The set-up: Both teams come in at 1-2 and each will be hungry for a victory here. The only difference is, the 49ers lost the services of starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo for the remainder of the season to injury last week. I think veteran QB Phillip Rivers takes full advantage and puts the pressure on the visitors from start to finish.

The teams: San Fran enters off a 38-27 loss to KC. Not only is Garoppolo out, but so too is defensive specialist Richard Sherman with a quad injury.

LA comes in off a 12 point loss to the Rams. Rivers already has 906 yards, eight TD’s and one INT, while Melvin Gordon has 172 yards and two scores on the ground. WR Keenan Allen has 219 receiving yards and a TD as well.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but LA is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine after allowing more than 30 points in its previous game, while San Fran is interestingly just 1-8 ATS in its last nine after posting more than 150 yards rushing in its previous outing. Look for the Chargers to go straight for the jugular. Lay the points.

The set-up: Miami is 3-0 to open the season and it’ll be looking to kick New England when its down. The Pats enter off a horrible 26-10 road loss to Detroit and I think they’re ripe for the picking here. The outright isn’t out of the question. Note that New England took the first game last season 35-17, before the Fish countered with a 27-20 home win in the second.

The teams: Miami’ QB Ryan Tannehill had 289 passing yards and three TD’s in a victory over the Raiders. He now has 687 passing yards and a 7:2 TD/INT. WR Kenny Still had 61 receiving yards last week and overall he has 184. Miami is averaging 25 PPG and it’s allowing 17.3 (good for sixth.)

New England’s season will essentially be over if it falls to 1-3. Miami can smell the blood in the water and will look to take advantage of a Patriots team which is averaging 19 PPG and allowing 25.7 (21st overall).

The pick: Take it for what you will, but the Pats are just 1-4 ATS in their last five after posting less than 150 passing yards in their previous game, while the Fish are 4-1 ATS in their last five following a SU victory. “The Changing Of The Guard” is happening right before our eyes. Get ready for it. But grab the points just in case!

The set-up: Buffalo comes in off a commanding 27-6 road win over Minnesota last week and I think it’ll carry that confidence and momentum over here. Green Bay comes in dejected after it’s 31-17 road loss to Washington.

The teams: Buffalo is averaging 16.7 PPG and it’s allowing 28. Those numbers are a bit skewed though I think after two really horrible games to open the season. With QB Josh Allen finally getting comfortable, clearly the Bills looked a lot better last week. Allen was 15 of 22 for 196 yards, one TD and he also added two more rushing TD’s. The defense also rebounded in a big way and it’ll have some opportunities to make some plays today too I think.

Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers had 265 passing yards with two TD’s. He played with a brace on his knee and he was seen many times hobbling around. The run game mustered a paltry 87 yards. overall the Pack is averaging 23.3 PPG and it’s allowing 27.7.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Green Bay is just 4-9 ATS in its last 13 following a SU loss, while Buffalo is 8-2 ATS in its last ten after allowing less than 15 points in its previous contest. I’ll even recommend “sprinkling a little” on the money line. That said, grab the points!

The set-up: I think Zack Godley and the hard-hitting visiting side offer great value in this matchup. The home side sends Jacob Nix to the hill.

The pitchers: Godley is so far 14-11 with a 4.75 ERA. He’s had an up and down season, but after a shaky first half, he’s looked a lot better in the second. Note that he’s 12-7 with a 3.90 ERA in all night games.

Nix is so far 2-4 with a 6.81 ERA. He comes in off a decent outing against the Rangers on Sunday, but overall he’s been a disaster (especially in all “night” games with a 2-3, 6.04 ERA)

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but San Diego is just 2-7 in its last nine National League night home games in which it’s an underdog in the -150 to -225 range. Lay the price, play on Arizona.

The set-up: The Cardinals enter off a 38-31 OT road win in Oregon and I think it’ll carry that offensive momentum over here. Notre Dame annihilated Wake Forest 56-27 and it’ll be out to push the pace as well. Note that these teams played to a higher-scoring affair last year as well when Stanford won 38-20.

The teams: Cardinal’ QB KJ Costello was 19 of 26 for 327 yards, three TD’s and no INT’s in last week’s win. Stanford is 47th in the country in passing at 264 YPG. RB Bryce Love had 89 yards and a TD last week. The defense has been super, allowing only 13.5 PPG, but clearly that units faces its stiffest test of the season.

Notre Dame is 71st in passing and 66th in total offense with 416.5 YPG. Last week Ian Book threw for 325 yards and two TD’s without an INT in the victory over the Deacons.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but Stanford has seen the total go “over” the number in its last four as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range, while Notre Dame has seen the total go “over” the number in three of its last four against the Pac 12. This number is a little low, play the “over.”

analysis soon

The set-up: I think Cincinnati comes in complacent here at 3-0 and facing the lowly Huskies. UConn is just 1-3 following a setback against Syracuse last week but I expect it to keep this one competitive.

The teams: Cincinnati comes in off an emotional come-from-behind win over Ohio last week, with QB Desmond Ridder going 19 of 29 for 274 yards and two TD’s. The Ground game is averaging 235.2 YPG so far.

Connecticut ranks last in the FBS on defense, allowing 54.5 YPG. It’s difficult to say too many positive things about this team, as for the most part it’s struggled. It’s looked decent offensively though and I think it’ll have its opportunities again today against this disinterested Bearcats side.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but note that Cincinnati is still just 2-8 ATS in its last ten as a favorite, while UConn is 6-4 ATS in its last ten against a team with a winning record. No outright, but a tight battle. Grab the points.

The set-up: Liverpool is 6-0 in EPL action after getting the better of Southampton 3-0 last weekend. But Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. The Blues won’t be going down without a fight today and I think it’ll end up in a “draw” once it’s all said and done. Chelsea’s five game win streak came to an end in a goalless draw with West Ham last Sunday.

The pick: Chelsea has only lost twice to Liverpool in its last 15 in the series (W6, D7, L2). Note that four of the last seven between these two have ended in draws. Everything points to another tight battle between these familiar clubs. Play on the “draw.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of lop-sided mismatches on the mound and there’s no question that this is one of them. I think the talent gap on the hill tonight makes Patrick Corbin and the hard-hitting visiting side well worth the price of admission. The home side goes with rookie Eric Lauer.

The pitchers: Corbin is so far 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA. He comes in on top form, despite taking a loss against the Cubs in his last start, giving up three runs over six innings while striking out seven. The crafty southpaw hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since late July and to go along with his very respectable ERA, he also sports a sharp 1.03 WHiP to go along with a whopping 237 K’s.

Lauer is so far 6-7 with a 4.60 ERA. Lauer has struggled to pitch deep into games and note that he’s just 3-3 with a 5.01 ERA on the road.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Arizona is 13-8 in its last 23 National League night road games as a favorite in the -150 to -225 range. I expect Corbin to come in razor focused. Lay the price.

The set-up: UCLA is horrible, it’s 0-3 for the first time since 1971 following last week’s 38-14 home loss to Fresno State last Saturday. The team suffered more bad new with backup QB Devon Modster announced this week that he’s transferring. Colorado looks to deliver the knock out blow at home and improve to 4-0.

The teams: UCLA has given up more than 400 yards of offense in every game this year, while averaging just 320. 13 of the team’s 41 Blue Chip recruits have left the team after Jim Mora was replaced by Jim Kelly at coach.

Buffalo QB Steven Montez has 855 passing yards, eight TD’s and two picks so far this season. Last week the Buffs had 311 yards of rushing in a 45-14 destruction of New Hampshire.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Colorado is 6-1 ATS in its last seven following a SU win of mor ethan 20 points, while UCLA is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 conference game sand just 2-6 ATS in its last eight on the road. I don’t think the Bruins respond here at all. In fact, I as mentioned off the top, I look for the Buffs to kick this team while it’s down. Lay the points.

The set-up: The Vikes are 1-1-1 and they’ll be laying everything on the line on the short week to try and score the upset here and avoid the 1-2-1 hole. LA is 3-0 and it’ll be out to avoid any letdowns here and to keep the foot on the gas from start to finish. I think points are going to be plentiful.

The teams: The Vikes beat the 49ers 24-16 at home in Week 1 and then followed that up with a hard-fought 29-29 tie with Green Bay on the road. But Minnesota comes into this one off a terrible 27-6 home loss to Buffalo, a game in which it was a 17 point favorite. Two critical first half fumbles didn’t help their cause obviously. Another loss here and Minnesota’s season is “on the ropes” essentially.

The Rams would love nothing more than to deliver the “knock out blow” as well. LA beat the Raiders 33-13 on the road on MNF in Week 1, then followed it up with a 34-0 destruction of Arizona in Week 2 and then last week it pulled away for the 35-23 home victory over the Chargers. QB Jared Goff had 354 yards and three TD’s last week.

The pick: Minnesota can’t sit back and hope things work out. The Vikes’ offense has to produce tonight, or they’re going to get left behind by the high-powered Rams. LA’s greatest strength early it seems is that it can play any style of game. Wide open, defensive battle, either way it’s adapted its style early and done well in every scenario. I’m anticipating a more wide open affair today. Play the “over.”

INCORRECTLY ENTERED PLAY!

The set-up: This series features a couple of very competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. I think runs will be at a premium in this one. the visitors go with Ross Stripling on the hill, while the home side goes with Zack Greinke.

The pitchers: Stripling is so far 8-5 with a 2.84 ERA. He comes in off a loss against the Cards on Sunday, but overall the right-hander has been great this year. Note that he has a sharp 1.14 WHIP over 117 innings and he’s been great in all “night” games with a 2.44 ERA.

Greinke is so far 14-11 with a 3.21 ERA. He hasn’t been perfect this season, but he’s been fantastic at home, coming in with a sharp 6-4, 2.42 ERA in friendly confines.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but LA has seen the total go “under” the number in eight of its last 13 National League night road games when the line in the game is set between -150 and +150. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Neither of these starters has looked great this season. Each came in with a ton of promise, but each has struggled with consistency. That said, I absolutely feel that Jake Odorizzi and the home side are well worth the price of admission in this match-up. The visitors hand the ball to Matt Boyd.

The pitchers: Boyd is so far 9-12 with a 4.16 ERA. Boyd has admittedly been decent of late, but overall the southpaw has been consistently inconsistent (especially on the road where he’s just 3-9 with a 5.72 ERA).

Odorizzi is so far 7-10 with a 4.35 ERA. He comes in off a strong outing against the Yanks on Wednesday and he has to be feeling confident here, sporting a respectable 1.33 WHP and 154:63 K/BB over 153.2 innings of work.

The pick: Odorizzi is 5-4 with a 4.10 ERA at home and take it for what you will as well, but the Twins are 8-3 in their last 11 American League night home games in which they are a favorite in the -125 to -200 range. Lay the price, play on the Twins.

The set-up: Wei-Yin Chen has likely been better than what his win/loss record would indicate, but he’s been terrible on the road. The Nationals made an over night pitching change, shelving Roark and going with Kyle McGowin. I think runs will be plentiful here.

The pitchers: Chen is so far 6-11 with a 4.66 ERA. He’s 5-3 with a 1.62 ERA at home and 1-8 with a 9.29 ERA on the road.

McGowin is so far 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA. He was amazing at the Triple-A level, but he was blown up in his first appearance in the big leagues. He draws a more favorable opponent tonight, but clearly the book is still out on the rookie at this point.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Miami has seen the total go “over” the number in seven of its last nine National League road day games in which the line in the game is set between -150 and +150. This number is low, play the “over.”

The set-up: Two starters who are likely happy to see the season coming to an end collide in this one. I think runs are going to be plentiful, as the visitors hand the ball to Bryan Mitchell, while the home side goes with Derek Holland.

The pitchers: Mitchell is so far 1-4 with a 6.16 ERA. He fell to the Giants at home on Tuesday and he can’t be feeling too confident here either, as note that he’s just 1-3 with a 5.93 ERA in all “night” games this season.

Holland is so far 7-8 with a 3.57 ERA. The ten year veteran has been serviceable this year, but note that he’s a poor 2-7 with a 4.78 ERA in all “night” games.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but San Francisco has seen the total go “over” the number in eight of its last 13 National League night home games in which the line in the contest is set between -150 and +150. Two suspect starters here. I think these normally lighter-hitting line-ups take advantage. This number is low, play the “over.”

The set-up: Two hungry teams collide on Monday night and I think points are going to be plentiful. Tampa is 2-0 to open the year with wins over New Orleans and Philadelphia, while Pittsburgh comes in desperate at 0-1-1, with a tie against the Browns, followed by a loss to the Chiefs.

The teams: Pittsburgh’s defense is in shambles after allowing 21 points to Cleveland (14 of which came in the fourth quarter), along with 42 to Kansas City. KC posted 326 passing yards and Pat Mahomes had six TD’s. Mahomes was sacked just once and the Steelers defense has just two total turnovers over the first two weeks. While Ben Roethlisberger is down some offensive weapons, he’ll clearly be given the green light today to air the ball out.

Tampa QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will look to take immediate advantage of the Steelers’ porous defense, so far he’s completed 78.7 percent of his passes for 819 yards, eight TD’s and one INT over the first two games. DeSean Jackson had five catches and 146 yards with two TD’s in the win over the Saints.

The pick: Pittsburgh’s offense is going to have to put some points on the board today, because it knows that its defense isn’t going to stop anyone. This one has the feel of a wide-open shootout. Play the “over.”

analysis soon

The set-up: Outright upset? Of course not. But I think Miami Florida comes in distracted enough to let lowly FIU sneak in through the back door down the stretch.

The teams: FIU destroyed UMass 63-24 last weekend, as QB James Morgan had 207 yards and two TD’s. Shawndarrius Phillips had 117 rushing yards. Overall Morgan has six TD’s and three INT’s. Clearly this is a huge step up in competition, but after two straight wins, the Panthers won’t just be rolling over here today.

Miami Florida comes in off a big win too, smashing Toledo 49-24. QB Malik Rosier was 13 of 23 for 205 yards and two TD’s, while also adding 80 yards and three more scores on the ground. Note that the defense took a major hit with an injury to Jaquan Johnson. He he went out Toledo gained huge chunks through the air.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but FIU is 12-8 ATS in its last 20 as an underdog, while Miami Florida is just 5-8 ATS in its last 13 against teams with winning records. I think a confident and “under the radar” FIU team can keep this one competitive against an over-confident and complacent Hurricanes home side. Grab the points.

The set-up: It’s an important early season ACC match-up between Clemson and Georgia Tech. Clemson enters off a 38-7 victory at home over Georgia Southern, while Georgia Tech is off a tough 24-19 road loss to Pittsburgh. Note that when these teams played last year it was Clemson that won 24-10 at home.

The teams: Clemson comes in complacent here, now ranked No. 2 in the country. So far the Tigers are averaging 38 PPG and allowing 13.3. Clemson has a QB battle going on still between Trevor Lawrence and Kelly Bryant.

Georgia Tech comes in hungry after opening the season 1-2. After a win over Alcorn State, the Yellow Jackets have dropped two straight on the road to South Florida and Pittsburgh. Overall the team is ranked 21st in the nation in total offense (510 YPG) and 64th in scoring with 32.7. The defense has also been sharp in allowing only 24.3 PPG.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Clemson is just 4-5 ATS in its last nine as a road favorite, while Georgia Tech is 6-4 ATS in its last ten as an underdog and 5-3 ATS off a loss against a conference rival. The conditions are right for a much tighter than expected affair in my opinion. Grab the points.

The set-up: This series features a couple of very competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. In my opinion runs are going to be at a premium this afternoon. The visitors go with Jake Arrieta, while the home side hands the ball to Mike Foltynewicz.

The pitchers: Arrieta is so far 10-9 with a 3.77 ERA. He has been far from perfect this year, but I think the veteran has likely been just as good as Philadelphia could have possibly asked for to this point. Note that he owns a very respectable 3.70 ERA on the road.

Foltynewicz is so far 11-10 with a 2.90 ERA. After giving up one run over a complete game victory over the Giants, he wasn’t quite as sharp in his latest outing against the Cards. Regardless the southpaw has also exceeded expectations to this point (note that Foltynewicz is 3-2 with a 2.28 ERA in all “day” games.)

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Atlanta has seen the total go “under” the number in seven of its last nine National League day home games in which it’s a favorite in the -125 to -175 range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: The Foxes have struggled with consistency once again this year, but I think they’ll have more than enough to score the victory in regulation at home.

The teams: Leicester City has lost its last two against Liverpool and Bournemouth and it also lost its opening weekend match against Man-U, but it does have victories over Wolves and Southampton.

Huddersfield Town has yet to win a game, picking up just two points out of a possible 15 so far in EPL action.

The pick: The Terriers have struggled with offensive consistency (scored just once in their last four matches), which doesn’t bode well as note that the Foxes have kept clean sheets in two of their three home games. Look for Leicester City to get the job done.

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and this is one of them. I think runs will be at a premium in this game. The visitors hand the ball to Andrew Heaney, while the home side goes with Gerritt Cole.

The pitchers: Heaney is so far 9-9 with a 3.97 ERA. He most recently gave up two earned runs while striking out four over five innings in a no-decision to Seattle on Saturday. Over his last 12 innings of work he’s allowed just two earned runs.

Cole is so far 14-5 with a 2.88 ERA. He comes in off back-to-back strong outings and he’ll now be looking to close the regular season strong and improve upon his already impressive 7-2, 2.72 ERA record in front of the home town crowd.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but note that the Astros have seen the total go “under” the number in ten of their last 14 night American League home games in which they’re a favorite in the -150 to -250 range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Clearly these are two very capable starters. This total is set low for a reason, but in my estimation, it’s a little too low. Admittedly these are two of the very best pitchers going head-to-head in this one, but this is also a couple of the hardest-hitting line-ups in the World as well. I look for this one to sneak “over” once it’s all said and done.

The pitchers: Sale is so far 12-4 with a 1.92 ERA. He went three shutout innings in a no-decision to the Mets on Sunday. Sale has looked good early in his limited time and he’ll be worked back into his full load slowly. However, the fact that he could be on a short leash again here definitely is a major factor working in our favor on this play.

Bauer is so far 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA. Bauer’s been out since mid-August with a lower-leg fracture. The Indians have already clinched a playoff spot, so the team has little to play for over the final two weeks. Bauer will have a couple of “tune-ups” to get back into form before the post-season.

The pick: Neither of these work horse starters is expected to see much time tonight and because of that, I’m going to recommend a play on the “over.”

The set-up: UCF comes in refreshed because its game last weekend was cancelled because of Hurricane Florence. Central Florida is already 2-0 with victories over UConn and South Carolina State. FAU lost to Oklahoma, before then bouncing back with wins over Air Force and Bethune-Cookman.

The teams: The Owls do indeed come in off the 49-28 win over Bethune-Cookman, but they’ve had just five days off. Clearly the visitors are at a major disadvantage from a fitness and mental stand-point this week already. Devin Singletary was a standout in the latest victory with a school-record five rushing TD’s.

The Knights have 612 yards on the ground through two games and 606 through the air. Seven different players have gained at least 68 yards, led by Adrian Killins Jr., who has 127 yards and three TD’s. QB McKenzie Milton is so far 45 of 71 for 589 yards, six TD’s and three INT’s.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but FAU is just 3-9 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog, while UCF is 12-7 ATS in its last 19 as a favorite. I think the “fresher” home side puts the foot on the gas from start to finish. Lay the points and expect a blowout.

The set-up: New York is 1-1, looking great in Week 1, but stumbling in Week 2. Cleveland has been very competitive in both of its losses to open the season. These are two young and hungry teams looking for a big win on a short week and in my opinion, this one has “shootout” written all over it.

The teams: New York has lost five of its last six on the road. QB Sam Darnold so far has 532 yards, three TD’s and three INT’s. The Jets are averaging 105.5 yards on the ground per game. The defense has been a bright spot early in allowing just 18.5 points, but I think that the unit comes in “gassed” on the short week.

Cleveland is desperate. The Browns haven’t won a game since Christmas Eve 2016. QB Tyrod Taylor has 443 yards, two TD’s and two INT’s so far. The ground game has been a strength, averaging 135 YPG, with Carlos Hyde leading the charge with 105 yards and two TD’s. Cleveland has been decent defensively as well, allowing 21 PPG.

The pick: If not for some “back luck,” the Browns could actually be 2-0 to start the season. I think the home side opens up the playbook today as it lays everything on the line to try and secure the victory on the National stage. Darnold and company won’t be going down without a fight though. Play the “over.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound, but this isn’t one of those. I think the Cards have the distinct advantage on the hill tonight. The visitors go with Joe Flaherty, while the home side sends Touki Toussaint to the bump.

The pitchers: Flaherty is so far 8-7 with a 2.86 ERA. He comes in off a hard-luck loss against the Dodgers on Friday, giving up one earned run off four hits while striking out eight over six innings. Flaherty has not given up more than three earned runs in an outing since late July. Note that he’s 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA in all “day” games as well.

Toussaint is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA. He was moved to the bullpen last week after three straight lacklustre starts to open his career, but he’s back in the rotation out of necessity. Note that Toussaint has as many walks as he does K’s so far this season.

The pick: I love Flaherty in this spot. He was the victim of poor run support in his last outing, but that’s not going to be a problem here in my estimation facing the shaky Toussaint. Lay the price, play on St. Louis.

The set-up: This series features a couple of interesting match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. I think runs will be at a premium in this game. The visitors hand the ball to Carlos Rodon, while the home side goes with ace Corey Kluber.

The pitchers: Rodon is so far 6-5 with a 3.10 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs off five hits while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision to Kansas City on Wednesday. Rodon hasn’t been perfect this year, but his 1.11 WHIP is elite and note that he has a sharp 3.08 ERA in all “night” games as well.

Kluber is so far 18-7 with a 2.91 ERA. He most recently gave up four runs over 1.2 innings in a no-decision to Tampa Bay on Monday. It was his worst start of the year, but I don’t think there’s any need to over-react. Clearly the sub-par effort has to be considered an “outlier” at his point.

The pick: Note that Kluber is 10-3 with a 2.05 ERA at home this season. And take it for what you will as well, but Cleveland has seen the total go “under” the number in seven of its last nine American League night home games in which it’s a favorite in the -200 to -300 range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of lop-sided mismatches on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. The visitors hand the ball to Eric Skoglund, while the home side sends Jameson Taillon to the hill. I think Taillon is well worth the price in this spot.

The pitchers: Skoglund is so far 1-5 with a 6.19 ERA. He’s been more effective of late, but he’s been terrible on the road all year, coming in with an 0-2, 7.15 ERA to this point.

Taillon is so far 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs off four hits while striking out four over seven innings in a victory over St. louis on Wednesday. It was his fourth straight victory.

The pick: Note that over his last four trips to the hill Taillon has posted a tiny 2.16 ERA and elite 25:3 K/BB in that span. The massive talent-gap on the mound today makes this a price that I have no issues at all in laying. Play on Pittsburgh.

The set-up: This series features a couple of very interesting match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this early afternoon Tuesday contest is one of them. I think runs are going to be plentiful this afternoon. The visitors hand the ball to Nate Eovaldi, while the home side goes with JA Happ.

The pitchers: Eovaldi is so far 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA. He returns to the starting rotation for the remainder of the season. He’s been more “miss” than “hit” for the Red Sox this year though, a big reason why he was quickly shifted to the bullpen originally. Note that he’s been poor on the road with a 2-6, 5.68 ERA.

Happ is so far 16-6 with a 3.75 ERA. Happ’s been as solid as New York could have possibly asked for since coming over from the Jays, but I will point out that he still does own a very pedestrian 4.90 ERA in all home instances this season.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Boston has seen the total go “over” the number in eight of its last 12 American League road games in which it’s an underdog in the -125 to -200 range. This number is low, play the “over.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of very competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt this is one of them. However, I absolutely feel that Patrick Corbin and the Diamondbacks are worth the price in this one at home. The visitors go with Kyle Hendricks.

The pitchers: Hendricks is so far 11-11 with a 3.71 ERA. After a shaky first half, Hendricks has looked a lot better in the second. That said, note that he still owns a very pedestrian 4.01 ERA on the road.

Corbin is so far 11-5 with a 3.05 ERA. He most recently gave up three runs off ten hits while striking out seven over 6.1 innings in a loss to Colorado on Wednesday.

The pick: Corbin has now struck out at least seven batters in ten straight outings while posting an elite 81/9 K:BB in that span. The southpaw has been at his best at home as well by going 7-3 with a 3.04 ERA. I’m banking on Corbin continuing his strong play at home, while I expect Hendricks’ road mediocrity to not be enough to get the job done this time. Lay the price.

The set-up: Both teams come in at 0-1 and only one will leave this contest with a victory. I think that home field will prove to be the difference for Chicago.

The teams: Seattle threw everything it had on the line in Week 1, but it still came up short in a 27-24 setback in Denver. The offense lost star WR Doug Baldwin to injury and his return in unknown at this point. RB Chris Carson had 51 yards, but no receiver caught more than four passes. QB Russell Wilson had 298 yards, three TD’s and two INT’s, but he was just 19 of 33 overall.

The Bears lost 24-23 in Green Bay. The defense looked great until the final moments when it gave up a 75 yard TD strike to Randall Cobb. QB Mitch Trubisky had 171 passing yards and 32 yards and a TD on the ground. RB Jordan Howard at 85 yards on 15 carries. Khalil Mack put on a show defensively and I think he’s going to have a big night here as well against the Seahawks’ suspect O-line.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Chicago is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 at home (also 6-2 ATS in its last eight MNF contests), while Seattle is interestingly 0-4 ATS in its last four Week 2 contests. The Hawks were a terrible 2 for 12 on third down against the Broncos and now they face a similar swarming defensive unit. I like Trubisky to find a way to get the job done at home. Lay the points.

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. The visitors hand the ball to the red hot Zack Wheeler, while the home side goes with veteran Jake Arrieta.

The pitchers: Wheeler is so far 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA. He most recently went eight shutout against the Marlins on Wednesday, striking out seven and issuing zero walks. To go along with his solid ERA he also sports an elite 1.12 WHIP along with a strong 175 strikeouts over 167.1 innings.

Arrieta is so far 10-9 with a 3.66 ERA. For the most part the veteran has been as solid as the Phillies could have possibly hoped for this season and Arrieta surely feels confident in this spot as he comes in with a very respectable 4-3, 3.10 ERA at home this year.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well but the Mets have seen the total go “under” the number in 11 of their last 17 National League road games in which the line in the contest is set between -135 and +135. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Both teams looked terrible last week. This one has the feel of a “chess match,” one which is going to be decided by whichever side has its hands on the ball last. In a scenario like that, I’m going to grab the points every time.

The teams: New York lost 20-15 at home to Jacksonville. RB Saquon Barkley was a stand out with 106 yards and a TD. Eli Manning had 223 yards, no TD’s and an INT. The veteran should make significant progression as the season wears on though. The defense was sharp overall, allowing just 305 yards.

Dallas looked horrible offensively in Week 1 and it all falls onto QB Dak Prescott’s shoulders. He was 19 of 29 for 17 yards. He also lost a fumble. He was also sacked six times. The beleaguered Cowboys’ QB is getting progressively worse with each outing as he’s now thrown for 200 yards or less in seven of his past nine games.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Dallas is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven at home, while New York is interestingly 4-1 ATS in its last five Week 2 contests. The Jags have one of the best defensive units in the league, but New York faces a much more manageable opponent this week. The outright isn’t out of the question, but I’m going to grab the points.

The set-up: I think the home side on the “run line” is the correct call in this Sunday night match-up. The visitors hand the ball to Ross Stripling, while the Cards go with Adam Wainwright.

The pitchers: Stripling is so far 8-3 with a 2.61 ERA. Stripling’s back in the rotation out of necessity and he’s done exceptionally well whenever he’s been given the chance this season. Stripling’s been great, I simply feel that he and his team are over-priced in this spot against the hungry home side.

Wainwright is so far 1-3 with a 4.70 ERA. He returned from the DL on Monday and gave up four runs while striking out three in a fortunate win over the Pirates. Clearly Wainwright has seen better days, but the veteran will be given every opportunity by the club during its playoff push.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but St. Louis is 7-2 in its last nine night National League home games in which the line in the contest is set between -150 and +150. Grab the Cards on the “run line.”

The set-up: I like the Lions to bounce back on the road here after a tough setback in Week 1. The 49ers also lost in Week 1 and I think they’re ripe for the picking.

The teams: Detroit was humbled 48-17 last week and new head coach Pat Patricia is already on the hot seat. The Lions would give up 31 third-quarter points: “It came to a point there in the third quarter where we just didn’t have control anymore in all three phases,” Patricia assessed. “We just have to do a better job. Obviously, we have to coach this a lot better than what we did tonight and we have to go out and execute a lot better on the field. We have to do a better job altogether. It starts with me.” QB Matt Stafford had 286 yards, while the defense allowed 169 rushing yards.

San Francisco didn’t look too much better in its 24-16 loss at Minnesota. QB Jimmy Garoppolo looked poor, going 15 of 33 for 261 yards, one TD and three INT’s. Is there any QB more over-rated than this guy? The 49ers finished with just 13 points on four trips inside the Red Zone. The team lost the services of WR Marquise Goodwin to injury also.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but San Francisco is just 5-11 ATS in its last 16 at home and only 1-4 ATS in its last five as a favorite. I expect a hard-fought battle, one which will likely be decided by whichever of these hungry sides has its hands on the ball last. Grab the points.

The set-up: Indianapolis fell 34-23 to the Bengals at home in its opener, while Washington took care of business in Arizona 24-6. The Colts hit the road for the first time in a hostile environment this season and I think they’ll have an even more difficult time moving the ball in Week 2. Indianapolis played better defensively than what last week’s score would indicate and I think the unit will have opportunities today as well. This number is high.

The teams: Colts’ QB Andrew Luck had 319 passing yards, two TD’s and an INT last week. No. 1 RB Marlon Mack was out and he’s questionable for this one as well. WR TY Hilton had just five catches for 46 yards. As mentioned off the top, the defense was decent despite the final score, as one of the TD’s conceded was a defensive one.

Washington QB Alex Smith had 255 passing yards and two TD passes last week. The run game stole the show offensively though with 182 combined, led by Adrian Peterson with 96. The defense was outstanding, holding the Cardinals to only 213 yards and 1 of 8 on third down attempts.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Indy has seen the total go “under” the number in four of its last five as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 points range, while Washington has seen the total go “under” in five of its last six as a favorite in the same points range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Both teams are hungry here after Week 1 setbacks. Both clubs looked horrible defensively last weekend and I think that’ll be the case here again as well. This number is a little low.

The teams: The Bills lost 47-3 last week. Josh Allen has been named the starting QB in Week 2 after Nathan Peterman imploded. LeSean McCoy only had 22 yards last week, after finishing with over 1,100 last year. Clearly the only way the Buffalo offense can go is up. The defense gave up 369 yards, including allowing Baltimore to go 6 for 6 in the Red Zone.

LA QB Philip Rivers will be looking to exploit the Bills’ weak pass defense. The Chargers were decent defensively last year, but the unit struggled in Week 1 and I think it’ll have its hands full here against a Buffalo offense that’s out to atone itself.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but LA has seen the total go “over” in four of its last six as a favorite in the 3.5 to 9.5 points range, while Buffalo has seen the total go “over” in 12 of its last 15 at home. With each side pushing the pace and hungry for a win, I look for this total to fly “over” sooner, rather than later.

The set-up: The Falcons have been over-rated for quite some time in my estimation. Atlanta had several chances to deliver the knock out blow to Eagles in Week 1, but the offense stalled in the Red Zone on three different occasions, with the visitors coming up completely empty. With that loss still on their minds, I think the Falcons are ripe for the picking here. The Panthers will be happy to oblige as they look to move to 2-0 and gain an early critical victory over a divisional foe.

The teams: Carolina prevailed 16-8 against Dallas last week, holding the Cowboys to 0 for 5 on third down in the first half. Cam Newton had his hands full for the most of the game, but he made some big plays when he needed too. And now he faces a much more suspect defensive unit in the Falcons.

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan had 251 yards, no TD’s and an INT in last week’s 18-12 loss at Philadelphia. The defense looked decent, but the book is still out on the Eagles offense at this point, so it’s hard to read too much into what the Falcons’ unit did in Week 1.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Carolina is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 on the road, while Atlanta is just 12-13 ATS in its last 25 as a favorite. Grab the points, play on Carolina.

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no question that this is one of them. The visitors hand the ball to ace Jacob deGrom, while the home side goes with ace Chris Sale.

The pitchers: deGrom is so far 8-9 with a 1.71 ERA. The Mets right-hander has been nearly perfect this season and he’s been especially tough on the road where he’s a “lights out” 5-3 with a 1.66 ERA.

Sale is so far 12-4 with a 1.96 ERA. He returned on Tuesday to throw a scoreless frame against Toronto, giving up one hit and striking out two. Sale’s been out since August 12th, but he’s re-habed successfully, made a successful first appearance and now he’s been given the green light to make his first start.

The pick: Note that Sale is 4-2 with a 1.92 ERA at home and 5-1 with a 1.55 ERA in all “day” games. Take it for what you will as well, but Boston has seen the total go “under” the number in seven of its last ten American League home day games in which it’s a favorite in the -125 to -200 range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Missouri comes in as the more complacent team here as it’s won two straight to open the season, most recently a 40-13 destruction of Wyoming at home last weekend. Conversely, it’s going to be all hands on deck for Purdue which has lost two in a row, most recently a shocking 20-19 setback to EMU last Saturday.

The teams: Missouri is so far averaging 396 yards per game in the early going, but it faces a stiff test today. The offense has put up 45.5 PPG, while the defense has allowed only 13.5. QB Drew Lock had 687 yards, eight TD’s and no INT’s.

Purdue is ranked 89th in the country in passing offense with an average of 202.5 YPG. 24th in rushing offense though with 271.5 YPG. So far the combination of David Blough and Elijah Sindelar has come up short under center, but I think that changes this weekend. The offense is averaging just 23 PPG right now, but the defense is giving up only 25.5.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Missouri is just 4-6 ATS in its last ten on the road and only 2-5 ATS in its last seven games played on a grass field, while Purdue is 3-1 ATS in its last four as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range. An outright upset? Possibly. Purdue is without question the “hungrier” team and I think this game will be decided by whichever side has its hands on the ball last. Grab the points, play on Purdue.

The set-up: This is a classic “David vs. Goliath” match-up. However in this version, I believe Goliath will pound David through the field turf! Oregon comes in off back-to-back blowout victories and I fully expect that trend to carry over here for one more game. San Jose State on the other hand was shutout in a loss to Washington State last weekend.

The teams: The Spartans put up 38 points in a loss to FCS UC Davis and then got killed by Washington State. Overall San Jose State has a total of 109 yards of offense over the first two games, with 100 of those coming through the air.

So far Oregon has outscored its opponents by 31 points to open the year, as QB Justin Herbert has completed nearly 64 percent of his passes for 531 yards, nine TD’s and two INT’s. The ground attack has been solid as well and it looks poised for a massive game here against SJSU’s pathetic defense.

The pick: The Spartans though have been particularly horrible against the pass, giving up an average of 433 yards per game through the air to this point. Take it for what you will as well, but Oregon is 35-17-1 ATS in its last 53 after allowing less than 20 points in its previous contest, while San Jose State is just 2-7 ATS in its last nine on the road. I don’t think SJSU will score a point. Lay the points.

The set-up: Of course I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I do think that the stage is set for the Badgers to come in a tiny bit complacent here and I expect them to get caught “looking past” their lowly opponent. Wisconsin has won two in a row, most recently hammering New Mexico 45-14, while BYU comes in off a slim 21-18 home setback to Cal. Not surprisingly this is a “revenge” game after Wisconsin smashed BYU 40-6 on the road last year.

The teams: BYU QB Tanner Mangum was 22 of 41 for 196 yards and two INT’s last week. So far he has a 2:2 TD/INT over two games. Over the first two games the offense is averaging 23 points. The defense though has looked pretty good, last week it gave up 386 total yards. Over the first two games the Cougars are allowing 22 points.

Wisconsin QB Alex Hornibrook has a 3:1 TD/INT after two games, after throwing 25 TD passes last season. RB Jonathan Taylor had 253 rushing yards, but he’ll be up against a decent BYU rush defense this week. The defense was a strength of the team last year and it will be again this season as well. However note that the unit did lose eight starters from last year’s squad.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but BYU is still 7-5 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog and 8-3 ATS in its last 11 on the road, while Wisconsin is just 7-8 ATS in its last 15 at home and only 5-6 ATS in its last 11 non-conference contests. Grab the points, play on BYU.

The set-up: I think Minnesota comes in complacent here after two straight wins, most recently a 21-14 victory at home over Fresno State. Miami Ohio on the other hand is looking to atone after a 21-0 “dud” loss to Cincinnati.

The teams: Redhawks’ QB Gus Ragland had 357 yards passing in Week 1’s loss to Marshall, but he was just 22 of 41 for 139 in last week’s loss. WR James Gardner has been a bright spot early with 142 yards over the first two games. Miami Ohio has looked decent defensively in the early going as well, last week limiting Cincinnati to just 233 total yards. Note that he pass defense was ranked 41st last season.

Last week the Golden Gophers limited Fresno State to 299 total yards. QB Zack Annexstad had 175 yards in the win. But the victory came at a major cost, as note that star RB Rodney Smith was lost for the season with a knee injury. He is arguably the best player on the team and it’s a major blow to the team’s psyche.

The pick: With a game at 2-0 Maryland next week, I think this does indeed set up as a classic “trap” game for the Golden Gophers. No outright, but closer than expected. Grab the points.

The set-up: This is the first time these teams have played since 2012, however they’re separated by just two hours by bus. Temple is 0-2 after losing to FCS Villanova and then Buffalo, while Maryland comes in complacent at 2-0 after upsetting Texas 34-29, before then smashing Bowling Green 45-14. I am not predicting an outright upset, but I do think the Terps “look past” their lowly opponent today.

The teams: Last year the Owls had the top ranked pass defense in the AAC and the unit returned many starters, including Shaun Bradely (85 tackles) and Delvon Randall this season. So far the defense has been a disappointment, but the talent is certainly there to make a bounce back. Last week the offense posted 240 yards, with QB Frank Nutile posting three TD’s and two INT’s. RB Ryquell Armstead had 107 yards on 14 carries.

Maryland was down 14-10 to the Green Falcons at half time last week, but it would outscore Bowling Green 35-0 in the second half. The Terps rushed for 444 yards. QB Kasim Hill was a disappointment though, going 8 of 16 for 121 yards and a TD. The Terps have looked solid defensively in the early going and vs. very weak competition, but don’t forget that they were last or near the bottom of the Big 10 in every defensive statistical category last year.

The pick: Take it for what you will, but Temple is still 10-2 ATS in its last 12 on the road and 8-3 ATS in its last 11 as an underdog, while Maryland is just 5-7 ATS in its last 12 as a favorite and only 5-7 ATS in its last 12 at home. Grab the points, play on the Owls.

The set-up: Two teams hungry for a victory collide on Saturday afternoon and in my opinion, points are going to be at a premium.

The teams: Hawaii is already 3-0 with wins over Rice, Navy and Colorado State. The Warriors have defied the odds to this point, most recently smashing Rice 43-29 as a 17 point favorite this past weekend. QB Cole McDonald was 22 of 33 for 319 yards and four TD’s last week, but I think Hawaii finally stumbles here against the Black Knights opportunistic defense and in this difficult road venue.

Army is 1-1 after losing to Duke its opener, before then bouncing back with a victory over Liberty. The Black Knights rushed for 449 yards last week and they’ll be looking to duplicate that performance here. The last thing Army wants to do is get into a “track meet” with the high-flying Warriors, so expect the home side offense to try and maintain possession for as long as possible, whenever possible.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Hawaii has seen the total go “under” the number in five of its last eight as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range, while Army has seen the total go “under” in interestingly seven of its last ten games played in the month of September. This number is a little high, play the “under.”

The set-up: These are two of the top teams in the league. Liverpool has a perfect record after four games, while Tottenham is 3-1.

The teams: The attacking trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino is a formidable one for Liverpool. This will be its stiffest test defensively though and I think the team is going to put a concerted effort on that end of the field today after some somewhat sloppy play on that side of the ball to open the campaign.

The Hotspur won 3-0 at Old Trafford, before then being humbled 2-1 by Watford. Mauricio Pochettino’s men looked disinterested and inconsistency in form has plagued Tottenham for years now.

The pick: These are two dangerous offensive teams, but with each looking for the other to make the first mistake, I’m anticipating a lower-scoring battle today. Play the “under.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no question that this is one of them. That said, I do think that Max Scherzer and the opportunistic Nationals are worth the price of admission in this one. The home side sends Kevin Gausman to the hill.

The pitchers: Scherzer is so far 17-6 with a 2.31 ERA. The veteran is in line for a Cy Young award and he’ll be looking to improve upon his already impressive 8-3, 2.04 ERA record on the road.

Gausman is so far 9-10 with a 3.89 ERA. He most recently got shelled for four runs off seven hits with four walks over 4.2 innings in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday. Overall Gausman has been solid for his new club, but I still think he’s in well over his head in this match-up.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Washington is 7-2 in its last nine night National League road games in which it’s a favorite in the -125 to -200 range. Bank on Scherzer coming in focused in this important matchup and lay the price.

The set-up: The Jays Marco Estrada was dominant in 2015, but it’s now the end of 2018 and the veteran has been sliding ever since. The Yanks’ Masahiro Tanaka has looked downright dominant at times this season, but also plain horrible in others. I think runs are going to be plentiful in this one Friday night.

The pitchers: Estrada is so far 3-11 with a 5.32 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs off five hits with two walks while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision to the Tribe on Friday. Previous to that though he’d bee shelled for 11 runs over 6.1 innings, spanning two starts. Note that he’s just 4-5 with a 5.57 ERA on the road as well.

Tanaka is so far 11-5 with a 3.61 ERA. He comes in off a dominant outing against the Mariners on Friday, going eight shutout and striking out ten. Tanaka has been considerably more consistent than his inconsistent counterpart this year, but note that he’s still a pedestrian 4-5 with a 4.33 ERA at home this season.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well but the Yanks have seen the total go “over” the number in seven of their last nine American League night home games in which they’re a favorite in the -175 to -275 range. This number is low, play the “over.”

The set-up: The home side will be eager to return to form here after a tough setback at Navy last weekend, eventually succumbing 22-21. Georgia State will be out to score an upset here and to atone for a lacklustre 41-7 loss to NC State last Saturday. This is the first ever meeting between the schools and I think each is going to be a wide open affair.

The teams: Georgia State scored the first TD of the game last week, but then it was shut down and outscored by 41 points the rest of the way. QB Dan Ellington threw for 194 yards. In his team’s season opening win over Kennesaw State he threw for 187 yards. But the Panthers defense is atrocious in the early going, most recently allowing the Wolfpack to throw for 426 yards. In fact the secondary returns just one starter.

Memphis smashed FCS Mercer 66-14, but it couldn’t hold on to a 21-9 lead over the Black Knights last week. Darrell Henderson had three TD runs, including 78 yard and 59 yard scampers. QB Brady White was 15 of 25 for 145 yards. The defense gave up 264 total yards. Last year the defense was a weak point, ranked 117th in the nation.

The pick: The Tigers were particularly poor against the pass last year as well, ranked 122nd by allowing 282.1 YPG. Memphis didn’t have to worry about Army passing, but it’s going to have its hands full today with a Panthers team looking to air it out early and often. This one just screams “shootout.” Play the “over.”

The set-up: This is an important early season divisional match-up. Both teams enter off high-scoring Week 1 victories, but on the short turn-around on Thursday night I’m expecting more of a “chess match” than a “run and gun shootout.”

The teams: Baltimore opened the season with a 47-3 destruction of the Bills. The Ravens’ starters were rested for a great deal of the Week 1 blowout, including Joe Flacco, who was 25 of 34 for 236 yards and three TD’s. The Ravens’ defense was downright dominant though, holding the Bills to only 83 rushing yards and 70 passing yards.

Cincinnati opened the year with a come-from-behind 34-23 road victory over the Colts. QB Andy Dalton was 21 of 28 for 243 yards, two TD’s and an interception. Last year the Bengals finished last in the NFL with only 280.5 yards of offense per game, so clearly this Week 1 victory was a step in the right direction. However, Dalton and company, especially WR AJ Green, have struggled against the Ravens’ ferocious defensive attack in the past and I think that’s going to be the case again here tonight also.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Baltimore has seen the total go “under” the number in eight of its last 12 against the division, while Cincinnati has seen the total go “under” in ten of its last 16 as an underdog. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: Both teams come in at 2-0. The Golden Eagles though play with revenge and they have a deeper overall team this season. I think that’s going to be more than enough to propel the visitors to a victory tonight.

The teams: BC smashed Holy Cross 62-14 last weekend. QB Anthony Brown only had to play one quarter. In Week 1 he had four TD’s against UMass. Wake Forest’s weakness on defense is against the pass, which clearly doesn’t bode well for the Demon Deacons tonight. RB AJ Dillon had 149 rushing yards last week. The defense limited Holy Cross to just 194 total yards.

Wake Forest cruised to a 51-20 home win over Towson last week. QB Sam Hartman had two TD’s and 242 passing yards las week. He also has three INT’s early in the season though. RB Cade Carney had a big game with 130 rushing yards. The Demon Deacons looked sharp defensively against the lowly Tigers, holding them to just 65 rushing yards.

The pick: Take it for what you will though, but the Demon Deacons are 0-4 ATS in their last four after allowing 280 or more passing yards in their previous game (note that Wake was 124th in the country in defending the pass last year and it just let Towson throw for over 300!), while the Eagles are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven conference games. I look for BC QB Brown to have a very productive game here. Lay the points.

The set-up: I think Mike Montgomery and the visiting side have the advantage on the road in this one. The home side sends Joe Ross to the hill to counter.

The teams: Montgomery is so far 4-5 with a 3.85 ERA. His last start was skipped over due to a rain-out, so he comes in extra rested. Montgomery hasn’t been perfect this year, but note that he’s posted a very respectable 3.13 ERA on the road to this point.

Ross is so far 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He re-joined the rotation after being out since July 2017 with Tommy John surgery, but his debut was cut short after just 1.2 innings because of rain.

The pick: Ross looked decent in his re-hab, but clearly he draws a tough opponent here. Montgomery can take advantage and I think the southpaw will do just that. Great spot to pull the trigger on the visitors. Play on the Cubs.

The set-up: This series features a couple of interesting match-ups on the mound and this is one of them. I think the Yanks’ Luis Severino and the Twins’ Jake Odorizzi will fight deep into the latter frames, which will in turn result in pushing this total “under” the number at the end of the night.

The pitchers: Severino is so far 17-7 with a 3.52 ERA. After a disastrous August, Severino has looked more steady of late. While he’s been better at home than on the road, note that he still owns a very respectable 3.65 ERA in all “night” games.

Odorizzi is so far 5-10 with a 4.57 ERA. Last year he was 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA, so 2018 has clearly been a step back for the hard-throwing right-hander. He’s coming off a loss against the Astros last week and while his ERA is nothing to write home about, I’ll point out that he does own the respectable 1.26 WHIP and 148:61 K/BB over 147.2 frames of work.

The pick: Take it for what you as well, but New York has seen the total go “under” the number in 15 of its last 24 American League road games in which it’s a favorite in the -150 to -200 range. This number is high, play the “under.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and this is one of them. However, I think that Wade LeBlanc is worth the price of admission in this particular match-up. The visitors go with Joey Lucchesi.

The pitchers: Lucchesi is so far 7-8 with a 3.59 ERA. The rookie has likely been better than what his win/loss record would indicate, but I still think he’ll stumble here against LeBlanc in this difficult road venue.

LeBlanc is so far 8-3 with a 3.56 ERA. He comes in off consecutive strong outings, continuing a trend of consistent form. Note that LeBlanc is 6-2 with a 3.63 ERA at home and an elite 7-2 with a 2.53 ERA in all “night” games.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but note that Seattle is 10-4 in its last 14 night inter-league home games in which it’s a favorite in the -150 to -225 range. Look for Lucchesi to take a step back and for LeBlanc to confidently take advantage. Lay the price.

The set-up: This series features a couple of lop-sided mis-matches on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. In fact I think that the talent-gap is so large on the mound this afternoon, that I have no issues at all in laying the the 1.5 runs for the much more reasonable price. The visitors go with Gerritt Cole, while the home side goes with Daniel Norris.

The pitchers: Cole is so far 13-5 with a 2.86 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs off six hits with three walks while striking out nine over 5.2 innings in a win over the Angels in his last start. Cole has been sharp on the road as well, going 6-3 with a 2.81 ERA.

Norris is so far 0-3 with a 5.47 ERA. He has struggled in his limited time so far this season and there’s no reason not to think that that pattern of futility won’t get carried over here as well. Note that he’s a terrible 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in all “day” games also.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but the Astros are 7-2 in their last nine American League road games in which they’re a favorite in the -200 to -300 range. Look for Cole to dominate from the start and for Norris to get the hook early and lay the 1.5 runs on the Astros.

The set-up: Neither of these staters instills much confidence and in my opinion, runs are going to be plentiful. The visitors hand the ball to Dylan Covey, while the home side goes with Brad Keller.

The pitchers: Covey is so far 5-12 with a 5.44 ERA. He’s made strides over the last month, but note that he’s still just 2-6 with an atrocious 6.39 ERA on the road.

Keller is so far 7-6 with a 3.14 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs over eight innings in a win over the Orioles on Friday. After a great run, Keller comes in off a loss against the Indians though and I think he’ll continue to regress here.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but KC has seen the total go “over” the number in ten of its last 17 American League night home games in which the line in the contest is set between -135 and +135. This number is low, play the “over.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of interesting match-up on the mound, and this is one of those. The visitors go with Jose Urena, while the home side hands the ball to Jacob deGrom.

The pitchers: Urena is so far 5-12 with a 4.41 ERA. He most recently gave up one run off four hits while striking out seven over seven innings in a victory over the Phillies on Monday.

deGrom is so far 8-8 with a 1.68 ERA. He most recently gave up one run off two hits and a walk while striking out six over six innings in a no-decision to the Dodgers on Monday. deGrom’s scheduled start was postponed on Monday due to rain, so he comes into this one with extra rest.

The pick: deGrom has been even tougher at home on opponents than on the road, as evidenced by his tiny 1.59 ERA in such instances. Note as well that New York has seen the total go “under” the number in 12 of 20 this year as a home fav in the -125 to -175 range. This number is a little high, play the “under.”

The set-up: This series features a couple of interesting match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. That said, for a number of different reasons I think that Hyun-Jin Ryu and the opportunistic Dodgers’ line-up have the advantage in this match-up. The home side goes with Luis Castillo.

The pitchers: Ryu is so far 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA. He most recently gave up two runs off four hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking none in a no-decision to Arizona on Friday. Over 52.1 frames of work he’s posted the 2.24 ERA and a tiny 0.96 WHIP, while also holding the opposition to a .198 batting average.

Castillo is so far 8-12 with a 4.79 ERA. He most recently gave up five runs off five hits over five innings in a loss to the Padres on Thursday.

The pick: Castillo has been better at home than on the road this year, but he still owns a poor 4.51 ERA in all “night” games. Take it for what you will as well but the Dodgers are 7-2 in their last nine National League night road games in which they are a favorite in the -125 to -200 range. Castillo’s slide into mediocrity continues and I expect Ryu to continue his solid end-of-season form. Lay the price.

The set-up: LA catches a break here after Jon Gruden traded defensive star Khalil Mack to the Bears for some draft picks. The Rams had the league’s highest scoring offense last year, so we can absolutely expect the visitors to push the pace and open up the playbook from start to finish.

The teams: LA went 2-2 in the preseason, but it would rest most of its starters over those four games. Jared Goff and Todd Gurley are back and they now welcome dangerous WR Brandin Cooks to the mix. The Rams spent a ton of money on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason, but I think the unit will struggle on opening night.

Jordy Nelson will be the main WR in Oakland now that Michael Crabtree is gone. Amari Cooper will also be hoping for a much better season after totalling just 680 yards in 14 games last season.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but Oakland has seen the total go “over” the number in seven of its last nine Week 1 home games when the total in the contest is between 47 and 50 points. With LA pushing the tempo of this one and with the home side having no choice but to match pace, I’m banking on this one flying “over” sooner, rather than later.

The set-up: This series features a couple of competitive match-ups on the mound and there’s no doubt that this is one of them. However, the Braves Sean Newcomb has been scuffling of late and I expect that end of season decline to continue here in this difficult National League road venue. The home side goes with Derek Rodriguez, who appears to be getting better and more confident as the season has worn on.

The pitchers: Newcomb is so far 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA. He comes in off five straight poor outings, a stretch of futility in which he’s posted a disastrous 8.58 ERA.

Rodriguez is so far 6-2 with a 2.41 ERA. He most recently gave up one run off six hits while striking out six and walking one over six innings in a no-decision to Colorado on Tuesday. Of his 15 games he’s gone to the hill this year, the rookie has thrown 12 quality efforts. To go along with his elite ERA, Rodriguez also owns a shiny 1.05 WHIP.

The pick: Additionally note that Rodriguez is holding his opponents to a tiny .211 hitting average. And finally it’s worth noting that he’s 4-1 with a 2.10 ERA at home. I think Rodriguez is well worth the price of admission vs. the struggling Newcomb. Play on San Francisco.

The set-up: The Jets turn to rookie QB Sam Darnold in Week 1 and while the sky could in fact be the limit for the red-headed pivot, I think he’ll stumble trying to match pace with Lions’ veteran Matt Stafford. The teams: In three exhibition games Darnold went 29 of 45 for 244 yards and two TD’s with an INT. The Jets have talent, but no big names. Jermaine Kearse had 65 catches for 810 yards last year, but note that he could be unable to play in Week 1 due to an injury he suffered in the preseason. Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell lead a decent ground game. The defense was a strength for New York last year and the unit should be again this season as well. Matt Patricia takes over as head coach for the Lions, as he looks to get the team over the hump. Stafford finished with 4,449 yards, 29 TD’s and ten INT’s last season. LeGarrette Blount was signed in the offseason and he’s expected to bolster a run game which was severely lacking last year. Also note that both of Stafford’s 1,000 yard receivers return in Marvin Jones Jr. and Golden Tate.  The pick: Take it for what you will as well but Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last six Monday Night Football games, while New York is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five road games as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range. Lay the points and expect a rout. Play on Detroit.

The set-up: “The Prodigal Son” returns to his former stomping grounds, looking to dominate on the road. For a number of different reasons, I absolutely believe that Justin Verlander and the defending champs on the run-line (-1.5) is the correct move. The Tigers send Francisco Liriano to the hill.

The pitchers: Verlander is so far 14-9 with a 2.73 ERA. He’s been trading good starts with bad ones of late (for his incredibly high standards anyways), but he has to be feeling confident here, coming in sporting the still elite 11-2, 2.26 ERA on the road this season.

Liriano is so far 4-9 with a 4.90 ERA. He has been a disappointment for a second straight year and he can’t be feeling too confident at all here, as note that he’s a terrible 2-3 with a 5.55 ERA at home.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but the Astros are 7-2 in their last nine night American League road games in which they are a favorite in the -200 to -300 range. Lay the 1.5 runs on Houston in this one.

The set-up: It’s an important early NFC North match-up on Sunday Night Football and when the smoke clears at the end of this one, I think it’ll be the defenses from each side which will define this contest in the end. Chicago hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010, while Green Bay missed the postseason last year with QB Aaron Rodgers injured.

The teams: Chicago got Khalil Mack from Oakland and he’s going to make an immediate impact on an already stacked defensive uint: “We’ll get to see where he’s at mentally and then physically we’ll have a practice and get an idea, and then we’ll just kind of have to listen to his feedback where he’s at,” head coach Matt Nagy said earlier in the week. “We told him, communication is imperative here.” The defense also has standouts Akiem Hick and CB Prince Amukamara.

Rodgers is back under center for Green Bay and he looks primed for another productive campaign. However note that the Pack head into the 2018/19 campaign after massive organizational turnover, because of last year’s losing effort. Rodgers is fantastic, but there are still a few questions that need to be answered for Green Bay in my opinion.

The pick: I think the Packers are a bit one-dimensional and the new look Bears offense is going to be able to slow it down and take advantage. This one has the feel of a “chess match,” rather than a “run and gun” shootout. Play the “under.”

The set-up: Two teams which fell well below expectations last year collide on opening day on Sunday afternoon and in my opinion, points appear plentiful.

The teams: Dez Bryant and Jason Witten are gone, but the Cowboys are in good hands with Dak Prescott and a fully healthy and ready to go Ezekiel Elliot. Dallas has a lot of questions on both sides of the ball, but the offense is going to be given the green light to “air it out” all day long this afternoon.

The Panthers went 3-1 in the preseason, dropping only their Week 4 contest. Cam Newton had a strong camp and I think he’ll have a big day here against a Cowboys’ defense which also has many question marks surrounding it. Kelvin Benjamin, Greg Olsen and Devin Funchess highlight a deep overall offense for Carolina.

The pick: Newton looked good under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s schemes in the pre-season, which doesn’t bode well for the visitors today. Prescott and company will be forced to match pace and in the end, look for this one to fly “over” sooner, rather than later.

The set-up: Kick Cousins makes his Vikings debut against the 49ers and QB Jimmy Garappolo. The 49ers blew up their team after ten games last year and they never looked back with Garappolo under center. That said, I think he’ll be in for a rude awakening at what will undoubtedly be a rowdy atmosphere at the US Bank Stadium.

The teams: Garoppolo was 5-0 as a starter for San Francisco last year. It was an unbelievable run, but regression seems imminent in my opinion.

The Vikings possessed the best defensive unit in the league last year, one which was even better in front of the home town crowd.

The pick: This is an “early,” release, so I plan on updating my analysis as we get closer to game time. However, over the time of this release and when this one kicks off, I do indeed expect this line to climb. Normally at this time of year the defensive units are many steps ahead of the offensive side and that’s exactly what I’m expecting in this one. Combined with the competent Cousins and a Vikings team looking to take out its frustrations after the loss in the NFC Championship Game last year, this one has “blowout” written all over it in my opinion. Lay the points, play on the Vikes.

The set-up: Many will be on Pittsburgh here I think. But the Browns looked sharp in the preseason with their “new look” line-up and I think they’ll keep this one interesting late. The Steelers were 13-3 last year, while Cleveland was 0-16. Not surprisingly this is indeed a “revenge” game for the Browns, who lost both games last season.

The teams: The Steelers averaged 25.4 PPG last year and allowed 19.3. Ben Roethlisberger is back under center, and Le’Veon Bell is back as RB. Note Bell did not play in a single preseason game, the same as last year.

The Browns have plenty of new weapons on both sides of the ball and up and down the lines. Tyrod Taylor had 2,799 passing yards with a 14:4 TD/INT ratio last year for the Bills, as well as adding 427 rushing yards. Taylor, along with RB Carlos Hyde and WR Josh Gordon present a difficult challenge for anyone. In 11 games last year Myles Garrett made seven sacks, but the talented defender now comes into this season at 100% health finally.

The pick: While they did lose both games to the Steelers last year, the Browns would make it competitive each time, falling 28-24 and 21-18. When the smoke clears at the end of this one I think we’ll see similarly hard-fought battle. Grab the points.

The set-up: The Titans finished 9-7 last year and they beat the Chiefs 22-21 in the Wild card round of the playoffs, before then falling 35-14 to New England in the Divisional round. The Fish were just 6-10 last year, but with the return of QB Ryan Tannehill, Miami is hoping for a return to the postseason. Tannehill though lacks talent around him and I think the “deeper” Titans will pull away down the stretch.

The teams: Tennessee’ QB Marcus Mariota had 3,232 yards with 13 TDs and 15 INTs last season. He also had 312 yards and five scores on the ground. RB Derrick Henry leads the ground attack after DeMarco Murray retired and he had 744 yards and five TD’s last year.

Tannehill makes his first appearance since 2016, when he went for 2,995 yards 19 TD’s and 12 INT’s. Kenyan Drake had 644 yards and three TD’s rushing last year, while WR Danny Amendola had 659 yards and two TD’s.

The pick: For this pick I’m going to focus on the starting QB’s and while Tannehill could be the saviour once again for Miami, I think Marriota is the correct call here. The Titans’ pivot comes off a very successful season and he should only be better again this year under the same system. This one has blowout written all over it, play on Tennessee.

The set-up: The UTEP Miners come in off a 30-10 home loss to Northern Arizona, while UNLV fell 43-21 to USC last week. No outright upset here, but I think the visitors can keep it interesting late. The teams: Last week the Miners only managed 229 yards. Kai Locksley had 120 yards passing on 26 attempts. Last year UTEP had the nation’s worst offense, but it’s expected to take a few steps forward this season with many starters returning. The defense was solid, allowing 318 total yards, including just three yards per rush average.  UNLV’s Armani Rogers was just 12 of 27 for 97 yards last week, but he did have two TD passes, while also rushing for 82 yards. RB Lexington Thomas was a bright spot with 136 yards on 14 carries. Last year the offense averaged 28.8 points. The UNLV defense fell apart late last week, after allowing 31.8 PPG last year.  The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but UNLV is just 1-4 ATS in its last five following an ATS win. UTEP’s improved and with nothing to lose here, I look for it to indeed put up a bit of a fight. Grab the points.

The set-up: Texas comes in off an inexplicable loss at home to Maryland it’ll be risking life and limb today to get back on track. Thankfully for the ‘Horns, The Golden Hurricane come to town. Everything points to a lop-sided blowout in this one.

The teams: Tulsa nearly fell to FCS school Central Arkansas last Saturday, needing a fourth quarter come from behind effort to beat the Bears 38-27. QB Luke Skipper was 15 of 24 for 196 yards and two TD’s. The last time the Golden Hurricane faced a Big 12 team it didn’t go too well though, falling 59-26 at No. 10 Oklahoma State last season.

Texas’ late rally fell short last week. QB Same Ehlinger had 263 yards and two TD’s. He also had two INT’s. It was an all around uncharacteristically sloppy game for the Longhorns, also suffering ten penalties for 102 yards.

The pick: I think it’s impossible for Texas to play that horribly again though. I’l point out at as well that Texas has not opened 0-2 since 1992. Look for the ‘Horns to settle down at home and to take advantage of this suspect Golden Hurricanes’ defense. Lay the points.

The set-up: This series features a couple of lop-sided mis-matches on the mound and this is no doubt one of them. I think that the Jack Flaherty and the hard-hitting Cards are well worth the price of admission in this spot. The home side sends Matt Boyd to the hill to counter.

The pitchers: Flaherty is so far 8-6 with a 2.83 ERA. He most recently gave up one run off three hits while striking out five in a no-decision to Washington on Monday. Overall Flaherty has been solid this year, in fact he appears to be getting stronger as the season comes to a close. Note that he’s a very respectable 4-3 with a 2.79 ERA on the road.

Boyd is so far 9-12 with a 4.24 ERA. After a great start against the White Sox, Boyd took a step back in his last outing against the Royals. Boyd’s been better at home than on the road this season, but note that he still comes in sporting a poor 4-9, 5.07 ERA in all “night” games.

The pick: Take it for what you will as well, but St. Louis is 7-2 in its last nine inter-league night contests in which it’s a favorite in the -125 to -175 range. I like Flaherty to continue his progression and to easily out duel the “on again, off again” Boyd. Lay the price.

The set-up: Maryland comes in off a big win over No. 23 Texas from Landover last weekend and I think it’ll suffer a predictable letdown here. Well, enough of one anyways for the hungry Bowling Green Falcons to comfortably cover with the healthy spread they’ve been afforded.

The teams: Maryland QB Kasim Hill was 17 of 29 for 222 yards and one TD. RB Jeshaun Jones had a TD, threw a TD pass and also caught a TD pass. Defensively though the Terps were a bit of a disappointment, allowing 405 yards total, including 263 yards through the air.

Bowling Green fell 58-24 at Oregon last week. Last year the Green Falcons were just 2-10 overall and 2-6 in the MAC. QB Jarret Doege was 22 of 38 for 253 yards, three TD’s and two INT’s. The Falcons looked good early, but then they fell apart in the second half. Note that the running game did produce 155 yards.

The pick: The Green Falcons actually return seven starters on the defensive side and now that they’ve gotten the high-flying Ducks out of the way, I think the unit will have an opportunity against the Terps aggressive offense (which I stated off the top will suffer a letdown after last week’s big road upset.) I’m not calling for the outright win, but I’m definitely expecting a “war.” Grab the points.

The set-up: Appalachian State comes in off a heart-breaking 45-38 OT loss at No. 10 Penn State last weekend and I think it’s going to suffer a predictable letdown here. Well, enough of one anyways for Charlotte to comfortably cover with this healthy spread. The 49ers come in off a 34-10 win over Fordham.

The teams: App State had a 451-434 total yardage edge in last week’s loss, as QB Zac Thomas was 25 of 38 for 270 yards, two TD’s and an INT, while also running for 43 yards and another score. Jalin Moore led the ground attack with 88 yards and a score.

Charlotte held a 488-287 yard advantage last week over Fordham, as QB Chris Reynolds went 13 of 20 for 267 yards and a score. Benny LeMay had 25 carries for 135 yards and two TD’s. LeMay also had three catches for 83 yards.

The pick: Appalachian State laid everything it had on the line and it still wasn’t enough against Penn State last week. I think the Mountaineers come in dejected, while the 49ers can only come in encouraged. In a much closer than expected battle, I’m grabbing the points.

The set-up: Georgia has won three straight in this series and I think the Bulldogs are going to once again pull away big on Saturday afternoon.

The teams: Georgia opened the season with a 45-0 win over FCS Austin Peay. QB Jake Fromm was 12 of 16 for 157 yards and two TD’s. Fromm only played half the game before making room for his backups. In all Georgia would post 508 yards of offense and nine different players had at least one carry, while another 11 had at least one caught pass. The defense was a strength last year and while the Week 1 win can’t be considered a true test, the unit still looked sharp in allowing just 152 yards of total offense to the Governors.

The Gamecocks were held to under 20 points in four of their eight SEC games last year. In Week 1 South Carolina looked pretty good though in its 49-15 thrashing of Coastal Carolina. Jake Bentley was 22 of 29 for 250 yards and four TD’s, while RB Rico Dowle had 105 yards on 15 carries.

The pick: Fromm had 196 yards and two TD’s in last year’s 24-10 win over South Carolina, while the defense had two INT’s. Bentley was 21 of 35 for 227 yards, a TD and two INT’s in the loss. the Gamecocks’ only victory in 12 road games against Top 5 teams dating back to the mid 90’s occurred on October 26th, 2013. I think the Bulldogs’ smothering defense proves to be too much for South Carolina in the end. Lay the points.

The set-up: I’m of course not calling for an outright upset, but after Ohio State’s 77-31 throttling of Oregon State in Week 1, I think the Buckeyes come in a bit complacent in this Week 2 “cream puff,” leaving the back door open just wide enough for the Scarlet Knights to sneak in through down the stretch.

The teams: Rutgers comes in off a 35-7 win over Texas State. QB Artur Sitkowski was a bit shaky with three INT’s, but he’d also go 20 of 30 for 205 yards and a TD. The Scarlet Knights will clearly have their hands full defensively today, but the unit looked pretty good in Week 1 anyways.

Ohio State was playing under interim Ryan Day last week and it would still go on to post 721 yards of offense. QB Dwayne Haskins was 22 of 30 for 313 yards and five TD’s, while also running for 24 yards and two more TD’s.

The pick: Clearly Ohio State is on an entirely different level than Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights are without question improved from last season’s team and they won’t be going down without a fight this afternoon. With an interesting game at TCU next weekend, I think Ohio State gets caught looking past its lowly opponent. Grab the points, play on Rutgers.