Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips
Monday, October 12
Wild loss for Wildcats backers
If
you had Arizona -4 at Washington on Saturday, you probably felt pretty
good with a 33-21 lead with three minutes to play. Even after
Washington's Jake Locker threw a TD pass, you were still covering at
33-28.
On Arizona's next possession, Nick Foles threw a screen
pass low and behind Delashaun Dean. It deflected off Dean's foot right
to Washington's Mason Foster, who returned it 37 yards for the go-ahead
- and spread-covering - touchdown at 36-33. Arizona's chance at a
comeback cover ended with Foles throwing an interception as Washington
improved to 4-1 ATS as an underdog.
Monday night nemesis
The
Miami Dolphins welcome their nemesis on Monday Night Football, hosting
the New York Jets. The Dolphins are 2-8 straight up in the last 10
meetings and even worse against the spread, going 0-8-1 until last
year's 24-17 road win in the season finale. In its last five home
meetings with New York, Miami is 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS. The Dolphins are
getting one point with a total of 36.
Leaning to the left
The
postponement of Saturday's game in Denver means the Colorado Rockies
will see all lefthanded starters in their NL Division Series against
the Philadelphia Phillies. The extra day off allowed Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel to switch his Game Three starter from Pedro Martinez to
J.A. Happ. After Happ, it will be back to the top of the rotation with
Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels.
Colorado batted .253 vs. lefthanders
and .264 vs. righthanders during the season. The Rockies were totally
shut down by Lee in Game One and face him again Monday in Game Four.
Off on the wrong foot
Vancouver
Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin will miss at least four weeks with a
broken left foot. Sedin was limited to one assist in Vancouver's first
three games, all losses. He had three assists in Wednesday's 7-1 win
over Montreal.
Problems Bruin
When the Boston
Bruins host the Colorado Avalanche, they will be without defenseman
Dennis Wideman, who has a shoulder injury. The disciplined Wideman is
tied for second on the team with 10 shots and has a goal, an assist and
no penalty minutes. He will be replaced by Johnny Boychuk, who will be
playing for the first time this season. The Bruins are -215 with a
total of 5.5.
Sunshine State rivalry
In the last
five games between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, three
have been decided by shootouts, four have ended in 4-3 scores and all
five have cleared the total. This season, the Panthers are 2-2 against
the over and the Lightning are 3-1. Tampa Bay is -140 with a total of
5.5.
A look ahead
Tuesday's Sun Belt Conference
matchup between Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe has some extended
trends worth a look. The road team has won outright in the last four
meetings and the underdog has covered the last nine matchups. Host
Louisiana-Monroe is getting one point, with no total yet to be set by
oddsmakers.
Under the radar
The Los Angeles Kings
began a six-game road trip with a 2-1 victory over St. Louis on
Saturday. That was their first road game of the season but extended a
streak that has seen the under go 11-1 in the Kings' last 12 road
games. Los Angeles is visiting the New York Islanders, and the teams
are 3-1-3 vs. the under in the last seven meetings. The Kings are -110
with a total of 5.5.
Notable quotable
"From my
blind side, Tom Cable threw me from my chair and into a piece of
furniture that a lamp sat upon. He was screaming, 'I'll [expletive]
kill you! I'll [expletive] kill you!' And I have no reason to believe
he wouldn't have killed me if they hadn't pulled him away. If my head
would've hit a different way, I might be dead right now."
--
Former Oakland Raiders defensive assistant Randy Hanson, telling Yahoo!
the details of the incident Aug. 5 in which he claims head coach Cable
sucker-punched him and broke his jaw.
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