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Monday Night Football: Texans at Chargers
Houston Texans at San Diego Chargers (+3.5, 44.5)
The Houston Texans are taking the Super Bowl-or-bust approach while the San Diego Chargers are entering a rebuilding phase under first-year coach Mike McCoy. The Texans open the season against the host Chargers on the Monday night stage and believe last season’s franchise-best 12-4 record – and a playoff victory for the second straight campaign – has set the state for a deep postseason run. San Diego has missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
Houston signed perennial Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed as a free agent to shore up the back end and he is a game-time decision after having offseason hip surgery. Defensive end J.J. Watt racked up a league-leading 20 1/2 sacks last season in a stellar performance that earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Chargers cleaned house after last season’s disappointing showing by firing coach Norv Turner and general A.J. Smith and hiring McCoy and new general manager Tom Telesco.
TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: The Texans opened as 3-point road faves which has been bet up to 3.5.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with partly cloudy skies in San Diego. Wind will blow from the W towards the east end zone at 6 mph.
ABOUT THE TEXANS (2012: 12-4, first AFC South): Inside linebacker Brian Cushing is healthy after suffering a season-ending knee injury early last season and Houston recently rewarded him with a six-year, $55.6 million extension. The Texans allowed 225.8 passing yards per game in 2012 and the belief is that Reed’s ball-hawking presence should further bolster a unit that ranked seventh in total defense (323.3). Quarterback Matt Schaub topped 4,000 passing yards for the third time in four seasons and Andre Johnson (112 receptions for a career-best 1,598 yards) surpassed 1,500 yards for the third time in his stellar career. Running back Arian Foster (1,424 yards, 15 touchdowns) has been bothered by back and calf woes in training camp and could be spelled by Ben Tate.
ABOUT THE CHARGERS (2012: 7-9, second AFC West): Quarterback Philip Rivers has been turnover-prone the past two seasons with 47 miscues (35 interceptions, 12 lost fumbles) and his 3,606 passing yards last season represented his lowest output since 2007. Injury-prone Ryan Mathews (707 yards) is the prime running back and top wideout Malcom Floyd (56 receptions) missed most of the preseason with a knee injury. Safety Eric Weddle (team-high 111 tackles) is one of the best at his position and the leader of a defense that is being rebuilt. The Chargers are hoping veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney (107.5 career sacks) has something left in the tank.
TRENDS:
* The Texans are 0-5 ATS in their last five Monday games.
* The Chargers are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
* The under is 14-6 in the Chargers last 20 home games.
* The Texans are 0-4 ATS in their last four meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. San Diego has won all four previous meetings, the most recent being a 29-23 victory in Houston in 2010.
2. The Texans were 7-0 last season when Foster rushed for 100 or more yards.
3. Rivers was sacked a league-high 49 times last season and fumbled 15 times, losing seven. -
Monday Night Football: Eagles at Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins (-3.5, 52)
The biggest question mark of the offseason and one of the biggest mysteries entering the season will finally be answered when the Washington Redskins host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night in a clash of NFC East rivals. Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III will take his first snap since tearing knee ligaments in a playoff loss to Seattle last season. Questions abound over what Philadelphia's offense will look like under Chip Kelly, who makes his NFL coaching debut.
Griffin, the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012, was held out of the preseason by coach Mike Shanahan despite his repeated pronouncements that he was healthy and ready to go. Kelly, who presided over a fast-break offense at Oregon that piled up points at a video-game pace, also had a hot-button topic at quarterback before settling on veteran Michael Vick as his starter. Kelly had an unwelcome distraction when a video surfaced of wide receiver Riley Cooper uttering a racial slur, leading to the brief banishment from training camp for Cooper.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: The Redskins opened as 5.5-point faves and are currently 3.5-point favorites.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-70s and skies will be partly cloudy for this NFC East matchup. Wind will blow from the SE towards the NW endzone at 6 mph.
ABOUT THE EAGLES (2012: 4-12, fourth NFC East): How Kelly's offense translates to the NFL is the biggest question mark and the key to its success revolves around Vick, who has seen his effectiveness diminish due to a combination of injuries and repeated turnovers. Running back LeSean McCoy saw his rushing touchdowns dwindle from 20 in 2011 to five last season but he seems like an ideal fit for Kelly's schemes, as does speedy wideout DeSean Jackson, whose production also took a major dip a year ago. Team harmony was tested by the remarks of Cooper, who was involved in a practice skirmish on Thursday, while the defense is also under fire after getting torched for nearly 28 points per game in 2012.
ABOUT THE REDSKINS (2012: 10-6, first NFC East): Griffin set NFL rookie quarterback records for both passer rating (102.4) and rushing yards (815) but he was not the only first-year player to make an enormous impact. Sixth-round pick Alfred Morris was second in the league with 1,613 rushing yards, including seven 100-yard games, as the Redskins amassed a league-best 169.3 yards per game on the ground. Top wideout Pierre Garcon was hobbled by a foot injury for much of the season and tight end Fred Davis missed the final nine games with a torn Achilles' tendon. The defensive front remains in flux, but an already-strong linebacking corps receives a boost with the return of Brian Orakpo, who has 29.5 sacks in 49 career games.
TRENDS:
* The Eagles are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 versus the NFC.
* The Redskins are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 versus the NFC East.
* The favorite is 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings.
* The under is 7-3-2 in the last 12 meetings in Washington.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Griffin threw for six touchdowns in Washington's two wins over Philadelphia last season, including a perfect passer rating (158.3) in one game.
2. The Eagles lost 11 of 12 to close out last season but Vick has won his last three starts against the Redskins.
3. Washington finished last season on a seven-game win streak in its surprising run to the division title.Comment
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MLB Top 3: Monday pitchers trending toward the 'under'
With the race for playoff positioning heating up, teams are relying more than ever on quality starting pitching. Run prevention in September often means the difference between a spot in the postseason and a long offseason.
Here are three Monday pitchers who have delivered on the 'under' in recent games:
Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles (15-5, 3.71 ERA)
Tillman's emergence as an ace in his fifth major-league season has helped keep the Orioles' playoff hopes afloat. The 25-year-old Anaheim, Calif., native has delivered four straight "under" results, and is particularly stingy at home - registering 10 'unders' versus just four 'overs'. Tillman is coming off a rough outing against Cleveland, but has a 3.26 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break and is primed for a strong bounce-back performance.
The Orioles open a four-game series with the visiting New York Yankees on Monday.
Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels (9-8, 3.33 ERA)
Weaver is having a down year by his standards - having won 38 games over his previous two seasons - but has still been a revelation for 'under' bettors. The lanky 30-year-old has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the league in that regard, recording 16 'unders' against just five 'overs' so far in 2013. He has been especially strong in the second half, going 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 10 starts.
The Angels visit the Minnesota Twins on Monday in a makeup game from an April 17 rainout.
Jarred Cosart, Houston Astros (1-1, 2.13 ERA)
The Astros aren't going to the postseason anytime soon, but fans have to be encouraged by Cosart's first taste of major-league action. The 23-year-old Texan has gone 'under' in six of his first nine starts, with all of those results coming on the road. Cosart's previous outing was a difficult one - he was tagged for four runs over four innings in a no-decision against Minnesota - but he has allowed more than three runs just twice in 2013.
The Astros kick off a three-game series against the host Seattle Mariners on Monday.Comment
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Monday's MLB American League betting cheat sheet
Check out our quick-hitting betting notes on Monday's American League games:
New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles (-130, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia is 29-16 with a 2.85 ERA in 61 career September starts.
Cold batting stat: Orioles C Matt Wieters has just six hits in 33 at-bats against Sabathia, and has struck out nine times.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 10-3-1 in Baltimore starter Chris Tillman's last 14 outings.
Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians (-115, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Indians righty Ubaldo Jimenez is coming off six innings of shutout ball in a 4-3 triumph over the Baltimore Orioles - his first scoreless outing since July 28.
Cold batting stat: Cleveland OF Nick Swisher is hitting just .212 with one RBI in 33 at-bats against Kansas City in 2013.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 9-1 in the Indians' last 10 Monday games.
Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins (+140, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Angels right-hander Jered Weaver is 6-4 with a 2.71 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 11 home starts,
Hot batting stat: Los Angeles OF Mike Trout is a .395 career hitter in 43 at-bats versus the Twins.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-90s with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 10 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 10-2 in Weaver's last 12 outings following a quality start in his previous appearance.
Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox (+130, 7)
Cold pitching stat: White Sox left-hander Chris Sale has surrendered 10 home runs to Detroit in his career - the most of any opponent.
Cold batting stat: Chicago DH Adam Dunn has fanned 14 times in 30 career at-bats versus Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 8-2 in Scherzer's last 10 road starts against teams with losing records.
Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners (-165, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Mariners righty Taijuan Walker was roughed up in his second major-league start, charged with four runs on four hits over five innings in a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Cold batting stat: Seattle 3B Kyle Seager is hitting a paltry .190 with 11 strikeouts in 58 at-bats against the Astros this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s under clear skies. Wind will blow from left to right field at 3 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 6-1 in Houston's last seven games against a division foe.
Interleague
Pittsburgh Pirates at Texas Rangers (-180, 8)
Cold pitching stat: Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish is winless over his last four starts, and was torched for five runs on five hits over five innings in his previous outing against Oakland.
Hot batting stat: Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez is hitting .340 with four homers and eight RBIs in 13 interleague games this year.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-90s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 9 mph.
Key betting note: Texas is 9-1 in its last 10 Monday games.
** Odds courtesy Betonline.com
** Odds, probable starters, stats and weather forecast as of 1 p.m. Sunday.Comment
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Monday's MLB National League betting cheat sheet
Check out our quick-hitting betting notes on Monday's National League games:
Washington Nationals at New York Mets (+125, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez has won two straight starts, surrendering just one earned run over 12 2/3 innings in that span.
Cold batting stat: Washington 2B/3B Anthony Rendon is just 6-for-43 with 11 strikeouts in 11 games against the Mets.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: Washington has won 15 of the previous 19 meetings in New York.
Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds (-190, 8)
Cold pitching stat: Cubs right-hander Travis Wood is 2-5 in nine second-half starts, while his 3.99 ERA since the All-Star break is more than a full point higher than his first-half mark (2.79).
Hot batting stat: Reds SS Todd Frazier is 6-for-14 with a pair of home runs and six RBIs lifetime against Wood.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Cincinnati.
Atlanta Braves at Miami Marlins (+150, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez is 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA in 17 career innings against the Braves.
Cold batting stat: Atlanta SS Andrelton Simmons has just one hit in 10 career at-bats versus Alvarez.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s, but with a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms the roof at Marlins Park may be closed. Wind will blow from right to left field at 8 mph.
Key betting note: Atlanta is 22-4 in starter Kris Medlen's last 26 outings against divisional opponents.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (-155, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Dodgers right-hander Ricky Nolasco is 7-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 11 starts since joining Los Angeles in a trade with the Marlins.
Hot batting stat: Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .391 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 46 at-bats against the Diamondbacks.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left-center field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Los Angeles.
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants (-120, 7)
Hot pitching stat: Rockies right-hander Jhoulys Chacin is 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA and zero home runs allowed in 20 1/3 innings against the Giants in 2013.
Cold batting stat: Colorado OF Dexter Fowler is hitting just .195 with 13 strikeouts in 41 at-bats against San Francisco starter Tim Lincecum.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 8-2-1 in Lincecum's previous 11 starts versus Colorado.
**Odds courtesy Betonline.com
** Odds, probable starters, stats and weather forecast as of 12:50 p.m. Sunday.Comment
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College football odds: Week 3 opening line report
The centerpiece of Week 3 of the NCAA football season is easily the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) at the Texas A&M Aggies (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS).
Peter Korner, founder of Nevada-based odds consultants The Sports Club, thinks Nick Saban and 'Bama will be more prepared this season.
"Knowing Alabama and knowing Saban, and this being a return matchup for them, I think they're going to be a bit more ready than Texas A&M," Korner told Covers.
Aggies' QB Johnny Manziel put up big stats against Sam Houston State in Week 2 with 403 yards and three TDs through the air and 36 yards rushing with one TD. The Aggies racked up 65 points in the rout, but should, perhaps, be alarmed with their defense. The Bearkats put up 28 points in the game, led by a stellar display from running back Timothy Flanders who tallied 170 yards on 19 carries and a pair of TDs.
Alabama, on the other hand, is coming off a bye week and defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 35-10 in their Week 1 opener. Saban and the Crimson Tide will be out for revenge after their 29-24 defeat to Texas A&M one season ago.
"This was one of our toughest ones and will be a fun game to watch," says Korner. "We had a low of +3 and a high of +10.5 so we set the line at +7.5. I think Alabama is going to be a bit more ready for this one."
Here’s a look at a few other interesting games on the horizon, with help from Mr. Korner:
UCLA Bruins at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-4.5)
The Bruins (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) are another team coming off a bye week after a big 58-20 victory over Nevada in Week 1. Sophomore QB Brett Hundley was sharp going 22-for-33 for 274 yards passing and running for 63 yards - including a 37 yard TD scamper in the first quarter.
The Cornhuskers (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) throttled Southern Miss 56-13 in Week 2 after escaping with a 37-34 victory over Wyoming in Week 1.
"Nebraska always seems to be a betting favorite and we had anything from -3.5 to -7 and I put it at -4.5," says Korner. "It's going to be a very tight game and UCLA definitely has the tools to win this one straight up."
Tennessee Volunteers at Oregon Ducks (-28)
Chip Kelly may have left for the NFL, but the Oregon Ducks' (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) offense keeps on rolling. The Ducks are averaging 62.5 points per game through their first two matchups and are second in the country averaging 425 rushing yards per game.
The Volunteers (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) have gotten themselves off to a nice start, crushing the likes of Austin Peay and Western Kentucky. This will be their first real test however, and traveling up the Pacific northwest to face the Oregon attack is a tough task.
"We had this anywhere from -26 to -31 and I put it -28. I like this even higher," says Korner. "Oregon will do whatever they do and it will be fourth quarter time where it will probably be right around there and it will be up to Oregon whether they want to bomb them out or just coast."
Washington Huskies at Illinois Fighting Illini (+10)
The Washington Huskies (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) had a wonderful Week 1 victory over Boise State and had a week off to enjoy it. The Huskies should be very well prepared to go into Chicago's Soldier Field and attempt to knock off another big program.
A tough Week 1 victory over Southern Illinois was softened by a big win over Cincinnati in Week 2 and the Illini (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) will look to continue rolling in Week 3. They boast the 10th most passing yards per game (363.5) but Washington's defense stymied a potent Boise State team in Week 1.
"We had +7 to +10 here so I kept it on the topside at -10 with Washington," said Korner. "Illinois just isn't all that good."Comment
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Today's NFL Picks
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Time Posted: 10:00 a.m. EST (9/3)Game 479-480: Philadelphia at Washington (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 130.142; Washington 131.203
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 54
Vegas Line: Washington by 4; 51
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+4); OverGame 481-482: Houston at San Diego (10:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 133.892; San Diego 128.357
Dunkel Line: Houston by 5 1/2; 41
Vegas Line: Houston by 3 1/2; 44
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-3 1/2); UnderComment
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DCI Pro Football
The Daniel Curry Index
Week 1 Scores/Predictions
Monday, September 9, 2013
Philadelphia 15.4 at WASHINGTON 34.1, 6:55 pm ET
Houston 24.1 at SAN DIEGO 21.5, 10:20 pm ETComment
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Power Sweep
3 HousComment
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BeatYourBookie
MONDAY
10* Play Philadelphia +3 over Washington (NFL TOP PLAY)
7:00 PM EST
Washington is 51-81 ATS when playing as a favorite
Washington is 11-24 ATS at home when playing in the month of September
10* Play Houston -3.5 over San Diego (NFL TOP PLAY)
10:30 PM EST
Houston is 6-1 ATS when playing in the month of September
Houston is 19-8 ATS vs. AFC Conference Opponents the last two seasonsComment
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60 percent guaranteed
houston -3.5Comment
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Allen Eastman
$2000.00 -105 Take #480 Washington (-3.5) over Philadelphia (7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 9)
This is my NFL Game of the Week. I think that this is very good value on a Redskins team that made the playoffs last year against an Eagles team that went just 4-12. Philadelphia is learning a new system. They will not have Chip Kelly's system figured out after just a few weeks of training camp. Robert Griffin III is starting for Washington. My sources tell me he is as close to 100 percent as you can expect. He will be very good and the Redskins offense will be as strong as it was last year with him at the helm. Griffin threw six touchdown passes against Philadelphia in two wins over them last year. The Redskins are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 divisional games. The favorite is 5-0 ATS in this series and the Eagles are just 2-10 ATS against teams from the NFC. I think the home field will be a big advantage and the Eagles are still learning.Comment
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Jason Sharpe
HoustonComment
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Football Sack
Philadelphia Eagles +3.5 ($2,000) TOP RATED NFL PICK
Houston Texans -3.5 ($500) WATCH OUT FOR THIS TEAM ALL SEASON LONG!Comment
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