9-16-12

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We are looking for someone to post service plays in the evenings from 5pm and on from there. If you can spare some time, the group would really appreciate it.



Note:


ALL PLAYS POSTED ARE UNCONFIRMED UNLESS YOU BUY THEM YOURSELF. THERE IS BAD INFO PASSED AROUND FROM TIME TO TIME, SO PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK

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NFLBettingPicks

Sunday's Picks:

2 UNIT = Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills - OVER 44.5 (-105)
(Note: I'm risking 2.10 units to win 2.00 units)

2 UNIT = Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers - OVER 46 (-107)
(Note: I'm risking 2.14 units to win 2.00 units)

2 UNIT = Washington Redskins @ St Louis Rams - REDSKINS -3 (-103)
(Note: I'm risking 2.06 units to win 2.00 units)

2 UNIT = Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills - OVER 44.5 (-105)
(Note: I'm risking 2.10 units to win 2.00 units)

The Kansas City Chiefs entered their week 1 home meeting with Atlanta as 3 point underdogs, but were blown away in a 40-24 loss. The Falcons were able to score points without much problem against the Chiefs defense as Matt Ryan threw for 299 yards and 3 TDs. Matt Cassel looked good at times completing 21 of 33 of his pass attempts with 1 TD, but he threw 2 interceptions in important drives that gave them no chance to make a comeback. Jamaal Charles was solid on the ground running for 87 yards on 16 carries. The Buffalo Bills went into New York to face the Jets as 2.5 point underdogs. New York was supposed to have a bad offense after a rough preseason but they managed to put up 27 first half points on the Bills before finishing the game with a 48-28 victory. Ryan Fitzpatrick was 18 for 32 for 195 yards with 3 TDs and 3 INTs, while CJ Spiller who filled in for an injured Fred Jackson was the lone bright spot in the Bills day rushing for 169 yards on 14 carries. The Bills suffered another hit to their offense with David Nelson out with a torn ACL.

The Buffalo Bills ranked 26th in defense last year giving up 371 yards against per game, and they were 30th giving up a high 27.1 points against per game. The Bills were also 28th ranked defensively against the run giving up 139 yards against per game on the ground, and that could be troubles for them with Jamaal Charles looking good in Week 1. Although Kansas City ranked 11th defensively last year giving up 333 yards per game and 12th allowing 21.1 points against per game, I expect their defense to struggle here in 2012. Their secondary has looked bad and although getting Brandon Flowers back (who is questionable for Week 2) will help, I still think they will have a hard time slowing down offenses.

These two teams met in Buffalo in Week 1 last year with the Bills winning 41-7. Buffalo was able to establish a ground game with Fred Jackson running for 100+ yards, and Ryan Fitzpatrick had little troubles throwing for 208 yards and 4 Touchdowns. In that game the Chiefs weren't able to utilize their running game effectively as they fell behind early, but Jamaal Charles was able to average 5+ yards per carry in his limited action. A more balanced attack this Sunday should give Cassel some more room to work with. Note that the Bills averaged 32.3 points per game at home last season, where the OVER was 5-3. Two of the three games that fell under the total just missed at 39 points and 40 points. Kansas City was just 3-5 for the OVER on the road, but you have to factor in that Cassel only started their first 4 road games and they faced a tough road schedule. The OVER is 4-1 in the Chiefs last 5 games in September and 5-0 in the Bills last 5 September games. These two teams played to totals of 64 and 76 in Week 1, and both defenses looked bad. I had my eye on this total before the Week 1 games and I like it even more after getting to watch some of both games. Take the OVER.

2 UNIT = Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers - OVER 46 (-107)
(Note: I'm risking 2.14 units to win 2.00 units)

The Detroit Lions won in exciting fashion in their Week 1 game against the Rams. St Louis found themselves down by 3 points and managed to march the field and finish off a great drive with a Touchdown for the 27-23 victory, instead of settling for a field goal to force overtime. The 27-23 win cashed our big 4 unit play on the OVER last week, and we come right back with the over in a Lions game again. Matthew Stafford threw for 355 yards while completing 32 of his 48 pass attempts. Stafford looked a little off at times, and it showed as he threw 3 INTs. Without the costly mistakes Stafford and the Lions could have put up 35+ points in Week 1. Calvin Johnson caught 6 passes for 111 yards, while Pettigrew and Burleson had 77 and 69 receiving yards respectively. The Lions didn't need to use their ground game often as they had success through the air, but Kevin Smith looked good rushing for 62 yards on 13 attempts. The San Francisco 49ers went into Green Bay and beat the Packers by a final score of 30-22 as 5 point underdogs. Alex Smith went 20 for 26 for 211 yards with 2 touchdowns, while Frank Gore was a beast on the ground rushing for 112 yards on 16 attempts. After taking an early lead the 49ers offense was controlling the game more than trying to put up a lot of scores, and I think if this game was closer than 23-7 that we saw in the 3rd quarter the 49ers offense could have done some more damage.

Although the Lions did well on defense last Sunday we have to take into account that the Rams have a bad offense and were trying to control the clock as they led or were down just a few points for most of the game. This week the Lions will see a much better offense that has a balanced pass and run game. In 2011 the Lions were 23rd in total defense allowing 367 yards against per game. Their pass defense was ranked 22nd, while their rush defense was 23rd. Also note that they were 23rd in the league giving up 24.2 points against per game. Offensively the Lions were 5th in the NFL last year with 396 yards per game, and 4th averaging 29.6 points per game. This Lions offense looked sharp in Week 1, even with a few mistakes from Stafford, and I expect them to be right near the top in offensive categories again this season.

The 49ers were the leagues 4th ranked defense last year giving up 308 yards against per game and 2nd in points against allowing just 14.3 points per game. With that said if you go back to their 2011 schedule and take a look you will see that New Orleans put up 32 against them, New York Giants put up 20 points against them twice, Philadelphia put up 23 points against them, and Dallas put up 27. Detroit managed an average 19 points against the 49ers last season, but that was a game that Stafford completed just over 50% of his passes. I expect him to have more success against them this week. You can also go back to last week and see that although they slowed down the Packers, Rodgers still had success through the air and they did score 22 points against them. Also note that the 49ers were just 16th ranked against the pass last year. I think San Francisco has one of the best defenses in the league, but I'm just trying to show you that elite quarterbacks can have success against any defense these days. Offensively the 2011 49ers were ranked 26th averaging 310 yards per game, but were 11th with 23.8 points per game.

Take note that the OVER was 8-1 in the Lions road games last year (including their postseason game in New Orleans). Dating back the OVER is also 35-15-1 in their last 51 road games, and 23-9-2 in their last 34 vs a team with a winning record. The OVER is 5-1 in the Lions lsat 6 overall. For the 49ers the OVER has hit in 13 of their last 19 vs NFC teams, while the OVER is 6-1-1 in their last 8 September games. These two teams played to totals of 50 and 52 last week, and I thought that each game could have been closer to totals of 60. The Lions have one of the better offenses in the leagues with a mediocre defense, while San Francisco looked great offensively last week and I think that continues in Week 2 as 6.5 point favorites. Take the OVER in this one.

2 UNIT = Washington Redskins @ St Louis Rams - REDSKINS -3 (-103)
(Note: I'm risking 2.06 units to win 2.00 units)

The talk of Week 1 was Robert Griffin III performance against the Saints as they upset New Orleans as 9.5 point underdogs. RG3 threw for 320 yards with 2 TDs completing 19 of 26 in a 40-32 victory. Rookie Alfred Morris added 96 yards on 28 carries with 2 Touchdowns, while Pierre Garcon led the receivers with 4 catches for 109 yards and a TD. Garcon is questionable for Sunday's game. The Redskins defense wasn't as bad as the score indicates, as Brees completed less than 50% of his passes and also threw 2 interceptions. The Saints were also limited to just 32 yards rushing. It was a tough loss for the Rams in Week 1 as they lead for a lot of their game in Detroit before losing to a final second Touchdown by Kevin Smith on a 5 yard pass from Stafford. With that said, the Rams didn't really deserve to be in that game as they didn't do much offensively and a few bad passes deep in the Rams territory by Stafford led to some interceptions that put points on the board St Louis. I do give them credit for playing a tough game though and almost upsetting the Lions as 9 point underdogs.

St Louis gave up 429 yards against last week, which was 28th in the NFL. The Rams defense ranked 22nd last year giving up 358 yards against, while they were 26th giving up 25.4 points against per game. Offensively I was expecting a little more from the Rams in Week 1as they managed just 250 yards of offense. Last year the Rams were 31st in the NFL offensively with 283 yards per game, and were dead last averaging 12.1 points per game. Washington, on the other hand, tore it up in Week 1 leading the NFL with 459 yards leading to 40 points scored. In 2011 they were 16th in the league with 336 yards per game, and 26th scoring 18 points per game. With a new look offense I expect both of those numbers to go up, and although we shouldn't expect 450+ yards and 40 points per game, I do think this Washington offense will have some success. Defensively the Redskins were 13th last year with 339 yards against per game, and 21st with 22.9 points against per game. Washington gave up 358 yards in Week 1, but that was against Drew Brees and the Saints in New Orleans - this week will be a little different going against one of the leagues worst offenses.

Note that when the Rams were involved in spread of 3 or less last season they were 1-4 against the spread. The Redskins were 3-3 against the spread in the same situation. Overall the Redskins were 7-9 against the spread in 2011, while the Rams were 3-12-1 against the spread. St Louis won just 2 games last year, and had only one loss that was by 3 or fewer points (and it was a 3 point loss). The Redskins beat the Rams in St Louis last year by a score of 17-10 as 3 point favorites. Dating back to last season the Redskins have won 3 of their last 4 road games (New Orleans, New York Giants, and Seattle), while St Louis has lost 8 straight. Some may call this play an over reaction to Week 1, but before Week 1 I had this spread at Washington -2.5, and after watching the Redskins and Rams play in Week 1 I am very happy to get the Redskins -3. I will take Washington -3 for 2 units on Sunday at a generous price.

Let's Get It,
Kevin
NFLBettingPicks

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Wunderdog Sports

Game: Cleveland at Cincinnati (Sunday 9/16 1:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: Cleveland +7 (-110)

The Bengals were a misleading playoffs team a year ago, as they were out-gained from the line of scrimmage for the season. This team was beaten badly in their opener at Baltimore 44-13, where nothing appeared to go right on either side of the ball. Cleveland played about as ugly a game last week vs. the Eagles I have seen in a while. The game was plagued by nine turnovers - five of which belonged to Cleveland. Yet, the Eagles needed a late touchdown to beat the Browns. Credit to Cleveland for finding a way to stay close. This game is an in-state rivalry that is usually played with great intensity. Four of the last five meetings have been decided by 3 points or less. There is usually little to pick and choose between these teams, and the Bengals are still an overrated team. They made the playoffs a year ago, but have struggled to beat the oddsmakers’ perspective of this team, covering just one time in their last ten games! The Bengals own a woeful 56-84 ATS mark in their last 140 played within the division. This team has also had trouble bouncing back from a horrible loss of 21 or more points where they have followed at 8-24 ATS in their last 32. Cleveland has been a good big dog at 6-1 ATS in their last seven when taking +6 or more. Under Marvin Lewis, the Bengals are 27-39 ATS following a loss and they are horrid (13-25 ATS) as a home favorite. My computer matchup predicts that Cleveland will stay close. I agree. Play on the Browns in this one.

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Norm Hitzges

DOUBLE PLAYS: None

SINGLE PLAYS:

· Houston -7 Jacksonville
· Arizona +13 1/2 New England
· Carolina +3 New Orleans
· St. Louis +3 Washington
· Pittsburgh -5 1/2 NY Jets
· Dallas -3 Seattle
· San Francisco -6.5 vs Detroit

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Colin Cowherd

St. Louis
Seattle
Indy
Pittsburgh

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Sports Wagers NFL
MIAMI +120 over Oakland
Our PickMIAMI +120 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.40)

N.Y. GIANTS -7 -107 over Tampa Bay
Our PickN.Y. GIANTS -7 -107 (Risking 2.14 units - To Win: 2.00)

INDIANAPOLIS +109 over Minnesota
Our PickINDIANAPOLIS +109 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.18)

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Sixth sense

3% minnesota –2.5

3% minnesota / indianapolis over 44.5

3% san diego –6.5

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Stephen Nover | NFL Side Sun, 09/16/12 - 1:00 PM
triple-dime bet 202 IND 1.5 (-110) Bookmaker.com vs 201 MIN
Analysis:
The Colts are at least a field goal better than the Vikings at home. Even though Adrian Peterson scored two touchdowns in a surprising Week 1 performance, I'm not convinced he's 100 percent healthy yet.

I like the Colts' passing game with Andrew Luck much more than the Vikings' feeble passing attack. Reggie Wayne still has something left in the tank and this week the Colts could get back their best receiver, Austin Collie.

Indianapolis going to surprise people this season. Chuck Pagano has a solid defensive mind and has good building blocks with cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Vontae Davis. Robert Mathis still is a supreme pass rusher no matter where he lines up on the field.
Luck was overshadowed by Robert Griffin III this past Sunday, but make no mistake Luck is an elite talent. Look for him to make his mark against a feeble Vikings secondary that actually made Blaine Gabbert look respectable.

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ACCUSCORE

Analyst Pick

Jon Lee

Our analyst was 1-1 last week, and his Members only picks was the winner. If you’re a member, log in now and you’ll see both picks.
If you’re not a member, why not? You got this far, so why hold back now? Try AccuScore free for 7 days by clicking join now at the top right of your screen and selecting a monthly membership (note: your funds will be verified when you start, but they will be released if you cancel during the trial period)

Cincinnati Bengals -7 vs. Cleveland Browns
Like the Eagles, the Bengals are not as bad as they appeared in Week 1 despite getting blown out by Baltimore. Cincy squandered a few touchdown opportunities, and then the game snowballed on them late due to some turnovers. The Browns are getting some credit for almost beating the Eagles, but they got every break with Vick throwing four turnovers and still couldn’t pull off the game. The Browns are led by the unimpressive Weeden who posted a QB rating of just 5.1. That led to rookie RB Trent Richardson getting bottled up completely for just 39 yards on 19 carries. Expect the Bengals to attack Weeden and force him to pass to win the game which I don’t think he is capable of without a true difference-maker at wide receivers.

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Ravens at Eagles: What bettors need to know

Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 46.5)

With a road game looming against Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles, it was hardly a surprise to hear Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh use the term "scary good" in describing the quarterback play. The fact that Harbaugh was speaking of his own signal caller, Joe Flacco, instead of the multi-talented Vick spoke volumes of the season-opening performances of each team. Baltimore will try to make it two straight wins against the Eagles, who narrowly escaped a stunning upset at Cleveland in Week 1.

Baltimore looked like an offensive juggernaut Monday night in dismantling the Cincinnati Bengals 44-13 behind a superb effort from the oft-maligned Flacco, while Vick had to overcome one of the worst games of his career to lift Philadelphia to a 17-16 victory over the Browns. Although both teams have been touted as Super Bowl contenders, the Eagles wilted under similar great expectations a year ago and their turnover-filled opener conjured up memories of last season's 1-4 start.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.

LINE: Eagles -2.5, O/U 46.5.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the mid-70s and sunny skies at Lincoln Financial Field. Winds will be light out of the north.

ABOUT THE RAVENS (1-0): Baltimore has been waiting seemingly forever for the offense to catch up with the fierce Ray Lewis-led defense. That time may have arrived. The Ravens unveiled a no-huddle attack and Flacco thrived in it, carving up one of last season's best defenses for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 21-of-29 passing. Running back Ray Rice had to settle for a supporting role - albeit a stellar one - with 10 carries for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Despite the absence of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, the Ravens had four sacks and forced two turnovers.

ABOUT THE EAGLES (1-0): Injuries limited Vick to a handful of plays in the preseason, and his lack of game action showed as he tied a career high with four interceptions before leading a 91-yard TD drive with 78 seconds to play. Vick heaved up a career-high 56 pass attempts despite the Eagles not trailing until the fourth quarter, reviving the second-guessing of coach Andy Reid's play-calling. Wideout Jeremy Maclin had a solid game with seven catches for 96 yards and a TD, as did running back LeSean McCoy with 110 yards on 20 carries. Philadelphia's defense limited the Brown to only 210 yards.

TRENDS:
* Over is 5-0 in Ravens’ last five games in September.
* Over is 4-0 in Eagles’ last four Week 2 games.
* Eagles are 1-5 ATS in their last six Week 2 games.
* Ravens are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games in September.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Ravens S Ed Reed, who returned an interception 34 yards for a TD last week to become the league's career leader for most interception return yards (1,497), is questionable with a hamstring injury.

2. Philadelphia starting WRs DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and Maclin (hip) each sat out practice Thursday.

3. Harbaugh, who was an assistant coach for 10 seasons with the Eagles before being named Ravens coach in 2008, is 11-5 against the NFC.

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Jets at Steelers: What bettors need to know

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers (-5, 41.5)

Now comes the hard part for the New York Jets. It's one thing to put up 48 points – a franchise record for a season opener - against the Buffalo Bills’ defense. It’s quite another to have success against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road – something that had eluded them up until two seasons ago. After silencing their critics - for now - with an unexpected offensive outburst, the Jets will try to validate that effort with a second straight win over the Steelers at Heinz Field on Sunday.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are seeking to bounce back from a season-opening loss to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos and will have safety Ryan Clark and possibly linebacker James Harrison back to help. The Jets, who hope to have former University of Pittsburgh star Darrelle Revis (mild concussion) in the lineup, earned their first-ever win in the Steel City 22-17 in 2010. The Steelers had won all seven previous home matchups and have won 17 of the 21 meetings, including a 24-19 victory in the 2010 AFC Championship game. Pittsburgh hasn't started 0-2 since 2002.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS.

LINE: Steelers -5, O/U 41.5.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the high-60s and sunny skies at Heinz Field. Winds will be light out of the west.

ABOUT THE JETS (1-0): The Jets’ dominating 48-28 win over the Bills was perhaps the biggest surprise of the first week, mainly because New York infamously failed to score an offensive touchdown in the first three preseason games. Much-maligned QB Mark Sanchez threw for 266 yards and three scores – two to rookie Stephen Hill – and Antonio Cromartie returned one of three interceptions for a touchdown. There were two other surprising developments from the opener: The Jets’ suspect offensive line didn’t allow a sack and Tim Tebow (five carries, 11 yards, zero pass attempts) was a non-factor. The only negative from Sunday’s win was that Revis, who’s from nearby Aliquippa, suffered a concussion after being kicked in the head by a teammate. Revis was unable to practice again Thursday and the team will make a decision about his status Saturday.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (0-1): Pittsburgh struggled against the Broncos’ no-huddle offense without Clark (sickle cell anemia) and Harrison (knee). The top-ranked defense from a season ago allowed 334 yards and the Broncos converted 5 of 9 third downs. Clark should return this week, while Harrison is questionable. The 2008 Defensive Player of the Year is still making his way back from minor knee surgery. Ben Roethlisberger (22 of 40, 245 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT), operating in Todd Haley’s new offense, was efficient at times but also threw a game-clinching pick six. As expected, the Steelers’ offensive line failed to keep Roethlisberger clean (five sacks). The running game, meanwhile, averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. Second-year back Jonathan Dwyer (nine carries, 43 yards) outplayed Isaac Redman (11 carries, 20 yards) and should get more playing time with Rashard Mendenhall still recovering from a torn ACL.

TRENDS:
* Home team is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings.
* Steelers are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games following a straight-up loss.
* Under is 7-0 in Steelers last seven Week 2 games.
* Jets are 4-1 ATS in their last five Week 2 games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Hill, a second-round pick, is the first Jets receiver to catch two touchdowns in his debut and the first receiver to do so since former Tampa Bay tight end Alex Smith in 2005.

2. Sanchez is 39 of 62 for 403 yards and two touchdowns in two career games against Pittsburgh.

3. This will be the second trip to Pittsburgh for former Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes – the Super Bowl XLIII MVP. He has eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown against his former team.

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NFL Prop Shop: Week 2's best prop plays
By SEAN MURPHY

We had to settle for a 2-2 split inside the Prop Shop for Week 1. That’s not the result we were hoping for, but one we're bound to improve on this week.

Here's a look at four picks to click for Week 2.

Most passing yards

Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles)

The Ravens offense turned a lot of heads on Monday night, putting up 40-plus points against a pretty good Bengals defense. Joe Flacco was sharp, throwing for 299 yards, but I'm not convinced he'll find the going quite as easy on the road against the Eagles this week.

Michael Vick didn't have a great opener, but still managed to throw for over 300 yards. It's no secret that Andy Reid prefers a pass-first offense, and I'm expecting Vick to take his shots against a banged-up Baltimore secondary.

Note: Ravens S Ed Reed is nursing a hamstring injury, while Philadelphia is hoping that WR Jeremy Maclin can return from his hip injury.

Take: Vick

Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) vs. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)

Atlanta lit up the scoreboard against Kansas City Sunday, with QB Matt Ryan leading the way with a huge day. However, he's facing a much stiffer challenge in the form of the Broncos defense this week. Ryan will put up solid numbers, but will they be enough to outgun Manning? I'm not so sure.

Peyton Manning looked more and more comfortable as last Sunday's game went on, and we should see further progression in his second contest with his new team this week. Manning has two game-breakers at his disposal in WRs Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, and a pair of security blanket-types that he became comfortable with in Indianapolis in Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley. This truly is the perfect fit for the veteran pivot as far as I'm concerned.

Take: Manning

Most rushing yards

Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. C.J. Spiller (Buffalo Bills)

We won with Jamaal Charles last week, but we'll to the other way this Sunday, as he's matched up against C.J. Spiller, who should see a heavy workload in the absence of Fred Jackson.

C.J. Spiller ran for a whopping 156 yards on only 14 carries last Sunday, and will once again be the Bills’ feature back. It's easy to forget that Spiller gained over five yards per rush in limited duty last season.

He'll give the Chiefs run defense their first real test of the season after Atlanta elected to attack them through the air last Sunday. The Bills ran for 163 yards on 39 carries and Spiller found the end zone once on only five rushes when these teams hooked up last season.

Take: Spiller

Most pass receptions

Lance Moore (New Orleans Saints) vs. Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers)

With Devery Henderson sidelined, Saints WR Lance Moore should play an even bigger role in the offense in Carolina Sunday.

That's saying something, as Moore hauled in six catches for a team-leading 120 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ opener against Washington. If there's one area the Saints offense should really be able to exploit, it's the Panthers secondary. Carolina didn't force many mistakes against a conservative Bucs offense last Sunday, and will certainly run into a much more aggressive attack this week.

Take: Moore

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Geico 400 betting preview: Round 1 of The Chase
By GREG ENGLE

The anticipation is over. The 12 drivers for the 2012 version of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup have been set. After a week of media events the top 12 and the rest of field are ready to get down to the business at hand.

For the first time in Chase history the first of the 10 races that make up NASCAR’s playoffs will held at the 1.5 mile Chicagoland Speedway with Sunday’s Geico 400.

The Favorites:

Tony Stewart is the defending winner here and there’s no reason he won’t end up at the top of the field Sunday. Stewart leads all Chasers, and active drivers for that matter, with three wins here, two of those coming in the last five races at Chicago.

In addition he has two top fives and a top ten finish. The reigning Sprint Cup champion is seeded third in the Chase and coming off a fourth place finish last week at Richmond. Stewart is looking to move up in the standings and has a pretty good shot of doing just that and adding a fourth win to his season total and his Chicagoland resume Sunday.

“I feel like we’ve got a shot at it,” Stewart said. “But I don’t watch the stats very much. You just take it week to week. Technology in this sport changes so fast. What was good the last time you were there doesn’t mean it’s going to be good the second time around. You constantly have to work. You’ve got to keep pushing the envelope. It’s a place I like. This place is really getting racy as far as finally being able to move around and change lines and run anywhere from the bottom to the top. It’s a fun track because of that.”

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Sunday Night Baseball: Braves at Nationals
By STEVE MERRIL

The Braves attempt to make one last push at an NL East title on Sunday Night Baseball when they host the Nationals.

GO GIO GO

Gio Gonzalez can become the first 20-game winner in Nationals history with a victory on Sunday. The lefty is thriving since his transition to the NL and has allowed just one earned run over his last 22 innings. The former Oakland starter has been solid away from home this campaign, allowing just nine runs in his last four road starts. This will be his fourth start against Atlanta and his third on the road against them. He has surrendered only nine runs and 13 hits in those three road outings.

MINOR MIRACLE

Atlanta starter Mike Minor is 8-10 with a 4.42 ERA this season. He started the campaign slowly, but has turned things around recently. The right-hander has yielded three earned runs or less in nine of his last ten starts, while striking out 15 batters in his last two outings against Milwaukee and Colorado.

INJURY REPORT

Stephen Strasburg was recently shut down for the rest of the season. Washington is also without Henry Rodriguez (back) and Wilson Ramos (knee). Michael Morse is not at 100 percent and his status for Sunday night is questionable due to a wrist injury. Atlanta has a relatively clean bill of health; they’re still without pitchers Brandon Beachy (elbow), Ben Sheets (shoulder), and Jair Jurrjens(groin) but they’ve managed to survive those injuries because hurlers like Minor and Kris Medlen have stepped up.

TRENDS
*Nationals are 13-3 in Gonzalez's last 16 road starts.
*Nationals are 4-0 in Gonzalez's last four road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
*Braves are 5-2 in their last seven Sunday games.
*Braves are 2-5 in Minor's last seven starts.

HITTERS TO WATCH
Ryan Zimmerman 2-for-11 vs. Minor.
Danny Espinosa 3-for-11 vs. Minor.
Jason Heyward 3-for-9 vs. Gonzalez.
Martin Prado 1-for-9 vs. Gonzalez.

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Sunday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING

Ricky Nolasco, Miami Marlins (12-12, 4.40)

Nolasco tossed a four-hitter Sunday to lift Miami over Washington 8-0. The righty nailed down his third consecutive victory, only squandering one earned run across his last 25 innings. He’ll have to be sharp in his next start against the high-powered Reds.

Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals (19-7, 2.93)

Gonzalez pitched six innings and allowed one run Monday to pick up his 19th victory of the season. The lefty has won three straight starts, surrendering just one earned run over his last 22 innings of work. Gonzalez can become the first 20-game winner in the bigs with a strong outing against the Braves.

SLUMPING

Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers (9-12, 4.59)

Porcello allowed four runs, three earned, over 5 1/3 innings against the White Sox last time out. It was the third consecutive start the righty has failed to go six innings and the sixth consecutive start he's lost. He tries to get back on track versus the Tribe on Sunday.

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals (13-13, 4.01)

Wainwright yielded five runs (two earned) over six innings to the Padres in his last outing. The right-hander has given up 11 earned runs over his last 7 2/3 innings and looks to right the ship against the Dodgers next.