The set-up: Many feel as if Connor McDavid is Sidney Crosby,'s "successor," as the NHL's best and biggest star. McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy (most points) plus is the NHL's reigning MVP (Hart Trophy), although Crosby's Penguins won a second straight Stanley Cup title last year, with Crosby winning a second straight Conn Smyther Trophy, as well. Crosby (30) and McDavid (20) will be the clear headliners Tuesday night when the (2-5-0) Oilers meet the 5-3-1 Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. However, Edmonton comes in having dropped five of its last six since an opening night win, while ranking last in the Western Conference in scoring with an average of 2.00 goals per game. The two-time defending champion Penguins are last in goals allowed (4.33) and are coming off a 7-1 beating at Tampa Bay, prompting coach Mike Sullivan to call his team "flawed."

Edmonton: McDavid has three goals and eight points in the first seven games but after opening the season with a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Calgary, he has not scored since and Edmonton managed just two goals or fewer five times in the past six games. After squeezing out a 2-1 overtime win at Chicago on Thursday, the Oilers lost in Philadelphia by an identical score two days later after coughing up the winning goal with just over two minutes to play. "We're cleaning up the defensive part of our game, which is a start for us," head coach Todd McLellan told reporters. "But now we've got to get the offensive part going." Edmonton could get a boost with the potential return of center Leon Draisaitl (concussion) and winger Drake Caggiula (undisclosed injury). Both practiced yesterday but still need medical clearance to play.

Pittsburgh: Crosby is tied with Evgeni Malkin for the team scoring lead with 10 points but was held off the scoresheet for the second time in Saturday's 7-1 drubbing by the Lightning. Pittsburgh had won three in a row, all by one goal, before getting thumped in Tampa. The team's defensive woes are real, as that loss marked the fifth straight time and seventh in nine games Pittsburgh has allowed at least three goals. The Penguins have seen enough of back-up goalie Antti Niemi nd he was placed on waivers after he fell to 0-3-0 with a 7.49 goals-against average. The Penguins could dress freshly recalled rookie Casey DeSmith as the backup to goaltender Matt Murray.

The pick: Each team comes in with issues but a McDavid/Crosby showdown somewhat overshadows it all. That duo could "put on a show," or we could have a dud! My bet says Pittsburgh rises to the challenge, as a team. Make the Penguins a 10* play.

The set-up: The Brooklyn Nets are 2-1 to open the new season, despite allowing 121.7 PPG, which ranks 29th, ahead of only the Suns. The Nets are pushing the pace, driving and crashing the lane plus firing away from three-point range. The result has been a scoring average of 124.7 PPG, which is tops in the NBA. The Nets placed six players in double digits in Friday's 126-121 home win over the Magic and tonight will visit Amway Arena to take on the Magic, who have also opened a surprising 2-1.

Brooklyn: The Nets were just 20-62 last year and lost PG Jeremy Lin (for the season) in the team's opener of this new season. D'Angelo Russell has taken on the role of playmaker with Lin sidelined and he handed out a season-high 10 assists in Sunday's 116-104 win to boost his averages to 21 .0 PPG and 7.0 APG. Allen Crabbe had a team-high 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting on Sunday. However, Crabbe is still on a minute restriction due to a preseason ankle injury. Brooklyn is second in the NBA going into Monday's action in free-throw attempts (33.7) while shooting 37.6 percent from three-point range but one thing the Nets could do better is cutting down on fouls. Opponents are averaging 27.7 foul shots per game against the Nets after the Hawks took 36 free throws Sunday.

Orlando: The Magic are coming off one of the most impressive victories of this young season, a 114-93 triumph at Cleveland on Saturday. Center Nikola Vucevic scored a career-high 41 points on 17-of-22 shooting in the loss at Brooklyn on Friday, then followed by scoring 23 points on 11-of-16 from the floor at Cleveland. Vucevic is averaging 27.7 points and 10.7 rebounds on 68 percent shooting from the floor (34 of 50), including 50 percent from three-point range (7 of 14). His efforts on the interior opened up space on the perimeter and the Magic were able to knock down 17 three-pointers at Cleveland. "We’re starting to play offensively consistently the right way in terms of not settling and understanding that we want to attack early and the ball is really hopping," coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "We’re scoring the ball well and shooting the ball well as a result of the ball movement and the quality of our shots."

The pick: At 2-1, the Nets are above .500 for the first time since they were 4-3 on Nov. 12, 2014 and the Nets are now in a position to start 3-1 for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Is that asking too much? As for the Magic, who were just 29-53 last year, they are seeking their first 3-1 start since the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. "Again, it's too early to make any big judgments about this (team), but it's an early positive sign for us," Orlando coach Frank Vogel said. "With how we're playing offensively and moving the basketball, we're facilitating everything and everybody feels good about our chemistry. Everybody is playing with the basketball the right way, thinking extra pass and playing for each other. That's how chemistry is established." The home team has won each of the last five meetings in the series and revenge (from Friday) works here for the Magic. Make Orlando an 8* play.

The set-up: It's one thing to open 0-3 and another to have lost all three games by an average margin of 30.7 PPG (two losses by 40-plus points) while allowing league-worsts of 128.7 PPG on 51.5 percent shooting (including 50.0 percent on threes). Head coach Earl Watson began his second full year on the job this season after being promoted from assistant coach to interim coach when Jeff Hornacek was fired on Feb. 1, 2016. Watson signed a three-year contract as head coach on April 19, 2016 but the team announced Sunday night that associate head coach Jay Triano is taking over for Watson as interim head coach. The Suns went 33-85 on his watch. Triano's first game will be against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, who visit Phoenix after opening 1-2.

Sacramento: The Kings are finishing up a three-game, four-day road trip that has seen them win 93-88 at Dallas but then lose 96-79 at Denver on Saturday. Zach Randolph was the lone Sacramento starter to score in double figures and he finished with only 11 points as the team's starting-five combined to shoot 10-for-38 from the floor. Rookie De'Aaron Fox made a splash off the bench with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go along with five rebounds in a team-high 29 minutes. Fox currently leads the etam in scoring (13.7 PPG) and assists (5.3 per), while adding 5.0 RPG. Forward Skal Labissiere chipped in 13 points but there were very few other contributions for a team the Suns may just be able to beat.

Phoenix: Guard Eric Bledsoe followed up a 28-point performance in a two-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday with a four-point, four-turnover effort against the Clippers on Sunday. Bledsoe summed up his frustration in a tweet before Sunday's announcement of the coaching change surfaced. "I Dont wanna be here," it read. The Suns are the second-youngest team in the league in terms of average age, with four players still 20 and another 19. Watson tinkered with the lineup this season, putting power forward Marquese Chriss on the bench and starting two small forwards, TJ Warren and rookie Josh Jackson. Among many other things, that hasn't worked. Triano spent parts of four seasons (2008-11) as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. He is in his second season with the Suns after spending four years as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers, one when Watson was a player there.

The pick: It would be impossible for the Suns to play any worse but as noted, the Kings may just be exactly "what the doctor ordered." The NBA's worst defensive team (Phoenix) will welcome a team averaging just 90.7 PPG (second-lowest scoring average in the NBA) and playing its third road game in four nights. Take the points and make the Suns a 10* play.

The set-up: Are the Eagles the NFC's best team? They just may be and a win tonight over NFC East rival Washington would only add more 'fuel' to that claim. Philadelphia is 5-1, losing only at KC, while owning wins over the Redskins, Giants, Chargers, Cardinals and Panthers. The Eagles beat the Redskins back in Week 1, 30-17 at Washington and now get a return match with them here at Lincoln Financial Field on “Monday Night Football.” Washington comes in 3-2 and a victory would leave the Redskins just a half-game out of first place in the NFC East but a loss would mean both Washington and Dallas would be 3-3, while Philadelphia would own a commanding 6-1 record, 2 1/2 games clear of its division rivals.

Washington: QB Kirk Cousins is having another fine season completing 66.5% for 1,334 yards with nine TDs and just two INTs (106.4 QB rating). However, his worst game of the 2017 season came in Washington's Week 1 home loss to the Eagles, when Cousins completed only 57.5% with one TD and one INT, earning a QB rating of only 72.9. The running game does not have a player with more than 175 yards on the season but still ranks 10th, averaging 122.8 YPG on the ground. RB Rob Kelley is dealing with an ankle injury, which could mean the bulk of playing time will go to rookie Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson, who already has recorded two 100-yard receiving performances and made four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Cousins does come in off a strong three-game stretch and now leads the NFC with that 106.4 QB rating. WRs Terrelle Pryor and Jamison Crowder continue to struggle but the TE tandem of Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis has combined for 29 catches. Defensively, the Eagles rank 12th in total yards (316.0 per) but not as high in points allowed (22.6 PPG ranks 19th).

Philadelphia: Wentz is off to a strong start in his sophomore season, with 13 TDs and just three INTs (99.6 QB rating). RB LeGarrette Blount (390 yards on 5.6 YPC) is starting to make his presence felt while a a very good OL helps the running game check in at 132.5 YPG (4th-best in the NFL). TE Ertz has 34 catches and WR Agholor has 20, with both owning four TD grabs apiece. Philly's rush D will surely test Washington's running game, as the Eagles are allowing an NFL-low 65.7 YPG on the ground.

The pick: Recent series history favors Washington, as Jay Gruden had beaten Philly five in a row prior to losing in Week 1 (Washington self-destructed with four giveaways). Also, the Redskins come in on an 8-3 ATS run as a road dog and that includes that fluke non-cover at KC in Week 4's MNF game! However, I believe the Eagles are "for real." They have won four straight (covered the last three) since losing at KC, while averaging 28.8 PPG, as Philadelphia has now scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games, the league's longest active streak. Wentz is proving to be a cool, calm and collected leader. Make the Eagles a 10* play.

The set-up: The LA Kings visit Toronto at 6-0-1, meaning they have yet to lose a game in regulation this season (only blemish so far is an overtime loss to Calgary on Oct. 11). Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs will welcome the Kings to the Air Canada Centre, as the team kicks off a three-game homestand after having its three-game winning streak snapped with Saturday's 6-3 loss at Ottawa.

Los Angeles: Captain Anze Kopitar capped a three-point performance by scoring his second goal of the game with 2:14 remaining in the third period as Los Angeles matched the club record for the longest point streak to start a season, which was set when it began 1995-96 with a 4-0-3 mark. Kopitar has recorded four multi-point performances in 2017-18, including a pair of three-point efforts. Right winger Dustin Brown had an empty-net goal and three assists on Saturday. Kopitar and Brown have taken advantage of the more upbeat tempo encouraged by new coach John Stevens. Both players have a team-leading 11 points and each is plus-11, tied for first in the NHL. Brooks Laich made his debut for Los Angeles on Saturday without scoring, having just signed a one-year contract worth $650,000 on Thursday. Jake Muzzin is riding a six-game point streak after notching three against Columbus.

Toronto: Auston Matthews (seven goals & five assists) and William Nylander (three goals & six assists) each recorded a goal and an assist in Saturday's loss. Matthews has at least one point in all but one of his eight contests, registering three two-point efforts over his last four. Roman Polak is back in the fold, as the veteran defenseman agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.1 million contract on Sunday. The Maple Leafs were picked as Stanley Cup favorites this past week by two betting sites but promptly lost 6-3 on Saturday at Ottawa.

The pick: "They smacked us around," Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after practice Sunday. "But I also think you need lessons in your life. When everything goes good all the time, that's not good for you. You need a good tightening every once in a while. I thought we got it (Saturday) night." With LA coming to town 6-0-1, Toronto will have something to prove. Toronto will also likely remember that last Nov. 8, the Kings won right here in Toronto, 7-0! Make Toronto an 8* play.

The set-up: It's a Super Bowl rematch at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night (NBC), as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots. The Falcons led 21-3 at the half of last year's Super Bowl and 28-3 in the third quarter of last season's game. However, the Patriots engineered the greatest comeback in the history of the NFL's 'ultimate game,' leaving the Falcons and their fans stunned with a 34-28 OT final which produced the fifth championship of the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady era (or should that read, the Brady/Belichick era?). The 2017 versions of the teams meet Sunday night and each team has reason to "not be confident!' Atlanta opened 3-0 but back-to-back losses to the Bills and Dolphins leaves them just 3-2 (blew a 17-0 halftime lead at home to Miami last Sunday). The Pats are 4-2 but easily could have lost at home to Houston and last Sunday, were the beneficiaries of a highly-controversial fumble/touchback call in their 24-17 win at the Jets.

Atlanta: Matt Ryan was deservedly the MVP of the 2016 season, throwing for 4,944 yards with 38 TDs and seven INTs for a 117.1 QB rating. However, after five games, he's got a 6-6 ratio and a QB rating of just 87.3. The RB tandem of Freeman (353 YR on 4.5 YPC with 5 TDs plus 11 catches) and Coleman (213 YR on 5.6 YPC with 1 TD plus 14 catches) is still potent but the Falcons' offense has looked 'off!' Atlanta led the NFL in scoring (33.8 PPG) in 2016, while finishing second in total yards (415.8 YPG). Here in 2017, those numbers are 24.2 PPG (12th) on 378.4 YPG (5th). The defense has allowed about 60 YPG more than in 2016 and 25,4 PPG, after allowing 21.8 PPG last season.

New England. What to make of the Pats in 2017? Brady is still awesome, with 13 TDs and just two INTs (106.9 QB rating), leading an offense averaging 28.7 PPG (5th-best). The Pats lead the nFL in passing (309.8 YPG), which is the reason the team also owns the most YPG (412.0 per), in the entire NFL. However, no team has allowed more overall yards (440.7 per) or passing yards (324,8 per) than New England. All six opposing QBs have thrown for 300-plus yards against New England (never happened before), as the Pats' pass D has allowed 14 TDs and has just five INTs (104.4 opposing QB rating is third-worst in the NFL).

The pick: No way Atlanta can be brimming with confidence after it incredibly blew a 17-0 halftime lead in its 20-17 home upset loss to previously-struggling Miami last Sunday. Add to that, the fact that the Pats lost their most recent home game (33-30 in Week in Week 4 to that Panthers) and that New England hasn’t dropped consecutive home games since 2008. The poinstspread is surely not much of an impost but this New England team is just "not right" here in 2017. The Falcons own a much-better balanced offense and neither team's defense seems capable of stopping the opposing team's offense. I WANT the points. Make Atlanta an 8* play.

The set-up: The Red Wings missed last year's playoffs, ending 25 consecutive postseason appearances. Detroit began the current season 4-1-0 but suffered losses early this week at home to the Lightning and then at Toronto, before coughing up a late lead in a 5-4 overtime defeat against Washington at home Friday. Detroit (now 4-3-1) hosts Vancouver tonight, which comes in 3-3-1 after rallying to knock off Buffalo 4-2 on Friday to improve to 2-1-0 on its current five-game road trip. When the Wings won their most recent Stanley Cup (in 2007-08), it was Henrik Zetterberg leading the way, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. When the Canucks reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011, it was was Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, leading the way, finishing 1-2 on the team in playoff scoring, combining for 12 goals and 30 assists. The glory days are long gone for Detroit and Vancouver but the link to that bygone era for both teams is that their best players then, remain their best players now.

Vancouver: Henrik Sedin is Vancouver's captain and son a line with his brother. Former first-round pick Jake Virtanen was placed on a line with the Sedins against Buffalo and he responded with his first point of the season on an assist. However, the Sedins, who have combined for more than 2,000 career points, each have only three in the early going. However, forward Derek Dorsett, who played only 14 games when his season was ended by December neck surgery, scored twice Friday and already has four goals this season. However, the Vancouver power play has struggled (4-for-35 or 11.4 percent).

Detroit: The Red Wings, in need of salary cap space after agreeing to terms Friday on a one-year contract with holdout forward Andreas Athanasiou, made a pair of trades on Saturday. Center Riley Sheahan ($2.075 million) was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Scott Wilson ($575,000), a move that cleared enough room to fit in Athanasiou's $1.387 million deal. The tem also made a trade surround with the Rangers for players in the AHL. Tomas Tatar has three goals in the last two agmes and fellow forward Darren Helm scored for the first time this season in Friday’s setback. Defenseman Mike Green tops the team with 10 points (nine on assists) while Zetterberg and fellow forward Dylan Larkin are next with nine apiece. Anthony Mantha has seven points but the right wing has been scoreless with a minus-5 rating over the last three games

The set-up: Two bitter AFC North rivals square off Sunday at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. The Cincinnati Bengals opened the 2017 season losing two games at home (scored only nine points) but a Week 3 OT loss at Green Bay (just 27-24), helped turn their season around. The Bengals have won at Cincy 31-7 and then back home against Buffalo (20-16) since, so they'll have a chance to get back to .500 with a win here against the hated-Steelers. Pittsburgh will be looking to maintain its place atop the AFC North (curently 4-20, after handing KC its first loos of the 2017 season last Sunday on the road. Pittsburgh won 19-13 at Arrowhead, holding the Chiefs to just 251 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, RB Le’Veon Bell had his best game of 2017, rushing for 179 yards and a TD, while Antonio Brown led Pittsburgh with 8 catches for 155 yards and the team’s lone receiving TD (now there's a shocker!). As for Big Ben, he bounced back from a four-INT game in Week 5, by completing 17 of 25 for 252 yards (one TD and one INT).

Cincinnati: The Bengals started slowly offensively in 2017 (see above) and remain low in most offensive categories. Cincy ranks 30th with 16.8 YPG on 311.0 YPG, which ranks 24th. QB Andy Dalton had a 'nightmare' of a first game (four INTs and a lost fumble) but competed 80.7% against Creen Bay and Cleveland (6 TDs / 0 INTs), before throwing two INTs in the win over Buffalo in Week 5. He will eventually need help from a running game averaging just 84.0 YPG (28th). Keeping Cincy 'alive' is a defense which ranks second in scoring (16.2 PPG) and total yards (262.8 YPG).

Pittsburgh: No one really bought Big Ben's "Maybe I don't have it anymore" lament and looking around the AFC, isn't Pittsburgh as likely as any team to be playing in a second straight AFC championship game. Big Ben's a proven winner and in Bell and Brown, the Steelers may just have the best RB and WR in all of the NFL (name a better set of teammates!). Pittsburgh's offense will be just fine by year's end and as always, the defense is near the top in most categories. How about 4th in points allowed (17.0 PPG) and 3rd in yards allowed (272.0 YPG)

The pick: Big Ben is in his 14th year (hard to believe) and while it's been slow-sledding, expect him to be just fine, working with Bell and Brown. As for the Bengals, the team's 'ugly' 0-2 start is behind them and a Week 6 bye may have been "just what the doctor ordered." Two defenses usually spell 'under' but "not so fast!" You have two QBs more than capable of putting up points and in Brown and A.J. Green, two of the NFL's very best WRs, as well. Also, there is talk that the bye week has allowed WR John Ross (Cincy's No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft out of Washington) enough time to get over a knee injury that bothered him all season. Surprise, this game is headed over. Make it an 8* play.

The set-up: How many realize that behind the San Antonio Spurs, the second-longest streak of consecutive NBA playoff appearances belongs to the Atlanta Hawks. Yes, the Hawks have been to 10 staright postseason but that run will be tested in 2017-18. Atlanta got no favors from teh schedule-makers, as the Hawks must begin the seaon with five straight games on the road. The Hawks looked impressive in a 117-111 win at the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday but shot 37.9 percent in a 109-91 loss at Charlotte on Friday, squandering a 20-point first-half lead. The Hawks will be in Brooklyn tonight, to take on the 1-1 Nets. Brooklyn opened with a 140-131 loss at Indiana on Wednesday and then, playing its their first game since learning that PG Jeremy Lin will miss the rest of the regular season with a ruptured patella tendon on Friday, beat the Orlando Magic 126-121 in the team's home opener.

Atlanta: The Hawks lost three of their top-four scorers from last season with Paul Millsap (18.1 points), Tim Hardaway Jr. (14.5) and Dwight Howard (13.5)/ PG Dennis Schroder must now be teh team's 'building block.' He's averaged 26.5 PPG on 24-of-47 shooting (51.1%) in the first two contests but was not happy about the offensive execution in the second half of Friday's loss. "We had open shots," Schroder told the Journal Constitution. "Open floaters, open shots, pull-up jumpers but we didn't make them. It's a part of basketball. Sometimes you make them and sometimes you miss them. (Friday) we missed them in the second half." The Hawks last faced the Nets back on on April 2 in Brooklyn but only four players who played in that 91-82 loss, are still on the team. Joining Schroder are Ersan Ilyasova, Kent Bazemore and Mike Muscala.

Brooklyn: D'Angelo Russell slides into the starting PG role with Lin out and struggled a bit on Friday with six assists against eight turnovers. "Gaining my teammates' trust is what it is," Russell told reporters after the game. "Today I turned the ball over when we needed a crucial play. I feel like every experience being in that position is going to gain my teammates' trust." SG Allen Crabbe began the season as the sixth man but was in the starting lineup on Friday. He struggled with nine points on 1-of-5 shooting in 23 minutes.
The Nets may be 1-1 but they allowed 140 points in their season opener at Indiana on Wednesday and then 121 against Orlando on Friday. This season marks the first time in franchise history the Nets allowed at least 120 points in their first two games. They have allowed 120 points or more 21 times since head coach Kenny Atkinson took over before last season. "We have a long way to go," Atkinson said. "We made a lot of mistakes, elementary mistakes. So, this will be another good teaching film for us for our guys to watch this because we have a long, long way to go."

The pick: Brooklyn ranked 29th in points allowed at 112.5 while placing 23rd in defensive rating at 110.7 last season, when it lost 62 games. How do they stand after two games? They are allowing 130.5 PPG with a defensive rating of 118.3. With Friday's 126-121 win, Brooklyn 'improved' to 2-19 SU when it allows 120 points under Atkinson. Sure, the Hawks have a much different 'make-up' than last season but I want no part of a team allowing 130.5 PPG at this price. Make the Hawks a 10*

The set-up: The Carolina Panthers will take a 4-2 record (good enough to lead the NFC South) to Soldier Field on Sunday when they face the Chicago Bears, who come in 2-4 (Packers and Vikings lead the NFC North at 4-2, while the Lions are 3-3). The Panthers lost their Thursday night Week 6 showdown 28-23 with the Eagles (both teams entered at 4-1), as Carson Wentz out-played Cam Newton, throwing three TD passes without an INT. Newton attempted 52 passes and had three INTs against just one TD. The Bears come in off a 27-24 OT win last Sunday at Baltimore, as Chicago's Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, earned his first win as an NFL starter. Trubisky completed just 8 of 16 passes for 113 yards but didn't throw an interception (he did lose one of his two fumbles) and had one TD pass.

Carolina: Newton was Carolina's lone offensive producer against the Eagles, as ran for 71 yards (on 11 attempts), while the rest of the team had just nine rushing yards on 14 carries. That won't work! Newton was forced to throw 52 times, completing 28 for 239 yards with one TD, three INTs and a QB rating of 48.5. That was quite a drop off from him completing 77.4 percent for 671 yards with six TDs and just one INT in back-to-back road wins at New England and Detroit. The good news so far is that Carolina's D ranks 4th in total yards (280.0 YPG) and 9th in points allowed, at 20.3 PPG (down from 25.1 PPG in 2016).

Chicago: Mitch Trubisky will make his third career start in this one. He earned his first victory last week but has passed for only 241 yards in his two starts, with two TDs and an interception (owns a 73.3 QB rating). He has averaged only 20.5 passes per game, as the Bears continue to rely heavily on the ground game, which is No. 1 in the NFC and No. 3 in the NFL at 136.0 YPG. RB Jordan Howard has amassed 495 rushing yards (167 yards in Week 6) and four TDs through his his first six games. The Bears are averaging just 17.5 PPG (28th) and that won't get the job done with the defense allowing 24.7 PPG (25th).

The pick: The Bears come into this contest 0-7 SU and just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a SU win (beat the Ravens in Week 6), while the Panthers are 3-0 SU & ATS on the road in 2017 (one of five NFL teams that are unbeaten away from home in 2017). Cam Newton vs. Mitch Trubisky seems like a total mismatch plus Chicago's rushing attack will get a severe test against Carolina's rush D, which comes in allowing only 83.3 YPG to rank 5th-best in the NFL. Carolina has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season. Make the Panthers a 10* play.

The set-up: Long-time AFC East rivals the NY Jets and Miami Dolphins meet Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The 3-3 Jets are coming off a controversial 24-17 home loss to the Pats in Week 6, while the Dolphins improved to 3-2 with their best effort of the season, a 20-17 comeback win on the road over the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. The Jets squandered a 14-0 lead but were hurt when an apparent TD was ruled a fumble and a touchback on a still-controversial call, eventually losing 24-17. The Dolphins fell behind the Falcons 17-0 at halftime last Sunday but somehow came back to win 2017.

NY Jets: "I think the whole stadium felt (the call) was wrong," Jets safety Jamal Adams told the media in New York. However, the Jets know they have to move on. Journeyman QB Josh McCown completed 75.0% of his throws in the Jets' three-game winning streak and then passed for 354 yards in the loss to the Pats. McCown is going to need more help from New York's "no-name" RBs, as New York ranks a modest 18th in averaging 105.2 YPG on the ground. Overall, the Jets average just 318.7 YPG (21st) and ranks 26th in scoring at 18.2 PPG. The Jets' D is allowing 358.0 YPG (24th) but only 21.7 PPG, which ranks 12th

Miami: The Dolphins took the field for the second half of last week's game in Atlanta, down 17-0. It continued a sad trend for Miami, as the team's offense had scored just one non-garbage-time TD over the past 15 quarters. However, Miami scored two TDs in the third quarter, before Cody Parkey added two FGs in the fourth quarter to get Miami the "W." Miami’s offense had been dismal until its third-quarter revival against the Falcons, although it was good news that RB Jay Ajayi broke out of a slump with 130 rushing yards last week. QB Jay Cutler's "un-retirement" has not gone well, as he has just five TD passes and four INTs with Miami ranking 32nd in passing offense with 155.4 YPG (Cutler's QB rating is a poor 75.2). Defensively, the Dolphins have been very good, allowing just 16.8 PPG to rank 3rd.

The pick: It's just Week 7 but this is the second meeting of 2017 for these division rivals. The teams met at MetLife Stadium in Week 3, when the Dolphins were a six-point road favorite and the Jets won handily, 20-6. Both teams have greatly surpassed preseason expectations, with both defenses showing well. However, despite Miami's remarkable second-half comeback last week, they come into this game ranked last in scoring (12.2 PPG), last in total offense (242.8 YPG), last in passing yards (155.4 YPG) and 27th in rushing offense (87.4 YPG). How does one lay points with this team? In fact, Miami is a money-burning 4-12 ATS the last 16 times when favored, going back to the latter part of 2014. Make the Jets an 8* play.

The set-up: The Vegas Golden Knights are off to the best-ever start by an NHL expansion team (5-1-0) and will welcome the 6-2-0 St. Louis Blues to town on Saturday night, with hopes of continuing their winning ways. Schedule-makers have been kind to the expansion Golden Knights, as this contest is Game 5 of a seven-game homestand, early in the team's inaugural season. Vegas moved to 3-1-0 on the homestand with a 5-4 overtime victory against Buffalo on Tuesday. The Blues represent a formidable opponent for the Golden Knights, as they made it six victories in eight contests this season by beginning their road trip with a 4-3 victory in Colorado on Thursday.

St. Louis: Paul Stastny recorded a goal for his 600th career point and added an assis in the win. Blues forward Jaden Schwartz is off to a superb start with a team-high six goals, including four in the last two games (both victories). Vladimir Tarasenko (five goals) has a four-game point streak (two goals, three assists) while defenseman Alex Pietrangelo recorded two assists Thursday, giving him 10 points, second on the team to Schwartz's 12.

Vegas:The Golden Knights have opened 5-1, despite the fact No. 1 goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury went on injured reserve (concussion), after leading the team to three wins in four games. However, backup goaltender Malcolm Subban, brother of Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban, has performed admirably with two wins in two games (2.42 GAA and .911 SP). Rookie right wing Alex Tuch has scored in his first two career games, taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him when Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault (lower-body injuries) were placed on IR. Oscar Lindberg (three goals) has scored in the last two contests while David Perron (two goals) provided the overtime winner Tuesday and is second on the team with five points.

The pick: The 'Vegas story' has been a good one, as the city recovers from that horrific shooting. However, the team has played "over its head" and will eventually, miss the presence of Fleury. Case in point is the fact that Vegas is just 2-for-26 on the power play this season, something one wouldn't expect from a team which has won five of six games.On even closer inspection, the Golden Knights have defeated just one team with a winning record, the Dallas Stars (4-3-0). Three of the wins have come against the Arizona Coyotes (twice) and Buffalo Sabres, who have combined for just one victory between them! Make St. Louis an 8* play.

The set-up: The USC/Notre Dame rivalry is one of CFB's classics. USC comes in 6-1, after escaping with a 28-27 win last Saturday over Utah. The Trojans trailed 21-7 at the half and walked away with the win only when Utah failed on a late two-point conversion try. Notre Dame upped its record to 5-1 after winning at North Carolina 33-10 on Oct. 7th, without starting QB Brandon Winbush. The Fighting Irish led 16-7 at the half and kept the pressure on with a 487-265 yardage advantage in the 23-point win, despite QB Ian Book throwing for only 146 yards with one TD and two INTs.

USC: The Trojans rolled up 532 total yards against Utah but still barely eked out a win. Sam Darnold was a Heisman-favorite entering thi season but after throwing 31 TDs and just nine INTs in 2016, he's already thrown nine INTs in 2017, along with 15 TDs. RB Ronald Jones II (640 YR / 6.3 YPC / 8 TDs) is a quality back and leads a running game averaging 180.6 YPG (54th). USC's defense is allowing 385.4 YPG (67th) and 23.7 PPG (52nd).

Notre Dame: The Irish really need a healhty Winbush here (Irish had a bye last weekend), as Book is not ready for primetime. That said, Notre Dame's rushing game is first-class, led by Josh Adams, who has run for 776 yards (9.0 YPC) and five TDs. The Irish are averaging 308.0 YPG on the ground, which ranks 5th. The defense could be up to the task of slowing USC's Jones, as it has allowed just one rushing TD and a modest 16.8 PPG on the season (15th). Notre Dame has already exceeded its 2016 win total, when the Irish finished 4-8, after opening the season ranked 10th in the AP's preseason poll.

The pick: The rivalry between No. 11 USC and No. 13 Notre Dame stands as one of the most hallowed in college football, with a lineage that transcends individual season records."I think it's the best inter-sectional rivalry in college sports," USC head coach Clay Helton said. With a combined 22 national championships and 14 Heisman Trophy winners between the programs, the USC-Notre Dame rivalry has the hardware to back up Helton's claim. Both teams enter Saturday's matchup at Notre Dame Stadium ranked in the top-25 for the first time since 2009, and the 89th installment of the series will likely see the winner move into the top-10, as well as keep its CFP hopes alive. Notre Dame failed at home in its biggest test so far in 2017 (a 20-19 loos to Georgia) and I wouldn't want to be laying any points at all here, vs. the Trojans. USC was expected to be the class of the Pac-12 at the beginning of the season and could just re-establish themselves as the conference's best again, with a non-conference win at South Bend. Make USC a 10* play.

The set-up: The 76ers have preached that fans should "trust the process' but the team needs to deliver "something" this season. Philly lost the team's season-opener 120-115 at Washington on Wednmesdya and last night, faltered down the stretch in a 102-92 home loss to the Boston Celtics, falling to 0-2 on the young season. The 76ers will visit Toronto on Saturday, in search of their first win. Toronto's All-Star DeMar DeRozan had a poor season-debut for the Raptors (11 points on 2-of-9 shooting) but center Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday's 117-100 win over Chicago.

Philadelphia:"We let one go," Sixers head coach Brett Brown said about Friday's game. "We were up (nine), I think, in the third period and you felt like with a few more baskets that they might have gone away. I give the Celtics credit, but I really feel like we let one slip." Inconsistency was an issue for Philadelphia on Friday, with veteran starters Jerryd Bayless and J.J. Redick combining to make 8-of-13 three-pointers with zero turnovers while most of the young stars struggled to keep up. Embiid, Simmons, top pick Markelle Fultz and reserve forward Dario Saric shot a collective 30.4 percent from the floor, missing all 10 of their their-point attempts and turned the ball over 13 times. Embiid struggled with just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting, including 0-for-6 from three-point range.

Toronto: DeRozan was 'off' in Wednesday's opener and PG Kyle Lowry was hardly a major factor, either (12 points, four rebounds and  nine assists). Toronto basically rode its second unit to victory, particularly forward C.J. Miles (22 points) and guard Delon Wright (13). "It gives them a good identity with the second unit," coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "And that's what we want to do is develop those guys and make sure they establish that and maintain it." The Raptors are trying to develop a more free-flowing, ball-moving offense with more emphasis on taking three-pointers. Miles, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl and Delon Wright provided a big spark coming off the bench. They produced a 15-0 run early in the second quarter that gave Toronto a 17-point lead.

The pick: The good news for Philly is that after missing all of last season, the No. 1 overall pick of the draft two year ago, Ben Simmons, had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists on Friday, becoming the first rookie in 76ers franchise history to start his career with back-to-back double-doubles and the 11th rookie in NBA history to do so. "It's a learning experience for us with a lot of young guys, but we have to capitalize, especially in the third quarter after we come back out," Simmons said. Big man Jahlil Okafor (illness) has yet to see any action this season but is expected to get some minutes Saturday night with Embiid sidelined, as he will sit this one out as the team continues to monitor his workload following multiple lower-body injuries in his brief NBA career. The The Raptors have dominated the 76ers recently, having won 15 of the last 16 meetings and nine in a row at home. "The Process" may not get a win here, either, but my best bet is a 10* on the Under.

The set-up: The Oregon Ducks dropped to 4-3 (1-3 Pac-12) on the season after falling to the Stanford Cardinal 49-7, this past Saturday. The Ducks will visit the Rose Bowl this Saturday to face the UCLA Bruins, who dropped to 3-3 (1-2 Pac-12) on the season after falling to the Arizona Wildcats 47-30, last weekend. Oregon won 10-plus games every season from 2008 through 2014 but after a 9-4 season in 2016, fell to 4-8 last year. UCLA was also 4-8 in 2016, after Jim Mora had led the Bruins to four straight bowl games and a 37-16 overall record in his first four seasons in LA.

Oregon: The Ducks' offense has really struggled since losing QB Justin Herbert to a collarbone injury Sep. 30 against Cal. Herbert was completing 68.3 percent of his passes with nine TDs and just two INTs but in the two games he's missed since, Oregon QBs have thrown for just 178 yards with one TD and four INTs, with the Ducks scoring 10 and seven points, respectively, in back-to-back losses. The running game is excellent though, averaging 244.6 YPG (18th), led by Freeman (797 YR with 10 TDs) and Benoit (361 YR with 8 TDs). Oregon's defense has allowed 30.3 PPG (89th) but in term of yards allowed, the Ducks are better than that, ranking 43rd in allowing 362.0 YPG.

UCLA: The Bruins began the year un-ranked but after opening 2-0, snuck into the AP poll at No. 25. However, UCLA lost back-to-back games from there at Memphis (allowed 48 poinst) and at Stanford (allowed 58 points). After beating Colorado 27-23 at home, UCLA's defense again got 'spanked,' allowing 47 points in a loss at Arizona. QB Josh Rosen is a "big-time" talent and UCLA ranks second in the nation averaging 399.7 YPG through the air. Rosen is completing 64.2% with 17 TDs and eight INTs, despite a non-existent running game which averaged 127.5 YPG (104th). However, with UCLA's defense, Rosen finds himself typically playing "catch up." The Bruins are allowing 40.5 PPG (125th) on 523.0 YPG (127th).

The pick: Led by Freeman (plus Benoit's no slouch), the Oregon running game should 'run wild' against a UCLA rush D allowing 313.0 YPG (129th), as well as 6.6 YPC! This is hardly a matchup that bodes well for UCLA being able to beat Oregon for the first time since 2007. UCLA's next win will be the 600th in program history but do not expect that win to come here, as Oregon wins its seventh in a row over the Bruins. Make the Ducks an 8* play.

The set-up: Maryland Terrapins (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) travel to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who are currently ranked No. 5. Terps shocked Texas in their season-opener, winning 51-41 as an 18-point road dog but come in having lost three of their last four. Wisconsin has taken control of the Big Ten's West Division at 3-0, with no other team checking in any better than 2-2.

Maryland: The Terps have fallen off quite dramatically since their opening week win over Texas and have been outscored 99-35 in their last two games. QB Max Bortenschlager is completing just 50.9 percent of his passes (only 106 attempts) for 561 yards with six TDs and two INTs. Maryland ranks just 117th in yards passing, averaging just 161.0 YPG. Maryland's ground game is averaging 178.1 YPG (57th), led by and Ty Johnson (488 YR / 7.2 YPC). Maryland averages 31.7 PPG but that doesn't help much with the defense allowing 36.5 PPG (115th).

Wisconsin: The Badgers look to move to 7-0 and keep themselves in the thick of the college football playoff conversation. QB Alex Hornibrook is completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,210 yards with 11 TDs and six INTs. Wisconsin averages 36.3 PPG (27th) and a big reason is a ground game averaging 264.5 YPG (13th). Freshman Jonathan Taylor is Wisconsin's "next great RB," rushing for 986 yards on 7.8 YPC with 10 TDs. He had with 219 yards last week (his third 200-plus game of 2017) and will surely match the NCAA record for fewest games needed to reach 1,000 yards (seven). Nothing new on the defensive side of the ball for Wisconsin here in 2017, as the Badgers are allowing only 13.3 YPG (5th) on 265.0 YPG (6th).

The pick: Wisconsin is just 1-3 ATS at home in 2017 but the Badgers have the rush D (78.8 YPG ranks 4th) to contain Maryland's running game, which will put way too much pressure on QB Bortenschlage, who really isn't ready for primetime. The Terps have allowed 99 combined points in back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Northwestern and are very likely to allow 40-plus points here.The Badgers are outscoring opponents 119-24 in the second half and pull away here for the cover. Make Wisconsin an 8* play.

The set-up: The (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) Oklahoma State Cowboys are ranked 10th in the latest AP poll and travel to Austin to play the (3-3, 2-1 Big 12) Texas Longhorns at Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. OSU brings the nation's No. 1 offense (617.2 YPG) and its No. 2 scoring offense (48.8 PPG) into the contest, after gaining a school-record 747 yards in a 59-16 rout of Baylor last Saturday. The Longhorns are off their annual Red River Showdown against Oklahoma, a game in which Texas rebound from a 23-10 deficit to take a 24-23 4th-quarter lead, only to lose 29-24.

Oklahoma State: QB Mason Rudolph is completing 66.7 percent with 19 TDs and just four INTs, with OSU leading the nation with 411.2 YPG through the air. Considering how "pass-happy" the offense is, it's impressive that the Cowboys are also averaging 199.5 YPG on the ground (on 5.4 YPC), led by RB Hill's 633 yards on 6.0 YPC. With the kind of numbers OSU's offense puts up, the defense has to be good but not great. That's a fair description for an OSU stop-unit that's allowing 24.3 PPG (56th).

Texas: Steve Buechele opened the season as Texas' starting QB but it was freshman Sam Ehlinger who led the comeback against Texas. He's completing just 54.5 percent of his passes for 1,178 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions but does have has at least one TD pass in all four of his games this season. Of greater importance is his ability to run, as Ehlinger has rushed for 217 yards (5.2 YPC) in the Longhorns' last two games. He will start in this one, leading an offense averaging 33.7 PPG (41st). Defensively, Texas is allowing 24.7 PPG on 381.5 YPG but it's hard to ignore the 518 yards it allowed last Saturday to Oklahoma, a team with a similar QB to Rudolph, in Baker Mayfield.

The pick: Oklahoma State was a trendy pick to make the four-team College Football Playoff but that was before it was upset at home 44-31 by TCU back on Sep. 23. TCU is now the leader of the pack in the Big 12 and currently ranks 4th in the latest AP poll. OSU is quite 'dead' yet but the Cowboys no longer have any margin of error. The Longhorns hold a 24-7 series lead over Oklahoma State and a 15-5 advantage in Austin but the Cowboys have put their mark on the series by winning five of the past seven meetings. In fact, after losing 15 of 16 times in Austin, the Cowboys have won the last four meetings in Austin, marking the longest winning streak against Texas at home by one team. Here's the catch though, Tom Herman’s Houston & Texas teams are a perfect 7-0 ATS as an underdog! Best way to go here is an 8* on the Over, as the Texas D won't be able to stop Rudolph and Co, while Ehlinger's dual-threat ability will allow Texas to score as well.

The set-up: It's MWC play on Friday night at MacKay Stadium when the Nevada Wolf Pack host the Air Force Falcons. The Falcons opened with a 67-0 win over VMI but then lost four in a row. In the last two losses of the team's skid, Air Force allowed 56 points at New Mexico and then 48 at home to Navy. However, after falling behind UNLV by 27 points, Air force rallied for a 34-30 win. Nevada opened 2017 with five straight losses, before winning 35-21 at home over at Hawaii but lost last Saturday 44-42 at Colorado State.

Air Force: The Falcons rallied last Saturday, despite six fumbles (four lost), as QB Arion Worthman rushed for five TDs. He's completing just 49.2% for YPG but has eight TDs and just one INT. He's also the team's leading rusher (550 YR and 10 TDs), as the Falcons rank 6th in the nation averaging 304.0 YPG on the ground. Air Force is allowing 31.8 PPG (101st).

Nevada: The Wolf Pack come off of a near upset of MWC favorite Colorado State in a 44-42 loss (as 25-point underdog) but that leaves the team just 1-6 (1-2 in MWC play). QB Gangi is completing a modest 58.8 percent but has 14 TD passes (eight the last two games) and just six INTs. RB Moore (442 YR / 5.7 YPC) lead a the rushing attack taht averages only 128.6 YPG (101st) and Nevada averages a modest 25.3 PPG (91st). The defense allows 35.6 PPG (112th).

The pick: CBSC televises this game but really, who cares? Air Force is off a 10-3 season and is just 2-4 heading into this game. The Falcons have been to nine bowls in the last 10 seasons and need a win here to have any chance of extending that run. Make Air Force a 10* play.

The set-up: The Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks were picked by many to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference for the 2017-18 season and both opened with losses on Wednesday. However, the Kings faced the much tougher opponent, falling 105-100 at home to the Rockets, covering as a home underdog. As for the Mavs, they wilted down the stretch in a 117-11 home loss to the Hawks. Tonight's game at American Airlines Center will feature two exciting 19-year-old PGs in the Mavericks' Dennis Smith Jr. and the Kings' De'Aaron Fox.

Sacramento: Fox put forth an effort that provided an early glimpse of a potential franchise cornerstone, scoring 14 points while adding four rebounds and five assist, coming off the bench."Even though I've seen him for the last month or so, it's something to see," guard Garrett Temple told reporters regarding Fox. "When those lights go on, his ability to get into the paint and push the pace is something I haven't seen, besides John Wall. When he gets it going, picks his spots, when he gets that jumper down he is going to be hard to guard." Willie Cauley-Stein led the Kings with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while veteran PG George Hill had 16 points in his team debut.

Dallas: Dennis Smith Jr. surpassed Nowitzki as the youngest player to start for the Mavericks and produced a double-double in his debut (16 points & 10 assists). Speaking of Dirk, he struggled in scoring only 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Good news came with Nerlens Noel scoring 16 points (on 6 of 6 FGs) and adding 11 rebounds. It's only one game but Dallas just could be concerned with Harrison Barnes, who led the team in scoring last year at 19.2 PPG. However, Barnes averaged nearly three points fewer after the All-Star break than he did before and opened this campaign by missing all six of his three-point attempts while shooting 3-of-13 overall!

The pick: The Kings have won four of the last five meetings against Dallas, but the Mavs are 23-2 SU at home against Sacramento since 2003. That said, I don't much trust Dallas, as the Kings have covered 11 of the last 14 meetings, overall. The Kings covered vs. Houston without the services of Zach Randolph (oral surgery) but he's expected to be cleared to play in this pone. Meanwhile, expect Nowitzki to improve on his 4 of 14 shooting, as should Barnes and Matthews (combined 8 of 25). Make the Over a 10* play.

I'm heading out shortly and will get to Sunday NFL this afternoon. I have a huge charity even tonight (have to leave by 5:00), giving me a chance to meet civic and business leaders here in Hooterville (limo company I use has invited me). Really looking forward to it.

I hope to get all three games completed but may have to leave SNF for Saturday morning. Be sure to post Sunday free play, so all I have to do is insert analysis. I'm busy Saturday with my friend's son's first soccer game (he's six). Something you will be dealing with soon.

The set-up: The Houston Astros won Games 1 and 2 of the 2017 ALCS by identical 2-1 scores. They were hardly dominating wins but the Astros got excellent pitching performances from Keuchel and Verlander. They left for the Bronx feeling pretty good about their chances to win the American League pennant and advance to the second World Series in franchise history. However, the same team which led the majors in runs (896), batting average (.282), on-base percentage (.346) and slugging percentage (.478), while ranking second to the Yankees in HRs (238 to 241) during the regular season, returns to Progressive Field Friday night down 3-2 in the series, one win away from elimination. The Yankees won Games 3 through 5 by scores of 8-1, 6-4 and 5-0. That Houston offense I mentioned earlier, has mustered just nine runs with one HR this series and checks in batting .147 with an on-base percentage of .234 and a slugging percentage of .213! The Yankees, a team thought to be at least a year away from contending, is now one win away from returning to the World Series for the first time since it won its 27th title in 2009.

The pitching matchup: Luis Severino (1-0 & 5.56 ERA in the 2017 postseason) goes for the Yankees and Justin Verlander (3-0 & 2.04 ERA) goes for the Astros, in a rematch of Game 2 of this series. Severino was lifted following the fourth inning of Game 2, when he struggled to get loose and was hit in the wrist by a comebacker. Meanwhile, Verlander pitched a gem, going nine innings and allowing just one run on five hits with 13 Ks. He got his third win of the postseason when the Astros scored in the bottom of the 9th. Severino was New York's best starter this year but that has not been the case in the 2017 postseason. He was able to get just one out in the wild card game vs the Twins (allowed three runs and two HRs), although he did have a solid effort in Game 4 of the ALDS, allowing three runs on four hits in seven innings in the Yankees' 7-3 win against Cleveland, before his four-inning stint in Game 2 against the Astros, opposite Verlander. Returning to Verlander, isn't he "the man" Houston wants on the mound tonight? After all, Verlander is 8-0 with a 1.39 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) since arriving in a trade from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 31.

The pick: Verlander is surely a stud but Houston just "isn't hitting" Is a return home all the team need s to 'flip the switch?" That seems like a stretch to me and hasn't the Yankees' resilience been the story of this postseason? The New York lineup (especially the "big boys") have caught fire these last three games, scoring 19 runs on 25 hits. I doubt even Verlander can hold them back here. Make New York an 8* play.

The set-up: The Portland Trail Blazers travel to Indianapolis tonight and will try to play "Can you Top This" in their meeting with the Pacers. The answer is likely no, as the Blazers are coming off a 124-76 win at the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. It was the second-largest margin of victory in franchise history and also, the largest margin of victory in any opener in NBA history! The Pacers opened their season as well on Wednesday and while their margin of victory was a more modest nine points, Indiana scored 140 points at home against the Brooklyn Nets, placing eight scorers in double figures!

Portland: The Blazers cruised to their win over the Suns despite playing without their second-best scorer (player?). Portland will welcome C.J. McCollum back from suspension when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Damian Lillard knocked down 4-of-6 from beyond the arc en route to a team-high 27 points, while reserve guard Pat Connaughton stepped up with a career-high 24 points (made it 4-of-7 three-point attempts). Portland made 14-of-24 from three-point range but was already looking ahead after the game. Probably don't read too much into (the win) because it's a long season," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters. "Obviously we're pleased with it, but Indiana is a new day. You can't rest on it. It's a great way to start the season, particularly the manner in which we did it, but the next game is the next game." T

Indiana: The Pacers installed a faster-paced offense which will move ball more after trading away ball-stopping star Paul George. The results were positive on opening night, as three players scored 20 or more points and the team totaled 29 assists while shooting 52 percent from the floor. PG Darren Collison, one of three new starters, handed out 11 of those assists and scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Former Indiana Hoosier star Victor Oladipo led the way with 22 points and returning center Myles Turner added a double-double (21 & 11). "It was a great first night and hopefully Pacers fans get a chance to see what we're capable of and what type of basketball team we are," Oladipo told reporters. "Obviously, it wasn't perfect and there are some things we want to get better and improve at; but it's always great to get a win in the NBA."

The pick: Both Portland and Indiana 'beat up' on teams which will both be looking to gain the most ping pong balls possible in the upcoming draft (Suns and Nets, respectively), so neither has gotten too carried away with their big opening night performances. Bottom line here is that McCollum will be back in the starting lineup for this game and last season, he and Lillard combined for 57 PPG and shot 49% against Indiana. Meanwhile, the two Indiana players who led the way for the Pacers against Portland last year, Paul George and Jeff Teague, have both left for 'greener pastures' (OKC and Minny, respectively). Make Portland an 8* play.

The set-up: Western Kentucky opened 1-2 but enter Friday's game on a three-game winning streak (but just 1-2 ATS). The Hilltoppers go for their 4th straight win with a visit to the Old Dominion Monarchs, who are 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS. Both schools reside in the East Division of C-USA, with Western Ky sitting at 2-1 and ODU at 0-2.

Western Kentucky: Jeff Brohm took over at Western Ky when Bobby Petrino left for Louisville and led the Hilltoppers to three straight bowl berths. Western Ky won all three of those bowl games, although Brohm took the Purdue job prior to last year's bowl win. Mike Sanford Jr. is a first-time head coach and his offense has averaged only 25.5 PPG (87th), after Brohm's three teams averaged 44.4, 44.3 and 45.5 PPG. However, the defense allows a modest 18.2 PPG (19th) on 340.5 YPG (34th). In comparison, Western Ky had allowed 25.9 and 24.6 PPG the last two seasons.

Old Dominion: Monarch fans may already be looking ahead to the start of basketball season. The offense stinks, averaging 17.0 PPG (123rd) on 287.3 YPG (126th). The defense is no better, allowing 34.7 PPG (110th) on 436.8 YPG (103rd). ODU has a freshman QB in Steven Williams and RBs Ray Lawry (back healthy) and Jeremy Cox have underachieved.

The pick: Western Kentucky is coming off a 45-16 victory versus the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday and while the Hilltoppers didn't run the ball well, QB Mike White completed 33 of 47 for 398 yards with five TDs. I realize this is not the Western Ky offense of the last three seasons but these two schools have met just three times, all coming these last three season. Western Ky has won all three, with the final scores being 59-24, 55-30 and 66-51. Doing the math, that's an average final of 95.0 PPG. Yes, make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: The Chiefs welcomed the Steelers to Arrowhead Stadium last Sunday as the NFL's lone unbeaten team at 5-0 (also 5-0 ATS). Kansas City entered last week's game averaging nearly 33 points through its first five victories but its offense was bottled up (held to 13 points on 251 yards) while its 27th-ranked run defense (130.7 YPG) was stampeded for 194 yards.The Raiders were a 'sexy' pick to strongly compete for the AFC title in 2017 and after opening with a 26-16 win at Tennessee and then routing the Jets 45-10 at home, expectations were "off the chart." However, as the Raiders get set to host one of their most-hated rivals (from the days of the original AFL), Oakland will be trying to snap a four-game losing streak.

Kansas City: QB Alex Smith did not have his best game of 2017 in KC's 19-13 loss to the Steelers but he does enter this contest having completed 72.9 percent of his passes
with 12 TDs and zero INTs (in 192 attempts), earning a 119.2 QB rating. Rookie RB Kareem Hunt (630 YR on 5.9 YPC) ran for a season-low 21 yards (on nine attempts) vs. Pittsburgh but had five receptions for 89 yards to become the first rookie in league history to amass at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team’s first six games. Multi-threat receiver Tyreek Hill (30 catches) injured his neck in Sunday's game and it was feared he might have a concussion but the team pronounced him good to go. TE Kelce leads with 33 receptions plus Hunt has 21 catches. KC's defense has allowed 378.2 YPG (29th) but has fared much better in the most-important defensive stat, points allowed (21.7 PPG, which ranks 13th).

Oakland: QB Derek Carr got off to a great start but a fractured bone in his back has slowed him. He returned to the lineup after missing one game last Sunday but he had another mediocre game in the Raiders' 17-16 home loss to the Rams (171 YP / one TD / 2 INTs / 67.5 QB rating) and now has four interceptions in his past three contests, after tossing only six picks in the entire 2016 season.
The vertical passing game has been a staple in Oakland since the franchise's inception but deep threat Amari Cooper has just 18 catches while averaging only 8.1 YPC on the season. RB Marshawn Lynch was expected to be a huge boost to the running game but his 63 yards week represented a season-high. Lynch has just 257 YR on 3.7 YPC, with Oakland ranking 24th in rushing yards at 93.7 YPG. Oakland's defense is allowing 349.8 YPG (23rd) but a more modest 21.0 YPG (12th), although only three teams in the NFL have fewer than the Raiders' 11 sacks!

The pick: The Chiefs travel to Oakland Thursday night, looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since October of 2015. What's more, the Chiefs have won nine straight road games. The Chiefs are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games and 11-3 ATS in their last 14 meetings in Oakland. That said, I think we'll get an "all-out" effort from the Raiders in this one. However, in the team's four-game skid, Oakland has scored 10, 10, 17 and 16 points (that's just 13.3 PPG). That brings in this stat..."the under" is 18-6 in the last 24 meeting between these hated rivals. Make the under a 10* play in this one.

The set-up: I think the NBA schedule was set before the Knicks traded Carmelo to OKC but is sure seems like a "set up" that the first game of the 2017-18 season for both New York and Oklahoma City is the first game of tonight's TNT doubleheader between the Knicks and Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder made arguably the biggest 'splashes' of the off-season by bringing in All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Paul George to pair with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. As for the Knicks, they received center Enes Kanter, swingman Doug McDermott and a draft pick in that Anthony deal, finally committed to a youth movement centered around 22-year-old Latvian Kristaps Porzingis, who is ready to lead the team after averaging 18.1 PPG last season in Anthony's shadow. New York has missed teh postseason the last four seasons, averaging about 29 wins per season!

New York: "For myself, I wanted him to stay [in New York], and to play with him and learn from him and so on," Porzingis told reporters of Anthony. "But from the other side, I understand that he needed a new challenge in his career and he wants to win a championship one day, so I'm happy for him. He's in an environment where he might be able to do that soon." PG Derrick Rose is also gone from last season's squad and maybe the biggest "addition by subtraction" is that the Knicks no longer have Phil Jackson 'hanging over' the entire operation. 19-year-old Belgian rookie Frank Ntilikina has been impressing coaches and teammates in camp and will be counted on to step in for Rose.. "Usually for a young kid like that, you've got to spend a lot of time explaining plays, explaining NBA sets. You're not able to go to all the little tricks and all those things for a while," New York coach Jeff Hornacek told ESPN.com. "With Frank, you can talk about them already. So that's great." Joining Ntilikina in the backcourt is shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr, who signed a $71 million deal with the team after averaging 14.5 PPG for the Atlanta Hawks last season.

Oklahoma City: Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over the course of the season (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists), but the individual success still led to a first-round playoff exit. OKC wasted little time over the summer jumping into the Western Conference arms race and nabbed a pair of stars disgruntled with their former situations in George and Anthony. Now, the biggest question is, how many shots does each player need to stay happy? Westbrook averaged a league-high 24 FG attempts last season while Anthony hoisted 18.8 shots and George put up 18 for the Indiana Pacers.

The pick: As the saying goes, "you can't make this up." Carmelo Anthony's first game for his new team will be against his most recent employer, the New York Knicks. Head coach Jeff Hornacek no longer has to worry about Phil Jackson's "triangle" and he let the Knicks run to their heart's content in the preseason. However, that also revealed the team's extreme defensive deficiencies. That style could be 'suicide' here in OKC. Make the Over a 10* play.

The set-up: The 5-1 (2-1 in the AAC) Memphis Tigers handed Navy its first loss of the season last Saturday. edging the Midshipmen 30-27. The victory allowed the Tigers to move into the latest AP poll at No. 25, for the first time since 2015. Memphis' lone loss in 2017 has come 40-13 at UCF but I should note that UCF is one of just eight unbeaten FBS teams and is currently ranked 20th in the AP poll. It's an AAC game Thursday night game when the Tigers visit TDECU Stadium and Houston on ESPN. The Cougars will be looking to atone for 45-17 upset loss at struggling Tulsa (2-5). Houston welcomes Memphis with 4-2 overall record (2-1 in the AAC).

Memphis: QB Riley Ferguson is completing just 59.3 percent of his passes but has thrown for for 1,814 yards, 19 TDs and just five INTs. The Memphis ground game is averaging 180.2 YPG (55th), led by Henderson (542 yards / 8.1 YPC) and Taylor (307 YR / 5.4 YPC). WR Anthony Miller has 45 catches and nine TDs, although nine different players have at least one TD catch. Memphis is averaging 40.3 PPG (12th) but allowing 33.8 PPG (109th) on 477.5 YPG (116th).

Houston: This is Major Applewhite's first season at Houston, taking over for Tom Herman (now at Texas). Applewhite opened the season with Kyle Allen as his starting QB but after a 27-24 at home to Texas Tech, he gave the starting job to Kyle Postma. The Cougars won the first two games Postma started but then came last Saturday's 'ugly' 45-17 loss at Tulsa. Allen has attempted 104 passes (76.9%) for 751 yards with four TDs and four INTs, while Postma has 122 pass attempts (65.6%) for 805 yards with four TDs and five INTs. Houston's ground game is averaging 161.8 YPG (69th), led by Catalon (431 YR / 4.8 YPC) and Birden (227 YR / 5.8 YPC). Houston is averaging just 25.5 PPG (86th), down from 40.4 and 35.8 PPG the last two seasons. However, the defense has been solid, allowing 21.0 PPG (39th), which is in keeping with the team averaging between 20.8 and 23.5 PPG the previous four seasons.

The pick: Memphis has won 11 straight regular-season non-Saturday games, including six on the road but the Cougars have won 11 straight conference home games, as well as six of the past seven against Memphis. The Tigers are coming off a huge win over Navy plus beat Houston last season 48-44, snapping a six-game losing streak in the series that dated to 2006. Cougars get their revenge. Make Houston a 10* play.

The set-up: The New Jersey Devils are off to a 5-1-0 start, coming off having recorded the fewest points in the Eastern Conference last season. Meanwhile, while the 3-1-2 Ottawa Senators have earned at least one point in five of their first six games but they welcome the Devils to the Canadian Tire Centre tonight having yet to win a home game. The Senators are 3-0-0 on the road but fell to 0-1-2 at home on Tuesday, after being shut out 3-0 by Vancouver.

New Jersey: “There’s no real reason to harp on the last couple of seasons,” Devils forward Kyle Palmieri, whose shootout goal was the difference in Tuesday's 5-4 win over red-hot Tampa Bay, told reporters. "If you look back at last year, obviously it was a disappointment, but we’ve turned the page. We’re off to a good start and hopefully we can continue to play this good hockey.” Veteran forward Drew Stafford, who was limited to eight goals while splitting last season between Winnipeg and Boston, already has recorded three in as many games and scored twice on Tuesday while playing on a line with rookie Nico Hischier. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, Hischier collected a pair of assists against Tampa Bay but remains in search of his first goal. "

Ottawa: Captain Erik Karlsson was sidelined for the first five games after undergoing off-season foot surgery, but returned on Tuesday. However, his season debut was spoiled by teh Canucks winning 3-0. Karlsson, who led Ottawa in scoring last season and was magnificent in the playoffs, was sure not eased back into the lineup slowly, as he led all defensemen in ice time (22 minutes, 25 seconds) on Tuesday. "A little rusty, but overall OK," Karlsson told reporters. "I think we played a well-enough game for me to get back into the groove of things. I still need to fine-tune a few things and it's going to take some time, but overall, I felt pretty decent." He reported no ill effects after the game (good news).

The pick: The Devils own the league's top-ranked power play (8-for-26) and buoyed by a productive rookie class, are off to their best start in nine years. The contributions of three rookies are eye-catching. Defenseman Will Butcher leads the team in scoring with nine points, all assists, while two teenagers, winger Jesper Bratt (three goals, three assists) and first overall pick Nico Hischier (four assists), have also made immediate impacts. Head coach John Hynes said goalies Cory Schneider (4-1-0, 2.95 GGA & .917 SP) and Keith Kinkaid (1-0-0, 2.00 GAA & .935 SP) will split the back-to-back games against Ottawa and San Jose, but he didn't say which will tend the pipes at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. Meanwhile, Senators head coach Guy Boucher confirmed he will start Craig Anderson (2-1-2, 1.91 GAA & .926 SP) in goal for the sixth time this season against the Devils, and also that rugged defenseman Mark Borowiecki will miss the game with an upper-body issue that developed after he fought in the past three games. Karlsson's got a game under his belt and aren't the Senaytors overdue for a home win? Yes, NJ owns the league's best power-play (see above) but the Senators were the last team to yield a power-play goal and are 15-for-16 on the penalty kill. Strength vs. strength! Make Ottawa an 8* play.

The set-up: Riddle me this. If I told you that the Warriors would shoot 53.8 percent from the floor (including 16 of 30 on threes), while making 19 of 21 FTs, would anyone have though that they'd lose their season-opener at home to the Rockets? Wait, before you answer, let me add that Chris Paul would go 2 of 9 in his Houston debut (scoring four points) and that Harden would make just 10 of 23 from the floor. Now, would anyone have taken Houston on the moneyline? OK, you all are likely well aware that the Warriors blew a 17-point lead last night and by out-scoring Golden State 34-20 in the 4th quarter, Houston upset the defending champs 122-121, when KD's apparent game-winner was disallowed, as the ball left his hand just AFTER the buzzer went off. The Rockets hope not to be still celebrating when they head to Sacramento tonight, to take on the Kings. The Kings were 32-50 last season, while missing the playoffs for the 11th straight season.

Houston. The Rockets featured a well-balanced attack last night, as six players scored in double digits, including two reserves with 20 or more points. Backup guard Eric Gordon had 24 points and backup forward P.J. Tucker, signed for his defensive toughness, added 20. "We got some dogs on this team, man," Houston star guard James Harden said during a post-game television interview. "We're versatile, probably the most versatile team since I've been in Houston. We've got a chance." Chris Paul did record 11 assists in his Houston debut but sat out the final 4:47 as he is battling knee soreness.

Sacramento: The Kings moved talented but problematic center DeMarcus Cousins at last yea's All Star break and I'm not sure many believe this year's team is ready to break the franchise's current playoff drought. Zach Randolph was brought in and he played under current Kings coach Dave Joerger for three seasons in Memphis. 40-year-old swingman Vince Carter, who also played in Memphis, is expected, along with Randolph, to provide some much-needed leadership to a club that too often lacked it during the Cousins' era. Veteran PG George Hill also was added but he may not be at full strength for the opener after recently suffering a groin injury. As for Randolph, he's questionable after oral surgery. First-round pick PG De'Aaron Fox will get increased time if Hill is hindered, while shooting guard Buddy Hield aims to follow up his solid showing of averaging 15.1 PPG in 25 his games after being the main acquisition in the deal that sent Cousins to New Orleans.

The pick: There is a "wide divide' between these two teams but with Houston coming off what had to be a very satisfying win over the Warriors last night in Oakland, the home dog is the way to go. Make Sacramento an 8* play.

The set-up: The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win away from both ending the Chicago Cubs’ reign (at one title in a row) and getting to the World Series for the first time since 1988. The Cubs have scored first in every game of the series, but they haven’t crossed the plate again in any of them. The Cubs have just 15 hits (four for extra-bases, including three HRs) with 32 strikeouts and only four walks. They've scored four runs in three games while batting .160. LA's bullpen has been "unreachable," as the Dodgers’ relievers have not allowed a run in their last 16 2/3 innings and have given up only two hits in this matchup. Chris Taylor and Andre Ethier homered in LA's 6-1 win on Tuesday, giving the club eight HRs in the series and 11 in going 6-0 this postseason.

The pitching matchup: Alex Wood (16-3 & 2.72 ERA in the regular season) takes the mound for LA and the Cubs will send Jake Arrieta (0-1 & 0.00 ERA in the postseason). Wood had a "career year," as the Dodgers went 18-7 in all his starts, giving him a moneyline mark of plus-$505. However, this marks his first-ever postseason start and it comes after four less-than-stellar relief outings in past postseasons. He had allowed eight runs (four earned) over 5 1/3 innings over his first three postseason appearances before working two scoreless frames out of the bullpen against the Cubs in last year’s NLCS. Wood is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in eight career regular-season games (five starts) versus Chicago. Arrieta is 4-3 with a 3.33 ERA in eight postseason starts over these last three seasons, including losing his only start in this postseason in Game 4 of the NLDS 5-0 against Washington, despite allowing only one unearned run and two hits over four innings. Arrieta is 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA in five career regular-season starts against Los Angeles.

The pick: History favors the Dodgers in this one, as of the 36 teams in postseason history that have led 3-0 in a best-of-seven series, 29 have completed a sweep. However, the Cubs erased a three-games-to-one deficit in the 2016 World Series against the Indians to capture their first championship since 1908. But this year, they are 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position in the series. Make the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: The St. Louis Blues opened the season 4-0-0 but a two-city trip to Florida put a halt to the team's fast start, with losses to the Panthers (5-2) and Lightning (2-1). The Blues are back in St. Louis tonight for a game with the 4-1-1 Blackhawks, before playing three of their next four on the road. Chicago is off to a solid start and this contest is the first of four road games the Blackhawks will play in the team's remaining six games in October.

Chicago: The Blackhawks are expected to welcome the return of forward Nick Schmaltz from a four-game absence due to a head injury. Meanwhile, Brandon Saad has welcomed his second stint in Chicago with open arms, following up his season-opening hat trick with five more points - including his team-leading sixth goal in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win over Nashville. He has impressively netted the game-winning tally in all four Chicago victories this season. He's been the team's co-MVP, along with goalie Corey Crawford, who has allowed just one goal in four of his five starts this season, improving his save percentage to a spectacular .960 (he owns a 1.39 GAA).

St. Louis: Like Chicago, St. Louis is also set to welcome the return of a key player, as Alex Steen could provide a spark after the team's 'lost' two-game venture to the Sunshine State. "He looked good," St. Louis head coach Mike Yeo said of Steen, who has been sidelined since breaking his hand in the preseason. "He's obviously a big part of our group, a big part of the leadership and then you think about all the intangibles that he brings, special teams, leadership, offensively, defensively, he's a key guy for us, so we're anxious to get him back." Yeo will decide on Steen's availability following Wednesday's morning skate. Vladimir Tarasenko scored his team-leading fourth goal in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Lightning and joins Jaden Schwartz with points in five of six games this season. Captain Alex Pietrangelo has matched Schwartz with a team-leading eight points (two goals, six assists) in six games this season.

The pick: The Blues recorded at least a point in four of six games (3-2-1) last season versus the Blackhawks plus thwarted 15 of 17 short-handed attempts. However, I will back the red-hot Murray (see stats above) over Jake Allen, who comes in 3-2-0 with a 2.96 GAA and .917 SP. Make Chicago a 10* play

full analysis soon

The set-up: The Eastern Conference has been dominated by the Cavs since LBJ returned but the Celtics had hoped that they had closed the gap significantly by signing FA Gordon Hayward and then trading for Kyrie. However, Hayward could now be lost for the season with a fractured ankle in last night's opener at Cleveland. Toronto and Washington seem to be the "next in line" but after that, it seems wide open. Tonight, in the Pistons' brand-new Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit, the Pistons will host the Charlotte Hornets, as both non-postseason teams last spring look to 'join the party' here in the 2017-18 season.

Charlotte: The Hornets' major move in the off-season was to bring in former All-NBA center Dwight Howard to man the middle. Howard is expected to anchor a defense-focused front line that also includes forwards Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams. Charlotte's team leader is All-Star PG Kemba Walker, who is coming off a 2016-17 campaign in which he averaged career highs of 23.2 PPG, 44.4 percent shooting from the floor and 39.9 percent shooting from three-point range. Walker will have to get used to a new starting backcourt mate with Nicolas Batum expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with an elbow injury. Jeremy Lamb will get first crack at the job while rookie Malik Monk comes off the bench. “[I’m] just trying to get ready," Lamb told the team's website. "An opportunity has come that I’m ready to take advantage of. Hopefully, Nic has a speedy recovery and we can get him back out there as soon as possible.”

Detroit: The Pistons looked like playoff contenders at times in 2016-17 but were done in by injuries to PG Reggie Jackson and some growing pains from star center Andre Drummond. Jackson's season was a dud from the start, as he missed the first 21 games with left knee issues and ended up playing just 52 games and averaging 14.5 PPG on 41.9 percent shooting. He is owed $51.1 million over the next three seasons but did make it through training camp healthy and will not have any restrictions on his playing time.
The Pistons brought in SG Avery Bradley in a trade from Boston over the summer (he's a terrific perimeter defender) and will start him in the backcourt. Also, Drummond is being asked to be a bigger part of the offense. That's a role (coach) Stan (Van Gundy) kind of gave me a couple of weeks ago," Drummond told reporters. "He wanted to start running the offense through me because I’m able to move the ball and able to find an open guy and get them open shots. It takes their bigger guy away from the rim, too, when I do dribble hand-offs and gives me a chance to offensive rebound and attack."

The pick: The Pistons were 37-45 last season and the Hornets, 36-46. However, the Pistons won three of the four meetings, including both played in Detroit. This marks the Pistons' first regular-season game at Little Caesars Arena, as the Pistons had called The Palace of Auburn Hills home since 1988. Look for Detroit to open with a bang at the team's new home. The Pistons scored 112, 115 and 114 points in last year's three wins over the Hornets and this over/under is too low. Make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: I've noted this before, that the Edmonton Oilers were a 'sexy' pick to win the Western Conference and reach the Stanley Cup finals prior to the season. However, after winning their opener 3-0 at home over the Flames, the Oilers have los three in a row (two at home), while scoring a total of just five goals. 1-3 Edmonton will host the 1-1-1 Carolina Hurricanes tonight, before heading out on a three-game road trip. The Hiurricanes know all about struggling to score as well, as Carolina has been limited to just one goal in back-to-back losses to Columbus (in OT) and Winnipeg, respectively. "I think we just need to be more hungry. We have opportunities," alternat captain JeffSkinner said. "More hunger, more desperation. It's disappointing when that's the reason because that's in your control. We need more hunger and more desperation for sure."

Carolina: The offense has been stuck in neutral but off-season acquisition Scott Darling has been "hitting on all cylinders." He's started in goal all three games over Cam Ward, who has been the team's No. 1 netminder for the majority of 12 seasons. Darling has turned away 44 of 48 shots in the last two games. "He gives us a chance every night," head coach Bill Peters of Darling. "... It's a race to three (goals) in the National Hockey League. You've gotta be able to get to three to get a point, if not two points." Peters also told the league's website, "We've got to get to the net. There's too many times where (the goalie is) seeing it. If you're shooting from distance with no traffic, they're going to make the save and there's nobody there for seconds and thirds. That's what that is."

Edmonton: The Oilers' injury list is growing. Head coach Todd McLellan confirmed Monday that center Leon Draisaitl would miss his second straight game with an eye injury and concussion-like symptoms. Draisaitl finished eighth in NHL scoring last season with 77 points. Left winger Drake Caggiula, who has missed the Oilers last two games, joins Draisaitl by being placed on injured reserve. Caggiula is out with an undisclosed ailment. Connor McDavid recorded a hat trick in the season-opener and has notched an assist in back-to-back games but Edmonton needs more from him. The Oilers are also just 1-for-12 on the power play through four games.

The pick: Sure, the Oilers are off to a slow start but their season is just four games old. Workhorse goaltender Cam Talbot has been gashed for 12 goals on 73 shots in his last three games (all losses) but there is a silver lining. Talbot owns a 4-1-0 mark with two shutouts, a 1.18 goals-against average and .955 save percentage in five career games against Carolina. Make Edmonton an 8* play.

The set-up: The Los Angeles Dodgers were MLB's best team during the regular season (104 wins) and they have been MLB's best postseason team so far, as they have yet to lose in the playoffs, going 5-0. They come to Wrigley Field to take on the defending champion Cubs with a 2-0 lead in the NLCS, meaning the Dodgers are two wins away form the team's first World Series appearance since 1988. The series so far has been a story of LA's pitching dominating Chicago's lineup. Los Angeles’ pitchers have dominated, allowing only three runs through two games, with the bullpen combining for eight scoreless innings, while allowing only a single baserunner but zero hits! “I think up to this point we've done everything we can to put ourselves in a good position, but there is a long way to go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “It’s definitely noted how resilient that club is over there. They're going to do everything they can to win a game, and we're going to do the same.” To get back into the series, the Cubs will have to get the big bats in the middle of their lineup going as Chicago is hitting .117 in the series and stars Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are a combined 1-for-14 with six strikeouts.

The pitching matchup: Yu Darvish (1-0 & 1.80 ERA) takes the mound for LA and Kyle Hendricks (1-0 & 3.27 ERA) for Chicago. Darvish won his only start in the NLDS, allowing one run and two hits while striking out seven over five innings to beat Arizona. It was his first win in three postseason starts (he was 0-2 with 5.40 ERA for Texas). He 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in nine regular-season starts after the Dodgers acquired him from Texas, where he was only 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA. The Cubs won both of Hendricks' starts against the Nats (Game 1 and Game 5) and he comes in 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine postseason starts. That said, Hendricks wasn't at his best in Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington, as he allowed four runs over four innings, giving up two HRs (one, a three-run blast by Taylor)..

The pick: Darvish got the win in Game 3 vs. Arizona but let's be serious, he only pitched five innings and didn't remind anyone of Justin Verlander and his Game 2 effort vs. the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALCS. Just a reminder, Darvish's moneyline mark this regular season (Texas and LA combined), was minus-$1302, the third-worst among all 2017 starters. Getting back to Hendricks, prior to his less-than-stellar deciding Game 5 outing against Washington, he hadn't given up more than three ERs in 14 starts since the All Star break. In fact, in half of those starts (seven), he had allowed one or zero ERs. Expect the Cubs' bats to 'wake up' vs. Darvish. Make Chicago a 10* play.

The set-up: The NBA schedule-makers surely have a sense of humor. Kyrie Irving played six seasons with Cleveland with the four-time All-Star guard helping Cleveland reach three NBA Finals, including winning the 2016 title. However, he reportedly tired of playing with LBJ and "requested" (basically forced) a trade this past off-season. Irving ended up in Boston for a package that included PG Isaiah Thomas and the highly under-appreciated Jae Crowder. Boston actually earned the No. 1 seed in the East last season over Cleveland (53 wins to 51) but the Celtics were no match for the Cavs in the conference finals, losing 4-1. Cleveland revamped its roster over the summer as well, adding veteran guards Dwyane Wade (James' BFF), Derrick Rose and Jose Calderon in addition to newcomers Thomas (out due to hip surgery) and Crowder. LBJ has been bothered by a sprained left ankle and his availability may not be determined until close to tip-off in the season opener, as Kyrie makes his much-anticipated "return to Cleveland" as a member of the Celtics.

Boston: Irving wasn't the only big off-season acquisition by the Celtics, as they lured All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward away from the Utah Jazz to reunite with Brad Stevens, his former college coach at Butler. All it took was a four-year, $128 million deal. The move to Boston allows Hayward to build off a career-best 2016-17 campaign in which he averaged 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Al Horford, second-year swingman Jaylen Brown and rookie forward Jayson Tatum are the other likely starters with Hayward and Irving.

Cleveland: LBJ missed four of Cleveland's five preseason games but he did participate in Monday's practice. "You know I never hide stuff from you guys, I really don't know," Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. "I mean, just depends on how he feels after (Monday), but I really don't know." Thomas is not expected to make his Cleveland debut until around the All-Star break, so veterans like Rose, Wade and J.R. Smith will be counted on to help James and Kevin Love (who now is expected to start at center, with Thompson coming off the bench) on the scoring side.

The pick: There is plenty of drama brewing for tonight, as the Cavs are planning a video tribute to Irving, who made the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals to hand the organization its first championship. That said, expect plenty of boos directed Irving's way. As for LBJ, he has never missed a season opener in his first 14 years in the league and of course wants to pay here but he has to realize this is just one game and all the Cavs care about is getting back to the Finals, to get another shot at the Warriors. Especially, considering most believe that this will be LBJ's last season in Cleveland. Something tells me that the Celtics will be better-prepared to win this game and note that if LBJ doesn't play, the numbers don't bode well for the Cavs. Cleveland is 4-23 over the past three seasons when James doesn't play, including losses in the last 11. Make Boston a 10* play.

The set: The 3-0-2 Ottawa Senators return home to begin a five-game homestand against the 1-2-1 Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The Sens are back home, where they opened the new season by dropping a pair of shootout losses in their first two home games. However, Ottawa just completed the first three-game sweep through Western Canada in franchise history, winning at Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The Senators are certainly riding high but the same can't be said of the Canucks, who have dropped three in a row (all at home), since winning their season-opener 3-2 over Edmonton on Oct. 7 (also at home).

Vancouver: The Canucks' slide began against these Senators back on Oct. 10, losing a 3-2 shootout to Ottawa. Now, Vancouver opens a five-game road trip playing at the Canadian Tire Centre. A lack of offense has been the main culprit for the Canucks, who have been limited to two goals each in each of their three losses. The Canucks ranked 29th in offense in 2016-17 and featured the league's second-worst power play, with those struggles carrying over into this season. Vancouver is averaging 2.25 GPG (22nd) and ranks 25th on the power play. "You're not going to win a lot of games if that happens," acknowledged veteran forward Daniel Sedin. "You have to capitalize."

Ottawa: Not only are the Senators riding high after completing a 3-0 road trip with 6-0 and 6-1 wins the last two games but as they return home to begin a five-game homestand, head coach Guy Boucher said at Monday's practice that star defenseman Erik Karlsson is "100 percent" ready and "he will play tomorrow." What better way for a team to begin a homestand than to get its best player back on the ice?

The pick: The Senators were not only able to survive but also thrive in Karlsson's absence. A big part of the team's success can be attributed to special teams play. After going 0-for-16 on the power play in their first three games, the Senators scored a total of five goals with a man-advantage in Calgary and Edmonton. Ottawa is also a perfect 15-for-15 this season on the penalty kill. That matches up well against struggling Vancouver, which has scored just two goals on 23 power-play chances. A positive for the Canucks has been a penalty-killing unit that has operated at an 87.5 percent efficiency, tied for sixth best in the league. This all points to making the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: Preseason expectations were running high in Tennessee, after the Titans went 9-7 in 2016, losing the AFC South to the Texans on a tie-breaker. The Titans 'laid an egg' in Week 1 in a 26-16 home loss to the Raiders but rebounded with wins at Jacksonville and home to Seattle, to get back on track. However, the Titans were pulverized 57-14 in Week 4 at Houston and followed with a 16-10 loss in Miami last week, while seeing starting QB Marcus Mariota go down with a hamstring injury. The Colts know all to well about an injury to their starting QB, as Andrew Luck has yet to see action in 2017 and does not have an exact timetable to return from his shoulder woes. However, Indy has seen its offense take significant strides as Jacoby Brissett has gotten acclimated under center in place, with the Colts splitting his four games as the team's starting QB (Colts are 2-3, overall).

Indianapolis: Brissett threw for a career-high 314 yards and rushed for a TD last week as the Colts collected their second victory against a win-less team with a 26-23 overtime triumph over San Francisco (also beat the now 0-6 Browns at home in Week 2). T.Y. Hilton had seven catches for 177 yards last week. Rookie RB Marlon Mack has given the Colts' running game a boost, with a 22-yard TD plus his 35-yard run set up Adam Vinatieri's game-winning 51-yard FGl in overtime. Veteran Frank Gore moved into seventh place in NFL history with 13,304 yards rushing. Still, the Colts average only 100.0 YPG on the ground (20th) and their 19.4 PPG ranks only 22nd. The defense is a big problem, as the Colts rank last by allowing 31.8 PPG and 30th (of 32 teams) in total D (393.4 YPG), as well as passing yards (294.0 YPG).

Tennessee: The Titans may be staring at another game without Marcus Mariota (hamstring) in its lineup. Mariota is hopeful that he can play. Matt Cassel came in after he got hurt last Sunday at Miami and was 21 of 32 for 141 yards (no completion longer than 17 yards) and was sacked six times! Tennessee's bread and butter has been its rushing attack but DeMarco Murray has just 89 yards on the ground in his last two contests, as Miami limited the team to only 69 yards on 20 carries last week. The Titans still rank 7th in rushing on the season, at 124.8 YPG. The defense (not helped by allowing Houtson 57 points in Week 4), is one spot behind the Colts in points allowed, at 28.4 per game (31st).

The pick: It's fairly likely that ESPN would not have picked this as a Monday night game if it knew that Matt Cassel and Jacoby Brissett could be the opposing QBs. However, it seems as if Mariota will be able to play and there should be plenty of motivation on the Tennessee side, to get its season headed back in the right direction plus to end what has to be a wildly frustrating 11-game losing streak against the Colts (mostly at the hands of Andrew Luck). Brissett has surely been an excellent pickup (savior?) for Indy but let's not forget his only two wins have come over the Browns and 49ers, who check in a combined 0-12 in 2017. Make Tennessee a 10* play.

The set-up: The NY Yankees fell into an 0-2 hole against Cleveland but were able to win the final three games of that ALDS. The Yanks now find themselves in a second straight 0-2 hole here in the ALCS (a seven-game series), this time against the Astros. Houston owns MLB's best offense and the Yanks hit more HRs (241) than any team in MLB, yet each of the first two games resulted in 2-1 Houston wins. "Both sides are really, really emphasizing staying in the game and just continuing to fight because it can shift in a heartbeat," Houston manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. "Just when you feel good about where you're at, it can shift back to momentum the other way. So it's postseason baseball at its best." After rallying against the 102-win Cleveland Indians, the question is can New York do it again up against the 101-win Houston Astros? "I'm going to stick with the same lineup because things can turn really quickly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. "There's a lot of guys that struggle in the postseason. That's just what it is. If you just start moving people around trying to play a hot hand, it doesn't necessarily work."

The pitching matchup: Charlie Morton (14-7 & 3.62 ERA) gets the call for Houston and CC Sabathia (14-5 & 3.69 ERA) for the Yanks. Morton, in his 10th big-league season, authored a "career year" (see above), as the Astros were 16-9 in all his starts (plus-$408). He started the clinching game of the ALDS at Boston last Monday but did not factor in the decision, leaving after 4 1/3 innings. He surrendered seven hits and walked a pair but limited the damage to two runs in a game Houston went on to win 5-4 (0-0 & 4.15 ERA this postseason. CC Sabathia was15-6 for the Yanks in 2012 but entered 2017 off a four-year run in which he had gone just 32-39. No one saw his 2017 season coming, as he finished the regular season 14-5 (3.69 ERA). The Yankees were 19-8 in his starts, giving him a plus-$1163 moneyline mark which ranked fourth-best among all starters. This marks his third postseason start and he pitched well against the Indians. Although he went only 9 2/3 innings in his two starts, he struck out 14 batters and his Game 5 effort was a big reason the Yankees advanced (0-0 & 3.72 ERA this postseason). He now takes the mound in this "must-win" situation and he is 9-5 with a 4.46 ERA in 21 career postseason appearances (including 20 starts).

The pick: After a pair on one-run games, should we expect anything different here in Game 3? The Astros are hitting .190 through two games, after batting .333 in the ALDS against Boston. As for New York, the Yankees enter Game 3 batting .159 with 27 strikeouts, four walks and just 16 total bases. Taking the 1 1/2 runs here could be a HUGE. Make the Astros an 8* play.

Tampa Bay: Kucherov scored a career-high 40 goals last season and has five, along with three assists in Tampa's first five games. He's playing on a line with captain Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov. Brayden Point, who is in his second season in the NHL, has matched Kucherov with eight points in the first five games and has been a key figure in all corners of the rink while skating with Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde. Netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy has played better than his .911 save percentage and has been in goal for all five games

Detroit: The Red Wings got four points from captain Henrik Zetterberg in Friday’s 6-3 win at Vegas with forward Gustav Nyquist telling reporters of the 37-year-old Zetterberg, “He’s an unbelievable player and has been that for many, many years. It’s impressive what he still does.” Zetterberg (three goal & four assists) and veteran defenseman Mike Green (eight assists) are off to strong starts but young forwards Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin also have played major roles. Mantha has recorded three goals and four assists, Larkin has collected six points and the duo leads the team with 15 shots apiece while rookie Martin Frk has added some punch with three goals and an assist. The Red Wings have alternated both Jimmy Howard (three games) and Petr Mrazek (two) in goal thus far  but note that Howard's .955 save percentage is second in the NHL.

The pick: The Lightning swept the five-game series last season, extending their winning streak to seven in a row over the Red Wings, including the 2016 postseason. However, it's a "new day" in Detroit in the early going of this season and maybe the move to Little Caesars Arena (from Joe Louis Arena) will give the Wings a fresh approach to this rivalry. Then again, maybe not? What I do expect is a low-scoring game as Vasilevskiy and Howard square off. Make the Under a 10*!

The set-up: The LA Kings beat the Sabres 4-2 on Saturday and will continue their four-game homestand on Sunday against the New York Islanders. The Kings scored three third-period goals last night, improving to 3-0-1 on the season and 1-0-1 on the homestand. The Islanders won 3-1 at San Jose on Saturday to even its mark at 1-1-0 on its four-game road trip and sit 2-2-1 on the season.

NY Islanders: The Isles will attempt to end this West Coast road trip on a winning note when they face the Kings at Staples Center on Sunday, as they conclude their road swing against a more familiar foe, the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. New York is in the midst of a challenging schedule with five of its first seven games away from Brooklyn's Barclay Center and are in a stretch of 13 of 15 games against Western Conference opponents. In last night's win, the Islanders went 0-3 on the power play and remain one of just two teams (Anaheim joins them) without a power-play goal this season.

Los Angeles: The team's fast start is something different, as this marks the first time since 1995-96 that the Kings have registered points in each of their first four games. Los Angeles has taken advantage of a friendly schedule that keeps them in California until its Oct. 21 matchup at Columbus. The Kings will play the second of eight consecutive games against the Eastern Conference, tonight. LA had struggled on the power play until last night, when the Kings scored three power-play goals (had opened the season starting the season on an 0-for-16 run!).

The pick: Both teams are playing the back end of consecutive games and I expect a few "extra" pucks to find their way into the back of the net. Male the Over a 10* play.

The set-up: The NY Giants are playing in prime time for the third time in six weeks, when they welcome the Broncos to MetLife Stadium on NBC's Sunday night football. The Giants, who went 11-5 last season, have opened 0-5 and are practically guaranteed to miss the postseason for the fifth time in six years since the team won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2011 season. The Broncos are off a bye week and check in at 3-1, with all three wins coming at home (2-0-1 ATS).

Denver: The Broncos are hardly a dominant team, losing 26-16 at Buffalo in Week 3 and needing a last-second interception to beat Oakland prior to the bye. However, Denver played its beat game of the season here at home in Week 2, dominating the Cowboys 42-17. QB Trevor Siemian is completing 62.7% with seven TDs and four INTs (89.0 QB rating). C.J. Anderson has run for 330 yard, leading a running game averaging 143.0 YPG (3rd). There is nothing wrong with the Broncos' defense, which is allowing a league-low 260.8 YPG, including ranking No. 1 against the run (50.8 YPG). Denver is allowing 18.5 PPG to rank 7th.

NY Giants: Eli Manning receives most of the 'heat' but the Giants have virtually no running game, averaging 77.8 YPG (30th). RB Paul Perkins was unable to practice Wednesday, leaving Orleans Darkwa and rookie Wayne Gallman to lead a backfield that has done little. Eli is completing 67.8% but with eight TDs and five INTs (89.1 QB rating). Week 5 was not good to him, as he lost his three top WRs to ankle injuries, including Odell Beckham Jr, possibly for the year. Manning himself was examined for neck issues after the game.
The defense was second in the NFL by allowing 17.6 PPG in 2016 but TY's team is allowing 24.4 PPG (24th). It can't possibly be good news that the Giants suspended one of their top defensive players in cornerback Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie. He was apparently upset over his role with the team after being pulled from the Giants' 27-22 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday, abruptly left the practice facility, and coach Ben McAdoo suspended him.

The pick: Eli's receiving corps is devastated and he has no running game, as he looks to take on an outstanding Denver defense, coming off a bye week. As for Denver's offense, excluding the team's 42-point outburst against Dallas, Denver is averaging 18.7 PPG. This game has "under, written all over it!" Make the Under an 8* play.

The set-up: Chicago's Albert Almora Jr. gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the opener with a two-run HR off Kershaw in the fourth inning but he wound up being the team’s last baserunner. Kershaw retired the final six batters he faced and the Dodgers’ bullpen set down 12 straight to close out a 5-2 victory. LA outfielders Taylor and Puig were the stars for the offense, as each went 2 for 4 with solo HRs (Puig had two RBI).

The pitching matchup: Jon Lester (13-8 & 4.33 ERA) takes the ball for Chicago and Rich Hill (12-8 & 3.32 ERA) gets the nod for Los Angeles. The Cubs beat the Dodgers in last yera's NLDS (4-2) and Lester was outstanding in one start and one relief appearance, allowing two runs on three hits over 9 2/3 innings (1.38 ERA). He is the active leader in postseason innings pitched with 143 1/3 and owns a 9-7 record and 2.57 ERA in 24 playoff appearances (20 starts). Lester is 3-3 with a 3.29 ERA in nine starts against the Dodgers (teams are 5-4). Hill was drafted by the Cubs and went 18-17 with a 4.37 ERA over his first four major-league seasons with the club from 2005-08. Hill started Game 2 of the NLDS against Arizona, allowing two runs on three hits over four innings of a no-decision. Hill limited the Cubs to two hits over six scoreless innings of a win in Game 3 of last year’s NLCS and was expected to start Game 7, if necessary, but the Cubs closed out the Dodgers in Game 6.

The pick: Hill was ready and waiting to start a winner-take-all game in the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs last year, but Clayton Kershaw was upended in Game 6 and the Cubs advanced to the World Series. He gets a chance here to make up for that missed opportunity and help LA take a 2-0 lead in this year's NLDS. However, let's note that Hill owns a 4.50 ERA in five career postseason starts. After going all-in to close out the Nats in the NLDS and then having to face Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the NLCS just one day later, the Cubs can hardly be surprised that they are down 0-1. However, going down 0-2, will make a comeback pretty hard against the team which won a MLB-best 104 games in 2017. I expect Hill to pitch well again (like last year) against his original team and as for Lester, the Cubs should have confidence in a pitcher who owns a 2.57 ERA in 24 playoff appearances (20 starts) . Make the Under a 10* play

The set-up: The University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona is the site of this Week 6 game between the 2-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 2-3 Arizona Cardinals. The Bucs played a Week 5 home game vs. the Pats on Thursday night but lost 19-14, partly because PK Nick Folk missed three FGs. The Cardinals are hoping to climb back to .500, after a 34-7 loss last Sunday at Philadelphia.

Tampa Bay: First things first. Folk's first season with Tampa Bay is over as he was placed on injured reserve with a "minor injury" classification, meaning the team must release him once he becomes healthy. Replacing Folk will be Patrick Murray, who appeared in two games for Cleveland last season after converting 20-of-24 field-goal attempts for the Buccaneers in 2014 (Heeee's back!). The Bucs need more consistency from QB Winston. He's got four TDs and zero INTs with a 103.6 QB rating in Tampa Bay's two wins but has three TDs and three INTs with an 83.6 QB rating in the team's two losses. The Bucs average just 86.0 YPG on the ground (27th) but it's good news that RB Doug Martin returned from his suspension vs. the Pats and gained 74 yards on 13 carries

Arizona: The Cards allowed 419 yards of total offense at Philadelphia and checks in allowing 25.0 PPG (27th) on the season. QB Carson Palmer and the Arizona offense ranks second in passing yards (289.0 YPG) but the team is averaging only 16.2 PPG (29th). One of the issues is the NFL's werst rushing attack, as Arizona has averaged 51.8 YPG to rank dead-last, as does the team's 2.6 YPC average! Arizona obtained 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson from New Orleans on Tuesday with hopes that the 32-year-old will resemble his former self after enduring a miserable four-game tenure with the Saints (ran for 81 yards on 27 carries, averaging 3.0 YPC).

The pick: Arizona is 2-3 with its two wins coming in OT victories at Indy and at home vs. San Francisco. Those two teams are a combined 2-8 SU and Arizona failed to cover either win. That means the Cards enter this game 0-5 ATS on the season. Adding insult to injury, the Cardinals had 13 players listed on their injury report earlier in the week and nine of them were starters, including All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson with a sore quadriceps. This marks only Tampa Bay's second road game of 2017 but it should be noted that the Bucs were 6-2 ATS on the road in 2016. The Cards have a 'washed-up' QB in Palmer and have now added a 'washed-up' RB in Adrian Peterson. That's hardly a good 'daily double!' Make the Bucs are 8* play.

The set-up: It's a Week 6 game featuring AFC East rivals at MetLife Stadium this Sunday, as the New England Patriots visit the New York Jets. Who could have ever predicted in Week 1 that both teams would be 3-2 heading into this contest, meaning the winner will take the early AFC East lead. this contest. After all, the Pats are defending Super Bowl champs and the Jets, after a summer 'fire sale,' seemed destined to be one of a handful of teams that woiuld be in teh mix for teh NFL 2018 Daraft's No. 1 overall pick. However, the Pats were upended in the 2017 season-opener at home by the Chiefs and need to eke out an 'ugly' 189-14 win in Week 5 at Tampa Bay just to reach 3-2. Meanwhile, after opening 0-2, the Jets have gone 3-0 SU & ATS the last three weeks, with the team's defense holding those three opponents to just 40 combined points (13.3 PPG).

New England: There's nothing wrong with Tom Brady, as he's completing 68.2% with 11 TDs and just one interception, giving him a QB rating of 112.0. The Pats rank first in passing (320.4 YPG), the main reason New England ranks first overall in total yards (419.4 YPG), while checking in at third in scoring at 29.6 PPG. Brady's accomplished all this with injuries to some of his key receivers plus playing behind an OL that's allowed him to be sacked 16 times. Brady has also has to make up for a defense, which has been unable to stop anyone, particularly through the air, allowing an NFL-worst 323.4 YPG (12 TDs allowed with just three INTs for a an opposing QB rating of 109.2). The Pats allow 28.4 PPG to rank 30th.

NY Jets: There was talk the Jets would threaten the Browns and that the loser of their Week 5 meeting could go 0-16, after two weeks. However, after losing 45-10 in Oakland in Week 2, the Jets have managed to win and cover three straight. Granted, their 'victims' have been the Dolphins, Jags and Browns (Cleveland will make a strong run at 0-16!) but still, allowing just 13.3 PPG in their winning streak is impressive. Josh McCown, a journeyman who toiled for the Browns last season, has completed 63 of 84 passes in the winning streak (that's 75.0%), twice recording QB ratings of better than 100.0. The Jets don't have a big-name RB but still have maneged to average 111.4 YPG to rank 13th.

The pick: The Pats will take the field looking for their 11th win in 13 regular-season meetings against Jets. OK, Brady is arguably the best QB in NFL history, winning five Super Bowls while playing for only the New England Patriots since he was drafted in the sixth round. He has a 186-54 career regular-season record and 25-9 mark in the playoffs. Meanwhile, McCown has been on 10 different NFL rosters since he was drafted in the third round in 2002. His career record as a starter is 21-44 career record and he has never sniffed the playoffs. No contest, right? Well, New England has allowed at least 33 points in three of five games this year and even in last weeks' 19-14 win, Winston threw for 334 yards against the Pats' defense-less secondary, plus needed Buc PK Nick Folk to miss three FGs to avoid another loss. McCown will do damage to New England's secondary, just like every QB has so far this season. However, Brady will 'light up' the Jets' D, as well. Make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: The Lions opened the 2017 season 2-0 but have lost two of their last three and head to New Orleans at 3-2 to take on the rejuvenated Saints. New Orleans opened its season with double-digit losses at Minnesota and home to New England but then shocked the Panthers 34-13 in Carolina in Week 3, before beating the Dolphins 20-0 in a Week 4 London game. The first bye week was in Week 5 and the Saints were one of four teams getting an early rest. The Saints return to the playing field on Sunday and welcome a Lions team to the Superdome but the Lions have beaten the Saints in each of the last three seasons, 24-23 in Detroit in 2014, then 35-27 and 28-13 the last two years here in New Orleans.

Detroit: The Lions' plus-9 turnover margin had been a key to the team's 3-1 start but they couldn't force a TO against the Panthers last Sunday, as Cam Newton ripped Detroit's pass D for 355 yards and three TDs. QB Matthew Stafford is completing 64.6% with nine TDs and just one INT but the Lions rank just 23rd in passing (200.6 YPG). RB Ameer Abdullah had a career-high 94 yards in the Week 4 win at Minnesota but has done little in the team's other four games, averaging less than 50 yards per. As a team, Detroit is averaging just 87.6 YPG on the ground to rank 26th. Detroit has allowed a modest 19.4 PPG (11th) but a concern, after Newton ripped open the team's secondary, is that the Lions are starting to look like the pass D which allowed a historic (not in a good way) 72.7% completion rate in 2016, with 33 TD passes allowed, just 10 INTs and an opposing QB rating of 106.5 (NFL-worst in 2016).

New Orleans. Drew Brees has watched the game film of Newton picking apart that Detroit pass D and he must be salivating. Brees hasn't thrown an interception in 152 attempts so far in 2017, while tossing eight TDs passes and earning a QB rating of 108.3. The "unhappy" Adrian Peterson was traded to Arizona this week, which should make things more pleasant on the sidelines, give Mark Ingram a jolt of confidence plus get more "PT" for impressive rookie QB Alvin Kamara. Let's also note the incredible turnaround of New Orleans' pass D. New Orleans allowed a league-worst 777 passing yards (along with six TD passes) in opening 0-2 but in holding the Panthers and Dolphins to a combined 13 points in Week 3 & 4 wins, the Saints shut down Newton (167 yards with no TD passes and three INTs for a QB rating of 43.8) and Cutler (164 yards and one INT for a QB rating of 71.1).

The pick. It's just not Brees who has been mistake-free, as the Saints are the only team to have no yet committed a turnover in 2017. In the process, they have become just the third NFL team since 1935 to open the season without a TO through its first four games (pretty heady stuff). Sure, the Saints are only 11-14 at the Superdome since 2014 but with a younger, more talented defense, there are signs the team is beginning to rise above mediocrity on that side of the ball. As for the Brees-led offense, there is nothing mediocre about them! Make New Orleans a 10* play.

The set-up: The Stanford Cardinal began the 2017 season ranked 14th in the AP's preseason poll but dropped out after back-to-back road losses at USC (42-24) and San Diego State (20-17). However, the Cardinal eked out a 20-17 win at Utah (then ranked 20th) last Saturday, giving them a third straight win. Stanford is back in the top-25 (at No. 23) and will welcome the 4-2 Oregon Ducks to Stanford Stadium on Saturday night. Both teams are 4-2 but while Stanford is 3-1 in Pac 12 play, Oregon is just 1-2.

Oregon: The Ducks opened the season 3-0 but have lost two of three conference games, after falling 33-10 at home last Saturday to Washington State (Cougars are currently ranked 8th). New head coach Willie Taggart lost starting QB Sean Hebert (9 TDs and 2 INTs, while completing 68.3 %) early on in Oregon's 45-24 home win over Cal and on Sep. 30. Braxton Burmeister has stepped in to complete 57.1 percent of his passes for 149 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Burmeister enters this game with just 28 career pass attempts under his belt. The running game averages a healthy 239.3 YPG (20th) and the Ducks enter this contest averaging 43.0 PPG (11th). The defense has allowed just 338.3 YPG (29th) but allows 27.2 PPG, to rank 76th.

Stanford: There's a saying that goes when a team has two starting QBs, it often has none. Keller Chryst and K.J. Costello have combined for seven touchdown passes and two interceptions this season but Stanford averages only 188.3 YPG through the air (93rd). However, Stanford just may have the nation's best RB in Bryce Love, who leads the way with 1,240 yards (10.5 YPC) and nine TDs. As a team, Stanford ranks 14th in rushing yards at 260.0 YPG. The D allows 434.8 YPG (102nd) but somehow has held opponents to a modest 24.5 PPG (55th).

The pick: Burmeister was a highly-touted QB coming in and should be much better here, in his second start. That Stanford defense has given up way too many yards to keep opponents under 25 points. Let's remember that Oregon was the nation's highest-scoring team heading into last Saturday's home game against Washington State but true freshman Burmeister struggled in his first start, with Oregon getting hammered 33-10 by the Cougars 33-10. The usually supportive crowd at Autzen Stadium booed the Ducks, so being on the road this weekend may be a blessing. Oregon's rush D has been outstanding so far but that D hasn't seen the likes of Stanford's Love. These teams have scored 74 and 78 points in meetings the last two seasons and this over/number comes in way too low. Make the Over a 10* play.

The set-up: The Buffalo Sabres finished 33-37-12 last season, giving them 78 points. That left them 8th of eight team in the Atlantic Division and 17 points shy of the Eastern Conference's final playoff team. With six consecutive postseason absences, the Sabres fired GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma in the off-season, hoping to turn the team's fortunes around. Bylsma was unable to guide Buffalo back into the playoffs in his two seasons and was replaced by Phil Housley, the NHL's all-time second-leading scorer amongst American-born players. However, four losses in as many games (0-3-1), have turned up the frustration level. Thursday's 3-2 loss at San Jose on Thursday began Buffalo's four-game Western road trip, which tonight has them in LA to play the Kings. Los Angeles lost for the first time this season on Wednesday, 4-3 in overtime to Calgary in what was the opener of a four-game homestand (Kings are 2-0-1 to open the new season).

Buffalo: Jack Eichel was the 2015 Hobey Baker Award winner and was recently signed to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension. He set up both goals (has one goal & four assists on the season) by Jason Pominville (four goals & one assist for the season) in Thursday's 3-2 loss. "We've got to just figure a way to be sick of losing," Eichel told the Buffalo News after the loss to San Jose. "I know I'm sick of losing. There's a lot of guys that are sick of losing."

Los Angeles: Dustin Brown recorded his 15th career three-point performance (two goals, one assist) in the Kings' 4-3 OT loss on Wednesda and has five points (three goals & two assists) in his last two games. Captain Anze Kopitar recorded his second straight multi-point performance by scoring and setting up a goal versus Calgary and also has five points (three goals & two assists) in his last two games. Head coach John Stevens credited Kopitar and Brown's ability to work well together as reasoning for the fast start out of the gate. "Brown and Kopi (the two longest-tenured members of the Kings) have a long history of being good together. They’ve been great together all training camp," Stevens said.

The pick: Both clubs have had weak special teams play in the early going, as the Sabres have allowed a league-leading four shorthanded goals after allowing four all of last season, while the Kings are 0-for-16 on the power play, one of four NHL teams that has yet to score with the man-advantage. Kings goalkeeper Jonathan Quick hasn't faced the Buffalo Sabres very often since making his NHL debut against them nearly 10 years ago. However, Quick owns a 5-1-0 mark with three shutouts and a 1.22 goals-against average in his career versus Buffalo. His GAA vs. the Sabres is the lowest against any NHL team. Make the Kings an 8* play.

The set-up: The Chicago Blackhawks won Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and after massing a Western Conference-leading 109 points last season, were expected to make a strong run at the fourth title since 2010. However, Chicago's postseason hopes were extinguished in the first round as the Blackhawks were handed a stunning four-game sweep by the eighth-seeded Nashville Predators. Chicago (3-1-1) suffered its first regulation loss of the news season at the hands of Minnesota on Thursday (5-2) and will welcome the 2-2-0 Predators to the United Center for the first time since losing to them in last year's playoffs.

Nashville: The Predators opened the season with a pair of losses but have rebounded to win their last two (6-5 and 4-1) behind three goals and five assists from Filip Forsberg. Nashville features one of the top defenses in the league but could be shorthanded against Chicago. Captain Roman Josi sat out practice Friday due to a lower-body injury that has sidelined him for the past two games and Yannick Weber had to leave Thursday's loss after taking a shoulder to the head and is listed as day-to-day. Pekka Rinne started in net for both Predators' victories this week and is expected to earn the nod again vs. Chicago. Rinne is 2-1-0 with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage this season.

Chicago: Nick Schmaltz combined with linemates Patrick Kane and Ryan Hartman for 10 points in a 10-1 romp over Pittsburgh back on Oct. 6, before he suffered an upper-body injury in the next game versus Columbus. Schmaltz has missed the past three games but is expected to rejoin the lineup for Saturday's matchup. "He has a lot of speed and it makes the defense second-guess. ... It gives the guy with the puck more time with the puck. He's definitely a key part to our success," said Hartman. The Blackhawks lead the league with 23 goals.

The pick: There we be no lack of motivation for Chicago in this one (early-season game or not) and in particular, Chicago needs to re-establish its ability to score against Nashville (and Rinne). After all, in last year's 4-0 sweep at the hands of the Predators, Chicago managed just three goals and was shut out in both home games! The Preds come in 0-2-0 on the road so far, having allowed four goals in each loss. The Over is a 10* play in this one.

The set-up: The Ohio State Buckeyes are 5-1 (3-0 Big Ten) and ranked No. 9 in the latest AP poll as they head to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the 3-3 (2-1 Big Ten) Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Ohio State's season (meaning CFP hopes) took a huge hit with its 31-16 home loss to Oklahoma back on Sep. 9 but the Buckeyes have won four straight since, while averaging 52.5 PPG. Nebraska was within seven points of No. 7 Wisconsin entering the fourth quarter last week but dropped a 38-17 decision after winning its first two Big Ten contests. However, a non-conference loss at Oregon and a 21-17 non-conference home loss to Northern Illinois (as a 10 1/2-point favorite), leaves Nebarska at 3-3 and in danger of falling under .500 with a loss here.

Ohio State: J.T. Barrett under-performed against Oklahoma but has 13 TD passes without an INT (in 104 attempts), In Ohio State's current run. Dobbins (669 yards on 7.6 YPC and 4 TDs) has taken up the slack for Mike Weber, last year's 1,000-yard RB, who has not been healthy for much of 2017 (has 103 yards rushing the last two games, with four TDs). The offense has great balance, 320.3 YPG through the air (4th) and 247.7 YPG on the ground (18th), to average 45.8 PPG (4th). Urban Meyer teams always play D and this year's team is no exception, allowing 15.7 PPG (10th) on 290.7 YPG (14th).

Nebraska: Much was expected from Tulane transfer Tanner Lee but the QB has been a huge disappointment. He's completing only 54.0 percent and has almost as many INTs (10), as TD passes (11). Nebraska's ground game is averaging only 148.5 YPG (82nd) with Devine Ozigbo leading the way with a modest 327 yards. Defensively, Nebraska is allowing 26.7 PPG (73rd) and will get its sternest test, here.

The pick: Anyone doubting Barrett should be quiet now and as noted, his counterpart Lee, has been a fairly huge bust! With Nebraska relatively new to the Big Ten, the schools have met just five times, with Ohio State winning four of those meetings. Sure, Ohio State is a huge favorite on the road but since coming to Columbus, Meyer's teams are a remarkable 36-2 SU on the road, including 21-1 in conference road games. I'll 'live dangerously' and lay the points against an over-matched Nebraska team. Make Ohio State an 8* play.

The set-up: Dallas Keuchel had dominated the Yankees in the recent past and it was no different in Game 1 of the ALCS, as the lefty pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out 10. However, New York's Masahiro Tanaka, who was just 4-7 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 15 road starts in 2017 and 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA over four career regular season starts against Houston, didn't shy away from the big moment, either He gave the Yanks six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits. However, Houston was able to eke out a 2-1 win. Game 2 of the series is set for 4:05 ET, today.

The pitching matchup: Game 1 was a pitchers' duel and here in Game 2, the Yankees send out their ace, Luis Severino to face Houston's "big-time trade deadline addition," Justin Verlander. Severino was 14-6 (2.98 ERA) for the Yankees in 2017, after he went 3-8 overall with a 5.83 ERA over 22 appearances in 2016, including 11 starts (Yanks were 2-9). Talk about a turnaround! He make the 2017 All Star game while recording career bests in wins (14), WHIP (1.04), and strikeouts, finishing fourth-best among AL pitchers with 230 (allowed only 51 walks). Severino could only get one out in the wild card game against Minnesota (allowed three runs on two HRs) but he allowed three runs on four hits (again, two HRs) but struck out nine Indians over seven innings in his 7-3 Game 4 victory, which sent the series back to Cleveland for a Game 5 (I think you know how that turned out).

Verlander was 15-8 with a 3.36 ERA for Detroit and Houston in 2017 but his 15 wins don't tell the whole story. The former MVP and Cy Young winner was 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five starts with the Astros and in the postseason (one start and one relief stint, the ONLY one of his career), has picked up two wins (3.12 ERA). He has posted a 3.55 ERA in five career starts in the ALCS, including an eight-inning outing in which he allowed one run and struck out 10 in his last such outing against the Red Sox in 2013. Verlander has seen plenty of the Yankees in his career, going 8-7 with a 3.82 ERA over 22 career starts (team is 10-12).

The pick: Yes, we have two top-of-the-rotation starters in this one but Severino is still a question mark. He was by most metrics the third-best pitcher in the AL this season but he's just 23 years old and comes with a bit of volatility. Severino struggled in both of his starts against the Astros this season, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings on May 14 at Yankee Stadium, before surrendering six runs on nine hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in Houston on July 2. That figures to a 10.59 ERA. Remember, he's facing a Houston team which led MLB in scoring at 5.53 RPG, in team BA at .282 and in OPS at .823 while ranking second in HRs with 238 (Severino has allowed four HRs in seven-plus postseason innings). As for the Yanks, they were only team to hit more HRs (241) than Houston, which could give Verlander pause. I still don't understand manager Hinch's decision to use Verlander in relief in a Game 4 situation, with his team leading two games to one. Again, Verlander had NEVER made a relief appearance in his career. Is that enough to :"throw him off?" I can't be sure (how could anyone be?) but the bet says this will not a replay of Game 1's pitchers' duel. Make the Over a 10* play.

The set-up: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns will meet Saturday at the Cotton Bowl on ESPN for the latest edition of the Red River Rivalry. The Sooners will 'limp in' off yet another shocking early-to-mid-season loss. "Big Game Bob" may be gone, but Oklahoma's penchant for losing games that it should win, is still "alive and well." Oklahoma climbed as high as No. 2 in the rankings after beating Ohio State on the road Sep. 9, but the Sooners have struggled in three games since, winning the first two (1-1 ATS) before last week's 'ugly' 38-31 loss to Iowa State in Norman, where Oklahoma closed as a 31-point favorite. It marks the SEVENTH consecutive season in which the Sooners have lost as a double-digit favorite. Tom Herman became a star in two years at Houston and was a 'natural' for the Texas job. The Longhorns opened the season ranked in the AP's preseason poll but promptly lost at home 51-41 to Maryland, as an 18-point favorite. However, the Longhorns have rebounded well, going 3-1 since, with their only loss being a 27-24 double-OT defeat at USC. Texas holds a 61-45-5 lead in the series, which began in 1900 and has been played at the Texas State Fair annually since 1929. Herman and Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley will be making their head coaching debuts in the Red River Showdown, marking the first time since 1947, when Blair Cherry's Longhorns beat Bud Wilkinson's Sooners, 34-14, that the rivalry has featured new coaches on both sidelines.

Oklahoma: QB Baker Mayfield completed 70.9% last season with 40 TDs and eight INTs. He's been just as good so far in 2017 (better?), completing 74.6% with 15 TDs and not a single INT in 134 pass attempts. Oklahoma ranks fifth in passing yards (3984.4 per) and secnd in total offense (587.0 YPG), while scoring 44.6 PPG (6th). The defense has been adequate, allowing 23.2 PPG (46th) on 356.0 YPG (44th). However, that's after allowing an average of 486 yards and 39.5 points over its last two games against Baylor and Iowa State? For Lincoln Riley (Stoops' replacement), this game will be HUGE. "I think in the past after a tough loss -- we haven't had many around here -- but when we've had them, we've been able to respond regardless of who we've played," Riley said. "I would hope that we have enough pride -- and I feel we do have enough pride as a team -- that we'd be motivated to go play Norman Junior High this week."

Texas: It won't be Norman Junior High this week for Riley and Oklahoma but rather Texas. You can assured that Tom Herman knows what this game means. What happens here, could set the tone for the remainder of the Longhorns' season. Herman has been coy about who his starting QB will be after sophomore starter Shane Buechele missed the Kansas State victory with a sprained ankle, with freshman Sam Ehlinger passing for 380 yards and two TDs, while also rushing for 107 more Saturday. Buechele is a good QB but many think Ehlinger has proven to be much more than valuable backup. The Texas defense has "picked itself up" after that embarrassing opening 51-41 loss to Maryland, allowing just 17.0 PPG the last four games (down to 23.8 PPG on the season).

The pick: Oklahoma lost another game as a double-digit favorite, so what else is new? However, here's a stat one can't ignore. The Sooners haven't lost back-to-back regular-season games since 1999, Bob Stoops' first season in Norman (that's a long time!). Oklahoma has scored at least 30 points in a school-record 15 consecutive games and go back and check out Mayfield's numbers this season (see above). The Sooners will be tough to keep off the scoreboard in this one but I also believe the Longhorns offense will "come to play." Make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: The 4-1 Michigan Wolverines lost at home to Michigan State last Saturday, falling from 7th in the AP poll to 17th. Jim Harbaugh is now just 1-4 SU vs. key Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, something the Michigan faithful are clearly not happy about. The Wolverines look to bounce back this Saturday with a 12 noon ET kickoff in Bloomington, with the 3-2 Indiana Hoosiers (0-2 in Big Ten play) welcoming Michigan to town for the school's Homecoming game. No one will be surprised to learn that Michigan leads the series 56-9 or even that the Hoosiers have lost 35 of their last 36 meetings with the Wolverines, including 21 straight.

Michigan: Wilton Speight won the QB battle against John O'Koren but was hardly establishing himself as the clear choice as Michigan's No. 1 QB. However, a season-ending injury to Speight at Purdue on Sep. 23 (back fractures), ended any debate. O'Korn played well enough at Purdue, completing 18 of 26 for 270 yards with one TD and one INT, as Michigan won 28-14. It's true that Michigan's offense wasn't exactly lighting things up with Speight on the field but the Wolverines couldn't get anything going at all last week with O'Korn leading the way, scoring just 10 points, going 5-17 on third down and turning the ball over five times. O'Korn was 16 of 35 for 198 yards without a TD and threw three INTs. It didn't help Speight and it won't help O'Korn that Michigan's running game is only mediocre, averaging 167.8 YPG (62nd). Last year's team averaged 213 per! Defensively, despite losing 10 of 11 starters from last year's unit, Michigan ranks first in total D (213.0 YPG) and just 13.6 PPG, which ranks 7th.

Indiana: The Hoosiers opened their season in an August 31 game at home against Ohio State (lost 49-21) but have won three of four since. However, that loss came 45-14 at Penn State on Sep. 30. Indiana's 34-17 at Virginia looks good (Cavs are 4-1) but the team's other two wins mean little, besting Georgia Southern and Charleston Southern in Bloomington. Richard Lagow began the year as Indiana's starting QB and threw for 410 against Ohio State but redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey replaced him the following game after Lagow struggled. Ramsey led Indiana to that 34-17 win while completing 16 of 20 for 173 yards with two TDs and zero INTs. After Indiana was embarrassed at Penn State, Ramsey was given his first career start last Saturday. Sure, it was only against Charleston Southern, but he threw for 321 yards and two TDs. He also added 54 rushing yards and a third TD. Another freshman, WR Taysir Mack hauled in a career-high seven receptions for 111 yards and a pair of TDs to become the first Indiana freshman to surpass 100 receiving yards in a game since Tandon Doss achieved the feat in 2008. Indiana's defense allowed 27.2 PPG in 2016, after six consecutive seasons of allowing 30-plus PPG. It's improved on that again so far in 2017, allowing 25.6 PPG (59th).

The pick: The Hoosiers' last win over Michigan was 30 years ago in Bloomington and Indiana won't end its 21-game long streak to Michigan here. However, should one "take the points?" Maybe, if Michigan had not lost last Saturday to Michigan State. This is just wrong time, wrong place for Indiana and losses of 49-21 and 45-14 against Penn State loom here as a reminder as to why to NOT take the points. Make Michigan an 8* play.

The set-up: The Washington State Cougars are 6-0 (3-0 in the Pac 12) for the first time since 2001. The Cougars moved into the AP's top-10 (at No. 8) after winning 33-10 at Oregon last Saturday. The Cal Golden Bears welcome the Cougars to Memorial Stadium on Friday night, off a 38-7 loss at current No. 7 Washington last Saturday in Seattle. Cal sits 3-3 overall but 0-3 in Pac 12 play.

Washington State. Mike Leach suffered through two 3-9 seasons in his first three years at Cal but came into 2017 off back-to-back 9-4 and 8-5 records the last two seasons. He's got an outstanding QB in Luke Falk, who likely isn't getting getting enough Heisman hype. Falk is completing 71.8 percent with 19 TDs and just two INTs, while climbing up the leader boards for career marks in both the Pac 12 and among all FBS schools. All this, despite getting much help from a running game that averages 96.8 YPG (123rd). Still, WSU is averaging 39.7 PPG (20th) on 474.7 YPG (23rd). A huge improvement has come on the defensive side of the ball. Leach's last two teams held opponents to 27.7 and 26.4 PPG, respectively, after his first three teams in Pullman allowed 33.7, 32.5 and 38.6 PPG. Here in 2017, Wazzu is holding opponents to just 18.5 PPG (23rd) on 276.2 YPG (11th). Now that's an improvement!

California: Cal opened 3-0 in non-conference play but has lost Pac 12 games 30-20 to USC, 45-24 at Oregon and 38-7 at Washington, a game in which the Bears were held to 93 yards of total offense. After averaging 37.1 PPG last season, Cal is averaging just 24.3 PPG (96th) in 2017. However, while Cal allowed 42.6 PPG in 2016, the Bears have held opponents to 29.8 PPG in 2017 (ranks 89th but that's almost two TDs per game less!).

The pick: Cal's been outscored by an average of 20.7 PPG in its 0-3 Pac 12 start and as first-year head coach Justin Wilcox put it, “We just, across the board, have got to be better. It’s hard right now. We’re sitting at 3-3, we’ve lost three in a row, we haven’t played well enough. We’ve got to be better.” While the Bears’ offense is in disarray, the defense continues to show steady improvement. I'll note that Leach's team is 16-7 ATS a visitor since 2013 but only 2-3 ATS as a road favorite in that span. Here, the Cougars are favored by about two TDs. That's too much. Make Cal a 10* play.

The set-up: The Colorado Avalanche have opened 3-1-0 and look to continue that strong start on Friday when they host the 2-1-1 Anaheim Ducks at the Pepsi Center. However, the Avs are well aware that they also won three of their first four games in 2016-17, before they imploded and finished with an NFL-worst 48 points on the season (fewest points of any NHL team in the salary cap era). Colorado enters this contest off a home-and-home sweep of the Bruins (won 6-3 at home Wednesday, after winning 4-0 Monday in Boston), while the Ducks will play on the road for the first time this season, after concluding a 2-1-1 homestand with a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

Anaheim: Patrick Eaves returned from a three-game absence due to a lower-body injury (was inserted on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry) and chipped in a goal.
to score the eventual game-winning goal for the Ducks against the Isles. Andrew Cogliano scored and set up a goal against the Islanders to increase his point total to five (two goals, three assists). Rickard Rakell has seen a significant uptick in ice time this season with his move to that of a full-time center, as he's averaging 22 minutes compared to 17-plus in 2016-17.

Colorado:The Avalanche are right where they were a year ago after four games but are feeling confident and not looking backwards regarding last season's 'nightmare.' There is a different feel to this start as opposed to last season's and that's experience. The Avalanche remember how things went sideways in November, when they went from a .500 team to last in the NHL. They feel they have learned from last season, and they have improved. Nail Yakupov scored three goals in Colorado's home-and-home sweep of Boston, while Matt Duchene collected three points (one goal, two assists). Jonathan Bernier will be in goal and ready to face his former team. He stepped up last season for the Ducks in lieu of injuries to John Gibson and posted a 21-7-4 mark and recorded at least a point in 14 of his last 15 starts, going 12-1-2.

The pick: The Ducks may get to face an Avalanche team without one of their young stars. Tyson Jost didn't practice Thursday after getting checked into the boards in the second period against Boston. He was helped off with a left knee injury but returned and scored an empty-net goal to secure the win. Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters that he was unsure if the rookie would play versus the Ducks. Anaheim, like most teams, had plenty of success against Colorado last season, winning all three meetings on its way to the Western Conference finals. Yes, this is the Ducks' its first road game but I'm far from ready to 'buy in' on the Avalanche team. Let's not forget that the Avs finished the 2016-17 season last in the league in goals per game (2.01), goals allowed (3.37), power-play efficiency (12.6) and second to last on the penalty kill (77.3). Make Anaheim an 8* play.

The set-up: The Houston Astros owned the AL's best record for most of the season but Cleveland's 33-4 finish allowed the Indians to edge out the Astros for the AL's No. 1 seed, 102 wins to 101. That meant the Astros expected to have to get past the Indians in the ALCS with Cleveland owning the home field edge. However, a funny thing happened on the way to that expected showdown, as Cleveland collapsed after taking a 2-0 lead over the Yankees. New York's pitching silenced Cleveland's lineup, allowing just six runs in winning Games 3, 4 and 5. So instead of a Houston/Cleveland showdown, it's Yankees/Astros, as MLB's best offense (Astros led MLB in scoring at 5.53 RPG, in team BA at .282 and in OPS at .823 while ranking second in HRs with 238), face the only team to hit more HRs in the regular season than the Astros (Yanks hit 241).

The pitching matchup: Masahiro Tanaka(1-0 & 0.00 ERA) will start for the Yankees and Dallas Keuchel (1-0 & 1.59 ERA) for the Astros. Both were sharp in their lone ALDS outings but on the season, Tanaka was 13-12 with a 4.74 ERA and Keuchel,14-5 with a 2.90 ERA. Tanaka pitched the Yankees to a 1-0 win over the Indians in Game 3 by working seven shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Tanaka also twirled seven shutout frames in his last start of the regular season, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0. However, those excellent two outings don't tell the whole story. While Tanaka was 9-5 with a 3.22 ERA over 15 regular-season home starts, he is 4-7 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 15 road starts in 2017 (Yanks were 6-9). What's more, he is 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA over four career regular season starts against Houston (Yanks are 1-3). In contrast, the Astros were 16-7 in Keuchel's regular season starts and here in Houston, he owns a 2.21 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 12 home starts, including his Game 2 win in the ALDS. It sure doesn't hurt Keuchel's or Houston's confidence that he's also 4-2 with a 1.41 ERA over six career starts against the Yankees in the regular season plus owns a wild card win over them in 2015 (5-2 & 1.24 ERA, overall).

The pick: Is it good news or bad new that the Yanks got past Cleveland while rookie sensation Aaron Judge went 1 of 20 in the ALDS, striking out an incredible 16 times? It's probably good news that of the nine Yankees to record double-digit at-bats in the ALDS, only four were in the lineup against Keuchel two postseasons ago, when he beat them 3-0 in a wild card game at Yankee Stadium (6 IP / 3 hits and a 7-0 KW ratio). The Yankees dropped to 41-43 on the road this season by losing two of three in Cleveland in the ALDS and with Tanaka's road woes this season (reminder, above), can hardly be trusted here against Keuchel (see above) and a Houston team which is now 50-33 at home on the season. Tanaka was out-dueled by Keuchel in that 2015 wild card game (Yanks are 1-4 in Tanaka's five all-time starts vs. the Astros) and don't expect a different result, here. Make the Astros a 10* play.

The set-up: The Buffalo Sabres and the San Jose Sharks meet tonight at the SAP Center in San Jose, with both clubs looking for their first win of the new season. The Sabres are 0-2-1 and the Sharks, 0-2-0. Interestingly, while the Sharks have been the way more successful team in recent years, the Sharks' 4-1 win back on March 14th of last season, halted the Sabres' five-game winning streak in San Jose and a 10-0-1 Buffalo run overall in the series. That said, neither team is thinking too much about series history at this point, as both clubs just need that first win!

Buffalo: The Sabres Buffalo are 'licking their wounds' after being shredded for 12 goals in the team's last two defeats. Buffalo opens a four-game road trip in San Jose tonight, which includes three games in California plus the team's first visit to Las Vegas. "Yeah, I know it's only three games, but it's six points," defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen said. "At the end of the year the schedule might be tough and you need every point so right now the good thing is, it's on this tough road trip against really, really good teams." New coach Phil Housley juggled his lines at Tuesday's practice, elevating Zemgus Girgensons to the top line while inserting Evander Kane alongside Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo. "You change the lines to try to get other guys going or maybe there's some chemistry that you're looking for," Housley said. They could change tomorrow, but we thought we would try these combinations moving forward."

San Jose: San Jose coach Pete DeBoer also has tinkered with both his lines and power-play units during practice this week and might have a new face on the blue line. Defenseman Paul Martin exited Tuesday's practice after 10 minutes, possibly opened the door for Swedish rookie Tim Heed to play in his second career game. “Had a great year last year, arguably the best defenseman in the (AHL),” DeBoer said. He’s going to play some games and get an opportunity." It will be hard for San Jose to earn a win, if goalie Martin Jones doesn't improve his play. He currently owns a 5.17 GAA and an .864 SP.

The pick: Evander Kane has produced consecutive two-goal games for Buffalo, after scoring a team-high 28 goals in 70 games last season. Jack Eichel had 24 goals last year and has one in three games this season. However, the Sabres are not generating offense from other veterans, as Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson have combined for one assist and are a minus-12. “When you’re sitting two losses with no points in the standings, it stirs you up and makes you hungry to go get a ‘W’ and makes you want to come fired up for Thursday,” San Jose center Chris Tierney said. San Jose hasn't started a season with three straight losses since 1993-94, when it went dropped four straight en route to a nine-game winless stretch that included one tie. That was then and this is now. Buffalo's 78 points left them 8th in the Atlantic Division, while San Jose earned 99 points in finishing 3rd in the Pacific. While the Sabres went just 13-22-6 on the road last season, San Jose was an impressive 26-1-4 at SAP Center. San Jose goalie Jones has started poorly but he is 2-1-1 with a 2.22 GAA against the Sabres. Make the Sharks an 8* play.

The set-up: The Philadelphia Eagles opened the 2016 season 3-0 in September, behind rookie QB Carson Wentz. However, Wentz and his team cooled off fairly quickly, losing nine of their next 11 games, before ending the season with back-to-back wins in Weeks 16 and 17 to finish 7-9. The Eagles are at it again in 2017, opening 4-1 and the question is, is this real or is it Memorex? We may get our answer Thursday night, when the Eagles travel to Bank of America Stadium to take on the 4-1 Carolina Panthers. The Panthers were 15-1 in 2015 and made it all the way to the Super Bowl but fell from first to last in the NFC South in 2016, going 6-10. However, this year's team and particularly QB Cam Newton, are beginning to look much more like the 2015 team than last year's sad-sack unit. Again, we may just learn something about the Panthers here on Thursday night, as well.

Philadelphia: Wentz continues to make converts of the non-believers, as he's leading an offense averaging 27.4 PPG (7th). He's completing 62.1% with 10 TDs and just three INTs (97.7 QB rating), while the Eagles rank 8th in passing (259.0 YPG). RB LeGarrette Blount is starting to make an impact (323 yards rushing) and the Eagles' 138.8 YPG on the ground ranks 5th. The defense is allowing 19.8 PPG (13th) and excels in stopping opponents' ground game, allowing just 62.8 YPG (2nd-best). The problem against Carolina and Newton may be, that Philly's pass D allows 283.2 YPG, which ranks 29th of 32 teams.

Carolina: The Panthers opened 2-0 but were hardly impressive in doing so, beating the sad-sack 49ers 23-3 and the Bills 9-3. When Carolina lost 34-13 at home to the then 0-2 Saints 34-13 in Week 3, with Newton passing for just 167 yards and throwing three INTs (QB rating of 43.8), critics were everywhere. However, what a difference a couple of weeks can make. Newton led the Panthers to a 33-30 win at New England in Week 5 and then at Detroit last Sunday, 27-24. He's earned QB ratings of 130.8 and 141.8, while throwing for 671 yards and six TDs (just one INT in 61 attempts). He has a trio of quality receivers in Kelvin Benjamin, Ed Dickson and Devin Funchess (not to mention rookie RB Christian McCaffrey's 27 catches) but Carolina's ground game needs to improve (its 98.6 YPG ranks only 19th). Defensively, Carolina is allowing only 274.0 YPG (3rd) and just 18.8 PPG (9th), down from 25.1 PPG in 2016.

The pick: All but four of last week's 14 games were decided by six points or fewer but Philadelphia was one of the exceptions, routing the Cardinals 34-7. Philly fans are clearly riding high but while the Eagles' bandwagon is becoming crowded let's insert here that Philly's current three-game win streak has come over the Giants, Chargers and Cardinals, who are a combined 2-13 SU. Then again, here's the other side of that. The Eagles only loss of the 2017 season is 27-20 at the Chiefs, who are 5-0 SU and ATS. Love what Newton's done the last two weeks but the Panthers are 0-2 ATS at home in 2017 (averaging just 11.0 PPG), after going 3-5 ATS at home in 2016. I'm taking the points and making the Eagles an 8* play.

The set-up: The Minnesota Wild are in search of their first win to the new season tonight in Chicago, after opening 0-1-1. With Zach Parise (undisclosed) and Mikael Granlund (groin) sidelined, head coach Bruce Boudreau admitted he'll likely shuffle the deck for this visit to the Central Division rival Blackhawks. Chicago has opened 3-0-1, while erupting for 21 goals in the team's four contests (10-1 home win over the Penguins last Thursday accounted for almost half of those goals).

Minnesota: The Wild have traditionally been one of the stingiest teams in the league but Minnesota has allowed eight goals through two games (nine, if one counts the 5-4 shootout loss). Chris Stewart has scored in both contests this season and added an assist to catch the eye of Boudreau. "On the goals, he's done a great job. He's got a very good offensive IQ, he always has. That's never been Chris Stewart's problem," Boudreau said. "We're hoping his start continues, it's a good start for him, it certainly is something that's added that you're not really counting on but he is scoring the goals." Forward Marcus Foligno has been elevated from the third to the top line in lieu of injuries to Parise and Granlund. Devan Dubnyk is coming off a strong season and will be in net, as Minnesota hasn't played since Saturday. He is 99-55-13 with a 2.18 goals-against average and .924 save percentage with Minnesota. In his 20 career games against the Blackhawks, he is 10-7-0 with a 3.06 GAA and a .909 save percentage.

Chicago: The Blackhawks are coming off a 3-1 road win at Montreal on Tuesday, with Jonathan Toews setting up Brandon Saad's team-leading fifth tally. Saad's seven points are just one better than both Patrick Kane and Richard Panik. Goalie Corey Crawford turned aside 41 of 42 shots against the Canadiens on Tuesday, improving to 3-0-0 while keeping his goals-against average at 1.00 (his save percentage is a robust .971!) Crawford won three of four meetings with Minnesota last season and boasts a 10-8-2 career mark versus the Wild (2.48 GAA and a .920 save percentage) and is expected to be in goal for this one.

The pick: At the moment, the Blackhawks are playing way better than the Wild plus Crawford (1.00 GAA & .971 SP) is playing way better than Dubynk (4.12 GAA & .871 SP). What's not to like about the Blackhawks? Make Chicago a 10* play.

The set-up: The Nationals have yet to reach the NLCS, getting eliminated in the NLDS in each of their previous three postseason appearances (2012, 2014 and 2016) since moving to Washington, twice losing in a deciding Game 5 (2012 & 2016). Here again in 2017, with a little help from the weather, the Washington Nationals have forced a winner-take-all matchup Game 5 against the defending champion Chicago Cubs. Game 4 was scheduled for Tuesday with Chicago owning a 2-1 lead but rain forced the game to be rescheduled until Wednesday. That gave the Nats the option of replacing Game 4 starter Tanner Roark, with Stephen Strasburg. Starsburg initially said he was "under the weather," leaving the Nats to say Roark would go in the rescheduled game but Starsburg "got better" or ":had a change of heart," and took the mound. He was brilliant, allowing just three hits over seven scoreless innings to lead the Washington to a 5-0 win over the Cubs (Taylor's grand slam in the 8th, 'shut the door!'). Strasburg had 12 Ks and became just the third pitcher ever to register double-digit strikeouts twice is a single playoff series, joining Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax. Game 5 is now set for 8:05 ET tonight in Washington.

The pitching matchup: Kyle Hendricks takes the mound for Chicago (was the Cubs' Game 1 starter) and Dusty Baker has decided to go with Gio Gonzalez, Washington's Game 2 starter (on full rest, after the rain out). Hendricks out-dueled Strasburg in Game 1, allowing two hits and three walks while registering six strikeouts over seven scoreless innings, as the Cubs won 3-0. This marks the third straight start in a series clincher for the 27-year-old Hendricks. He started Game 6 of last year’s NLCS against the Dodgers and Game 7 of the World Series versus Cleveland (Cubs won both times). He is 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA in eight postseason starts. Baker has passed on Roark in this Game 5, who has not started since Sep. 27 and gave up eight runs in 5 2/3 innings over his last two regular-season appearances (one start). Gonzalez allowed three runs on three hits over five innings in Game 2 (also six Ks and two walks), as the Nationals got him off the hook with a five-run 8th-inning rally.

The pick: Gonzalez was a career-best 21-8 (2.89 ERA) for the Nats back in 2012 but over the next four seasons, would go just 43-37. His 4.57 ERA in 2016 was his highest since his first full season in the majors (2009 with the A's). However, he had an excellent bounce-back season in 2017, going 15-9 with a 2.96 ERA. Then again, he hasn't pitched more than five innings over his last five starts, including his Game 2 start in this series. In that span, he's allowed 19 ERs on 25 hits over 26 1/3 innings for a 6.49 ERA. It's hard to trust the Nats in any deciding game situation and Gonzalez doesn't exactly come in "on a roll." The feeling here is that these two very talented lineups have underachieved all series. In the case of the Nats, they'vs scored nine of their 12 runs in the series in the eighth inning, on a a two-run HR, a three-run HR and a grand slam. As for the Cubs, they've only scored eight runs in the series's four games, somehow managing to extend it to five games. The bet here says, both lineups 'catch fire' in Game 5. Make the Over a 10* play.

The set-up: The Sun Belt Conference takes 'center stage' for a second straight night, as the Texas State Bobcats go on the road to face the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns in a Thursday night matchup on ESPNU (South Alabama played at Troy Wednesday night on ESPN2). Texas State is 1-5 (0-2 in SBC play) and ULL is 2-3 (1-1 in SBC play). Texas State is off 3-9 and 2-10 season, so a 1-5 start is no surprise. ULL went 6-6 in the 2016 regular season, then lost 28-21 in the New Orleans Bowl. BTW, ULL has played in the New Orleans Bowl five times since 2011, winning four in a row before last year's loss (ULL went 4-8 in 2015).

Texas State: The Bobcats won their 2017 opener 20-11 over Houston Baptist but have lost five in a row since, failing to cover the last three. Texas State lost 45-27 to visiting UL-Monroe in its last game, allowing 589 overall yards, including 433 through the air. The Bobcats scored 20 points in the first quarter but just seven points the rest of the way. The team's offense has been awful, scoring only 14.5 PPG (125th) on 300.7 YPG (124th). The defense has collapsed the last three games, allowing 44, 45 and 45 points. It comes in allowing 33.7 PPG on the season (106th), on 410.8 YPG (87th).

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin’ Cajuns won 21-16 as a six point road underdog last Saturday at Idaho, the team's first ATS win of the season. ULL averages 37.0 PPG (29th) on 418.2 YPG (60th) but the team's defense is a mess, allowing 46.2 PPG (129th) on 506.6 YPG (125th). These defense numbers are this bad despite the fact that ULL held Idaho to just 16 points on 279 yards last Saturday.

The pick: As I continue point out, I've consistently won in 2017 by going under high totals. That's not exactly the case here but like with Idaho, the Texas State offense (averaging only 14.5 PPG) is one ULL's defense can handle. I'm making the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: The Anaheim Ducks finished with a Western Conference-best 29-8-4 record at home last season. However, the Ducks have dropped two straight at Honda Center, including a 2-0 loss to Calgary on Monday, which had lost an NHL-record 25 consecutive games in Anaheim. The 1-1-1 Ducks will now conclude a season-opening four-game homestand against the 1-1-1 New York Islanders, who come in having won the last four meetings between the two clubs. The Islanders managed to snag a point in a shootout loss to St. Louis on Monday, forging a tie with a pair of goals in the final seven minutes of regulation. New York has won its last three visits to the Honda Center, including a 14-round shootout in November that set a record for the longest in franchise history.

NY Islanders: Captain John Tavares scored twice versus Buffalo on Saturday and is one goal shy of tying Bob Bourne (538) for seventh place on the team's all-time list. He can be a free agent after this season but GM Garth Snow told the media that he felt "excellent" about the current state of negotiations. “I’ve said it all along, we drafted John at 18, and we think the world of him,” Snow said, per the New York Post. “We want him to retire an Islander. He’s a first-class person and a first-class player.” The team heads west feeling much better about goalie Thomas Greiss, who was pulled from a season-opening loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets but finished with 33 saves against the Blues in Monday's 3-2 shootout loss. However, Halak is expected to be in net, tonight

Anaheim: The Ducks' lineup has been riddled by injuries but center Ryan Getzlaf made his season debut in Monday's 2-0 loss to Calgary. He was given 22 minutes, 14 seconds of ice time, giving him a chance to play his way back into shape. However, Getzlaf's return was tempered by another injury, this one to forward Ondrej Kase (upper body).

The pick: The Ducks were given the luxury of opening the new season with four straight home games and six out of seven at The Pond," overall. The team hasn't taken advantage of that so far but considering the team's 29-8-4 record at home last season, doesn't that figure to change? I expect Anaheim to play well but Gibson has not been sharp so far in goal (3.05 GAA), so the play is an 8* on the Over.

The set-up: The Colorado Avalanche finished the 2016-17 season with the fewest points (48) of any NHL team in the salary cap era but have to be happy about their 2-1-0 start to the new season. That includes a 4-0 win over the Bruins on Monday and tonight at home, the Avalanche will have a chance to complete a two-game season sweep of the 1-1-0 Boston Bruins in the back end of a home-and-home series at the Pepsi Center. The Bruins opened their season with a 4-3 home win over the Nashville Predators, who lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to Pittsburgh last season, but then had 'nothing' in Monday's 4-0 loss to the Avs.

Boston: The Bruins will again be without two-way center Patrice Bergeron (lower body), who has now been sidelined for the first three games of the season for the second straight year. "I don't know if it 'got worse' is the right way to put it. It just hasn't, I guess, responded well to treatment is probably a better way to put it," head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters on Tuesday. Fellow forward David Backes (diverticulitis) will also sit out on Wednesday. The Bruins' lack of depth at the forward position prompted some roster shuffling. They called up Danton Heinen from Providence and signed journeyman Ryan White to a professional tryout agreement. Both players are with the team on this trip.

Colorado: The Avalanche may be 2-1-0 but the etam hasn't lacked for some drama. Center Matt Duchene was expected to be traded in the off-season and reported for training camp a month ago and said he was doing so only to honor his contract and teammates. He has a goal and three overall points so far bu former Colorado star and Hockey Hall of Fame member Peter Forsberg told Swedish TV on Saturday the Avalanche should bench Duchene and trade him. In other "news," the Avs were hoping that Nail Yakupov could give their ailing offense a lift and signed the former No. 1 overall pick to a one-year deal in the of-season. He had three goals and nine points in 40 games for St. Louis but had a two-goal performance versus Boston to pull even with Duchene for the team lead in points (three). Goalie Semyon Varlamov is looking no worse for wear after undergoing double hip surgery in January, as he turned aside 37 shots in a season-opening win over the New York Rangers and all 29 he faced in Monday's 2-0 victory over Boston. "It's a good start for me. I didn't play for a long time," said the 29-year-old Russian, who boasts a 1.00 goals-against average and .971 save percentage.

The pick: Neither club is faring well on the power play, as the Bruins are just 1-for-9 with the man advantage while the Avalanche are 1-for-12. Colorado has allowed six goals this season but none at even strength! Boston played reasonably well on the road last season (21-14-6) and I'm not yet 'buying in' to Colorado being all that improved, after just three games. Let's not forget that the Avs finished the 2016-17 season last in the league in goals per game (2.01), goals allowed (3.37), power-play efficiency (12.6) and second to last on the penalty kill (77.3). Make Boston a 10* play.

The set-up: The Troy Trojans are coming off 10-3 season (including a 28-23 bowl win over Ohio) with 14 returning starters, including eight on offense. Troy lost its season opener 24-13 at Boise State but has since won four in a row, including the team's "historic 24-21 win at LSU on Sep. 30 as about a three-TD underdog (that win ended LSU's 49-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents). Troy did not play last Saturday and now hosts South Alabama in this Wednesday game. The Jags also went 'bowling' last year, although the team was just 6-6, before getting routed in the Arizona Bowl 45-21 by Air Force to finish 6-7. Preseason predictions had the Jags possibly getting back to another bowl game but the Jags are just 1-4, with the team's lone win coming 45-0 over Alabama A&M.

South Alabama: Like Troy, South Alabama was off the first Saturday in October and last played at La. Tech on Sep. 30, losing 34-16. USA only trailed 17-16 after three quarters but the Bulldogs took control with a 17-0 fourth quarter run to finish the game. South Alabama was out-gained 479-333 and gave the ball away twice while committing seven penalties. The offense has not done much, averaging 22.6 PPG (200th) on 329.0 YPG (113th). The good news is that the Jags' starting QB, Cole Garvin, returned from an injury vs. La Tech,. He was just 21 of 45 for 235 yards with one TD and two INTs but he now has a game under his belt plus has had the first 10 days of October to practice. RB Xavier Johnson gives his some 'cover,' as he's run for 345 yards on 6.1 YPC (4 TDs). The defense is hardly much of a 'stop unit' though, allowing 30.8 PPG (91st) on 421.2 YPG (86th).

Troy: The Trojans need to 'come down' from that LSU shocker and the good news is, the team has had a 10-day break since that Sep. 30 win. The Trojans are looking to win for a fifth straight time and enter having gone 7-1 SU at home since the start of the 2016 season. QB Brandon Silvers had 22 TD passes last season in leading Troy to an average of 33.7 PPG but after five games of the 2017 season, he has just two TD passes and while the Trojans are averaging 431.2 YPG (49th), they are scoring just 24.0 PPG (99th). Defense has been the key, as Troy is allowing only 18.6 PPG (24th) on 344.6 YPG (32nd)

The pick: Sure, Troy has had some extra time off to "take in" its thrilling upset of LSU in "Death Valley" but while I noted earlier that Troy comes in on a 7-1 SU run at home since the beginning of the 2016 season, I'll add here that the Trojans are just 2-6 ATS in those games. In fact, while Troy checks in at 14-4 SU since the start of 2016, it is also a money-burning 4-10 ATS when favored in that span, including 0-3 so far in 2017. Make that 0-4 in 2017 as a favorite! Take the points and make South Alabama a 10* play.

The set-up: The Cleveland Indians had a 22-game winning streak while finishing the regular season with 33 wins in their last 37 games. They then took a two-games-to-none lead over the Yankees in their ALDS matchup. However, the Yankees returned to the Bronx and won 1-0 and 7-3 and now, all of a sudden, the Indians are in a "winner-take-all" Game 5 to advance to an ALCS matchup with the Houston Astros. The Cleveland Indians can't lose three in a row, roght? After all, they haven't lost three games in a row since July 30-Aug. 1 but then, it had been almost seven weeks between back-to-back setbacks before they dropped Games 3 and 4 of the ALDS to these pesky Yankees.

The pitching matchup: Game 5 will be a "re-hook" of Game 5, as CC Sabathia squares off against Corey Kluber in a battle of former Cy Young Award winners. Sabathia began his career with the Indians (first 7 1/2 years) and many argued that he was pulled too early in Game 2. Girardi lifted Sabathia after 77 pitches and 5 1/3 innings,when he had retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced. He left with a five-run lead before watching the bullpen let him down. Sabathia is 9-5 with a 4.47 ERA in 20 career postseason appearances and 4-3 with 3.63 ERA in 12 career appearances against the Indians (teams are 5-7). Most feel as if Kluber is the AL favorite to win another Cy Young in 2017 but he sure didn't "look the part" in Game 2. Kluber suffered through his worst start of the season in Game 2, serving up six runs on seven hits (including two HRs) in just 2 2/3 innings. However, he was let off the hook when Cleveland stormed back for a 9-8 win in 13 innings. Despite that horrific outing, Kluber is 5-1 with a 2.90 ERA in eight career starts vs. New York (team is 6-2).

The pick: Both managers have faced criticism this series and the one who walks away with a loss in Game 5, will likely be 'roasted' (Girardi could lose his job0. Much was made of Fraancona using Bauer on three days' rest in Game 4 but Francona's plan all along was to have his ace, on normal rest, e avaailable bfor a possible Game 5 (the case here!). "It's hard to imagine giving it to somebody better," Francona told reporters of starting Kluber. "We tried to set up for a five-game series with plans, contingency plans, and pretty much everything is -- there's been a lot of things happen, and we go to Game 5, we're at home, and we have Kluber. It will be -- we're looking forward to it." The home team has won all four games so far and nothing changes here. Make the Indians an 8* play.

The set-up: The Nashville Predators didn't make much noise in the regular season last year but then opened the playoffs with an improbable four-game sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Western Conference points leader. Nashville then beat St. Louis and Anaheim in six-games series, before giving the Pittsburgh Penguins all they wanted in the Stanley Cup finals. That series was tied two-all, before the defending champs made it back-to-back Stanley Cup tiles with 6-0 and 2-0 wins to close out the Preds. Nashville opened the current season with visits to Boston and Pittsburgh and things have not gone well, with the Predators getting outscored 8-3 and never owning a lead. Meanwhile, the Flyers missed the playoffs last season but have opened 2-1 this season, despite beginning the year with four straight road games. Philly's road trip ends here, with this visit to Nashville.
Philadelphia: The Flyers have missed the playoffs in three of the last five years and haven't advanced past the first round of the postseason since 2012. The Flyers have been looking for an elite goaltender for years (the club was tied for 26th in save percentage at .901 last season) and they are hoping Brian Elliott is the answer. Elliott got off to a slow start by going 3-9-1 with a 3.31 goal-against average over the first two months of the campaign last season with Calgary but he finished 26-18-3 with a 2.55 GAA and two shutouts, which was enough for the Flyers to give the 32-year-old a two-year deal. Michal Neuvirth was also inked a two-year, $5 million extension in March, so the 'battle' is on. Neuvirth was in goal for Philly's 2-0 loss at the LA Kings with Elliott going 2-0 with a 2.49 GAA. He's expected to play again, tonight. Wayne Simmonds tallied a hat trick Wednesday night in a 5-3, season-opening win at San Jose, then potted the game-winner Saturday night in overtime for a 3-2 victory over Anaheim, giving him a team-leading four goals. The Flyers have been at their best in the third period of all three games. They out-shot the Ducks 15-4 in the final period Saturday night, with only the play of goalie John Gibson getting Anaheim into OT. Philadelphia also enjoyed big advantages in shots on goal in the games against the Sharks and the Kings.

Nashville: The Predators 4-0 loss to the Penguins on Saturday night, in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch, occurred against a Pittsburgh team that had allowed 15 goals in losses to the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks earlier last week. That's not a good sign. Then again, as center Ryan Johansen said, "It's only two games, but we're behind the eight ball. We need to win two games to get to .500 now. We're very comfortable playing at home, and we need to go home and take care of business." The Predators lost James Neal to Vegas in the expansion draft and captain Mike Fisher to retirement. However, Nashville did add Nick Bonino, winner of consecutive Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, to fortify the center position before Fisher retired. Winger Scott Hartnell was also signed from the Columbus Blue Jackets to add depth scoring and another veteran presence in the locker room. Otherwise, the Predators are sticking with the young core that got them to Game 6 of the Finals last spring.

The pick: Before tonight's home opener against the Flyers, the Predators will do something they have never done, that is hoist a banner to the rafters of Bridgestone Arena emblematic of a Western Conference championship. After an 0-2 start, I say make Nashville an 8* play in this one. After all, Nashville went 9-2 on home ice during last year's playoffs.

The set-up: The D'backs destroyed the Dodgers in six straight meetings near the end of the season, when LA was in a deep funk. However, LA's bats have toyed with Arizona's pitching in taking a commanding 2-0 lead in this NLDS. LA won Game 1, 9-5 and Game 2, 8-5. That's 17 runs scored on 24 hits. The Dodgers have looked every bit the part of the team that led the majors with 104 regular-season victories. The D'backs have 'limped' home but they can take heart in the fact that they are 53-29 at Chase Field in 2017 (including an 11-8 wild card win over Colorado), outscoring opponents 5.71-to-4.32 RPG.

The pitching matchup: Yu Darvish (10-12 & 3.86 ERA) gets the ball for the Dodgers and will be opposed by Zack Greinke (17-7 & 2.89 ERA). Darvish did finish the season 2-0 in his last three outings, allowing just one earned run in 19 1/3 innings during the stretch (0.47 ERA). However, he's not had a good season and that's an understatement. Combine his starts with Texas and LA and his moneyline mark of minus-$1302 is the third-worst among all starters in 2017. Throw in the fact that he has a 5.40 ERA while losing both his career postseason starts and one wonders just why LA manager Dave Roberts said in a press conference, "To have that front-line guy to win a playoff game certainly that's why you acquire a guy like Yu." It's true that Greinke has been ineffective over his last three starts, giving up 14 runs in 11 2/3 innings (including lasting just 3 2/3 innings in the wild-card contest against the Colorado Rockies). That said, how does one ignore that the D'backs went 22-10 in all of Greinke's starts this regular season, giving him a moneyline mark of plus-$971 (8th-best among all starters).

The pick: Greinke is 3-3 with a 3.92 ERA in 10 career postseason outings with two of the wins coming during his six postseason starts for the Dodgers. "We've built around him. He set the pace for the entire pitching staff all year long," Arizona manager Lovullo told reporters. "I know he loves challenges like this. Nobody prepares better. Nobody is going to work to make sure that on that day when he takes the mound that he's going to be comfortable, confident and ready." Sure, Greinke was terrible last Wednesday but he's on full rest and the D'backs are 16-3 in his Chase Field starts this season. Take the 1 1/2 runs and make Arizona an 10* play.

The set-up: It's a MNF game featuring two teams from what was once the NFL's "Black and Blue Division," now the NFC North. The 2-2 Minnesota Vikings will visit Chicago's Soldier Field on ESPN to take on the 1-3 Bears. The Vikings are hoping that Sam Bradford is ready to return as the team's starting QB for this one (after sustaining a knee injury in Minnesota's season opener), while the Bears will hand the starting QB job over to Mitchell Trubisky, the second overall pick of the 2017 draft out of North Carolina. He'll make his NFL debut after off-season acquisition Mike Glennon committed four turnovers in Chicago's 35-14 loss to Green Bay on Sep. 28.

Minnesota: The Vikings' two wins this season have come at home (29-19 over the Saints and 34-17 over the Bucs), while Minnesota has lost 26-9 at Pittsburgh and last week at home to the Lions, 14-7. Keenum has completed 61.0% for 755 yards with three TDs and zero INTs (94.4 QB rating) but he's not Bradford. The former Heisman-winner and No. 1 overall draft pick set an NFL single-season record by completing 71.6% of his passes in 2016 and against New Orlean in Week 1, connected on 27 of 32 (that's 84.0%) for 346 yards with three TDs and did not throw a pick (143.0 QB rating). The Vikings not only fell to Detroit last week but also lost rookie RB Dalvin Cook (Florida State) to a torn left ACL that will cost him the remainder of the season. Cook had rushed for 354 yards in three-plus contests and will be replaced by Latavius Murray (signed a three-year, $15 million deal in the off-season). He will inherit the bulk of the workload but note he's coming off ankle surgery during the off-season that still has him feeling less than 100 percent (has just 38 yards rushing this season). Defensively, the Vikings rank T-8th in points allowed (19.0 per) and 12th in total yards (318.0 YPG).

Chicago: It didn't take long for Chicago to sour on Glennon (anyone know what the team liked about him in the first place?) and Trubisky will have an opportunity to showcase his abilities in front of millions of viewers, as he makes his debut on MNF. "Ifeel like I'm ready," Trubisky said to reporters this week. "I'm excited. I'm just going to take it day by day and prepare as hard as I possibly can for every single look and situation we can get on Monday. I'm going to be dependent on my teammates a lot. My job is to get the ball to the playmakers and just be a distributor and manage the offense and do the best I can." He doesn't figure to get too much help from Chiacgo's average at-best running game plus while the Chicago defense has allowed 306.2 YPG (9th), the Bears have allowed 26.0 PPG, which ranks 27th.

The pick: The return of Bradford would be HUGE news for Minnesota (he's listed as questionable) but the Vikings will also be buoyed by the fact that WR Michael Floyd has also been reinstated after a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Floyd joins a talented group of WRs that includes Stefon Diggs (22 catches / 17.8 YPC and Adam Thielen (24 catches / 14.9 YPC). Whether it's Bradford (hopefully) or Kennum, I'll take the Vikings against Trubuiskty, who had just one season of note at North Carolina. Trubisky had his moments in the preseason but playing against disinterested starters and backups is quite different than playing a division rival on MNF in one's first-ever NFL start. Make Minnesota a 10* play.

The set-up: The Caps and their star, captain Alex Ovechkin, have been best-known for great regular seasons followed by early playoff exits. That was the case again last season but the Caps, particularly Ovechkin, have sure stormed out of the gate with purpose, so far. Washington has opened with 5-4 and 6-1 wins, with Ovechkin. possibly responding o his lowest-scoring full season since 2010-11, followed up a hat trick in the season opener with four more goals in Saturday's win. The Lightning won Friday night at home 5-3 over the Panthers in their season-opener but then lost the next night in Miami, 5-4.

Washington: Evgeny Kuznetsov has been big part of Ovechkin's scoring barrage with seven assists. Fellow linemate Jakub Vrana has set up three goals. Washington has just one power play goal (out of 10) but has been perfect on the penalty kill, keeping opponents scoreless on nine attempts with the man advantage. Capitals goalie Braden Holtby has a 2.40 goals-against average and is averaging 33 saves per game in opening 2-0..

Tampa Bay: The Lightning have nine goal in two games, as Brayden Point is off to a fast start for Tampa Bay after a strong finish to the 2016-17 season. He has five points, while captain Steven Stamkos has contributed three assists in his return from knee surgery. Tampa Bay is carrying eight defensemen to open the season, which means two are inactive each night. So far, the combos haven't worked well, as the Lightning have allowed 84 shots on net. The team's best player in the first two games has been Andrei Vasilevskiy, who turned aside 76 of the 84 shots he faced and gave his struggling team a chance to win both contests.

The pick: Ovechkin is a terrific player but he can't (won't) keep up his current pace. The two teams have played two games each with the four finals averaging 8.25 GPG. That won't continue either, as Holtby is a "big-time" goalie and as noted earlier, Vasilevskiy has played extremely well despite little help from his blue-liners. Make the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: The Nats have been playoff buts in recent years and were on the verge of falling into an 0-2 hole against the Cubs in Game 2 at Nationals Park. Chicago had a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 8th, with Washington having score just one run on four hits through the first 16 innings of the series. However, Bryce Harper's two-run HR tied the game and Ryan Zimmerman's three-run blast powered a five-run explosion, as the Cubs won 6-3. The series now resumes late this afternoon at Wrigley Field tied at one apiece. "We've got to win two more games," Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo told reporters. "Doesn't matter how we do it. Doesn't matter the scenario. It starts Monday. With this group, with this experience, nothing's really going to faze us. We've given up way bigger home runs than that before."

The pitching matchup: Max Scherzer (16-6 & 2.51 ERA) will get the ball for Washington and Jose Quintana (11-11 & 4.15 ERA) for Chicago. The Nationals are unsure just what to expect from reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. Scherzer hasn't pitched since Sep. 30 when he left his final regular-season start with what he referred to at the time as a "small tweak" in his right hamstring. He was scheduled to pitch Game 1 against the Cubs but was pushed back to Game 3 to provide him extra time to build more strength and endurance in his hamstring. He was pitching well before his injury, going 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last three regular-season starts. Scherzer is 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs, althoiugh his teams are only 3-3. Quintana has been an excellent pickup by the Cubs (traded away by the cross-town White Sox), going 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts for the Cubs. The Cubs have his last six starts with Quintana posting a 2.82 ERA over that span. Quintana has never faced the Nationals.

The pick: With Scherzer's health a question mark, I'm not sure why the Nats should be favored at Wrigley over the defending champs. Especially when one considers that the Cubs have gone 10-4 in Quintana's 14 starts , including 7-1 here at Wrigley. What's more, Scherzer is win-less in his last five postseason starts. The Cubs’ pitching staff has completely dominated the Nats' lineup, except for that one inning. Take the 1 1/2 runs and make Chicago a 8* play.

The set-up: The Red Sox closed out the the Cardinals in Game 6 of the 2013 World Series (team's third title since 2004) but missed the playoffs in both 2014 and 2015. Boston returned to the postseason in 2015 by winning the AL East but got swept in three games by Cleveland in the ALDS, getting outscored 15-7. Boston won the AL East again this season but lost at Houston 8-2 in Games 1 and 2 of the 2017 ALDS. However, Boston ended its five-game postseason slide Sunday, despite falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first. David Price gave them four scoreless innings of relief and up 4-3, Boston put the game away with a six-run seventh inning. Boston again faces elimination in Game 4 at Fenway, with the first pitch scheduled at 1:08 ET.

The pitching matchup: Charlie Morton (14-7 & 3.62 ERA) goes for Houston and is making his second career postseason start. Rick Porcello goes for Boston and while he's the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, he established a career-high in losses while going 11-17 with a 4.65 ERA in 2017. Morton won his final three starts (1.96 ERA) of the regular season, including one at Fenway Park on Sep 29 when he held Boston to two runs in 5 1/3 innings of a win. That makes him 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in two career starts against the Red Sox. He enters this game having gone 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA in September. Porcello was 22-4 (3.15 ERA) in 2016, while Boston went 25-8 in his starts (plus-$1470 moneyline mark was third-best in MLB). However, the Red Sox were just 16-17 in his starts in 2017, minus-$702 vs. the moneyline. The season has been a 'nightmare' but Porcello did win his last two decisions and went 7-3 in the final two months of the regular season.

The pick: Porcello pitched one scoreless inning of relief in Game 1 on Thursday but has struggled all season at home, with a 5.43 ERA. That's just one season removed from going 13-1 with a 2.97 mark at Fenway Park in 2016. Porcello can redeem himself with a strong effort here and that's what I expect. As for Morton, he's had a "career year" with the Astros (his fourth team over a 10-year career) and has pitched very well down the stretch. Make the Under a 10*

The set-up: Through the season's first four weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs stand alone as the NFL's lone unbeaten team at 4-0. The Chiefs are also a perfect 4-0 ATS after their 'miracle' finish last Monday night against the Redskins. The Chiefs are back on in primetime again in Week 5, this time in Houston against the 2-2 Texans for a SNF game at NRG Stadium on NBC. Houston's 19-12 win last season over KC ended a three-game losing streak in the series, including a 33-0 playoff rout in January 2016.

Kansas City: QB Alex Smith has played superbly for the Chiefs, who have scored at least 21 second-half points in three of their four victories. He's been stuck with the label of "game manager" for years but has eight TD passes without an interceptions (121 attempts) plus leads the NFL in both QB rating (124.2) and completing percentage (76.0%). Nothing "game-manager-like" in those numbers! Smith is not alone in being a major contributor to KC's offense in 2017. Rookie RB Kareem Hunt (Toledo) has rushed for more than 100 yards three times and has 502 yards on the season, averaging 7.4 YPC with four TDs. Throw in 13 catches with two more TDs and he's been the league's best back 25 percent of the way through NFL 2017. TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill each have a team-high 21 catches, with two TD receptions apiece. Kansas City's offense ranks 2nd in both points scored (30.5 per) and total yards (405,2 per). The defense allows 359.5 YPG to rank 26th but only allows 19.2 PPG, which ranks 10th.

Houston: Bill O'Brien may never live down his decision to open the season with Tom Savage at QB over Deshaun Watson but now that he's "seen the light," the Texans are only looking forward. The Texans have been a different team since handing the keys of the offense to Watson, who accounted for five TDs in last week's 57-14 demolition of visiting Tennessee. Watson guided Clemson to back-to-back national championship showdowns with Alabama, shredding the Tide's defense in both games, while claiming the title in last January's rematch. Watson threw for 283 yards and four TDs plus ran for another score last Sunday, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. DeAndre Hopkins is Watson's favorite target with 31 receptions but fellow WR Will Fuller returned from injury to make a splashy debut against the Titans with a pair of TDs among his four catches. RB Lamar Miller scored his first two TDs of the season last week, piling up 131 yards from scrimmage, while Watson's running ability and rookie RB D'Onta Foreman provide solid complements (Texans average 139.8 YPG rushing to rank fifth). Houston's defense led the NFL in total yards allowed in 2016 (301.3 YPG) and while the Texans are allowing fewer yards in 2017 (291.5 YPG), that figure ranks only fifth-best.

The pick: Yes, the Smith and Hunt duo plus the play of Deshaun Watson make this look like an attractive over play. However, these are two outstanding defensive teams (KC's YPG stats so far, not withstanding), so the play here is an 8* on the Under.

NY Rangers: New York's home loss to the Avalanche was an embarrassment but the team showed plenty of fight last night. The Rangers rallied from a 5-1 deficit to forge a tie, before yielding three goals in the third period. New York has given up 12 goals in losing its first two games of 2017-18, with Henrik Lundqvist being victimized for eight, including five in the opening period on Saturday. New York needs to take advantage of its early season schedule, as the Rangers play nine of their first 11 games of the season at home.

The pick:  Montreal and New York were two of the NHL's higher-scoring teams last year but played a low-scoring six-game series in the playoffs (NYR won 4-2). Do not look for a low-scoring game here, as both teams take the ice at Madison Square Garden less than 24 hours after suffering lopsided road losses, as do their struggling goaltenders (Lundqvist: 6.13 GAA & .810 SP and Price: 4.24 GAA & .894 SP). Make the Over a 10* pla

The set-up: The Seattle Seahawks needed a breakout game (win) last Sunday night and the sad-sack Colts played the perfect foil, as the Seattle romped to a 46-18 victory. That evened the team's record at 2-2 and now in Week 5, the Seahawks will travel to Los Angeles to take on one of 2017's surprise NFL teams, the Rams. The Rams were 4-12 in 2016, the team's first season back in LA (had moved to St Louis for the start of the season), finishing as the NFL's most-impotent offense (14.0 PPG on 262.7 YPG). However, QB Jared Goff (0-7 as a starter as a rookie), has led a turnaround that has the Rams 3-1 and looking for a third straight win in this contest with Seattle.

Seattle:The Seahawks didn't score a TD in either of its first two games (21 points on seven FGs) and while the Seahawks put up 27 points at Tennessee, the defense allowed 33 points on 420 yards. Russell Wilson had a breakout" game against the Titans, completing 29 of 49 for 373 yards with four TDs and had 295 yards plus two more TDs against the Colts. The Seattle offense which has scored just 21 points in Weeks 1 and 2, has scored 73 points the last two games. Maybe more importantly, after allowing Tennessee to roll up 420 yards in Week 3, Seattle's defense looked more like the one we've seen in recent years, allowing the Colts to gain only 237 total yards.

LA Rams: Jared Goff has played like a No. 1 overall pick through four games, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,072 yards with seven TDs and just one interception in 117 attempts (QB rating of 112.2). RB Todd Gurley has 362 rushing yards with four TDs plus leads the team with 20 catches. Goff also has developing 'go-to' WRs in Sammy Watkins (14 catches) and Robert Woods (12). After averaging woeful totals on offense in 2016 (see above), the 2017 Rams are the NFL's top-scoring team (35.5 PPG) on 386.5 YPG (5th). However, the defense adds little 'cover,' ranking 28th in points allowed (26.2 per) on 2367.8 YPG (ranks 27th).

The pick: Seattle's offense found its groove in the second half against the Titans and 'poured it on' in the second half of last Sunday night's against the Colts. The Seahawks rolled up a season-high 194 rushing yards last Sunday night, while QB Wilson had the most accurate game of his career in connecting on 21 of 26 passes. The defense isn't as elite as its been in the past but it was much better in Week 4. Sure, the Rams' offense will be a tougher test but Seattle's offense shouldn't have much trouble against a Rams defense which ranks among the worst in the NFL. Let's not forget that Seattle has won at least 10 games in each of the past five seasons, while the Rams haven't had a winning season since 2003! Make Seattle a 10* play.

The set-up: The Minnesota Twins lost the AL wild card game last Tuesday to the Yankees, losing a 13th straight postseason game. That ties the MLB record held by the Boston Red Sox (from 1986 through 1995). Yes, the Red Sox have won three World Series titles since then but Boston has not won a postseason contest since the clinching game of the 2013 World Series and are now in danger of being swept out of the ALDS for the second straight October (Terry Francona's Indians did the 'honors' in 2016!). The Red Sox attempt to climb out of a 2-0 hole against the Astros but Houston is playing with the utmost confidence at the moment. The Astros got solid starting efforts from Verlander and Keuchel plus the offense has scored eight run sin each of the first two games, banging out 12 hits in each contest, as well.

The pitching matchup: Brad Peacock (13-2 & 3.00 ERA) gets the Game 3 start for Houston and will be opposed by Doug Fister (5-9 & 4.88 ERA). Peacock began the season in the bullpen and on the season, Houston was not quite as impressive as his personal won-loss record in all his starts (15-6, plus-$424). However, he earned this start by holding his last seven opponents to two or fewer ERs (he was 3-1 but the team just 4-3). He did not allow more than five hits in any of his five September starts, winning his last three. Fister is an interesting choice as the Game 3 starter, with Boston facing elimination. He was chosen over Eduardo Rodriguez and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello despite going 0-2 with a 9.18 ERA over his last four starts. He was signed by the Red Sox as a free agent in June and has hardly impressed in his 18 appearances, including 15 starts. He's had limited action against Houston, going 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA in three career starts (teams are 2-1).

The pick: It was just 10 days ago that Houston Astros pitcher Brad Peacock went to the Fenway Park mound and defeated Boston 12-2 in the opening game of the regular season-ending four-game series against the Red Sox. However, be advised that in earning that win by allowing two runs in five innings, it 'improved' Peacock's career mark vs. Boston to 1-2 in four starts (team is 1-3) and his ERA to 9.01 (you read that right!). Maybe the reason Fister is getting the ball in this elimination game is due to him owning a 2.60 ERA in nine career postseason games (eight starts)? No sweep here. Make Boston a 10* play.

The set-up: The Buffalo Bills last made the playoffs back in 1999, the longest postseason drought of any NFL team. However, they visit Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday with a surprising 3-1 record. The Bengals opened 0-3 in 2017 but were able to win their first game of the season last Sunday 31-7, although it came over the hapless (helpless?) Browns.

Buffalo: New head coach Sean McDermott is riding high but is also savvy enough not to take the 1-3 Bengals lightly."This is a team that has been in the playoffs the last 'X' amount of years," McDermott told reporters. ”Anyone who looks at a record at this point in the season is making a huge mistake. This is a good football team." Buffalo's Week 3 home win over Denver was nice but its 23-17 in Atlanta over the previously unbeaten Falcons got everyone's attention. The Bills led the NFL in rushing last year at 164.4 YPG but this year Buffalo has struggled, averaging only 112.8 YPG (26th). McCoy had 110 yards in Week 1 but over the last three games, which included impressive wins over the Broncos and Falcons, he has only 106 yards, while averaging just 2.3 YPC! I'm not sure what to make of QB Tyrod Taylor but the bottom line is, he leads an offense averaging just 18.2 PPG (23rd) on 284.2 YPG (29th). Buffalo's defense has been the key so far, allowing a league-low 13.5 PPG on 306.0 YPG (8th).

Cincinnati: Bengal fans were calling for Andy Dalton to be benched after Cincy opened with back-to-back home losses to the Ravens and Texans, while failing to reach the end zone (had scored just nine points). However, after throwing four INTs in Week 1, Dalton hasn't had one since, plus he's completed 80.8 percent of his throws the last two games, passing for 498 yards and six TDs! The Bengals took the Packers to OT at Greem Bay (lost 27-24) but then won 31-7 at Cleveland. Dalton is not getting much help from his running game, as rookie Joe Mixon has been a major disappointment (2.6 YPC) and the ground game averages only 88.8 YPG on 3.3 YPC. Like Buffalo, the Cincy defense has been excellent, ranking third in both points scored (16.8 PPG) and 273.2 YPG.

The pick: Does a matchup between two top defenses spell an under? Let me first say that I'm not so sure Cincy's defense is all that good. The Bengals have faced Joe Flacco (on the downside of his career), Deshaun Watson (in his first NFL start) and DeShone Kizer, who is not an NFL QB. When facing Rodgers, he lit them up for 313 yards and three TDs. Taylor is no Rodgers but I look for the Bills to score more than expected. As for the Bengals, since Bill Lazor took over as offensive coordinator these last two weeks, Andy Dalton has looked more comfortable, with the Bengals averaging 27.5 PPG (Dalton has six TDS without an INT). This low number means the 8* play is on the Over.

The set-up: Ford Field in Detroit is the site of a Week 5 game between a pair of 3-1 teams. The Panthers went from a 15-1 regular season and a Super Bowl loss to the Broncos in 2015, to a 6-10 record in 2016, which left them in last-place in the NFC South. The Detroit Lions were 9-7 last year (lost in the wild card round), the team's third postseason appearance in the last six years. That said, expectations were pretty low entering 2017, so the team's 3-1 start is a surprise, especially since its lone loss (30-26 to the Falcons), was to say the least, highly controversial.

Carolina: The Panthers won 33-30 last Sunday at New England, with QB Cam Newton reminding all of his MVP-like talent. He completed 22 of 29 for 316 yards and three TDs plus ran for 44 yards and another score. Jonathan Stewart had his best game of 2017 so far, gaining 68 yards on 14 carries. However, Newton's positive mojo has been interrupted
by his comment toward a female beat writer that drew ire. "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes like ... it's funny,” Newton said in response to a question from Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue. Newton called his words “extremely degrading and disrespectful” in his apology. Will this be a distraction? Time will tell. There have been few distractions for Carolina's defense, as despite having played two potent offenses the past two weeks in New Orleans and New England, the Panthers rank 4th in both points allowed (17.5 PPG) and yards allowed (322.5 YPG).

Detroit: QB Matthew Stafford has shown a newfound maturity (signed a 'monster' deal prior to the season), throwing seven TD passes with only one interception in 138 attempts. RB Ameer Abdullah appears headed for a breakout season, after rushing for a career-high 94 yards and a TD in last week’s 14-7 triumph at Minnesota.The third-year RB from Nebraska had 597 yards as a rookie but played in just two games last season. He has 257 yards after four games in 2017, putting him on pace for a 1,00-yard season. The Lions are just a half-yard shy of being the only undefeated team in the NFC. Detroit lost its last home game when, upon an officials' review, Golden Tate was ruled just short of the goal line in the closing seconds against Atlanta. The game ended on that play, because a 10-second runoff was required after the review because the Lions didn't have any timeouts left.

The pick: Noting all of the above, I'm still skeptical about this Detroit team. The Lions have been extremely opportunistic on both sides of the ball, ranking 10th in scoring offense (24.8 PPG) and fourth in scoring defense (17.5 PPG) despite being 24th in total offense (just 299.8 YPG) and 15th in total defense. Their plus-9 turnover margin has played a huge role in that and the question I have is, can they keep it up? Throw in that PK Matt Prater has made an NFL-record four FGs of 55 yards or longer this season, after just four games. It's called "regression to the mean." Make Carolina an 8* play.

The set-up: Connor McDavid was made the league's highest-paid player in the off-season (signed eight-year, $100 million contract) and wasted no time looking to prove he's worth every penny. He had seven shots on goal in the Oilers' season-opener Wednesday vs. Calgary, scoring all of the team's goals in a 3-0 win. Goalie Cam Talbot 'pitched' a 26-save shutout. The Oilers play their first road game of the season tonight in Vancouver, as the Canucks play their season-opener. Vancouver was 30-43-9 (7th in the Pacific Division), finishing with the second-fewest goals in the league. The Canucks produced just 11 goals in a season-ending eight-game losing streak.

Edmonton: The Oilers are a 'sexy' pick to win the West Conference this coming season and we saw nothing Wednesday to dull those expectations. Cam Talbot tied for the league lead with 42 wins last season and looked sharp in his 19th career shutout. "I would start the season with a win any day of the week -- the shutout is just an added bonus," Talbot said. "To play the way we did tonight defensively and to start out with a shutout is pretty special." Edmonton is predominantly a young team but the Oilers are setting their sights on a Stanley Cup after rebuilding largely through four first-overall draft picks that resulted from six mediocre seasons.

Vancouver: The Canucks opened last season with four straight victories (all at home) but it was all downhill from there. They followed that hot start by losing their next nine, en route to a last-place finish in the Pacific Division. Henrik and Daniel Sedin have enjoyed long and illustrious careers with Vancouver but the fact that the 37-year-old twins comprise the team's top line speaks volumes of the challenges awaiting the Canucks and new coach Travis Green. Bo Horvat was the only player to score 20 goals and joined Daniel Sedin as the only ones to eclipse 50 points. The Canucks will be looking for Markus Granlund and Sven Baertschi to continue their rise after notching career highs of 19 and 18 goals, respectively. Veterans Thomas Vanek and Sam Gagner were brought in to bolster the attack while the hope is that Loui Eriksson can rebound after dipping from 30 goals in 2015-16 to 11 last season. There is talent on the blue line, headed by Alexander Edler and youngsters Ben Hutton and Troy Stecher, but neither Jakob Markstrom nor Anders Nilsson has been proven to be a full-time starter in net.

The pick: OK, Edmonton is the far superior team but let's not forget, Vancouver opened last season with four straight wins. Deja vu here in October 2017? Take the 1 1/2 goals and make the Canucks a 6* play.

The pitching matchup: Conventional wisdom said the using Robbie Ray for 2 1/3 innings in Arizona's wild card win would eliminate him from starting one of the first two games of this series but the D'backs will send Ray (15-5, 2.89 ERA) to the mound tonight against the Dodgers' Rich Hill (12-8, 3.32). Ray won his final six decisions in the regular season, and his 218 strikeouts were the third-most in the NL. The D'backs went 20-8 in Ray's 2017 starts, giving him MLB's third-best moneyline mark (plus-$1166). Ray is 6-3 with a 2.69 ERA in 13 career starts against the Dodgers. Hill finished the regular season with three straight victories, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out 26 in 18 innings during that stretch (1.00 ERA). However, he's had all sort of trouble with Arizona, going 0-3 with a 5.03 ERA in four starts (LA was 1-3).

The pick: Ray insists the 34-pitch effort in Wednesday's wild card game will not affect his routine or performance. "I feel great. My arm feels great and ready to go," Ray said at a press conference. "I wouldn't lie to (manager Torey Lovullo). I wouldn't give this team anything (other than) 100 percent of myself. I feel like that would be cheating me and cheating the team." Another factor in using Ray now is that he was much better on the road, than at home in 2017. He owns a 4.07 home ERA (he's 7-4 and the team 9-5) but a 1.86 road ERA (he's 8-1 & the team 12-3). As for Hill's struggles against Arizona, LA manager dave Roberts said about Hill, "He's a great competitor. He's wacky on his start days," Roberts said at a press conference. "It's been well-documented that he and I have had some good run-ins ... but that edge that he brings and the way that this guy prepares like no other, he's a baseball player." Note that Hill owns a 2.77 home ERA, compared to 4.06 road ERA. Make the Under a 10*!

The set-up: Michigan State was a huge flop in 2016, opening No. 12 in the AP's preseason poll but wound up finishing with a 3-9 record. However, the Spartans are 3-1 (1-0 Big Ten) to open 2017, having lost to only current No. 21, Notre Dame. Jim Harbaugh has led Michigan to back-to-back 10-3 seasons and his Wolverines opened No. 11 in this season's AP preseason poll. Now, four games into the 2017 season, Michigan is 4-0 (1-0 Big Ten) and ranked No. 7. Wilton Speight and John O'Korn battled for the starting QB job in the spring, with Speight winning. However, O'Korn came off the bench to replace Speight last week vs. Purdue and was impressive (18-of-26 for 270 yards and a TD). Speight will miss "multiple weeks," according to Harbaugh, so it's now OKorn's job.

Michigan State: The Spartans are 3-1 SU & ATS so far but all games have come at home. They look for a "statement victory" when they take to the road for the first time this season on Saturday. QB Brian Lewerke is completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 963 yards with eight TDs and just two interceptions. Lewerke also leads the way with 248 rushing yards (2 TDs), as MSU averages 187.5 YPG (52nd). Defensively, Michigan State is allowing just 18.0 PPG (21st) on 248.3 YPG (4th).

Michigan: The Wolverines average a modest 223.0 YPG passing (72nd), regardless of who has been under center (mostly Speight). The ground game is averaging 184.2 YPG (53rd), led by Ty Isaac (356 yards and just one TD). Defense is Michigan's strong suit again in 2017, despite the Wolves' losing 10 of 11 starters from last year's unit. No matter, Michigan is allowing 13.5 PPG (8th) on 203.2 YPG, which is best in the nation!

The pick: This is the 110th meeting (has been contested each year since 1945!) with Michigan leading 69-35-5. However, aren't we talking pointspreads here? If so, you may be interested that Michigan State is on a current nine-game ATS winning streak in its series with “big brother” Michigan. Expect a defensive battle, so taking all these points is the way to go. Make Michigan State an 8* play.

The set-up: The Carolina Hurricanes went 36-31-15 last season (seventh in the Metropolitan Division). missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for an eighth consecutive year (last postseason was back in 2009!). The 2017-18 season began Wednesday but Carolina plays for the first time this season tonight, when it hosts the Minnesota Wild, who opened with a 4-2 loss at Detroit on Thursday. The Wild were 49-25-8 last season with their 106 points second in the West to only the Blackhawks' 109. However, Minnesota was bumped from the playoffs in its first series, 4-1 by St. Louis.

Minnesota: The Wild had two, first-period scores disallowed by goaltender interference and while they tied the game with two third-period scores, gave up two goals in 23 seconds to fall 4-2. Zach Parise missed Minnesota's loss on Thursday with a back injury. It's the 64th game he has sat out since signing a 13-year, $98 million contract prior to the 2012-13 season. He won't play Saturday, either. “You want to go in without nursing something,” Parise told the Pioneer Press. “I want to go in and not have that stuff be at the top of my mind - just go in and relax and play - and that’s what I’m shooting toward.” The Wild were one of five teams to finish in the top-10 on the power play and short-handed last season but were 0-for-4 with a man advantage and killed 3-of-5 penalties on Thursday.

Carolina: Not sure we should expect Carolina to end its eight-year playoff drought this season, as the team begins what marks the 20th anniversary season of the Hurricanes franchise relocation to North Carolina from Hartford, Ct. However, acquisitions such as Justin Williams and goaltender Scott Darling could make a difference. Williams won his first Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 before hoisting two more with Los Angeles, told reporters. "You always want to be a part of that and my role on this team will be an important one." Darling was brought aboard to be the No. 1 goalie as Cam Ward is expected to serve as the backup. Carolina will also be counting on 22-year-old center Elias Lindholm, who increased his assist total in each of the last three seasons and recorded a team-most 34 in 2016-17. The Hurricanes also boast a strong top-four defensive corps with Justin Faulk, Noah Hanifin, Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin, providing hope for a club that was challenged offensively with only two players scoring more than 17 goals in 2016-17.

The pick: Carolina was one of the NHL's lowest-scoring teams last season and Minneosta one of its best defensive teams. Make the Under an 8* play.

The set-up: Ohio State (4-1, 2-0 in Big Ten) will host Maryland (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. Urban Meyer leads his No. 10 Buckeyes against one of his former assistants for the second week in row, this time around it's D.J. Durkin. This is Durkin's second season at Maryland and the Terps opened the season with a win a shocking 51-41 win Texas (+18) and have also added a 31-24 road win at Minnesota last Saturday (as a two-TD dog), to open Big Ten play. Maryland doesn't appear to be as over-matched as the 6-7 team that was clobbered 62-3 by Ohio State last year. Ohio State is trying to put its 31-16 home loss to Oklahoma behind them, in an effort to climb back into the CFP discussion. Dominating wins over Army, UNLV and Rutgers don't hurt the Buckeyes' chances but also don't help all that much, either.

Maryland: The Terrapins rebounded from a surprising home loss to Central Florida by winning 31-24 at Minnesota last week to open its Big Ten slate. However, let's note that UCF is 3-0 and currently ranked 25th in the latest AP poll. Sophomore Max Bortenschlager completed 18-of-28 passes for 154 yards and two TDs plus also ran for a score against Minnesota in his first start after the Terrapins’ top two quarterbacks, Kasim Hill and Tyrrell Pigrome, went down with season-ending knee injuries. RB Ty Johnson has 411 rushing yards on 8.9 YPC with four TDs, leading a ground game that averages 233.5 YPG (24th) on 5.7 YPC with 12 scores. Defensively, Maryland is allowing 30.0 PPG (92nd) and will be severely tested by an Ohio State offense which has scored 148 points over the last three games since the loss to Oklahoma!

Ohio State: J.T. Barrett 'laid an egg' against Oklahoma but has comlalted 71.2 percent for 765 yards with 10 TDs (no INTs over 73 attempts) , while adding 125 rushing yards and another TD in OSU's three-game winning streak. Freshman RB Dobbins has 573 yards (7.6 YPC) and three TDs on the season, leading a ground game accounting for 241.0 YPG (20th). The defense is holding opponents to 160.0 YPG (16) on 335.6 YPG (34th).

The pick: Barrett has been outstanding the last three games and on the season, has 13 TD passes spread around over nine different players. Freshman J.K. Dobbins has been terrific and now Mike Weber, who ran for 1069 yards last year on 6.0 YP is back, running for three scores against Rutgers after struggling with hamstring issues. The Ohio State defense has allowed fewer than 100 passing yards in each of the last three games, after averaging 403 in the team's first two. With all due respect to Bortenschlager, he is the team's third-team QB. I'll note that Ohio State is just 6-12 its last 18 laying more than 21 points but Meyer's Ohio State teams have a 17-1 SU record in October since 2012. He's shown no mercy against ex-assistant Chris Ash, beating Rutgers 56-0 and 54-0. He took Durkin's Maryland team 'to the woodshed' last year (62-3). You may want to "think twice" about laying the big price but OSU has averaged a notch under 50 PPG its last three and will 'cover' most of this over/under number itself. Make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: No. 21 Notre Dame will bring its 4-1 record to Chapel Hill to take on the 1-4 Tar Heels. The Fighting Irish's lone loss came 20-19 against Georgia, which is now 5-0 and ranked 5th in the latest AP poll. The Irish are a complete football team, which is hardly the case with the Tar Heels. North Carolina has allowed at least 27 points in all four of its losses and 23 in its lone win, beating ODU 53-23. However, ODU's only wins have come against FCS Albany and UMass, a team which owns the longest active losing streak among FBS teams (nine). Against Va Tech, ODU lost 38-0!

Notre Dame: I stated that Notre Dame is a complete football team but that's when QB Barndon Wimbush and RB Josh Adams are healthy. Wimbush is a true multi-threat, passing for 783 yards with six TDs and two INTs, while rushing for 402 yards (5.9 YPC) with eight TDs, Adams lead the team with 658 rush yards (9.0 YPC) and four TDs. Notre Dame is averaging a whopping 301.4 YPG on the ground (7th), a big reason the team has averaged 41.4 PPG (14th). The defense has been solid, allowing just 18.2 PPG (23rd).
"He experienced some foot soreness after the game, so we put him in a walking boot," head coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday, referring to Winbush in the aftermath of Saturday's 52-17 whipping of visiting Miami of Ohio. Wimbush is listed as day-to-day. RB Adams has a sore ankle and could be somewhat hobbled.

North Carolina: QB Chazz Surratt has thrown for 988 yards with five TDs and two interceptions, while Jordan Brown is the top rusher for North Carolina with 269 yards and three TDs on 5.0 YPC. The defense allowed 403yards rushing (6.1 YPC) against Ga. Tech (lost 33-7) and now must contend with ND's ground 'assault!' That hardly seems likely, as the Tar Heels rank 113th in allowing 221.8 YPG on the ground.

The pick: QB Surratt is a freshman who beat out transfer Brandon Harris for the job of replacing No. 2 overall NFL pick Mitchell Trubisky and he's just one of the many new personnel changes on offense for North Carolina. Notre Dame has been dominant outside of its tough one-point loss to Georgia but here, the numbers just seems unseasonably (or is that unreasonably?) high, especially if Winbush and Adams are limited. Take the huge home dog and make North Carolina a 10* play.

The set-up: The 2017-18 NHL season got underway on Wednesday but the New Jersey Devils take to the ice for the first time this afternoon in a home game against the Colorado Avalanche. The Devils finished 28-40-14 (8th in the Metropolitan Division last season), while the Avalanche finished with a league-worst 48 points last season (21 fewer than any other team). Last season was a total 'wash' for Colorado, as the Avalanche finished last in the league in goals per game (2.01), goals allowed (3.37), power-play efficiency (12.6) and second to last on the penalty kill (77.3%). However, surprised the New York Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, ending a 12-game road losing streak.

Colorado: Veteran Semyon Varlamov was limited to 23 starts last season before undergoing hip surgery, but he showed what a difference maker he can be with a 37-save performance against the Rangers. "That's what we're hoping he can be," Colorado head coach Jared Bednar said. "We don't want to get into a game where we're relying on him every night, but we're going to need him on some of those nights." Matt Duchene, who went from 30 goals in 2015-16 to 18 last season, got off to a fast start by scoring once and adding an assist.

New Jersey: After its poor season, New Jersey made quite a few changes to its roster during the off-season. The Devils acquired 24-goal scorer Marcus Johansson from the Capitals to help bolster an attack that scored a conference-low 183 goals in 2016-17. They also signed free agent forwards Drew Stafford, Jimmy Hayes and Brian Boyle, though Boyle is on the injured list while being treated for chronic myeloid leukemia. New Jersey infused some youth to its defense corps by acquiring 22-year-old Mirco Mueller from San Jose and signing college free agent Will Butcher, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner. However, the most exciting new addition is Nico Hischier, whom the Devils selected first overall in June's draft. The Swiss-born center had a solid preseason, scoring a goal in his first outing and finishing the exhibition games with a team-high four goals and seven points. "It is a dream come true," Hischier told reporters about making the opening-night roster. "As a young player, you dream about this moment to play your first game. Finally, it comes up and I am really excited, really happy." The Devils will need a bounce-back year from Cory Schneider, who spiraled to a 2.82 goals-against average and .908 save percentage last season, well off his marks in his previous three years with the club.

The pick: Colorado finished 9-30-2 on the road last season, winning back-to-back games away from home only once the entire year. No reason to expect Colorado to open 2-0 on the road here, in new Jersey's season-opener. Make the Devils an 8* play.

The set-up: A pair of 2-3 schools (both 0-1 in the ACC) will meet early Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome, when Pittsburgh visits Syracuse. The Panthers own wins over Youngstown State (FCS) and Rice (1-4), while losing to ranked teams Penn State (current No. 4) and Oklahoma State (current No. 15), as well as 3-1 Georgia Tech. Syracuse owns wins over Central Connecticut State and Central Michigan in its first three games (lost to MTSU in between), then lost its last two to LSU and NC State.

Pittsburgh: The Panthers are off a 42-10 win over Rice (snapping a three-game losing streak), as QB Max Browne was 28-of-32 for 410 yards (just the ninth 400-yard passing game in school history) and four TDs and zero TDs. It was the best performance of his career. Browne gets very little help from Pitt's running game, which averages only 114.4 YPG (110th). Despite last week';s 42 points, Pitt is averaging a modest 24.4 PPG, which ranks 98th. The same is true for Pitt's D, as despite holding Rice to just 10 points, the Panthers are allowing 31.6 PPG (101st) on 441.2 YPG (105th).

Syracuse: The Orange lost 33-25 to the Wolfpack at NC State in their last game but QB Eric Dungey went 30-of-47 for 385 yards, one score and a pick, while also leading the with 16 carries for 44 yards and two TDs rushing. Dungey has averaged 287.4 YPG through the air (Syracuse ranks 15th in passing YPG)) with seven TDs, along with 277 rushing yards and another seven TDs. WR Ervin Philips was named ACC Receiver of the Week after breaking school and conference records with 17 receptions for a career-high 188 yards against the Wolfpack. Despite a reasonably taxing early schedule, the Syracuse defense is allowing 24.4 PPG (55th) on 357.6 YPG (50th).

The pick: These schools have played every year since 1955 and the Panthers have won 13 of the last 15. However, Syracuse is the better team here in 2017 and won't forget that Pittsburgh won a 76-61 shootout against them in the regular-season finale for both teams last season, a contest which was the highest-scoring game in FBS history. Syracuse gets the win and cover this time around (10*).

The set-up: The LA Dodgers owned MLB's best record (104-58) and won the NL West by 11 games over the Arizona D'backs. However, the D'backs beat the Dodgers in the two teams' final six meetings, winning the regular-season series 11-8. The Dodgers have been off since Sunday, while the D'backs had to get past the Rockies in an NL wild card game Wednesday, which they did by winning 11-8. Despite taking a 6-0 lead over the Rockies, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo not only had to pull starter Zach Greinke, who lasted just 3 2/3 innings while giving up four runs, he was forced to use Robbie Ray in Wednesday's game as well. That means Ray, who was 15-5 (2.89 ERA) on the season, is not able to start Game 1 of the NLDS.

The pitching: Instead, Taijuan Walker (9-9 & 3.49 ERA) will take the mound for the D'backs in Game 1, opposite the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (18-4 & 2.31 ERA). The D'backs went 14-14 (minus-$47) in Walker's 2017 starts but the good news is, his ERA was 2.92 on the road, compared to 4.18 at home. More good news comes in the form of him having gone 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers (D'backs were 3-0). "I think the biggest thing is controlling your emotions and taking it one pitch at a time," Walker said at a press conference. "I think you can't go out there and let the adrenaline really get to you. You have to take a deep breath every pitch and really focus on each pitch." Kershaw missed time with a bad back but again was wonderful when on the mound. LA was 23-4 in his starts, giving him MLB's second-best moneyline mark (plus-$1235), despite being stuck with enormous prices in almost every outing. Kershaw dominated the Diamondbacks in two starts this season by going 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and holding batters to a .118 average. He's seen planet of the D'backs in his career (26 starts), going 14-8 with a 2.55 ERA and 1.12 WHIP (LA is ).

The pick: Kershaw is arguably the greatest pitcher of his era but postseason success has eluded him. He enters the 2017 postseason just 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 career appearances (14 starts) in the postseason. Will it be different here in 2017? Are the Dodgers ready to win a World Series for the first time since 1988? The journey begins tonight and I'll play Under, as I think Walker will surprise plus nothing seems to come easy for Kershaw in the postseason. I expect him to bring his "A game" but can one really lay this kind of a price? Make the Under a 10*.

The set-up: Friday night football on ESPN will feature the 1-4 BYU Cougars hosting the 2-2 Boise State Broncos. The Cougars are desperately trying to save their season, as it sure looks as if BYU's streak of 12 consecutive bowl appearances is in real danger. Boise State has been to 15 straight bowls but with road games here at BYU and and next weekend at San Diego State (currently 5-0 and ranked No. 19 in the latest AP poll), it hardly looks like "smooth sailing" for the Broncos, either.

Boise State: The Broncos fell 42-23 at home in their last game (Sep. 22), making it Boise State’s worst home loss since 2001. QB Brett Rypien was 24 of 42 for 285 yards without a TD pass and one INT vs. the Cavs. He's had a injury-marred season and is not even Boise's clear-cut No. 1 QB. To emphasize the Broncos' woes, I'll note that the team's "other QB," Montell Cozart, is the team's leading rusher with 191 yards. Boise State is averaging just 118.0 YPG on the ground (104th). The Broncos are averaging 29.8 PPG and it's been quite awhile since the team hasn't averaged at least 30 PPG (I quickly looked back eight years and all seasonal averages were 30-plus points). The defense comes in allowing 29.0 PPG (8656th).

BYU: Speaking of a lack of scoring, it's hard to fathom seeing a BYU team averaging only 12.6 PPG (126th). The Cougars can't pass (152.6 YPG ranks 118th) or run (104.0 YPG also ranks 118th), leaving them 129th overall in total yards at 256.6 YPG! The Cougars opened with an unimpressive 20-6 home win over Portland State and enter this game on a four-game slide. BYU led 21-7 a minute and a half into the second quarter against Utah State in its last game but then allowed 33 unanswered points, mostly due to seven turnovers. Ouch. Koy Detmer Jr. stepped in for injured QB Beau Hoge (who was already playing for No. 1 QB Mangum) and things went from bad to worse. Detmer took over and went seven of 20 with no scores and three interceptions of his own. Hoge is listed as questionable coming into this game. The BYU defense has played as well as one could expect, considering the fact that the team's offense gives them no 'cover.' The Cougars are allowing 26.4 PPG (72nd) on 381.6 YPG (68th).

The pick: With BYU and Boise State's recent (and not-so recent) history, who could have imagined them playing a game against each other and having the over/under number open 45? My sinning totals this year have often been playing "under" and on "inflated numbers" but here, it's just the opposite. Current 2017 form keeps this number low but it's TOO low. Both schools didn't play last weekend so make the Over an 8* play.

The set-up: The current NHL season opened Wednesday but the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will take the ice for the first time in the 2017-18 season, tonight. After the teams finished 1-2 in the Atlantic Division two seasons ago (the Lightning advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference finals), both sat out last year's Stanley Cup playoffs. Florida would finish sixth in the Atlantic at 35-26-11 and the Lightning fifth, at 42-30-10. The teams split four games last season but the Panthers are 6-2-1 over the last nine meetings.

Florida: Injuries had a lot to do with the Panthers going from 2015-16 Atlantic Division champions to sixth place one year later. Florida opens the new season with five of its top eight scorers gone, including future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr. However, first-year head coach Bob Boughner said he hopes the return to health of several key players such as defenseman Aaron Ekblad can lead to a revival: “The players are buying into the systems,’’ the coach told reporters. “And when they see results, it’s an easier sell for us. Ekblad, who was hampered by concussions last season and finished with 21 points and a minus-23 rating in 68 games, after averaging 37.5 points and a plus-15 in his first two NHL campaigns. Center Aleksander Barkov was second on the team with 52 points despite missing 20 games in 2016-17 while wing Jonathan Huberdeau (26 points) was limited to 31 contests by injury and center Nick Bjugstad played in only 54 games. Top scorer Vincent Trocheck (23 goals, 54 points) returns to center one of the top two lines and the Panthers are solid in goal with Roberto Luongo and James Reimer. Luongo goes tonight.

Tampa Bay: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos makes his first regular-season appearance in almost 11 months, tonight. The two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner as the NHL's top goal scorer put up 20 points in 16-plus games before suffering a knee injury Nov. 15 at Detroit. He is determined to lead the Lightning back to the playoffs after they came up one point short last season. Stamkos is joined by a healthy Ryan Callahan, who missed all but 18 games last season because of a hip injury, and Norris Trophy finalist Victor Hedman with an experienced group that fell victim to a slow start in 2016-17 after two long playoff runs. Nikita Kucherov led the team with 40 goals and 85 points in Stamkos' absence, with defenseman Victor Hedman leading the team with 56 assists and continuing to establish himself as one of the league's top defenders. The team's No. 3 scorer, Jonathan Drouin, was traded away, but the rest of the scoring nucleus remains intact. Tampa Bay added two veterans from winning programs, signing 38-year-old winger Chris Kunitz from the Pittsburgh Penguins and 33-year-old defenseman Dan Girardi from the New York Rangers. Andrei Vasilevskiy opens the season as a No. 1 goalie for the first time, taking over that role after Ben Bishop was traded away last season.

The pick: These Florida state rivals meet on back-to-back nights to open the campaign, first in Tampa tonight and then Saturday night in Miami. Can it be as easy as taking the Lightning here and then the Panthers tomorrow? I'll 'bite,' making Tampa Bay a 10* play. Check back on Saturday for an update!

The set-up: The Cubs ended a 108-year drought with last year's World Series win and 2017's regular season was no "walk in the park." However, in the end, the 92-70 Cubs won the NL Central by six games and are right where they want to be, back in the postseason and playing for a second straight title. Chicago will be trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000. The Cubs' NLDS opponent will be the 97-65 Washington Nationals, who won the NL East by a whopping 20 games (largest margin of any division-winner). Now no franchise compares to Chicago's 108-year drought but the Nats are trying to get over the hump after being knocked out in the NLDS three times in the past five seasons. Adding insult to injury, the franchise has not won a postseason series since 1981, when it played in Montreal.

The pitching matchup: Kyle Hendricks (7-5 & 3.03 ERA) was the Cubs' Game 7 starter for the 2016 World Series and he now gets the Game 1 start here, as the Cubs begin their quest to repeat in 2017. He'll be opposed by Washington's Stephen Strasburg (15-4 & 2.52 ERA), who has been a 'beast' in his 10 starts after the All-Star break, going 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings (Nats were 9-1). Hendricks struggled early in the season, but similarly to Strasburg, he's been excellent since the All Star break. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 starts over that stretch. However, despite a 2.19 ERA, the Cubs are 6-7 in his starts during that span. Hendricks gave up three runs over seven innings in a loss to Washington on Aug. 4, leaving him 2-2 witha 2.67 ERA over five career starts against the Nats (Cubs are 3-2). Strasburg's post-break run has been remarkable, as he's allowed more than one run only twice over the 10 starts in that span. He hasn’t lost since August 19. However, Strasburg has made only one postseason start, in the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings in a tough-luck loss.

The pick: Strasburg may only be 1-1 in five career starts vs. the Cubs but he owns a 2.08 ERA, allowing the Nats to win four of those five starts. The Nationals have won the National East four times -- in 2012, 2015, 2016 and this year -- but they have never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Washington was beat by the St. Louis Cardinals at home in Game 5 in 2012, on the road by the San Francisco Giants in 2014 in a four-game series, and at home in Game 5 last year by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Nationals took four of the seven meetings with the Cubs this season and really need a confidence-building Game 1 win, here! My bet says they get it. Make Washington an 8* play.

The set-up: The Philadelphia Flyers went 39-33-10 last season and their 88 points were not enough to make the postseason. Philly opens this new season having missed the postseason three times in the last five years plus fell in their opening round series in each of the two seasons in which the team did make the playoffs. Philly began the 2017-18 season last night in San Jose but despite squandering 2-0 and 3-2 leads, left with a 5-3 victory. Wayne Simmonds registered his second career hat trick while Jakub Voracek and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere notched three assists apiece. The Flyers continue their opening four-game road trip tonight in LA against the Kings. Los Angeles won its second Stanley Cup in three years in 2014 but has since sandwiched a pair of non-playoff seasons around one in which it made a first-round exit. The kings were 39-35-8 (5th in Pacific) last season, missing the postseason.

Philadelphia: The Flyers finished last season on a 6-2-2 run but they still missed the final postseason berth by seven points. The most significant moves of their off-season were the trade of center Brayden Schenn to St. Louis and the acquisition of free agent goaltender Brian Elliott. Elliott made 32 saves in his debut last night, earning the win. General manager Ron Hextall placed an emphasis on youth on his early-season roster, with five rookies making the squad, including Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick in the 2017 draft. However, just only three were in the lineup against the Sharks. All eyes were on Nolan Patrick, who registered three shots and blocked one while going 5-4 on face-offs in 13 1/2 minutes of action.

Los Angeles: The Kings stumbled to an 86-point finish, missing the postseason for the second time in three seasons. The disappointing finish led to the dismissal of general manager Dean Lombardi and coach Darryl Sutter the day after its season ended. Jeff Carter led the club last season with 32 goals, marking the fourth time he reached the 30-goal plateau in his career. However, the Kings had only one other player hit the 20-goal mark, as Tanner Pearson scored a career-high 24 in his second full season. The team will need more offense this season plus the Kings are counting on a full season from former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick, as the goalie was limited to 17 games last campaign due to a groin injury suffered in the 2016-17 opener.

The pick: The Fylers were not much on the road last year (14-22-5), while despite an overall disappointing season, the Kings were 23-16-2 on home ice. Michal Neuvirth could get the start in goal for the Flyers after Elliott made 32 saves in his Philly debut last night, so I'll back Quick and the Kings, who open their home season with the Flyers, for the second consecutive time. LA lost 4-2 last year but turns that around here. Make the Kings a 10* play.

The set-up: It's Thursday Night football on CBS to open NFL Week 5 of the 2017 season. The 2-2 New England Patriots will visit Raymond James Stadium to take on the 2-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There was talk prior to the season that the Pats just could go 16-0 in 2017 but not only are the Pats just 2-2, they are a last-second Brady TD pass against Houston in Week 3 from being 1-3! Tampa Bay saw its Week 1 games vs. the Dolphins postponed to later in the season due to Hurricane Irma and enters 2-1 after edging the Giants 25-23 last Sunday at home, on 34-yard FG with no time left on the clock. There is not a lot of history between the two clubs, with the Pats leading the all-time series 6-2.

New England: Tom Brady may be 40 years-old but he is NOT the problem for New England. He's completing 66.5 percent of his passes for 1,399 yards (Pats rank 1st with 328.3 YPG through the air) with 10 TDs and not a single interception in 155 attempts (QB rating is 116.6). New featured runner Mike Gillislee is sitting on 57 carries for 194 yards with four TDs but hasn't topped 70 yards in a game (Pats average 95.5 rushing YPG to rank 20th). TE Rob Gronkowski is New England’s top receiver with 20 receptions for 318 yards and two TDs. New England is averaging 32.2 PPG (2nd), so again, that's not the problem. The issue is, the Patriots are off to their worst defensive start under coach Bill Belichick, having allowed 128 points and 1,827 total yards, an average of 32.0 PPG (31st) and 456.8 yards YPG (32nd). According to STATS, since the 1970 NFL merger, it's the most points allowed in the first four games by a team that had the best scoring defense in the previous season (Pats allowed just 15.6 PPG in 2016).

Tampa Bay: Expectations were high for the Bucs entering 2017.QB Jameis Winston came up big in Sunday's 25-23 home win against the Giants, going 5-for-5 on the final drive that led to the game-winning FG as time expired. He was 22-for-38 with 332 yards and three touchdowns against the Giants but in the team's 34-17 loss in Week 3 at Minnesota, he threw three INTs and fumbled twice (did not lose one, though). Still, consistency is Winston's problem (safe to say he's no Brady). Tampa Bay has had no running game, averaging 84.7 YPG to rank 26th but the good news is, Doug Martin returns after a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs (he sat out the final week of 2016). Martin's had a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his previous five years. The defense ranks 30th in yards allowed (394.3 per game) but is a middle-of-the-pack 16th in points allowed (21.3 PPG).

The pick: The Bucs need to run the ball better and while Martin is back with the team, it's unclear how much of a role he will play in his season debut. I noted Tampa Bay's overall defensive stats above but will add that most of the damage against the Bucs has come through the air, as they rank 31st in allowing 315.7 YPG. How can that be good news against Brady, who was 9-0 on Thursday nights until New England lost to Kansas City in its season opener? The Pats were a perfect 8-0 SU on the road in 2016 and won their lone road game of 2017 against New Orleans, 36-20. Like in this contest, the Pats were coming off a loss vs. the Saints and after taking down New Orleans, the Pats improved to an impressive 43-6 SU off a loss! How does one buck that trend? With a victory on Thursday night, Brady (185-54) will tie Brett Favre (186-112) and Peyton Manning (186-79) for the most regular-season wins in NFL history. Expect Brady to chalk up another 'notch' on his ever-growing NFL legacy. Lay the points and make the Pats a 10* play.

The set-up: Louisville and NC State are both 4-1 as the two ACC schools meet Thursday night on ESPN at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. Louisville comes in ranked 14th and NC State just entered the AP top-25 for the first time this past Sunday, at No. 24. Louisville's loss came to current No. 2 Clemson, while NC State lost to South Carolina of the SEC. Both schools are in the ACC's Atlantic Division, which Clemson leads at 3-0. Since Louisville lost to Clemson, it is 1-1 in league play and can ill-afford another league loss to NC State, which comes into this game at 2-0. The series history reveals that Louisiille has won six of the seven all-time meetings, with the Wolfpack's lone win coming in the 2011 Belk Bowl, before Louisville joined the ACC.

Louisville: The Cardinals feature reigning Heisman winner Lamar Jackson and while it's highly-unlikely that Jackson will repeat, he's having an excellent season. He's completing 64.0% for an average of 327.2 YPG passing with 13 TDs and just three INTs. He's Louisville's leading rusher as well, rushing for 437 yards (6.1 YPC) and five TDs, for a unit averaging 210.2 YPG on the ground (33rd). The Card are putting up 40.0 PPG (23rd) and allowing 24.6 PPG (51st), although they are doing better in yards allowed, ranking 27th at 317.6 YPG.

NC State: The Wolfpack opened up the year with a home loss to South Carolina but has rattled off four straight wins over Marshall, Furman, Florida State and Syracuse. Three of the wins are no big deal and the FSU win's value is TBD! QB Ryan Finley has completed 71.9% for an average of 280.6 YPG through the air, throwing nine TD passes and not a single interception in 192 pass attempts. The running game is average at-best (168.2 YPG ranks 64th), as is the team's defense, which allows 23.4 PPG (52nd) on 370.4 YPG (60th).

It's been "hard times" at Louisville as of late with the revelations surounding the basketball program but that's unlikely to faze the football team. As noted above, NC State's wins have hardly been impressive (jury is still out on the FSU win) and just how did the Wolfpack lose at home to South Carolina, if it's really a top-25 team? Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino is 14-0 against North Carolina-based schools and Lamar Jackson just 'destroyed' NC State's defense in last year's meeting, accounting for 431 yards of total offense and four TDs in a 54-13 win. Is this game "too much" for NC State? Maybe so, as the last time NC State won a game between two ranked teams in Raleigh came all the way back in 1992, against Wake Forest (not exactly a FB power!). Make Louisville a 10* play.

The set-up: Cleveland's strong finish (highlighted by the team's 22-game winning streak) was enough to allow the Indians to edge past the Houston Astros (102-to-101 wins) for the American League's best overall record. That means Cleveland opens its quest to return to the World Series with a five-game ALDS matchup with the wild card-winning NY Yankees. The first two games will be in Cleveland, beginning with tonight's contest at 7:05 ET.Terry Francona made liberal use of his bullpen weapons while guiding the Cleveland Indians to the World Series last season (especially Andrew Miller) and Joe Girardi took a page out of Francona's playbook in Tuesday's wild card win over the Twins. Starter Luis Severino was replaced with one out and three runs in in the first inning but Girardi got 26 outs (13 Ks!) from his bullpen, as Chad Green, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman proved to be up to the task as the Yankees pulled out an 8-4 victory. Francona rode Andrew Miller hard in the 2016 postseason and won't be afraid to do so again, though the Indians might have an even better team in 2017 after finishing the regular season with 33 wins in their last 37 games!

The pitching matchup: Sonny Gray (10-12 & 3.55 ERA) gets the nod in Game 1 for New York, opposed by Cleveland's Trevor Bauer (17-9 & 4.19 ERA). Big things were expected of Gray when the Yankees acquired him in a trade deadline deal with Oakland but he went a modest 4-7 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 starts. He struggled with the 'long ball' in September, surrendering nine HRs in 35 1/3 innings. He lost 5-1 at Cleveland in his New York debut on Aug. 3 (allowed four runs but just two were earned) plus was ripped for six runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings in his final regular-season outing on Saturday. Gray is 0-1 in two career postseason starts despite a 2.08 ERA. Bauer more than did his part during the Indians' sprint to the finish. He was 10-1 with a 2.42 ERA over his last 14 games (13 starts / Indians were 10-3) and allowed two runs in 13 innings over his final two starts. Two of those outings came against New York on Aug. 4 and Aug. 30, and he breezed to wins in both by scattering two runs over 13 innings while striking out 11. Still, that only brings his LT mark against the Yankees to 3-4 with 4.60 ERA in eight starts (Indians are 4-4).

The pick: Bauer gets the start over Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber, so that Kluber can come back on regular rest in a potential Game 5 or Game 1 of the ALCS. Yes. Bauer went 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA in five games (four starts) during the 2016 postseason but he had a damaged pitching hand. It's been a breakout season for him here in 2017 and he was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA. Sonny Gray has not lived up to expectations for the Yanks since the trade and in three starts vs. the Indians in 2017, went 1-2 with a 4.86 ERA. I sure don't want to step in front of the Cleveland 'express' here in Game 1. Make the Indians an 8*!

The set-up: The New York Rangers are coming off a third straight 100-point season but hope to do better than only reaching the second round of the playoffs, where they were upset by the Ottawa Senators in six games last spring. As for the Colorado Avalanche, they were so bad last season (22-56-4) that it's almost impossible for this season to be worse. The Avalanche managed just 48 points last season, the lowest total since the expansion Atlanta Thrashers totaled 39 points in the 1999-2000 season. The Avalanche finished last in the league in goals per game (2.01), goals allowed (3.37), power-play efficiency (12.6) and second to last on the penalty kill (77.3). The two teams will open their respective seasons against each other at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night in New York City.

Colorado: Clearly, there is nowhere for Colorado to go but up. Potential trade pieces Matt Duchene and captain Gabriel Landeskog remained with the club during last year's dismal campaign but let's see how they fare, this time around at the trade deadline. Mikko Rantanen's 20 goals led the way for Colorado, which needs more on the offensive front from former top overall picks Nathan MacKinnon (team-best 37 assists, 53 points) and Nail Yakupov (three goals) as well as second-overall selection Landeskog (18 goals). Colorado's former Vezina Trophy finalist Semyon Varlamov, who is returning from a hip surgery, will be put to the test in short order behind a leaky defense that yielded a league-worst 276 goals.

NY Rangers: New York (48-28-6, 4th in Metropolitan Division) boasts substantial depth as opposed to individual stars on offense, with Chris Kreider (club-high 28 goals), Mats Zuccarello (team-leading 44 assists, 59 points), Kevin Hayes (49 points) and Mika Zibanejad (37 points). The 33-year-old Rick Nash (23 goals) enters the final season of a four-year deal that pays the him $7.8 million. The biggest off-season changes for New York occurred with one trade designed to create cap space, dealing top center Derek Stepan and backup goaltender Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes. The Rangers filled the hole left by Stepan from within the organization but had to sign former Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec to back up Lundqvist.The Rangers also signed smooth-skating free agent Kevin Shattenkirk to a four-year, $26.6 million contract to calm the waters following the off-season departure of respected defenseman Dan Girardi. Shattenkirk will make his official debut on Broadway, tonight. Speaking of Lundqvist, he endured his worst season last year since entering the NHL in 2005-06, so the Rangers are hoping Shattenkirk's presence helps fortify the defense and takes pressure off the veteran goaltender.

The pick: While it's easy to say "it can't get worse than last year for the Avalanche," we don't know that. However, I believe it will be better and as for the Rangers, a 100-point season may be beyond the team' reach in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division.. I'll take the 1 1/2 goals and make Colorado an 8* play.

The set-up: Cleveland's strong finish (highlighted by the team's 22-game winning streak) was enough to allow the Indians to edge past the Houston Astros (102-to-101 wins) for the American League's best overall record. That means Houston will host the third-seeded AL East champion Boston Red Sox (93-69) in Game 1 of this ALDS late Thursday afternoon. The Astros took four of seven from the Red Sox during the regular season and went 48-33 at Minute Maid Park, while the Red Sox went 41-35 away from Fenway. Boston's 4.85 RPG ranked 10th-best and the team's ERA of 3.72 was 4th-best among all teams. As for Houston, the Astros own MLB's best offense, ranking first in runs scored (5.53 per), team BA (.282) and OPS (.823), while finishing with the second-most HRs (238) of any team. Houston's pitching was more mediocre, as the team's staff ERA was 4.12 (ranks 11th).

The pitching matchup: It's a "big-time" showdown in Game 1, as Chris Sale (17-8 & 2.90 ERA) squares off against Justin Verlander (15-8 & 3.36 ERA). Sale was one of MLB's best pitchers for most of the season but struggled over his final eight starts, going 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA (team was 4-4). This marks Sale's first career postseason start, after 260 regular-season games. However, it comes vs. a team he's had great success against, going 5-1 with a 1.31 ERA in six career starts against Houston with 65 strikeouts against only five walks over 48 innings. "I'm 28 years old, so I've been waiting for this about 23 years," Sale told reporters. "This has been a long time coming. A lot of hard work went into this. It's a long season. We had a lot of guys put everything they had on the field the entire season. To have this opportunity right here, it's the best." Verlander's 15 wins don't tell the whole story, as the former MVP and Cy Young winner has gone 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five starts since joining the Astros. He allowed four runs (three earned) in 12 innings over two starts against Boston earlier this season, though he did not factor in either decision (Tigers were 1-1). Verlander owns a solid 2.77 ERA vs. Boston over 18 career starts (just 5-6), while the Tigers were only 8-10 in all starts.

The pick: "You can't get prepared for it," Verlander told reporters of starting in the postseason. "You have to experience it by being out there and feeling the adrenaline, and experiencing it for yourself." Verlander has had good success in the postseason, save his 0-3 record (7.20 ERA) in three World Series starts. However, he and Houston are two series wins away from a World Series appearance. Have to like Verlander's excellent performance since coming to Houston and his 2.77 ERA in 18 career starts vs. the Red Sox. As for Sale, he's dominated Houston teams in the past and while he struggled down the stretch in 2017, his 2.90 ERA was the second-best among all AL qualifiers plus he owned an 0.97 WHIP, had 308 Ks and opponents batted just .208 against him on the season. Make the Under a 10*

The set-up: The Sharks finished with 99 points last season, one more than they had in 2015-16, en route to a loss in their first Stanley Cup finals appearance. However, a late-season fade last spring saw San Jose drop nine of its final 13 games, a downward spiral that bled into the postseason, where the Sharks lost in the first round to the Oilers. The Sharks kick off a season-opening five-game homestand to night at SAP Center in San Jose against the Philadelphia Flyers. Philly finished 39-33-10 (6th in Metropolitan Division) and missed the postseason for the third time in five years.

Philadelphia: The Fylers are a team in transition and may be looking (hoping?) for Nolan Patrick to make an immediate impact. The Flyers selected the center No. 2 overall, as a 16-year-old two seasons ago, Patrick scored 41 goals and a team-high 61 assists for Brandon of the Western Hockey League. He managed to record 20 goals and 26 assists in 33 games in an injury-shortened 2016-17 campaign and then recorded three assists in six preseason games. The Flyers need for Claude Giroux to turn things around. The center led Philadelphia with 86 points in 2013-1 but his scoring has declined in each of the next three seasons. Despite playing all 82 games, Giroux scored only 58 points last season, and his 14 goals were the fewest in a full season since 2009-10. Also a key will be goaltender Brian Elliott. The Flyers have been looking for an elite goaltender for years (the club was tied for 26th in save percentage at .901 last season) and they think Elliott is the answer. Elliott got off to a slow start by going 3-9-1 with a 3.31 goal-against average over the first two months of the campaign last season with Calgary but. he finished 26-18-3 with a 2.55 GAA and two shutouts, which was enough for the Flyers to give the 32-year-old a two-year deal. We'll see who emerges as the team's 'go-to' goaltender, as Michal Neuvirth inked a two-year, $5 million extension in March,

San Jose: The Sharks' biggest challenge could be overcoming the loss of Patrick Marleau, who signed a three-year deal with Toronto as a free agent. "Nothing will ever take away what Patrick and our team accomplished over the last nearly 20 years," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson told the San Jose Mercury News in July. Marleeau was selected No. 2 overall in the 1997 draft and is San Jose's all-time leader in virtually every offensive category, including goals (508), assists (573), points (1,081), power-play goals (160), short-handed goals (17) and game-winners (98) over 19 seasons. Letting the 38-year-old Marleau go may come back to bite the Sharks. Last season, he scored 27 goals -- good for third on a team that was 10th in the Western Conference with 2.67 goals per game. San Jose does feature the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Brent Burns, who tied a career high with 29 goals and led the club with 76 points. Joe Pavelski added 29 goals and Logan Couture had 25 goals but after that, no player scored more than 11 goals. Martin Jones won 35 games last season and will again be the team's No. 1 goaltender.

The pick: While Philadelphia continues its search for a goaltender, San Jose knows what it has in Martin Jones. He logged 65 games for the second straight campaign and has posted 72 wins, a 2.33 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in two seasons since becoming the club's starter after backing up Jonathan Quick in LA. The Sharks play four of their first five against Eastern Conference teams and San Jose was 21-7-4 against the East, including an 11-4-1 mark vs. Metropolitan Division foes in 2016-17. San Jose was a solid 26-11-4 at home last season and I expect them to open this season with a "W." Make San Jose a 10* play.

The set-up: The Pittsburgh Penguins will raise the fifth championship banner in franchise history to the rafters Wednesday night before kicking off the season against the visiting St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. It was the Penguins' second straight Stanley Cup title, as they became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the Detroit Red Wings in did so in1997-98. The Blues went 46-29-7 (3rd in Central Division) and were were eliminated by eventual Cup runner-up Nashville in the second round last spring.

St. Louis: The Blues have made six consecutive trips to the playoffs but have advanced to the conference finals only once in that span. They open this season looking to build on the momentum they generated last season after Mike Yeo replaced Ken Hitchcock behind the bench. St. Louis went 22-8-2 under Yeo and finished the regular season on a 15-2-2 run, regaining its defensive identity during a 15-game stretch in which it did not allow more than three goals. Veteran goaltender Jake Allen was floundering during the season but posted a 1.85 goals-against average after Yeo took over! Vladimir Tarasenko has amassed 116 goals over the past three seasons (had 39 goals and 75 points last season) but Patrik Berglund (23) was the only other player on the roster to surpass 20. The Blues attempted to address the scoring issue by acquiring Brayden Schenn, who tallied 25 times with Philadelphia while tying for the league lead with 17 power-play goals last season. Captain Alex Pietrangelo, coming off a career-best 14 goals, leads a solid defensive corps.

Pittsburgh: Long-time franchise goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was taken by Las Vegas in the expansion draft but the Pens are just fine in net, as 23-year-old Matt Murray has earned two Cup rings while technically a rookie! Sidney Crosby led the league in goals (44) and tied for second in scoring (89 points) while No. 2 center Evgeni Malkin supplied 72 points in 62 games. That All Star duo is hardly alone. Phil Kessel and Conor Sheary netted 23 goals apiece, Patric Hornqvist chipped in 21 and rookie Jake Guentzel contributed 16 before a spectacular postseason in which he led all scorers with 13 goals in 25 games. The Pittsburgh defense will receive a big boost with the return of standout Kris Letang, who appeared in only 41 games last season and missed the playoffs after undergoing neck surgery. Goaltender Matt Murray appeared in only 62 regular-season games but he's 22-9 with a 1.95 goals-against average in two Stanley Cup title runs.

The pick: The Penguins go for a third straight Cup, something that hasn't been done since the NY Islanders won four in a row from 1980 to 1983. However, it's way too early to talk about (or worry) about stuff like that. Pittsburgh is expected to be without winger Patric Hornqvist because of off-season hand surgery, while St. Louis is expected to be without Alexander Steen (hand), Jay Bouwmeester (ankle), Robby Fabbri (knee), Patrik Berglund (shoulder) and Zach Sanford (shoulder). Pttsburgh and St. Louis have split the two-game series in each of the past three seasons and with two top-notch goalies (Allen and Murray) in net tonight, the Under is a 10* play.

The set-up: Much has been made (as it should) about the Twins going from a MLB-high 103 losses in 2016, to a wild card meeting with the Yankees on Tuesday (result unknown at this writing). However, the National League's wild card game features two teams playing postseason baseball coming off fairly big losing seaosn, themselves. In fact, both Arizona and Colorado, 'flipped the script' from their respective 2016 seasons. The Arizona Diamondbacks were 69-93 in 2016 but earned the NL's s No. 1 wild card spot by going 93-69 in 2017. They will host NL West rival the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, after Colorado went from 75-87 to 87-75 MLB, to earn the No. 2 spot. One couldn't make that up!

The pitching matchip: John Gray will take the ball in the biggest start of his career for Colorado. He was limited to 20 starts this season due to some injury issues early in the year but turned in a solid effort, going 10-4 with a 3.67 ERA (team was 13-7 in his starts). He actually fared better at hitter-friendly Coors Field, where he owned a 3.17 ERA, compared to 4.06 on the road. He's 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA in five career starts vs. Arizona (team is 3-2). Zach Greinke is the ace of Arizona's rotation, entering with a 17-7 record in 32 starts with a 3.20 ERA. The D'backs were 22-10 with him on the mound, going plus-$971 vs. the moneyline (8th-best). He's 9-5 (3.97 ERA) lifetime against Colorado in 24 starts (teams are 14-10).

The pick: The Rockies struggled at times over the second half of 2017 and were challenged by the Milwaukee Brewers up to the final week of the regular season. Colorado's .273 team BA ranked second in MLB, its 5.09 RPG ranked third an the team's .781 OPS ranked 5th. However, after opening 27-11 on the road, Colorado 'limped' home 14-29 in its final 43 road games. That hardly bodes well against an Arizona team which was 52-29 at Chase Field, outscoring opponents 5.64-to-4.27. Then there is Greinke's home mark. He was 13-1 at home in 18 starts (team was 15-3!), posting a 2.87 ERA, and 0.96 WHIP. Sure's it's a "one-game,winner-take-all" situation but how does one go against Greinke? Make the D'backs a 10* play.

The set-up: The NY Yankees were 84-78 last season but did not make the postseason. As for Minnesota, it's been well-documented that the Twins lost a MLB-high 103 games in 2016, only to become in 2017, the first team to ever make the playoffs coming off a 100-loss season. The Yankees weren't even sure that Aaron Judge was ready to play every day in the big leagues this spring but he went on to hit 52 HRs, knock in 114 runs, bat .284, slug .627 and post a 1.049 OPS (should I leave out the 208 Ks?). The Twins were 52-56 on the morning of Aug. 5 and owned a negative run differential. However, Minnesota started hitting HRs. The Twins were 19th in the major leagues in runs scored at that pouint but they are since first in the major leagues in 'dingers' (87), while going 33-21. As for the Yanks, they led all of MLB with 241 HRs, ranked second in scoring (5.30 RPG) and sit third in OPS (.785). The Twins have lost 12 straight playoff games, the second-longest streak in postseason history, and ine of those losses have come against the Yankees (note: teams haven't met in the postseason since 2010).

The pitching matchup: Ervin Santana (16-8 & 3.28 ERA) will start for Minnesota and Luis Severino (14-6 2.98 ERA) for the Yankees. Santana's in his 13th MLB season and he won 16 games for the third time (career-best was 17 wins in 2010). He entered this season just 57-61 over the previous six years (since that 17-win season) and saw the Twins go 8-22 in his 2016 starts, minus-$1450 vs the moneyline (2nd-worst in MLB). However, he opened 5-0 with an 0.66 ERA through six starts in 2017. By the end of May he was 7-2 with 1.75 ERA. However, he's gone 9-6 since and his ERA has risen 1 1/2 runs, finishing at 3.28. His career numbers are not good against the Yanks, as he's 6-10 with a 5.66 ERA over 20 starts (teams are 7-13). Talk about a bounce back season? Let me introduce you to Luis Severino. He made 22 appearances in 2016, including 11 starts. He was 3-8 overall, with a 5.83 ERA. The Yanks were 2-9 in his starts, going minus-$714 vs. the moneyline. So all he's done in 2017 was make the All Star game while recording career bests in wins (14), WHIP (1.04), and strikeouts, finishing fourth-best among AL pitchers with 230 (allowed only 51 walks). Severino has made just one career start against the Twins (just recently, on Sep. 20), pitching only three innings, giving up three ERs on five hits but the Yanks won 11-3

The pick: This will be Santana’s ninth career postseason appearance and his third start in the AL Wild Card Game. He's clearly cooled off since a hot start but over his six September starts, he's posted a 3.31 ERA (1.90 ERA over his last four!). The Yanks have won 13 of the last 15 times that Severino has taken the mound but note, this is the 23-year-old's first postseason start. However, he's backed by a New York bullpen that's held opposing batters to a .205 BA, by far the lowest opponents' BA in the league. NYY relievers have 653 strikeouts in only 538 1/3 innings! Remember that the Twins have lost 12 consecutive postseason games, while the Yankees come into this game having lost five straight playoff contests. These team will be tight in this winner-take-all contest, making the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: The 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs come into Week 4 as one of just two unbeaten teams in the NFL (defending champion Atlanta is the other, pending its Sunday game home game with the Bills). KC will welcome the 2-1 Redskins to Arrowhead Stadium for MNF, with Washington coming off an impressive 27-10 win over KC's AFC West rival Oakland in Week 3's SNF contest. This series dates back to 1971, when Hank Stram's last great Chiefs team beat George Allen's first Washington team at old Municipal Stadium in an exciting 27-20 final. KC owns the series, winning eight of nine, with the last meeting coming in 2013, when KC routed Washington 45-10 in Arrowhead.

Washington: The Redskins lost their opener, at home to the Eagles but then won 27-20 out in LA over the Rams, before shutting down David Carr and the Oakland offense (Raiders were held to 128 yards and seven FDs!) in a 27-10 home win in Week 3. QB Kirk Cousins was 25-of-30 for 365 yards and three TDs against the Raiders and has completed 68.0 percent for 784 yards with five TDs and just one INT on the season (105.3 QB rating). The running game does not have an established star but ranks sixth in averaging 136.3 YPG. The defense is allowing 20.0 PPG (10th) on 276.0 YPG (5th).

Kansas City: QB Alex Smith has always been best-known as a "game manager" but he's completing 77.4 percent for 774 yards with seven TDs and zero INTs (132.7 QB rating leads the NFL!). He has more 'weapons' that ever-before, with WR Hill (16 catches for two TDs), TE Kelce (14 catches) plus rookie RB Kareem Hunt has been 2017's "breakout star." The former Toledo Rocket has 401 yards rushing (8.5 YPC) and four TDs plus nine catches, including two TDs! KC is averaging 31.0 PPG on 397.3 YPG, ranking third in both categories. The defense has allowed a modest 19.0 PPG (7th) but also 369.0 YPG (27th), including 257.3 YPG through the air (23rd).

The pick: Andy Reid-coached teams have always been known for their defense and special teams play but with a somewhat conservative offense. However, the Chiefs are averaging 31.0 PPG so far in 2017 and suddenly, have become a "big-play" team. The Chiefs enter this contest having recorded at least one TD of more than 50 yards in an NFL-record nine straight regular-season games. "We've got big-play guys that can go, when given the opportunity. (They) can take it the distance," an elated Alex Smith was quoted as saying. He's right but also, expect Washington's Kirk Cousins to "show up" for this MNF showdown. Both teams have balanced offenses (see above for a reminder) and the play here is a 10* on the over.

The set-up: The Indianapolis Colts were able to hold on and beat the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, getting the team to 1-2 after opening the 2017 season with back-to-back losses to the Raiders and Cardinals. The Colts are hoping to build off their Week 3 win but will have a tough time winning at CenturyLink Field in Seattle against a Seahawks team which can't possibly be very happy to have opened its season at 1-2, as well. Seattle opened with a 17-9 loss in Green Bay, returned home edge the sad-sack 49ers just 12-9 and then lost 33-27 at Tennessee last Sunday.

Indianapolis: With Luck still on the shelf, the Colts made a trade with the Pats to get QB Jacoby Brissett after they were routed 46-9 by the Rams in Week 1. Brissett was a noticeable improvement over Scott Tolzein and the Colts took the Cards to OT before losing in Week 2. Then last Sunday, Brissett led the Colts with 259 passing yards and a TD on 17 of 24 passing, while also notching a pair of rushing TDs. He became the first QB in franchise history to rush for two TDs, pass for another and throw for at least 250 yards! T.Y. Hilton had a huge game with seven catches for 153 yards with one TD. The running game still needs to improve, as the Colts are averaging 81.0 YPG (25th). After getting shredded by the Rams for 46 points, Indy's D held the Cardinals to 16 points in an OT, then had a sack and three interceptions against the Browns.

Seattle: The Seahawks didn't score a TD in either of its first two games (21 points on seven FGs) and while the Seahawks put up 27 points at Tennessee, the defense allowed 33 points on 420 yards. Russell Wilson had a breakout" game last Sunday, completing 29 of 49 for 373 yards with four TDs but to no avail with Seattle's defense going 'south!' Like th Colts, Seattele needs to get its running going, averaging only 96.7 YPG (19th) through the first three games. Getting back to Seattle's defense, it has long prided itself on not allowing a 100-yard rusher but it has now allowed one in back-to-back weeks and was gashed for 195 yards on the ground by DeMarco Murray (115) and the Titans last Sunday.

The pick: Sure, Brissett gives the Colts a better shot but note the team's two competitive games were at home, while Indy was crushed in its lone road game (see above). The Seahawks are in unfamiliar territory at 1-2 and have hardly resembled the team that has won at least 10 games in each of the past five seasons. However, Seattle's offense finally came to life after two ugly efforts to open the season and should have few problems scoring here against the Colts D. Seattle's D is off an embarrassing effort and will rebound in this one. Look out Mr. Brissett. Make Seattle an 8* play.