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NHL

2011-12 NHL Team Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs

2011-12 NHL Team Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leaf fans have had their faith tested like never before throughout the decade. They last played a playoff game in 2004. The seven-year drought is the longest in franchise history and will extend to at least eight years this spring.

However, the Buds showed promise last season for the first time in the Brian Burke era, going 18-7-6 over their final 31 games. Will they finally put the golf clubs away and play some meaningful April hockey this season?

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Stanley Cup odds: +4500

To assess whether or not the Leafs can take the next step and return to the playoff season, let’s start at examining what clicked in the second half last season and whether or not it’s repeatable.

The single biggest influence on Toronto’s success in 2010-11 was rookie goaltender James Reimer. Optimus Reim looked like a seasoned vet from the moment he took the ice, going 20-10-5 with a 2.60 goals against average and .921 save percentage.

The most important question for the Leafs this season is whether or not Reimer was a fluke. I’m a believer. The key to his success wasn’t scrambling or athleticism. It was maturity, technique and lateral movement. He never overplayed the puck. His calmness reminded me of a young Ed Belfour. I believe his skills are quite sustainable.

It helps that the defense in front of Reimer is an ever-improving group. For all the flak Dion Phaneuf has taken, he was very much the Phaneuf of old in the second half last season, pasting opponents with thunderous hits and taking smarter shots. He’s still only 26 years old and just entering his prime.

Joining him is Luke Schenn, a captain-in-training who showed remarkably improved puck skills and shutdown ability last season. Smooth-skating Carl Gunnarsson returns after a so-so sophomore campaign and Mike Komisarek is still looking for his first good year with the team. Toronto made two key new defensive additions; John-Michael Liles will take over the power-play quarterback vacancy left by Tomas Kaberle and Cody Franson, acquired from Nashville, gives the Leafs another young, underrated guy with top-four ability.

For Toronto to make a playoff push, its scoring must improve. Clarke MacArthur, Mikhail Grabovski and Nik Kulemin were a fantastic line last season – by second -line standards. The Leafs need a true first line. Phil Kessel absolutely has the talent to be a front-line scorer; hell be 24 in October and already has three 30-goal seasons in the NHL. For him to break through and hit the 40-goal mark, key offseason signing Tim Connolly has to stay healthy.

Connolly likely won’t stay healthy but, when he does, expect Kessel’s production to spike. Talent isn’t the problem for Connolly; he has great hands and vision. He should help the power play.

The rest of Toronto’s forward corps has plenty of speed and checking ability but lacks true scoring touch. If Joffrey Lupul can build on his resurgent 2010-11 campaign and prospect Nazem Kadri can stick with the big club, the team’s offensive skill level will rise. Otherwise, Toronto will again cross its fingers hoping for overachieving efforts from ordinary talents like MacArthur, Colby Armstrong and Mike Brown.

To me, Toronto is a poor man’s Buffalo. It has an excellent blueline, (probably) good goaltending and lacks elite scoring prowess up front. This season, however, I believe the Leafs’ continued defensive improvement will be just enough to squeak them in as the No. 8 seed.

2011-12 will be the most fun Leafs fans have had in a while. Also, watch for Nik Kulemin as a darkhorse Selke Trophy candidate. He scored 30 goals last season but is also among the league’s most underrated defensive forwards.

Prediction:3rd, Northeast Division

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NHL

2011-12 NHL Team Preview: Montreal Canadiens

2011-12 NHL Team Preview: Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are the Eastern Conference’s answer to the Nashville Predators. Every year, most pundits expect them to flop; the general perception is that the Habs just don’t have that much talent. However, every year, Montreal finds a way to defy the odds and win. Will 2011-12 be Montreal’s umpteenth Cinderella season or will the bottom finally fall out?

MONTREAL CANADIENS
Stanley Cup odds: +2000

The Habs were among the least active teams in free agency and the few moves they made were widely questioned. Past his prime, injury-prone Erik Cole will give Montreal some badly needed size up front – but for how many games? The Canadiens grossly overpaid for such a high-risk, medium-reward player.

The reward for defenseman Andrei Markov is higher but Montreal paid top dollar to re-sign a guy who has played 52 of a possible 164 games over the past two seasons. Can he still be an elite player at age 33?

The rest of Montreal’s roster to me is Carey Price, P.K. Subban and the other guys. Price became an elite goaltender last season and should stay that way. Subban is a special talent on defense, an intimidator, a hard hitter and shooter, and a real game-changer. He’s just getting started, too.

But where’s the upside on the rest of Montreal’s roster? Mike Cammalleri is in his prime and should chip in 30 or so goals but he’s injury-prone. Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez and Tomas Plekanec are second-tier scorers on the wrong side of 30 years old. Max Pacioretty emerged as a scoring threat last season but his ceiling is low. If Andrei Kostitsyn was going to become an elite NHL goal scorer, it would’ve happened by now.

Josh Gorges, Hal Gill, Jaroslav Spacek and Yannick Weber join Markov and Subban to form a pretty decent defense. The Habs should again be among the league’s stingier teams.

It’s amazing how similar the top four squads in the Northeast are in their approaches (not their skill levels). Boston, Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal all look like they’ll rely on defense and goaltending more than scoring to succeed this season.

The problem for Montreal is that its model for success looks like the least sustainable of those four teams.  Too many of its most important forwards and defenseman are old and/or injury prone. Markov is a major re-injury risk because his injuries were so severe. Cammalleri is a good bet to miss time again because he’s small and brittle.

Montreal still has enough defensive ability and veteran savvy to be a competitive team this season – but I believe they’ll be a bubble team that eventually finishes on the outside looking in. Fans of the Leafs/Habs rivalry could be thrilled this season, as I see the No. 8 seed in the East coming down to an epic battle between the Leafs and Habs. This time, I think the younger, higher-upside Leafs will finally get the better of their old foes.

Look for 2011-12 to signal the start of what could be a long, painful rebuild for Montreal Canadiens, whose prospect cupboard is pretty bare.
Prediction:4th, Northeast Division

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MLB

MLB Betting – Tigers vs Athletics Pick

MLB Betting – Tigers vs Athletics Preview & Pick

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011
Venue: O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Broadcast: FOX
Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics Betting Lines from Bodog.com
Money Line: OFF
Over/Under: OFF

Detroit Tigers (87-63 through September 15)
Rick Porcello (14-8, 4.83)

The Detroit Tigers have officially graduated from World Series sleeper to World Series contender. A 12-game winning streak will do that. The American League Central is theirs; a 13.5-game lead through Thursday means that the best any team can do is tie them.

But the dominant second half doesn’t necessarily mean Detroit has nothing to fix heading into the playoffs. For one, the Tigers could breathe a lot easier if they got some solid starting pitching from someone other than Justin Verlander and Doug Fister.

Saturday starter Rick Porcello continues to tease with his talent. Still just 22 years old, he’s shown great control this year, walking 40 batters in 162 innings. But Porcello has also been hittable, allowing a .291 opponents’ average.

Porcello is 6-2 in 11 starts since the All-Star break – but with a 4.91 ERA. His success is more the product of run support than anything else. If he wants to help Detroit in the playoffs, he has to curb his homer rate in particular.

Oakland Athletics (68-82 through September 15)
Gio Gonzalez (13-12, 3.41)

The Oakland A’s are just playing out the string, guaranteed another sub-.500 finish after they were hyped as an AL Wildcard sleeper entering the 2011 season.

One of their few bright spots has been Gio Gonzalez, who starts Saturday. However, even he has been a source of stress lately. The All-Star’s overall numbers are strong, fitting the profile of a power pitcher with a high strikeout and walk rate, but he’s struggled mightily in the second half. He had a 2.47 ERA at the break and he sits at 5.00 since.

The pick:

Not only is Gonzalez regularly getting lit up lately, he’s never succeeded against the Tigers, going 0-3 with a 6.87 ERA in four starts against them. In those outings, he’s lasted a combined 18.1 innings and allowed six homers.

A struggling pitcher versus a hot offense that has historically demolished him? Seems like an easy choice to me. Porcello ain’t perfect but the Athletics’ popgun attack isn’t built to hurt him.

Tigers vs Athletics prediction: Tigers 6, Athletics 2

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MLB

MLB Power Rankings: September 16

MLB Power Rankings

Baseball Power Rankings:

There’s a new sheriff in town atop the MLB power rankings and his name is Justin Verlander.

(Previous rankings in brackets)

1. (3) Detroit Tigers (87-63): Justin Verlander will go for win No. 24 this weekend. Perhaps most impressive is his 13-2 road mark. With him leading the way, not to mention the offensive depth led by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, you could make a case that Detroit is now the American League Pennant frontrunner.

2. (1) Philadelphia Phillies (97-51): Is there a chance that clinching so early will make the Phillies go soft come playoff time? Nah. I just remembered that Roy Halladay pitches for them. No way Doc lets his teammates rest on their laurels.

3. (2) New York Yankees (90-58): They still have as strong a chance as any team to win it all because their bats are the equivalent of the Phillies’ arms. When will the Curtis Granderson show stop?

4. (11) Tampa Bay Rays (83-66): They continue to make the Boston Red Sox sweat bullets. The Rays have officially clawed their way back into the stretch run. Special props are due for rookie starter Jeremy Hellickson and his nerves of steel.

5. (7) Texas Rangers (86-64): The Rangers keep winning but their rotation looks far less stable than it was entering the 2010 playoffs. What was a strength could be a liability this time.

6. (4) Arizona Diamondbacks (87-63): If Ian Kennedy wins his next start, he may unofficially become the most under-the-radar 20-game winner in major-league history.

7. (8) St. Louis Cardinals (81-68): Crucial series wins over the Brewers and Braves have vaulted them back into the playoff run. But can this team stay healthy long enough to make any noise come October? I doubt it.

8. (9) Los Angeles Angels (82-67): Their season ends with a three-game set at home to Texas. If Jered Weaver and Dan Haren start during that series, are the Halos the favorite to win the AL West?

9. (5) Milwaukee Brewers (87-63): The Brewers still look like the Phillies’ toughest NL challenger but their recent stumbles have let St. Louis off the mat. The Brewers also aren’t guaranteed home field in the NLDS anymore, which is a major concern given their 52-23 home record.

10. (12) San Francisco Giants (80-70): The five-game winning streak is nice but it’s probably too late. Arizona only needs to play .500 ball to guarantee itself the NL West crown.

11. (10) Atlanta Braves (86-64): They’re no longer a postseason lock, especially with Tommy Hanson still out with an injured shoulder. Even if they reach the big dance without him, can they win a series without him?

12. (6) Boston Red Sox (86-63): Who knew they’d ever fall this far? The truth is that Boston looks like the weakest AL contender at the moment. The pitching staff is too banged up.

13. (16) Toronto Blue Jays (75-74): Note the massive dropoff between the 12th and 13th-ranked teams in the rankings. Only 12 teams in baseball remain in hunt for eight playoff berths. The Jays keep doing their thing, hovering around .500 and giving their fans hope for a better 2012.

14. (22) Cincinnati Reds (74-76): There’s still enough offensive talent on this team that the Reds could contend next season if they bolster their pitching.

15. (26) Washington Nationals (71-79): Five straight wins for the Nats. They’re babying Stephen Strasburg upon his return and with good reason. With him and Jordan Zimmermann as a one-two pitching punch next season, could Washington post a winning record?

16. (20) Kansas City Royals (65-86): The Royals have a five-game winning streak of their own. But should would we put much stock in a team that only seems to play well when the games don’t matter anymore?

17. (21) Pittsburgh Pirates (68-82): It will be interesting to see if next year’s Pirates build on their strong first half or continue with their ugly second-half play from this season.

18. (18) Oakland Athletics (68-82): Josh Willingham’s 26 homers and 91 RBI are respectable given his team and park. Couldn’t a team like Atlanta have used his pop in a trade-deadline deal?

19. (28) Seattle Mariners (62-87): You can’t see it in the standings but the Mariners’ commitment to playing their youngsters could pay dividends next season.

20. (27) Baltimore Orioles (60-88): They’ve quietly been a thorny opponent for most AL teams over the last month. To have any hope for 2012, though, their pitching must improve. Among qualifiers, Jeremy Guthrie leads the team with a 4.22 ERA.

21. (17) Cleveland Indians (72-75)
22. (13) Los Angeles Dodgers (73-76)
23. (23) Colorado Rockies (70-79)
24. (25) Houston Astro (51-98)
25. (15) Chicago White Sox (73-76)
26. (19) Chicago Cubs (65-85)
27. (14) New York Mets (71-79)
28. (24) Florida Marlins (67-83)
29. (30) San Diego Padres (63-87)
30. (29) Minnesota Twins (59-89)

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Soccer

English Premier League Preview | Arsenal vs. Blackburn

Arsenal has kicked off the 2011 year a bit disappointing, sitting in the middle of the table just under a month into the season. Meanwhile, the Blackburn Rovers are occupying the very bottom of the table at the 20 spot, trying to mount some sort of momentous charge to earn respect.

Now the two will square off for the first time this season on Saturday at Ewood Park, with Blackburn still chasing their first win of the season while the Gunners aim to build on their first success of the campaign.

Arsenal vs. Blackburn
Venue/Stadium: Ewood Park in England
Time/Date: 7:45, Saturday, September 17, 2011
Odds From: 5 Dimes
Moneyline: Arsenal -108, Blackburn +361, Draw +254
Spread (ATS): Arsenal -1/2, -111

Blackburn has lost three of their first four games of the 2011 Premier League season, including a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa and 2-1 heart wrenching loss to the Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Rovers defense has been pedestrian through the first four games, and their goal keeper Paul Robinson has conceded seven goals.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s defense looked like the escort service in their Aug. 28 matchup against Manchester United, conceding eight goals to the Premier League favorite. However, other than that game, they have only allowed two goals. That match against Manchester United killed the team’s momentum, and the 2-0 loss to Liverpool only added to their frustration.

Goal keeper Wojciech Szczesny, who Arsenal has put all their trust in for the past three years, has shown yet again why people laugh at the fact that the is still a starting between the sticks in the highest level of British football.

If Arsenal is ever to get over the hump, they still need to find an adequate replacement for Szczesny.
In the meantime, midfielder David Dunn has been a fierce and intimidating presence for Blackburn, but has failed to score a goal all year. He is exactly what the team needs if they are going to avoid the drop come year’s end, but he has to play up to his potential, and he hasn’t done that so far.

The Rovers have been beat up by Arsenal since making it into the Premier League, having lost nine times at home to the Gunners, the most times they’ve lost on their own ground than any other Premier League club.

Both side are kicking off their season at the lowest point in their Premier League history, and now will get a chance to redeem themselves against the other. Both also desperately need this win, as they have some tough matches down the road, and this would be a perfect stepping point for either team to get a push in the right direction.

Matt’s Prediction: Arsenal 1, Rovers 0 – History doesn’t lie, well, most of the time, and the Rovers have been on the bad side of it against Arsenal, especially in their home stadium. I don’t expect this to change as the Rovers have looked like the are destined for the cut since the season kicked off.

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NCAA Football

Tennessee Volunteers vs. #16 Florida Gators Game Preview

Tennessee Volunteers vs. #16 Florida Gators
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville FL
Saturday, Sept. 17, 3:35 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: Tennessee +280, Florida -340
Spread: Tennessee +9.5, Florida -9.5
Over/Under: 50.5

This match-up maybe had more pizzazz in 1997 than it does today, but it is still a classic SEC East rivalry game with a massive TV audience and cuckoo fans. Florida is ranked only #16, rather pedestrian considering it has mostly been a national powerhouse over the past several seasons. The program had a lot of questions to answer going into this season, but has probably shut most people up after winning its first two games by a combined score of 80-3.

For its part, the Tennessee Volunteers are rebuilding a once proud football program. They have some youngsters – especially on offense – that are expediting this process. A band of sophomores: QB Tyler Bray, WRs Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers are commanding a passing attack that ranks ninth in the nation. The Vols’ defense hasn’t been quite as stout as Florida’s, but the offense has put up even more points than the Gators (87 points combined) against better competition. Those stats might give Tennessee a little confidence going into The Swamp.

Still, that doesn’t erase the fact the Vols are travelling to Gainesville. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is definitely one of the more intimidating places to play in the nation, and the Gators faithful really don’t like Tennessee. The Vols must be very careful to avoid this game getting out of hand quickly. Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, two of Florida’s ultra-speedy options in the backfield (both players have the speed to be track and field sprint champions) are both averaging over seven yards per carry; the Gators could dump a couple touchdowns on you probably quicker than any team in the country – that result would be just like throwing blood in the water of a shark tank for the frenzied fans in The Swamp. True, Tennessee’s pass attack looks phenomenal, but the defense still has some work to do, so it will be in for a real challenge in Gainesville this weekend.

Tennessee needs to test Florida downfield, as the receivers (especially Hunter) have the speed to get downfield and Bray has a major league arm. Vols RB Tauren Poole is a solid player, but he isn’t a game-changer, so if Tennessee gets intimidated into running a conservative offense, it won’t pay off. The Vols’ vertical passing game is the strength of the team; they can’t deviate from it just because the Gators are a major player with a fast defensive unit.

Florida is definitely explosive, but QB John Brantley and the Gators have had some trouble in the redzone; slowing down Florida’s tempo is a viable strategy to knock it off its rhythm. Looking at the evidence of the second half of 2010 and the first two games this year, Tennessee is on its way back, but it still doesn’t have the talent and depth top-to-bottom that Florida has. The Gators have a much more imposing defense and if Bray turns the ball over more than once or twice, UT is in serious trouble.

This is a vintage rivalry game that brings back memories of Steve Spurrier, Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, etc., yet it may be developing new tastiness with both of these teams looking so dominant lately. While a Tennessee upset on the road would make for bold headlines and a lovely story for any Gator-haters out there, that might still be more of a fairy tale than followers of the sherbet and white would care to admit.

If Tennessee continues on this path in the big picture, however, Rocky Top could have more to celebrate in upcoming seasons. After the mess the program was in following the Lane Kiffin saga, a little patience will go a long way in Knoxville.

Score Prediction: Florida 33, Tennessee 21
Over/Under Prediction: 54

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Canadian Football

CFL Week 12 – Toronto Argonauts vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (2-8) vs. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (3-7)
Date/Time: Saturday, September 17, 4:00 PM ET
Venue: Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, Regina, Saskatchewan
Broadcast: TSN
Argos vs. Riders Betting Lines from betonline.com
Spread: Riders -7
Moneyline: Argos +250: Riders -300
Over/Under: 50 ½ points

A Battle of surprising Basement Dwellers is on tap as the first game of a CFL Saturday double-header. Toronto is fresh off getting swept in a two game series with BC while the Roughriders are coming off an impressive sweep of Eastern Division leading Winnipeg. Saturday’s clash is a classic example of two teams going it totally opposite directions.

Toronto turned to their supposed savior QB Steven Jyles last week, less than a week after letting the ineffective Cleo Lemon go. Not a whole lot changed for Toronto in the win column or on the score board – they had to settle for just two field goals in their loss at BC. But with a game under his belt and the fact that Saskatchewan has a notoriously poor pass defense, there is some amount of optimism for the Argos.

Saskatchewan was basically left for dead but has shown signs of life in their last two outings – back-to-back wins against the best team in the CFL in the first 10 weeks of the season. Let’s call it the Andy Fantuz factor! Since Ken Miller came back to the sidelines to coach the team, the Riders have looked totally different. Darian Durant certainly looks better and Wes Cates is finally getting involved in the offense. The defense, despite its critics played especially well last week in creating three sacks and intercepting Buck Pierce a staggering five times.

Finally, the Saskatchewan Roughriders look like the team that represented the West in the Grey Cup two years in a row!

Betting Prediction: The Saskatchewan Roughriders have won two straight games overall and have won five of their last seven meetings with the Argonauts. The Riders are rolling and the Argos are stuck in the garage. This game won’t be close folks – easy choice.

Pick: Saskatchewan Roughriders -7

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NCAA Football

Troy Trojans vs. #14 Arkansas Razorbacks Game Preview

Troy Trojans vs. #14 Arkansas Razorbacks
Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville AR
Saturday, Sept. 17, 7:30 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: OFF
Spread: Troy +23, Arkansas -23
Over/Under: 63.5

There’s no dancing around it: the Arkansas Razorbacks have been an offensive juggernaut through the first two weeks of the 2011 season. Albeit against Missouri State and New Mexico, the Hogs have scored a ridiculous 103 combined points through two games. The Hogs also rank eighth in the nation in passing, 37th in rushing, third in points for and fourth in points against.

The Trojans (Troy, not USC, thank goodness) provide Arkansas’ last “tune-up” game before the SEC slate hits hard and fast. No one has been able to slow down the Razorbacks yet, and Troy shouldn’t strike too much fear – the Trojans are coming off a 43-19 loss to Clemson. The defense got torched against Clemson, and the Razorbacks’ attack is much more imposing than even the Tigers’. Hogs pivot Tyler Wilson has done everything asked of him and more in replacing NFL-bound Ryan Mallett; oftentimes Wilson has been pulled in these routs and backup Brandon Mitchell has come in. Even Mitchell has gotten in on the action, dumping on 218 yards and a pair of TDs in mop-up action.

Arkansas has suffered injuries at the RB position, but it hasn’t seemed to matter. Current starter Ronnie Wingo has played just fine, averaging five yards a carry and providing a different look when Wilson or Mitchell isn’t hucking the ball to Arkansas’ fine stable of receivers. Senior WR Jarius Wright and lanky junior Cobi Hamilton are leading the way – both are pushing 200 receiving yards through a pair of games and are averaging over 15 yards per catch. The defense hasn’t had a stiff test yet, but the unit that was the lone worry of this football team for years has only given up 10 points through its first two match-ups.

Of course, it will be impossible to keep up this torrid pace when the Auburns and the Texas A&Ms and the South Carolinas come to town. But Arkansas is setting very good habits in its early-season non-conference schedule that should carry over to a campaign Hogs fans believe will have their team competing for an SEC West division crown.

To say it for the point of saying it, for the impossible to happen in Fayetteville this Saturday night, Troy would have to deploy its strong passing game (37th in the NCAA) and its defense would have to pull out a series of miracles in order to slow down the Arkansas attack. The Hogs will probably dump a couple of early scores on the visitors, and it shouldn’t be long before it spirals out of control from there. Troy is usually a contender in the Sun Belt Conference, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Trojans play in the Sun Belt and Arkansas is an SEC West (the strongest conference and the strongest division in college football) contender.

It is silly to anoint Arkansas as all-world after it has only played an FCS team and perhaps the worst team in the Bowl Subdivision, but the way the Hogs have been crushing opponents has been truly impressive. If you get bored watching a cakewalk football game, maybe this isn’t the game for you but conversely if you like offense, it could also be pretty entertaining.

Score Prediction: Arkansas 47, Troy 14
Over/Under Prediction: 60

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NCAA Football

Navy Midshipmen vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Preview + Free Predictions

Midshipmen vs Gamecocks Handicapping Preview

South Carolina’s Week 3 game against the Naval Academy offers a great opportunity for the beleaguered Carolina defense to have a resurgence and get on track after allowing 79 points over the first two weeks to East Carolina and Georgia.

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Betting Tools Daily Tips Extra's NCAA Football Sports Sportsbooks

Michigan St. Spartans vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Game Preview + Free Predictions

Ray's St. Patrick's Day Report

MSU Spartans vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Handicapping Preview

Virtually every media outlet and talking head in the college football business has exhausted their resources discussing the struggles of Notre Dame football. Why don’t I follow suit, if only for a few moments?

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NCAA Football

Ole Miss Rebels vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Game Preview + Free Predictions

Mississippi Rebels vs Vanderbilt Commodores Handicapping Preview

Two of the SEC’s bottom-feeding teams open their conference schedule against each other this Saturday in Nashville. Though these teams cannot keep up with the likes of an Alabama, LSU or South Carolina, they are well matched versus each other, which should at least make for an intriguing game.

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NFL

Chargers vs. Patriots Gambling & NFL Free Prediction (Week 2)

Gambling Matchup Week 2 – San Diego Chargers vs New England Pats

The Patriots have and continue to rely heavily on franchise quarterback Tom Brady, and once again the seasoned gun delivered what is likely to be the of if not the best performances from an NFL quarterback this season on Monday night, throwing for the fifth most single game yardage of all time in New England’s victory of Miami.  

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NHL

2011-12 NHL Team Preview: Boston Bruins

Bet On NHL Hockey Boston Bruins Season Preview

Has there been a luckier sports city on Earth than Boston, Massachusetts over the last decade? World Series titles for the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007. Super Bowls for the Patriots in 2001, 2003 and 2004. An NBA Championship for Boston in 2008. The Bruins were supposed to be the tagalong kid brother but they joined the party with a Stanley Cup victory in 2011.

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NFL

Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans NFL Preview: Week 2 Free Pick

NFL Football Previews – Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans couldn’t squeak by the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. If they had that much trouble with Jacksonville, do they have a prayer against a Baltimore Ravens team that tossed Pittsburgh aside like it was nothing last week?

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NFL

Philadelphia vs. Atlanta Preview & Free Week 2 Pick

NFC East Game Previews – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Philadelphia Eagles will try and jump out to a 2-0 start when they invade the Georgia Dome this upcoming Sunday night to take on the Atlanta Falcons in a battle of NFC powers.  Game time is set for 8:20 p.m. and it will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

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NFL

Seahawks vs. Steelers: 2011 Week 2 NFL Betting Preview

Steelers Super Bowl Lines & Predictions

Week 2 Seattle Seahawks vs Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Free Pick – Odds – Handicapping Preview

I would feel sorry for any team that was forced to go into Pittsburgh the week after the Steelers were handed a humbling and anger-enticing defeat.

Continue reading “Seahawks vs. Steelers: 2011 Week 2 NFL Betting Preview”