Cardinals can't hang a win over Dallas over us that long. (Last week 29)31. Chicago (1-5) - The Bears could have two wins going into this one, but don't. Can they beat the Raiders? (Last week 32)32. Carolina (0-6) - Nobody in their right mind thought the Panthers would hold on to that 14-0 lead. (Last week 31)

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/19/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 19, 2023

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NCAA, MLB, and NHL action.Week 7 of the NFL regular season kicks off with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Amazon Prime at 8:15 PM ET. The Saints are a 1-point favorite, with the total set at 40 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The eighth week in NCAAF college football continues with two games on national television between FBS opponents starting at 7 PM ET. James Madison visits Marshall on ESPN as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Tulsa plays at home against Rice on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with a total of 58.5.Major League Baseball continues its postseason with two games. The Philadelphia Phillies are in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks on TBS at 5:07 PM ET. The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series with a 10-0 victory at home on Tuesday. They give the ball to Ranger Suarez to face the Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt. Philadelphia is a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.The Texas Rangers are at home against the Houston Astros on FS1 at 8:03 PM ET. The Astros won their first game of the series with an 8-5 victory on Wednesday. The Rangers hold a 2-1 lead in the ALCS. They send out Andrew Heaney to pitch against Houston’s Jose Urquidy. Texas is a -110 money-line favorite at Caesars with a total of 9.5.The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Four games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Vancouver Canucks as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Calgary Flames play in Buffalo against the Sabres with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Florida to play the Panthers as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The New York Rangers host the Nashville Predators as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Edmonton Oilers visit Philadelphia against the Flyers at 7:37 PM ET as a -218 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.Three NHL games begin at 8:07 PM ET. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Los Angeles Kings as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The St. Louis Blues are at home against the Arizona Coyotes as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vegas Golden Knights play at Winnipeg against the Jets as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games start at 10:07 PM ET. The Dallas Stars are in Anaheim to play the Ducks as a -258 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes travel to Seattle to play the Kraken as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 10:37 PM ET. The Boston Bruins play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -278 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks on ESPN as a -345 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.

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College Football ATS Angle To Watch- Good Teams Off Mid-Late Season Loss

by Kyle Hunter

Thursday, Oct 19, 2023

The college football regular season is now more than half over. It’s crazy to think that we are this far along, but here we are getting to late October and the weather is changing in a big way. Let’s go ahead and take a look at a late season ATS angle to watch. The Angle Is As Follows:From Game Number 6 or Later in the Regular Season- The team is coming off a loss and has won 75% or more of their games on the season thus far. The team coming off the loss is now the favorite in their next game. Fading this team has been the way to go- what are the results?In this spot, the great team coming off the loss is 156-195 ATS (44.4% ATS). It has been a great fade. When the team is coming off a straight up loss of 17 points or more, that team is 47-67 ATS (41.4% ATS) in that next game.What kind of teams do we usually find in this spot? What teams meet this fade system/angle this week? This is usually a team that has just lost their first game in the mid to late portion of the season. The teams in this fade spot this week are Texas, Oregon, and USC.In my opinion- Texas is in a unique spot here because they had a bye week after their rivalry loss to Oklahoma. The Longhorns absolutely can still reach the four team playoff if they right the ship now.Oregon lost in an epic contest against Washington. They outgained the Huskies by more than 100 yards, but the Ducks went 0/3 on fourth down and lost a heartbreaker. USC was stomped at Notre Dame, and the Trojans are the team I doubt the most as far as their potential to reach their preseason goal of reaching the playoff.Do note that this is simply an angle to watch and not bets that I’m making this week. Also, keep in mind that each situation should be investigated in depth. Has the team had their bubble burst or do they still have everything to play for? It’s just another angle to keep an eye on as you handicap games in the second half of the regular season. 

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Week 7 College FB Observations: Heisman Race Thickens

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023

Who's atop your Heisman watch?Admittedly, my money was on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams coming into the season.But his Pac-12 rival Michael Penix Jr. has stolen the show for me, and is currently atop my Heisman watch list.As of Wednesday at 6 am pacific, here are the top six at DraftKings: Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) -130 J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) +1000 Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma) +1000 Jordan Travis (Florida State) +1200 Jayden Daniels (LSU) +1400 Drake Maye (North Carolina) +1800 Bo Nix (Oregon) +2000 Caleb Williams (USC) +2000 The two questions you have to ask yourself are:1. Which name sitting between Penix and Williams is worth taking a shot with, considering the value being offered?2.  Is it worth it now to lay the -130 on Penix?It certainly is worth it to play Williams at this price, considering he's NFL-ready right now and can go off at any point and dominate any opponent on any given night. And we all know Heisman voters remember what players do in the second half of the season than they remember games from September and October. He's facing Utah this weekend and has revenge on the brain from last season's conference championship game. After Saturday, you may not see Williams at this price ever again.But let's start with Penix, who threw four touchdowns in the Huskies’ big win over Oregon on Saturday. He now has 20 TD completions through the first six games of the season. This dude has obnoxiously bullied his way to the favorite role in this race, as he's completing 72% of his passes and averages nearly 11 yards per attempt.Back to the voters' memory bank, Penix and the Huskies opened the season against five unranked opponents. But Saturday's win over Oregon was the first of four Washington opponents that currently reside in the Top 25, with No. 18 USC, No. 14 Utah, No. 12 Oregon State forthcoming. How Penix does against those teams will tell us a lot. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Huskies drop two games down the stretch, and that could turn into Penix returning a plus price in the Heisman race.As for the six names in between, here is who I'm keeping my eyes on:McCarthy might be worth the investment, considering Michigan hasn't been tested yet. Though the Wolverines might not face a team that can beat them, they will face defensive units that will challenge McCarthy. A couple of breakout performances could raise his stock, which would drop his price.Gabriel could steal the headlines from everyone, point blank. He already ranks in the top 10 nationally in many categories, including third in total offense (347.7 ypg), fourth in points responsible for per game (21.0), sixth in passing efficiency rating (178.2), seventh in passing offense (313.0 ypg), eighth in passing touchdowns (16) and ninth in pass completion percentage (.723). On the last state given, for perspective, the single-season record at OU is .709 by Baker Mayfield in 2016. Gabriel leads the Big 12 in all of those categories.Daniels is an interesting commodity, as he's sporting the nation's highest pass efficiency (197.7) and averages the most yards per attempt (11.0). He's thrown the second-most touchdowns (22) and is also getting it done with his feet, having rushed for 515 yards and four touchdowns. An upcoming game vs. Alabama could propel Daniels deeper into the race, which would drop his odds.Pick your poison as we hit the midway point of the college football season, but choose wisely, as the Heisman race is about to get interesting.Here are more College Football Observations heading into Week 6:BIG 10 BATTLE - All eyes will be on Columbus this weekend when the sixth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions hope to prove themselves against No. 3 Ohio State.The Lions have won 17 of their last 19 - while covering 16 of those games - with the only losses coming against Ohio State and Michigan.Penn State is just 1-8 straight-up against the Buckeyes under coach James Franklin. The Lions are only 3-6 against Michigan with Franklin at the helm. As a matter of fact, they're a mere 3-15 against Top 10 foes under Franklin's watch.But if there were ever a chance to shed those horrific numbers, it's this season with a stifling defense. The Lions rank No. 1 overall in allowing 193.7 yards per game, including a paltry 72.5 on the ground. Penn State has allowed an average of 8.0 points per game this season, registering shutouts in two of its last three.There is no bigger game for the Lions than this Saturday in Columbus. That is, until Nov. 11, when Michigan comes to Happy Valley. Both are important this season, as Lions boast a viable defense that could lead them to wins in both.ATS BESTS - Three teams are perfect against the number, two of which aren't surprising as they hail from Power 5 conferences, but the third is a shocker. Penn State and Oklahoma are each 6-0 straight-up and at the window, the former using its aforementioned defense and the latter riding its Hesiman-candidate quarterback to fuel a high-powered offense. The shocker, however, is UNLV, which checks in at 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS at this point.Only one other team still has a goose egg in the loss column, but Oregon, which is 5-1 SU, now has a tie against the books, after catching +3 last week at Washington in the 36-33 loss.MORE ATS OBSERVATIONS - The Vanderbilt Commodores are an interesting storyline when it comes to the betting window this season. They're 2-6 on the year, including a 0-4 record in SEC play. They're also 1-7 ATS after nabbing their first cover of the season in this past Saturday's 37-20 loss to top-ranked Georgia. The 'Dores caught +32.5 points and easily stayed inside the number. But the interesting part of this team is its 8-0 to the over when it comes to totals.Since winning its first two games, the Commodores have been outscored by an average margin of 15.6 points per game, while allowing 39.0 ppg. But where these totals are cashing in is with Vandy doing its part on offense, averaging 27.8 points per game.The average total on Vandy games is 54, ranging between 50.5 and 56.5. So if the Commodores are scoring 27.8 points per game - half of the average posted total - and they're being blown out most games, you can see how these games are landing north of the total by an average of 8.0 points per game.Vandy hosts Ole Miss this weekend, and go figure, the books are catching up as the total at DraftKings is sitting on 60 as of Wednesday morning.CHALK CHECK-IN - Since I missed last week due to some out-of-town commitments, that kept me in time restraints and away from my weekly research, let's catch up on how the favorites have been doing.Favorites that have ranged between 4 and 7.5 points have done the best the last two weeks, going a combined 19-14, including a 12-7 showing this past week.Bigger favorites have struggled the last two weeks, with teams laying 20 or more going 1-5 two weeks back, and haven't shown us a winning week since Week 1. Since then, those teams have a combined 22-32 ATS mark.Every week I'll update you with regular board games (no FCS or added), broken down into different point-spread ranges. There were a few pushes this week and a pk'em game to consider, but through Week 7, favorites are 188-173 with the following breakdown:1-3 1/2 ............ 42-404-7 1/2 ............ 53-408-10 1/2 ........... 16-1511-14 1/2 ....,..... 25-2415-19 1/2 .......... 19-1420 and up ...... 33-40

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VW's Weekly Recap: Ho-Hum Two Weeks, Big Week Coming

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023

My apologies, but I lost a week due to some intense travel and prior obligations last week.Plenty of college basketball media days to attend, both in and out of town, and I still missed some of the conferences I was hoping to attend.Nevertheless, I'm going to update you on the past couple of weeks, and zero in on this past weekend specifically.From last Tuesday, Oct. 3 through Monday, Oct. 16, I went 20-19-1 (51.3%) and lost $630.I finished 11-12-1 in both college and pro football during that stretch, as I split out in college football (6-6), and was 5-6-1 in pro football.Overall, College Football still continues to be impressive since Week 0, as I brought a 22-18-1 run for +$2,270 net profit since Aug. 31 into this week.Breaking down favorites and dogs in college football, I am 3-6 with the underdogs I've released and am 18-10-2 with favorites.Sitting at 19-14-3 in the NFL, I'm now 6-4 with underdogs - all six victories winning outright.Last week alone, I went 7-5 in both NFL and College Football, including a 6-2 mark on Saturday and Sunday.As for MLB action, I in that same two-week range (10/3-10/16), and brought a 66-56-1 run with $7,220 net profit into this week.I hit my A.L. West Total of the Year in Game 1 of the ALCS with the Astros-Rangers staying Under. Wednesday I have my ALCS Game of the Year.We're three games into the WNBA Finals, and the Las Vegas Aces face further adversity. They will be without Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes for Game 4, but this is a team that has dealt with - as Kelsey Plum puts it - injuries, lawsuits and arrests all season.I haven't released a WNBA play since Sept. 29, but have my WNBA Finals Game of the Year going Wednesday.Be sure to check out my College Football observations and my NFL Power Rankings.Let's gear up for a big week of action.

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Five College Football Underdog Coaches

by Kyle Hunter

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023

We’re right in the middle of the college football season. It’s crazy how fast the season flies by after we look forward to it through the whole summer. Let’s take a look at five active coaches who have been great in the underdog role (Against the Spread). Some coaches are just great at getting their team to be ready to go when they are being counted out by many. These ATS records go back to 2005.  Brian Kelly (40-22-2 ATS) LSU isn’t going to be an underdog very often, but the Tigers are going to be a dog in Tuscaloosa against Alabama on November 4. LSU pulled off the upset at home last year. Can they do it two years in a row? Kelly has been a good ATS moneymaker in general, but he has been excellent in this role.  Matt Rhule (35-18 ATS) Rhule did some great work at Baylor. He struggled in the NFL, but I’m convinced Rhule is still a good college football head coach. Nebraska picked up a nice win at Illinois recently, and the Cornhuskers are starting to play a little better in the trenches. It won’t be a quick fix here, but this Nebraska team is definitely in a better spot than they were with Scott Frost as their leader. The Nebraska last three games will be interesting: home vs. Maryland, at Wisconsin, and at Iowa.  Chris Creighton (45-28-1 ATS) Creighton is an excellent coach who gets the most out of his talent on an annual basis. Eastern Michigan is well known for playing in close games consistently. Creighton’s teams are 27-12 ATS as an underdog on the road. The Eagles will be a road underdog several more times this season.  Craig Bohl (42-28 ATS) Here’s another guy who absolutely gets the most out of his team. Craig Bohl’s Wyoming teams make the most of their home field advantage at elevation in Laramie. They are strong in the trenches, and they play some good defense. Wyoming won’t wow you, but they are always a tough team to play. Texas struggled for three quarters against this group. Wyoming pulled off the upsets over Fresno State and Texas Tech at home as well.  Billy Napier (19-8 ATS) Florida fans aren’t terribly high on Billy Napier right now, but I think they need to give him some time. Napier has been doing better with recruiting, and he has proven he can get kids up to play in these tough spots. An average or worse coach isn’t able to do this. The Gators play a really tough schedule, and they are going to be underdogs several more times. Don’t be surprised if they pull off a big upset sometime between now and the end of the season. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/18/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and NHL action.The eighth week in NCAAF college football continues with two games on national television between FBS opponents. Sam Houston State hosts Florida International on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Bearkats remained winless after their first six games in a 27-13 loss at New Mexico State as a 4-point underdog last Wednesday. The Golden Panthers are on a three-game losing streak after their 27-14 upset loss at home to UTEP as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. They have a 3-4 record on the season. Sam Houston State is a 5.5-point favorite, with the total set at 41.5 (all odds from DraftKings). New Mexico State travels to UTEP on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Aggies are on a two-game winning streak after their victory against Sam Houston State last Wednesday. The win raised their record to 4-3 on the season. The Miners ended a four-game losing streak with their upset win against Florida International last week. They have a 2-5 record. New Mexico State is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 48.Major League Baseball continues its postseason with one game. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Houston Astros in the third game of the American League Championship Series. The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series with a 5-4 victory on Monday. Texas has won seven games in a row. The Astros have lost two games in a row after losing the opening game of this series by a 2-0 score. Max Scherzer takes the ball for the Rangers to pitch against the Astros’ Cristian Javier. Scherzer posted a 13-6 record in the regular season between his time with the New York Mets and Texas with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 27 starts. Javier had a 10-5 record in the regular season with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 31 starts. Texas is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Ottawa Senators are at home against the Washington Capitals at 7:07 PM ET. Ottawa opened their season with a 5-3 loss at Carolina on Wednesday before beating Philadelphia by a 5-2 score. They raised their record to 2-1 with a 5-2 victory against Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Capitals began their season with a 4-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Friday. They rebounded with a 3-2 victory against Calgary on Monday. Ottawa is a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins visit Detroit to play the Red Wings on TNT at 7:37 PM ET. The Penguins opened their season with a 4-2 loss to Chicago last Tuesday before following up with a 4-0 victory at Washington on Friday. They raised their record to 2-1 with a 5-2 victory against Calgary on Saturday. The Red Wings began their season with a 4-2 loss at New Jersey on Thursday. They have since responded with a 6-4 victory against Tampa Bay on Saturday before a 4-0 win at Columbus on Monday. Pittsburgh is a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/17/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and NHL action.The eighth week in NCAAF college football begins with three games on national television between FBS opponents. Liberty hosts Middle Tennessee on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Flames remained unbeaten this season with their sixth straight win in a 31-13 victory at Jacksonville State as a 7-point favorite last Tuesday. The Blue Raiders ended a three-game losing streak with a 31-23 win against Louisiana Tech as a 3-point favorite on Tuesday. Liberty is a 14.5-point favorite, with the total set at 56.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two nationally televised NCAAF games kick off at 7:30 PM ET. Western Kentucky travels to Jacksonville State on ESPNU. The Hilltoppers are on a two-game winning streak after a 35-28 win at Louisiana Tech as a 6-point favorite on October 5th. The Gamecocks were on a three-game winning streak before a loss to Liberty last week. Western Kentucky is a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 59.5. South Alabama plays at home against Southern Mississippi on ESPN2. The Jaguars ended a two-game losing streak with a 55-7 victory at Louisiana-Monroe as a 10.5-point favorite on October 14th. The Golden Eagles are on a five-game losing streak after a 17-13 upset loss at home to Old Dominion as a 3-point favorite on October 7th. South Alabama is an 18-point favorite with a total of 52. Major League Baseball continues the postseason with one game. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Arizona Diamondbacks on TBS at 8:07 PM ET. The Phillies took the opening game of this series last night with a 5-3 victory. They send out Aaron Nola to pitch against the Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly. Philadelphia is a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. The Vancouver Canucks visit Philadelphia at 6:07 PM ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild play in Montreal against the Canadiens at 7:07 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 PM ET. The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on ESPN as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The New York Islanders are at home against the Arizona Coyotes as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.Two NHL games start at 8:07 PM ET. The Edmonton Oilers are in Nashville to play the Predators as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the Los Angeles Kings as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Seattle to play the Kraken on ESPN at 10:07 PM ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more games complete the NHL card at 10:37 PM ET. The Carolina Hurricanes play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -285 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights play at home against the Dallas Stars as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 6.  

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Every NBA Team Over Or Under?!

by AAA Sports

Monday, Oct 16, 2023

A look at each team's Over/Under number heading into the season:Atlanta Hawks 42.5 – Quinn Snyder gets a full season as HC, and Snyder’s teams have always performed well in the regular season.Boston Celtics 54.5 – Celtics looked dominating at times in pre-season, and should be able to pile up wins in a top-heavy East. Top 6 (Tatum, Brown, White, Holiday, Porzingis, Horford) is formidable.Brooklyn Nets 37.5 – Nets re-tooling around Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and (gulp) Ben Simmons. They’ll focus on defense to produce turnovers and play fast.Charlotte Hornets 31.5 – Oh boy. Getting to 32 wins might be a stretch for the Hornets. No. 2 pick Brandon Miller won’t be able to save this team.Chicago Bulls 37.5 – Fish or cut bait time in Chicago, which couldn’t get to .500 with a veteran team last season and could be ready to blow it up if it doesn’t start fast this time around.Cleveland Cavaliers 50.5 – Last year’s embarrassing playoff loss to NY led to thinking that Allen/Mobley and Mitchell/Garland combinations may not work long-term.Dallas Mavericks 43.5 – Grant Williams, who could not even get off the bench at times last year in Boston, is the Mavs’ third-best player. And . . . is it time for another Kyrie Irving issue to surface?Denver Nuggets 53.5 – Only a stacked Western Conference is keeping the number this low. The Nuggets have the best player in the league and they care about winning regular-season games.Detroit Pistons 28.5 – Pistons will be a factor when they learn how to turn their talent into actually winning games. This year will be all about maturing as a team and getting ready to take a leap in the next few years.Golden State Warriors 48.5 – Suddenly this team is old, and approaching ancient. Whether Curry, Green (already injured), Thompson and Chris Paul can stay on the court to grind out 49 wins is problematic at best.Houston Rockets 31.5 – HC Ime Udoka brings professionalism to a team that badly needs it. Adding Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks bring vet talent to the lineup. Could be a surprise team.Indiana Pacers 38.5 – Pacers don’t want a complete teardown/rebuild, so Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are still here for now. Tyrese Halliburton had better stay healthy.Los Angeles Clippers 46.5 – Clips say they’ve had it with load management and will now embrace the NBA’s new policy about not resting stars. It will be interesting to see what Kawhi Leonard has to say about that.Los Angeles Lakers 47.5 – Suddenly this team is deeper than the Mariana Trench, which will enable to (say it softly) rest LeBron James. And they can’t possibly start as slow as they did a year ago.Memphis Grizzlies 45.5 – Yes, Ja Morant is out for a while, but they seem to play better without him anyway This is another team that needed to mature, and Marcus Smart (in) and Brooks (out) will help get that done.Miami Heat 45.5 – Can the Heat somehow squeeze out a 46-win season? Ten over .500 seems a heavy lift for a group that doesn’t value the regular season all that much.Milwaukee Bucks 54.5 – Giannis’s musings about someday finding another home basically blackmailed the Bucks in getting Damian Lillard. Question is – which one gets double-teamed when they’re on the court together?Minnesota Timberwolves 44.5 – The whole just isn’t the sum of its parts in Minnesota, where the Gobert experiment failed and the Wolves try once last time to get it right – this time with Anthony Edwards driving the car.New Orleans Pelicans 44.5 – Zion Williamson is healthy and in shape, and if he stays that way and plays in say, 60 games, the Pelicans can get to 45. If not, it’s back to square one.New York Knicks 45.5 – Tom Thibodeau will keep cracking the whip and try to win EVERY game, Few changes here, and they need Immanuel Quickley or RJ Barrett to step up to maintain franchise momentum.Oklahoma City Thunder 44.5 – Lots of eyes will be on this juggernaut-in-waiting. They have a legit Top 5 player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Chet Holmgren getting his feet wet finally. Orlando Magic 36.5 – The Magic have some depth as they build around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Orlando actually finished over .500 (29-28) in its final 57 games last year.Philadelphia 76ers 49.5 – Say what you want about James Harden, but he’s valuable in the regular season. He may be headed to the Clips, but that will just open the door to explosive Tyrese Maxey. Oh yeah – reigning MVP Joel Embiid also plays for these guys.Phoenix Suns 51.5 – You know your offense is in good shape when Bradley Beal is your third option (behind Booker and Durant), and if HC Frank Vogel can coax them into playing a little defense, the Suns have a shot at getting out of the West.Portland Trail Blazers 28.5 – Are the Blazers 28-win bad? They added some interesting pieces in the Lillard fallout – Ayton, Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon. Mix in rookie Scoot Henderson with vet Jeremi Grant, and you might have something.Sacramento Kings 44.5 – Oddsmakers see a moderate drop (Kings were 48-34 last season), figuring that they won’t be overlooked again. They’ll play hard, they’ll run and if they play a little more D than they did last year, who knows?San Antonio Spurs 29.5 – Won’t take long for wunderkind Victor Wembanyama to learn about physical play. Will the Spurs be bad enough to get the No. 1 pick AGAIN? Shades of Robinson/Duncan.Toronto Raptors 36.5 – The Raps are running it back. Again. Off-season trade rumors were just that, so we’ll get another seven months of Anunoby, Siakam and Barnes. If things go right, they’re in the 7-8-9-10 Play-In range.Utah Jazz 35.5 – John Collins will finally get his shot as the Jazz build around him and Lauri Markkanen. They really need Collin Sexton to be healthy for most of the season.Washington Wizards 24.5 – A new front office produced major rosters changes. Beal and Porzingis out, and outside of Jordan Poole, not a lot coming in.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/16/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 16, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFL, MLB, and NHL action.Week 6 in the NFL concludes with the Dallas Cowboys traveling to Los Angeles to play the Chargers on ABC and ESPN. The Cowboys have lost two of three games after their 42-10 loss at San Francisco as a 3.5-point underdog last Sunday night. The Chargers take the field again after their 24-17 victory at home against Las Vegas as a 7-point favorite on October 1st. Dallas is a 1.5-point favorite, with the total set at 51 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball continues the postseason with two games in the League Championship Series. The Houston Astros host the Texas Rangers on Fox and FS1 at 4:37 PM ET. The Rangers took the opening game of this best-of-seven series with a 2-0 victory on Sunday. Framber Valdez takes the ball for the Astros to pitch against Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers. Houston is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on TBS at 8:07 PM ET. The Phillies have won six of their last seven games after closing out their NLDS with Atlanta in four games with a 3-1 victory on Thursday. The Diamondbacks are on a five-game winning streak after a 4-2 victory at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers to sweep that NLDS on Tuesday. Philadelphia taps Zack Wheeler to pitch against Arizona’s Zac Gallen. The Phillies are a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate that all drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Detroit Red Wings visit Columbus to play the Blue Jackets. The Red Wings leveled their record at 1-1 with a 6-4 victory at home against Tampa Bay on Saturday. The Blue Jackets have the same record after their 5-3 victory at home against the New York Rangers on Saturday. Detroit is a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Florida Panthers. The Devils record fell to 1-1 after a 4-3 loss to Arizona on Friday. The Panthers have lost their first two games of the season after a 6-4 loss at Winnipeg on Saturday. New Jersey is a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The New York Rangers host the Arizona Coyotes. The Rangers have split their first two games after their loss on the road against the Bluejackets on Saturday. The Coyotes won their opening game of the season with their road victory against the Devils. New York is a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Maple Leafs have won their first two games of the season after their 7-4 victory at home against Minnesota on Friday. The Blackhawks opened their season with a win yet have lost two games in a row after a 3-2 loss at Montreal on Saturday. Toronto is a -345 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Calgary Flames are in Washington to play the Capitals. The Flames dropped to 1-1 this season with a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Capitals began their season with a 4-0 loss to the Penguins. Calgary is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/15/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 15, 2023

The Sunday sports card features NFL, MLB, and NHL action.Week 6 in the NFL continues with 13 games. The Baltimore Ravens play the Tennessee Titans in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the NFL Network at 9:30 AM ET as a 5.5-point favorite, with the total set at 42.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Seven NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. The Atlanta Falcons host the Washington Commanders as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5. The Minnesota Vikings travel to Chicago to play the Bears as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 44. The Jacksonville Jaguars play at home against the Indianapolis Colts as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 44. The San Francisco 49ers are in Cleveland to play the Browns as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 36. The Cincinnati Bengals are at home against the Seattle Seahawks as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5. The New Orleans Saints play in Houston against the Texans as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 42. The Miami Dolphins are at home against the Carolina Panthers as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The Las Vegas Raiders host the New England Patriots at 4:05 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Three more NFL games start at 4:25 PM ET. The Detroit Lions visit Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 42.5. The Los Angeles Rams play at home against the Arizona Cardinals as a 7-point favorite with a total of 48. The Philadelphia Eagles are in New York to play the Jets as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 42.5. Sunday Night Football on NBC has the Buffalo Bills hosting the New York Giants at 8:20 PM ET. The Bills were on a three-game winning streak before a 25-20 upset loss to Jacksonville in London as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Giants are on a three-game losing streak after their 31-16 loss at Miami as a 13-point underdog on Sunday. Buffalo is a 15-point favorite with a total of 44. Major League Baseball continues the postseason with Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, with the Houston Astros playing at home against the Texas Rangers on Fox at 8:15 PM ET in this best-of-seven series. The Astros beat Minnesota, 3-1, in its ALDS after a 3-2 victory on the road on Wednesday. The Rangers swept Baltimore with their 7-1 victory at home on Tuesday. Justin Verlander takes the ball for Houston to face Jordan Montgomery for Texas. The Astros are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Ottawa Senators are at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play in Anaheim against the Ducks at 8:37 PM ET as a -265 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. 

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NFL Top 10 Rankings - Week 6

by Wayne Root

Saturday, Oct 14, 2023

The NFL feels very top-heavy so far this season, and every team outside the 49ers in the top five has had their own issues.  1. San Francisco (5-0) The 49ers defeated the Cowboys, 42-10, to improve to 5-0. “Mr Irrelevant”,Brock Purdy has thrown for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns. He has completed 72.1% of his throws. He hasn't had a pass intercepted. The dominant 49ers will be in plenty of boring games this year. But not boring for their fans. The 49ers look unstoppable right now. They have a trip to Cleveland Sunday.  2. Philadelphia (5-0) They’ve had a very easy start to the season, even if they’ve been trying to make it more difficult. The Eagles are here kind of by default because they are the only other unbeaten team. The Eagles beat the Rams, 23-14, to improve to 5-0. Jalen Hurts has six touchdowns passes, four interceptions and a 67.3% completion rate. He's thrown for 1,262 yards thru five games. A Week 7 matchup against the Dolphins will be the real measuring stick for this team but they meet the NY Jets first.  3. Miami (4-1) The Dolphins have to keep the offense going without De’Von Achane. He picked up a knee injury that could send him to injured reserve, but otherwise, the Dolphins had a nice bounceback win against the Giants in which their absurd team speed was on full display. With the Carolina Panthers up next, Miami should be 5-1 heading into a matchup with the Eagles in Week 7. 4. Kansas City (4-1) As the Chiefs are winning, there are other teams that cannot say the same.  Hanging on to beat the Jets and then the Vikings in back-to-back weeks does not create a ton of confidence nor scares they’re opponents. The good news is the defense is fairly legit. The concerning news is the Chiefs still have not developed a receiving option outside of Travis Kelce, who has yet another injury scare. They host the Denver Broncos on TNF.  5. Detroit (4-1) The Lions are picking up a lot of fans that love their turnaround story. But could it be crashing? Losing Emmanuel Moseley for the season is a blow, but the Lions took care of business without two key offensive players against the basement-dwelling Panthers. With the Packers looking like less of a threat by the week, Detroit is the heavy favorite to win this division. They know how to win the games they should, which is one of the key ingredients to becoming great. We’ll see Sunday as they’re on the road in Tampa.  6. Buffalo (3-2) The NFL did Buffalo no favors by scheduling a London trip to face a team that had already been there a week the Sunday after an emotional division win against Miami. The Bills had to burn a home game to do it. While the loss to the Jaguars can be explained away, the losses on defense are mounting. Tre’Davious White went down for the season in Week 4, and Matt Milano’s season ended in Week 5. The Bills will just have to put their offense in overdrive. They can implement that offense at home against the NY Giants.  7. Dallas (3-2) The Cowboys offense is officially a problem. Dallas is currently 21st in yards per play, 13th in points per drive, and 28th in red zone touchdown rate. Is it the play calling coach or the quarterback? That combo clearly isn’t working. It would not be a shock if the Cowboys enter the bye week at 3-3, which would be a major blow. The Cowboys are on prime time Monday playing the LA Chargers.  8. Tampa Bay (3-1) Beat the Lions, and the Bucs will be taken very seriously. Tampa Bay comes out of their bye week in first place in the division and with a win against the Saints in their back pocket. The next three weeks should be telling for this team. They get the Lions and Falcons at home before a trip to Buffalo in Week 8. We should know a lot more about how real the Bucs are after that stretch of games. We get must watch TV Sunday at 4:25 est in Tampa hosting the Lions.  9. Seattle (3-1) There are others that are much more enamored on the Seahawks than myself. Seattle has an interesting road matchup with the Bengals coming out of the bye week. The Seahawks have clearly been the better team so far this season, but Cincy looked more like the team we expected in their win over the Cardinals. It should be a good test. Pete probably should bring an extra pack of gum.  10. Jacksonville (3-2) After a slow start that included a loss to the Texans, Jacksonville needed a signature win, and they got it over the Bills in London. Things were perfectly set up for them by the schedule, but it was still a good win against one of the better teams in the league. The Jags return to the States for a massive divisional game against the Colts, who they beat in Week 1. Both teams are 3-2 with the Jags opening as a 4 point favorite.  

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