2018 NFL FOOTBALL SNEAK PEEK AT TEAMS/PREDICTIONS/NEWS/NOTES/PICKS ETC. !

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, August 18, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
1:00 PM Jacksonville Jaguars Minnesota Vikings
4:00 PM Oakland Raiders Los Angeles Rams
7:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals Dallas Cowboys
8:00 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans
8:00 PM San Francisco 49ers Houston Texans
9:05 PM Chicago Bears Denver Broncos
10:00 PM Seattle Seahawks Los Angeles Chargers


*******************


NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........22- 28........44.00%.....-44.00

 

[Cnotes53]

censored. protected

 

[Cnotes53]

censored protected.

 

[Cnotes53]

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

JAC at MIN 01:00 PM
MIN -4.0
U 40.5

OAK at LAR 04:00 PM
LAR +1.0
O 38.0

CIN at DAL 07:00 PM
CIN +3.0
O 41.0

SF at HOU 08:00 PM
SF +3.0
O 41.0

TB at TEN 08:00 PM
TEN -3.0
O 41.0

CHI at DEN 09:05 PM
CHI +3.0
O 43.0

SEA at LAC 10:00 PM
LAC -3.0
U 40.0

 

[Cnotes53]

NFL Preseason Capsules
August 19, 2018

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys had another efficient preseason showing.

Andy Dalton bogged down a bit with his Cincinnati Bengals.

Prescott led a pair of scoring drives in three possessions, capped by a scrambling 6-yard scoring pass to Terrance Williams, before the Bengals rallied after halftime for a 21-13 exhibition victory Saturday night.

The Bengals had just two first downs in three Dalton-led possessions a week after he threw for two touchdowns with an offense that was revamped after finishing last in the NFL. One of the first downs was on Dalton's 13-yard scramble after the Bengals (2-0) started with a pair of three-and-outs.

A week after throwing a 30-yard touchdown to rookie Michael Gallup on his only drive of the preseason opener in San Francisco, Prescott was 10 of 15 for 86 yards. The TD drive for a 10-0 lead was kept alive by an 8-yard slant to Gallup, who reached out for a nice catch inside the Cincinnati 10.

TEXANS 16, 49ERS 13

HOUSTON (AP) - Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and Houston earned a preseason win over San Francisco.

Watson led the Texans down the field, going 5 of 8 for 73 yards, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Ellington.

It was a much lengthier outing than the preseason opener in Kansas City when Watson attempted just one pass in his return to game action after missing the second half of his rookie season with a torn ACL.

Watson's efficiency matched a nice opening drive from San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo, who threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Trent Taylor.

Garoppolo's night ended after his second drive when a deep pass to Dante Pettis bounced off Pettis' hands and was intercepted by Johnson Bademosi. Garoppolo was 10 of 12 for 136 yards.

BUCCANEERS 30, TITANS 14

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Jameis Winston gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a potent reminder of what they will miss when the quarterback sits out his three-game suspension to start the regular season.

Winston threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns after coming off the bench in the second quarter, and the Buccaneers beat Tennessee in the teams' second exhibition game.

Ryan Fitzpatrick started for a second straight week as the Buccaneers (2-0) prepare the veteran to run the offense while Winston sits out for violating the league's personal conduct policy after the NFL investigated an allegation Winston groped a female Uber driver in Arizona in March 2016. Fitzpatrick helped the Bucs hold the ball for 9 minutes of the first quarter, but they settled for a field goal as the quarterback was 5 of 13 for 46 yards passing.

Winston completed eight of his first nine passes and left with a 151.4 passer rating. He threw for big chunks, hitting Mike Evans for 38 yards and then DeSean Jackson on a 54-yarder. Winston found Chris Godwin in a pack of Titans in the end zone for an 8-yard TD and connected with Justin Watson for a 21-yard TD that gave the Bucs a 20-7 halftime lead.

RAMS 19, RAIDERS 15

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rookie John Kelly rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown, and the Rams welcomed the Raiders back to the Coliseum with a preseason victory over Oakland.

Chris Warren rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders in their return to the venerable stadium that was their home for 13 seasons during their largely successful tenure in Los Angeles. Their still-passionate Southern California fan base turned out in force, filling the 95-year-old arena with black jerseys and loud cheers.

JAGUARS 14, VIKINGS 10

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Yannick Ngakoue had an 11-yard sack that helped Jacksonville's defense hold Kirk Cousins and Minnesota's starting offense to three completions and three points, and the Jaguars reserves rallied for a victory over the Vikings.

Cousins was crisp in his only series last week , but the Vikings went three-and-out on two of their four possessions with their new quarterback. Latavius Murray's second fumble, stripped by Malik Jackson, was recovered by Calais Campbell to end another drive. Cousins finished just 3 for 8 for 12 yards.

Minnesota's defense was closer to midseason form, though, with an interception by Harrison Smith of Blake Bortles and another sure pick by Mackensie Alexander that was bobbled and dropped.

Bortles played the entire first half and went 12 for 20 for 159 yards, producing a touchdown run by Leonard Fournette on one of his seven series, the last of three possessions the Vikings starters were still in the game.

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday, August 20, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
8:00 PM Baltimore Ravens Indianapolis Colts


********************


NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........30- 33........47.61%.....-31.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Handicapping Lions (6.5)
August 20, 2018

The Detroit Lions have a new head coach in Matt Patricia and a lot of optimism heading into the 2018 season. The Lions have a quality quarterback in Matthew Stafford and Patricia is expected to improve the defense.

Oddsmakers are not sold that Detroit is going to be any better than last season, as they set the win total for the Lions at just 6.5 games. Let?s look at the schedule for Detroit to see if they will go over or under that number.

2018 Detroit Lions Regular Season Win Total
Over 6.5 (-140)
Under 6.5 (+110)

2018 Detroit Lions Schedule Analysis

Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, vs. New York Jets

The Lions opener up at home on Monday night against a New York team that doesn?t have much of an offense. It really can?t get much easier for Patricia in his first game as head coach.

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at San Francisco 49ers

The Lions will get a much stiffer test in Week 2 as they visit a San Francisco 49ers team with a potent offense. The Lions rarely do well on the West Coast and this looks like a loss.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. New England Patriots

Patricia will get a chance to face his former team in Week 3. The Patriots are the better team, but this game is in Detroit and it could be tight.

Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys can run the ball, but whether they can do enough in the passing game is the question. The Lions can definitely put up a fight and have a chance to win this one.

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, vs. Green Bay Packers

The Lions have struggled in the past against Aaron Rodgers, but this game is at home and Detroit is capable of pulling out a high scoring victory.

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins could be improved this season and Detroit is usually a poor road team. The Lions may struggle in this one.

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are not nearly as good as in past seasons, especially on defense. This will likely be a shootout, but the Lions should come out on top.

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at Minnesota Vikings

The Lions have actually done pretty well in Minnesota in recent seasons, but the Vikings are still the better team and should get this win.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Chicago Bears

The Bears are expected to be much better this season and winning in Chicago won?t be the cakewalk it has been recently.

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers rolled over the Lions last season, so this is a revenge game for the Lions. The Lions will have the home field edge, and Stafford is a better quarterback than Newton.

Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, vs. Chicago Bears

The Lions have dominated the Bears in Detroit recently and this is a Thanksgiving Day game and we know the Lions usually win those.

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, vs. Los Angeles Rams

The Lions get extra time to prepare for this one and they will need it, as the Rams are loaded on both sides of the ball. This will be a homecoming game for Ndamukong Suh. This game could be high scoring and looks like a toss-up.

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9 at Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals should be much better this season, but whether or not they have a healthy Sam Bradford by this point in the season is the question. This is a winnable road game for Detroit.

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Buffalo Bills

The Bills don?t have a quality quarterback, but this is still a cold weather game and that is not good news for the Lions.

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Lions may need this game to stay in playoff contention. The Lions have struggled to protect Stafford against a stout Minnesota defense. This could be a low scoring contest in late December.

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Green Bay Packers

The Lions have actually won two of the last three at Green Bay, but this will be a cold weather game and it is hard to see Detroit getting the road win unless the Packers have already clinched and have nothing to play for.

2018 Detroit Lions Win Total Prediction

The schedule for Detroit is actually pretty favorable, so it is possible the Lions flirt with a winning record and a playoff spot. We?ll go over the total of 6.5 wins for the Lions in 2018.

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday's Top Parlay
August 20, 2018

By Tom Wilkinson

NFL Preseason Betting ? Ravens vs. Colts

The Baltimore Ravens have been an outstanding preseason team in recent years, going unbeaten in each of the last two seasons. They have also won their first two preseason games this season, so they come into Monday night?s game at the Indianapolis Colts on a 10-game winning streak in the preseason. Both teams have quality backup quarterbacks following their starters, so this game could be high scoring. Let?s look at the matchup and Monday Night Football picks.

Date and Time: Monday, August 20, 2018, 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
NFL Odds: Ravens -1, O/U 43
Ravens vs. Colts TV Coverage: ESPN

This will be the third preseason game for the Ravens since they played in the Hall of Fame Game, while the Colts are playing their second game. The Ravens have won both of their preseason games, while the Colts are coming off a win against Seattle last week. The Ravens should be giving Joe Flacco at least a quarter of work and then Baltimore figures to split up the remaining time between Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III. The Ravens have to decide if Jackson is ready to be a backup quarterback this season or if they need to hang onto RGIII. Jackson has moved around and showed his athletic ability but he is just 11 of 28 passing and he has been sacked five times.

The Colts gave Andrew Luck his first action last week and he looked good, going 6 of 9 for 64 yards. Indianapolis has a quality backup quarterback in Jacoby Brissett who was the starter for the Colts last season while Luck was out. Indianapolis also has Phillip Walker and Brad Kaaya who might see mop up duty. The Colts will be without starting running back Marlon Mack who has a hamstring injury and they will probably be without leading receiver T.Y. Hilton who has a sprained shoulder.

Players to Watch

The focus will be on Andrew Luck in this contest. He did look good last week but he played against a Seattle defense that simply isn?t what it used to be. He should get a much stiffer test this week against the Ravens. They led the league last season with 22 interceptions. Luck won?t have Mack in the backfield and there is a good chance he won?t have his favorite receiver, as T.Y. Hilton is dealing with a minor shoulder injury.

Key Stats

As I have mentioned many times now in the preseason; I don?t think there are many stats worth looking at except the coaches? records. It is hard to ignore what the Ravens have done in the preseason under Harbaugh. They are 30-12 straight up under Harbaugh and 28-14 against the spread. Those are simply spectacular numbers. The Ravens have a good quarterback rotation of Flacco, Jackson and RGIII, so they should be able to move the ball throughout the game against a weak Indianapolis defense.

The Colts won their first preseason game under new head coach Frank Reich. Getting that first win was important for Reich, so the Colts may not have the urgency to win in the preseason this week. The Colts do have Luck and Brissett, but their defense is poor.

Ravens vs. Colts Picks

I definitely can?t go against the dominating win streak of the Ravens in the preseason. Baltimore simply wins under Harbaugh in the preseason and there is no reason to go against them in this contest. The Colts got their win for Reich out of the way and they come into this game banged up with Mack and Hilton hurting. I can?t see them taking any chances this week with their key players, so Luck shouldn?t play more than a quarter. I will take the Ravens to win this contest on Monday night. I also think the total is worth a look, as both teams have solid backup quarterbacks and the Colts have a weak defense so this could turn into a high scoring contest. I will also play the game over the total.

Ravens vs. Colts Pick: Ravens -1 and Over 43
Ravens vs. Colts Score Prediction: Ravens 27, Colts 20

 

[Cnotes53]

MNF - Ravens at Colts
August 20, 2018
By Tony Mejia

Baltimore (-1.5/43) at Indianapolis, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN: Since they participated in the Hall of Fame game, the Ravens are in a situation where they?re playing their third preseason game but would have otherwise had their traditional dress rehearsal game on Saturay at Miami. If nothing else, it gave John Harbaugh options regarding his approach to this one. Harbaugh has called this his team?s best camp ever ?in terms of guys focused on improving every day and becoming one percent better at what they do from one day to the next.?

Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson entered the preseason seemingly placed against one another due to reports of a snub and the perception that Flacco was threatened by the rookie?s presence. If that?s been the case, it?s served to light a fire under the veteran, who looked great leading the Ravens down the field in his first drive against the Rams on Aug. 9 and has put together some excellent practices. Jackson has shown flashes of brilliance, so it will be fun to see both take snaps against defenses they?ve been working against. The Colts have first-year coordinators on both sides of the ball working under first-year head coach Frank Reich, so they?ll want to be competitive here and against San Francisco on Saturday night.

Despite the new leadership, the return of a familiar face has been the central focus for the 2018 Colts since Andrew Luck has been able to throw the ball without pain once again and is on track to restore hope by opening the regular season under center. Luck led Indianapolis down the field against Seattle in his first action, converting on a 4th-and-1, taking his first live-action hits and leading the offense to a pair of field goals in finishing 6-for-9 for 66 yards.

Luck isn?t running away from the fact that his downfield passing is not where it needs to be or that he?s more comfortable firing away on short throws, but he?s progressing and will look to take another step forward here.

Indianapolis defeated the Seahawks 19-17 at CenturyLink Field, scoring their only touchdown on a two-play drive led by third-stringer Phillip Walker. With Brad Kaaya on the roster, the Colts have four quarterbacks but have thus far resisted every temptation to trade backup Jacoby Brissett, which can be considered proof that the team isn?t necessarily sold that Luck can survive the entire season or that either Walker or Kaaya can be quality backups, which makes this a huge week for everyone. Owner Jim Irsay has called Brissett the NFL?s top backup and a Boston Globe report that Seattle was rebuffed despite offering a second-round pick in return for his services would indicate he?s going nowhere, so both teams will have guys who can really test a defense at the controls for at least the opening half.

Robert Griffin III can be added to that mix as well since the Ravens? reclamation project has played well, completing 12-of-18 passes and throwing two touchdowns and an interception that wasn?t his fault.

For veteran roster hopefuls like RB Kenneth Dixon and WR Breshad Perriman, Baltimore?s ability to move the ball effectively will give them a fair shot to try and stick around despite a crowded competition at the skill positions. Josh Woodrum, who was on the team?s practice squad last season and is well-versed in the system, would wrap up if Harbaugh opts to play four quarterbacks.

The Colts saw Frank Gore leave for Miami, so they?ve got quite the competition going to ensure they have viable replacements in place. Marlon Mack is the heir apparent after appearing in 14 games as a result last season, while former Seahawks Robert Turbin and Christine Michael are also on board in addition to fourth-round pick Nyheim Hines (NC State) and Jordan Wilkins (Ole Miss) and veterans Tion Green, Branden Oliver and holdover Josh Ferguson.

With Buck Allen and Alex Collins healthy and back in the mix at running back, Baltimore has Dixon attempting to fight off undrafted free agent Gus Edwards, who has led the team in rushing in each of the first two games. Another undrafted player, receiver Janarion Grant, is making a bid to hang on the roster due to his explosiveness and ability to also perform on special teams.

A final Saturday joint workout with the Colts that featured a couple of fights which could make the atmosphere for this one spicy, especially given that the time to impress is dwindling. Week 2 of the preseason saw more questionable calls change games and penalties looking to crack down on lowering their helmet to initiate contact whistled often, but some of the games have been unwatchable due to stoppages on every play. We'll see how Reich, a University of Maryland alum, fares against Baltimore in his first home game. Harbaugh is 30-12 in exhibition games, sporting the second-highest winning percentage among head coaches with at least one season of experience behind only Minnesota's Mike Zimmer.

The Colts opened as a 1.5-point favorite but has seen that number flip to favor the visiting Ravens. If you're betting Baltimore, a money line option (-120) may be the way to go as a result. The total moved from 41 to 43.

 

[Cnotes53]

MONDAY, AUGUST 20
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BAL at IND 08:00 PM
IND +2.0
O 43.0

 

[Cnotes53]

Ravens crash Luck's homecoming with 20-19 preseason win
August 20, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass in the first half, Lamar Jackson added another in the second half and the Baltimore Ravens ruined Andrew Luck's Indianapolis homecoming by topping the Colts 20-19 on Monday night.

Flacco looked sharp, going 7 of 9 for 72 yards before departing.

Jackson then showed flashes of what helped him win the 2016 Heisman Trophy. He was 7 of 15 for 49 yards and carried four times for 26 yards before giving way to another Heisman winner, Robert Griffin III, in the fourth quarter.

But Colts fans wanted to see what Luck would do for an encore following a solid start in their preseason opener at Seattle.

This time, Luck had a tough night. He threw an interception before logging his first completion, took a hard hit from Terrell Suggs on the first of two sacks and only led Indy on one scoring drive - setting up 45-year-old Adam Vinateiri for a 57-yard field goal.

Luck was 6 of 13 for 50 yards with a quarterback rating of 24.5.

The Colts (1-1) blew one red-zone scoring chance on Luck's pick and another when they turned the ball over on downs at the Ravens 3 in the third quarter. They got their first touchdown when Jordan Wilkins' fumble bounced right into the hands of Chester Rogers in the end zone.

After Tarell Basham's fumble recovery at the Ravens 9 led to Phillip Walker's TD pass to Zach Pascal with 2:24 left, giving the Colts a chance to come back, Walker was stopped short on the 2-poiont conversion run.

Baltimore recovered the onside kick to seal it.

Flacco gave the Ravens a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter when he hooked up with John Brown for a 7-yard score.

After Indy made it 10-7 on Rogers' improbable score, Jackson led a masterful hurry-up drive at the end of the first half, which ended with Justin Tucker's 38-yard field goal with 2 seconds left.

The Ravens' backup quarterback took advantage again after Colts rookie Nyheim Hines lost a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Five plays later, Jackson hooked up with Chris Moore on a 7-yard TD pass to make it 17-10 - a lead the Ravens never relinquished.

Baltimore's Kaare Vedvik made a 48-yard field goal and Indy's Michael Badgley also made a 43-yarder in the fourth quarter.

STAYING CALM

Saturday's joint practice between the teams was marred by two skirmishes, one which resulted in both teams running from the sideline to the middle of the field.

Though the officials called 21 penalties, including five that went for at least 15 yards, there were no such incidents Monday after Colts coach Frank Reich publicly criticized his team for being undisciplined in practice.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

There were no protests by either team during Monday's national anthem.

During pregame warmups, Colts players donned T-shirts promoting their new message ''Breaking Barriers,'' a community effort team officials and players hope will promote equality and justice for everyone while unlocking more opportunities for those who don't always get them.

The Colts say there are three key components: Creating dialogue within the community, inspiring local citizens to lead and funding community initiatives such as the team's newly established Social Justice Club Fund. The Colts also plan to award grants from the Players Action Fund, which was boosted by a $100,000 donation from team owner Jim Irsay when it formed last year.

INJURIES

Ravens: Right guard Marshal Yanda and cornerback Jimmy Smith did not play. Rookie Orlando Brown Jr. made the start on the offensive line. But the Ravens did not announce any significant injuries during the game.

Colts: Indy played without receiver T.Y. Hilton (shoulder), running back Marlon Mack (hamstring), left tackle Anthony Castonzo (hamstring) and safety Malik Hooker (knee) - all projected starters. Starting safety Clayton Geathers saw his first game action since undergoing offseason knee injury. But after losing their top two running backs in Seattle - Mack and Robert Turbin (ankle) - they lost another one, Josh Ferguson (groin), on Monday. Ferguson did not return.

UP NEXT

Ravens: Visit Miami on Saturday,

Colts: Host Seattle on Saturday.

 

[Cnotes53]

WEEK 3

Thursday, August 23, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
8:00 PM Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns

Friday, August 24, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:30 PM New England Patriots Carolina Panthers
7:30 PM New York Giants New York Jets
7:30 PM Denver Broncos Washington Redskins
8:00 PM Seattle Seahawks Minnesota Vikings
8:00 PM Detroit Lions Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10:30 PM Green Bay Packers Oakland Raiders

Saturday, August 25, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
1:00 PM Kansas City Chiefs Chicago Bears
4:00 PM Houston Texans Los Angeles Rams
4:00 PM Tennessee Titans Pittsburgh Steelers
4:30 PM San Francisco 49ers Indianapolis Colts
7:00 PM Atlanta Falcons Jacksonville Jaguars
7:00 PM Baltimore Ravens Miami Dolphins
8:00 PM New Orleans Saints Los Angeles Chargers

Sunday, August 26, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
4:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals Buffalo Bills
8:00 PM Arizona Cardinals Dallas Cowboys


*************************


NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........31- 34........47.69%.....-32.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Who's Hot and Who's Not
August 20, 2018

Week of August 20th

After touching on the fact last week that Week 1 of this year's NFL preseason brought about plenty of high-scoring games that cashed 'over' tickets (11-5 O/U), we predictably saw some regression to the mean in Week 2.

We've still got a Monday Night Football game left between Baltimore and Indianapolis tonight to conclude Week 2, but O/U results so far for the week sit at 6-9 O/U as we saw some much better defense being played on the whole, as well as some missteps offensively as rotations get ironed out.

With Week 3 rapidly approaching and many franchises still designating the week as the ?dress rehersal? for the upcoming season, isolating situations were profits could be had is the goal of this piece this week as we look to add a few more units to our bankroll before the games actually mean something.

So with the overall O/U mark for the entire NFL preseason (minus the HOF game) now sitting at 17-14 (pending MNF tonight) I'll be touching on a profitable total situation that paid dividends in Week 2 as well as another NFL preseason ATS trend that's worth being aware of. Let's get right to it:

Who's Hot

Longest tenured NFL coaches ATS in 2018 preseason (7-1 SU and ATS through two weeks)

This trend was an odd one that came up during my research but I thought it was best to point it out simply because coaching experience can matter in the preseason on a multitude of levels. But through two weeks of the preseason in 2018, the four longest tenured coaches in the league ? Bill Belichick (New England), Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati), Sean Payton (New Orleans) and Mike McCarthy (Green Bay) - are 7-1 SU and ATS as it appears as though these coaches that have ?been there, done that? may have finally found a way to successfully navigate through a preseason with positive results and minimal health concerns.

Laying out a preseason schedule can be very tough for NFL coaches as they try to find that perfect balance between improving their team, getting their guys in proper ?football shape?, and staying healthy at the same time. Guys who've been around for awhile have tried many different things over the years with mixed results, but in 2018 it looks like all of that experience and experimentation has allowed those four coaches to find the ideal work/health balance for their team's this summer.

Obviously that could change over the next two weeks as New England, Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Green Bay ? three of which have highly experienced, and arguably the best QB's in the game ? probably lean more towards the health and rest part the rest of the way, but it's hard to ignore the fact that the only coaches in the league that have been with their respective teams since at least 2006 are cashing at an 87% clip ATS.

With the ?dress rehearsal? coming, and those teams likely giving their starters at least a half or so to work with, I'd be keeping an eye on projected playing time reports from those squads this entire week. Knowing that these coaches are going to give their starters a full 1st half, three quarters, or just one quarter etc, could make all the difference in determining whether to play on them ATS or not this week.

New England and Green Bay are the first of the four to kick things off (Friday) in Week 3 with road games in Carolina and Oakland respectively, and both the Pats and Packers are currently catching just under a FG in those games. Cincinnati and New Orleans are also on the road and listed as small road dogs as well, so with all four of these sides catching points, maybe some underdog ML plays on a few of these four teams is the best way to begin attacking the Week 3 preseason betting board.

Who's Not

'Overs' in NFL Preseason when a NFC team is hosting an AFC team (2-5 O/U in Week 2)

It wasn't hard to expect a few more 'unders' cashing in Week 2 after the scoring barrage we saw in Week 1, but while the overall record for totals in Week 2 sits at 6-9 O/U, the best role for those nine 'unders' came when we had a NFC team hosting an AFC team.

There were seven such games in Week 2 with the NFC side at home, and of those seven contests, five of them managed to cash 'under' tickets ? including a perfect 0-3 O/U run on Saturday alone. The two outliers were the 85-point shootout we had between Pittsburgh and Green Bay, and the 47 points Miami/Carolina finished with thanks to a 22-point final frame on Thursday night.

If it wasn't for that late scoring surge in that Dolphins/Panthers game, this number would be even better, and when you consider that of all the 14 'unders' we've seen cash through two weeks of the preseason, half of them (7) have come when a NFC team has hosted an AFC team, it's probably those contests you'll want to lean low with from the start.

Week 3 brings us four such occurrences (Denver at Washington, New England at Carolina, Kansas City at Chicago, and Houston at L.A. Rams) and all of them have totals currently listed at 43 or higher. The New England/Carolina game is the highest of the bunch as it currently sits at 46 almost everywhere, and given that each of those teams are 2-0 O/U respectively, I wouldn't be surprised to see plenty of 'over' action push that number higher as the week goes on.

However, New England already gave their starters the full 1st half last week in their Super Bowl rematch game vs Philly, so a full ?dress rehearsal might be out of the question for them, and I'm not sure Carolina wants to risk Cam getting hurt at this stage of the summer by keeping him out there for too long this week. If bettors look to push this number up higher as the days go on, it will be a situation where the only way you should really be looking then is to go low.

Of the four games that fit this scenario, this Patriots/Panthers game is probably the best candidate for an 'under' play regardless to keep this trend going, and it's one I'll be considering going heavy on over the next 48 hours.

 

[Cnotes53]

TNF - Eagles at Browns
August 22, 2018

Thursday Night Football Preview (FOX, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia Eagles vs Cleveland Browns

Week 3 of the preseason gets going with the defending champs visiting the lone winless team from a year ago as this will likely be the last time fans get to see many of their team's starters until the games start to count for real. That's probably a good thing for Philadelphia fans as they've had plenty of injury scares this entire preseason, and a lot of their projected starters will be held out for this contest too.

How that affects what we see from the Eagles on TNF remains to be seen, but I doubt we see the Eagles coaching staff push things too much for fear of another key body going down.

Odds: Cleveland (-3); Total set at 41.5

After making a run to the top overall seed in the NFC and parlaying that into a Super Bowl victory a year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles aren't about to rush things in the preseason just for the sake of getting better. The Eagles coaching staff has a great idea of what they've got in their roster and all the injuries they've suffered this summer are at least not long term in most cases and said players should be ready for September.

However, that same Eagles coaching staff would like to see a bit more effort and progress from the guys that are out there in the preseason as Philly has been blown out in both preseason games so far (albeit by some very good teams in Pittsburgh and New England) as they allowed 30+ points in both defeats. That's a bit of an indictment on this Eagles defensive unit, one that has suffered the fewest injuries on the team and one that came into the year with plenty of question marks as well. So with HC Doug Pederson already stating that he'd like to see his (healthy) starters play at least a half, I do believe we see the Eagles defense look much better than they have all preseason. Yet, the question is whether or not improved play by the Eagles defense will be enough for them to cover this spread.

Personally, I don't believe it will be as the Eagles offense is about as banged up as a unit can be. They are sending backup Nick Foles out there as a ?starter? for the majority of the first half ? a week after he narrowly missed a scary upper body injury himself ? and they are only going to come into the game with two healthy RB's on the roster (Wendell Smallwood and Matt Jones). Neither of those guys are expected to get significant playing time once the games count for real, but they both could end up being the workhorses here.

The Eagles WR depth is still quite thin at this moment and after Foles nearly was lost for awhile last week, I expect plenty of hand offs and running plays from this Eagles team that's just looking to get through this 60 minutes as healthy as can be. Compare all that with a Cleveland team that's basically got ongoing competitions for starting roles at nearly every position and you've got to lay the -3 with the Browns or pass all together on the side.

The total is the wager I'm more interested in making though as with starters on both defensive units likely on the field for at least 30 minutes, points may turn out to be at a premium here. I've already touched on Philly's need to see some significant improvement on the defensive side of the ball which should show up here, but Cleveland's defense has been solid through two weeks as well and I don't see that changing either ? especially with Philly's run-heavy, vanilla attack.

Cleveland is already 0-2 O/U in the preseason this year, yet, because of Philly allowing 30+ in both games, the majority of early action on this total (75%) has come in on the high side of this number. But this total has actually dropped a full point since opening at 42.5 despite all that action, and that's a reverse line move I simply can't ignore.

After last week's 19-17 loss at home to Buffalo cashed another 'under' ticket for the Browns, Cleveland is now on a 0-7 O/U run in home games during the preseason the past few years, and regardless of venue the last seven years during ?dress rehearsal? Week 3 preseason games, the Browns as an organization are on a 1-4-2 O/U run with final scores averaging 36.8 points.

Seeing this game finish with about 37 points is where I've got this one pegged finishing, and all things considered (situation, trends, reverse line move) it's the best way to attack this game.


Best Bet: Under 41.5 points

 

[Cnotes53]

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHI at CLE 08:00 PM
CLE -3.0
U 41.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Foles throws 2 picks, champion Eagles lose 5-0 to Browns
August 23, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles threw two interceptions and Philadelphia's starting offense struggled again while waiting for quarterback Carson Wentz to return as the Eagles were beaten 5-0 on Thursday night by the Cleveland Browns.

Foles was hoping to bounce back from a rough outing against New England last week, when he also injured his right shoulder. His overall statistics were better (13 of 17 for 127 yards) against the Browns (2-1), but he made two poor decisions while throwing the first-half picks, was stripped for a fumble and sacked for a safety.

Foles emerged as an unlikely star last year when he replaced an injured Wentz and led the Eagles (0-3) to their first Super Bowl title. However, he's only starting now as Wentz recovers from knee surgery. Wentz recently began working in 11-on-11 drills, but he's not been cleared for contact and there's no clear timetable when he'll play.

The Eagles need him. They committed four turnovers, allowed seven sacks and missed a field goal.

Cleveland had a familiar quarterback scare.

Starter Tyrod Taylor injured his left hand in the first quarter, and the sight of him heading to the sideline sent a shiver through fans in FirstEnergy Stadium. Rookie Baker Mayfield replaced him for two series before Taylor returned. Cleveland's starter finished 11 of 16 for 65 yards.

Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick, played the entire second half and went 8 of 12 for 76 yards and an interception.

With Foles behind center, the Eagles' first-team offense, which was missing wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor and running backs Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles, hasn't scored a point in three exhibitions.

Foles floated a long pass that safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun easily intercepted . Then, with a chance to finally score, Foles forced a throw into a crowd near the goal line and was picked by linebacker Jamie Collins.

The Browns were driving for a score when Taylor got hurt.

On fourth-and-goal and from Philadelphia's 1, Taylor rolled left and fired an incompletion into the end zone before falling out of bounds on his left side without contact. He immediately grabbed his left hand and jogged to the sideline to be examined.

Taylor spent about 15 minutes in the locker room before coming back to the sideline. He had a brief conversation with coach Hue Jackson, who sent the 29-year-old back onto the field after Mayfield filled in.

The Browns intend for Taylor to start this season while Mayfield develops, with the only thing that might alter the plan being an injury - something Cleveland knows all too well while cycling through 28 starting QBs since 1999.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Eagles starting safety Malcolm Jenkins remained in the tunnel during the national anthem, and defensive end Michael Bennett also was not on the field. Jenkins and Bennett have been among of the league's most outspoken players during the ongoing controversy over players expressing their political views during ''The Star-Spangled Banner.'' Jenkins previously stood on the sideline with a raised fist to protest social injustice.

WENTZ WATCH

Wentz worked out on the field hours before kickoff with a group of Eagles receivers. He looked good on his drops while rifling slant routes and quick-hitters.

TOUCH DOWN

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was credited with sacking Foles in the end zone for the game's first two points.

Foles lost his footing while backing up, fell to one knee and was touched by Garrett. Foles completed a pass on the play, but the Browns challenged it and were awarded a safety.

GONZO

Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez helped his chances to keep his job with a 54-yard field goal. Gonzalez is competing with Ross Martin.

INJURIES

Eagles: Starting C Jason Kelce limped off after making a block during the opening series. He did agility and stretching drills under the guidance of the training staff and returned for Philadelphia's next possession.

Browns: First-round pick Denzel Ward suffered a back injury in the first quarter and did not return. Ward appeared to get twisted while tackling 250-pound tight end Zach Ertz. Ward, the No. 4 overall pick, was on the field for several minutes before walking off on his own power. ... Starting S Damarious Randall did not dress because of a knee injury. He was not on the team's original ''not expected to play'' list and may have gotten hurt during warmups. ... Rookie WR Antonio Callaway did not dress after missing three practices with a groin injury.

UP NEXT

Eagles: Host the New York Jets on Aug. 30.

Browns: Visit the Detroit Lions on Aug. 30.

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday, August 24, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:30 PM New England Patriots Carolina Panthers
7:30 PM New York Giants New York Jets
7:30 PM Denver Broncos Washington Redskins
8:00 PM Seattle Seahawks Minnesota Vikings
8:00 PM Detroit Lions Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10:30 PM Green Bay Packers Oakland Raiders


************************


NFL PRESEASON RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
08/18/2018 8-5-1 61.53% +12.50
08/17/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/16/2018 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/09/2018 10-14-0 41.66% -27.00
08/02/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

TOTALS...........33- 34........49.25%.....-22.00

 

[Cnotes53]

NFL Preview - Detroit Lions at Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/B]

Jameis Winston has been lighting it up this preseason, but he better soak it in, because he will have to sit down in a few weeks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers? quarterback is suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL?s personal conduct policy. With that in mind, Winston may play more in Tampa Bay?s third preseason game this week against the Detroit Lions than normal.

Keep an eye on that development, because an active Winston would give the Bucs a solid shot at covering the spread. The Lions have an established quarterback in Matthew Stafford who doesn?t want to get injured in a meaningless game. He has only thrown five passes during the exhibition slate and seems likely to play less than Winston.

The Buccaneers are 2-0 this preseason and seem to have a good shot at remaining undefeated against the Lions this week in NFL odds.

This NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida at 8 p.m ET on Friday, August 124th, 2018. The game will be nationally televised on CBS.

We'll have NFL football odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NFL season.

Odds Analysis

The Buccaneers are entering this matchup as a 3.5-point favorite. The majority of money is coming in on the Lions, since keeping the outcome to a field goal would result in a cover. The scoring total is listed at 45 points, with the ?over? the more common choice by gamblers.

Tampa Bay is a -165 favorite on the moneyline, which is pretty high for a preseason game. The Lions are getting a lot of action as the +144 underdog in NFL gambling.

Last Time Out

The Buccaneers looked crisp in their second preseason game last week against the Titans, capturing a 30-14 victory. Winston was phenomenal, completing 13-of-18 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. He had a passer rating of 151.4 in the game and will aim to turn heads again.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will start the first three games of the season in Winston?s absence. He was just 5-of-13 for 46 yards last time out and will aim to build a better rhythm with the first starters heading into the regular season.

The Lions fell to the Giants by a score of 30-17 in Week 2 of the preseason. Stafford was only 2-of-5 for 51 yards and was sacked twice. He would like to find more success in this one but it doesn?t matter that much because he?s such a veteran that the preseason is basically meaningless.

Key Stat

73. That?s the number of receiving yards DeSean Jackson had last time out. He is still a huge big play threat and one or two connections in this one could alter the outcome. Winston likes to go vertical with his passes, so see if there are plans to play those two together in this preseason game.

Free NFL ATS Picks

The Buccaneers may struggle in the regular season, but for now Winston is throwing pinpoint passes and his receivers are hauling them in. Detroit does not care about this game too much and it?s easy to see why the spread is so high.

Look for the Buccaneers to jump out to a nice lead early and then hold on for the cover. Preseason games don?t usually generate drama but this one will for gamblers in NFL odds.

NFL ATS Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Detroit Lions 20

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday's Top Parlay


NFL Preseason Betting ? Packers vs. Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are solid favorites at home on Friday night, as they host the Green Bay Packers on NFL Network. There is a good chance that the Packers will not play Aaron Rodgers on Friday, so it could Brett Hundley and DeShone Kizer getting all of the work. On the other side, the Raiders are expected to give their starters at least a half on Friday. Let?s look at the matchup and NFL picks.

Date and Time: Friday, August 24, 2018, 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
NFL Odds: Raiders -6, O/U 41
Packers vs. Raiders TV Coverage: NFL Network

Normally teams give their starters a lot of work in the third preseason game, but the Packers don?t look like they are going to risk Rodgers any more in the preseason. He played one series last week against the Steelers and looked great. Rodgers has been taking snaps with the scout team in practice this week, while Hundley has been working with the No. 1 offense. The Packers are probably going to keep both Hundley and Kizer, so Thursday?s game will be an important one for both players as they look to win the backup job.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said that both players have made progress. ?They both are making progress,? McCarthy said to the media, ?I?m really pleased with the step Brett has made since last year. It?s very apparent just in his whole operation and production of the offense. DeShone comes from a whole different perspective as far as his starting point. He continues to get better. Very pleased with the progress of those quarterbacks.?

Hundley has completed 15 of 23 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception in two preseason games. He also run for a TD. Kizer has completed 16 of 30 passes for 283 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Hundley will probably get the start in this game on Friday.

The Raiders are expected to give their starters the most work of the preseason, so expect to see David Carr for at least the first half. The Raiders offense has former Packer Jordy Nelson in the starting lineup and he will get a lot of attention on Friday.

Players to Watch

It will be interesting to watch Nelson play against his former team. Nelson has come into Oakland and won the starting job opposite Amari Cooper. It has already become clear that Nelson will be the receiver that Carr trusts on third down. Cooper is the player that everyone always expects to lead the Oakland wide receivers, but he simply drops too many passes. Nelson doesn?t drop passes and he runs precise routes.

The Raiders do need to find someone to go along with Cooper and Nelson, so the battle is on between Griff Whalen, Ryan Switzer and Seth Roberts for the third wide receiver spot.

Key Stats

This will be the first preseason meeting between the teams in Oakland since 2001. The teams have met twice in the past five years in the preseason, but both of those games were in Green Bay. The teams have split their last ten preseason games. The Packers are 7-3 in Week 3 of the preseason in the last ten years. The Packers have scored at least 20 points in five of their last six preseason games.

Packers vs. Raiders Picks

It is rare when a preseason game has a pointspread of nearly a touchdown. I know that Rodgers isn?t likely to play, but should the line be this high simply because he isn?t playing the first half? Hundley and Kizer have both played well and if the Packers can survive the first half, I think they will have the edge in the second half. The Raiders backup quarterbacks, Connor Shaw and EJ Manuel inspire no confidence. I think there is value on Green Bay plus the points in this game. I also can?t ignore the trend on Green Bay scoring a lot of points in the preseason, so I will also take the game over the total.

Packers vs. Raiders Pick: Packers +6 and Over 41
Packers vs. Raiders Score Prediction: Raiders 24, Packers 23

 

[Cnotes53]

Giants at Jets (-2.5, 42) - 7:30 PM EST

N.Y. Giants
Head Coach: Pat Shurmur (4-6 SU, 4-6 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Eli Manning, Davis Webb, Alex Tanney, Klye Lauletta (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Ralph Vacchiano

The Giants look to beat the Jets in the preseason for the third consecutive year as Big Blue has beaten its cross-stadium rival by one point in each of the past two exhibition matchups. The G-Men bounced back from an opening week loss to the Browns by dominating Detroit last week, 30-17 as three-point underdogs. Although both Eli Manning and Saquon Barkley didn't play, the Giants scored three touchdowns on the ground and backup quarterback Davis Webb threw for 140 yards and a score. Four of the past five preseason meetings between the Giants and Jets have sailed OVER the total, including last season's 32-31 win by Big Blue.

N.Y. Jets
Head Coach: Todd Bowles (7-7 SU, 8-6 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Josh McCown, Sam Darnold (Rookie), Teddy Bridgewater
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rich Cimini

The Jets have posted 30 points in two preseason games, but have not allowed a touchdown so far. New York erased a 12-3 deficit at Washington last Thursday to take a late 13-12 lead before falling on last-second field goal, 15-13. Rookie Sam Darnold finished with 62 yards passing and an interception, but Teddy Bridgewater led the Jets to their only touchdown, while throwing for 127 yards. Dating back to Week 3 of the 2016 preseason, the Jets have seen the UNDER hit in seven of the last eight exhibition games, while allowing 16 points or less six times.

Broncos at Redskins (-3, 43.5) - 7:30 PM EST

Denver
Head Coach: Vance Joseph (4-2 SU, 3-2-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Case Keenum, Chad Kelly, Paxton Lynch
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Kyle Fredrickson

It's been a tough start for the Broncos through two weeks, who are 0-2 in spite of scoring 51 points. The only problem is, Denver has allowed 66 points in losses to Minnesota and Chicago. The Broncos grabbed a 20-7 lead over the Bears last week only to get outscored in the second half, 14-3 of a 24-23 setback. The three-headed monster of Case Keenum, Chad Kelly, and Paxton Lynch combined to throw for 192 yards as Denver's passing attack has failed to bust the 200-yard mark in two weeks. Denver is hitting the road for the first time in the preseason as the Broncos won each game away from Mile High Stadium last season at Chicago and San Francisco in the underdog role.

Washington
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (12-6 SU, 11-7 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Alex Smith, Colt McCoy, Kevin Hogan
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Les Carpenter

The Redskins have not scored a touchdown in the last six quarters, as they were held scoreless in the second half of a loss to New England, followed by a five field goal effort against the Jets last week. Three of the field goals came from 28 yards or closer, as Washington had plenty of opportunities in the red zone but couldn't cash them in for touchdowns. Washington improved to 13-2 in its previous 15 home preseason games, while the Redskins have finished UNDER the total in seven of the past eight exhibition contests since 2016.

Patriots at Panthers (-1.5, 46) - 7:30 PM EST

New England
Head Coach: Bill Belichick (52-43 SU, 46-42-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Danny Etling (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Ben Volin

Even though it won't technically count as a "revenge spot," the Patriots drilled the Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch last week, 37-20. Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes as New England has won more games this preseason than in 2017, when it finished 1-3. The Patriots also extended their preseason OVER streak to six games, as New England faces Carolina in the preseason for the first time since beating the Panthers, 19-17 as three-point underdogs in Week 3 of the 2016 exhibition campaign.

Carolina
Head Coach: Ron Rivera (17-13 SU, 16-13-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Cam Newton, Garrett Gilbert, Taylor Heinicke
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Joe Person

The Panthers are facing their third consecutive AFC East opponent in the preseason after beating the Bills and Dolphins. Carolina's ground game got going early against Miami as Christian McCaffrey busted out for a 71-yard touchdown run less than five minutes in, helping the Panthers rack up 226 rushing yards. The Panthers have started 2-0 in the preseason for the frist time since 2015, while seeking its first 3-0 start in exhibition play for the first time since 2006. Carolina is riding a strong OVER run in the preseason by going 5-1 to the OVER since the start of 2016.

Lions at Buccaneers (-3, 45.5) - 8:00 PM EST

Detroit
Head Coach: Matt Patricia (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matt Stafford, Matt Cassell, Jake Rudock
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Dave Birkett

The Lions have not been able to get their offense going through two preseason losses by scoring a total of 27 points in setbacks to the Raiders and Giants. Detroit has reached the end zone in the first half once through two games, while picking up a garbage-time touchdown in the final minute of last week's 30-17 defeat to New York. Although this is Patricia's first season as head coach, the Lions are winless in their last two "dress rehearsal" games, as Detroit allowed 30 points in each of those losses. Interesingly enough, this is the first time ever the Lions and Buccaneers are meeting in the preseason.

Tampa Bay
Head Coach: Dirk Koetter (5-5 SU, 5-5 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston, Ryan Griffin
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rick Stroud

The Buccaneers return home following a pair of road victories at Miami and Tennessee, while cashing the OVER each time. Tampa Bay cruised past Tennessee last week, 30-14 as three-point underdogs, led by Jameis Winston's 226 yards passing and two touchdowns. The Bucs struggling in both home preseason games last season by losing to Cleveland and Washington, while scoring a total of 19 points in those contests. In the last six preseason games as a favorite since 2015, Tampa Bay has covered only twice, while losing four times outright at Raymond James Stadium.

Seahawks at Vikings (-3.5, 39.5) - 8:00 PM EST

Seattle
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (32-19 SU, 34-16-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Russell Wilson, Austin Davis, Alex McGough (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mike Vorel

The Seahawks are off to their first 0-2 start in the preseason since 2015 after falling to the Colts and Chargers. The offense hasn't clicked so far (31 points), while the defense allowed over 21 points in an exhibition game for the first time since the 2015 opener in last Saturday's setback at Los Angeles. Seattle looks for a better peformance this week as the Seahawks are riding a perfect 6-0 SU/ATS run in its last six "dress rehersal" contests since 2012. The Seahawks defeated the Vikings in Week 2 of the 2017 preseason, while falling to Minnesota two years ago with both games finishing UNDER the total.

Minnesota
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer (14-4 SU, 13-6 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemann, Kyle Sloter
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Andrew Krammer

The Vikings were preseason gold for three seasons from 2014-16 by compiling an incredible 12-1 mark. However, Minnesota has taken a step back the last preseason and a half by posting an average of 3-3 record, while coming off a 14-10 home defeat to Jacksonville last Saturday. Newly acquired quarterback Kirk Cousins has attempted only 12 passes through two games, while Minnesota held the ball for less than 24 minutes in last week's loss. Minnesota cruised to an impressive 11-1 ATS record from 2014 through the 2017 preseason opener, but the Vikings have stumbled to a 1-4 ATS mark in their last five exhibition contests.

Packers at Raiders (-7, 41) - 10:30 PM EST

Green Bay
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (28-22 SU, 28-21-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Brett Hundley, DeShone Kizer, Tim Boyle (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rob Demovsky

This line skyrocketed on Tuesday from 3 to 7 as the assumption is Aaron Rodgers will likely sit out for Green Bay. The Packers dropped 51 on the Steelers in last week's 17-point blowout over the Steelers to improve to 2-0 in the preseason. Rodgers connected with tight end Jimmy Graham for an 8-yard touchdown early in the first quarter, while DeShone Kizer tossed a pair of touchdown passes for Green Bay. The Packers have won eight of their last 10 exhibition contests since 2016, as Green Bay last faced Oakland in the preseason two seasons ago and won, 20-12.

Oakland
Head Coach: Jon Gruden (31-17 SU, 26-20-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Derek Carr, Connor Cook, E.J. Manuel
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Vic Tafur

Through two games in the second Jon Gruden era with the Raiders, the Silver and Black have totaled 31 points. After edging Detroit in the opener, the Raiders fell behind the Rams last week, 16-0 before losing, 19-15. Derek Carr didn't suit up against Los Angeles, as the Raiders' starting quarterback looks for more action this week. Oakland is riding a four-game UNDER streak in the preseason dating back to 2017, but the Raiders own a dreadful 1-8 SU/ATS record in their last nine exhibition contests.