Arizona Cardinals (1-2) at San Francisco Giants (3-0)

Time/site: 1:25 p.m., Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.

TV: FOX. Radio: 98.7 FM, 106.7 FM.

Last time they played: The 49ers beat the Cardinals 38-13 on Jan. 13 at Levi’s Stadium. San Francisco led 14-13 midway through the second quarter before pulling away with 24 unanswered points, including two touchdown passes from Brock Purdy to tight end George Kittle. Purdy threw for three touchdowns for his sixth consecutive game with multiple TDs as the 49ers clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. It was the seventh straight loss for the Cardinals, who finished 4-13.

Series history: This is the 64th meeting in a series that dates back to 1951 with the 49ers holding a 34-29-0 advantage. San Francisco won the last two meetings and the Cardinals won the two meetings previous to that. This will be the 43rd time the teams have met since becoming NFC West rivals in 2002. Sunday’s game will be the fourth in the past five between the teams to feature a different QB matchup. The Cardinals are 6-3 all-time at Levi’s Stadium.

Coaching matchup

Arizona: Jonathan Gannon picked up his first win as an NFL coach with last week’s 28-16 upset victory over the visiting Cowboys, who were previously unbeaten at 2-0 and had outscored their first two opponents 70-10. Arizona’s defense held the Cowboys to just six, second-half points after building a 21-10 halftime lead. Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator last season when Philadelphia knocked San Francisco out of the NFC Championship, 31-7.

San Francisco: Kyle Shanahan is in his seventh season as head coach and is 55-46-0 with the 49ers — 6-3 in the postseason. Shanahan’s 49ers are one of just three remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL this season, joining the 3-0 Dolphins and 3-0 Eagles. San Francisco has scored 30 points in each of its first three games. The 49ers announced last week that both Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch each were rewarded contract extensions.

Storyline: The Cardinals have put the league on notice that they better not be taken lightly after last week’s upset win over Dallas and two very winnable losses to open the season against the Commanders and Giants. But will they be trying to ride the momentum from their first win into hostile territory where they will be running into a powerhouse of a team in the 49ers, who have the league’s third-ranked defense and an offense that Gannon described as schematically, “probably the best in the world, truthfully.” Shanahan returned the compliment when he said of the Cardinals, “They’re a team that really should be 3-0 right now.” Both teams are anchored by a sturdy running game, as the 49ers rank third and the Cardinals sixth. Neither starting quarterback, Purdy nor Arizona’s Josh Dobbs, has thrown an interception.

Arizona will win if …

1. Dobbs continues to take another step forward in his handling of the offense and getting in sync with his pass catchers: There’s no doubt the play of the offensive line will be paramount in those efforts, but Dobbs will need his receivers, tight ends and running backs to aid in protection and they need to be spot on with their routes on pass plays.
2. James Conner and the run game can wear out the defense: This won’t be easy, but it can be done, and Conner and the Cardinals have proven that on occasion. The more the rushing attack can keep the chains moving and control the time of possession, the more the 49ers’ defense might start to falter. Besides, success here keeps the 49ers’ dangerous offense off the field.
3. The defense forces at least two turnovers: One won’t be enough against this opponent, but with two the Cardinals might have a real chance at scoring a second straight upset. Arizona has forced five turnovers thus far and the pass rush has generated 11 sacks, so the resources have been there. If the Cardinals bring their same intensity and bring the fight to the 49ers, they’ll have a shot.

San Francisco will win if …

1. Purdy is kept clean, and his quick timing and rhythm aren’t interrupted: That’s what Gannon says makes the Queen Creek native and former Gilbert Perry High standout so dangerous, especially in Shanahan’s array of shifts, misdirection and deceptive offensive sets. If Purdy is left free to operate, he and his playmakers will torch you.
2. Running back Christian McCaffrey goes off: The all-purpose back leads the NFL in rushing with 353 yards and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He’s had 100 or more rushing yards in five of his last eight regular-season games, but he can also beat teams in the passing game, where he’s had 22 receiving TDs in his eight NFL seasons.
3. The defense shuts down Conner, aggravates Dobbs: San Francisco has been exceptional against the run, holding teams to just 53 yards per game. That’s not encouraging news for Conner and the Cardinals. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (2) and star edge rusher Nick Bosa (1) have just three sacks between them, but they can go off at any moment and Dobbs must protect the football, make smart decisions and play quickly.

Mr. Irrelevant to Purdy-mania:Brock Purdy’s journey through the NFL

They said it

“It’s real similar because it’s the scheme he runs, just the fronts and the coverages. He had such a sound, good scheme in Philly and that’s what it’s been so far in these three games. So, we’ll see on tendencies and stuff, how that changes up. It’s still early in the year how he’s going to use his personnel and stuff like that, but you can still see he’s doing what he does and it’s a very tough scheme.” – Shanahan on the similarities of Gannon’s defense with the Cardinals and the defense he ran for the past two seasons with the Eagles.

“You’ve got to be physically, mentally and emotionally sharp because they’re going to make their plays. They’re going to hit you in the mouth, and you’ve got to be able to respond. Alignment, assignment, key technique is one of our principles to defense and you’ve got to do that faster than they do that on offense.” – Gannon on how he’s prepared the defense for facing a difficult 49ers’ offense.

“They’re really good, man. It’s either high-paid guys or first-round draft picks over there. They’re really talented and they’ve played a lot of football together. Similar to the last three weeks, we keep getting defenses that have played a lot of football together. They play a really good scheme. They know what they’re doing. They’re fast, and they have really good players. The onus is on us as an offense to match their intensity, match their talent with our talent and execution, and go out and still play good football.” – Dobbs on San Francisco’s defense.

By the numbers

8 – Runs of 20-plus yards by the Cardinals this season. That’s the most in the NFL this season and just one shy of their total from all of 2022 (8).

10-1 – Career record of Brock Purdy as the 49ers’ starting QB, including the postseason.

73.1 – Josh Dobbs’ completion percentage in his past two games combined.

1958 – Prior to Dobbs, the last time a Cardinals player had a completion of at least 60 yards and a run of 40 yards or longer in the same game. Dobbs had a 69-yard completion to rookie Michael Wilson against the Cowboys and also had a 44-yard run vs. Dallas.

123:24 – Total game time in which the Cardinals have held a lead this season. That total ranks fourth in the NFL. Arizona has trailed for only 30:27 of game time.

469 – Rushing yards by the Cardinals this season, the most in franchise history through the first three games of a season since the team’s first year in Arizona, when they ran for 478 yards.

45 – Yards covered on Rondale Moore’s touchdown run against the Cowboys, the fourth-longest rushing TD by a Cardinals’ receiver in franchise history. J.J. Nelson (2016) and Bobby Joe Conrad (1959) are tied for the longest with 56-yard TD runs.

More Cardinals:Veteran Matt Prater keeps delivering on long, long field goals for the Cardinals

Who will win and why

49ers 27, Cardinals 20: The Cardinals have played with much more purpose and passion than they showed last season, and you’d like to assume that will continue. But the 49ers are one of the best teams in the league for a ton of reasons and all common sense moves the dial to a San Francisco victory here. Now, if Arizona can keep things close and force a turnover or two, an upset could be in the making. The Cardinals, though, will need a handful of players to step up and be game wreckers on both sides of the football.

Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch on Fox Sports 910-AM.

The post Arizona Cardinals-San Francisco 49ers NFL sport preview, prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

CINCINNATI – Somehow Joe Burrow’s press conferences have become more known for reactions to coughs these days than the actual answers he gives.

For people who actually care about the content of his thoughts instead of viral reactions, an important line snuck into the conversation this week.

He was asked about this stretch of Atlanta, at Cleveland on Monday Night Football and Carolina coming up leading into the bye.

“The three games stretch,” Burrow said, “I think will determine how our season goes.”

From the same producer who brought you, “let’s all just take a deep breath and relax,” and “nobody is panicking” we have this midseason run determining the direction of the year.

Yeah, that’s notable.

Every week feels like it means more in the moment. That’s just the nature of the intense scrutiny on the league. Consider the tone around these parts last week compared to this one: Pitchforks to praises.

In this particular case, it’s tough to argue with Burrow’s assessment.

The failures of the first quarter of the season have put the Bengals in this position. Anything worse than 5-4 at the bye (which would be the same as last year) would offer legitimate reason to wonder if they took on too much early water to bubble back up against a much tougher schedule on the horizon.

Through the first nine games the Bengals will have faced just one quarterback higher than Tier 4 in Mike Sando’s preseason QB tiers. That’s Lamar Jackson.

Burrow was one of six Tier 1 QBs in the league.

After Kenny Pickett or whoever ends up starting for Pittsburgh in Week 11 finishes off the run of unheralded QBs, the final seven games of the year expect to feature every quarterback in Tier 3 or higher.

A hiccup or two over this current stretch and the team will spend much time bemoaning the need to beat Allen and wondering how they lost to Cooper Rush, Mitch Trubisky and, say, Marcus Mariota.

That brings us to Sunday. The Falcons and Bengals looked like very different teams on paper before the season started. On the field through six weeks, you can find striking similarities. Both have won three of four. Both could easily have been better than 3-3. The three Falcons’ losses are by a total of 11 points. The Bengals are by eight.

The primary difference is the expectations the football world placed upon them. Atlanta clearly has deficiencies. The Bengals should be able to tear up a secondary that is both beat up and understaffed. This should be the type of game Burrow puts up monster numbers as you saw last week in New Orleans or during his hot stretch in the second half of last year.

Tradition suggests in this league, that should be enough. Yet, the league is shifting this year. The rise of these power running teams asserting their style back into the winning conversation has been the trend of the year. Atlanta is at the head of that with a line that can run block as well as anyone and diverse run scheme capable of taking over a game.

The number to determine a win or loss will be the Falcons’ rushing yards. Allow them to pound Paycor for 150 or more on the ground and the Bengals will be in jeopardy. Keep it under and this could be one where the Bengals breathe easy in the final minutes for a change.

Attrition up the defensive spine and recent results suggest this will be easier said than done.

I still think the Bengals and Burrow do it. Cincinnati’s red zone defense feels like the determining factor again.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Falcons 23

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) calls a play at the line against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Stephen Lew-USA Today Sports

On Tap

The Bengals host the Falcons this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium — the first 1 p.m. Sunday home game since the opener against Pittsburgh. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The game will air on Fox with Brandon Gaudin and Robert Smith in the booth and Jennifer Hale on the sideline. Will be a treat to see Devon and Leah Still back in Cincinnati as Rulers of the Jungle. Leah is cancer-free and it’s such a joy to see a success story that started in such a difficult place come full circle. The way this city and the Bengals’ organization rallied around Devon and Leah in 2014 was one of the greatest storylines involving the team in 13 years I’ve been covering the club.

This Week in Burrow

I wrote extensively about Burrow on third downs and high-leverage situations this year, a major talking point around him as the Bengals offense starts to find its footing.

So, I’ll just say that this section has already been checked off.

I will, however, offer a bit of a deleted scene from the story.

I wanted to dive a little into the importance of Burrow’s knowledge of protections in the piece, but it ended up being one thing too many. But it was pointed out how important his relationship with the gregarious captain Ted Karras has been.

Karras and Burrow have really connected. Partly because of how much Karras just absolutely loves football and line play. That prompted this anecdote from head coach Zac Taylor when asked about it.

“We finished a walkthrough and I heard him talk about ‘Okey Double Bugs’ with passion,” Taylor said of a unique protection call. “That’s the highest level of passion you could imagine about ‘Okey Double Bugs’ and different looks he saw. He wanted to make sure he got his points across. I walked away, those are player moments where he clearly wanted to take it over. He made me feel really good about how we would handle those looks the next day. The (offensive line) meeting ended. It was over. He decided to have another meeting. It’s 8:39 p.m. probably, right before the team meeting Saturday night.”

Quotable

There was an otherwise forgettable play in Sunday’s game at New Orleans that stuck out to me all week. Joe Mixon caught a checkdown midway through the second quarter. As he pushed up the sideline cornerback Paulson Adebo made a flailing attack of Mixon’s legs trying to take him down.

Mixon snapped off a nasty jump cut to the outside that made the entire dome crowd go, “oooh,” in unison. The electric and loud nature of the crowd made it an even more noticeable reaction and Mixon deserved it.

I asked him about it this week and his answer was great.

“I’ll be real, I was running, and I tune everything out,” he said. “It’s literally me focused. I hear nothing. That was one play where I could really hear the whole crowd like, ‘ooooh.’ Then after the play, I was like, ‘Did the whole crowd just say oooh?’ It was a cool thing.”

Sure was. Cool to hear. Cool to watch. And for the Bengals, cool to see coming from Mixon, who struggled to make plays in space the first four weeks of the season. Against Baltimore and New Orleans, some of the old Mixon energy and playmaking has started to show up. He enjoyed his two best games for yards after contact. After only two rushes of more than 10 yards through the first four games, Mixon had four such rushes the last two weeks.

“That’s what I can do,” he said. “If I get the opportunity like that in space, I got to make them pay. When given that opportunity in those one-on-one situations, I got to make it count, no matter what.

“I’ll be honest, if I can get in space where it’s clear as daylight one on one, there’s no question I’ll win 10 out of 10 times. I’m supposed to feel like I’ll win 10 out of 10 times. That’s the type of player I’m capable of being.”

Quotable, Part II

Offensive line coach Frank Pollack is always one for quotability. He offered another on Thursday in reference to left tackle Jonah Williams.

Williams, notably, dislocated his kneecap just before halftime against the Ravens. He played through that pain, only missing six snaps in the “Sunday Night Football” game. Not only that, in Pollack’s eyes he played incredibly well.

“He hurt his knee in Baltimore and he had probably the best half I’ve seen him play,” Pollack said. “He went out and played with a bum knee this last week and played great. I told him I’ll take a bat to your knee every week if I need to.”

No word on the Bengals hiring offensive line consultant Jeff Gillooly anytime soon.

Twitter Question of the Week

@pauldehnerjr I must have missed it, when will Reader be back? They miss him in the worst way

— Doug (@doug_c_67) October 16, 2022

For one, Doug, you are spot on. The Bengals do miss Reader in the worst way. Jay Morrison detailed that well in his story on the struggling rush defense this week. He pointed out the Bengals gave up an average of 86 yards per game the first three weeks at 3.7 yards per carry. In the last three weeks, it’s 156 yards per game and 5.6 per rush.

Does it all direct back to Reader? No. They’ve played more talented rush offenses the last three weeks, but his absence represents a big slice of the pie.

As for when he will be back, his presence on the rehab field and the sideline this past week suggest he’s tracking in the right direction. He couldn’t even travel with the team to Baltimore because they don’t want players lacking in mobility on the sideline in case they need to move to avoid a play spilling out of bounds.

As for a more specific timeline, the probabilities still shade toward a post-bye return. He’s first eligible to come back for “Monday Night Football” against the Browns and the Bengals and Reader are obviously hopeful, not closing the door on it. However, understanding the big picture of the season with an extremely winnable game against Carolina then a bye after, it means Nov. 21 at Pittsburgh is a realistic aiming point.

Stories from the inside

There are two ping-pong tables inside the Bengals’ locker room. There’s an ‘A’ table and a ‘B’ table. When we are in there — typically during the Bengals’ lunch break — there are always games happening on them. Anybody hearing the sound of the balls hitting paddles in the background of our interviews posted on the podcast is well aware.

The two best players on the team are Mitchell Wilcox and Trent Taylor. They are regulars on the ‘A’ table. Their battles are wild. Both standing far back from the table, ripping shots from deep as you might see in Olympics highlights. An idea struck me while watching this and discussing how every team seems to have ping-pong tables in the locker room (that inevitably become some kind of storyline about a loose team when it arrives or a return of discipline when it’s removed).

It’s time to replace the coin toss before games.

Instead, each team sends its best ping pong player to the 50-yard line, where a table and two paddles await. They play a quick game to seven to determine who gets to decide to defer or receive. It’s like when the XFL tried rolling out the football in a fumble recovery drill to determine the winner, just without the injuries.

You’re welcome.

This will be submitted to the competition committee in March.

Degenerate corner

This game presents a spread rarity. This year Atlanta is 6-0 against the spread. Nobody expected them to be as feisty as they’ve been, and it’s shown in the final scores.

The Falcons come to Cincinnati as 6.5-point underdogs.

Considering Atlanta covering every game, the Bengals’ penchant to playing in close contests and neither team losing by more than a score, 6.5 feels like a generous number.

However, there’s not much history to suggest the Falcons’ momentum will continue the trend.

There are eight teams — including Atlanta — that started the season 6-0 against the spread since the turn of the century. Four of them covered the spread again in their seventh games, three did not. Winners include the 2021 Cowboys, 2018 Chiefs, 2007 Patriots and 2008 Titans.

There’s little reason to believe the Bengals would be taking Atlanta lightly considering how the Falcons dismantled San Francisco last week, 28-14. Still an interesting trend to ponder.

Overly researched stat of the week

The Bengals’ red zone defense continues to be among the best in the NFL, currently ranking third allowing a touchdown 35.3 percent of the time. It saved them in New Orleans. The Saints entered that game boasting the second-best red zone offense in football (80 percent) but left just 1 for 5. In a matchup of strength on strength with the game in the balance, the Bengals prevailed.

Meanwhile, Atlanta now comes to town riding similar red-zone success. The Falcons rank fifth in the league with a 66.7 percent touchdown rate.

The difference between the two would be the approach to pushing it over the goal line.

New Orleans threw the ball in the red zone 62 percent of the time prior to last week, ninth most.

Meanwhile, Atlanta has the second-highest run rate among all teams in the red zone at 69 percent.

When those crucial downs take place, look for extra linebackers to end up part of three-down alignment to play tendencies.

Either way, it does play into what has also been a strength of this defense. Of the 40 plays run against Cincinnati in the red zone this year, 15 have been runs. Only one went for a touchdown (a 1-yard plunge by Tony Pollard in Dallas) and only a six-yard sweep by CeeDee Lamb went for more than four yards.

The Bengals rank second in the league in yards allowed per carry in the red zone.

More strength on the strength coming Sunday.

Bengals post of the week

Fans might not think much about the investment in the content team that’s been made by the Cincinnati front office, but for somebody who has been close to that world for a long time, I can tell you it’s a mind-boggling shift.

That’s the NFL world we live in now. Behind-the-scenes video, extra content, documentaries, you name it. In-house content has become valuable to the league, teams, fan bases and the NFL has its arms hugged tightly around its rights.

The Bengals have piled resources of all varieties into that world in recent years and the perfect example was the 15-minute look at Ja’Marr Chase and his family returning home that Marisa Contipelli and Shea Stephenson put together. They were even able to convince NFL Films to help out by dropping a mic on Chase during that game that has turned out to be a treasure trove of incredible content.

Chase was breaking ankles thanks to the return of his grill @Real10jayy__ | @Bengals pic.twitter.com/tcoYa7qcZj

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) October 20, 2022

Contipelli and Stephenson went to New Orleans earlier this season for background content then were all over the place this past Sunday capturing the sights and sounds of a special moment for one of the premier personalities on the team and in this league.

Just excellent work, impressive hustle, an efficient plan and a perfect example of what hiring great people and supporting them can do for connecting a fan base to its players.

Highly recommend watching the full-length feature (the trailer was awesome, too).

Watch the full feature here: https://t.co/VZs2byry5r

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 20, 2022

Opponent

Atlanta (3-3): Josh Kendall joined HTPG this week with fantastic insight on Atlanta. He also wrote why the Bengals are a bad matchup for the Falcons.

Around the division

Steelers (2-4): Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and halftime altercations, all the fun is happening in Pittsburgh.

Browns (2-4): Cleveland is ‘headed nowhere soon’ according to Zac Jackson. A man very familiar with teams heading nowhere.

Ravens (3-3): Baltimore’s running game is coming together just in time for a critical stretch.

The Athletic Wormhole

The Christian McCaffery trade to the 49ers was a fascinating one from both sides. First, the latest cautionary tale about paying running backs. As the Panthers basically paid $27 million for six games of an extension. The Bengals will be contemplating this situation with Mixon contract in coming years. These things rarely work out well. In fact, Mixon might be one of the most successful examples and his contract hasn’t exactly been a jewel of the Bengals salary cap situation.

These backs nearly always start to break down and see health situations ruin them. This has been known and discussed at length for nearly a decade now. Yet, teams still keep piling money into the position instead of picks. Joe Person wrote about how that is essentially the legacy of McCaffery in Carolina.

On the flip side, the Rams’ “F— them picks” model shows back up. This time in San Francisco. I’m actually stunned the 49ers would give up the 2023 2,3,4 and 2024 5th for McCaffery. The guy can play. He’s a star, no question. But that is a significant ransom to turn over for any running back, particularly one with injury history. Those are the types of trades that eat at the core of your future. Tim Kawakami wrote an enlightening piece about how this was the 49ers showing their hand about this season.

Dad Life

The first draft of my story about Burrow and his third-down magic this week included multiple Frozen (and Frozen II) references, including an ideal analogy involving an ice palace on the North Mountain.

I eventually decided they all needed to be edited out. As a girl dad, it was a deep cut.

I’ve developed a real appreciation for Frozen and Frozen II in watching it 94 times over the last few years. A Disney tale where two sisters stand up for each other is great messaging compared to “You better get a man and become a princess or you will be cleaning chimneys and organizing the attic the rest of your life” from the Cinderella days.

Equally, Encanto has become the new house favorite around here. My girls are obsessed with it. Again, another new Disney movie with a significantly better message than the early days. The concept that it’s OK not to be perfect and being yourself is all you need is a far cry from, ‘Hey look at this cute deer, bang, she’s dead.’

Unbelievably, found a Disney on Ice Show about Frozen and Encanto together is coming to Heritage Bank Arena. It’s almost as if my girls were in charge of planning this year’s tour. The excitement level will be at its peak come March.

This has also prompted me to go on record with my top five ranking of songs from those three movies because I’ve had way too much time to think about this over the past few years.

1. Let it Go, Frozen: There’s a reason it’s so popular. One of the best individual songs from any Disney song in history.
2. Lost in the Woods, Frozen II: Let’s be honest, this one was for the parents. When all the reindeer show up in true 80s style is a top three moment in the entire Frozen series.
3. Surface Pressure, Encanto: The chorus is incredible. Lin Manuel-Miranda’s style showing up in a big way. Sometimes after dropping the girls off somewhere the phone will revert back to when Encanto was playing before. If it’s Surface Pressure, I let it finish before switching back.
4. All of You, Encanto: Perfectly pulls all the themes of the movie together and the line, “OK, so …. we gonna talk about Bruno?” is one of my favorites.
5. In Summer, Frozen: More Josh Gad in our lives, please.

OK, I feel better getting that off my chest. Hopefully, it makes up for axing my line about Grand Pabbie explaining the inherent danger of magic.

(Top photo of Joe Burrow: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

The post This Week in Bengals: Sunday prediction, D.J. Reader’s return and Okey Double Bugs appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The San Francisco 49ers are set to make another run at the NFC Championship game. Their team remains primarily the same minus a few subtractions, with Raheem Mostert, Lanken Tomlinson , and Arden Key signing elsewhere. They added Charvarius Ward from the Chiefs to bolster the secondary.

The 49ers went 10-7 during the 2021 campaign. They started 2-4 and went on to go 7-3 to finish down the stretch to make the playoffs. The team has made it known that they are open to trading quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but he remains on the roster. The plan was for Trey Lance to take over, but he may not be ready, which makes for an interesting off-season battle once again.

Week 1: At Chicago Bears (Win) (1-0)
Week 2: Seattle Seahawks (Win) (2-0)
Week 3: At Denver Broncos (Loss) (2-1)
Week 4: Los Angeles Rams (Win) (3-1)
Week 5: At Carolina Panthers (Win) (4-1)
Week 6: At Atlanta Falcons (Win) (5-1)
Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs (Loss) (5-2)
Week 8: At Los Angeles Rams (Loss) (5-3)
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: Los Angeles Chargers (Loss) (5-4)
Week 11: At Arizona Cardinals (Win) (6-4)
Week 12: New Orleans Saints (Win) (7-4)
Week 13: Miami Dolphins (Win) (8-4)
Week 14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (loss) (8-5)
Week 15: At Seattle Seahawks (Win) (9-5)
Week 16: Washington Commanders (Win) (10-5)
Week 17: at Las Vegas Raiders (Loss) (10-6)
Week 18: Arizona Cardinals (Win) (11-6)

The 49ers have a tough schedule ahead of them, including a trip to Mexico City to square off against the Cardinals. They will have the benefit of having their biggest non-divisional games at home. The 49ers won four games at home last season, but with a healthy roster, they should be much more improved.

Win total odds: Under 10 (-130) Over 10 (+110)

Pick: Over 10

The biggest question will remain the quarterback position until Lance proves himself as the starter. Garoppolo could still win the job if Lance isn’t ready. The defense will lead the way for the 49ers once again and a dominant run game to help lessen the load on the quarterback. Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade in the offseason, but it seems as if he will be back with the team. The disgruntled star expressed how he wasn’t happy with being used in the super back role, and if that role is taken away, it could make the difference in a win of two.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY) , 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 ( TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

The post 49ers win complete prediction 2022: Selecting every recreation of San Francisco’s schedule appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Inexplicably, the New York Mets continue to win games. They don’t hit the ball hard, but they play smart and score runs. Plus, their top two starters are out – and they still continue to win!

Meanwhile, the Giants are expected to win games. They’re still four games over .500, but they’ve lost five straight. The Giants are slumping a bit and need to pick up the slack.

With star pitcher Logan Webb on the mound for San Francisco tomorrow, the Giants are moderate favorites here.

Is it worth looking towards the Mets as smaller road underdogs?

Let’s dive into the starting lineups, betting odds, and my predictions for this Tuesday’s MLB game.

New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants Odds

The ML odds and total looks fairly fair and right on target with where I’d project it.

However, the Mets are already pulling in the sharp money, pushing the line down slightly. At the time of this writing, the Mets are pulling in less than 50% of the ML tickets but over 90% of the ML handle.

The under is getting some small sharp money, but the wind is projected to be blowing straight out to the center-left field at around 8mph. That’s something to keep an eye on moving forward.

New York Mets starting lineup

CF B. Nimmo L
RF S. Marte R
SS F Lindor S
1B P Alonso R
LF M Canha R
DH D Smith L
3B E Escobar S
2B J McNeil L
C T Nido R

New York Mets vs Logan Webb

I have always adored Webb. He pitched like a god down the stretch in 2021 and they spun a couple of gems during the short-lived playoff run. Sadly, his heroics ended up in an NLDS exit.

And he seems to be feeling the pain a bit. Maybe it’s a sophomore slump, but his strikeout rate is way down. After recording 9.59 K/9 in 2021, that number is down to just 6.33 K/9 over nearly 50 innings in 2022.

His strikeout over/under tomorrow is 4.5. Webb cashed that number in 21 of his 29 starts last season but has failed to reach that number in four of his eight starts this season. It’s a concerning trend, and his K/inning mark ranks in just the 10th percentile of pitchers (0.71).

Image credit: Props.Cash

Webb’s velocity is about the same, along with his spin rate. His strikeout numbers are just down. Luckily, he’s managed to suppress avg. exit velocities and his ERA is still hanging in the 3.50 area as a result. We can maybe expect a bounce-back from him in the K department, especially since projections have him finishing with about 8.50 K/9 after 2022 ends.

Brandon Nimmo is on a tear. He’s slashed .339/.409/.468 over his last 16 games and now leads the team in bWAR. He’s posted a 7:10 BB/K ratio during that time too but has no home runs.

But that’s the story of the Mets season at large. The Mets are among the bottom-five MLB teams in avg. exit velocity but pace the league in lowest whiff rate and have the fourth-lowest strikeout rate.

The Mets aren’t going to smack the ball, but they are elite in plate discipline.

After a hot start, Francisco Lindor just got a .574 OPS over his last 30 games. His BABIP is only .253 during the time, but there should be some concern regarding this slump.

All in all, the Mets are 13 games over .500. Nobody in Queens should be complaining.

San Francisco Giants starting lineup

DH T La Stella L
1B W Flores R
CF M. Yastrzemski L
3B E Longoria R
LF J, Pederson L
SS B Crawford L
2B T Estrada R
RF L Gonzalez L
C J Bart R

San Francisco Giants vs Chris Bassitt

Bassitt has just been good.

He still has an ERA under 3.00 after 48 ⅔ innings. Bassitt is overperforming his expected statistics slightly, but there isn’t a lot you can nit-pick about his game. Especially when you consider Bassitt ranks in the 96th percentile of pitchers in avg. exit velocity allowed.

Image credit: Baseball Savant

The key to Bassitt’s improvement might be in the development of his slider. He basically ditched it in Oakland after being hurt for a few years but has steadily thrown it more year-over-year at the expense of his sinker.

He has a mediocre +2 Run Value on the pitch so far this season, but he’s allowed a .306 wOBA compared to a .276 xwOBA on the pitch. So, expect some moderate positive regression for Bassitt’s slider moving forward.

Image credit: Baseball Savant

The Giants’ lineup has been good, but not great. Against rights, the bats have posted a 111 wRC+, although they may be slightly overperforming their batted-ball statistics (which are largely league average).

I’m so happy for the re-emergence of Mike Yastrzemski, who went through a major sophomore slump in 2021. He’s posted a team-high 147 OPS+ so far in 2022, having walked 14 times to just 19 strikeouts in 31 games.

New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants Pick & Prediction

My pick: San Francisco Giants ML (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Despite Webb’s relative underperformance, the Giants are 6-2 when he takes the mound this season.

Plus, San Francisco might be undervalued right now, especially playing at home. The Giants are bound to bounce back eventually after five straight losses, and it could definitely be Tuesday with their ace on the mound looking to even up this series.

At anything better than about -135, I’ll back Webb and the Giants.

The post New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants (5/24/22) Beginning Lineup, Betting Odds, Prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

An underrated WCC match takes place on Saturday night when Santa Clara travels to San Francisco.

San Francisco was on the wrong end of a 23-point slump by St. Mary’s Thursday night while Santa Clara beat BYU as a home underdog in the closing seconds. Now they meet as two teams that tend in opposite directions.

Trying to get off the mat after a tough, emotional loss, the Dons put on a big number against Santa Clara, but can they cover?

Let’s answer the question by first looking at WynnBET Sportsbook odds.

Spread:

money line:

Total: 149 (Over -110 / Under -110)

Santa Clara’s high-octane offense can cause some problems against San Francisco, as they are able to go in fives and move the San Francisco Bigs along the perimeter, opening lanes for PJ Pipes.

The Broncos are 27th in the country in effective field goal percentage and may cause problems for USF big man Yauhen Massalski on defense. The Dons are elite at leading teams from the three-point line, allowing opponents a three-point percentage in the bottom 10, and they’re also great at defending the rim, the country’s top 30. However, Santa Clara can combat that with their midrange offense, they are the top third on that metric nationally according to Haslemmetrics.

Of course, going through the middle might not sound like an effective strategy on the go, but given the Dons’ 67 percent free-throw rate and the possibility of emotional disappointment after a missed lead, I’m sticking with Santa Clara.

CHOOSE: Santa Clara +8, play to +7

All of Reed’s college basketball games can be tracked here, his college basketball best bets column is 27-36-3 for -11.5 units.

The post Santa Clara vs. San Francisco Prediction and Odds (Guess Broncos to Cowl) appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

the San Francisco 49ers (9-7) can secure their place in the postseason with a win on Sunday if they have the Los Angeles Rams (12-4) in the SoFi stadium. This NFC West matchup kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET. Below we look at those 49ers vs. Rams odds and lines, and make our best NFL tips, predictions and bets.

The 49ers have won 7-3 in their last 10 games since the start of the season 2-4 and turned things around completely to get in position to make the playoffs. Her most recent win was a 23-7 win over the Houston Texans in Week 17, a game that rookie QB played Trey Lance started instead of the injured QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

San Francisco has played well in the past few weeks, scoring at least 23 points in seven of their last eight games, and facing a team they have beaten five times in a row.

The Rams have won five straight games since losing three straight games in November. They beat players like the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, and Baltimore Ravens in this section. The Rams still haven’t won NFC West with Arizona just one game down on the table. However, the Rams will be crowned division champions on Sunday with a victory.

49ers at Rams odds, spreads and lines

Tipico Sportsbook odds; Access USA TODAY Sports Results and Sports Betting Odds Hub for a complete listing. The rows were last updated at 9:02 a.m. ET.

• Money line: 49ers +155 (bet $ 100 to win $ 155) | Rams -190 (bet $ 190 to win $ 100)
• Against Spread (ATS): 49er +3.5 (-112) | Aries -3.5 (-108)
• Over / Under (O / U): 44.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

PLAY: Try our new, free daily Pick’em Challenge and win. Play Now!

49ers in Rams key breaches

49er

• LT Trent Williams (Elbow) questionable
• QB Jimmy Garoppolo (Thumb) questionable
• CB K’Waun Williams (COVID-19) questionable
• LB Azeez Al-Shaair (Knee) questionable
• LB Dre Greenlaw (Groin) questionable
• S. Jaquiski Tartt (Shoulder) questionable

Aries

Let’s make that interesting

Place your legal sports bets online in New Jersey and Colorado with Tipico Sportsbook, a trusted global leader in sports betting. Iowa, get ready, Tipico is coming to your state soon! New customer offer: Deposit $ 10 or more and get $ 100 in instant bets! 21+, see Tipico.com for the general terms and conditions. Bet now!

49ers at Rams odds, lines, predictions and tips

forecast

Rams 27, 49er 21

Money line

The 49ers own the Rams lately. They’ve won against Los Angeles five times in a row since 2019, including a 31:10 win in Week 10 of that season. However, the Rams are rolling right now and have managed to win five in a row despite QB Matthew StaffordSales problems.

I like RAMS (-190) to win directly at home with the division title.

Against the spread

The 49ers are 7-3 ATS against the Rams in their last 10 games. They have had this rivalry since Sean McVay took over as head coach for the Rams. However, the 49ers have huge injury concerns while Los Angeles is as healthy as it is all year.

Take the RAM -3.5 (-108) at almost the same money to cover the spread.

Over under

The over / under is divided 5-5 in the last 10 games between these teams. The Under is also this season in the last 10 games for both the Rams and the 49ers 6-4.

With San Francisco’s secondary key figures potentially missing and the Rams offensive moving the ball well – aside from Stafford’s turnovers – I see this game going OVER 44.5 (-110).

Bet legally online with a trustworthy partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sports betting partner in CO, NJ and soon also in IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting tips and tips, access all of our content on SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please play responsibly.

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Access More NFL Coverage:

TheHuddle Fantasy Football | BearsWire | BengalsWire | BillsWire | BroncosWire | BrownsWire | BucsWire | CardsWire | ChargersWire | ChiefsWire | ColtsWire | CowboysWire | DolphinsWire | EaglesWire | FalconsWire | GiantsWire | JaguarsWire | JetsWire | LionsWire | NinersWire | PackersWire | PanthersWire | PatriotsWire | RaidersWire | RamsWire | RavensWire | SaintsWire | SeahawksWire | SteelersWire | TexansWire | TitansWire | VikingsWire | WashingtonFootballWire | DraftWire | TouchdownWire | TheListWire

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for referring viewers to betting services. Tipico has no influence on this income and is in no way dependent on or connected to the newsrooms or reporting. General terms and conditions can be found on Tipico.com. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

The post San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams odds, picks and prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The San Francisco Giants (58-33) finish their three games in the Busch Stadium with the St. Louis Cardinals (45-47) Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines of BetMGM Sportsbook around the Giants vs. Cardinals odds with MLB picks and predictions.

St. Louis took the win on Saturday, 3-1, on the evening of the set, after San Francisco won the first meeting 7-2 on Friday.

Season series: Cardinals lead 3-2.

RHP Johnny Cueto is San Francisco’s scheduled starter. Cueto is 6-5 with 4.15 ERA (78 IP, 36 ER), 1.33 WHIP, 1.7 BB / 9 and 7.5 K / 9 over 14 starts.

• Last game: Loss, 6-5, with 6 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, 1 BB and 7 K on July 6th against St. Louis.
• vs. Cardinals in the current roster: 177 at bats with a .254 / .318 / .469 slash line, 38/12 K / BB, 9 HR and 27 RBIs.

LHP Wade LeBlanc takes the hill for the cardinals. LeBlanc is 0-2 with 4.78 ERA (26 1/3 IP, 14 ER), 1.52 WHIP, 3.1 BB / 9 and 5.5 K / 9 over four starts and nine relief appearances.

• Last outing: Loss, 10-5, with 3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, and 1 K on July 9 with the Chicago Cubs.
• LeBlanc’s pitching peripherals this season are terrible; He rates in the 21st percentile or worse for the hard hit rate, the expected WOBA, the expected slugging percentage, K% and the whiff rate.

MLB betting offers / promotions

BetMGM sports betting offers available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington DC Offers for new customers apply, general terms and conditions apply.

• Bet as little as $ 1 on either team’s money line, WIN 100 (on free bets) if either team hits a home run during the game. Bet now!
• RISK FREE FIRST BET. Place your first bet, if it loses you will receive up to $ 600 in free bets. Bet now!

Giants at Cardinals odds, lines, tips and predictions

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; Visit USA TODAY Sports for a full list. The odds were last updated at 9:19 PM ET.

• Money line: Giants -130 (bet $ 130 to win $ 100) | Cardinals +105 (wager $ 100 to win $ 105)
• Against spread / ATS: Giants -1.5 (+125) | Cardinals +1.5 (-155)
• Over under: 8.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

forecast

Giants 4, Cardinals 3

Money line (ML)

GIVE ME the GIANTS (-130) for 1 unit because they have an advantage in both start and relief pitching, hit left-handers better than the Cardinals right-handers and there were “sharp” line movements towards San Francisco.

For example, the Giants Hitters rank 11th or better compared to left-handed pitching in advanced hitting metrics like wRC +, wOBA, BB / K, and OPS, while the Cardinals Batters sit in the bottom 10 vs. righties on each of these stats.

Additionally, the San Francisco bullpen is pretty mediocre, but St. Louis ranks last on xFIP, SIERA, and K-BB%.

Eventually, the market is hammering the San Francisco money line, which has resulted in the quota makers raising the Giants’ price by 20 cents against the dollar from the opening price due to their liability to pro-San Francisco action.

FANTASY BASEBALL: Seriously about winning your league? Register at BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!

Tread Line / Against the Spread (ATS)

CONSIST because the Cardinals -1.5 (+125) isn’t big enough for me, especially when we get to the party late on the San Francisco money line.

Over / Under (O / U)

Light “LEAN” to the UNDER 8.5 (-110) for a third of the unit – if any – because I prefer the San Francisco money line rather than the grand total.

However, there is one suspected “line stop” in the betting market where more than 80% of the money wagered on the total bet is on the over (according to Pregame.com), but the line has not moved.

When we see unilateral action in the betting market, the house usually raises the price of the more popular side so the overall move is alarming despite strong action on the over.

PLAY: Free daily sports pick’em competitions. Play Now!

Now bet on this game under BetMGM Sports Betting. For more sports betting tips and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please play responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn income from referring viewers to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and have no influence on the reporting. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

The post San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals odds, picks and prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The San Francisco Giants (55-32) host the Washington Nationals (42-45) Saturday for the second game of their three-game set at Oracle Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines of BetMGM Sportsbook around the Nationals vs. Giants odds with MLB picks and predictions.

San Francisco won the first game of the series on Friday 5-3 with C Curt Casali fill in well for C Buster Posey by hitting 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and 2 RBIs.

Season streak: Giants lead 3-2.

LHP Jon Lester is Washington’s planned starter. Lester is 2-3 with 5.34 ERA (60 2/3 IP, 36 ER), 1.63 WHIP, 3.9 BB / 9 and 6.1 K / 9 with 13 starts.

• Last game: No decision with 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 4 BB and 2 K in Washington’s 7-5 win in San Diego Padres on Monday.
• vs. Giants in the current squad: 161 at-bats with a .242 / .313 / .447 slashline, 42/14 K / BB, 8 HR and 19 RBIs.

RHP Anthony DeSclafani makes his 18th start for the Giants. DeSclafani is 9-3 with 2.84 ERA (101 1/3 IP, 32 ER), 1.02 WHIP, 2.5 BB / 9 and 8.3 K / 9 this year.

• Last outing: Win, 5-2, with 8 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB and 7 K on Sunday at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
• vs. Nationals in the current roster: 159 at-bats with a .239 / .288 / .377 slash line, 39/9 K / BB, 5 HR and 14 RBIs.

MLB betting offers / promotions

BetMGM Sports Betting Offers Available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington DC New Customer Offers, Terms & Conditions apply.

• Bet as little as $ 1 on either team’s money line, WIN 100 (on free bets) if either team hits a home run during the game. Bet now!
• RISK FREE FIRST BET. Place your first bet, if it loses you will receive up to $ 600 in free bets. Bet now!

Nationals at Giants odds, lines, tips and prediction

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; Visit USA TODAY Sports for a full list. The odds were last updated at 9:50 a.m. ET.

• Money line: Nationals +165 (bet $ 100 to win $ 165) | Giants -200 (bet $ 200 to win $ 100)
• Against spread / ATS: National +1.5 (-115) | Giant -1.5 (-105)
• Over under: 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

forecast

Giants 6, Nationals 2

Money line (ML)

If you look under the hood of DeSclafani’s home numbers, you’ll find that he’s much better off than his base numbers suggest, and he’s due for a solid home breakout.

For example, DeSclafani has a 4.24 ERA at home and a 2.14 ERA on the road this season, but DeSclafani’s xFIP, K-BB%, and Home Run per nine innings are all better in San Francisco.

However, DeSclafani’s .289 BAbip at home (0.212 BAbip on the go) and 62.1% of the link at home (91.1% LOB% on the go) show that he was simply unlucky in San Francisco.

The opposite is the case with Lester’s home / street splits, as his pitching periphery is much worse away than at home. In fact, Lester has an 8.53 FIP on the road and a minus -1K-BB%.

What I’m getting at is this GIANTS (-200) is a fair price I would bet 1 piece on. If your standard unit is $ 100 I’d bet it GIANTS (-200) to hopefully make a profit of $ 50.

FANTASY BASEBALL: Seriously about winning your league? Register at BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!

Tread Line / Against the Spread (ATS)

“LEAN” to the GIANT -1.5 (-105) for half a unit because we’re paying a pretty high price for the San Francisco money line.

That being said, the Giants have a winning ATS record at home and as a home favorite, while the Nationals have an ATS record of under 500 as a road underdog.

Over / Under (O / U)

CONSIST Even if Lester’s cracks in the street are terrible and Washington’s bullpen is nothing to brag about because San Francisco’s IL is far too long to have much confidence in the offensive.

PLAY: Free daily sports pick’em competitions. Play Now!

Now bet on this game under BetMGM Sports Betting. For more sports betting tips and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please play responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn income from referring viewers to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and have no influence on the reporting. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

The post Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants odds, picks & prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The San Francisco Giants (45-26) host the Philadelphia Phillies (34-34) Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series in Oracle Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines of BetMGM Sportsbook around the Phillies vs. Giants odds with MLB picks and predictions.

Philly smoothed the streak by beating San Francisco 13-6 as 1B on Saturday Rhys Hoskins showed up, scoring 3-for-6 with a double, two home runs and six RBIs.

Season streak: Giants lead 3-2.

RHP Zach Eflin is on the hill for the Phillies. Eflin is 2-5 with 3.99 ERA (79 IP, 35 ER), 1.24 WHIP, 1.1 BB / 9 and 8.8 K / 9 with 13 starts.

• Last game: No decision with 5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 0 BB and 2 K in Philly’s 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
• Eflin hadn’t made a decision on a start earlier this season (April 21st) against the Giants with a stat of 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 0 BB and 3 K with a 6-5 loss at Philly.
  • vs. Giants in the current squad: 64 At-bats with a .313 / .371 / .531 slashline, 11/6 K / BB, 3 HR and 12 RBIs.

Rookie LHP Sammy Long makes his first career start for the Giants. Long has made two relief appearances this season with a statistic of 9 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB and 10 K.

MLB betting offers / promotions

BetMGM sports betting offers available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington DC Offers for new customers apply, general terms and conditions apply.

• Bet as little as $ 1 on either team’s money line, WIN 100 (on free bets) if either team hits a home run during the game. Bet now!
• RISK FREE FIRST BET. Place your first bet, if it loses you will receive up to $ 600 in free bets. Bet now!

Phillies at Giants odds, lines, tips and predictions

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; Visit USA TODAY Sports for a full list. The odds were last updated at 10:52 PM ET.

• Money line: Phillies +105 (bet $ 100 to win $ 105) | Giants -125 (wager $ 125 to win $ 100)
• Against the spread / ATS: Phillies +1.5 (-200) | Giants -1.5 (+165)
• Over under: 8 (O: -105 | U: -115)

forecast

Phillies 7, Giants 4

Money line (ML)

“LEAN” to the PHILLIES (+105) for half a unit because I like Philly’s First 5 Innings Run Line Price and because the Phillies have an advantage in pitching matchup and market movement.

Typically an innings eater, Eflin has failed to cross the 6th inning in two of his previous three outings after pitching the season with 10 consecutive starts of six or more innings.

Also, the Giants opened up as -160 moneylines favorites but were reduced to the current number, although the vast majority of bets were placed on San Francisco to win. In sports betting, it is a warning signal when the “house” makes the more popular side cheaper.

FANTASY BASEBALL: Seriously about winning your league? Register at BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!

Tread Line / Against the Spread (ATS)

“LEAN” to the PHILLIES FIRST 5 INNINGS +0.5 (-135) for half a unit. This is the best bet I have on the game as Eflin has played at least five innings in 12 of his 13 starts. So we shouldn’t make Philly’s terrible bullpen sweat.

The San Francisco bullpen isn’t much better either, as it ranks 26th in WAR for the season. So Philly’s hot pounding could certainly intimidate the Giants reliefs.

Over / Under (O / U)

“LEAN” to the OVER 8 (-105) for half a unit. The weather forecast predicts winds of 10 mph (10 mph) blowing into the left center and the Phillies have played to over in four of their last five games.

PLAY: Free daily sports pick’em competitions. Play Now!

Now bet on this game under BetMGM Sports Betting. For more sports betting tips and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please play responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn income from referring viewers to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and have no influence on the reporting. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

The post Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants odds and prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The San Francisco Giants (32-20) try three games against their rival in NL West Los Angeles Dodgers (31-21) on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. First place is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. Let’s take the lines from BetMGM Sportsbook around that Giants vs. Dodgers odds of winning with MLB picks and predictions.

The bats came to play in this series when San Francisco won the first two games in the series with a combined score of 19-11.

Season: Dodgers 4-2.

RHP Kevin Gausman makes his 11th start for the Giants. Gausman is 5-0 with 1.53 ERA (64 2/3 IP, 11 ER), 0.85 WHIP, 2.2 BB / 9 and 10.6 K / 9 this year.

• Last bet: Win 8-0 in 5 IP with 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB and 9 K at Arizona Diamondbacks on May 25th
• Career versus Dodgers: 0-2 with 4.44 ERA (24 1/3 IP, 12 ER), 1.44 whip and 9.6 K / 9 over 4 starts and 1 bullpen excursion.
• Dodgers on the current roster: 119 bats with a .328 / .404 / .538, 23/16 K / BB, 6 HR, and 20 RBIs.

LHP Clayton Kershaw is the scheduled starter for the Dodgers. Kershaw is 7-3 with an ERA of 2.94 (64 1/3 IP, 21 ER), 0.90 whip, 1.4 BB / 9 and 9.9 K / 9 over 11 starts.

• Last outing: Win Astros on May 25th in Houston by 9-2 in 7 2/3 IP with 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB and 6 K.
• Career against giants: 24-13 with 1.79 ERA (352 2/3 IP, 70 ER), 0.88 whip and 9.2 K / 9 over 49 starts and 2 reliefs.
• Giants on the current roster: 361 bats with a .191 / .232 / .288 slash line, 99/17 K / BB, 8 HR and 19 RBIs.

MLB betting offers / promotions

BetMGM Sportsbook has deals in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA and WV. New customer offers, terms and conditions apply.

• Bet as little as $ 1 on any team’s money line and WIN $ 100 (on free bets) if either team hits a home run during the game. Bet now!
• RISK FREE FIRST BET. Place your first bet. If she loses, you will receive up to $ 600 in free bets. Bet now!

Giants at Dodgers odds, lines, picks and predictions

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; For a full list, see USA TODAY Sports. Odds last updated at 2:15 p.m. ET.

• Money line: Giants +145 (bet $ 100 to win $ 145) | Dodgers -175 (Bet $ 175 to Win $ 100)
• Against the spread / ATS: Giants +1.5 (-150) | Dodgers -1.5 (+125)
• Over under: 7.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)

forecast

Giants 5, Dodgers 3

Money line (ML)

Light “LEAN” to the GIANT (+145) for a quarter unit because that game is so expensive as if Kershaw is far better than Gausman when in reality these starters are pretty comparable and Gausman has the better season, if any.

In fact, Gausman has better FIP and xFIP than Kershaw, and the San Francisco lineup is almost as tough for left-handed people as it is for LA right-handed people.

FANTASY BASEBALL: Are you serious about winning your league? Register at BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!

Run line / Against the Spread (ATS)

“LEAN” to the GIANTS +0.5 (-105) FIRST 5 INNINGS for a three-quarter unit because Gausman has a career season and I want to avoid the late innings as both bullpens are patchy.

For example, 8 of Gausman’s 10 games were quality starts, 4 of which were against the tough lineups of the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds.

Also, I want to limit my handicap to the first 5 innings because while the Dodgers can lead the majors in blown saves at 14, the Giants are runner-up at 13.

Over / Under (O / U)

CONSIST With a slight bias to OVER 7.5 (+100) because the Giants have a 12-7 O / U record as a street dog, the Dodgers are 13-11-1 O / U as a home favorite and they are 7-4 O / U in Kershaw starts.

PLAY: Free daily sports pick’em competitions. Play Now!

Bet on this game now BetMGM Sports Betting. For more sports betting tips and tricks, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please play responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn income from referring viewers to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on the reporting. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We do not make any representations or warranties with regard to the correctness, completeness or reliability of any content.

The post San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers odds, picks and prediction appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.