We suffered another down night as we experienced our second 0-3 night of the season. The Penguins/Canadiens did go Under 6.5 in regularation, but since there are not anymore ties in hockey, the game ended with 7 goals. Creighton had an embarrassing showing against UNLV, losing outright. The Blue Jays are undefeated when they don’t play Mountain West teams; they are 0-2 against teams from that conference. We move to 42-38-2 overall.
With college bowl season about to start, it is more important than ever to check into each of these teams before betting them. One reason is players leaving early for the NFL Draft. You may have loved a team earlier this year that made you a lot of money, but if they are missing certain key players that could affect the game. So make sure these star players are active before firing your picks.
Other factors that can affect these games are interim coaches and the transfer portal. Interim coaches have been factoring into bowl games even longer than players declaring early for the draft. These interim coaches are a complete crap shoot most of the time, so do your research as with the transfer portal. Some of those in the portal could still play in the game, so make sure you know for sure.
Now onto the picks!
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders (-3) O/U 35 8:15 PM on Amazon Prime
Easton Stick vs Aidan O’Connell. That is not the exact matchup that Amazon envisioned when this game was set way back in the Spring. But with Justin Herbert out for the year and Jimmy G officially benched permanently, these are the cards dealt.
We should not expect much offense from these two teams. One thing I do expect is for Austin Eckler to have a lot of touches. Look for him to go over his catching and receiving yards as well as his combined rushing and receiving yards. He will probably find the end zone too.
Though I do favor Eckler’s props, I will have to lean with the Raiders for this game. This will be Stick’s first career NFL start and only the third time he has seen action in a NFL game. Combined that with a short week, I like the Raiders to cover.
Raiders Cover -3, Los Angeles Chargers 10 Las Vegas Raiders 14
Tampa Bay Lightning at Edmonton Oilers (-175) O/U 6.5 9:00 PM on ESPN+
Two teams that have shaken off slow starts to the season face off for the second time this season. The first time Edmonton and Tampa Bay met, there were 10 total goals scored in the game, with the Lightning edging the Oilers 6-4.
After being left for dead to start the season, the Oilers have gone 8-2 in their past 10 games. That early stretch even included a loss to the lowly San Jose Sharks. Can’t excuse losing to them.
The side that I am on in this game is the Over. You have two high scoring attacks that will find the back of the net a lot tonight in the Great White North.
Over 6.5 Covers, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 Edmonton Oilers 5
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (-5.5) O/U 231.5 10:30 PM on NBA TV
Draymond Green cost us a cover on Tuesday night when he was thrown out of the Warriors 3 point loss to the Sun. Now, Golden State will be without Green for the foreseeable future after he was suspended indefinitely by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Good riddance. Green has become more and more of a sideshow problem for the Warriors as his level of play keeps diminishing. He is still a good defender, but not at an elite level anymore. Still, the Warriors nucleus needs Green in order to be running on all cylinders.
That being said, I like the Clippers, who are playing better as of late since the addition of James Harden, to roll tonight against the Warriors at home.
Clippers Cover -5.5, Golden State Warriors 105 Los Angeles Clippers 115
