Cappers Sports Picks

6* Spurs/Heat ESPN *CA$H COW* on Miami +4.5

The Key: The Miami Heat were one of the best teams in the NBA in the second half last year.  They have been grossly underrated, and they're being overlook again here as 4.5-point home dogs to the San Antonio Spurs.  This is a Spurs team that has been able to get by without Kawhi Leonard, going 3-0, but two of their games were close at home, and their only road win came against the awful Chicago Bulls.  This will be their stiffest road test yet.  The Heat are 11-2 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 2 or more consecutive games over the last 2 seasons.  The Heat are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Miami.

7* Astros/Dodgers World Series *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles -167

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 26-4 in Clayton Kershaw's 30 starts this season.  They've gone 14-2 in his 16 home starts.  So despite having to lay heavy prices with him, you'd still be up 15 units of profit on the season.  And now we only have to lay -167 with him in Game 1 of the World Series.  Dallas Keuchel sports a 4.43 ERA on the road lifetime and can't be trusted as much away from home.  Kershaw is 30-3 (+21.2 Units) against the money line vs teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game over the last 2 seasons.  Kershaw is 41-8 (+21.2 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -150 or more over the last 2 seasons.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Tuesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Pacers/Timberwolves UNDER 219.5

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves will play defense this season with the additions of Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, who were defensive stalwarts in Tom Thibodeau's time in Chicago.  They will demand defense from the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns.  Indiana will be missing its best player in Myles Turner, who opens up their offense with his ability to stretch the floor.  They will also be without floor stretcher Glenn Robinson III tonight.  I just don't see how the Pacers contribute enough points in this game to push this game over this 219.5-point total.  Indiana is 12-3 UNDER after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games coming in.  Take the UNDER.

7* Redskins/Eagles NFC East *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia -5

The Key: The Philadelphia Eagles are the best team in the NFC at 5-1 right now.  They have a front seven defensively that is one of the best in the NFL, and their offense has really taken off this year with Carson Wentz.  I think Wentz has a big game against a Redskins defense that will be missing Josh Norman and Jonathan Allen, and possibly another corner in Breeland.  The Eagles beat the Redskins already 30-17 on the road and outgained them 356 to 254 in that game.  Now they are only laying 5 at home in the rematch.  I think they win by a TD or more with ease.  Take Philadelphia.

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on 76ers/Pistons UNDER 214.5

The Key: The last 6 meetings between the 76ers and Pistons in Detroit have all seen 209 or fewer combined points.  They have averaged 199 combined points in those 6 meetings.  The Pistons are 13-3 to the UNDER in their last 16 home games.  Take the UNDER.

7* AFC Total of the Year on Bengals/Steelers OVER 40.5

The Key: This simply come down to value.  The over/unders on the two meetings between these teams last season were 45.5 and 48 points.  And we haven't seen a total lower than 44.5 in a Bengals vs. Steelers game in any of the last 8 meetings.  This total of 40.5 is simply too low.  The Bengals have been improving offensively since making the coordinator change, and the Steelers aren't going to be held back offensively like they have up to this point.  They simply have too much talent on offense.  Cincinnati is on a 48-28 OVER run vs. good defensive teams that give up 17 or fewer points per game.  Pittsburgh is on a 28-14 OVER run in home games vs. teams who give up 17 or fewer points per game.  Take the OVER.

6* Broncos/Chargers AFC West *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles +1

The Key: The Chargers have won 2 straight and will be looking for revenge after a 3-point loss to the Broncos in Week 1.  They should have a great chance of getting revenge here considering they are relatively healthy, while the Broncos are dealing with several injuries.  The top 2 receivers are hurt in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, with Sanders out Sunday.  Trevor Siemian is playing despite a bum shoulder, and he will be missing his starting offensive tackle and his backup tackle.  I just don't see where the points are going to come from for the Broncos in this game given the current state of their offense up against an underrated Chargers defense.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Seahawks/Giants NFC *CA$H COW* on Seattle -3.5

The Key: Money has been pouring in on the Giants all week.  But it's an overreaction from their 23-10 win in Denver on Sunday Night Football.  The Broncos took them lightly and had a ton of injuries in that game that led to the result.  But the Giants weren't the better team.  They got all the breaks, including a defensive touchdown, and they were actually outgained by 146 yards by the Broncos.  Now they have to face a rested Seahawks team coming off their bye, and I think the Giants' deficiencies will really show this week.  The Seahawks own the Giants, going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings while winning by an average of 18.3 points per game.  Take Seattle.

6* Colorado/WSU Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on OVER 52

The Key: This total has been set too low tonight because Washington State has gone under the total in 4 straight games coming in.  That includes their 3-37 loss at Cal last week.  But they gave that game away by committing 7 turnovers as their offense just couldn't punch it in, turning it over 7 times in 13 drives, which is tough to do.  Look for a much more efficient showing from an offense that had scored at least 31 points in 5 straight games to start the season.  And Colorado will chip in its fair share with an offense that has scored at least 36 points in 4 of 7 games this year.  But the Buffaloes have taken a big step back defensively this season, giving up 35.5 points per game in conference play this season.  Colorado is 20-4 OVER in its last 24 road games after 2 consecutive game where they committed 1 or less turnovers.  These teams combined for 62 points last year in a 38-24 Colorado victory.  Expect a similar final score here in Washington State's favor.  Take the OVER.

6* Fresno/SDSU Mountain West *BAILOUT* on Fresno State +7.5

The Key: The Fresno State Bulldogs have gone 6-0 against the spread this season.  They have only lost to Alabama and Washington, two of the best teams in the land.  There's a good reason this line has dropped from +10.5 down to +7.5, but I still think there's plenty of value on backing the Bulldogs here in a game they can win outright.  San Diego State players were quoted as saying that they had the goal of going undefeated coming into the season.  But that goal was ended last week with a 14-31 home loss to Boise State.  It's the type of dream-crushing loss that is tough to recover from the next week.  I expect SDSU to be flat in this game here.  The Bulldogs are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.   The Bulldogs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. teams with winning records.  Take Fresno State.

6* Saturday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Magic/Cavs UNDER 215.5

The Key: Both the Cavs and Magic will be missing their starting point guards in this game.  Elfrid Payton is doubtful for Orlando, while Derrick Rose is doubtful for Cleveland.  Without their point guards, I expect both offenses to struggle more than normal here.  So we'll take a shot with the UNDER 215.5.  Both teams will be fatigued after playing last night as well, so the pace of this game should be slow.  Take the UNDER.

6* Yankees/Astros Game 7 *CA$H COW* on New York +118

The Key: This just feels like it's CC Sabathia's time.  He has had a resurrection-type season this year, going 15-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 30 starts, and 7-3 with a 3.24 ERA in 16 road starts.  Sabathia has gone 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 3 postseason starts as well.  He pitched 6 scoreless innings against Houston in Game 3 to improve to 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Houston.  Charlie Morton is 1-2 with an 8.26 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. New York.  He has allowed 11 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings against the Yankees in two starts against them this season.  The Yankees are 6-1 in Sabathia's last 7 starts.  Take New York.

6* WVU/Baylor Big 12 *CA$H COW* on West Virginia -9

The Key: If Baylor was going to show improvement, it would have been last week when they were coming off their bye week, giving Matt Rhule two weeks to tweak some things.  But they fell flat on their faces once again to drop to 0-6 on the season.  They lost 16-59 at Oklahoma State, giving up 747 total yards to the Cowboys.  Now they have to face one of the best offenses in the country in West Virginia this week.  This number is short because WVU can name its number Saturday.  The Mountaineers are scoring 44.2 points per game and averaging 548 total yards per game despite playing a pretty difficult schedule against the likes of VA Tech, TCU and Texas Tech thus far.  Baylor is only 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games as a home dog of 7.5 to 14 points. WVU is 12-2 ATS in its last 12 road games when playing a team that is winning 25% or less of its games.  The Mountaineers are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Take West Virginia.

7* Conference USA Game of the year on Louisiana Tech -2.5

The Key: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are in a good spot here coming off their bye week.  They are just 3-3 this season, but they have suffered two 1-point losses this season both on the road at South Carolina (17-16) and UAB (22-23).  But this team has been a great bet at home through the years.  LA Tech is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 games off an upset loss as a favorite.  The Bulldogs are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 home games off two straight unders.  Take Louisiana Tech.

6* WMU/EMU MAC *CA$H COW* on Eastern Michigan +3

The Key: I faded Western Michigan last week by backing Akron as my MAC Game of the Year, and the Zips delivered an outright 14-13 win as 13-point dogs.  And that game was played on Sunday due to getting postponed for weather on Saturday.  That means Western Michigan is working on a short week.  The Broncos just aren't anywhere near as good as they were last year with PJ Fleck, Zach Terrell and Corey Davis, but they are still getting treated like that team by oddsmakers.  Eastern Michigan went to a bowl last year and basically returned everyone.  But they have lost 4 straight games by 7, 4, 5 and 1 point drop to 2-4 on the season.  That 2-4 record has them getting no love from oddsmakers despite the fact that they've gone 5-1 against the spread.  Now they take out their frustration on the vulnerable Broncos today.  The Eagles are 9-0 ATS in their last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Eastern Michigan.

6* Colorado State/New Mexico NCAAF Friday Night Lights on OVER 59

The Key: This Colorado State offense has been lighting up scoreboards since the second half of last season.  The OVER is 8-3 in Colorado State's last 11 games overall.  They are coming off a 44-42 shootout victory over Nevada last week.  The OVER is 11-3 in New Mexico's last 14 games on grass.  The OVER is 20-8 in the Lobos' last 28 home games.  These teams played in a 49-31 shootout last season with 80 combined points.  I think we see a similar result here.  Take the OVER.

7* Yankees/Astros ALCS Game of the Year on Houston -126

The Key: Justin Verlander has been the best pitcher in baseball down the stretch.  He has allowed 2 or fewer runs in 10 consecutive starts.  He has gone 9-0 with a 1.41 ERA in those 10 outings.  He went the distance against the Yankees in Game 2 and got the win.  Luis Severino sports a 5.56 ERA in the playoffs, and he sports a 7.72 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. New York.  The home team is 5-0 in the ALCS.  This trend improves to 6-0 tonight.  Take Houston.

6* Cavs/Bucks ESPN *Total* Annihilator on OVER 208.5

The Key: This has clearly been an OVER series between the Cavs and Bucks.  The OVER is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings, including 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.  And the OVER is 12-2 in the last 14 meetings in Milwaukee.  This total has been set too low tonight.  Take the OVER.

6* Lakers/Clippers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles Lakers +6

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers will start showing some progress this season and make a run at the final playoff spot.  The Los Angeles Clippers are headed the other direction after trading away their franchise player in Chris Paul to Houston.  I think we are getting a nice price on the Lakers here as 6-point dogs.  They want to establish that they are the best team in L.A. once again, and it starts against the Clippers in their opener.  Take the Lakers.

7* Chiefs/Raiders AFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on Oakland +3

The Key: The Oakland Raiders' season is on the line tonight.  They have dropped 4 straight to fall to 2-4 on the season.  They cannot afford to drop to 2-5 with another loss here or they'll be done.  They Chiefs are vulnerable right now as this is a tough scheduling spot.  They played on Monday night two weeks ago, and now have to play on Thursday night.  That means they will be playing their 3rd game in 11 days, which is as tough a spot as it gets in the NFL.  The Chiefs have allowed at least 100 rushing yards in all 6 games this year.  Look for a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch from the Raiders here, which will be the key to victory for them.  Take Oakland.

6* Lafayette/Arkansas State Sun Belt *CA$H COW* on Louisiana-Lafayette +13

The Key: This scheduling spot favors the LA-Lafayette Rajin' Cajuns.  They have had a full week to get ready for this game after playing last Thursday.  Arkansas State is on a short week after playing on Saturday.  And I think these teams are a lot more evenly-matched than this 13-point spread suggests.  Plus, Lafayette has had Arkansas State's number in recent years.  The Rajin' Cajuns are 6-3 SU & 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.  Take Lafayette.

7* Timberwolves/Spurs ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota +2

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves will be one of the better teams in the Western Conference this season.  They added Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague to go along with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.  This is now one of the best starting lineups in the league.  And the Spurs are going to be missing their best player and MVP in Kawhi Leonard tonight.  There is now a huge talent mismatch here in favor of the Timberwolves, and they should not be dogs.  Take Minnesota.

6* Dodgers/Cubs NLCS *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles +104

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a mission.  They are a streaky team, and they are 6-0 in the postseason.  Nothing would spell sweet revenge quite like a sweep of the Chicago Cubs, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.  I don't expect much fight from the Cubs here after falling down 3-0 in the series.  They have scored just 4 combined runs in this series and haven't even come close to touching the Dodgers' bullpen.  Alex Wood is 7-1 with a 2.24 ERA in 13 road starts this year.  Wood has allowed just 1 earned run in 8 2/3 innings in 2 starts against the Cubs this season.  Jake Arrieta has allowed 8 earned runs in 11 innings while losing each of his last 2 starts against the Dodgers.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Western Conference *CA$H COW* on New Orleans Pelicans +2

The Key: The Grit 'n Grind era is starting to fall apart in Memphis.  The Grizzlies lost Zach Randolph and Tony Allen in the offseason.  They still have Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, but the talent around them is underwhelming to say the least.  The Pelicans are a team that will be improved this season.  DeMarcus Cousins was traded there midseason last year.  Having an entire offseason to implement the new systems surrounding Cousins and Anthony Davis will do wonders for this team, starting with Game 1 tonight.  Take New Orleans.

7* MLB Playoffs Game of the Year on Chicago Cubs -107

The Key: Favorites and home teams have dominated in the postseason.  The home team has won Game 3 in all three series thus far.  I like the Cubs to take Game 3 tonight to get back in this series with the Dodgers after losing the first two games in Los Angeles.  The Cubs will be giving the ball to their best starter in Kyle Hendricks.  He is 8-5 with a 3.05 ERA in 26 starts this year, including 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his last 5 starts while yielding just 6 earned runs in 29 2/3 innings.  Hendricks is also 3-2 with a 2.20 ERA in 5 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Take Chicago.

6* Celtics/Cavs Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Cleveland -3.5

The Key: I think the fact that Lebron James is showing up on the injury report is keeping this line lower than it should be.  JR Smith said Lebron will play, and I have no doubt he will as he wants to beat down the Celtics and former teammate Kyrie Irving.  I think the whole Cavs team feels that way and will rally around him here. And the Celtics won't have much chemistry in the early going with all of the new faces in the lineup as they'll have four new starters this year.  Take Cleveland.

7* Colts/Titans AFC South *HEAVY HITTER* on Tennessee -6.5

The Key: The Tennessee Titans are going to be hungry tonight following two straight losses.  But an asterisk has to get put on those losses because Marcus Mariota got hurt against the Texans two weeks ago, and he didn't play against Miami last week.  Now Mariota makes his return and will lead the Titans to a blowout victory over the hapless Colts.  The only two wins for the Colts this season came at home against the 0-6 Cleveland Browns and the 0-6 San Francisco 49ers by a combined 6 points.  In their 2 road games this year, the Colts lost 9-46 to the Rams and 18-46 to the Seahawks.  Adding to the Titans' hunger here is the fact that they have lost 11 straight meetings with the Colts, but most of those were with Andrew Luck at QB.  Take Tennessee.

6* Astros/Yankees American League *CA$H COW* on New York -132

The Key: The Yankees are 20-9 in C.C. Sabathia's 29 starts this season.  He has been one of the most profitable starters to back in baseball.  The Yankees are 13-3 in his last 16 home starts.  I trust him to deliver in this spot, which is exactly what he's done in his 2 postseason starts thus far against Corey Kluber no less.  And Charlie Morton is a big downgrade from Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel, and the Yankees nearly beat both of them in the first two games.  Take New York.

7* NFC Game of the Month on Tampa Bay Bucs -1.5

The Key: Teams coming off Thursday NFL games are a perfect 8-0 against the spread this season.  The Bucs have had extra time to prepare now after losing 14-19 at home to the Patriots last Thursday in a game they easily could have won.  They get some key players back from injury on defense in Lavonte David and TJ Ward.  Now they get to face an Arizona Cardinals team that is coming off a 7-34 loss at Philadelphia and could easily be 0-5 this year if not for overtime wins against the Colts and 49ers.  The Cardinals have mass offensive line injuries right now and can't keep Carson Palmer upright.  Trading for Adrian Peterson won't solve their problems in the immediate future, and I think they're being overvalued because of that trade.  The Cardinals are 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games overall.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Los Angeles Rams +2.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Rams are the better team in this matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Rams have put up legit numbers this season outgaining teams by 40 yards per game and 0.6 yards per play.  The Jaguars haven't as they are dead even in yardage differential and dead even in yards per play.  The Jaguars have been one of the most lucky teams in the NFL to force 15 turnovers and score an insane amount of points off those turnovers.  They are +11 in turnover differential this season, which is the only reason they are 3-2.  I don't like backing teams that must win the turnover battle to win the game, which is almost always the case for the Jaguars because they aren't very good, especially on offense.  West Coast teams traveling East is usually a tough spot for them, but not here because this is a 4:05 EST start time.  Take Los Angeles.

7* MAC Game of the Year on Akron +13

The Key: I'm going to fade Western Michigan in this spot Sunday.  The Broncos are coming off a 7-overtime 71-68 victory at Buffalo.  I'm just not sure what they have left in the tank now, and not only do they have to win, but they have to win by 2 touchdowns to cover the spread against a game Akron team.  This is an Akron team that has been competitive in every game outside of its Power 5 opponents in Penn State and Iowa State.  But WMU didn't fare well in its two Power 5 games either against USC and Michigan State.  I really think this game will be closer than the oddsmakers expect.  The Zips are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Akron.

6* NFL Blowout Game of the Week on New Orleans Saints -4

The Key: The New Orleans Saints are off a bye and off two straight wins by a combined 54-13 final.  Their 34-13 win at Carolina looks mighty impressive right now.  The Lions haven't been as good as their 3-2 record statistically as they have benefited from a +8 turnover differential.  But the Lions have key injuries on their offensive line and on defense, and Matthew Stafford is starting to feel the effects of being sacked 12 times over the last 2 weeks.  He is hobbled coming into this one and won't be 100%.  The Saints are 8-0 ATS vs. good offensive teams - scoring 24 or more points/game over the last 3 seasons.  Take New Orleans.

6* Miami/GA Tech ACC *CA$H COW* on Georgia Tech +6.5

The Key: The situation couldn't be better for Georgia Tech here.  The Yellow Jackets are coming off their bye week.  They should be 4-0 but they lost 41-42 to Tennessee despite outgaining them by 300 yards.  They have outgained their 4 opponents by a combined 877 yards this season, or by an average of 219 yards per game.  TaQuon Marshall may be the best QB in Georgia Tech history when it's all said and done.  He has rushed for 523 yards and 9 scores, while averaging 10.1 yards per attempt passing and 4 touchdowns with 0 interceptions.  Miami is primed for a letdown following a huge last-second 24-20 win at Florida State to end its losing streak to the Seminoles.  Not to mention the Hurricanes lost their two best playmakers in that game in RB Mark Walton and WR Ahmmon Richards.  Walton is out for the season, while Richards is questionable with a hamstring injury.  Paul Johnson is 6-0 ATS in road games off 4 or more consecutive ATS wins as the coach of Georgia Tech.  Mark Richt is 2-14 ATS in home games when playing against a team with a 75% or better win percentage in all games as a head coach.  Take Georgia Tech.

6* Kansas/Iowa State Big 12 *CA$H COW* on UNDER 65

The Key: There is a 100% chance of rain in Ames, Iowa Saturday.  Both the Jayhawks and Cyclones are going to be asked to run the football a lot due to the weather conditions.  And neither of them have been very successful on the ground this season.  Iowa State is averaging just 107 rushing yards per game, while Kansas is averaging 161.  Iowa State has been good against the run, giving up 130 yards per game.  The UNDER is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.  Iowa State and Kansas haven't combined for more than 55 points in any of their last 4 meetings.  The Cyclones are 13-3 UNDER in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  The UNDER is 17-7 in Jayhawks last 24 road games.  The UNDER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings at Iowa State.  Take the UNDER.

6* Yankees/Astros American League *CA$H COW* on Houston -1.5 (+115)

The Key: The Astros have a huge advantage on the mound in Game 1 of this series.  Dallas Keuchel is 7-3 with a 2.21 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 12 home starts this year.  Keuchel is 5-2 with a 1.24 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Masahiro Tanaka is 4-7 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 15 road starts this year.  Tanaka is 0-3 with an 8.86 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Houston.  Take Houston on the Run Line.

7* Clemson/Syracuse ACC Total of the Month on OVER 57

The Key: Look for a shootout in this ACC showdown between Clemson and Syracuse tonight.  Dino Babers has brought his up-tempo game to Syracuse and they're having some success with it.  They are scoring 32 points per game and averaging 467 yards per game this season.  And they've played some great teams in LSU and NC State.  Their defense leaves a lot to be desired, so a Clemson offense that is averaging 35 points and 471 yards per game should have its way.  The Tigers hung 54 points on the Orange last year.  But the Orange lost starting QB Eric Dungey in the first quarter of that game.  Dungey is back healthy this season and playing very well.  Clemson is 8-0 OVER in its last 8 games as a road favorite of 14.5 or more.  Take the OVER.

7* Eagles/Panthers NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Carolina -3

The Key: The Philadelphia Eagles are going to be without two key pieces on offense.  Running back Wendell Smallwood and tackle Lane Johnson are both out.  You wouldn't think a tackle would make that much of a difference, but in Johnson's case it has.  Carson Wentz is 9-2 in games that Johnson plays, and 2-8 in games that he does not.  He has thrown 20 touchdowns and 5 interceptions with Johnson, and 6 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions without him.  I love the way the Panthers are playing right now with back-to-back huge road wins over the Patriots and Lions.  Cam Newton finally looks fully healthy, and he has found some new favorite targets in Devin Funchess and Ed Dickson.  Funchess has 3 TD receptions in his last 2 games, and Dickson had 175 receiving yards against the Lions.  Ron Rivera is 32-13 ATS off a road game as the coach of Carolina.  The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Carolina.

6* Cubs/Nationals NL *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 7.5

The Key: All hands will be on deck for this Game 5 between the Cubs and Nationals.  Both offenses have struggled thus far in the series, and that should continue here tonight.  Plus Kyle Hendricks has been great with a 0.70 ERA in his last 4 starts.  And Kendricks sports a 2.17 ERA in 6 lifetime starts vs. Washington.  Gio Gonzalez is having a great season overall with a 3.01 ERA in 33 starts and a 2.90 ERA in 16 home starts.  If he does happen to struggle early, he will get the quick hook, and even the likes of Max Scherzer may be available for the Nationals.  The UNDER is 24-5-1 in Hendricks' last 30 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 10-1 in Hendricks' last 11 road starts.  The UNDER is 9-2-1 in Nationals' last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Hendricks' last 4 starts vs. Nationals.  The UNDER is 3-0-1 in the 4 games in this series thus far.  Take the UNDER.

6* Texas State/Lafayette Sun Belt *CA$H COW* on Lafayette -13.5

The Key: The Lafayette Rajin' Cajuns should blow out Texas State like they usually do.  Lafayette is 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in its last 4 meetings with Texas State, winning all 4 games by 22 or more points.  Texas State is once again one of the worst teams in college football this season.  The Bobcats are 1-5 this season.  They have lost by 30, 35 and 18 points in their last 3 games coming in.  Their offense has been terrible in averaging just 14.5 points per game.  Their defense hasn't been any better, giving up 33.7 points per game.  Bets on home favorites of 10.5 to 21 points with a winning percentage between 40-49% on the season, in conference games are 37-13 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take Lafayette.

6* South Alabama/Troy Sun Belt *CA$H COW* on OVER 49

The Key: I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the OVER in this game Wednesday.  The value is there because of the fact that South Alabama and Troy have combined to go 9-1 to the under in their 10 games thus far.  Now this is the lowest total of any game that they have played outside the 48.5-point total in the Troy/LSU game.  The other nine have all been higher than 50 points.  South Alabama is 6-0 OVER when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.  The OVER is 20-9 in Trojans last 29 home games, and 4-1 in Jaguars last 5 road games.  Take the OVER.

7* Vikings/Bears NFC North *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago +4

The Key: The Chicago Bears have won 8 of their last 9 home meetings with the Minnesota Vikings.  They are 2-0 ATS at home this season, nearly beating both the Falcons and Steelers.  The Vikings are just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.  The Bears are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Teams coming off Thursday games are 7-0 ATS this season.  The Bears have had extra time to get Mitch Trubisky ready for his first start after playing last Thursday.  Take Chicago.

6* Nationals/Cubs National League *CA$H COW* on Washington -110

The Key: Max Scherzer is arguably the best starter in baseball.  Having him for Game 3 here is huge for the Nationals because the winner of this game will likely win the series.  I think Scherzer gets it done against the inexperienced Jose Quintana, who is making his postseason debut.  Scherzer is 10-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 16 road starts this year.  Quintana is 6-4 with a 4.94 ERA in 16 home starts.  Scherzer is 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 6 lifetime starts vs. Chicago.  Scherzer is 21-4 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in road games vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse over the last 3 seasons.  Washington is 12-1 (+10.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 7.5 this season.  Take Washington.

7* NFL Sunday Night Game of the Year on Houston Texans +1

The Key: Deshaun Watson is 2-1 as the starting quarterback of the Texans.  They could be 3-0 as their only loss came on the road at New England 33-36 as the Patriots scored a touchdown in the closing seconds to win.  The Texans bounced back with the most impressive performance of Week 4, winning 57-14 at home against the Texans.  Watson accounted for 5 total touchdowns, and the defense held the Titans to just 195 total yards while forcing 5 turnovers.  Now the Texans still get no love from the books as home dogs here to the Chiefs.  It's because the Chiefs are overvalued right now due to their 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS start, which included their miracle cover on Monday Night Football against the Redskins.  Now the Chiefs are on a short week and playing their 2nd straight National TV game.  The spot favors the Texans here.  Kansas City is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 games after gaining 6 or more yards per play in 4 consecutive games.  Take Houston.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Cleveland Browns +1

The Key: The Jets, Colts and Browns are the 3 worst teams in the NFL and it's very close between all 3 power-ratings wise.  The Browns were favored at Indianapolis in Week 3, and now they're home underdogs to  the Jets in Week 5.  The Jets were 6.5-point home dogs to the Dolphins, and 3.5-point home dogs to the Jaguars.  Now they're favored on the road here after winning those 2 games.  Those games were terrible travel spots for the Dolphins and Jaguars.  The Dolphins were on the road for 5 straight weeks since the preseason and were coming back from a West Coast trip to San Diego.  The Jaguars were coming back from London.  The line value is clearly with the home dog Browns here.  They'll be desperate to get their first win, and I think they get it done.  The Jets are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 following 2 consecutive home wins.  New York is 5-20 ATS in its last 25 after gaining 6.25 or more yards per play in its previous game.  Bets on any team with a poor offensive (14-18 PPG) against a poor defensive team (23-27 PPG), after a loss by 21 or more points are 23-5 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take Cleveland.

6* NFL Blowout Game of the Week on Cincinnati Bengals -3

The Key: The Cincinnati Bengals are just 1-3 on the season, while the Buffalo Bills are 3-1.  So the Bengals are undervalued right now, while the Bills are getting more love than they should be.  The Bengals have played well the last two weeks against the Packers and Browns, and the switch to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has made a huge difference.  Andy Dalton has completed 81% of his passes the last 2 weeks and has thrown 6 touchdowns against zero interceptions.  The Bills were fortunate to beat the Falcons last week because Atlanta lost its top 2 receivers in Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, and they got a fluke defensive TD that should have been called an incomplete pass instead of a fumble by Matt Ryan.  The true colors of these two teams will show this week as the Bengals are a playoff contender, while the Bills are frauds.  And the Bengals have a bye next week so they want to go into it feeling good about the outlook of the rest of the season.  Bets on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 after 4 consecutive games where they forced 1 or fewer turnovers against opponent after a game where they committed no turnovers are 36-13 ATS since 1983.  Take Cincinnati.

The Key: The Cincinnati Bengals are just 1-3 on the season, while the Buffalo Bills are 3-1.  So the Bengals are undervalued right now, while the Bills are getting more love than they should be.  The Bengals have played well the last two weeks against the Packers and Browns, and the switch to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has made a huge difference.  Andy Dalton has completed 81% of his passes the last 2 weeks and has thrown 6 touchdowns against zero interceptions.  The Bills were fortunate to beat the Falcons last week because Atlanta lost its top 2 receivers in Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, and they got a fluke defensive TD that should have been called an incomplete pass instead of a fumble by Matt Ryan.  The true colors of these two teams will show this week as the Bengals are a playoff contender, while the Bills are frauds.  And the Bengals have a bye next week so they want to go into it feeling good about the outlook of the rest of the season.  Bets on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 after 4 consecutive games where they forced 1 or fewer turnovers against opponent after a game where they committed no turnovers are 36-13 ATS since 1983.  Take Cincinnati.

6* DBacks/Dodgers NL West *BAILOUT* on OVER 8

The Key: I cashed in the OVER 7 yesterday with ease as 14 combined runs were scored between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.  I'm going back to the well here as I think this 8-run total is too low.  Rich Hill and Robbie Ray have posted good numbers this season.  But Ray was forced into action in the wild card game and won't be on normal rest.  And he has struggled of late.  Hill can't figure out Arizona, going 1-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 10 lifetime starts against them.  The OVER is 5-0 in DBacks last 5 vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 home games.  The OVER is 4-0 in Ray's last 4 starts vs. Dodgers.  Take the OVER.

7* SEC Game of the Year on Texas A&M +27

The Key: Alabama has won its last two games by a combined score of 125-3.  It's safe to say the betting public is all over them now, which has inflated this number on the road against Texas A&M this week.  The Aggies could easily be 5-0 if not for blowing a massive lead against UCLA in the opener.  And Kevin Sumlin has found a way to be competitive against Nick Saban in recent years.  The Aggies have only lost by more than 19 points once in their last five meetings since 2012, and that was on the road.  Defensive coordinator John Chavis has turned this Aggies stop unit into a respectable one.  And what can keep Texas A&M in this game is a run defense that is only giving up 96 rushing yards per game and 3.1 per carry this season.  Bets on home dogs of 14.5 or more points off two or more consecutive wins, with a winning record on the season are 40-11 ATS since 1992.  Take Texas A&M.

6* Arkansas/South Carolina SEC *CA$H COW* on Arkansas -2.5

The Key: The South Carolina Gamecocks are frauds, and that has shown the last few weeks.  It also didn't help that they lost their best player in WR Deebo Samuel to a season-ending injury in Week 2.  The Gameocks were outgained by 258 yards in their opener against South Carolina yet somehow won the game.  Then they beat a bad Missouri team before falling at home to Kentucky 13-23.  They barely beat a bad LA Tech team 17-16 at home, and then lost 17-24 at Texas A&M last week while getting outgained by 117 yards.  Arkansas' only two losses have come against TCU and to Texas A&M in overtime.  I think the Razorbacks are the better team, and they only have to win by a field goal or more to cover this spread.  Arkansas is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 road games where the total is 45.5 to 49.  Bets against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 after going under the total by 21 or more points total in their last three games, winning between 51% and 60% of their games on the season are 26-6 ATS since 1992.  Take Arkansas.

6* AAC Game of the Week on Tulane -4.5

The Key: Good spot here for Tulane.  The Green Wave had a bye last week following a grueling stretch against Navy, Oklahoma and Army in consecutive weeks.  Now they'll be rejuvenated and they get to go up against a tired Tulsa team that hasn't had a bye and is coming off a grueling stretch of their own with Toledo, New Mexico and Navy in consecutive weeks.  This is the perfect matchup for a run-heavy Tulane team that averages 244 rushing yards per game and 5.2 per carry.  The Golden Hurricane allow 320 rushing yards and 6.7 per carry this season.  The Green Wave are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Tulsa is 6-20 ATS in its last 26 after being outgianed by 125 or more yards in 2 consecutive games.  The Green Wave are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points.  Take Tulane.

6* Diamondbacks/Dodgers NL West *BAILOUT* on OVER 7

The Key: Give me the OVER in this game between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.  Clayton Kershaw sports a 4.23 ERA in his last 5 starts and just doesn't look completely healthy.  He has posted a 4.55 ERA in the playoffs lifetime as well.  Taijuan Walker is just an average starter, and the Dodgers could cover this 7-run total on their own.  Walker is 2-1 with a 4.79 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Walker sports a 5.27 ERA in his last 3 starts coming in as well.  Take the OVER.

7* Boise/BYU ESPN Friday Night Lights on BYU +9

The Key: The BYU Cougars are a prideful team and clearly aren't happy with their 1-4 start.  They gave the game away against Utah State by committing a ridiculous 7 turnovers last week.  They held Utah State to just 288 total yards to prove that their defense isn't broken.  Boise State just can't be laying this kind of price on the road tonight with what we've seen from them so far.  They lost their last game 23-42 at home to Virginia as 14-point favorites, failing to cover by 33 points.  The home team is 6-0 SU in the last 6 meetings.  The Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with Boise State.  The Broncos are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  Boise State is 0-7 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 2 of its last 3 games over the last 3 seasons.  Take BYU.

6* Pats/Bucs Thursday NFL *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 54.5

The Key: The over has cashed in all four Patriots games this season.  That has this total set too high now at 54.5.  I think the value is clearly with the under now and I look for this one to be more low-scoring than the books anticipate.  Both defenses cannot continue to be as poor as they've been up to this point, especially the Patriots.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Patriots last 9 games on grass.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Bucs last 5 home games.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.  Take the UNDER.

7* Louisville/NC State ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on NC State +4.5

The Key: Louisville is just a one-man show with Lamar Jackson.  He has a shaky offensive line, and now he's without his best receiver in Jaylen Smith due to a wrist injury.  That makes this a bad matchup against NC State, which has one of the more underrated defensive lines in the country and NFL talent up front.  Ryan Finley actually has a better QBR than Jackson this season.  Finley has thrown 9 touchdowns and zero interceptions on the year.  It's revenge time after NC State was blown out 13-54 at Louisville last season.  It was a clear flat spot for the Wolfpack after they had lost in overtime to Clemson 17-24 the previous week.  They didn't even show up.  They will Thursday night in front of a packed home crowd to claim their revenge.  Take NC State.

6* Red Sox/Astros American League *CA$H COW* on Houston -129

The Key: Justin Verlander is 5-1 with a 1.06 ERA following his trade-deadline acquisition from the Detroit Tigers.  He has been absolutely dealing, and deserves this Game 1 start.  The Astros come into the postseason with a ton of momentum as a team after going 6-1 in their final 7 games, scoring 11 or more runs in 4 of those victories.  The Red Sox slumped to a 2-5 finish and scored 4 or fewer runs in 5 of those 7 games.  Chris Sale was very hittable down the stretch.  The right-handed heavy lineup of the Astros makes this a bad matchup for him, especially with the short porch in left field.  Verlander sports a 2.77 ERA in 18 lifetime starts vs. Boston.  He sports a 1.37 ERA in his last 7 starts against Boston, giving up only 7 earned runs in 46 innings.  Verlander is 22-4 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in home games vs. teams outscoring opp by 0.5 or more runs/game in the second half of the season lifetime.  Take Houston.

7* Rockies/DBacks National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Arizona -168

The Key: Simply put, Zack Greinke doesn't lose at home.  He is used to the playoff atmosphere as well, which is a big advantage for him over the Colorado Rockies and Jon Gray.  Greinke is 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 18 home starts this year.  Gray is 5-3 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 12 road starts.  Greinke has allowed 4 earned runs or less in 7 starts starts against Colorado, 3 or less in 6 of those, and 2 or less in 4 of those.  Gray is 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts versus Arizona.  Greinke is 91-25 (+46.9 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -150 or more lifetime.  Greinke is 75-19 (+40.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 or more lifetime.  Greinke is 15-3 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.  Take Arizona.

6* Twins/Yankees American League *Total* Annihilator on OVER 7.5

The Key: Both Ervin Santana and Luis Severino are having fine seasons for their respective teams.  But this total is too low here and we should see plenty of runs in hitter-friendly Yankees Stadium.  Santana doesn't enjoy facing the Yankees, going 6-10 with a 5.66 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 20 lifetime starts against them.  Severino sports a 9.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in one lifetime start versus Minnesota.  The Yankees are scoring 5.3 RPG overall and 5.6 RPG at home.  The Twins are scoring 5.0 RPG overall and 4.9 RPG on the road.  The Twins are 25-9 OVER in road games vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.70 or better over the last 2 seasons.  The Twins are 34-12 OVER in road games vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better over the last 2 seasons.  The Yankees are 8-0 OVER in home games after allowing 3 runs or less 3 straight games this season.  The OVER is 10-2 in Severino's last 12 starts, and 7-1 in his last 8 home starts.  Take the OVER.

7* Redskins/Chiefs MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Redskins +7

The Key: Don't look now but the Washington Redskins are 2-1 and dominating their opponents statistically.  They have outgained their opponents by 101.7 yards per game on the season.  Their defense is playing extremely well, giving up just 272 yards per game.  The Chiefs are getting too much respect due to their 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS start.  But they have only outgained their opponents by 28.3 yards per game.  They haven't been as dominant as their record and point differential would suggest.  Kansas City is 1-14 ATS in its last 15 games after gaining 6 or more yards per play in 3 consecutive games.  Washington is 43-24 ATS in its last 67 games as a road dog of 3.5 to 7 points.  The Redskins are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games.  The Redskins are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Chiefs are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games.  Take Washington.

7* NFC West Game of the Year on San Francisco 49ers +7

The Key: The San Francisco 49ers have been very impressive in their last two games.  They only lost by a field goal in Seattle as two-touchdown dogs, and they should have beaten the Rams are 3-point dogs in a 2-point loss last Thursday.  And that's key because now the 49ers have extra rest and prep time to get ready for the Cardinals this week.  The Cardinals have to work on a short week and try and recover from their 17-28 loss to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.  I do not think the 49ers should be catching a touchdown given this favorable situation for them.  Arizona is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games overall.  San Francisco is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 meetings in Arizona.  Take San Francisco.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Philadelphia Eagles +2.5

The Key: The fact that the Chargers are taking money and moving this line up to -2.5 is mind-blowing.  The Eagles are clearly the better team in this matchup, and the Chargers simply find ways to lose.  The Chargers are just 9-26 straight up over the past 3 seasons combined, winning roughly 25% of their games.  They can't be favored here against an upstart Eagles team that is one of the most improved in the NFL this season.  Philip Rivers should have already retired as he looks old and slow and has lost his arm strength.  He threw three interceptions against the Chiefs last week and it could have been more.  The Eagles are 8-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons.  The Chargers have zero home-field advantage right now as the LA fans just aren't into them, especially after their 0-3 start.  Los Angeles is 5-18 ATS in its last 23 home games. The Chargers are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  Take Philadelphia.

6* Titans/Texans AFC South *CA$H COW* on Houston +3

The Key: Deshaun Watson led the Texans to a win in Cincinnati and a near-win in New England in his first two NFL starts.  If that's not impressive, I don't know what is.  This guy just isn't getting the love he deserves from oddsmakers as the Texans are now a home dog to the Titans.  Now Watson will have another healthy weapon back in Will Fuller, who is expected to make his season debut.  Having Fuller, DeAndre Hopkins and Bruce Ellington gives the Texans one of the most underrated receiving corps in the league.  The Titans are in a tough spot after a physical game against the Seahawks last week.  And after beating Seattle, it's certainly a bit of a letdown spot for them here.  Teams have not done well the week after facing Seattle over the past decade.  The Texans have won 8 of their last 10 meetings with the Titans, and they are a perfect 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home meetings.  Take Houston.

7* Mountain West Game of the Year on Fresno State -9

The Key: I think the Fresno State Bulldogs are one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They have been undervalued in the markets, going 3-0 ATS in their 3 games this season.  They won 66-0 over Incarnate Ward, then had to play Alabama and Washington in back-to-back weeks.  So their bye week came at the perfect time last week, and now they'll be fresh and ready to go in their Mountain West opener.  Nevada is clearly not any good this season, going 0-4 SU & 1-3 ATS.  They lost at home to Idaho State as a 32.5-point favorite, then were punked 7-45 at Washington State the last two weeks.  The Wolf Pack come in on normal rest and won't be nearly as fresh as Fresno.  Jeff Tedford is one of the best offensive minds in college football, so look for Fresno to score at will here against this suspect Nevada defense.  Fresno is 7-0 ATS in its last 7 after scoring 17 points or less in 2 straight games.  The Bulldogs are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Fresno State.

6* Clemson/VA Tech ACC Game of the Week on Virginia Tech +7.5

The Key: Virginia Tech showed it could play with eventual national champion Clemson in a 35-42 loss last year in the ACC Championship Game on a neutral field.  Now they get their shot at revenge on the Tigers at home in Blacksburg with ESPN College Game Day on site.  It's safe to say it's going to be a madhouse.  I fully expect the Hokies to pull the upset, but we'll take the 7.5 points just in case.  Clemson was actually tied 7-7 with Boston College at home last week as 33-point favorites, so they are vulnerable.  The Hokies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall. The Hokies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Virginia Tech.

6* MAC Game of the Week on Akron -2.5

The Key: I think Akron is still one of the better teams in the MAC.  But they are flying under the radar because of their 1-3 start.  That's solely due to playing a brutal schedule with games at Penn State and Troy, and a home game against Iowa State.  They were double-digit dogs in all three games.  The blew out Arkansas-Pine Bluff 52-33 in between.  Bowling Green is 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS and not only one of the worst teams in the MAC, but one of the worst in the country.  They lost by 42 at Northwestern, and even lost at home to FCS foe South Dakota.  Bowling Green is 0-7 ATS off a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.  The Falcons are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 September games.  Take Akron.

6* Miami/Notre Dame Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Miami +21.5

The Key: Off a big win at Michigan State last week, and with UNC on deck, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish could be in a flat spot here.  And now they're up against a pesky Miami Ohio team that will fight them for four quarters.  Miami won their final 6 games last year and easily could be 4-0 this year.  They lost 26-31 at Marshall despite outgaining them by 162 yards.  They also lost 17-21 to Cincinnati and blew a big lead in the 4th quarter.  Notre Dame was outgained by 141 yards by Michigan State last week as that 38-18 final couldn't have been more misleading.  The Redhawks are 9-2 ATS as a dog over the last 2 seasons.  The Redhawks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Fighting Irish are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games following an ATS win.  Take Miami.

6* NCAAF Non-Conference Game of the Week on Eastern Michigan +14.5

The Key: The Kentucky Wildcats are not in a good state of mind right now after blowing yet another late lead and losing to Florida, 28-27 last week.  They have now lost 31 straight to the Gators.  Now they have to step back out of conference and try and get motivated to play a MAC team, and I don't believe they will be.  They only beat Eastern Kentucky 27-16 earlier this season as 33-point favorites.  They have yet to win any game by more than 11 points this season.  Now they're up against a game Eastern Michigan squad that made a bowl last year and returned 18 starters.  EMU already upset Rutgers on the road, too.  They can hang with Kentucky here.  The Eagles are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Eagles are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 road games.  The Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.  Take Kentucky.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Oakland A's +107

The Key: The Texas Rangers have completely quit.  They are 0-7 in their last 7 games overall.  They can't be favored here against an Oakland A's team that has not quit, going 9-2 in their last 11 games.  The price is simply too good to pass up here, starting pitchers aside.  But Martin Perez is 0-2 in his last 2 starts against the A's and has allowed 9 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings as well.  Raul Alcantara pitched 5 shutout innings in a 1-0 win over the Rangers on September 23rd in his last start.  Take Oakland.

7* Miami/Duke ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Duke +7

The Key: Duke has been grossly underrated to start the season. The Blue Devils are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS, winning all four games by double-digits over NC Central (60-7), Northwestern (41-17), Baylor (34-20) and UNC (27-17).  I think they continue being underrated here as 7-point home dogs to Miami.  The Blue Devils have played the Hurricanes tough at home, not losing once by more than 7 points in their last 3 home meetings.  Take Duke.

7* Bears/Packers NFC North Game of the Month on Green Bay -7

The Key: The Green Bay Packers have won 12 of their last 14 meetings with the Chicago Bears.  They have also gone 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.  They won 26-10 at home over the Bears last year.  The QB edge for the Packers here is worth at least 7 points.  If Aaron Rodgers and the Packers get up 7 or more, the Bears won't be able to come back because Matt Glennon has been terrible, and he has the worst set of receivers in the NFL.  The Bears can run the ball, but that's not going to work if they get behind.  I think the Packers are by far the safer side here.  Hanging with the Steelers and Packers in back-to-back games is just too much to ask for Chicago.  Take Green Bay.

6* Texas/Iowa State Big 12 *Total* Annihilator on OVER 62

The Key: The Iowa State Cyclones hung 41 points on a very good Iowa defense.  In fact, they have scored 40-plus points in all 3 games this season.  They will be able to keep soaring on offense against a leaky Texas defense that gave up 51 points to Maryland.  The Longhorns should only get better offensively as the season goes on under Tom Herman, and I expect them to have several new wrinkles on offense with two weeks to get ready for this game.  Expect another patented Big 12 shootout in this game Thursday night.  The Cyclones are 6-0 OVER off a win by 17 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  The OVER is 10-0-1 in Cyclones last 11 games following a win.  Take the OVER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh Pirates +134

The Key: I cashed the Phillies +150 yesterday fading the Washington Nationals.  I'll do the same on the underdog Pirates here at a great price.  The Nationals have nothing to play for right now as they are locked in to the No. 2 seed in the National League, and they'll now face the Cubs in the Divisional Round series.  The Pirates have won 4 straight coming in and have scored a total of 30 runs in those wins, or an average of 7.5 per game.  They should light up Edwin Jackson, who is 5-6 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 12 starts, 3-3 with a 5.77 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 6 home starts, and 0-2 with a 15.68 ERA and 2.71 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Ivan Nova is 11-14 with a 4.14 ERA in 30 starts this year.  Nova is 1-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Washington.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Colorado Rockies -1.5 (-110)

The Key: The Colorado Rockies have huge mound and motivational advantages here over the Miami Marlins.  They are trying to clinch the wild card spot and lead the Brewers by only 1.5 games.  Ace Jon Gray gets the ball looking to build on his 9-4 record with a 3.62 ERA in 19 starts this year.  Gray has gone 4-1 with a 2.92 ERA in 7 starts at Coors Field.  He has come up clutch down the stretch too at 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Adam Conley is 7-6 with a 5.71 ERA in 19 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 10.49 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Conley sports a 5.90 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Colorado.  Take Colorado on the Run Line.

7* AL West Game of the Month on Houston Astros -132

The Key: The Houston Astros are still battling for home-field advantage in the American League with the Cleveland Indians.  They are doing their part, going 9-2 in their last 11 games overall.  The Texas Rangers are going in the opposite direction.  They were just swept by the Oakland A's over the weekend that killed their wild card chances.  They have now lost 4 straight.  I don't look for them to offer much resistance over the final week of the season now, and that showed last night in an 11-2 home loss to the Astros.  We are getting Houston ace Dallas Keuchel at a tremendous price here.  Keuchel is 13-5 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 22 starts this year.  Texas is 1-11 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in home games off 3 consecutive losses by 5 runs or more to division rivals.  The Astros are 10-2 in Keuchel's last 12 road starts.  Take Houston.

6* Mariners/A's AL West *BAILOUT* on Oakland -102

The Key: The Oakland A's are quietly going on a tear to close out the season.  They are now 7-0 in their last 7 games overall and playing with pride.  The Seattle Mariners just can't wait to go on vacation.  They are 1-8 in their last 9 games overall.  These are two teams headed in opposite directions, and we'll back the more motivated A's here at basically even money at home.  The A's are 45-33 at home this year.  Felix Hernandez is 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA in his last 3 starts.  The A's are 10-1 in their last 11 vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Oakland.

7* Cowboys/Cardinals NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Arizona +3.5

The Key: The Arizona Cardinals have gone on the road the first two weeks and are 1-1.  There's no shame in that.  Now it's their home opener on the Monday night stage, and the Cardinals are primed for their best performance of the season.  Dallas has a ton of injuries in the secondary, and the Cardinals' strength is their passing attack, so Carson Palmer is primed for a big game here.  Trevor Siemian lit up Dallas' secondary last week, and he's one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL.  The Cowboys lost that game 17-42.  The Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the NFL after finishing #2 in total defense last year.  They will be able to slow down Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot here Monday.  Dogs are 12-3 ATS so far in Week 3, and I think this is another live home dog here tonight.  Bruce Arians is 6-0 ATS as a home dog of 3 points or less as the coach of Arizona.  Arians is 7-0 ATS against NFC East teams as the coach of the Cardinals.  Take Arizona.

6* Sunday NFL *Total* Annihilator on Seahawks/Titans UNDER 42

The Key: The Seattle Seahawks have been terrible offensively this season because of their injuries along the offensive line.  Russell Wilson has been running for his life, and the running game hasn't been able to get going.  The Seahawks are only scoring 10.5 points per game and averaging 4.4 yards per play.  But they have been elite defensively in giving up only 13.0 points per game.  I think this will be a defensive battle with the Titans, who could be without RB DeMarco Murray and WR Corey Davis on offense.  Seattle is 31-12 UNDER in its last 43 September road games.  Take the UNDER.

6* AL West *CA$H COW* on Oakland A's -106

The Key: The Oakland A's are on a tear right now in going 6-0 in their last 6 games overall.  The Texas Rangers have had their fate sealed by losing the first 2 games of this series, and are now 4.5 games back in the wild card.  I look for the Rangers to tank the rest of the way.  Jharel Cotton is 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. Texas.  Martin Perez is 6-6 with a 5.03 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 14 lifetime starts vs. Oakland.  Take Oakland.

7* AFC Game of the Month on Houston Texans +14

The Key: The New England Patriots have too many injuries right now to be favored by 14 over the Houston Texans.  They have a handful of skill players on offense who are banged up, and the injuries on defense have led to the Patriots giving up 31 points, 483 yards per game and 7.8 yards per play.  Their defense was terrible in the preaseson too.  I think Deshaun Watson can make enough plays to keep this game close, while the Texans' defense remains one of the elite units in the league.  Plus Watson gets some key weapons back this week in TE Ryan Griffin and WR Bruce Ellington.  Also CB Jonathan Joseph is expected to return from injury.  Take Houston.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Buffalo Bills +3.5

The Key: The betting public is all over the Denver Broncos in this game.  They are coming off the most impressive win over the week in Week 2 with a 42-17 victory over the Cowboys.  They have opened 2-0 at home, but now they are going on the road for the first time.  And the Broncos have a massive game against Oakland on deck next week.  This is the classic sandwich spot.  The Bills have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, which makes this a good matchup for them because the Broncos had the 28th-ranked run defense last year.  The Bills have an elite defense that can keep them in this game.  They are only giving up 10.5 points, 234 yards per game and 4.1 yards per play.  Take Buffalo.

6* Saturday MLB *UPSET SPECIAL* on Chicago White Sox +170

The Key: We are getting an excellent price on the Chicago White Sox at home today.  This lineup is now loaded with young talent as the White Sox have brought up their prospects late in the season and they've gotten significant playing time.  The Royals are 75-78 on the season and basically eliminated from the postseason after losing to the White Sox yesterday.  The White Sox won that game 7-6.  The Royals singled with a runner on 2nd in the 9th, and that runner was thrown out at home, plus the guy that singled was thrown out at 2nd trying to advance on the throw.  That was a heartbreaking way for the Royals to lose and I don't think they'll recover today.  Danny Duffy is 0-3 with a 9.56 ERA in 3 starts against the White Sox in 2017.  He has allowed 17 earned runs in 16 innings in those 3 starts.  He can't be this big of a favorite Saturday.  Take Chicago.

6* Saturday NCAAF Non-Conference *BLOWOUT* on Miami -13.5

The Key: The Miami Hurricanes have a real shot to win the ACC this season.  Mark Richt has a loaded team that went 9-4 last season.  I think the Hurricanes are flying under the radar right now because they haven't played in 3 weeks.  And the betting public hasn't heard from them, so nobody is on them right now.  They should be favored by more than 2 touchdowns against Toledo.  This is a Toledo team that only beat Tulsa 54-51 last week at home, and that's a Tulsa team that lost by 35 at Oklahoma State.  I think Miami is on Oklahoma State's level.  And you have to think the Rockets are going to be a little gassed after that shootout with Tulsa.  The Hurricanes are 7-0 ATS after scoring 37 points or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.  Take Miami.

6* UCF/Maryland Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Maryland -4

The Key: The Maryland Terrapins are one of the most underrated teams in the country.  DJ Durkin has a tremendous coaching staff that came through with a Top 20 recruiting class over the offseason.  Things are on the rise here.  And Maryland's 51-41 win at Texas as 19-point dogs in the opener looks even better now.  Texas went on to beat San Jose State 56-0, and then took USC to overtime on the road in a 24-27 loss.  UCF is a team that will be a contender in the AAC this season, but Maryland is in a different class in my opinion.  That will show on the field Saturday.  Take Maryland.

7* Arkansas/Texas A&M SEC West Game of the Year on Arkansas +3

The Key: The Arkansas Razorbacks are coming off a bye week.  So they've had two full weeks to get ready for Texas A&M.  And boy, do they ever want revenge on the Aggies.  They have lost 5 straight meetings with Texas A&M over the last 5 seasons, including two of the last three in overtime.  The Aggies are clearly down this season and vulnerable, so this is their chance to have their revenge.  They lost at UCLA in the opener, only beat Nicholls State 24-14 as 37.5-point favorites, and actually trailed UL Lafayette 21-14 at halftime last week as 23.5-point favorites.  Arkansas did lose to TCU, but the Horned Frogs are one of the better teams in the country, so that's not a bad loss.  The Aggies are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  The Razorbacks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a bye week.  Texas A&M is 0-8 ATS after 1 or more consecutive losses against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  Take Arkansas

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland Indians -129

The Key: The Indians are rolling right now and can't be tamed.  The Mariners are on an extended losing streak and are just ready for the season to be over.  Take Cleveland.

6* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Boise State -12.5

The Key: The Boise State Broncos have been terrible ATS at home over the last few seasons.  That has provided some line value here on them moving forward, and I think this -12.5 spread is a bargain against an awful Virginia team that is rebuilding.  Take Boise State.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Colorado Rockies -127

The Key: I know the Rockies have not been good on the road this season, but I have to back them at this price given the situation.  They are only one game up in the wild card race with the Brewers.  They need wins right now.  Tyler Anderson has owned the Padres, going 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against them, allowing only 1 earned run in 12 1/3 innings.  Clayton Richard is 4-6 with a 5.62 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 17 lifetime starts vs. Colorado.  He has given up 14 earned runs and 25 base runners in 9 2/3 innings in his last 2 starts against the Rockies this season.  The Rockies are 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.  The Padres are 3-8 in Richard's last 11 starts vs. the Rockies.  Take Colorado.

7* Rams/49ers NFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on San Francisco +3

The Key: One of the biggest advantages in professional sports is home teams on Thursday night games.  The short week for road teams is so tough because they have to travel and have almost zero time to prepare.  I think the 49ers were impressive last week in their 12-9 road loss to the Seahawks as 14-point dogs.  They have been able to get the running game going behind Carlos Hyde, who is averaging 7.0 yards per carry this season.  The Rams gave up over 200 rushing yards to the Redskins last week.  The 49ers have won 3 straight meetings with the Rams and are 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  They were home dogs to the Rams last season, and won 28-0.  Take San Francisco.

6* Temple/USF AAC *CA$H COW* on South Florida -19.5

The Key: The South Florida Bulls had their get right game last week with a 47-23 win over Illinois.  The Bulls amassed 680 total yards in that win and have one of the best offenses in the country.  This is an offense that has put up at least 30 points in 19 consecutive games now.  That makes it easier to lay big numbers knowing that they can score.  Temple has looked terrible in its 3 games this season.  The Owls were blown out at Notre Dame, and then they easily could have lost to both Villanova and UMass at home in wins by a combined 11 points.  They were outgained by both of those teams.  USF will want revenge from a 46-30 loss to Temple last year that basically decided the AAC champ.  The Bulls are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 home games.  Take South Florida.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee Brewers -113

The Key: I've cashed the Milwaukee Brewers the last 2 days and I'm back on them again Wednesday.  Their win yesterday got them to within just one game of the Colorado Rockies for the 2nd wild card spot.  The Pirates have clearly packed it in over the last few weeks, going 1-12 in their last 13 games overall.  The Brewers have gone 9-2 in their last 11 games for a really impressive run with what's at stake.  Aaron Wilkerson gets called up from the minors after going 11-4 with a 3.14 ERA in Biloxi this season.  He has struck out 143 and walked only 36 in 142 1/3 innings.  He has had a long journey to the majors and I look for him to seize this opportunity, because he has earned it.  The Brewers are 7-1 in their last 8 road games.  The Pirates are 6-21 in their last 27 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Milwaukee.

7* NL Central Game of the Month on Milwaukee Brewers -117

The Key: The Milwaukee Brewers are just 2 games behind the Colorado Rockies for the 2nd wild card spot.  That makes this a big series for them at Pittsburgh here.  The Pirates could clearly care less as they've packed it in over the last few weeks.  The Pirates are 1-11 in their last 12 games overall.  Chase Anderson is the better starter here as he's 10-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 22 starts this year.  Trevor Williams is 5-7 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 23 starts for the Pirates.  Anderson is 5-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 10 lifetime starts vs. Pittsburgh as well.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Lions/Giants NFC *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 42.5

The Key: The New York Giants have one of the best defenses in the NFL.  They held the Cowboys to just 19 points on the road last week despite their defense being on the field most the game.  That's because their offense was awful, managing just a field goal in the 19-3 loss.  They didn't have Odell Beckham in that game, and Beckham is going to be a game-time decision this week, so even if he plays he won't be 100%.  The Giants will have to ride their defense again here.  They hosted the Lions last year and won 17-6 for 23 combined points.  I think we see a similar output here.  The Lions scored 35 points last week, but they were gifted many of those points thanks to 4 turnovers by the Cardinals.  Detroit is 7-0 UNDER in its last 7 games off a win.  The UNDER is 20-7 in Lions last 27 road games.  The UNDER is 8-2 in Giants last 10 games overall, including 4-0 in their last 4 home games.  Take the UNDER. 

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee Brewers +100

The Key: The Milwaukee Brewers are just 2.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies for the 2nd wild card spot.  That makes this a big series for them at Pittsburgh here.  The Pirates could clearly care less as they've packed it in over the last few weeks.  The Pirates are 1-10 in their last 11 games overall.  Brent Suter is 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 11 starts this year.  He is a better starter than Jameson Taillon, who is 7-6 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 22 starts, including 3-4 with a 5.37 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 13 home starts.  The Brewers are 7-0 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Pirates are 0-6 in their last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Cowboys/Broncos Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas -2.5

The Key: The Dallas Cowboys went 6-1 SU & 5-1-1 ATS in meaningful road games last season where they played all of their starters.  They dominated on the road, beating the likes of the Packers and Steelers along the way.  The thing about the Cowboys is that their style of play travels well.  Teams that can run the football can win on the road.  And the Cowboys are probably the best in the league in that aspect.  Plus, Dak Prescott doesn't make critical mistakes and takes care of the football.  And the Cowboys should be able to run on a Broncos defense that ranked 28th in the NFL against the run last season.  Jason Garrett is 15-5 ATS in road games in the first half of the season as the coach of the Cowboys.  Take Dallas.

6* Sunday MLB *Total* Annihilator on Red Sox/Rays OVER 8.5

The Key: This is a very low total for the Red Sox at Rays game today.  Neither of these starting pitchers are very good.  Eduardo Rodriquez is 5-5 with a 4.23 ERA in 21 starts this year, and 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA in 11 road starts.  Jake Odorizzi is 8-8 with a 4.52 ERA in 25 starts this year, and 4-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 14 home starts.  Rodriquez is 0-1 with a 7.58 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Tampa Bay.  Odorizzi is 3-5 with a 4.56 ERA in 16 lifetime starts vs. Boston.  Rodriguez has allowed 10 earned runs in 8 innings in his last 2 starts against Tampa Bay.  Odorizzi has yielded 8 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts against Boston.  Take the OVER.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Jacksonville Jaguars +1

The Key: The Jacksonville Jaguars have an elite defense that forced 4 turnovers and held the Texans to 7 points and 203 total yards last week.  They are the better defensive football team in this matchup with the Titans.  And the Jags have a new-found running game thanks to the upgrades they made along the offensive line and in the backfield with Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 100 yards in the win last week.  The Jaguars beat the Titans 38-17 at home last year.  The Titans are now 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in Jacksonville and 13-35-3 ATS in their last 51 division games overall.  Take Jacksonville.

6* AFC Game of the Week on Cleveland Browns +7.5

The Key: The Cleveland Browns gave the Pittsburgh Steelers all they could handle last week in a 21-18 home loss as 10-point dogs.  The Steelers blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown, which was the difference in that game.  They held a high-powered Steelers offense to just 14 points, while basically stopping Le'Veon Bell completely.  The Bengals turned the ball over 5 times against the Ravens last week, yet the Ravens only scored 20 points.  That just shows how bad of shape this Baltimore offense is in right now.  That's why they can't be laying more than a TD against one of the most improved teams in the NFL in the Browns, who can keep this one close.  The road team is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  The Browns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 trips to Baltimore.  Take Cleveland.

7* Texas/USC Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas +16

The Key: Tom Herman has been an underdog 11 times in his career as a coordinator for Ohio State and as a head coach at Houston.  His teams have gone a PERFECT 11-0 SU & 11-0 ATS in those 11 games.  The Longhorns are flying under the radar now after getting upset by Maryland in the opener.  They got right with a 56-0 win over San Jose State last week.  Look for USC to have a bit of an emotional letdown here after their huge win over USC last week.  Take Texas.

6* NCAAF Favorite of the Week on Miami (Ohio) -4.5

The Key: The Miami Ohio Redhawks may be the best team in the MAC this season.  This is a team that made a bowl game last year after their 0-6 start by winning their final 6 games.  They returned 17 starters from that squad this year.  I think their 26-31 loss at Marshall has them flying under the radar.  But they outgained Marshall by 162 yards in that game and should have won.  Cincinnati and Miami have both hosted Austin Peay.  Miami won 31-10, while Cincinnati only won 26-14.  Cincinnati is going to have a hard time getting motivated for this game after playing at Michigan last week, and with another big game at Navy on deck next week.  The Bearcats are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 non-conference games.  The Home team is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 meetings.  The Bearcats are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 meetings.  Take Miami Ohio.

6* NCAAF Dog of the Week on Georgia State +37.5

The Key: The Georgia State Panthers were upset in their opener by Tennessee State as 15-point favorites.  They gave that game away by committing 4 turnovers.  Now they are flying under the radar after that poor performance, and they've had 2 full weeks to fix their issues and prepare for Penn State.  This is a clear flat spot for the Nittany Lions.  They just played in-state rival Pitt last week, and though they won 33-14, they were actually outgained by the Panthers by 30 yards.  Now they have their Big Ten opener at Iowa on deck next week, making this a sandwich spot.  James Franklin will be more worried about keeping everyone healthy than blowing the doors off Georgia State.  This is a Georgia State team that only lost 17-23 as 34-point road dogs at Wisconsin last year, and they have 15 starters back from that squad.  They can hang around here.  The Panthers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a road underdog. The Panthers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take Georgia State.

6* Interleague Game of the Week on Philadelphia Phillies -111

The Key: The Philadelphia Phillies have won 3 of their last 4 games coming in.  They scored 27 runs in the 3 wins before getting shut out yesterday by the A's in Game 1 of this series.  I think they get back in the win column here in Game 2 thanks to their big advantage on the mound.  Ben Lively is 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 12 starts this year.  He is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Kendall Graveman is 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 7 road starts this year for Oakland.  The A's 20-47 in their last 67 road games.  Oakland is 8-20 in Graveman's last 28 road starts.  The Phillies are 8-3 in their last 11 games following a loss.  Take Philadelphia.

7* AL Central Game of the Month on Chicago White Sox +103

The Key: Chicago White Sox fans are getting a chance to see their young prospects get significant playing time down the stretch.  And the results have been impressive in their rotation and their lineup.  They are 5-1 in their last 6 games overall.  The Sox have scored 11 or more runs in 3 of their last 6 games, including their 17-7 beat down of the Tigers last night.  The Tigers are the worst team in baseball right now with all of the players they traded away.  They are 0-6 in their last 6 games overall.  Carson Fulmer allowed 1 earned run while striking out 9 in 6 innings of an 8-1 victory over San Francisco on September 10th in his last start.  Anibal Sanchez is 3-4 with a 6.90 ERA in 13 starts this year, including 0-1 with a 15.43 ERA in his last 3 starts.  The Tigers are 1-10 in their last 11 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Chicago.