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Re: 11-1-10
INSIDER SPORTS REPORT
4* SF Giants UNDER 6.5
3* Houston Texans +5.5
3* Sacramento Kings -3.5
INSIDER SPORTS REPORT
4* SF Giants UNDER 6.5
3* Houston Texans +5.5
3* Sacramento Kings -3.5
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Re: 11-1-10
SPORTS WAGERS/ RANDAL HANDLE
Game 5 (SF leads, 3-1)
San Francisco +1.59 over TEXAS Pinnacle
Wow, the total for this one is 6, which is incredibly low for a game with AL rules at this ballpark. If you bet this under you would have to hope for five runs or less and that’s almost an impossible wager to make. It’s almost like an NFL game with a total of 21. Anyway, what the total suggests is that the game is going to be a low scoring one and it could very well come down to the late stages and that involves the bullpens and managerial decisions. Ron Washington is a likeable guy and you kinda feel sorry for him watching him chew his sunflower seeds and tongue during the game. However, he’s being badly out-managed to the first degree. He’s not being aggressive, he’s afraid to steal bases because base-runners have been so few and far between and he’s reluctant to bring in anyone from his pen. Speaking of the pen, Rangers reliever Alexi Ogando left Game Four with an apparent oblique injury. If he can't go, the Rangers could bring back Clay Rapada, who didn't make the roster cut. With five innings of two-run baseball last night, the Rangers' bullpen lowered their World Series ERA to 10.03 in 11.2 innings so you can’t really fault Washington for looking like he lost his dog. Giants' closer Brian Wilson now has a 0.84 playoff ERA. As for the starters, well you don’t this analysis to tell you about them. The total hugely suggests that this will be the pitching duel Game One was supposed to be. With that in mind, give us Bruce Bochy over Ron Washington, the Giants pen over the Rangers pen and throw in this huge tag and there’s only one way to go. Yeah, Cliff Lee is great but +1.59 on the club that’s playing 100 times better with Tim Lincecum going is ludicrous.
Play: San Francisco +1.59 (Risking 2 units).Comment
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Re: 11-1-10
SuperSportsGroup - World Series GM 5 11/1
Texas v. San Fran 8:20pm
PICK: Rangers RL (-1.5) +125 Game
PICK: UNDER 6.5 Game -120 Game of the week
---------PROP PLAYS----------------
PICK: Texas will score 1st -120
PICK: OVEr 3.5 runs 1st 5 innings +100Comment
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Re: 11-1-10
jeff benton monday
4-0 past 2 days..plus 125 dimes plus $1250....
MONDAY'S ACTION
20 Dime NFL selection on the TEXANS over the Colts in Monday Night Football action from the Lucas Oil Stadium. Houston is a road undeadog here, with the number fluctuating between 5 and 5 1/2. So as always, make sure you shop aroulnd and get the best number possible. Don’t settle for -5 when there are plenty of oprortunities to at least get the Texans at minus-5 1/2.
TEXANS
I know it’s damn-near blasphemy to go against Peyton Manning at home in a nationally televised prime-time game (after all, last time they were in such a spot, Manning murdered little brother Eli and the Giants 38-14). But I look at all the injuries the Colts are dealing with and I just can’t see how Indianapolis wins this game tonight, especially by margin.
Missing from Manning’s arsenal are RB Joseph Addai (shoulder injury); WR Austin Collie (Manning’s top possession target who is sidelined with a hand injury); and All-Pro TE Dallas Clark (Manning’s most irreplaceable weapon who is out for the season with season-ending hand injury). On top of that, Addai’s backup – Donald Brown (hamstring) – is questionable, and Manning’s other three top WRs (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez) are expected to play even though all three are dealing with leg injuries.
All that means the following guys likely will see significant playing time – and be counted on to produce extensively – tonight: RB Mike Hart (zero NFL starts); rookie WR Blair White (a practice-squad player earlier this year) and TE Jacob Tamme (six career receptions). I know Manning’s a miracle worker, I know he’s had an extra week to prepare given that Indy is coming off a bye, and I know Houston’s defense ranks last in the league in yards allowed, but I’m sorry, you can’t lose multiple Pro Bowl-caliber players and expect the engine to run as smoothly.
Besides, it’s not just the offense that’s dinged up. All-Pro safety Bob Sanders and three key defensive backs (including starter Melvin Bullitt) are on injured reserve, while two of the five “healthy” cornerbacks on the depth chart are battling injury and may sit out (or at least see their roles limited). And remember: In the season opener at Houston, the Texans shredded the Colts’ then-healthy defense for 355 yards in a 34-24 rout that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated.
In that game, Houston RB Arian Foster gashed Indianapolis for 231 rushing yards and three TDs. Also, Texans left tackle Duane Brown stymied Colts All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney, and Brown returns tonight after serving a four-game suspension. One more point about that first meeting: Collie (11 catches, 163 yards, 1 TD) and Clark (13 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD) put up monster numbers. Again, both will be on the sidelines in street clothes.
Yes, I know Houston has never won in Indianapolis in eight previous trips, and yes I know that the Texans’ Week 1 victory was just their second in 17 all-time meetings. But as I mention when I gave out a 10 Dime winner on Houston in that 34-24 win over the Colts back on Sept. 12, this has been an extremely competitive rivalry recently. Since December 2006, Houston has two wins and five spread-covers in eight meetings. And in the Colts’ six victories during this stretch, they’ve won by the following margins: 30-24, 38-15, 31-27, 33-27, 20-17 and 35-27. Only one blowout there, and it must be noted that in that game the Texans’ starting QB and RB were Sage Rosenfels and Darius Walker (not exactly Matt Schaub and Arian Foster, right?). Also, Manning had all of his soldiers at his disposal in that game (and every game that Indy has defeated Houston).
Two final points to make here: 1) Since giving up 257 rushing yards to the Texans in Week 1, the Colts’ run defense hasn’t improved much at all, as they rank 26th out of 32 NFL teams in that department; 2) Houston’s offense has been incredible in two road games this season – both victories – averaging 30.5 points, 330 passing yards and 153.5 rushing yards per game (5.1 rushing yards per carry).
The bottom line here is I believe today what I believed back in Week 1: That the Texans are the better football team than the Colts. And that was before Indy suffered its rash of injuries. To be getting this many points with Houston – which has cashed in six of its last eight road games, nine of its last 11 as an underdog and seven of its last eight as a road underdog – is a freaking steal. Grab the generous offering and don’t be shocked if Houston wins another shootout.Comment
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Re: 11-1-10
Bobby Maxwell
Monday's winners...
300-Unit NFL Monday Mismatch - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Texans opened the season with a victory over the Colts in Houston. You know Peyton Manning and the Colts are still ticked off about that one and out to offer some payback tonight when Houston comes into Indianapolis for a big Monday night game.
Indianapolis is 15-2 all-time against the Texans and they have won eight straight at home over their division rivals. Houston won the opener 34-24 thanks to RB Arian Foster’s 231 yards rushing and three TDs. The Colts are still shaky against the run, allowing 137.3 yards per contest, but you know they’ll be ready for him tonight. He won’t be surprising them now.
Manning has some new targets on the field with TE Dallas Cark out for the season and WR Austin Collie out for a few weeks with an injured thumb. The Colts are also likely without RBs Joseph Addai and backup Donald Brown, leaving them with Mike Hart making his first NFL start. Luckily, Manning has had two weeks to work with these guys and they’ll be clicking tonight.
Houston is on ATS skids of 1-3-1 against teams with winning records while Indianapolis comes in riding several positive ATS streaks, including 6-1 on Monday, 4-1 at home, 12-5-2 after a straight-up win and 7-1-2 against winning teams.
Houston has been on the road twice this season and won shootouts in both games. Indy has been home for just two games this season and won and covered in both, including a dominating performance against the Giants in primetime, winning 38-14 as four-point favorites.
I will go ahead and lay the chalk with the Colts at home. It’s tough to beat Peyton at home in a primetime contest. He’ll find a way to get open receivers and Indianapolis will step up on defense and limit the Houston running game. Play the Colts.
100-Unit World Series Do-or-Die Winner - TEXAS RANGERS
Texas ace Cliff Lee has been put in a must-win situation tonight with the Rangers down 3-1 to the Giants and looking to push this series back to San Francisco. Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA) is looking to make up for a terrible Game 1 performance and keep his team in this series.
Lee allowed seven runs (six earned) in 4.2 innings of the Game 1 11-7 loss in San Francisco. He had been cruising in the playoffs, allowing just two runs in 24 innings until Game 1. In his career against the Giants, Lee was 3-0 in three outings with a complete game, allowing three runs in 24 innings.
Up for the Giants is Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA), who wasn’t exactly sharp in Game 1, giving up four runs in 5.2 innings. He only struck out three Rangers in the series opener so they were making contact all night and will need to do the same tonight to fight off elimination.
Texas has won 14 of 18 interleague games and the Rangers will get the bats cranked up again tonight. Lee will keep the San Francisco bats silent tonight and when the Rangers push over a few runs, this one will essentially be over. Lee dominates tonight and Texas forces this series back to San Francisco.
Play Texas.Comment
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