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PICKS FOR TODAY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 |
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NFL |
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9/24/2017 |
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FOUND
14
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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9/24/2017 9:30 AM EST (TODAY) |
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-165
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-3 (-110)
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Over 38 (-115)
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+144
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+3 (-110)
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Under 38 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 The Baltimore Ravens are playing their first-ever NFL International Series game in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are making their fifth appearance overseas. The Ravens are treating the event as a "business trip" and looking to open the season 3-0 for the second consecutive year. Jacksonville (1-1) is trying to rebound from a 37-17 drubbing by the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. "We're both playing in London. We're going against the Jaguars," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "They have to go over there, as well. We're going over there to win a football game -- that's it. We're not thinking about too much else besides that. " The Jaguars do have somewhat of an advantage just from the experience of playing previous games in London. The players who competed in those games are providing their teammates with tips on how to get acclimated to the environment. The game will be played Sunday at 9:30 a. m. Eastern Standard Time, so that will be a major adjustment for both teams. "We talked to the players that haven't been there before to talk to our older players, about a routine," Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. "It's just knowing how to get your body prepared and ready to play. We've encouraged our younger players who haven't been there to make sure they talk to the players that have been with our team on how to hydrate or whatever it may be that we do. " Baltimore will be playing without six-time Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda, who was ruled out for the season with an ankle fracture following a 24-10 win over the Browns in Week 2. Yanda's absence could be a key factor against Jacksonville, which leads the league with 11 sacks over two games. Tony Bergstrom is slated to start in Yanda's spot at right guard. Bergstrom will have his hands full with Jaguars defensive tackle Calais Campbell, who is tied with Dallas' DeMarcus Lawrence for the league-lead with four sacks. "(They're) definitely a talented group," Bergstrom said about Jacksonville. "There's no question about that, by far one of the more talented groups we'll face this year. They've kind of always been that way. They have really good players up front, then they added Calais Campbell in the offseason, so they present a unique challenge. " Baltimore also has a fierce defense, and leads the league in takeaways. Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles will be challenged to throw the ball downfield. Over the first two games, Baltimore has eight interceptions, two forced fumble recoveries, eight sacks and has allowed only 10 points. The Ravens might be without top defensive tackle Brandon Williams, who injured his foot against Cleveland. Baltimore did get a boost with the return of linebacker Za'darius Smith, who missed the previous game with an ankle/knee injury. "We want to be a ferocious defense," said linebacker Terrell Suggs, will play in his 200th career game Sunday. "We want to be a pressure defense. The standard is very high. " Bortles has struggled through parts of this season, going 31 of 55 for 348 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions (72. 4 passer rating). The loss of top receiver Allen Robinson to a season-ending knee injury has hampered the offense. Jaguars center Brandon Linder did not practice Wednesday because of a knee injury, and that would be an additional hurdle for Bortles if he cannot play. Jacksonville might have to rely heavily running back Leonard Fournette against the Ravens, who are allowing 85 rushing yards per game. "I know for a fact it is going to be a challenging one," Fournette said. "They have a lot of veteran guys. Terrell Suggs is the leader on the D-line. We just have to get past those guys. Also, their linebacking corps is another magnificent part of their defense. Just working our way through C. J. Mosley and them, it is going to be a battle. " This is the 21st regular-season meeting between the teams with the Jaguars leading series, 11-9. The Ravens and Jaguars teams were former division rivals in the AFC Central until 2001. Jacksonville won the first eight meetings. Baltimore then responded with six consecutive victories from 2000 until 2003. The teams have split their past six games. The Ravens won last year's meeting 19-17 with some big plays by the defense. Baltimore is hoping for an encore performance. "It is always a business trip, and we know why we are there," Mosley said. "We know the Jacksonville Jaguars pretty well. The last few years we have had some pretty close games. We have to go in mentally prepared for a physical fight, even though we have to enjoy our time together with our family and our teammates. "
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Sep 24, 2017LONDON Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns knew Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens had to be different. It was - significantly. Blake Bortles threw four touchdown passes, three to tight end Marcedes Lewis, and the Jaguars routed the Ravens 44-7 on Sunday in their fifth game in Britain's capital. Jacksonville (2-1) had a 17-point lead over the Buffalo Bills in 2015, only to win by three points. Likewise, they had a 17-point edge against the Indianapolis Colts a year ago before emerging with a three-point victory. ''The main thing we talked about coming in at halftime was not letting up,'' said Hurns, who whose 5-yard touchdown reception from Bortles in the second quarter gave the Jaguars a 20-0 lead. ''The team had put pressure (on the Ravens), as far as an offensive standpoint, so call what we're going to call - not just being lackadaisical and calling all runs. Keep pushing the gas. '' The Jaguars finished with 410 yards, easily outpacing their output in their first three games, and handed the Ravens (1-2) their worst defeat since Nov. 9, 1997, when they lost 37-0 at Pittsburgh. Only a 6-yard pass from Ryan Mallett, who entered in relief of Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter, to Benjamin Watson with 3:24 remaining prevented the shutout. ''You can be 100 percent honest about it, they did a good job executing today,'' said Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. ''They outplayed us. You've got to take your hat off to the Jacksonville Jaguars. But it's only one game. . . . We've just got to make it up. It happened. It's very unfortunate. We did a lot of uncharacteristic things. '' Jacksonville punctuated the victory with a fake punt on the last play of the third quarter, with Corey Grant taking a direct snap 58 yards before Fournette punched it in from the 3. Flacco, who finished 8 for 18 for 28 yards, was intercepted twice, once by A. J. Bouye in the second quarter and once by Jalen Ramsey in the third. Bortles also left the game early, replaced by Chad Henne on the Jaguars' first drive of the fourth quarter after completing 20 of 31 passes for 244 yards. Fournette, who finished with 59 yards on 15 carries, became the first Jaguars player to rush for a touchdown in each of his first three games. STUCK IN NEUTRALBaltimore crossed midfield three times - and not until the third quarter, when Terrance West gained 7 yards to reach the Jaguars 45. On the next play, West failed to secure a handoff and fumbled, leading to linebacker Telvin Smith returning it 52 yards to set up Lewis' third touchdown. Flacco, who joked at practice on Friday he thought players would be ''zombies,'' said the travel wasn't to blame. ''We all felt different at times, but by the time game day came around, by the time 2:30 came around, we felt pretty good,'' Flacco said. ''The other team was going through the same exact thing, so that's just part of this game. '' WEMBLEY RECORDSHurns, who has now scored in each of the Jaguars' last three overseas games, matched Brandon Lloyd as the only players to score three touchdowns at Wembley Stadium. Lloyd scored one touchdown in 2010 while playing for the Denver Broncos, and two in 2012 while with the New England Patriots. ''It's been three years straight with a touchdown,'' said Hurns, who was given the nickname ''Mr. London'' by his teammates. ''It's kind of like a second home here. It's always great having the game here with the atmosphere. '' MACLIN PASSES TESTSRavens wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter but passed all tests and was allowed to return. Maclin was injured as he failed to catch a pass that resulted in an interception by Bouye. Ravens defensive end Brent Urban injured a foot on the second play of the second quarter and did not return. HOMETOWN HERORavens rookie right guard Jermaine Eluemunor, a fifth-round pick out of Texas A&M who was born in London, made his debut after being inactive for the first two games. Eluemunor, who moved to Danville, New Jersey when he was 14, was 12 when he saw the first NFL game played in London on television and decided he wanted to play football. UP NEXTRavens: Host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who they have not lost to at home since 2012. Jaguars: Visit the New York Jets in the second of three straight games away from Jacksonville. ---For more NFL coverage: http://www. pro32. ap. org and http://www. twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 INDIANAPOLIS -- For head coach Chuck Pagano and his Indianapolis Colts, getting a win against the Cleveland Browns Sunday is crucial. For the previous three seasons, the Colts began with an 0-2 record, yet they were able to post a win in the third game each year. Indianapolis rebounded to go 11-5 in 2014 and make it all the way to the AFC championship game. Their fortunes haven't been as good the last two seasons, however, finishing with 8-8 marks and no trips to the post-season. With that as a background, Pagano fully understands the importance of being successful against the Browns. "We all understand the magnitude of (the game) and the urgency," the Colts coach stressed. "Cleveland needs a win and we need a win. We'll go back to work and prepare just like we did. But (we'll) try to do it better and clean up the things we need to clean up. It's a big week. " After subpar performance in the season-opening road loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis showed improvement against the Cardinals last week. Can that continue against Cleveland? "We didn't get the job done 1/8vs. Arizona 3/8, but they responded. They responded with great effort and energy and a fast start. A lot of good things happened in that ball game. We got things to obviously clean up. And we've got to learn to finish and close it out," Pagano said. "You've got opportunities sitting right there in front of you and you let people hang around in the National Football League, it's going to come back to haunt you. There are going to be six, seven or eight plays every game that determine the outcome of that game. You don't know when they're going to come. That's why you've got to be spot on all the time. " Indianapolis will have Jacoby Brissett starting his second straight game at quarterback, taking over from season-opening starter Scott Tolzien. Brissett did some good things in the loss to Arizona last week despite his relatively short time with the team. "We'll just keep adding (to Brissett's play list), giving him what we can give him and not too much to where he starts thinking out there and he can't play and he can't be instinctive. Those kind of things," Pagano explained. "He's a smart guy and he picks up things fast. It'll be good for everybody to expand 1/8the play calls 3/8, especially the situational stuff. That's not an easy task for him and coaching and calling it. You've got a rookie center and a new quarterback. The most important thing is communication up front and the protection. We'll keep working, adding as much as we can. We'll do just what we need to do and hopefully just enough to win a game. " SERIES HISTORY: 29th regular-season meeting. Series, tied 14-14. The Colts are 6-9 at home and 8-5 in away games in the series with the Browns. Indianapolis has won 10 of the previous 13 matchups, including seven of the last eight meetings between the two franchises. The Colts have won the two matchups (at Cleveland on Dec. 7, 2014, with Indianapolis posting a 25-24 win, as well as a 17-13 win at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Browns on Oct. 21, 2012). Cleveland's last win in Indianapolis occurred on Sept. 18, 2011 (27-19). The Colts were 1-5 against Cleveland at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, 4-3 at the Hoosier/RCA Dome and are 1-1 at Lucas Oil Stadium. On the road, the Colts were 5-7 at Municipal/Cleveland Stadium and are 5-0 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Colts and Browns have met four times in the post-season, including a 38-21 Cleveland home win on Jan. 9, 1988. The game marked the first-ever playoff appearance for the Indianapolis Colts. Looking around the roster:--Quarterback Andrew Luck (right shoulder) will not practice this week. Luck was already been ruled out of Sunday's game with Cleveland. --Cornerback Vontae Davis (groin) was limited during Wednesday's workout. His availability for the Cleveland game won't be decided until the end of the week. Davis was hurt midway through pre-season and has not played since. --Center Ryan Kelly (foot) did not practice Wednesday and is not expected to be ready to play. Rookie center Deyshawn Bond is expected to start his third straight game. Bond, an undrafted from agent from Cincinnati and an Indianapolis native, has filled in admirably.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 The Pittsburgh Steelers will aim for their first 3-0 start since 2010 when they head west to face the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. But Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is warning against complacency as his team gears up for the winless Bears (0-2). "We'll get prepared with an edge," Tomlin said this week. "We know we're playing a team that's going to be hungry. We know we're going into a hostile environment. And quite frankly, we're too fragile, we're too new in this team development process in terms of searching for consistency and an acceptable level of play to take any other approach. " Tomlin's hard stance is no surprise to those who have watched him compile a 105-57 record in 10-plus seasons in Pittsburgh. He already has seven playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship under his belt, and he is trying to steer his squad toward the postseason once again with a string of victories to start the year. The Steelers are coming off back-to-back wins over the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings by a margin of 47-27. Although running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown have yet to find the end zone, Pittsburgh is ranked No. 11 in scoring (23. 5 points per game) and No. 16 in total offense (312. 5 yards per game). The Bears will have to keep pace to avoid their third straight 0-3 start with John Fox as coach. After a better-than-expected performance in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, Fox's team was plagued by mistakes in a 29-7 blowout loss at Tampa Bay. The ugly effort increased fans' scrutiny on quarterback Mike Glennon, who threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble. But Fox and his offensive assistants said Glennon firmly remained the team's No. 1 starter heading into Week 3. That means rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky will stay on the sidelines, at least for now. "He's a competitor," Fox said of Glennon, who will earn $18 million this year. "We all deal with adversity. What's critical is how you respond. You're going to get hit. You're going to have bad days. It's how you respond to that. " The Bears' ground attack has not provided much support. After a breakout rookie season, running back Jordan Howard has been limited to 22 carries for 59 yards (2. 7 yards per carry) and a touchdown. Rookie Tarik Cohen (6. 4 yards per carry) offers an exciting change of pace but is most effective as a complementary piece rather than an every-down back. Glennon could have help this week if wide receiver Markus Wheaton is cleared to return from injury. Wheaton signed with the Bears during the offseason after appearing in 47 games (22 starts) over the last four seasons with the Steelers. "He brings another speed element," Glennon said. "We already have fast guys on the outside with (Josh Bellamy and Deonte Thompson). We're growing into a speed offense with Tarik and those receivers. I think it can really stretch the defense. We can run by guys. We can throw it deep. It definitely adds another dimension. It will be great having Markus back. " The Steelers' defense has surrendered only three touchdowns in the first two games. Rookie linebacker T. J. Watt already has posted two sacks and an interception, but a groin injury could slow him this week. Third-year linebacker Anthony Chickchillo also has shined with two sacks, and he is expected to start ahead of veteran linebacker James Harrison. The Bears hope to welcome back offensive lineman Kyle Long and cornerback Prince Amukamara this week. Neither player has seen action this season because of injured ankles. Meanwhile, the Steelers are not certain about the status of players such as offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert (hamstring), tight end Jesse James (ankle), and defensive end Stephon Tuitt (biceps). Tight end Vance McDonald returned to practice this week after sitting out against the Vikings. Roethlisberger said he and his players had plenty of room for improvement despite an impressive start. The veteran quarterback has a 99. 9 passer rating this season with 506 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. "We should set goals that are almost unattainable so that you can be the best you can be," Roethlisberger said. "We're not worried about guys that missed time or whatever. We're winning football games, we're making improvements, and I'll say it again: We're winning football games. " The game marks the first meeting between the Bears and Steelers since 2013. Chicago has won the past two contests, and Pittsburgh is seeking its first win at Soldier Field since 1995.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 In March, Jay Cutler had just been released by the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets were looking for a new quarterback after letting Ryan Fitzpatrick go only a month earlier. Many media members suggested Cutler and the Jets would be natural bedfellows, but Cutler opted for the TV booth and the Jets signed journeyman Josh McCown. At that point, few thought Cutler would be leading the Miami Dolphins into MetLife Stadium for the Jets' home opener on Sunday. But here we are. "He came up in conversation, but we went the way we went," Jets head coach Todd Bowles said about the possibility of his team signing the 34-year-old Cutler this spring. Cutler came out of retirement when Ryan Tannehill tore his ACL in training camp and the always perplexing, occasionally amusing former Bears quarterback was introspective about how his time away from the game could affect his play. "The good thing is I play quarterback, so I don't have to be in that great cardiovascular shape," Cutler said at his introductory press conference in Miami. Cutler got some extra time to return to game shape. Unfortunately, it was due to a natural disaster. Hurricane Irma postponed the Dolphins' Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and so the Dolphins opened their season last Sunday with a 19-17 win over the Chargers in Los Angeles after rookie kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard field goal attempt with five seconds left. Cody Parkey hit a 54-yarder with 1:05 left, his fourth field goal of the game, to give Miami the lead. "The people of Florida needed that," Dolphins guard Jermon Bushrod said after the game, referencing the damage Irma caused in south Florida. The Dolphins and Jets are the only two AFC teams not to play a home game yet, but that will change for New York on Sunday after being outscored 66-32 in trips to Buffalo and Oakland. The Jets, who are 0-2 for the first time since 2007, had massive problems containing LeSean McCoy of the Bills and Marshawn Lynch of the Raiders (and a few of their friends) in allowing a league-worst 370 rushing yards. Things will get no easier for them this week taking on Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi, who ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers. The 24-year-old out of Boise State, coming off a breakout season when he ran for 1,272 yards and eight touchdowns, surprisingly showed up on the injury report Wednesday with a knee issue that kept him out of practice. But he is still expected to play Sunday. Bowles said Ajayi will be a challenge for his defense because of his "great vision (and) low center of gravity. " "He has his shoulders over his knees all the time," Bowles said. "He's a good one-cut runner. As you can see, very thick down low, breaks a lot of tackles. " Miami, which was a six-point favorite for the game as of Wednesday, also has two up-and-coming wide receivers who both had standout efforts last week. Like Ajayi, both are 24 years old. Jarvis Landry caught 13 of 15 targets for 78 yards and DeVante Parker had four catches for 85 yards. Landry also didn't practice Wednesday because of a knee injury, but he is expected to play. Bowles, in his third season as Jets head coach, was interim head coach of the Dolphins for three games at the end of the 2011 season after Tony Sparano was fired. He went 2-1, including a win over the Jets on New Year's Day. He is 15-19 with the Jets. Dolphins head coach Adam Gase is 11-7, including a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, in his second season. Despite the Jets' struggles to start the season, the 39-year-old expects the game to be "a slugfest. " "This is a tough game," Gase said. "This is one of those where you throw everything out the window. "
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 21, 2017 After a Week 2 stumble, the Buffalo Bills are looking to get their running game going again Sunday in Orchard Park, N. Y. Standing in their way will be the Denver Broncos. Buffalo (1-1) was held without a touchdown last week in a 9-3 loss to Carolina, and the Bills' running game went nowhere. LeSean McCoy went from 110 yards rushing in a season-opening win over the New York Jets to 9 yards on a dozen carries against the Panthers. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor believes the offensive fix can be quick, though Buffalo will oppose a Denver defense that shut down Ezekiel Elliott in a 42-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys last week. Elliott, last year's NFL rushing champion, gained 8 yards on nine carries vs. the Broncos (2-0). "Last week was just a case where we didn't get the running game going," Taylor said of the Bills' typical potent running attack. "That's not going to be the case every week. " McCoy said the Bills must stay patient with their running game even if they don't have initial success against the Broncos' stout defense. "We need to just stay true to our keys and our identity," McCoy said. "If we get back in points and we're down, just stay with it. The Cowboys kind of went to the passing game so early because they stopped (Elliott) a few times in the running game and they got down on points. "The Broncos are a tough group, they really are. I think you just have to keep being consistent, running your plays, and you have to keep to your identity. You can't change because of how the game's going because they'll make plays. They're a good defense. They're going to make plays, and you just have to keep at it. " Denver coach Vance Joseph said in many ways Buffalo's offense poses similar challenges to the offense the Broncos just faced in the Cowboys, a big, physical group that leans on the run to drive the attack. "It's an offense that's built to run the football, starting with McCoy," Joseph said. "He's a special, special runner with the football. Offensive-line wise, it's a big, big, physical line that's a nasty, aggressive group. "Their quarterback also poses a threat with his legs. He's a passer first, but if the play breaks down, his scrambling ability is a concern. " Safety Darian Stewart said the Broncos' defense isn't fazed by facing two of the NFL's top running backs in consecutive weeks. "That's the life in the league," Stewart said. "You're going to play a high-profile back every week. We're looking forward to the challenge. He's a shifty back, but we look forward to it. " Taylor said of going up against Denver cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris: "That's a battle each and every week. You face good corners each and every week. There's going to be one-on-one battles that we have to win. I have confidence in all the guys that line up at wide receiver for us, and we're going to make those one-on-one battles work in our favor. " While the Bills will be looking to rev up their offense, Buffalo's defense figures to have its hands full against a Denver offense that showed both explosiveness and the ability to sustain drives in its beat-down of Dallas. C. J. Anderson has rushed for 199 yards in the first two games to spearhead the league's top rushing attack. Second-year starting quarterback Trevor Siemian is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with six. "I had the chance to go against Trevor a year ago when I was with the Panthers in the opening game of the year," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. "I was impressed with him then. I continue to be impressed. He knows where to go with the football based on coverage looks. He gets in and out of plays at the line. He's efficient. They're very efficient that way. " Buffalo, meanwhile, could be without defensive end Shaq Lawson (foot) and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (ankle) this week. Also questionable was offensive tackle Cordy Glenn, who also is dealing with a foot injury. For the Broncos, offensive tackle Garett Bolles is battling a lower leg injury that could prevent him from taking the field Sunday. Wide receiver Bennie Fowler III was in the concussion protocol this week, and his availability also was in question.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Deshaun Watson will try to do something Sunday that has never been done by a rookie quarterback. Defeat a Bill Belichick-coached team as a visiting player. Watson, who will be making his second professional start, leads the battered and bruised Houston Texans into Gillette Stadium for a game with the New England Patriots, who have also been dealing with assorted injuries. And Sunday, Watson will have to deal with Belichick and his various schemes. Rookie quarterbacks are 5-15 (in the first or only meeting of a rookie season) against Belichick through his time in New England. But the Foxborough numbers are even scarier -- 0-8 with five touchdowns, 16 interceptions and a 50. 7 passer rating. "Tough, physical, disciplined, well-coached team," Watson said Wednesday. "They play all four quarters and make you make mistakes. It's a tough opponent. " Beating Belichick -- and Tom Brady -- in Foxborough (or anywhere else) has been difficult for any player or any team, and the Texans have never won in Foxborough. They're 0-5 there and 1-8 overall against the Patriots, with six straight losses. The Patriots defeated the Texans 34-16 in the playoffs last season when Houston was without injured J. J. Watt. He is back and healthy, but this is a banged-up football team that will come into New England this weekend. Watt went down with his back injury when his team lost at New England a year ago. Brady sat that one out as part of his four-game DeflateGate suspension. "It's a big challenge," said Texans head coach Bill O'Brien, who used to be Belichick's offensive coordinator. "Obviously, the Patriots played really well yesterday (beating the Saints 36-20 in New Orleans). "It's a road environment. We've got to be able to go up there and handle the road environment. Obviously, they don't lose too often at home. They've got a great team. " Both teams are 1-1, losing their openers before winning in Week 2. Houston won with Watson making his first start as a pro. That was in Cincinnati against the Bengals. The circumstances are very different this week. O'Brien didn't think the environment would overwhelm his rookie. "I think anybody that's played in the types of games he played in -- it's different, obviously, because it's the NFL -- but he's played in national championship games," the O'Brien said. "He's played in big games relative to the ACC. Dealing with the big-game environment, the noise, I think that's important. Now, dealing with the Patriots' defense relative to a college defense is a whole (different) thing. "The thing about Deshaun is he doesn't get nervous. I asked him before the (Cincinnati) game, 'Are you nervous? ' He said, 'Naw, I don't get nervous. ' I see that, so I don't really concern myself too much with that. " While the Texans were scrambling to fill out their roster amid an avalanche of injuries, the Patriots appeared to be getting at least a bit healthier. Linebacker and defensive leader Dont'a Hightower, who has missed the first two games with a knee injury, and key receiver Danny Amendola, out Sunday with a concussion and knee injury, were back at practice Wednesday. Rob Gronkowski, who suffered a groin injury Sunday, said Monday that he was "day to day. " He was spotted at practice Wednesday but apparently didn't work. "It's a marathon of a season and you're going to have the ups and downs of guys being in, being out," Brady said Wednesday. "You always love to be as healthy as possible, but that's probably not the reality of most teams. " Watt comes into this game without a sack of Brady. "He's an exceptional player," Brady said. "They move him around a lot. Earlier in his career, you used to kind of get a beat on where he'd be, (which) could help you out a little bit. But now they move him so much he's going to really face every guy that you have up front. (He'll) be on both sides, be inside, be outside. They run a lot of games. "They've got a lot of scheme stuff that they use to try to get their guys free in the front, but all of those guys are exceptional athletes. J. J. is an incredible player. " The Texans, who beat the Bengals after losing three tight ends to injury, will be without cornerback Kevin Johnson, slated to be out four to six weeks with a knee injury. "That's big, a big loss for us," said safety Eddie Pleasant, who slid over the play some corner last week. "Great player, great guy, great competitive spirit, someone we love having out there. We need him out there, can't wait to get him back. "
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 CHARLOTTE, N. C. -- The Carolina Panthers made the most of their limited offense through two games. They might need more to defeat a New Orleans Saints team that often has good production against the Panthers. The teams will meet Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium in the first NFC South matchup for each this season. The game is more critical for the Saints (0-2), who stumbled against the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots. "These guys are grown men, and they understand the sense of urgency we have to play with and we have to practice with now starting with two losses," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. The Panthers (2-0) haven't allowed a touchdown through two games, but they are waiting for their offense to click with more regularity. A 9-3 victory over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday was the result of three field goals. "We've still given ourselves an opportunity," Carolina coach Ron Rivera said. "It's tough to win in the league when all you do is kick field goals. " The Panthers will try to pick up the production without All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen, who will be out for at least a couple of months after surgery for a broken right foot he sustained last weekend. That likely moves Ed Dickson into the role as the primary tight end. Quarterback Cam Newton said Dickson won't hurt the offense. Instead, Newton is calling on himself to be more efficient after two games in which he misfired toward some open receivers. "I just have to personally challenge myself that I have to be better and I will be better," Newton said. The Panthers, though, are working through some snags with two victories to their credit. That makes it easier. "I think with our veteran leadership, that is key," Newton said. "Offensively, guys believing in the plan and trusting in this whole process. We know everything is (not going) to be a walk in the park. " Dickson has been Olsen's backup, making him well known to Saints linebacker A. J. Klein, who is in his first season after playing as a backup with the Panthers. "I think Ed is overlooked when it comes to tight ends," Klein said. "Ed is a big, strong guy and has better speed than most people think. " Newton has been quick to endorse Dickson as well. "He's a diamond in the rough," Newton said. "I don't want to put too much on Ed, but he has been making plays for us -- very subtle over the years. That's why he has been somewhat of our unsung hero. " The Saints could use a hero of any sorts after a ragged beginning to the season. "(Carolina) is a team that's playing with a lot of confidence," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said, "but we're just waiting to break the seal. I feel like it can be this week. I hope it's this week. " Klein, who played behind Luke Kuechly with Carolina, said the Saints are capable of doing better. He said he can't be distracted by the return to the stadium he previously called home. If nothing else, it's time for the Saints to make sure the Panthers' offense doesn't unload. "Going to Carolina, we have challenge ahead of us," Klein said. "I can't sit here and sugarcoat stuff. We're just a step behind. All the pieces are there. Early adversity, it's what you do with it. " The Saints also have former Carolina receiver Ted Ginn Jr. on their roster. Carolina had never gone through the first two games of a season without allowing a touchdown, but keeping Brees in check won't likely be as easy as it was subduing offenses from San Francisco and Buffalo. Payton said part of the solution for New Orleans might be not relying so much on Brees by producing more on the ground. "It has been an emphasis of ours," Payton said. "There were yards left out there. " The Panthers could be without center Ryan Kalil for a second week in a row. He was a game-day scratch from the starting lineup last week, and his practice activity has been limited at best since then because of a sore neck. He was already coming off offseason shoulder surgery. Carolina wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin missed midweek practice with a knee injury, but there were no further indications that he would be held out of the game.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 The Detroit Lions rely heavily on the powerful right arm of Matthew Stafford. That's why they awarded him the richest contract in NFL history near the end of training camp. Stafford has done his part in the team's first two games, but he's getting a surprising assist from the defense. Stafford has thrown six touchdown passes, tying him for the league lead with Denver's Trevor Siemian. Detroit's defense has been just as productive in victories over Arizona and the New York Giants. The Lions will face an even sterner test Sunday when they host the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons, who are also off to a 2-0 start. Detroit snuck into the playoffs as a wild card last season without a lot of big plays from its defense. It had 26 sacks, tied for second-to-last in the league. The Lions forced only nine fumbles and made 10 interceptions, ranking in the bottom third in both categories. Opponents have only scored 33 points against the Lions this year and one of the touchdowns was an interception return. The Lions have already collected six sacks, forced three fumbles and picked off four passes. The Lions sacked Giants quarterback Eli Manning five times in a 24-10 Monday night victory, three by defensive end Ziggy Ansah. "We've had some production there just in terms of collapsing the pocket and getting ourselves near and around the quarterback," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "(Monday) was one of those unusual days where you get five, but I do think that our guys are coming along. They've stepped up to the challenge for two weeks, but there's a third one looming, and a very good one at that. "The minute you start talking about what you think you've gotten done in this league, you end up getting your ears kicked in. " Detroit's rushing offense, which finished last in the NFL a year ago, also showed some signs of life. The Lions gained 138 yards on the ground and averaged 4. 3 yards per carry against the Giants. Lead back Ameer Abdullah picked up 86 yards on 17 carries. "I think overall we performed better. Not quite where we want to be yet, but we're better," Caldwell said. "Ameer is getting back into his old form. He ran hard and guys were patient with the running game, so our offensive line did a nice job there creating some holes for us. But we still got a ways to go in that area. " The offense still revolves around Stafford, and Atlanta coach Dan Quinn notes that Stafford is adept at avoiding the rush. "We'll have our work cut out for us, but you better be able to finish your rushes because he's not going to just stay where you want him to be," Quinn said. "He'll be in different spots, move, and be active. "The last part of their offense that they don't talk about a lot is they have a very good screen game. It's something that they use actively. They've got runners that can catch it and wideouts that are good catch-and-run guys like Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. " The Falcons have already defeated two NFC North opponents, squeaking past Chicago 23-17 in their opener and topping Green Bay 34-23 on Sunday night. Quarterback Matt Ryan has completed 69 percent of his passes and thrown two touchdowns. Lead back Devonta Freeman has scored three times while averaging 3. 9 yards per carry, and the receiving duo of Julie Jones and Mohamed Sanu has combined for 20 catches and 306 yards. Atlanta has kept opposing defenses off balance by varying its looks. "I think it's the personnel groups that also present some challenges because now there can be two backs in there," Quinn said. "We've shown four wide receiver sets and big packages. When you defend us, there are a lot of groups you have to go through. Then you add in the motions, shifts, and playing fast. "It's a challenge, and we're really fortunate that Matt Ryan is able to get it on the ball with whatever comes his way. " The Falcons have shown a strong pass rush with seven sacks, but will go without top edge rusher Vic Beasley Jr. He has been declared out with a hamstring injury. Defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw (ankle) will also sit out. Lions linebacker and first-round pick Jarrad Davis is going through the league's concussion protocol and is questionable to play.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 PHILADELPHIA -- After splitting their first two games on the road, the Philadelphia Eagles will open their home schedule Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field against the desperate New York Giants, who dropped their first two games. The Eagles, coming off a 7-9 season, opened the season with a victory at Washington before falling 27-20 last Sunday at Kansas City. Philadelphia finished 6-2 at home last season and could improve to 2-0 in the NFC East with a win against the Giants. Second-year coach Doug Pederson has been criticized throughout his brief tenure for a lack of balance on offense. In the seven-point loss to the Chiefs, quarterback Carson Wentz threw 46 passes. The Eagles ran the ball 13 times for a total of 52 yards. In his rookie season, Wentz threw the ball a franchise-record 607 times. In the offseason, the Eagles signed free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who was a member of the New England Patriots team that won the Super Bowl last season. Blount went without a single carry against Kansas City after rushing for 46 yards on 14 carries against the Redskins. "I still got a lot of confidence in him," Pederson told reporters, referring to Blount after the loss to the Chiefs. "And we'll find ways to get him on the field. " The run-pass ratio was a constant source of tension during Andy Reid's 14 years with the Eagles, and it has continued under Pederson, who was previously Reid's offensive coordinator in Kansas City. "Yeah, I've got guys, we talk run-pass all the time during the game, especially first down, series start and first down earned during the game," Pederson told reporters. "And a lot of times, you get into the game and it starts to become situational and things change, as you know, and so -- but yeah, I've got guys in my ear all the time. " Even with the disparity, the Eagles recovered a late onside kick and had a chance to tie the game with a Hail Mary pass, but Wentz's pass was knocked away in the end zone. The Eagles trailed the entire fourth quarter, which was acknowledged in the aftermath of the loss. "Even if it was a little bit out of proportion at that point, it gets -- it ends up looking worse," offensive coordinator Frank Reich told reporters. "And my experience is when you look around the league, it pretty much happens every week to one team or two teams are going to find themselves in the same kind of situation. " The Eagles could be short-handed defensively heading into the home opener, with cornerback Jaylen Watkins and safeties Rodney McLeod and Corey Graham struggling with hamstring injuries. Pederson said at his Wednesday press conference that neither Watkins nor McLeod would be practicing. Graham showed up on the injury report later in the day. The Giants went 11-5 last season and looked to be a contender in 2017, but they dropped to 0-2 after a disappointing 24-10 home loss to the Detroit Lions. Coach Ben McAdoo was critical of 14-year veteran and two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning following the loss. Manning completed 22 of 32 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown yet the offense looked dormant for much of the game. "Hey, you lose games, you only score 10 points, you deserve some criticism," Manning said on WFAN Monday. "Coach McAdoo knows I can handle it. " McAdoo has been clearly perturbed after seeing his team fall to 0-2. "Yeah, we can't keep doing the same thing over and over again," McAdoo said on a Tuesday conference call. "That's insanity. It's not working. So we are going to look to make some changes this week, like we did last week. Maybe it will be a little more drastic this week, to use your word. If that means me giving up play-calling duties, that's something we will look at, that we'll talk about. For personnel, jobs are won in this league, they are not given away. So somebody's got to win a job or take a job to get a job. " Giants All-Pro wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returned from an ankle injury to catch four passes for 36 yards against the Lions. It's unclear how much he'll contribute against the Eagles. Another troubling sign for the Giants was the play of left tackle Ereck Flowers, who allowed three sacks. Flowers' status could be one of the changes looming Sunday which was alluded to by McAdoo.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- While Mike Zimmer waits for the return of quarterback Sam Bradford, who missed last week with a knee injury, this week's opponent isn't so sure Zimmer might be better off sticking with backup Case Keenum. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who come to Minnesota on Sunday, have seen plenty of Keenum through the years and haven't enjoyed the experience. Keenum has beaten Tampa Bay each of the last two seasons while playing for the Rams. "We probably shouldn't be calling him a backup, because he's beat us two years in a row," Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter said Wednesday. "They might be better off with him playing. He seems to have our number. It looked like the Vikings ran their offense last week. " Bradford was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in a season-opening victory over the New Orleans Saints. But Bradford sustained a knee injury and couldn't play in a loss at Pittsburgh last week. Keenum completed 20-of-37 passes for 167 yards in his place. Minnesota isn't sure whether Bradford will be able to return in time to play Sunday. He practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday. Zimmer started his press conference by answering his own question. "He's doing good," Zimmer said after jokingly asking himself how Bradford is doing. But Zimmer also said the decision on Bradford's status will likely come down to Sunday. "It's day to day, how do I know? " Zimmer said. Bradford or Keenum will face a Tampa Bay defense that forced four turnovers in a 29-7 victory over the Chicago Bears last week, the Buccaneers' first game of the season after Week 1 was postponed because of Hurricane Irma. Tampa Bay sacked Chicago's Mike Glennon only once but came up with two interceptions. The Buccaneers also recovered two fumbles and allowed the Bears only 20 rushing yards on 16 attempts. "Up front, Gerald McCoy, one of the premier guys in this league," Keenum said of Tampa Bay's defense. "And the linebacking crew is fast guys who can play, and they're solid on the back end, too. So we've got our work cut out for us. " In the two wins over the Buccaneers the past two seasons, Keenum completed 65. 12 percent of his passes for four touchdowns, one interception and a 118. 8 quarterback rating. If Bradford's knee improves, he will surely be back under center for Minnesota. "I would like to think that they're good, but a lot of it just depends on how my knee responds when we go out there and practice this week," Bradford said of his chances to play Sunday. "Hopefully, it'll continue to get better. I think a large part of that is how it responds. " Minnesota's offense, as a whole, struggled against Pittsburgh. Rookie running back Dalvin Cook had 12 carries for 64 yards after rushing for 127 yards in Week 1. Koetter knows Cook's potential well. He said Wednesday that he looked at Cook "a lot" before the draft. "He can run with power," Koetter said. "He can run with speed. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He's demonstrated all of that the first two weeks of the season. " Zimmer sees similarities between his unit and the Buccaneers' defense. "Scheme wise they're very similar, safeties are aggressive, linebackers are fast," Zimmer said. "Gerald McCoy is a great player at three-technique. Corners play a lot of off coverage, but they're in a lot of man-to-man. They're good. They're a turnover machine. They got four last week. That's kind of been their M. O. Last year same thing. They play fast and they play hard. " Zimmer's defense will have to contend with Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston and receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson a week after seeing Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Brown was held to five catches for 62 yards. Bryant had the big game with 91 yards on only three catches and one touchdown. "Whoever lines up against me, I'll have to be ready for," Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes told the team's website. "If I'm on DeSean, I'll have to do a lot of hamstring workouts. If I'm on Mike Evans, I'll have to get in the weight room. " Evans and Jackson didn't have to do much against Chicago and Winston threw for 204 yards. Tampa Bay ran for 117 yards and scored once on defense. "We hope we can do that every game," Evans said Wednesday. "The defense, they're some savages. I love our defense. " McCoy didn't participate in Wednesday's practice because of an ankle injury and the Buccaneers were also without linebacker Kwon Alexander (hamstring) and defensive tackle Chris Baker (illness). Cornerback Brent Grimes (shoulder) was limited. For Minnesota, linebacker Anthony Barr (hamstring) was limited in Wednesday's practice.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:05 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+115
|
+2 (-105)
|
Over 41 (-115)
|
|
|
-135
|
-2 (-115)
|
Under 41 (-105)
|
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 The Tennessee Titans appeared to find their offense in the second half of last week's 37-16 victory at the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Seattle Seahawks are still searching for their offense after managing only one touchdown and 21 points in their first two games, winning 12-9 last week in part because they were playing the San Francisco 49ers. The Titans and Seahawks meet Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, both in need of more consistency and still far from having to reach for the panic button because of the weakened state of their divisions. "I think we'll continue to grow," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said after last week's victory over the 49ers. "We're going to get better. I think we can see us making the improvement that's going to be important for us. " Carroll was speaking of the offensive line, which did at least generate a decent running game. Rookie Chris Carson rushed for 93 yards in 20 carries and could see more time going forward in the team's running back rotation, which also features Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy. But quarterback Russell Wilson remains endangered on any pass requiring at least a three-step drop. San Francisco's defense, which is not to be confused with the 1975 Steelers or even its great stop units in the Jim Harbaugh era, teed off on Wilson at times last week. Wilson's numbers are pedestrian -- 37 of 66, 356 yards, a touchdown pass -- in two games. But it's hard to find much rhythm when you're running from pressure or picking yourself up off the seat of your pants about a dozen times a game. That helps explain why the Seahawks enter this week's game 28th in points per game with 10. 5, 26th in yards per contest and 29th in passing yards per game.Tennessee's pass defense isn't exactly airtight, but it can crank up a good pass rush. The Titans certainly hassled Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles last week. Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan each did their job with sacks, and the defense forced three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions. Bortles' numbers -- 20 of 34, 223 yards and a touchdown pass -- were deceptively good. It was the end of an 11-game road losing streak within the division for Tennessee, dating back to 2013, but coach Mike Mularkey certainly knows a win over Jacksonville isn't exactly a season-maker. "We won an important game on the road, in our division," he said. "There is nobody in here patting themselves on the back. We have a lot of work to do still. Just like the week before, with the bad taste (after losing to Oakland), the good taste is gone. We have to get ready for the next one. " Getting ready for the next one is a bit more problematic for two reasons -- Seattle's defense and the questionable health of running back DeMarco Murray (hamstring). He rushed for only 25 yards in nine carries last week before sitting out most of the second half. Derrick Henry picked up the slack and then some in Murray's absence, rolling up a game-high 92 yards and a touchdown in a successful homecoming to his native north Florida. Mularkey is hopeful Murray can play Sunday, but Henry is certainly a quality replacement if Murray can't go. "We stayed patient with the run game and we decided to hit some holes," Mularkey said of Henry's second-half performance at Jacksonville. "That's the position if you can have two guys who can run the ball like that, it's a luxury. There's a lot of pounding that goes on their bodies. " The Titans will need a strong running game, regardless of who does the work. The Seahawks still have one of the best pass defenses around with a solid combination of coverage and rush. They held the impotent 49ers to 89 yards in the air last week and only permitted 17 points in Week 1 at Green Bay, a performance good enough to win with most weeks. While the loser will be 1-2 and the winner will at least share first place in its division, there is plenty of time for either team to figure out its weaknesses and make them a strength in their divisions. Nine wins could be enough to capture the AFC South or the NFC West. "Just stay together and keep grinding," Seattle safety Kam Chancellor said after Sunday's win. "Keep looking forward. "
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:25 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:25 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-150
|
-3 (+104)
|
Over 47 (-115)
|
|
|
+130
|
+3 (-123)
|
Under 47 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 Chiefs coach Andy Reid couldn't suppress his grin with the Los Angeles Chargers, lined up next for Kansas City. But Reid wasn't giddy over his undefeated team facing one searching for its first victory come Sunday at the StubHub Center. Instead, he's just happy the NFL has returned to L. A. "I'm from there so I'm an L. A. guy," Reid said. "I'm glad pro football is back. It's a big city and it can handle two teams. " That's to be determined as the Chargers (0-2) and Rams share Reid's hometown. What isn't a mystery is that the Chargers' biggest task in their second game in L. A. after 56 seasons in San Diego is stopping the Chiefs' explosive attack. Kansas City (2-0) has sprinted from the gate with an offense featuring an accurate quarterback in Alex Smith, a shifty rookie running back in Kareem Hunt and a top-shelf tight end in Travis Kelce. "I think the plays we are dialing up are good," Reid said. "But most of all the guys are doing a great job of executing them. " The Chargers' offense has been known to move the chains, too. But it has to keep the Chiefs' defenders out of the backfield and these days that means more than Justin Houston. Chris Jones is coming off a stellar game in which his stat line can't be ignored: three sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and five solo tackles. "He's shown up on tape quite a bit," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. Jones is eager to see Rivers so they can exchange pleasantries. "He doesn't curse, he just talks a lot of stuff," Jones said. "I'm out there saying stuff the whole time but they don't get me on camera. " The Chargers weren't ready for their Hollywood close-up, falling in their home opener to the Dolphins, 19-17, on Sunday. Rookie kicker Younghoe Koo missed from 44 yards in the closing seconds, the second straight week the Chargers had lost on a late kick that wasn't converted. It was nothing new for the Chargers as they lost eight games by seven points or fewer last year. In fact, among the reasons the Chargers are 9-25 in two plus years is their inability to win tight contests. "They have more of those games than anybody the last two years," Reid said. "When you play it right to the end there you are a good football team. " That's Lynn's point. But the Chargers have to do more than talk the talk. "First of all, there were a lot of plays that could have made a difference in that game," Lynn said. "Just evaluating the tape, on offense, defense and special teams, there's certainly plays where we could have done better. " But can the Chargers show improvement against the Chiefs, a squad that is clearly ascending once again? "We're going to find out what the character, what the identity of this team is," tackle Russell Okung said. "We'll see that really soon. " Rivers knows what has to happen. His unit has to be more productive. "I know we got to score more points than we have been scoring," Rivers said. "Our defense gave up 19 and 24 points and we have to win those games. " It won't be easy against the balanced Chiefs. "They got a good offense, the got a good defense," Rivers said. "They are arguably the hottest team in the league right now. "It's going to be a heck of a challenge but one I think we are up for. We got to be up for it. We got to get in the win column and hopefully get on little streak. " Rivers, who led the league last year with 21 interceptions, knows he must take care of the football. Especially with Pro Bowler Marcus Peters roaming the Chiefs' secondary to disrupt Rivers. "He's obviously a super talent player," he said. "It's the corners that are smart, that maybe guess some, but they also understand what they are seeing and they recognize routes. Those are the ones that are the most dangerous. He's one of the guys that is always breaking up passes and always around the ball. " The Chargers are always around the win column. Too bad that doesn't mean squat. "It shows you what we can do," Rivers said. "But you got to do it. We've done a lot of good things in this first two weeks and at the end of the day we got nothing to show for it. It gives you the confidence to know that if you keep fighting, keep scratching, surely, we will be on the other ends of those. And we got 14 games left. " None of which are more important that Sunday's.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:25 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:25 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+272
|
+7 (-116)
|
Over 48 (-110)
|
|
|
-337
|
-7 (-104)
|
Under 48 (-110)
|
|
|
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 The Green Bay Packers gave up 34 points in Sunday night's loss at Atlanta. The Cincinnati Bengals have scored nine points while starting the season 0-2. One of these struggling units should be feeling better about things after Sunday's game at Lambeau Field. The Bengals haven't scored a touchdown in losses to Baltimore and Houston at home. A day after the 13-9 loss to the Texans, longtime coach Marvin Lewis fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor. "We have to have a direction of execution and things have to fit together and we've got to provide opportunity to attack the defense," Lewis said. "We've got to do a great job attacking what is our perceived weakness of the defense and get the ball to our guys who can make plays. " That starts with getting quarterback Andy Dalton back on track. Dalton, who is coming off his two best seasons, with a career-high passer rating of 106. 2 in 2015 and a career-high completion rate of 64. 7 percent in 2016, owns the worst passer rating in the league at 47. 2 and the next-to-worst completion rate at 54. 5 percent. Dalton has thrown four interceptions and been sacked eight times behind a shaky offensive line that has struggled to replace left tackle Andrew Whitworth and right guard Kevin Zeitler, who left in free agency. Green Bay's defense got off to an impressive start vs. Seattle in a 17-9 win to open the season but got exposed, again, in a 34-23 loss at Atlanta. The Packers couldn't stop Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (252 passing yards, 108. 0 rating), receiver Julio Jones (five catches, 108 yards) or the running game (5. 2-yard average). Early in that game, Green Bay inserted cornerback Kevin King, a first-round draft pick, into the lineup and he gave up only one catch. With Lewis looking to get the ball more to his playmakers, King and fellow cornerback Davon House will be tested by star Bengals receiver A. J. Green. Green had 1,000-yard receiving years in each of his first five seasons and would have done it again last year if not for missing six games because of injury. He has caught 10 passes for 141 yards to start this year. While Cincinnati's offense has been horrible, the defense has played well enough to win both games. The Bengals have given up 20 points or fewer in eight of their last nine, including both games this season. In the opener against Baltimore, Cincinnati lost 20-0 due, in large part, to five giveaways. Last week against Houston, the Bengals gave up only 266 yards, including 98 net passing yards, but lost 13-9. Lewis knows his defense will face a much bigger challenge against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers than it did last week against rookie Deshaun Watson. Lewis has had some success vs. Rodgers, though. In matchups in 2009 and 2013, Cincinnati won both games and held Rodgers to a passer rating of 73. 5. "He's an outstanding player," Lewis said of Rodgers. "He has a great command of their offense and what Mike wants done. He knows the system inside and out, knows where everybody belongs (and gets) everybody to the right spots. And then he's able to just do a great job of delivering the football. And then he extends them with his arms, his legs. "I think the thing we just impress upon our players is this is an all-day sucker, man. We've got to play the run, we've got to tackle and then, when we get in coverage and rush, we've got to be consistent and we've got to play tenacious and stay after it. " Injuries again will be a factor for the Packers. Seven starters were out by the end of the Atlanta game. Offensive tackles David Bakhtiari (hamstring) and Bryan Bulaga (ankle) were inactive, and receivers Jordy Nelson (quad) and Randall Cobb (chest), House (quad), safety Kentrell Brice (groin) and defensive tackle Mike Daniels (hip) dropped out during the game. Nelson and Bulaga were full participants on Wednesday, but Bakhtiari, Brice, Cobb, Daniels, House and outside linebacker Nick Perry (hand) were among eight players who did not practice. "We expect to play well every time we're out there," Rodgers said. "No matter who's out there, they're all professionals. There's an expectation of a style of play and a performance that we all have for ourselves and for each other. So whoever's out there lining up is going to be expected to play well. " For Cincinnati, tight end Tyler Eifert (back) and right guard Trey Hopkins (knee) were the only starters who did not practice.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:30 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 8:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-181
|
-3 (-119)
|
Over 53.5 (-110)
|
|
|
+156
|
+3 (-101)
|
Under 53.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 LANDOVER, Md. -- The Oakland Raiders are rolling. Now they will try to improve to 3-0 in front of a national television audience. After scoring a league-high 71 points in wins over the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets, Oakland travels to face the Washington Redskins in the Week 3 Sunday night game. Washington, after losing to the Eagles at home in Week 1, calmed nerves in the nation's capital a bit when they went out to the West Coast and defeated the Los Angeles Rams. The Redskins, usually pass heavy under coach Jay Gruden, rushed for 229 yards in the 27-20 victory, with three backs rushing for at least 67 yards (Rob Kelley, 78; Chris Thompson, 77; and Samaje Perine, 67). Thompson scored twice, including a 61-yard run, and has three touchdowns (one receiving) in two games. Kelley left with a rib cartilage injury and was limited in practice Wednesday. Gruden is reluctant to give too many carries to the 5-8 Thompson, so rookie Perine may get a lot of work Sunday night, with Thompson remaining in his third-down role. "Good player. You can hand it to him, you can toss it to him, you could throw him the football out of the backfield. He's been good," Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said of Thompson. "In fact, all three backs have been productive for them behind that line. The line is doing a nice job blocking -- good design. They've done a nice job. They've run the ball as well as anybody in the league to start the year. " Washington's passing game is still not in synch. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was average (18 of 27 for 179 yards and one touchdown) Sunday, but he was 3 for 3 on what proved to be the game-winning drive, including a 23-yard completion to Terrelle Pryor and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Grant. "Got off rhythm a couple times, but I liked the way he finished," Gruden said of Cousins. "That's the important thing. Getting a win on the road is not easy, anywhere, anytime. And making the key throws down the stretch, going 3 for 3 on that last drive was critical. " The Raiders have also been running well behind one of the best offensive lines in the league. Through two games, the Raiders' starters up front have been called for only two penalties. Against the Jets, Oakland rushed for 180 yards and Derek Carr was 23 of 28 for 230 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, and was not sacked. "It's still early," left tackle Donald Penn said. "You've got to sustain it. It ain't about doing it in the beginning. You've got to go 16 weeks with it. Hopefully we are going 17, 18, 19 weeks with it. " Carr ranks third in the league with a 126. 5 passer rating (Cousins is 22nd at 82. 9), and the Raiders have zero turnovers in two games. Oakland's offense is ranked fourth, averaging 384. 5 yards after two games, while Washington is 14th, gaining 324. 5 yards per outing. After gaining 76 yards in the opener, running back Marshawn Lynch finished with 12 carries for 45 yards versus the Jets. "He really looks rusty, I'll tell you," Gruden joked Wednesday. "No, he's fun to watch. You don't like to say that about other people, but it's actually fun and terrifying to watch him at the same time. " Neither defense is in the top half, but Oakland is 18th (310. 5 yards per game) and Washington is 27th (344). "They're a good team. That, I think, breeds confidence. Success creates more success," Cousins said of the Raiders' defense. "(Defensive end) Khalil Mack is as good as they come in the NFL and (linebacker) Bruce Irvin I've played against when he was in Seattle and he's a very active player, both in the pass game and in the run game. Very athletic in space. Obviously we know (former Redskin cornerback) David Amerson and the player that he's become. " The Redskins' defense is still struggling on third down, allowing a 50 percent conversion rate. Oakland punter Marquette King is averaging 54 yards (51. 3 net) on six kicks. Kelley is not the only banged up Redskin. Tight end Jordan Reed (rib/sternum) did not practice. Limited were safety Deshazor Everett (knee), cornerback Mason Foster (shoulder), tackle Morgan Moses (ankle/shoulder), safety Montae Nelson (shoulder) and cornerback Josh Norman (hamstring). The team may activate safety Fish Smithson. And the team now knows safety Su'a Cravens won't be coming back. The 22-year-old was placed on the NFL's reserve/left squad list this week, meaning he cannot return this season as he contemplates retiring.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
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GAME PREVIEW
Twins try to inch closer to playoff berth versus Tigers 34m ago• 3 min read DETROIT -- The Minnesota Twins not only pass the eye test, they pass the 'D' test.Good defense has been a Minnesota trademark this season as the Twins scramble to keep ahead of the pack in the run to the second American League wild-card spot."They have tried to find ways to be able to measure those things a little bit more specifically," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said Saturday before his Twins rallied for eight runs in the eighth inning to post a 10-4 victory over Detroit. "I still think that the eye test sometime is the best test."I mean the numbers usually just support what you kind of already know by watching. I've been really pleased that the guys have taken a lot of pride in that side of the game." Byron Buxton in center and two telephone poles would constitute a good outfield defense, Joe Mauer is among the elite at first, Brian Dozier is reliable at second, Jorge Polanco is steady at short and Eduardo Escobar has been sterling at third since Miguel Sango was injured in mid-August."I think coming off of last year and having to listen to me talk about defense in spring training probably more than a couple of times (might be responsible)," Molitor said. "And the effort that they've put in to try to make themselves a better club in terms of that aspect of the game."And it's paid dividends. I think it not only shows up on the outs that we have and our ability to get off the field but I think it gives more confidence to your pitching staff when they know that if they throw it over (the plate) the guys are going to make plays." Right-hander Jose Berrios (12-8 3.94 ERA) will start Sunday for the Twins and his improvement from last year to this is one of the reasons Minnesota holds the second wild-card spot by 4 1/2 games over Kansas City, Texas and the Los Angeles Angels. He lost his last start, in New York.Berrios started once this season against Detroit without receiving a decision and over his two seasons in the majors is 0-1 in three starts with an 18.00 ERA against the Tigers.Detroit counters with right-hander Buck Farmer (4-4, 7.11 ERA), who is making his 10th start of 2017 and a late-season audition for a spot in next year's rotation.Farmer has made only one start amid five career appearances against the Twins in his career and is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in that time. He also lost his last start.Manager Brad Ausmus isn't into big goodbyes and won't speak to his team about leaving until the last game of the season, in Minnesota."I'm not going to plan anything out," he said. "I'll just speak to them from the heart."Why finish out the season? I'm under contract for 2017 and my job is to manage the Tigers. And I'm going to do that until I finish the season."It's going to be a little bit of a haul for the first couple years. But they're moving in the right direction and I wish Al (GM Avila) and the Tigers nothing but the best." Ausmus reiterated he knew when Detroit traded Justin Upton and Justin Verlander on Aug. 31 that he was going to finish out the season and his contract and then leave. He called his wife and told her he felt it would be best to let the Tigers bring in another manager to guide the rebuild.His last home game as Detroit's manager is Sunday."I mean, we've had good crowds," he said, "despite the fact that we haven't been playing winning baseball. Quite frankly, I'd like to just win."
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GAME PREVIEW
Yankees look to keep foot on pedal versus Blue Jays 9h ago• 4 min read TORONTO -- The New York Yankees have clinched an American League wild-card spot.Do no expect them to be taking it easy when they complete their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday at the Rogers Centre.They still have a faint chance of winning the American League East although they trail the first-place Boston Red Sox by four games."The first goal is obviously to win the division," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "The next goal is to make sure, if you don't win the division, is that you have home-field advantage (for the wild-card game). I think it's important that we keep our foot on the gas. Our fate may not be determined till the last weekend." The Yankees clinched a wild-card spot with a 5-1 victory Saturday after losing to the Blue Jays 8-1 on Friday. Their magic number to clinch at least homefield in the wild-card game is three as they lead Minnesota by 5 1/2 games.New York left-hander Jaime Garcia (5-9, 4.19 ERA) opposes Toronto righty Marcus Stroman (12-8, 3.01) on Sunday. It is the final home game of the season for the Blue Jays.The Yankees (86-68) were not expected to do as well as they have this season, while the Blue Jays (72-83), who played in the past two American League Championship Series, were not expected to be last in the AL East as they are now.Blue Jays manager John Gibbons is impressed with the Yankees."They're young and talented," Gibbons said after the game Saturday. "They've got a lot of pop in their lineup. They've got some good pieces to go along with it. Some speed with (Jacoby) Ellsbury and (Brett) Gardner. They've got some good starting pitching and arguably one of the best bullpens, if not the best. They can be as tough as anybody." The Yankees are on a 16-6 roll that started Aug. 31."It's a great accomplishment," Girardi said. "We learned a lot about our young players, our veteran players. To see the kids kind of grow up in front of you, it's special."We're still playing for the division. Obviously, I have to be smart. I can't run guys out there 10 days in a row. That doesn't make sense because I think it becomes counterproductive."We're going to do what we can to win these games and see where we're at. If we do get eliminated from the division then you start to think a little differently." The Yankees are 18 games above. 500, which matches a season high."We're a lot better than a lot of people thought we were," Yankees infielder Chase Headley said. "This is my second postseason in 11 years so I'm enjoying it. Obviously, we have more work to be done but any time you have a chance to play in the postseason, you can't take it for granted. A lot of guys play a long time and don't have this chance." The Blue Jays are finishing up a disappointing season and right fielder Jose Bautista could be playing his final home game with the team. It is unlikely that the club will pick up the $17-million option for 2018."A lot of us, as usual, played through a lot of things, physically and mentally," Bautista said. "We tried our best. We just couldn't get consistent enough, we didn't get the results we wanted. I'm sure if you go down this room, individually and collectively, everybody's going to have sort of the same feeling about the season even though there were more than a few guys here who have had terrific seasons. And that shouldn't be put on the back burner. ..."A month ago, a month and a half ago, we were still in the ball game. Even two weeks ago we were still with high hopes and high possibilities. It just didn't happen for us." One of the Blue Jays to have a good season is Stroman, who reached a career best Tuesday with his 12th win of the season.He defeated the Kansas City Royals for his first win since Aug. 16, a span of five winless starts (0-2) when he allowed one run, four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in seven innings. In his past six starts, he is 1-2 with a 2.91 ERA. He is 0-1, 5.79, in three starts against the Yankees this season and is 5-3, 2.97 in 11 career starts against them.Garcia will make his eighth start as a Yankee Sunday.The Yankees are his third team this season. He is 5-9 with a 4.19 ERA in 26 starts combined with the Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins and the Yankees.The 31-year-old allowed one unearned run in a no-decision Monday against the Twins. He allowed four hits, no walks and struck out nine. He was acquired from the Twins in a trade July 29 after he made one start for them. The Twins acquired him in a trade with the Braves on July 24. He is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA with the Yankees.Garcia is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in four career starts against the Blue Jays. He allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his only start against Toronto this season, receiving a no-decision May 16 when he was with Atlanta.
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GAME PREVIEW
Scherzer, deGrom to duel in Nationals-Mets matchup 1h ago• 2 min read NEW YORK -- Two of the National League's best pitchers will square off Sunday afternoon when the New York Mets host the Washington Nationals in the finale of a three-game series at Citi Field.If all goes according to plan for Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom, Sunday will also be the game in which he takes another step closer toward matching the ace standards set by Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer.DeGrom (15-9, 3.55 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Scherzer (15-6, 2.59) in a rare matchup of true No. 1 pitchers. Both teams will be looking for a series win after the Nationals snapped a two-game losing streak Saturday night with a 4-3, 10-inning victory.Scherzer (253) and deGrom (228) entered Saturday ranked 1-2 in the NL in strikeouts and were in the top 10 in wins, ERA and innings pitched."They're two of the best in the game," Mets manager Terry Collins said of deGrom and Scherzer. "If you're a baseball fan, those are games you want to see. And I'm going to get to see it, so I'm excited about it." Scherzer continued to cement himself as one of the best pitchers of his era in his most recent start on Tuesday, when he not only picked up the win by allowing two runs in seven innings in the Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves but also struck out seven to reach 250 strikeouts for the fourth straight season.Scherzer is the fourth pitcher with 250 strikeouts in four straight seasons. His predecessors? Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez."You have to be durable to accomplish that," Scherzer told reporters afterward. "I have been durable and going out there, making 30-plus starts every year. That is how you achieve something like that." When Scherzer takes the mound Sunday, he will reach 30 starts for the ninth straight season - a streak exceeded only by Chicago Cubs left-hander Jon Lester, who has made at least 30 starts in 10 straight seasons.Scherzer is 8 2/3 innings shy of reaching 200 innings for the fifth straight year. DeGrom reached 30 starts for the second time in his most recent outing Sept. 16, when he picked up the win after allowing one run in seven innings in the Mets' 7-3 win over the Braves, is 4 2/3 innings away from reaching 200 for the first time.DeGrom has had his eye on 200 innings since spring training."That's a big thing," deGrom said following a win over the Miami Marlins on Aug 20. "That was kind of a goal coming into the year." DeGrom was initially scheduled to start Friday's series opener but was pushed back two days due to a stomach illness. He is 5-3 with a 2.75 ERA in 11 career starts against the Nationals. Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.27 ERA in 14 career appearances (13 starts) against the Mets, whom he no-hit on Oct. 3, 2015.
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GAME PREVIEW
Red Sox's Fister looks for better start against Reds 5h ago• 2 min read CINCINNATI -- Boston Red Sox right-hander Doug Fister adjusted his pregame schedule in an effort to improve his first-inning command. He's scheduled to make his 13th start of the season on Sunday afternoon when the Red Sox wrap up a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.Boston's magic number to clinch the American League East title now is five. The Red Sox (90-64) lead the second-place New York Yankees by four games in the division standings after the Yankees won on Saturday at Toronto.In the first inning this season, Fister owns a 9.69 ERA with three home runs, seven doubles, and a triple allowed this season. By the fourth inning, Fister's ERA plummets to 0.77."That's the biggest issue for him, just to come out and command the baseball a little more regularly," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "To me, the biggest key for him is the first out of every inning."When he records the first out of each inning, that's when he's in a much better position to put up a zero. Because he is a contact pitcher, first out is key for him." Fister is 2-2 with a 5.00 ERA and 15 earned runs allowed in 27 innings in his past five starts. Most of that damage has been done in the first and second innings. He has allowed 11 earned runs in his past two starts, five in the first."There was an adjustment, getting the warmups started pregame closer to game time," Farrell said. "Every guy has their own routine. He had one, he would finish prior to the start of the game earlier than most. Just thought maybe that had something to do with re-establishing a release point and repeating the delivery. So we've shortened that up. The first inning has been somewhat of a challenge for him." Fister is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three career starts against the Reds. Fister owns a career 2.97 ERA in interleague games. He issued a season-high five walks in his last start at Baltimore."His start in Baltimore was uncharacteristic in terms of the number of walks issued," Farrell said. "He's a guy who's going to throw the ball over the plate and have good command. He's a contact pitcher." Cincinnati (66-89) will send rookie right-hander Jackson Stephens to the mound on Sunday for his third career start. Stephens is 1-0 as a starter with an 8.31 ERA and eight earned runs and four home runs in 8 2/3 innings.The Red Sox hope to have right fielder Mookie Betts back in the lineup on Sunday. He was scratched from his Saturday start with a left foot contusion. He fouled a pitch off the top of his foot in his second at-bat on Friday.Boston leads the all-time series 11-1. The Red Sox have swept three of the four series played between the clubs.The Reds and Red Sox haven't played each other since 2014. The most memorable meeting, of course, was in the 1975 World Series, won by Cincinnati in seven games. It's regarded by many to be the most exciting Fall Classic ever played.
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GAME PREVIEW
Braves bid to sweep Phillies in final home game 2h ago• 2 min read ATLANTA -- Two highly regarded rookies will close out the first season at SunTrust Park on Sunday.Philadelphia will send right-hander Nick Pivetta (6-10, 6.57 ERA) to the mound against Atlanta left-hander Luiz Gohara (1-2, 6.00) in the finale of a three-game series. It will be Atlanta's final home game this year at SunTrust, where they have posted a 37-43 mark.Atlanta has won the first two games of the series. The Braves have won four straight contests against the Phillies after winning only two of their first 14 meetings. Atlanta's last three-game sweep over Philadelphia came in September 2016.Pivetta will make his 25th start of the season. The rookie was promoted in late April has been a steady contributor since joining the rotation. Pivetta was acquired by the team in a 2015 trade with Washington that sent reliever Jonathan Papelbon to the Nationals.Pivetta won his last start on Sept. 18, posting a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pivetta allowed two runs on four hits and struck out eight in six innings against the Dodgers.Pivetta is trying to ensure his place in the Philadelphia rotation for 2018. He struggled mightily during five August starts when he was 1-3 with an 11.57 ERA. He's been better in four September starts, going 1-1 with a 6.55 ERA."He needs to understand how to continue to carry that through five, six, seven or even eight innings," Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's when you get to be a real solid starter. He's a young pitcher. It's his first year in the big leagues. He's going to get it. He's going to be good." Consistency is the problem with Pivetta, who average 9.52 strikeouts per nine innings. He's had double-digit strikeouts twice, including a career-high 11 against the Padres on Aug. 16.Pivetta has made two starts against Atlanta this season. He's 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA and beat the Braves on July 31 when he allowed one run in six innings.Gohara has less major league experience as he will be making his fourth start and is trying to put himself in consideration for inclusion in the 2018 starting rotation. Gohara was acquired from Seattle, which was growing impatient with the beefy 6-foot-3, 230-pound prospect.Gohara, 21, has breezed through the club's minor league system. He began in Single-A and was pitching with Triple-A Gwinnett before being called up on Sept 4. He was 7-4 with a 2.62 ERA in 26 minor league appearances with three clubs in 2017.Since being thrust into the starting rotation, Gohara has faced some good hitters. He made his debut against the Rangers and has two starts against Washington. His best game came on Sept. 13 when he outpitched Washington's Max Scherzer and allowed one run in six innings."He battles," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "He's a strike thrower. He gets the ball over the plate. I thought he was a little sharper the other day in Washington, but he's still pretty good." It could be the final home game for Snitker, who is nearing the end of a one-year contract to manage the team. Snitker, who has spent 40 years with the Braves organization, said he would like to return.The Braves finish the season with four games in New York and four in Miami. Philadelphia returns home for three-game series against Washington and the New York Mets.
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GAME PREVIEW
Cardinals turn to Gant in series finale versus Pirates 1h ago• 2 min read PITTSBURGH -- St. Louis, clawing to get into the playoffs and trying to improve to 6-1-1 in its most recent eight series, will turn to John Gant on Sunday.Gant, a sinkerballer, will be making his first start as a Cardinal player and first in the majors this season when St. Louis (81-73) plays the rubber match of a three-game series against also-ran Pittsburgh (70-85) at PNC Park.The Pirates did a little spoiling Saturday night with an 11-6 victory, breaking the Cardinals' four-game winning streak and leaving them a half-game behind second-place Milwaukee and five behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.The Cardinals are 1 1/2 games behind Colorado for the final NL wild-card spot.Sunday will be St. Louis' last road game of the regular season.Gant (0-0, 3.86 ERA) earned the promotion to this start -- with Jack Flaherty going to the bullpen -- after three solid relief appearances."I'm just going to go make the start and do my best," Gant told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I'm not approaching it any different kind of way. I'm just going to go play baseball."I feel pretty loose. I feel comfortable going the distance -- whatever that may be." Wednesday at Cincinnati, he pitched two scoreless innings in his most recent relief appearance."The ball's coming out good and I've been making some good pitches," the 25-year-old told the Post-Dispatch."It's nice being here in the playoff push, but it's still just baseball," he said. "I'm here to take some pressure off some of the other guys by picking up some innings and to do whatever I'm asked to do. I want to contribute any way I can to help this team win and to find a way into the playoffs." Gant broke into the majors with Atlanta last season before being acquired by the Cardinals in the offseason for left-hander Jaime Garcia. He was recalled from Triple-A Memphis as part of the general roster expansion Sept. 1. His last start was Aug. 27 for Memphis, when he allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings.Against the Pirates, Gant is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two career relief appearances.Gant will square off against Pittsburgh right-hander and fellow 25-year-old Jameson Taillon (7-7, 4.73 ERA). Taillon has had an up-and-down season and it seemed to be showing the later in the season it got.He is 2-5 with a 6.86 ERA since the All-Star break and hasn't had a win since Aug. 11 at Toronto.Then, earlier this month, he had his turn in the lineup skipped. That gave him a boost, even if the results weren't great immediately.In his first start after the 10-day layoff, Taillon allowed two runs in five-plus innings with six hits, one walk and four strikeouts."I actually thought I did pretty well, definitely an encouraging step in the right direction, which is what I'm looking for at the end of the year," Taillon said."The season's coming to a close. I'm just looking to trend in the right direction." Taillon is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis.
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GAME PREVIEW
Rays aim to keep flickering playoff hopes alive vs. Orioles 1h ago• 3 min read BALTIMORE -- Seeking to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Tampa Bay Rays will look for their third straight win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Camden Yards.After dropping the series opener Thursday night, the Rays (76-79) have taken the last two in this four-game weekend series behind their big bats and starting pitching.Lucas Duda and Logan Morrison each went deep in Saturday's 9-6 win over the Orioles, as the Rays set a single-season franchise record for home runs. They now have 218 this season."It's cool," said Morrison, who clubbed his 37th of the season on the first pitch of the ninth inning Saturday night. "We've had some guys set some career highs. That's one aspect of the game where we have done pretty well this year." Starting pitchers Alex Cobb and Jake Odorizzi, meanwhile, turned in solid outings back-to-back to keep Tampa Bay five games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second American League wild-card spot.Odorizzi struck out a season-high nine batters and only allowed three hits over six innings in Saturday's win.The Orioles (74-82) were eliminated from postseason contention with Saturday's loss, their 14th in their last 17 games."It's unfortunate, but like I said, we're not going to stop playing hard," said left fielder Trey Mancini, who is riding a career-long hitting streak of 13 games. "It's a 162-game season. It is tough to be eliminated from postseason contention, but still got a week of baseball left." For Sunday's series finale, the Rays will send Chris Archer to the mound.Archer is looking for his first win since Aug. 22. He has lost each of his last four starts after experiencing discomfort in his right forearm.Rays manager Kevin Cash dismissed the idea that the injury is lingering and affecting Archer's performance. In his most recent start Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, Archer gave the Rays six solid innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and striking out six."We would not be pitching him if there was any concern," Cash said. "He's 100 percent healthy, very strong. You can see that by the stuff he is featuring every fifth day." Archer will be making his 33rd start of the season. He is 9-11 with a 4.02 ERA in 192 1/3 innings pitched."I think Arch has had a good year," Cash said. "You look at just the body of work, the innings that he's provided, the opportunities he's gone out there with and given us a chance to win, I think he's had a solid year. I'd like to see him finish strong." In 15 prior starts against the Orioles, Archer is 4-7 with a 4.78 ERA. He is 1-4 all-time at Camden Yards.This season, Archer is 1-1 against the Orioles with a 6.39 ERA. He won his last start against them June 23 in Tampa Bay, allowing five earned runs on seven hits over six innings. Archer also lost to the Orioles at Camden Yards on April 24.The Orioles will counter with their best starting pitcher this season, Dylan Bundy.Having already logged a career high for innings pitched, Bundy will make his 29th start of the season Sunday.Bundy has not won since Aug. 29. In his last start, he was hammered by the Boston Red Sox for six earned runs on seven hits before earning a no-decision last Monday.Overall, Bundy has thrown 169 2/3 innings this season. That's 60 more than he threw last season. He is 13-9 with a 4.24 ERA.This will be the fourth start Bundy has made against the Rays this season. He is 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA over the previous three. After earning a no-decision against Tampa Bay on April 16 at Camden Yards, Bundy beat the Rays on June 24 in Tampa and lost to them July 1 at home.In six career starts against Tampa Bay, Bundy is 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA.
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GAME PREVIEW
Cubs, Brewers meet in key series finale 1h ago• 2 min read MILWAUKEE -- The postseason is still a week away, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs can expect another afternoon of playoff-like intensity and atmosphere on Sunday when they wrap up a four-game showdown at Miller Park.The first three games of this crucial four-game series between the National League Central-leading Cubs and the upstart Brewers have been riddled with drama: strong solid pitching, lockdown late-inning relief and last at-bat heroics as all three games went 10 innings and were decided by two runs or fewer."There's no difference between these three games and the games that are going to occur in the next month," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, whose team has a 4 1/2-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central. "They were absolutely that intense, well played on both sides, give both teams credit." And the Brewers, who kept their slimming playoff hopes alive Saturday with a two-run walk-off homer by Travis Shaw, know it won't get any easier."I haven't been able to come up with the words for this series," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "This is about as exciting as it gets. It is as exciting as it gets.(The Cubs are) clearly coming into a good place where they're really tough to beat." The Brewers not only are behind the Cubs for the division lead but trail Colorado by just a game for the second National League wild-card spot, with a half-game lead over the resurgent St. Louis Cardinals."They've battled when people have counted them out or not believed," Counsell said. "They'll continue to show up fight until the very end." Chase Anderson gets the start as Milwaukee goes for the series split and a victory in the season series, which is tied at nine games apiece.He has been sharp all season, despite missing nearly two months with a strained oblique, but has been dominant at Miller Park, where he's 5-0 with a 2.34 ERA in 10 starts this season."I want to be that guy," Anderson said of stepping up to bolster a rotation that has been depleted by injury and ineffectiveness. "There's plenty of guys in this clubhouse that can be that guy, but when you get asked to do it, it's an honor. I hope to do it throughout this September and hopefully in the postseason."I feel strong, I feel healthy and I think being out with the oblique injury kind of set me up for this. Kind of a blessing in disguise. Arm feels great, I'm ready to go." Anderson has faced the Cubs three times this season, going 2-1 with a 5.14 ERA, and is 3-1 with a 3.68 ERA in six career starts against Chicago, which hands the ball to left-hander Jose Quintana.Acquired at the break from the crosstown White Sox, Quintana has gone 6-3 with a 3.95 ERA since shifting to the North Side and took a no-decision his last time out, allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Cardinals."He's becoming more part of the fabric, he knows the guys now, he seems more at ease," Maddon said of Quintana. "He's become part of the group. He's assimilated well."He's easy to respect. It's easy to respect this guy the way he goes about his work. He's become more comfortable with us and I think he won us over with the way he went about his work."
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|
GAME PREVIEW
Royals' Kennedy welcomes son, set to face White Sox 1h ago• 2 min read CHICAGO -- Six years, four months, five children, one boy.It almost sounds like an official scorer or broadcaster reciting a pitching line, but those figures simply illustrate the particulars for Kansas City Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy, his wife, Allison, and their growing young family."There's a lot going on there," Royals manager Ned Yost said.The Kennedys welcomed their fifth child and first son, Isaac Patrick, on Friday, and the boy's father wasted no time in imparting a lesson on commitment.Ian Kennedy is scheduled to start for the Royals in Sunday's series finale against the host Chicago White Sox. He traveled from Kansas City to Chicago on Saturday, Yost said.Kennedy (4-12, 5.39 ERA) returned to the rotation on Tuesday after missing his previous start with fatigue in his throwing shoulder. He entered the sixth inning with a shutout before the Toronto Blue Jays' Darwin Barney smacked a two-run home run on an 0-2 changeup with none out.Although Kennedy took the loss for the Royals, Yost still expressed optimism in his five-plus innings of three-hit, two-run, two-strikeout ball. It was Kennedy's first start without a walk all season."He threw very well," Yost said. "You know, he had rotator cuff fatigue and it dropped his arm slot. We skipped him one start, it was 11 days, and it got everything back on track. And now he's been on top of his arm slot, and everything's been good." Kennedy, who is 2-2 with a 4.63 ERA in eight career starts against the White Sox, will look to keep the Royals afloat in a muddled American League wild-card race. Kansas City (76-78) rebounded from Friday's frustrating loss in the series opener with an 8-2 victory against Chicago (62-92) on Saturday.The Royals stand 4 1/2 games back of American League Central rival Minnesota for the second wild-card spot with eight games to play, but also are battling Los Angeles and Texas, among other teams in a jumbled race.White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (2-3, 2.58 ERA) will make his second career start against the Royals. Giolito took a no-decision in a Sept. 13 start at Kansas City, spacing one run, four hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.The Royals are no strangers to in-season births in players' families. In August 2016, left-handed reliever Mike Minor was in Sacramento on a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha when his wife prepared to give birth to the couple's second child.Minor remembers a whirlwind stretch surrounding the joyous news in his native Tennessee."My wife went into labor and then they contacted us, contacted the team, they did everything to get me the first flight home, and I went right to the hospital. ... I only took maybe a day or two, and then I was back." Fellow reliever Brandon Maurer was born during baseball season -- in July 1990 -- but said, "I've had a pretty standard ride, I guess," when it comes to experiencing in-season family milestones. Or in his case, a lack thereof.Several teammates texted Kennedy Friday to offer well wishes."A lot of guys reached out and just made sure everything went OK," Maurer said.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:05 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+103
|
+1.5 (-205)
|
Over 10 (-106)
|
|
|
-113
|
-1.5 (+172)
|
Under 10 (-114)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
GAME PREVIEW
Rangers hope to ride Perez to win over A's 12m ago• 3 min read OAKLAND, Calif. -- Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez had a 5-10 record and a 5.46 ERA after his first 21 starts this season. He owned a four-game losing streak and had allowed a combined 15 runs and 18 hits in losses to Baltimore and Minnesota.Perez appeared to be well on his way to the worst season of his major-league career but somehow flipped the switch after that Aug. 4 loss to the Twins and has been almost unbeatable down the stretch.Perez has gone 7-1 with a 3.14 ERA in his past nine starts, and he'll try to stay hot Sunday afternoon in the series finale against the Oakland Athletics with the Rangers clinging to their wild-card playoff hopes."I found a way to throw more strikes and get out of the inning when I get problems in a game," Perez said. "Just trying to stay positive and never lost my mind and never lost my focus. I'm good now. I think now it's my time to do things good for the team." The Rangers (76-78) lost 1-0 to the A's on Saturday night and fell 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins, who were 10-4 winners over Detroit, for the second AL wild-card spot. The Rangers, who have eight games remaining, are tied with Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels in the wild-card race."We still have a chance," Perez said before the loss. "Just go out there and do my job and throw a quality start. I think it's time to help the team. We need it. So go out there and do my job and try to go six or seven tomorrow and win. That's what it's all about. Win." Unfortunately for the Rangers, they're 1-7 with seven straight losses at the Coliseum this year. They need to win Sunday to avoid getting swept at the Coliseum for the second straight time."We got to win games," said Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele, who served as acting manager in place of Jeff Banister, who returned to Texas to be with his mother, Verda, who is experiencing complications for surgery. "It's simple. We got eight games left. We know where we're at." The Rangers will face A's right-hander Jharel Cotton, who was scratched from his previous scheduled start Wednesday at Detroit after straining a groin while warming up before the game.Cotton (8-10, 5.81) is 3-0 in his past five starts with victories against Houston, Texas and Boston."Of course I want to go out there for my last two starts and prove myself some more," said Cotton, a rookie. "This year was for sure a learning experience. I learned a lot and of course it's going to take me into the offseason on a good note and I'm excited for that." Cotton allowed two runs and four hits in six innings in an 8-3 A's victory over Texas on Aug. 27 at the Coliseum. He struck out nine, matching his career high, and walked none."I think everything was working," Cotton said. "My command was there. And the confidence was there. I'm going to take that same approach into tomorrow." Cotton is 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA in three career starts against Texas. This year, he's 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two starts vs. the Rangers.Perez is 6-6 with a 5.03 ERA in 14 career starts against the A's. This season against Oakland, he's 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA in two starts.The A's have won a season-high six straight games and are 13-3 in their past 16 games."It's fun to watch," Cotton said. "We're coming together as a squad and it's going to be something special to watch, especially in the upcoming years. I'm excited about it. I'm excited to be a part of it."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:10 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+304
|
+1.5 (+136)
|
Over 7.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-350
|
-1.5 (-156)
|
Under 7.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Giants look to win series against Dodgers 1h ago• 2 min read LOS ANGELES -- The San Francisco Giants have been looking ahead to next season for a while, and they'll put rookie right-hander Chris Stratton back under the microscope in their series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon.Stratton (3-3, 3.94 ERA) has made an impression over his past six outings, posting a 2.17 ERA in that span to demonstrate he's a legit candidate to fill a back-end starter role next season."He's on a nice roll," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the San Jose Mercury News after Stratton allowed two runs and five hits over six innings in a 7-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. "If you have good stuff and good command and the ability to adjust your patterns and how you attack hitters, you'll be good. That's how it works in the major leagues and he's doing that." Stratton, taken 20th overall by the Giants in the 2012 MLB Draft, two spots behind Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, made one of his nine career starts against the visiting Dodgers on Sept. 11, but recorded only one out on five pitches before a lengthy rain delay ended his evening.He made his only other appearance against Los Angeles in June of last season and earned his first major league win in one inning of relief. He gave up a solo home run in the 10th inning to Adrian Gonzalez, but the Giants scored twice in the bottom of the inning off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen to win the game.Stratton will be up against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who's still trying to find his rhythm after missing six weeks with back issues. Kershaw (17-4, 2.26 ERA) is 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA in four starts since his return. He gave up the first grand slam of his career in his most recent outing, a 4-3 loss at the Philadelphia Phillies.Kershaw lost a 4-3 decision to the visiting Giants on May 1, but has been otherwise stellar against San Francisco this season, owning a 3-1 mark with a 1.73 ERA. He beat the Giants on Sept. 12 after holding them to one earned run and scattering eight hits in six innings of a 5-3 victory in San Francisco.Kershaw has thrown a career-high five shutouts in 39 starts against San Francisco. He's 21-9 overall against the Giants with a 1.62 mark, his best ERA against a team he has faced at least 10 times.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he does not plan to place any limitations on Kershaw, even though Los Angeles has already locked up the National League West title."He's going to go full bore and after (Sunday) we'll know more on how we want to manage him for that last start against Colorado," Roberts said.The Giants won't be holding anything back against Kershaw either. They're looking to win a series for one of the few times this season."They're staying focused, despite where we're at." Bochy said of his players after a 2-1 win on Saturday night. "That's what I feel good about. I like the intensity and how we're playing."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:10 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-200
|
-1.5 (-121)
|
Over 7 (-115)
|
|
|
+179
|
+1.5 (+102)
|
Under 7 (-105)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Indians face Mariners with postseason in mind 1h ago• 3 min read SEATTLE -- With only a handful of games in the regular season and the American League Central title already in hand, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona has the luxury of getting his team set up for the postseason.That covers a lot of ground, from setting up the rotation, giving his veterans a breather to making sure they have their legs in October."We're trying to put a lineup out there that can win every day," Francona said. "That's their goal. But we're also trying to accomplish some things and we need to keep our house in order." Then there is the part of Francona's job where he writes right-hander Corey Kluber's name into the lineup, as he'll do on Sunday -- that's not about to change.The Indians have already clinched the AL Central, but are still pushing for the league's best record -- they currently have a 1 1/2-game edge against the Houston Astros. And catching the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the majors is still a possibility.At 75-80, the Mariners' AL wild card hopes are alive, but fading, six games behind the Minnesota Twins with seven games left to play.Kluber comes into Sunday's game with a 17-4 record with a 2.35 ERA in 191 2/3 innings and is one of the frontrunners for the AL Cy Young Award.He's been almost flawless in September, going 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in 31 innings with 37 strikeouts against one walk.The Indians also figure to get some players back in the lineup Sunday, such as designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and center fielder Jason Kipnis, each of whom got days off on Saturday. Kipnis had missed 3 1/2 weeks with a strained hamstring before coming off the disabled list on Sunday."We went over it with the trainers," Francona said. "There was thought to play him all three and maybe playing him at short (on Saturday). But I think they felt it would be really good for him not to play today, play (Sunday) and maybe play nine." Among the Mariners, Robinson Cano has hit Kluber the hardest in his career, hitting .364 (4-for-11 with three doubles) against the Indians' ace.For Seattle's regular-season home finale on Sunday, the Mariners will turn to Mike Leake (3-0 with Seattle, 10-12 overall), who has been their hottest pitcher in September.Since being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 30, Leake has shined in the Mariners' rotation, posting a 2.13 ERA in 25 1/3 innings over four starts. On a Seattle staff that had aces Felix Hernandez and James Paxton still mending down the stretch, that was just was needed."He's probably exceeded expectations on the numbers he's put out there in his first four starts," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "I probably wasn't expecting him to be that good. We'll take it." But that's only been part of what Leake has brought to the Mariners' clubhouse, smoothly fitting into the team's chemistry."I really like his fit in our group, in our clubhouse in what he brings from an experience standpoint," Servais said. "He likes to talk pitching. You see him talking to our younger guys all the time, with our catchers, stuff like that." After spending most of his time in the National League this season, of the Indians' regulars, Leake has only seen Jay Bruce in 2017 -- another player who spent most of the season in the NL. Bruce went 1-for-2 against Leake on July 14 when the Bruce's New York Mets defeated Leake's St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3.But over his career, Leake has limited current members of the Indians to a .188 batting average.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:10 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+166
|
+1.5 (-125)
|
Over 10.5 (-120)
|
|
|
-185
|
-1.5 (+105)
|
Under 10.5 (+100)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Marlins try to get in the way of Diamondbacks 9h ago• 3 min read The Miami Marlins have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they haven't stopped fighting.The Arizona Diamondbacks are closing in on their first playoff berth since 2011, but they haven't stopped working to accomplish their goal.That, in a nutshell, figures to be the mindset for the Marlins (73-81) and Diamondbacks (89-66) when they meet in Sunday's rubber game of a three-game series."This is September baseball," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo told mlb.com. "When you are driving toward something as special as we are, you feel that moment." So far, the series has been a hide-your-eyes type of nightmare for pitchers. The Diamondbacks won Friday's game 13-11 and Miami won 12-6 on Saturday.On Sunday, the Diamondbacks will throw left-hander Patrick Corbin (14-13, 4.14 ERA) against Miami right-hander Dan Straily (10-9, 4.17 ERA).Arizona's magic number for hosting the National League wild-card playoff game is one, which means the Diamondbacks can punch their ticket by simply beating the Marlins on Sunday -- no need to worry about what the Colorado Rockies are doing against the San Diego Padres.But the Diamondbacks -- like every team lately -- are going to try to be extra careful with Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who went 3-for-6 with four RBIs and a homer on Saturday. Stanton's homer was his major-league leading 57th of the season."He's been hitting everybody," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told mlb.com when asked about Stanton, who this year has set franchise records for homers and RBIs (125). "He is capable of hitting two homers per game, pretty much." Stanton, in fact, has two career homers against Corbin in just 14 at-bats.But it's not just Stanton who Corbin has trouble keeping in the park. Corbin has allowed 50 homers the past two years in 55 starts. He has a career 4.14 ERA, but that mark sinks to 5.00 in his career in September.In five starts against the Marlins, he is 1-1 with a 5.04 ERA.Still, Corbin, who broke into the majors in 2012, is one win grom setting his career best with 15 victories. And his 32nd start, set to happen Sunday, would tie his career high.This is Corbin's second full year after elbow surgery, and his biggest improvement has been his walk rate, which is down from 3.8 to 2.7.Meanwhile, Straily has turned in his second straight double-figure win season. He doesn't have much history against Arizona -- 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in one career start -- but Straily wants to wipe out a 2017 trend in which he has been much better in the first half than he has been after the All-Star Game.In reality, Straily has been strong in September throughout his career, going 10-4 with a 4.49 ERA. So perhaps this year's 5.45 second-half ERA and 6.86 September ERA are just aberrations.But if Straily struggles a little bit on Sunday, he would truly appreciate a couple of those Stanton moon shots.Stanton, though, said he doesn't go up there looking for long balls."If I go up there trying to hit homers, I would be terrible up there," Stanton told Fox Sports Florida on Saturday night. "I keep trying to put a good barrel on the ball." As for his records set this year, Stanton said he doesn't have time for those indulgences at the moment."I think when the season is over, I can look at my numbers," said Stanton, a California native who has three homers and 12 RBIs in his past five games. "I'm feeling better. It's always good to be on the West Coast -- that locks me in."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:40 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:40 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-121
|
-1.5 (+140)
|
Over 8.5 (-105)
|
|
|
+110
|
+1.5 (-160)
|
Under 8.5 (-115)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Rockies thinking wild card in last road game vs. Padres 1h ago• 2 min read SAN DIEGO -- The Colorado Rockies are headed home after Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres. They hope their final destination after the regular season is the playoffs.Colorado plays its last road game to wrap up its four-game series in San Diego. The Rockies have been blanked in three of their last four games, which has allowed some teams, most notably the Milwaukee Brewers, to stay within striking distance.The Rockies have a one-game lead over the Brewers for the second NL wildcard spot."I know the teams that I want to lose when the highlights are on in the locker room," Rockies star Charlie Blackmon said. "But I don't actively seek out any of the standings. I think we still have a lot of baseball left to play and I think the most important thing is to not look back, but be looking forward." Blackmon's game looks grand even if the Rockies have dropped two of three to the Padres in this series. He leads the league in batting at .325 and is among the leaders in virtually every significant category.This year he became the 11th player in major league history to collect at least 130 runs, 30 doubles, 10 triples and 35 homers.The last player to accomplish that feat was Stan Musial in 1948."To me it feels the same," Blackmon said about the stress of playing down the stretch. "I feel other people put that extra pressure on you."I'm trying hard every time I go up there. It doesn't matter if we are 20 games under .500 or 20 games above it. I think that is the best place for a player to be mentally because they are not giving any at-bats away, good or bad. I think if I were to play every day and now all of a sudden because of where we are I have to things differently that means I've been doing something wrong all along." What's gone right for the Rockies is a powerful offense which features Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, DL LeMaieu, Trevor Story and others. But Black, who won 121 games pitching in the majors, knows a team is only good at its rotation. On Sunday, German Marquez (10-7, 4.41) is on the mound."Your starting pitcher sets the tone over the course of the season," Black said. "There are games maybe where your starting pitchers falters and you can out slug someone. But you can't rely on that formula. You have to rely on starting pitcher, that is what wins." Marquez, who has split two career decisions versus the Padres, is tied for second among rookie with 10 wins, with his 142 strikeouts No. 1.The Padres counter with Luis Perdomo (8-10, 4.57), who is 0-3 lifetime against the Rockies. The right-hander leads the staff woith 16 quality starts. Over his last six outings, he's heaved a five consecutive quality starts and pitched to a 3.31 ERA.He beat the Diamondbacks in his last start, although he tied a career-high with six walks. He tiptoed around the damage enough to allow but two runs in 5 1/3 innings."Love the fact he made big pitches," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He made big pitches when he had to for most of the day. He put himself in really tough situations. But I think you've got to be encouraged that he keeps getting out of those situations."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:05 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 8:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+142
|
+1.5 (-150)
|
Over 9 (-109)
|
|
|
-157
|
-1.5 (+130)
|
Under 9 (-111)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Angels look to get much-needed win vs. Astros 7h ago• 2 min read HOUSTON -- When the Los Angeles Angels bolstered their lineup with the additions of left fielder Justin Upton and second baseman Brandon Phillips at the waiver trade deadline, the acquisitions were deemed impactful enough that the club could present itself as postseason contenders.Instead, the Angels (76-78) have regressed during the stretch run, and head into Sunday's series finale against the Houston Astros on a six-game losing streak.With Saturday's 6-2 loss, the Angels fell to 7-13 in September. They have managed only two runs over the last three games and, despite tweaks to the starting lineup and Upton doing his part to help carry the offense with six home runs and 12 RBIs in 20 games, the Angels are spinning their wheels losing ground in the chase for the second American League wild card and postseason contention.With eight games left on the schedule the Angels are four games behind the Minnesota Twins and just about out of time. A loss to the on Sunday would result in a second consecutive sweep and all but certain elimination."We can't go 2-0 tomorrow. We've got one game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We've got to slice it down pitch to pitch with that focus. Certainly, there's some moves you're going to make from a tactical standpoint, maybe a pitcher is not pitching now as deep in games as he may have in April or May. You're certainly going to match up more in your bullpen. So, those are things that we've been doing for the last month." The Angels will turn to left-hander Tyler Skaggs (2-6, 4.30 ERA) to help keep their postseason hopes afloat. In six career starts against the Astros (95-59), Skaggs is 3-2 with a 2.67 ERA including two starts against Houston this season where he is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA over 12 innings.Skaggs missed 85 games on the disabled list with a right oblique muscle strain.All-Star right-hander Lance McCullers (7-3, 3.97 ERA) will make just his second start for the Astros since July 30 in the series finale.McCullers has battled a number of ailments this season, first serving two stints on the disabled list with back woes before being sidelined since his last start on Sept. 6 with arm fatigue. McCullers, 0-1 with an 8.24 ERA over four starts in the second half, is 3-1 with a 1.55 ERA over eight career starts against the Angels.With outfielder Jake Marisnick lost for the season with a broken right thumb, the Astros have been working with center fielder Cameron Maybin to tweak his swing mechanics. Maybin, acquired at the same deadline as Upton and Phillips, opened his Astros' career with a flourish, belting three home runs and producing seven RBIs over his first six games with the ball club.Maybin has slumped badly since.After going 0-for-4 on Saturday, Maybin is batting .037 (1-for-27) with one RBI and six strikeouts and no walks over nine games (six starts)."Lately he's gotten a little bit mechanical and caught in between with some of his hitting mechanics," Astros manager A. J. Hinch said. "Getting him some regular at-bats will be nice for him because he's just one click away from getting back to being productive. I like what I've seen from him even though he's had a tough week."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
NHL |
|
|
9/24/2017 |
|
FOUND
5
GAMES |
|
|
|
|
|
POSTPONED |
|
9/24/2017 3:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
OFF
|
+1.5 (-121)
|
Over 4.5 (+361)
|
|
|
OFF
|
-1.5 (+108)
|
Under 4.5 (-434)
|
|
|
|
|
|
NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
|
|
COMING
UP
4:08 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 4:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+120
|
OFF
|
Over 5.5 (+120)
|
|
|
-140
|
OFF
|
Under 5.5 (-140)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
7:08 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 7:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+115
|
OFF
|
Over 5 (-140)
|
|
|
-135
|
OFF
|
Under 5 (+120)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
8:08 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 8:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+170
|
OFF
|
Over 5.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-200
|
OFF
|
Under 5.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
8:08 PM EST |
|
9/24/2017 8:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+160
|
OFF
|
Over 5 (-140)
|
|
|
-180
|
OFF
|
Under 5 (+120)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCCER |
|
|
9/24/2017 |
|
FOUND
16
MATCHES |
|
|
|
|
|
FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 6:30 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+108
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-112)
|
|
|
+264
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-101)
|
|
|
|
|
|
VIEW ALL PICKS |
|
|
|
FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 9:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+240
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-109)
|
|
|
+136
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-103)
|
|
|
|
|
|
VIEW ALL PICKS |
|
|
|
FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 9:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+307
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-103)
|
|
|
+106
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-108)
|
|
|
|
|
|
NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
|
|
|
FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 9:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+241
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (+101)
|
|
|
+132
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-114)
|
|
|
|
|
|
NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
|
|
|
FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 9:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+903
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (+106)
|
|
|
-285
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-119)
|
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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FINAL |
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9/24/2017 9:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
-166
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (+104)
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+489
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-117)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 9:30 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
+282
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-112)
|
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|
+103
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (+100)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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9/24/2017 11:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
|
+188
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-119)
|
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|
+186
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (+105)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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9/24/2017 11:00 AM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
|
+222
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-104)
|
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|
+155
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-108)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 12:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+752
|
+1.5 (-106)
|
Over 3 (-110)
|
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|
-270
|
-1.5 (-106)
|
Under 3 (-102)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
|
9/24/2017 12:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+292
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-109)
|
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|
+107
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (-102)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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IN PROGRESS |
|
9/24/2017 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+625
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (+117)
|
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|
-223
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-137)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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IN PROGRESS |
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9/24/2017 2:45 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
|
+223
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (+103)
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|
+131
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-116)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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IN PROGRESS |
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9/24/2017 3:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+521
|
OFF
|
Over 2 (-112)
|
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|
-177
|
OFF
|
Under 2 (+100)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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OTHER |
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| 9/24/2017 |
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FOUND 1 PICK |
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** IMPORTANT
NOTE ** All service picks revealed 15
minutes after each game starts for 100% transparency.
Services cannot fabricate, alter, hide, or delete any picks
nor can records or units be tampered with or forged on CapperTek.
Services cannot fabricate, alter, hide, or delete any reviews
on their service profile on CapperTek. |
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RECENT
SPORTS BETTING NEWS / BLOGS |
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RECENT
GAME PREVIEWS / RECAPS |
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