September 9, 2023 • 39 mins
Tim O'Keefe recaps the 2023 #NFL season opener on Thursday Night Football with the #Lions shocking the world and upsetting the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City #Chiefs, and goes over all his football picks for this weekend!
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Episode Transcript
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For national winners. From a localperspective, you're in the right place.
It's balls, bats and bets withTim o'keee right here on the Gambler,
number one of I think it's twohundred and seventy two down. The NFL
season is officially already kicked off.Everybody, welcome into balls, bets and
bets here on this beautiful Week oneNFL Friday evening. So much going on
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in the world of sports. Obviouslyfootball in full swing. We're gonna talk
a lot about that throughout this show. Still gonna focus in on some baseball
to the fills, playing overall prettywell, still in a very comfortable spot
of five games, five games inthe playoffs right now, the top wildcard
spot, one and a half overthe Cubs. So we'll dive in that
a little bit, see how muchof a threat we really think they are.
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But we got to start off withthe opener last night, Chiefs and
Lions, and hey, credit toeveryone out there who had it. The
Lions actually got the job done,took advantage of the Chiefs being a little
bit vulnerable. No Travis Kelsey hisfirst missed game due to injury since twenty
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thirteen. No, Chris Jones.Chris Jones holding out. He was in
the building. I thought, Igotta ask, like every does anyone out
there? That's an all time moveto me to be holding out from the
team. But then still just likeshow up and be in the stands.
You know, he's in a niceseat, he's in a box. Clearly
when he saw him on the screenthat was that's hilarious to me. And
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I get it. He's there becausehe wants to be there for the for
the better. Unveiling from their SuperBowl last year, great, whatever,
But I mean to be in themidst of a big holdout now, the
biggest one left in the NFL withNick Bosa signing earlier this week, and
then he just watches his team loseWeek one. It's a move. It's
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definitely a move. Patrick Mahomes stillthe best quarterback in the league, of
course, but kind of you sawlast night he can't do it all by
himself. Had some really crucial drops. Kadarius Tony, who former first round
pick of the Giants, traded lastyear from the Giants to the Chiefs.
He had an awful night that wasa pretty much unmitigated disaster. Three drops
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the one huge one on the thirdand I think it was like third and
twenty third and fifteen something like that. It was wide open Mahomes finds.
I mean, just ball hits theturf. Big mess, huge mess,
I will say in terms of thewhat the Chiefs looked like they were lacking
more and again, I think lastnight was a win for Chris Jones overall
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because the team lost. If he'sjust trying to get paid because they're gonna
want him back quicker the more theylose, I guess I'm saying, the
more they would wan him back quicker. But the defense for the Chiefs didn't
look bad to me. I mean, that's a really good Lions offense.
They scored twenty one points. Thatwasn't really the issue me. Travis Kelsey
was clearly the bigger miss in mymind for the Chiefs. Mahomes is great,
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he's incredible, but if he doesn'thave any true weapons, you don't
end up at being a little bitlimited. And Travis Kelsey's maybe the most
unique weapon in the NFL. Andthat has been a huge security blanket for
Mahomes over the over his career,and last night you kind of saw there's
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some issues in this team if theydon't have Travis Kelsey. Now, i'd
expect Kelsey back next week. Hewas a game time decision tonight or excuse
me, last night, So Iwould think that he's back next week.
But who knows if he's back atone hundred percent. We'll have to find
out on that one. Other keytakeaways, I'll go back to that Lion's
offense real quick. For fantasy relevance. Anyone who has David Montgomery, you
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got to be really happy, eventhough his production wasn't great, got a
touchdown, got the majority carries.Jamir Gibbs the first round, picked twelfth
overall from Alabama. He was efficientwhen he was out there. I think
it was like six yards for likesomething like fifty two or sorry, six
carries for like fifty two yards somethinglike that, forty two yards excuse me.
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But he didn't really get that muchtime, which is really surprising for
a first round back that was Thatwas definitely something not something I wasn't expecting.
And then look, Jared Goff continuesto have this resurgence of a career
in Detroit. He's he played reallywell. Again, He's not going to
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be the He's not going to bethe highlight real quarterback. He's just not.
And he's accepted that. He knowshis role. He stays within himself.
But he's really damn good at it. I mean, he's got a
great connection with Aminross, Saint Brown. You saw that early on in the
game especially and Jared goff As.There's some street going across the bottom.
That was going across the bottom thismorning. It's like three hundred and like
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fifty some path without a pick.If you're Jared Golf, that's that's huge,
right you are. You're a productiveoffense. You got a ton of
weapons. Let the weapons do thework and take care of the ball.
If you do that, you're goingto be successful. And the Lions they
were successful as hell last night.Got the win. Golf over two hundred
and fifty yards of the touchdown Mahomeshad. I believe it was like two
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twenty some yards two touchdowns in apick. Dan Campbell continues to be the
most entertaining coach in the NFL inmy opinion, just like the guy.
The guy is motivating. You gottagive him that. He get like I
watch him in like the post gamelocker room stuff, I saw that,
and you see him on the inhis postgame interviews with the reporters like saying,
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yeah, this is what we expected. The guy gets you amped up.
He is just an electric personality.Do I think he's the best coach
in the like? No? Butdo I think he's a good coach?
Yeah? I do. I thinkhe's getting the best idea that he can
out of those Detroit Lions, andthey're gonna be a one to watch out
for this year for sure. Theystarted off as good as you can surprising
everyone an opening night. I don'tknow if you've been able to say this
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sentence in probably maybe thirty years,if not more. If ever, the
Lions have the best record in theNFL, just saying you can actually say
that right now now in a coupleof days, they're gonna be time with
people. But that's a okay,And we'll go through some picks later in
the in our third segment today,I'm gonna do a whole breakdown on that
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some of the games we like,both college and NFL, So that's a
that'll be coming up. But I'mgonna jump away from the NFL. Well,
actually, no, no, no, one more for some top injury
storylines. Obviously, we already talkedabout Travis Kelsey Cooper Cup with the Rams
starting to get nervous with him becausethis lingering ham string and now he's going
to see different specialists and there's notimetable on the return. I was a
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buyer that the Rams were gonna beable to bounce back a little bit this
week or this sorry, not thisweek, this year from you know,
two years ago in the Super Bowl, last year garbage. If Cooper Cup's
not healthy, that makes that reallyreally difficult. I think the Rams could
be in some trouble. Cooper Cupmight mean more to his team than any
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other single receiver. It's him andJustin Jefferson in my opinion, And that's
not saying that who's the best receivers, who's most important? And the Rams
need Cooper Cup like the Rams needair, And they're not going to have
him at least this week. Lookingmore and more like it's going to be
even longer than that. Start evenhearing talk about putting him on the pup
list, which I mean, he'sout for four weeks. That can derail
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their season right there. So let'ssee, We'll hope he gets hope he
gets healthy. I don't want tosee anybody hurt, but that would be
someone to watch for RAMS fans outthere jumping over to college from last week
starting college last week, the mainstory prime time Dion with Colorado, his
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son should Or Sanders, Travis Hunter, the receiver slash cornerback. Wow.
I think that's all there is tosay, right. I mean, I'll
say a little bit more, butwow is like the summarization of it.
How that he turned that team aroundthat quickly to come up and beat the
national runner up from last year whenthat Colorado for the franchise was gonna say
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that school has been in the toiletfor football for a while now. Wow,
should Or Sanders five hundred and tenyards in his debut for the school,
just absolutely incredible. Travis Hunter playingone hundred and twenty nine snaps.
I thought TC was gonna blow thedoors off of them. I really did.
I thought Sunny Dikes had set upwhat he did last year, I
was gonna keep building on it.I was wrong. I was wrong.
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Now will this last the whole season, I don't know, But either way,
Dion's already go in the right direction, and I'm that's going to be
a fun program to monitor for yearsto come, assuming Dion stays there,
because wow, that was that's hisentertainment. I mean the way that that
offense cooks. And then especially withthe like I want to focus on Travis
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Hunter for a second. So ifyou don't know, Travis Hunter, elite
receiver for Colorado and it also playscornerback and he's a great cornerback too.
Had an interception. I think youhad what over one hundred yards receiving nine
receptions and like a pick the guyis that's it's not quite Shoheiotani. But
to do one hundred and twenty ninesnaps at a position where you're running every
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single play, Get that guy ina marathon and I promise you he'll do
incredible because that you need such enduranceto be able to do that, like
how you do one hundred and twentynine snaps and a really running gun game
like that, both teams were passinga ton thrown down field, like I
that was absolutely incredible to watch.Credit to that young man. He was
fantastic out in their field. Andit's credit to Shador Sanders as well.
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Like all of a sudden, nowboth those guys getting Heisman talk like it's
still early. I don't think it'sgonna last the whole season. I think
there are still going to be somehiccups for Colorado along the way. Might
be a little sneak peek into apick I have coming up later in this
show. But I have to stillsay they're going in the absolute right direction.
Congratulations to them, and they're hey, it's gonna be a fun watch
for a long time to come ateam going the opposite direction. How about
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Clemson? What do you do ifyou're coming? And again I was happy
I had Duke. I had Duke, I had even I did have some
Duke moneyline on Monday Night. RileyLeonard the quarterback for Duke. I think
right now some places have him asa the third best quarterback potentially coming out
of this class. He's a talentedguy. He is very solid, and
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he's a great quarterback for Duke,which they don't get too many of.
They did have Daniel Jones a fewyears back who went first round. But
the idea that Riley Leonard was ableto get past Clemson, you know,
big scary Clemson, like Dabbo fromlike what it would be like twenty fourteen
through twenty twenty, they were thebest program in college football, I do
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think than Alabama during that stretch oryou know, one A, one B.
They're right there, and now they'relosing a duke. They didn't have
a great year last year. Imean they did. I think they won
the ACC I it's it's up tosay they didn't have a good year.
They didn't have a up to Clemsonrecent standards year. Now I think they'll
be okay overall. But look thisthat is part of the problem of college
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football. They might have just goteliminated from the College Football Playoff last night.
They really could have. I mean, if they go on to feed
it from here on out, theyprobably could make it. But it's not
a guarantee. A one loss ACCteam doesn't necessarily guarantee you're getting in.
And again, right now, there'sno reason to believe that they are going
to go on defeed the rest ofthe way. Dabo's still doing well with
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recruiting overall from high school, buthe has refused to really dive into that
transfer portal as much as a lotof other teams have. You know,
he's losing guys like dju Amila heleft. They're losing guys on the portal
and they're not replacing them through thatportal, and Dabbo is gonna have to
make some adjustment at some point otherwisethey will keep getting left behind in that
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sense. I don't think it's theI think Clemson will be all right fine
this year, but overall, thisis something that they need to address,
is utilizing the Trance reportal as morethan they currently are, because if they
keep leaving it the way they dothat Clemson run from twenty fourteen through twenty
twenty, it's not gonna happen again. They're gonna go back to the Clemson
before that, which is a goodfootball program, but definitely not elite.
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Definitely not elite. They were almostlike the little brother of South Carolina before
that, are you know, equalbrothers, let's call it that now.
I mean, Clemson has the reputationof being a top notch national program,
but that can that can that canleave you just as easy as it comes.
Look in Nebraska, I mean,go to the nineties. Nebraska was
absolutely dominant. If you would asksomeone in nineteen ninety nine or ninety five,
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whenever that run was with Tom Osbornein thirty years, what's gonna be
the best college ball program? Nebraskais going to be a very common answer.
And look at them now, they'reon They're like seventh coach since Tom
on Osborne. I don't know,it's been rough. It's been a rough
time for them, and that caneasily happen back to Clemson if Dabbo doesn't
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eventually start to make that turn.I'm not saying that's happening yet. They're
still a very good team, butyou gotta watch out because it can it
can happen pretty quick. Last thingI want to touch on in this first
segment, PAC twelve going out ina little bit of a blaze of glory,
right like thirteen and Ozer, thePAC twelve is right now, we
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know the conference is essentially gone.The only two remaining members after this year
as of now Washington State Oregon State. But right now this is a strong
looking conference and I like a lotof the teams. I think Utah is
a damn good team, Washington's adamn good team. Usc we all know
is a great team because they havethe Heisman winning quarterback return. There's there's
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a lot of talent in the PACtwelve. I actually like Oregon State a
lot, and Oregan's good too,But Oregon State, I think is a
fantastic team that's under the radar.It's a really good conference right now,
and it's kind of a shame thatthis is the last year of it.
I went on that rant last acouple of weeks ago about how realignment and
all that nonsense. But they're goingout. They're going out hot, and
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I'll make a prediction right now.I think the PAC twelve will finish this
season as one of the best conferences. The problem for them might be they
might not get a team in theplayoff because teams might beat them up within
there by, meaning you know,if Washington beats USC, but then USC
gets beat by Oregon State, andyou know, you end up having teams
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with one or two losses. Eventhough it's a fantastic conference, you might
not get someone in the playoffs.We'll see. I think that could happen
this year, but that conference watchout. I think that actual I actually
buy into the PAC twelve this year, which is not something I thought of
gonna say. If you go backto last fall, we're gonna take a
quick break now when we come back, we'll talk Eagles Patriots coming up,
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We'll talk some Phillies and we'll alsotalk a little bit about the Gambler Fantasy
draft recap that we did last week. Again, fasty football seasons underway,
give you guys a slight inside andinto my team and the way I set
that up. So we're gonna takea quick break right back after this on
Fox Sports leg Gambler Gambling, Phillieshome for all things sports gambling. Let's
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get back into it. Gonna talka little bit of baseball to start.
I know it's football time. We'regonna do do the Phillies and then go
right into the Eagles Pats, Sostick with me. But the Phillies coming
off a good series out there inSan Diego, right you got two out
of three on the road. That'sall you can ask for. You're not
gonna you can't ask for a sweepevery time. And the team's looking overall
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pretty solid right now. Hold agame and a half a lead over the
Cubs for the top wild card spot, which does have a big impact.
Right we know the wildcard series fromlast year. We know it. We
saw it directly. It's the shortestseries and when you have a smaller sample
size, you can have more surprises. So I do think there is a
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major importance factor to the Phillies holdingonto that top wildcard spot. So that
way, the first round series isat the first what the world will excuse
me? The Wildcard series is athome, played in Sinon's Bank Park,
and the Phillies need to just youtake care of business. I still think
they'll hold onto that. I trulydo. I think they'll hold on.
I'm not overly concerned, but theCubs have been playing really good ball.
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They have. They've been playing phenomenalbaseball. Really since the All Star break,
they've been fantastic. So I thinkthe Phillies need to take two or
three this weekend against the Marlins.You're at home. The Marlins are our
a team that's also fighting for awildcard spot, so they're not gonna go
over lightly. But the Phillies havemore talent. You have the ability to
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get out in front of it.I think the Phillies can do this and
hold on to that lead. Thething that does concern me just calling out
both sides. But Phillies have sevengames left of the Atlanta that's a lot
for what's left in this season.Hopefully, by the time they're playing the
Braves, the Brases don't have anythingelse to play for. They start resting
some guys and you get a coupleeasier wins against Atlanta, then you probably
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should have if those games are earlierin the year. But the schedule is
a little tougher for the Phillies.Phillies have the ninth hardest schedule remaining,
Cubs have the twenty first. Andagain, the Cubs are playing really,
really good baseball right now, sogotta take care of business, stay on
the gas, don't ease up,because even though it might not seem like
a big deal, Oh, wildCard one versus Wildcard two, we saw
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it last year. Now, grantedthe Phillies did win on the road last
year, but it's still just allthe more important. All three potential games
would be at Sistance Bank Park.You wouldn't have to go to Wrigley And
again we saw it last year.The atmosphere of Cistens Bank Park with Red
October it's I think it's the bestin base ball, at least based on
last postseason. It was absolutely electric, phenomenal, and it's such a home
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field advantage in a short series.I think that could be a huge advantage
for the Phillies just with what thiscrowd brings. So got to hold on
and keep fighting. I still feelcomfortable, but we'll keep an eye on
that. Do you want to saycongratulations to Trade Turner? Obviously one of
the paternity lists missed the end ofthe San Diego series. Most you've probably
already heard it by now, butI'd be I'd be irresponsible not mentioning it.
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Just coincidental timing of the paternity ofhis child. I don't know if
I don't know if we've seen boyor girl. Actually I haven't. I
haven't. I haven't seen the seena name either, but as child being
born pretty much nine months almost tothe day of after he signed that three
hundred million dollar contract, I won'tgo in any further than that, but
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I'll let everyone out there just youknow, do the math on your own.
Really fun coincidence and I love theA lot of people picked up on
that. That was fantastic. Iwas crack up when I saw that online.
So yeah, congratulations to the Trayand I think his wife. At
this point, again, I havenot followed Trade durnish personal life do closely.
But congratulations to Tray on being cominga father. Good for him.
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The NL wild card race, Diamondbacksright now are in the third wild card
slot, the last slot. They'reup half a game on both the Marlins
and the Reds. The Giants tryand hold on for dear life, they're
out. They're down two and ahalf games on that third slot right now.
Really, the Giants, I think, have to win two of three
this weekend at home. They're playingthe Rockies, garbage team, the worst
in the National League. If theysomehow blow that and you know, lose
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three games or lose two or threegames against the Rockies, they're done.
Call it the season. They eventhough they're not that far behind, there's
just too many teams ahead of them, in my opinion, for them to
get back into it. I thinkthe team to watch for me in that
sense, I think my official predictionfor the National League will be the Marlins
to come out with it. Theyhave the easiest schedule remaining, which I
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do think is key. Oh Iknow what, actually, let me double
check that. Did I read thatbackwards? Excuse me? They have the
hardest schedule remaining of those three.Let me rephrase that the easiest of those
would be the Reds, and theReds do have a really easy schedule,
so I actually no, it willhave on the fly slight adjustment here I
read that backwards. I can buyinto both those teams. Actually, I'll
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stick with it. I still thinkthe Marlins get the job done. I
like their lineup. It's more kindof consistent for me, and some of
the other teams like Diamondbacks have somehigh end power with guys like Corbyn Carroll
on their first baseman Christian Walker havinga great season. I don't think it
says complete a lineup. Not thatthe Marlins are super complete, but they
have a really good full rotation andbullpen, and I'm buying in that they
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will have a successful run to thepostseason. So that's my gut. If
you're taking bets right now, Iwill take the Marlins to get that last
wild card slot over the Giants,the Reds, and the Diamondbacks. But
it'll be fun to monitor went downthe stretch the American League. Man the
Texas Rangers have They've just gone throughit. It's been rough. If you're
a Rangers fan, it's gotta behonest. It's not easy for sure,
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because many they've had a tough time. They have fallen off. They start
off as one of the hottest teamsin the league, one of the best
records in baseball for the first coupleof months, and now they're sitting a
game a half a game out thewild Card behind Toronto. But the problem
is there's going the wrong direction.Max Scherzer gets lit up on Wednesday against
the Astros in a key game.There's just not much going right currently for
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Texas. They're up the Blue Jaysof the team up on half a game
on them, and then Seattle's upto two games on the Blue Jays.
I have to say, I thinkit's the marriage and the Blue Jays hold
it off. I thought Texas wasreally gonna do it. I thought they
were gonna get into the playoffs.They're not. That's my gun again.
They're obviously close enough. They havethe talent. Corey Seeks having a hell
of a year, might be theMVP if not for Shoeotani and Aotani still
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hurts, So we'll see. Whoknows anything happened? I guess, but
I yeah, I don't know.I'm just not fully buying in now the
range you're gonna be able to turnit around. So I think that's my
prediction. So right now, yourplayoff teams in my mind are Braves,
Dodgers, Brewers for the National Leaguedivisions, National League Wildcard, Phillies,
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Cubs, Marlins. That's your NationalLeague playoffs set up. In the American
League it would be Astros, thenthe Twins in the Central and the Orioles
in the American League and in theor sorry for the division winners of American
League, and then American League Wildcard. The Rays are up seven games,
they're gonna make it, and thenI think the Mariners and the Blue Jays
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hold on. That's a pretty goodfield. It's gonna be an entertaining playoff
series season. I can't wait forit, and it's coming up quick.
Get ready for that next talk quicklyabout Eagles Patriots. Obviously game of the
weekend right now, as I wellgave me the weekend around here in Philly,
I guess I should say Eagles arethree and a half point favorites as
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I'm looking right now, let meget the latest total as well. Give
me one second. Our latest totalon the game is sitting at forty five
and Milly just full transparency. Spreadscares me. The spread scares me.
The Eagles them really the most completeteam in the NFL. In my opinion,
I would have expected them to besix seven point favorites in this The
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fact that's down to four is tellingme they the books think that the pats
are gonna fight in this and look, they have Belichick, they have a
great tradition. On paper, there'snothing I like about the Patriots. We
went over this was we're doing ourNFL division previews a few weeks back.
I think the Patriots are gonna fishlast in that division. I think the
Patriots might finish under six and ahalf wins. I just don't buy in
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that this team has much going forthem. I do like the only positive
I'll take from last year. Theygot rid of Matt Patricia as their offensive
coordinator, brought him Bill O'Brien.Bill O'Brien's an upgrade. I'll give him
that. I expect him to bethe offense to be better coached. But
they just don't have any weapons outthere. They really don't. They just
don't have any weapons. Mac Jones, even if he plays well, is
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going to be limited just by whathe has around him, and I don't
think he's that great. And theonly guy that I like on that offense
is Rumandri Stevenson. I think he'sa solid running back. Besides that,
there's nothing too scary there. Ondefense, they don't scare me much either.
It's a decent defense. It's notterrible, but it's not like it's
going up against the Eagles offense,which is one of the best. This
to me is a game where theEagle there's two main keys for the Eagles.
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One keep the Patriots offense. Don'tlet the Patriots offense just kind of
stall and keep our offense of theoff the field. Even if it's a
long like what they're gonna try todo, they're gonna try to make the
game ugly. They're gonna try toplay Actually, you'll hear this in the
last time. We're talking about alittle bit like Illinois style football with Brett
Pielma. Brett Pielma is great atmaking a game ugly and keeping his team
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in it given them give him ashot to win. That's what New England's
gonna try to do. They're gonnatry to make the game ugly ground and
pound control the ball. You've gotto find a way to get their offense
off the field, so you getour offense on there, and then the
offenses side. I actually the onemore one more talk for the Eagles defense.
I'd be willing to press up againstthe run and just defend against that.
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If Mac Jones beats us over thetop, I'll take that risk.
I will obviously look if it happensonce or twice, maybe you have to
adjust mid game. But I'm notscared again and beat over the top by
the Patriots. It's just not somethingI really see happening. So commit to
defending the run, short passing game. Beat them up on our offensive side.
Our offense is the only one thatcan beat themselves. Just limit mistakes,
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pick up your blocks. We havethe best offensive line in the league.
Don't don't turn the ball over throughpicks or fumbles, and we're gonna
put up points. That's the case. I do believe that this team is
again against almost any defense in theleague. Our offense is gonna have to
beat themselves, and I don't thinkthey will. I trust Sirianni, I
trust Jayalen, I trust the offensiveline. I trust the weapons. I
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think this offense is capable being oneof the best in football and being really
really difficult to stop. My officialprediction, I will go twenty four.
I know, let's lower it down, let's go twenty one seventeen Birds.
I do think it's a close game, closer than it should be, but
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I think they pull it out inthe end. So yeah, if you're
getting that number right around three anda half, which is at least right
now that's what I'm seeing versus four, that's a big difference there, so
keep an eye out. I alsowould lean towards the under in the game.
Again, I think New England's gonnatry to make it ugly. They'll
have some success at it because they'regonna if it's running the ball, the
clock is gonna be taken. Ithink that makes sense. So that's my
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prediction on the Birds game, twentyseven or sorry, twenty one seventeen Birds
going into Week two one to zero. That's that's where we're going at when
we come back, We're gonna haveall the picks in the world. We
got tons of college games, fourNFL games where I got plays for you.
Really really excited for this. Thisis a part of the show that
I love the most. So Ican't wait to get back with you.
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Be right back with balls, batsand bets right after this Phillies Home for
all Things Sports Gambling, Welcome back. It's time for our last segment,
and I've already told you what we'redoing for the last one. It's picks,
picks and picks, tons of collegegames this weekend, full NFL slate.
(27:33):
Nothing I love more so. Yeah, So with us as Dive writings,
we got a ton of games totalk through. First off, want
to start with Nebraska and Colorado,which hey, now, I know,
I know, I already mentioned earlierhow incredible what Dion did down there in
Colorado and how those guys amazing,amazing job and that went over TCU.
(27:56):
I'm not trying to play Debbie Downer, but I'm gonna take the three and
a half points I think I'm seeingnow in Nebraska. Again, if you
look back at the spread before theseason began, and I know, look
we have new information, but Nebraskawas like a seven to ten point favorite
in this wasn't an extremely huge winfor Colorado, Yes, yes it was.
Are they now potentially coming back downto earth. That's what I'm smelling.
(28:19):
If I'm being honest, it's again. You have a big win
like that, biggest win for theprogram in a long time, you generally
see a little bit of regression.There's actual gonna be a few picks like
this they have going forward. Nebraskaunder Matt rule. I think it's gonna
just play really sound defense. Ithink if they're trying to make the game
ugly, TCU was not prepared todo that. TCU clearly lost a lot
of guys and they weren't able tofully get it back after that National championship
(28:44):
runner up run last year. AndI don't think that's gonna be the same
thing as Nebraska game. The spreadand the fact that the spread is only
a three and a half and basedoff of all of Week one. If
you look at this both games weekone, for what Colorado did it versus
what Nebraska did, there should bea seven to ten points spread at least
in favor of Colorado. It's notthat tells me that there's something there.
(29:07):
All the money's coming in on Colorado. The books know something. Give me
Nebraska taking that one out in thefirst first game tomorrow. This is in
no particular order of these games.But next day I'm gonna talk through Texas
over Alabama. Give me, giveme Texas with the seven and a half.
I think Texas has the edge ofquarterback with Queen Yours over mill Row.
(29:27):
I think this is the best Texasteam we've seen in a long time.
I know we've heard Texas is backfor years. I get it.
You're allowed to You're allowed to stayaway from this game. I'm not gonna
blame you if you do. Butseven and a half points after a heartbreaker
last year where Texas was fighting,I think this is a really close game.
Seven and a half is too manypoints for me. Give me seven
(29:48):
and a half. I'm not sayingTexas wins, but they cover. Next
up, want to talk through ateam that had a letdown last week and
that game. He was looking atUTSA. University of Texas, San Antonio
play in Texas State. UTSA lastweek letdown, absolutely letdown playing Houston,
(30:08):
who look not a huge team onthe overall scale things, but a successful
program. And UTSA came into thatgame as I think it was only like
one or two point maybe even favorites. It was a really tight spread and
they lost it. They could notbeat one of the bigger schools in Texas
to try to, you know,give themselves a little more credibility, and
they let that one slip through theirfingers and what could have been a marquee
(30:30):
game for that program. Texas Stateexact opposite way, right, Texas State
beats Baylor, a power five teamthat is very successful. Ben That was
the biggest win for Texas State,one of the biggest ones in program history.
It just it was utsa still overthe last several years, has been
(30:51):
the powerhouse of that conference in thatarea, at least that level of that
area. I should say the thirteenand a half point favorites, I get
it in now before it jumps upto fourteen. Some places it already has
jumped up to fourteen. I thinkthe Roadrunners just go back to absolutely dominating
on Saturday. I think it's alittle bit of a you know, flip
the script back to normal. Andthe sprint's telling you that even with Texas
(31:15):
State having that big win against similarto a Colorado excuse me, huge win
for Texas State this past week,it's let down time. It's just letdowntime.
That's what's going to happen here.Next up, looking at Miami versus
Texas A and M, Miami's gettingthree and a half points. This is
really a spread read for me.If I'm being quite honest, Mario Cristo
(31:37):
Ball has the Hurricanes getting back toform, at least in terms of recruiting
they're getting They are getting some eliteclasses in there. Since he's taken over
this past season, the A andM to me after last year, they
still haven't shown me anything right.They had a disappointing season last year.
There's all the hype I don't knowif it's justified quite yet. And the
(31:57):
fact that they're playing at her Hurricanesteam again. They're big SEC school going
to an ACC team only three anda half point favorite. The money,
the smart, the sharp money,I guess just say is coming in on
Miami. I think this is aHurricanes line. Give me the Hurricanes getting
three and a half points at home. Next one game starting tonight, Illinois
(32:17):
over Kansas. Illinois is getting threeand a half. I think I've let
this be known. I'm not inon Kansas this year. I know a
lot of smart people are, andthat's fine. I just have a different
take. I think Kansas football goesback to being closed. For what Kansas
football is. I like what BrettBioma's done there in Illinois. He knows
how to make a game ugly,and Kansas was a team behind Jayalen Wilson
(32:39):
that's gonna try to light up thescoreboard. I have a feeling Bonma's gonna
do a pretty good job at keepinghim off the field just by containing clock,
making it slow, making it ugly. That's gonna favor Illinois. I
think Illinois gonna be how to controlthat ball. Go into Kansas and GNNA
win Friday night. I like thereby Friday ivy, I guess I mean
tonight I three and a half.I will take it. But also I
(33:04):
like it on the money line too, if you just want to jump on
that for the fighting a line.I next up Pit versus Cincinnati. Pitt
is seven point favorites are at home. I've I think I've mentioned this before.
Cincinnati in me is due for aweek year only bringing back it's something
like four to five, maybe sixstarters, new conference, new coach Luke
(33:28):
Fickle goes to Wisconsin. I thinkthis is a return since then I'll be
back someday but this is gonna bea rebuild year for them. I think
the Bear accounts are in for it, and I think it starts this week
against Pitt. Seven point favorites forPitt. I'd like them to cover that
easily. I think this is ablowout and this gets ugly really really fast.
(33:49):
So give me Pitt minus seven athome again Cincinnati. The other one
a little bit more of a spreadread and looking at the where the money's
going. Vanderbilt Vanderbilt, excuse meplus ten versus Wake Forest. Wake Forrest
doesn't have Sam Hartman anymore. He'splaying out up there for the fighting Irish
Wake far ast thing is going togo back to being in football. I
don't expect anything special from this yearVanderbilt. They're not going to be great.
(34:12):
But again, before they get ansec plays when they can try to
maximize their opportunity. Ten point dogsagainst Wake, I think they're going to
be out of fight. They likedwhat Vanderbilt showed hi against the in the
Hawaiian match up, and I don'tthink Wake Forrest is gonna be out special.
Ten points is a lot to cover. Give me Vanderbilt in that one
right there. Next jumping over tothe NFL, starting with my favorite almost
(34:37):
starting my favorite one for the NFLSteelers. Pittsburgh Steelers at home getting two
points versus the forty nine Ers.I don't trust the forty nine ers,
yet I get a lot of peopledo, and a lot of people see
them as the biggest threat in theNFC to the Eagles. They're a good
team on paper, but they don'thave a quarterback. I need to see
(34:59):
brock perty proven a lot more thanwhat we got last season. And there's
some questions Nick Bose is not.If he plays, it's going to be
very limited. He just signed.I think they're going to hold him out.
And Mike Tomlin is really good asa home doog. We know that
from the past. This is wherehe excels. Getting a couple of points.
I think it's a big step forwardyear for Kenny Pickett. Yeah,
(35:21):
I'm all in Steelers plus two withmy favorite play of the weekend. Honestly,
as I keep looking more and moreat it, I'm all in on
the Steelers getting those two points thenext one and hey, it's Week one
NFL. Hold your breath with me, But gonna look at the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers getting five and a half versusthe Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings were the
(35:42):
luckiest team in the NFL. Lastyear. They work. There's no denying
that they've had an incredible record inone score games. They now this year,
no Dalvin Cook. The defense isstill an absolute disaster and they're laying
five and a half points on theroad. That doesn't sit well with me.
That just doesn't feel right. TammaBay. Yes, huge downgraded quarterback
(36:06):
from Tom Brady to Baker Manyfield.I get it. But Baker's gonna throw
the ball up there and against areally bad Vikings defense, I think he'll
have success. I do. Ithink Baker actually looks good this week.
I think it's gonna be a shootoutof this type of game. But Tampa
Bay's got the better defense. I'mkind of buying in the tam Bay could
win this one. I'm gonna takethe five and a half points, but
I could really easily see the Buccaneersdefending home turf. They're and getting a
(36:30):
w next game that I'm going tolook at Battle in Ohio Browns versus Bengals,
I'm gonna go with another home dog. Give me the Browns Deshaun Watson.
If he's able to return to formthis season, the Browns are are
a formidable team. They are.They have a really good defense, solid
weapons on offense with around Nick Chubband Amari Cooper. And guess what,
(36:52):
the guy's still under thirty. Heprobably is going to return to form last
year. I'm kind of counting thatas his home preseason, you know,
if that makes sense, Like hejust returned after two years off. I
think he's probably back at home defending, defending home turf against the Bengals division
game. Joe Burrow not one hundredpercent. I think this is the time
(37:13):
for the Browns to shine. Theyget a w give me the two and
a half points with the Browns athome, and then the last pick.
I got forty for everyone out there. A nice under opening week under under
thirty nine and a half. PanthersFalcons low total. You know what that
means. The books are begging youto take the over. Don't give them
the satisfaction. Both of these teamshave young quarterbacks. Dasm Rider for the
(37:36):
Falcons, number one overall pick Bright'syoung for the Panthers. I think both
are gonna be running the ball alot just can can trying to control the
game clock, your control possession.I should say, which is going to
have the clock running, It's gonnahave a lot of If it's a successful
drive, they're gonna be longer drives. So I think this is a very
ugly, low scoring game that bothteams. You know, maybe this is
(38:00):
a seventeen ten finish something like that. Thirty nine and a half points I
believe will be plenty for us toget that under So recapping what we got
college plays, Nebraska getting three anda half points, versus Colorado, Texas
getting seven and a half points,versus Alabama UTSA laying thirteen and a half
(38:22):
points, versus Texas State, Miamigetting three and a half points, versus
Texas A and m Illinois getting threeand a half points, versus Kansas Pitt
laying seven points, versus Cincinnati andVanderbilt getting ten points over wake Forest.
Then NFL Steelers getting two points athome versus the forty nine ers, the
(38:45):
Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting five and ahalf points at home against the Minnesota Vikings
with yes led by Baker Mayfield.I get it, I get it.
Browns getting two and a half pointsat home versus the Bengals, and actually
under thirty nine and a half pointsfor Panthers and Falcons. Everyone football is
(39:06):
back, can't wait for this weekend, can't wait to be with you all
season long, talking picks, talkingeverything on Fox Sports The Gambler. Listen
all week Listen to the Daily Ticket, Listen to the line Change, Listen
to the Powers Parlay, Listen toMark Henry Junior, Listen to everyone that
we got on here. We gota lot of great minds, a lot
of great talent. I'll talk toyou guys next week. Go have a
(39:27):
great football weekend.
For national winners. From a localperspective, you're in the right place.
It's balls, bats and bets withTim o'keee right here on the Gambler,
number one of I think it's twohundred and seventy two down. The NFL
season is officially already kicked off.Everybody, welcome into balls, bets and
bets here on this beautiful Week oneNFL Friday evening. So much going on
(00:25):
in the world of sports. Obviouslyfootball in full swing. We're gonna talk
a lot about that throughout this show. Still gonna focus in on some baseball
to the fills, playing overall prettywell, still in a very comfortable spot
of five games, five games inthe playoffs right now, the top wildcard
spot, one and a half overthe Cubs. So we'll dive in that
a little bit, see how muchof a threat we really think they are.
(00:47):
But we got to start off withthe opener last night, Chiefs and
Lions, and hey, credit toeveryone out there who had it. The
Lions actually got the job done,took advantage of the Chiefs being a little
bit vulnerable. No Travis Kelsey hisfirst missed game due to injury since twenty
(01:08):
thirteen. No, Chris Jones.Chris Jones holding out. He was in
the building. I thought, Igotta ask, like every does anyone out
there? That's an all time moveto me to be holding out from the
team. But then still just likeshow up and be in the stands.
You know, he's in a niceseat, he's in a box. Clearly
when he saw him on the screenthat was that's hilarious to me. And
(01:33):
I get it. He's there becausehe wants to be there for the for
the better. Unveiling from their SuperBowl last year, great, whatever,
But I mean to be in themidst of a big holdout now, the
biggest one left in the NFL withNick Bosa signing earlier this week, and
then he just watches his team loseWeek one. It's a move. It's
(01:57):
definitely a move. Patrick Mahomes stillthe best quarterback in the league, of
course, but kind of you sawlast night he can't do it all by
himself. Had some really crucial drops. Kadarius Tony, who former first round
pick of the Giants, traded lastyear from the Giants to the Chiefs.
He had an awful night that wasa pretty much unmitigated disaster. Three drops
(02:23):
the one huge one on the thirdand I think it was like third and
twenty third and fifteen something like that. It was wide open Mahomes finds.
I mean, just ball hits theturf. Big mess, huge mess,
I will say in terms of thewhat the Chiefs looked like they were lacking
more and again, I think lastnight was a win for Chris Jones overall
(02:46):
because the team lost. If he'sjust trying to get paid because they're gonna
want him back quicker the more theylose, I guess I'm saying, the
more they would wan him back quicker. But the defense for the Chiefs didn't
look bad to me. I mean, that's a really good Lions offense.
They scored twenty one points. Thatwasn't really the issue me. Travis Kelsey
was clearly the bigger miss in mymind for the Chiefs. Mahomes is great,
(03:10):
he's incredible, but if he doesn'thave any true weapons, you don't
end up at being a little bitlimited. And Travis Kelsey's maybe the most
unique weapon in the NFL. Andthat has been a huge security blanket for
Mahomes over the over his career,and last night you kind of saw there's
(03:30):
some issues in this team if theydon't have Travis Kelsey. Now, i'd
expect Kelsey back next week. Hewas a game time decision tonight or excuse
me, last night, So Iwould think that he's back next week.
But who knows if he's back atone hundred percent. We'll have to find
out on that one. Other keytakeaways, I'll go back to that Lion's
offense real quick. For fantasy relevance. Anyone who has David Montgomery, you
(03:54):
got to be really happy, eventhough his production wasn't great, got a
touchdown, got the majority carries.Jamir Gibbs the first round, picked twelfth
overall from Alabama. He was efficientwhen he was out there. I think
it was like six yards for likesomething like fifty two or sorry, six
carries for like fifty two yards somethinglike that, forty two yards excuse me.
(04:15):
But he didn't really get that muchtime, which is really surprising for
a first round back that was Thatwas definitely something not something I wasn't expecting.
And then look, Jared Goff continuesto have this resurgence of a career
in Detroit. He's he played reallywell. Again, He's not going to
(04:35):
be the He's not going to bethe highlight real quarterback. He's just not.
And he's accepted that. He knowshis role. He stays within himself.
But he's really damn good at it. I mean, he's got a
great connection with Aminross, Saint Brown. You saw that early on in the
game especially and Jared goff As.There's some street going across the bottom.
That was going across the bottom thismorning. It's like three hundred and like
(04:59):
fifty some path without a pick.If you're Jared Golf, that's that's huge,
right you are. You're a productiveoffense. You got a ton of
weapons. Let the weapons do thework and take care of the ball.
If you do that, you're goingto be successful. And the Lions they
were successful as hell last night.Got the win. Golf over two hundred
and fifty yards of the touchdown Mahomeshad. I believe it was like two
(05:20):
twenty some yards two touchdowns in apick. Dan Campbell continues to be the
most entertaining coach in the NFL inmy opinion, just like the guy.
The guy is motivating. You gottagive him that. He get like I
watch him in like the post gamelocker room stuff, I saw that,
and you see him on the inhis postgame interviews with the reporters like saying,
(05:43):
yeah, this is what we expected. The guy gets you amped up.
He is just an electric personality.Do I think he's the best coach
in the like? No? Butdo I think he's a good coach?
Yeah? I do. I thinkhe's getting the best idea that he can
out of those Detroit Lions, andthey're gonna be a one to watch out
for this year for sure. Theystarted off as good as you can surprising
everyone an opening night. I don'tknow if you've been able to say this
(06:06):
sentence in probably maybe thirty years,if not more. If ever, the
Lions have the best record in theNFL, just saying you can actually say
that right now now in a coupleof days, they're gonna be time with
people. But that's a okay,And we'll go through some picks later in
the in our third segment today,I'm gonna do a whole breakdown on that
(06:26):
some of the games we like,both college and NFL, So that's a
that'll be coming up. But I'mgonna jump away from the NFL. Well,
actually, no, no, no, one more for some top injury
storylines. Obviously, we already talkedabout Travis Kelsey Cooper Cup with the Rams
starting to get nervous with him becausethis lingering ham string and now he's going
to see different specialists and there's notimetable on the return. I was a
(06:51):
buyer that the Rams were gonna beable to bounce back a little bit this
week or this sorry, not thisweek, this year from you know,
two years ago in the Super Bowl, last year garbage. If Cooper Cup's
not healthy, that makes that reallyreally difficult. I think the Rams could
be in some trouble. Cooper Cupmight mean more to his team than any
(07:13):
other single receiver. It's him andJustin Jefferson in my opinion, And that's
not saying that who's the best receivers, who's most important? And the Rams
need Cooper Cup like the Rams needair, And they're not going to have
him at least this week. Lookingmore and more like it's going to be
even longer than that. Start evenhearing talk about putting him on the pup
list, which I mean, he'sout for four weeks. That can derail
(07:35):
their season right there. So let'ssee, We'll hope he gets hope he
gets healthy. I don't want tosee anybody hurt, but that would be
someone to watch for RAMS fans outthere jumping over to college from last week
starting college last week, the mainstory prime time Dion with Colorado, his
(07:57):
son should Or Sanders, Travis Hunter, the receiver slash cornerback. Wow.
I think that's all there is tosay, right. I mean, I'll
say a little bit more, butwow is like the summarization of it.
How that he turned that team aroundthat quickly to come up and beat the
national runner up from last year whenthat Colorado for the franchise was gonna say
(08:20):
that school has been in the toiletfor football for a while now. Wow,
should Or Sanders five hundred and tenyards in his debut for the school,
just absolutely incredible. Travis Hunter playingone hundred and twenty nine snaps.
I thought TC was gonna blow thedoors off of them. I really did.
I thought Sunny Dikes had set upwhat he did last year, I
was gonna keep building on it.I was wrong. I was wrong.
(08:41):
Now will this last the whole season, I don't know, But either way,
Dion's already go in the right direction, and I'm that's going to be
a fun program to monitor for yearsto come, assuming Dion stays there,
because wow, that was that's hisentertainment. I mean the way that that
offense cooks. And then especially withthe like I want to focus on Travis
(09:05):
Hunter for a second. So ifyou don't know, Travis Hunter, elite
receiver for Colorado and it also playscornerback and he's a great cornerback too.
Had an interception. I think youhad what over one hundred yards receiving nine
receptions and like a pick the guyis that's it's not quite Shoheiotani. But
to do one hundred and twenty ninesnaps at a position where you're running every
(09:26):
single play, Get that guy ina marathon and I promise you he'll do
incredible because that you need such enduranceto be able to do that, like
how you do one hundred and twentynine snaps and a really running gun game
like that, both teams were passinga ton thrown down field, like I
that was absolutely incredible to watch.Credit to that young man. He was
fantastic out in their field. Andit's credit to Shador Sanders as well.
(09:50):
Like all of a sudden, nowboth those guys getting Heisman talk like it's
still early. I don't think it'sgonna last the whole season. I think
there are still going to be somehiccups for Colorado along the way. Might
be a little sneak peek into apick I have coming up later in this
show. But I have to stillsay they're going in the absolute right direction.
Congratulations to them, and they're hey, it's gonna be a fun watch
for a long time to come ateam going the opposite direction. How about
(10:16):
Clemson? What do you do ifyou're coming? And again I was happy
I had Duke. I had Duke, I had even I did have some
Duke moneyline on Monday Night. RileyLeonard the quarterback for Duke. I think
right now some places have him asa the third best quarterback potentially coming out
of this class. He's a talentedguy. He is very solid, and
(10:37):
he's a great quarterback for Duke,which they don't get too many of.
They did have Daniel Jones a fewyears back who went first round. But
the idea that Riley Leonard was ableto get past Clemson, you know,
big scary Clemson, like Dabbo fromlike what it would be like twenty fourteen
through twenty twenty, they were thebest program in college football, I do
(10:58):
think than Alabama during that stretch oryou know, one A, one B.
They're right there, and now they'relosing a duke. They didn't have
a great year last year. Imean they did. I think they won
the ACC I it's it's up tosay they didn't have a good year.
They didn't have a up to Clemsonrecent standards year. Now I think they'll
be okay overall. But look thisthat is part of the problem of college
(11:22):
football. They might have just goteliminated from the College Football Playoff last night.
They really could have. I mean, if they go on to feed
it from here on out, theyprobably could make it. But it's not
a guarantee. A one loss ACCteam doesn't necessarily guarantee you're getting in.
And again, right now, there'sno reason to believe that they are going
to go on defeed the rest ofthe way. Dabo's still doing well with
(11:43):
recruiting overall from high school, buthe has refused to really dive into that
transfer portal as much as a lotof other teams have. You know,
he's losing guys like dju Amila heleft. They're losing guys on the portal
and they're not replacing them through thatportal, and Dabbo is gonna have to
make some adjustment at some point otherwisethey will keep getting left behind in that
(12:05):
sense. I don't think it's theI think Clemson will be all right fine
this year, but overall, thisis something that they need to address,
is utilizing the Trance reportal as morethan they currently are, because if they
keep leaving it the way they dothat Clemson run from twenty fourteen through twenty
twenty, it's not gonna happen again. They're gonna go back to the Clemson
before that, which is a goodfootball program, but definitely not elite.
(12:30):
Definitely not elite. They were almostlike the little brother of South Carolina before
that, are you know, equalbrothers, let's call it that now.
I mean, Clemson has the reputationof being a top notch national program,
but that can that can that canleave you just as easy as it comes.
Look in Nebraska, I mean,go to the nineties. Nebraska was
absolutely dominant. If you would asksomeone in nineteen ninety nine or ninety five,
(12:54):
whenever that run was with Tom Osbornein thirty years, what's gonna be
the best college ball program? Nebraskais going to be a very common answer.
And look at them now, they'reon They're like seventh coach since Tom
on Osborne. I don't know,it's been rough. It's been a rough
time for them, and that caneasily happen back to Clemson if Dabbo doesn't
(13:16):
eventually start to make that turn.I'm not saying that's happening yet. They're
still a very good team, butyou gotta watch out because it can it
can happen pretty quick. Last thingI want to touch on in this first
segment, PAC twelve going out ina little bit of a blaze of glory,
right like thirteen and Ozer, thePAC twelve is right now, we
(13:37):
know the conference is essentially gone.The only two remaining members after this year
as of now Washington State Oregon State. But right now this is a strong
looking conference and I like a lotof the teams. I think Utah is
a damn good team, Washington's adamn good team. Usc we all know
is a great team because they havethe Heisman winning quarterback return. There's there's
(14:00):
a lot of talent in the PACtwelve. I actually like Oregon State a
lot, and Oregan's good too,But Oregon State, I think is a
fantastic team that's under the radar.It's a really good conference right now,
and it's kind of a shame thatthis is the last year of it.
I went on that rant last acouple of weeks ago about how realignment and
all that nonsense. But they're goingout. They're going out hot, and
(14:24):
I'll make a prediction right now.I think the PAC twelve will finish this
season as one of the best conferences. The problem for them might be they
might not get a team in theplayoff because teams might beat them up within
there by, meaning you know,if Washington beats USC, but then USC
gets beat by Oregon State, andyou know, you end up having teams
(14:46):
with one or two losses. Eventhough it's a fantastic conference, you might
not get someone in the playoffs.We'll see. I think that could happen
this year, but that conference watchout. I think that actual I actually
buy into the PAC twelve this year, which is not something I thought of
gonna say. If you go backto last fall, we're gonna take a
quick break now when we come back, we'll talk Eagles Patriots coming up,
(15:09):
We'll talk some Phillies and we'll alsotalk a little bit about the Gambler Fantasy
draft recap that we did last week. Again, fasty football seasons underway,
give you guys a slight inside andinto my team and the way I set
that up. So we're gonna takea quick break right back after this on
Fox Sports leg Gambler Gambling, Phillieshome for all things sports gambling. Let's
(15:31):
get back into it. Gonna talka little bit of baseball to start.
I know it's football time. We'regonna do do the Phillies and then go
right into the Eagles Pats, Sostick with me. But the Phillies coming
off a good series out there inSan Diego, right you got two out
of three on the road. That'sall you can ask for. You're not
gonna you can't ask for a sweepevery time. And the team's looking overall
(15:52):
pretty solid right now. Hold agame and a half a lead over the
Cubs for the top wild card spot, which does have a big impact.
Right we know the wildcard series fromlast year. We know it. We
saw it directly. It's the shortestseries and when you have a smaller sample
size, you can have more surprises. So I do think there is a
(16:15):
major importance factor to the Phillies holdingonto that top wildcard spot. So that
way, the first round series isat the first what the world will excuse
me? The Wildcard series is athome, played in Sinon's Bank Park,
and the Phillies need to just youtake care of business. I still think
they'll hold onto that. I trulydo. I think they'll hold on.
I'm not overly concerned, but theCubs have been playing really good ball.
(16:37):
They have. They've been playing phenomenalbaseball. Really since the All Star break,
they've been fantastic. So I thinkthe Phillies need to take two or
three this weekend against the Marlins.You're at home. The Marlins are our
a team that's also fighting for awildcard spot, so they're not gonna go
over lightly. But the Phillies havemore talent. You have the ability to
(16:57):
get out in front of it.I think the Phillies can do this and
hold on to that lead. Thething that does concern me just calling out
both sides. But Phillies have sevengames left of the Atlanta that's a lot
for what's left in this season.Hopefully, by the time they're playing the
Braves, the Brases don't have anythingelse to play for. They start resting
some guys and you get a coupleeasier wins against Atlanta, then you probably
(17:18):
should have if those games are earlierin the year. But the schedule is
a little tougher for the Phillies.Phillies have the ninth hardest schedule remaining,
Cubs have the twenty first. Andagain, the Cubs are playing really,
really good baseball right now, sogotta take care of business, stay on
the gas, don't ease up,because even though it might not seem like
a big deal, Oh, wildCard one versus Wildcard two, we saw
(17:41):
it last year. Now, grantedthe Phillies did win on the road last
year, but it's still just allthe more important. All three potential games
would be at Sistance Bank Park.You wouldn't have to go to Wrigley And
again we saw it last year.The atmosphere of Cistens Bank Park with Red
October it's I think it's the bestin base ball, at least based on
last postseason. It was absolutely electric, phenomenal, and it's such a home
(18:07):
field advantage in a short series.I think that could be a huge advantage
for the Phillies just with what thiscrowd brings. So got to hold on
and keep fighting. I still feelcomfortable, but we'll keep an eye on
that. Do you want to saycongratulations to Trade Turner? Obviously one of
the paternity lists missed the end ofthe San Diego series. Most you've probably
already heard it by now, butI'd be I'd be irresponsible not mentioning it.
(18:30):
Just coincidental timing of the paternity ofhis child. I don't know if
I don't know if we've seen boyor girl. Actually I haven't. I
haven't. I haven't seen the seena name either, but as child being
born pretty much nine months almost tothe day of after he signed that three
hundred million dollar contract, I won'tgo in any further than that, but
(18:52):
I'll let everyone out there just youknow, do the math on your own.
Really fun coincidence and I love theA lot of people picked up on
that. That was fantastic. Iwas crack up when I saw that online.
So yeah, congratulations to the Trayand I think his wife. At
this point, again, I havenot followed Trade durnish personal life do closely.
But congratulations to Tray on being cominga father. Good for him.
(19:14):
The NL wild card race, Diamondbacksright now are in the third wild card
slot, the last slot. They'reup half a game on both the Marlins
and the Reds. The Giants tryand hold on for dear life, they're
out. They're down two and ahalf games on that third slot right now.
Really, the Giants, I think, have to win two of three
this weekend at home. They're playingthe Rockies, garbage team, the worst
in the National League. If theysomehow blow that and you know, lose
(19:38):
three games or lose two or threegames against the Rockies, they're done.
Call it the season. They eventhough they're not that far behind, there's
just too many teams ahead of them, in my opinion, for them to
get back into it. I thinkthe team to watch for me in that
sense, I think my official predictionfor the National League will be the Marlins
to come out with it. Theyhave the easiest schedule remaining, which I
(20:00):
do think is key. Oh Iknow what, actually, let me double
check that. Did I read thatbackwards? Excuse me? They have the
hardest schedule remaining of those three.Let me rephrase that the easiest of those
would be the Reds, and theReds do have a really easy schedule,
so I actually no, it willhave on the fly slight adjustment here I
read that backwards. I can buyinto both those teams. Actually, I'll
(20:22):
stick with it. I still thinkthe Marlins get the job done. I
like their lineup. It's more kindof consistent for me, and some of
the other teams like Diamondbacks have somehigh end power with guys like Corbyn Carroll
on their first baseman Christian Walker havinga great season. I don't think it
says complete a lineup. Not thatthe Marlins are super complete, but they
have a really good full rotation andbullpen, and I'm buying in that they
(20:47):
will have a successful run to thepostseason. So that's my gut. If
you're taking bets right now, Iwill take the Marlins to get that last
wild card slot over the Giants,the Reds, and the Diamondbacks. But
it'll be fun to monitor went downthe stretch the American League. Man the
Texas Rangers have They've just gone throughit. It's been rough. If you're
a Rangers fan, it's gotta behonest. It's not easy for sure,
(21:11):
because many they've had a tough time. They have fallen off. They start
off as one of the hottest teamsin the league, one of the best
records in baseball for the first coupleof months, and now they're sitting a
game a half a game out thewild Card behind Toronto. But the problem
is there's going the wrong direction.Max Scherzer gets lit up on Wednesday against
the Astros in a key game.There's just not much going right currently for
(21:33):
Texas. They're up the Blue Jaysof the team up on half a game
on them, and then Seattle's upto two games on the Blue Jays.
I have to say, I thinkit's the marriage and the Blue Jays hold
it off. I thought Texas wasreally gonna do it. I thought they
were gonna get into the playoffs.They're not. That's my gun again.
They're obviously close enough. They havethe talent. Corey Seeks having a hell
of a year, might be theMVP if not for Shoeotani and Aotani still
(21:57):
hurts, So we'll see. Whoknows anything happened? I guess, but
I yeah, I don't know.I'm just not fully buying in now the
range you're gonna be able to turnit around. So I think that's my
prediction. So right now, yourplayoff teams in my mind are Braves,
Dodgers, Brewers for the National Leaguedivisions, National League Wildcard, Phillies,
(22:22):
Cubs, Marlins. That's your NationalLeague playoffs set up. In the American
League it would be Astros, thenthe Twins in the Central and the Orioles
in the American League and in theor sorry for the division winners of American
League, and then American League Wildcard. The Rays are up seven games,
they're gonna make it, and thenI think the Mariners and the Blue Jays
(22:45):
hold on. That's a pretty goodfield. It's gonna be an entertaining playoff
series season. I can't wait forit, and it's coming up quick.
Get ready for that next talk quicklyabout Eagles Patriots. Obviously game of the
weekend right now, as I wellgave me the weekend around here in Philly,
I guess I should say Eagles arethree and a half point favorites as
(23:07):
I'm looking right now, let meget the latest total as well. Give
me one second. Our latest totalon the game is sitting at forty five
and Milly just full transparency. Spreadscares me. The spread scares me.
The Eagles them really the most completeteam in the NFL. In my opinion,
I would have expected them to besix seven point favorites in this The
(23:30):
fact that's down to four is tellingme they the books think that the pats
are gonna fight in this and look, they have Belichick, they have a
great tradition. On paper, there'snothing I like about the Patriots. We
went over this was we're doing ourNFL division previews a few weeks back.
I think the Patriots are gonna fishlast in that division. I think the
Patriots might finish under six and ahalf wins. I just don't buy in
(23:52):
that this team has much going forthem. I do like the only positive
I'll take from last year. Theygot rid of Matt Patricia as their offensive
coordinator, brought him Bill O'Brien.Bill O'Brien's an upgrade. I'll give him
that. I expect him to bethe offense to be better coached. But
they just don't have any weapons outthere. They really don't. They just
don't have any weapons. Mac Jones, even if he plays well, is
(24:14):
going to be limited just by whathe has around him, and I don't
think he's that great. And theonly guy that I like on that offense
is Rumandri Stevenson. I think he'sa solid running back. Besides that,
there's nothing too scary there. Ondefense, they don't scare me much either.
It's a decent defense. It's notterrible, but it's not like it's
going up against the Eagles offense,which is one of the best. This
to me is a game where theEagle there's two main keys for the Eagles.
(24:37):
One keep the Patriots offense. Don'tlet the Patriots offense just kind of
stall and keep our offense of theoff the field. Even if it's a
long like what they're gonna try todo, they're gonna try to make the
game ugly. They're gonna try toplay Actually, you'll hear this in the
last time. We're talking about alittle bit like Illinois style football with Brett
Pielma. Brett Pielma is great atmaking a game ugly and keeping his team
(24:59):
in it given them give him ashot to win. That's what New England's
gonna try to do. They're gonnatry to make the game ugly ground and
pound control the ball. You've gotto find a way to get their offense
off the field, so you getour offense on there, and then the
offenses side. I actually the onemore one more talk for the Eagles defense.
I'd be willing to press up againstthe run and just defend against that.
(25:19):
If Mac Jones beats us over thetop, I'll take that risk.
I will obviously look if it happensonce or twice, maybe you have to
adjust mid game. But I'm notscared again and beat over the top by
the Patriots. It's just not somethingI really see happening. So commit to
defending the run, short passing game. Beat them up on our offensive side.
Our offense is the only one thatcan beat themselves. Just limit mistakes,
(25:42):
pick up your blocks. We havethe best offensive line in the league.
Don't don't turn the ball over throughpicks or fumbles, and we're gonna
put up points. That's the case. I do believe that this team is
again against almost any defense in theleague. Our offense is gonna have to
beat themselves, and I don't thinkthey will. I trust Sirianni, I
trust Jayalen, I trust the offensiveline. I trust the weapons. I
(26:07):
think this offense is capable being oneof the best in football and being really
really difficult to stop. My officialprediction, I will go twenty four.
I know, let's lower it down, let's go twenty one seventeen Birds.
I do think it's a close game, closer than it should be, but
(26:27):
I think they pull it out inthe end. So yeah, if you're
getting that number right around three anda half, which is at least right
now that's what I'm seeing versus four, that's a big difference there, so
keep an eye out. I alsowould lean towards the under in the game.
Again, I think New England's gonnatry to make it ugly. They'll
have some success at it because they'regonna if it's running the ball, the
clock is gonna be taken. Ithink that makes sense. So that's my
(26:48):
prediction on the Birds game, twentyseven or sorry, twenty one seventeen Birds
going into Week two one to zero. That's that's where we're going at when
we come back, We're gonna haveall the picks in the world. We
got tons of college games, fourNFL games where I got plays for you.
Really really excited for this. Thisis a part of the show that
I love the most. So Ican't wait to get back with you.
(27:10):
Be right back with balls, batsand bets right after this Phillies Home for
all Things Sports Gambling, Welcome back. It's time for our last segment,
and I've already told you what we'redoing for the last one. It's picks,
picks and picks, tons of collegegames this weekend, full NFL slate.
(27:33):
Nothing I love more so. Yeah, So with us as Dive writings,
we got a ton of games totalk through. First off, want
to start with Nebraska and Colorado,which hey, now, I know,
I know, I already mentioned earlierhow incredible what Dion did down there in
Colorado and how those guys amazing,amazing job and that went over TCU.
(27:56):
I'm not trying to play Debbie Downer, but I'm gonna take the three and
a half points I think I'm seeingnow in Nebraska. Again, if you
look back at the spread before theseason began, and I know, look
we have new information, but Nebraskawas like a seven to ten point favorite
in this wasn't an extremely huge winfor Colorado, Yes, yes it was.
Are they now potentially coming back downto earth. That's what I'm smelling.
(28:19):
If I'm being honest, it's again. You have a big win
like that, biggest win for theprogram in a long time, you generally
see a little bit of regression.There's actual gonna be a few picks like
this they have going forward. Nebraskaunder Matt rule. I think it's gonna
just play really sound defense. Ithink if they're trying to make the game
ugly, TCU was not prepared todo that. TCU clearly lost a lot
of guys and they weren't able tofully get it back after that National championship
(28:44):
runner up run last year. AndI don't think that's gonna be the same
thing as Nebraska game. The spreadand the fact that the spread is only
a three and a half and basedoff of all of Week one. If
you look at this both games weekone, for what Colorado did it versus
what Nebraska did, there should bea seven to ten points spread at least
in favor of Colorado. It's notthat tells me that there's something there.
(29:07):
All the money's coming in on Colorado. The books know something. Give me
Nebraska taking that one out in thefirst first game tomorrow. This is in
no particular order of these games.But next day I'm gonna talk through Texas
over Alabama. Give me, giveme Texas with the seven and a half.
I think Texas has the edge ofquarterback with Queen Yours over mill Row.
(29:27):
I think this is the best Texasteam we've seen in a long time.
I know we've heard Texas is backfor years. I get it.
You're allowed to You're allowed to stayaway from this game. I'm not gonna
blame you if you do. Butseven and a half points after a heartbreaker
last year where Texas was fighting,I think this is a really close game.
Seven and a half is too manypoints for me. Give me seven
(29:48):
and a half. I'm not sayingTexas wins, but they cover. Next
up, want to talk through ateam that had a letdown last week and
that game. He was looking atUTSA. University of Texas, San Antonio
play in Texas State. UTSA lastweek letdown, absolutely letdown playing Houston,
(30:08):
who look not a huge team onthe overall scale things, but a successful
program. And UTSA came into thatgame as I think it was only like
one or two point maybe even favorites. It was a really tight spread and
they lost it. They could notbeat one of the bigger schools in Texas
to try to, you know,give themselves a little more credibility, and
they let that one slip through theirfingers and what could have been a marquee
(30:30):
game for that program. Texas Stateexact opposite way, right, Texas State
beats Baylor, a power five teamthat is very successful. Ben That was
the biggest win for Texas State,one of the biggest ones in program history.
It just it was utsa still overthe last several years, has been
(30:51):
the powerhouse of that conference in thatarea, at least that level of that
area. I should say the thirteenand a half point favorites, I get
it in now before it jumps upto fourteen. Some places it already has
jumped up to fourteen. I thinkthe Roadrunners just go back to absolutely dominating
on Saturday. I think it's alittle bit of a you know, flip
the script back to normal. Andthe sprint's telling you that even with Texas
(31:15):
State having that big win against similarto a Colorado excuse me, huge win
for Texas State this past week,it's let down time. It's just letdowntime.
That's what's going to happen here.Next up, looking at Miami versus
Texas A and M, Miami's gettingthree and a half points. This is
really a spread read for me.If I'm being quite honest, Mario Cristo
(31:37):
Ball has the Hurricanes getting back toform, at least in terms of recruiting
they're getting They are getting some eliteclasses in there. Since he's taken over
this past season, the A andM to me after last year, they
still haven't shown me anything right.They had a disappointing season last year.
There's all the hype I don't knowif it's justified quite yet. And the
(31:57):
fact that they're playing at her Hurricanesteam again. They're big SEC school going
to an ACC team only three anda half point favorite. The money,
the smart, the sharp money,I guess just say is coming in on
Miami. I think this is aHurricanes line. Give me the Hurricanes getting
three and a half points at home. Next one game starting tonight, Illinois
(32:17):
over Kansas. Illinois is getting threeand a half. I think I've let
this be known. I'm not inon Kansas this year. I know a
lot of smart people are, andthat's fine. I just have a different
take. I think Kansas football goesback to being closed. For what Kansas
football is. I like what BrettBioma's done there in Illinois. He knows
how to make a game ugly,and Kansas was a team behind Jayalen Wilson
(32:39):
that's gonna try to light up thescoreboard. I have a feeling Bonma's gonna
do a pretty good job at keepinghim off the field just by containing clock,
making it slow, making it ugly. That's gonna favor Illinois. I
think Illinois gonna be how to controlthat ball. Go into Kansas and GNNA
win Friday night. I like thereby Friday ivy, I guess I mean
tonight I three and a half.I will take it. But also I
(33:04):
like it on the money line too, if you just want to jump on
that for the fighting a line.I next up Pit versus Cincinnati. Pitt
is seven point favorites are at home. I've I think I've mentioned this before.
Cincinnati in me is due for aweek year only bringing back it's something
like four to five, maybe sixstarters, new conference, new coach Luke
(33:28):
Fickle goes to Wisconsin. I thinkthis is a return since then I'll be
back someday but this is gonna bea rebuild year for them. I think
the Bear accounts are in for it, and I think it starts this week
against Pitt. Seven point favorites forPitt. I'd like them to cover that
easily. I think this is ablowout and this gets ugly really really fast.
(33:49):
So give me Pitt minus seven athome again Cincinnati. The other one
a little bit more of a spreadread and looking at the where the money's
going. Vanderbilt Vanderbilt, excuse meplus ten versus Wake Forest. Wake Forrest
doesn't have Sam Hartman anymore. He'splaying out up there for the fighting Irish
Wake far ast thing is going togo back to being in football. I
don't expect anything special from this yearVanderbilt. They're not going to be great.
(34:12):
But again, before they get ansec plays when they can try to
maximize their opportunity. Ten point dogsagainst Wake, I think they're going to
be out of fight. They likedwhat Vanderbilt showed hi against the in the
Hawaiian match up, and I don'tthink Wake Forrest is gonna be out special.
Ten points is a lot to cover. Give me Vanderbilt in that one
right there. Next jumping over tothe NFL, starting with my favorite almost
(34:37):
starting my favorite one for the NFLSteelers. Pittsburgh Steelers at home getting two
points versus the forty nine Ers.I don't trust the forty nine ers,
yet I get a lot of peopledo, and a lot of people see
them as the biggest threat in theNFC to the Eagles. They're a good
team on paper, but they don'thave a quarterback. I need to see
(34:59):
brock perty proven a lot more thanwhat we got last season. And there's
some questions Nick Bose is not.If he plays, it's going to be
very limited. He just signed.I think they're going to hold him out.
And Mike Tomlin is really good asa home doog. We know that
from the past. This is wherehe excels. Getting a couple of points.
I think it's a big step forwardyear for Kenny Pickett. Yeah,
(35:21):
I'm all in Steelers plus two withmy favorite play of the weekend. Honestly,
as I keep looking more and moreat it, I'm all in on
the Steelers getting those two points thenext one and hey, it's Week one
NFL. Hold your breath with me, But gonna look at the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers getting five and a half versusthe Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings were the
(35:42):
luckiest team in the NFL. Lastyear. They work. There's no denying
that they've had an incredible record inone score games. They now this year,
no Dalvin Cook. The defense isstill an absolute disaster and they're laying
five and a half points on theroad. That doesn't sit well with me.
That just doesn't feel right. TammaBay. Yes, huge downgraded quarterback
(36:06):
from Tom Brady to Baker Manyfield.I get it. But Baker's gonna throw
the ball up there and against areally bad Vikings defense, I think he'll
have success. I do. Ithink Baker actually looks good this week.
I think it's gonna be a shootoutof this type of game. But Tampa
Bay's got the better defense. I'mkind of buying in the tam Bay could
win this one. I'm gonna takethe five and a half points, but
I could really easily see the Buccaneersdefending home turf. They're and getting a
(36:30):
w next game that I'm going tolook at Battle in Ohio Browns versus Bengals,
I'm gonna go with another home dog. Give me the Browns Deshaun Watson.
If he's able to return to formthis season, the Browns are are
a formidable team. They are.They have a really good defense, solid
weapons on offense with around Nick Chubband Amari Cooper. And guess what,
(36:52):
the guy's still under thirty. Heprobably is going to return to form last
year. I'm kind of counting thatas his home preseason, you know,
if that makes sense, Like hejust returned after two years off. I
think he's probably back at home defending, defending home turf against the Bengals division
game. Joe Burrow not one hundredpercent. I think this is the time
(37:13):
for the Browns to shine. Theyget a w give me the two and
a half points with the Browns athome, and then the last pick.
I got forty for everyone out there. A nice under opening week under under
thirty nine and a half. PanthersFalcons low total. You know what that
means. The books are begging youto take the over. Don't give them
the satisfaction. Both of these teamshave young quarterbacks. Dasm Rider for the
(37:36):
Falcons, number one overall pick Bright'syoung for the Panthers. I think both
are gonna be running the ball alot just can can trying to control the
game clock, your control possession.I should say, which is going to
have the clock running, It's gonnahave a lot of If it's a successful
drive, they're gonna be longer drives. So I think this is a very
ugly, low scoring game that bothteams. You know, maybe this is
(38:00):
a seventeen ten finish something like that. Thirty nine and a half points I
believe will be plenty for us toget that under So recapping what we got
college plays, Nebraska getting three anda half points, versus Colorado, Texas
getting seven and a half points,versus Alabama UTSA laying thirteen and a half
(38:22):
points, versus Texas State, Miamigetting three and a half points, versus
Texas A and m Illinois getting threeand a half points, versus Kansas Pitt
laying seven points, versus Cincinnati andVanderbilt getting ten points over wake Forest.
Then NFL Steelers getting two points athome versus the forty nine ers, the
(38:45):
Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting five and ahalf points at home against the Minnesota Vikings
with yes led by Baker Mayfield.I get it, I get it.
Browns getting two and a half pointsat home versus the Bengals, and actually
under thirty nine and a half pointsfor Panthers and Falcons. Everyone football is
(39:06):
back, can't wait for this weekend, can't wait to be with you all
season long, talking picks, talkingeverything on Fox Sports The Gambler. Listen
all week Listen to the Daily Ticket, Listen to the line Change, Listen
to the Powers Parlay, Listen toMark Henry Junior, Listen to everyone that
we got on here. We gota lot of great minds, a lot
of great talent. I'll talk toyou guys next week. Go have a
(39:27):
great football weekend.
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