Month: July 2023

— Arizona
Last 10 years, Cardinals are 9-20-1 ATS in NFC West home games.
Last 10 years, Cardinals are 19-10-1 ATS in NFC West road games.

— Atlanta
Under Smith, Falcons are 5-10-2 ATS at home.
Under Smith, Falcons are 11-7 ATS on road. 

— Baltimore
John Harbaugh’s first five years: 54-26 in regular season, 9-4 in playoffs
John Harbaugh’s last ten years: 92-70 in regular season, 2-5 in playoffs

— Buffalo
Last four years, Bills are 8-2-1 ATS as a road underdog.
Under McDermott, under is 28-19-2 Buffalo road games.

— Carolina
Last five years, Panthers have had five different #1 QB’s; this year will be #6.
Last seven years, Carolina is 46-68 SU, 0-1 in playoff games.

— Chicago
Last four years, Bears are 13-18-1 ATS at home.
Last two years, Bears are 5-11-1 ATS on the road.

— Cincinnati
Last three years, Bengals are 16-7 ATS as a favorite.
Last four years, Bengals are 8-4 ATS in NFC North home games.

— Movie of the Day: Before We Go (1988)— Two strangers stuck in Manhattan for the night become each other’s most trusted confidants when an evening of unexpected adventure forces them to confront their fears and take control of their lives.

Never heard of anyone in this movie; the guy who stars in it (Chris Evans) was also the director.

Pretty good movie that I stumbled upon on Amazon Prime late one night.

— College Football Trend of the Day: In two years under Josh Heupel, Tennessee is 11-4 ATS as a favorite.

— Cleveland
Under Stefanski, Browns are 10-16-4 ATS as a favorite.
Last 10 years, Cleveland is 4-10 ATS as a road favorite.

— Dallas
Last three years, Cowboys are 18-10 ATS at home.
Last six years, Dallas is 14-4 ATS in NFC East home games.

— Denver
Last six years, Broncos are 7-18-3 ATS as a home favorite.
Last five years, under is 26-15 in Denver home games.

— Detroit
Lions were 9-8 last year; from 2018-21, they were 17-46-2.
From 2014-17, Lions went 36-28 under Jim Caldwell, but they fired him; why?

— Green Bay
Last four years, Packers are 13-4 ATS coming off a loss.
Last five years, Green Bay is 12-8-1 ATS if spread was 3 or fewer points.

— Houston
This year, Texans will have 7th #1 QB in 11 years; they’ve had four head coaches the last four year.
Last two years, Houston was 7-26-1 SU, despite a +2 turnover ratio. 

— Baltimore
Last eight years, they’re 1-5 in playoff games.
Last five years, they’re 13-21-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Last ten years, Ravens are 11-3 ATS as a home underdog.
Since 2015, Baltimore is 18-9-2 ATS as a road dog.

— Buffalo
Last four years, they’re 4-4 in playoff games (from 2003-19, they were 0-2)
Under McDermott, they’re 29-18-2 ATS on the road.
Last four years, they’re 14-3-1 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less points.
Last four years, Bills are 12-6 ATS vs NFC opponents.

— Cincinnati
Last two years, Bengals are 22-11 in regular season, 5-2 in playoff games.
From 2016-20, Bengals were 25-53-2 in regular season.
Under Taylor, Cincinnati is 16-9 ATS as a favorite.
Last three years, Bengals are 14-6 ATS coming off a loss.

— Cleveland
Over last 20 years, Browns are 1-1 in playoff games (2020)
Their only two winning seasons: 2007, 2020.
Last three years, Cleveland is 7-12-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Last four years, Browns are 10-16-2 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less points.

— Denver
Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl in 2015.
Sean Payton is their 5th head coach in last eight years.
Since 2015, Denver is 11-21-4 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2017, Broncos are 6-18-3 ATS as a favorite of 3 or less points.

— Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans is their fourth head coach the last four years (11-38-1 last 3 years)
Last five years, Texans are 10-6-2 ATS in games with spread 3 or less points.
Last ten years, Houston is 14-21-3 ATS against NFC opponents
Last two years, under is 11-6 in Houston’s road games.

— Indianapolis Colts
Colts made the playoffs twice in last eight seasons.
Indy was minus-13 in turnovers last year (+14/+10 previous two years)
Last eight years, Colts are 20-9-1 ATS vs NFC opponents.
Last three years, Colts are 2-6-1 ATS in AFC South home games.

— Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars were 9-8 last year; they were 15-50 from 2018-21.
Underdogs covered all eight Jacksonville home games last year.
Since 2014, Jaguars are 21-31-3 ATS as a road underdog.
Under is 13-3 in Jaguars’ last sixteen home games.

— Movie of the Day— American Underdog (2021)— The remarkable story of NFL MVP and Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner, who in five years went from stocking shelves at a supermarket in Iowa to becoming one of the best quarterbacks ever.

Zachary Levi plays Warner, Anna Paquin plays Brenda Warner, Dennis Quaid is coach Dick Vermeil. Bruce McGill plays Iowa Barnstormers’ coach Jim Foster. 

If you didn’t know this was a true story, you’d dismiss this movie as being too corny, but real life is generally better than fiction.

— Kansas City Chiefs
Last four years, Chiefs are 10-2 in playoffs, winning two Super Bowls.
Last eight years, Kansas City is 17-7 ATS in AFC West road games.
Last three years, under is 15-9-1 in games at Arrowhead.
Last 10 years, Chiefs are 24-12-1 ATS in games with spread 3 or less points.

Las Vegas Raiders
Last 20 years, Raiders are 0-2 in playoff games (2016, 2021)
Last three years, Raiders are minus-7/minus-9/minus-11 in turnovers.
Last seven years, Las Vegas is 5-11-1 ATS as a road favorite.
Last four years, Raiders are 14-8 ATS as a road underdog.

Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers made playoffs three times in the last 13 years.
Since 2014, Chargers are 18-32-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Last ten years, Bolts are 30-17-4 ATS as a road underdog.
Last 4 years, Chargers are 6-15-7 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less points.

Miami Dolphins
Last year, Miami made playoffs for first time since 2008.
Last time Dolphins won a playoff game? 2000 (0-2 in playoffs last 20 years).
Last six years, Dolphins are 13-5-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Last three years, Miami is 7-2 ATS in AFC East home games. 

New England Patriots
Since Tom Brady left, Patriots are 25-25 in regular season, 0-1 in playoff games.
25-26 in three years, despite being +17 in turnovers in those games.
Last 10 years, New England is 28-19-1 ATS coming off a loss.
Last five years, Patriots are 10-17-1 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less points.

New Jersey Jets
Jets haven’t made playoffs since 2010, so they got Aaron Rodgers to play QB.
Last three years, Gang Green was 13-37 SU/20-30 ATS
Last 10 years, Jets are 11-17 ATS as a home favorite, 29-22-2 as a home underdog.
Last 10 years, underdogs are 20-10 ATS in Jets’ AFC East home games.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Last five years, Pittsburgh is 0-2 in playoff games.
Last six years, Steelers are 16-21 ATS as a home favorite.
In his career, Tomlin is 25-41-1 ATS as road favorite, 36-23-1 as a road dog.
Last nine years, under is 46-22-3 in Steeler road games.

Tennessee Titans
Last year was Tennessee’s first losing season since 2015.
Last three years, underdogs are 15-6-1 ATS in Titan road games.
Last three years, Titans are 10-15 ATS as a favorite.
Last two years, under is 12-4-1 in Tennessee home games. 

Arizona Cardinals
Were 50-32-1 in five years under Bruce Arians; why did they fire him?
They’re 31-50-1 in five years since they fired him, 0-1 in playoff games.
Last four years, Cardinals are 5-12 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2013, Arizona is 9-20-1 ATS in NFC West home games.

Atlanta Falcons
Have had five straight losing seasons (32-50 SU/35-45-2 ATS)
Under Arthur Smith, Falcons are 4-10-2 ATS at home.
Since 2013, Atlanta is 18-34-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Under Smith, Falcons are 7-4-2 ATS in games where spread was 3 or less points.

Carolina Panthers
Haven’t made playoffs since 2017; haven’t won playoff game since 2015.
Frank Reich is the new coach; he was 41-35-1 SU in five years with the Colts.
Last three years, Carolina was 0-9 ATS as a favorite of 3 or less points.
Last three years, Carolina was 10-3 ATS as an underdog 3 or less points.

Chicago Bears
Made playoffs in 2018/2020; last playoff win was in 2010.
Last 10 years, they had one winning season, were 8-8 three times.
Last four years, Bears are 9-16-1 ATS as a road underdog.
Last 10 years, Chicago is 14-27-2 ATS as an underdog in divisional games.

Dallas Cowboys
Went 24-10 SU last two years, scoring 29.3 ppg; why fire the offensive coordinator?
Last two years, Cowboys are +24 in turnovers, 10-5 ATS as a home favorite.
Last 10 years, Dallas is 16-8 ATS as a home favorite in NFC East games.
Since 2010, Dallas is 116-94 SU in regular season, 3-4 in playoff games.

Detroit Lions
Last time Detroit won a playoff game? 1991.
Last time Lions made the playoffs? 2016.
Last 10 games last year, Detroit was 8-2 SU/9-1 ATS.
In his career, Jared Goff is 56-48-1 SU as a starting QB.

Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love is the new QB, Packers’ first new starting QB since 2008.
Last four years, Green Bay is +39 in turnovers.
Last 10 years, Green Bay is 39-24-2 ATS as a divisional favorite.
Last two years, Packers were 1-6-1 ATS on artificial turf.

Los Angeles Rams
Last year was Rams’ first losing season since 2016.
In six seasons, Sean McVay is 7-3 SU in playoff games.
Last two years, Rams are 4-7 ATS as a home favorite.
Under McVay, Rams are 8-4 ATS as a divisional road favorite.

— Movie of the Day: Double Jeopardy (1999)— A woman framed for her husband’s murder suspects he is still alive; she has already been tried for the crime, so she can’t be re-prosecuted if she finds and kills him.

Ashley Judd is the woman; Tommy Lee Jones is her parole officer who tries to find her— they’re both in New Orleans when she finds the man she had supposedly killed.

Minnesota Vikings
Vikings were 13-4 last year, their best regular season since 2009.
Vikings were 11-0 last year in games decided by 8 or less points.
Kirk Cousins is 47-35-1 SU as Minnesota’s quarterback.
Last 10 years, Minnesota is 43-29-1 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less.

New Jersey Giants
Went 9-7-1 LY, won playoff game, their first winning season since 2016.
Were 8-4-1 last year in games decided by 8 or less points.
In Daboll’s first season as coach, Giants were 8-2 ATS as an underdog.
Giants were +1 in turnovers last year; were minus-25 from 2020-22. 

New Orleans Saints
Saints were 7-10 LY, their first year since 2005 without Sean Payton as coach.
New Orleans was minus-11 in turnovers LY (+31 from 2020-22).
New QB is Derek Carr; he was 63-80 as Raiders’ QB, 0-1 in playoff games.
Since 2014, Saints are 24-11-1 ATS as a road underdog.

Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles made playoffs 5 of last 6 years; they won NFC title last year.
Under Sirianni, Philly is 9-3 ATS as a home favorite, 8-14 ATS in other games.
Last five years, Eagles are 7-11 ATS as a road underdog.
Under Sirianni, over is 12-5 in Eagle home games.

San Francisco 49ers
Last two years, 49ers went 23-11 in regular season, lost twice in NFC title game.
Last four years, Niners are 14-6 ATS on artificial turf.
SF was 7-1 ATS as a home favorite LY; they were 7-16-1 from 2018-22.
Who is QB going to be? Purdy? Lance? Darnold?

Seattle Seahawks
Finished over .500 10 of last 11 years; last six seasons, they’re 1-4 in playoff games.
In his NFL career, Pete Carroll is 18-8 ATS as a home underdog.
Since 2016, Seahawks are 2-7-1 ATS as a divisional road favorite.
Seattle is 6-11 in its last 17 games that were decided by 8 or less points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In 3 years with Brady at QB, Bucs went 32-18 in regular season, 5-2 in playoffs.
In his 5-year career, Baker Mayfield is 32-39 as an NFL starter, 1-1 in playoff games.
Last four years, Tampa Bay is 5-9-1 ATS as an underdog.
Last two years, under was 11-5 in Buccaneers’ road games.

Washington Commanders
Since 2006, Washington is 0-4 in playoff games.
Last time Washington finished over .500? 2016.
Since 2018, Commanders are 5-9 ATS as a home favorite.
Last 10 years, Washington is 11-19 ATS in NFC East home games. 

It is the All-Star break already; time flies. It has been an interesting baseball season. Here are some quick notes/impressions from the season so far:

— AL Central is terrible; Cleveland (45-45) is in first place, with the Twins (45-46) a half-game behind. All in all, the AL Central is 124-191 (.394) outside its division this season.

— AL East is very good; the Red Sox (48-43) are in last place. All in all, the AL East is 190-127 (.599) outside its division this season.

— In five of six divisions, the division leader has a lead of 2 games or less— lot of close races. Only the 60-29 Atlanta Braves have a decent-sized lead, leading NL East by 8.5 games. Braves have won 27 of their last 32 games.

— Mets have a payroll of $377,380,805; they’re 42-48, seven games out of a playoff spot.

Mets are 32-27 vs righty starting pitchers, 10-21 vs lefty starters.

— Padres have a payroll of $250,806,874; they’re 43-47, six games out of a playoff spot.

— Cincinnati has a payroll of $83,688,333; they’re 25-8 in last 33 games, lead the NL Central. 

— Miami Marlins have a payroll of $103,692,500; they’re 53-39, 21-6 in one-run games, and right now, they’re a playoff team.

Last time the Marlins had a winning 162-game season was 2009, when they went 87-75- they were 31-29 in the short season of 2020. Skip Schumaker is your favorite for National League Manager of the Year.

— Texas Rangers have five starters in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, the most for any team since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds.

Rangers haven’t been in the playoffs since 2016; the last three years, they were 150-234 (.391) but Bruce Bochy is a Hall of Fame manager and Texas is much improved at 52-39 this season, even though they hit the All-Star break on a 5-11 skid.

Texas has $200,684,308 payroll; will they look to enhance their roster at the trade deadline?

— This stat is a little weird, but thru Saturday’s games, in AB’s when Mets’ 1B Pete Alonso had an 0-2 count him, he is 5-68 this season. 5 for freakin’ 68 (.074).

By way of comparison:
Freddie Freeman is 20-67 (.299) this season after having an 0-2 count.
Fernando Tatis is 10-52 (.192)
Luis Arraez is 16-53 (.302).

— Bronx Bombers have a payroll of $273,528,489; Aaron Judge is hurt obviously, but they’ve got other stars, and those stars aren’t producing. New York is 49-42, and right now they’re on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

Bronx is 14-17 since Judge got hurt, hitting .218 in those games; they fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson after Sunday’s loss to the Cubs.

It is New York’s first in-season coaching change since Nardi Contreras replaced Billy Connors in July 1995 as pitching coach on Buck Showalter’s staff. 28 years without an in-season coaching change, long time. 

Funny thing is, Bronx opens the post-All-Star Game part of the year in Colorado Friday, where they figure to put up better-than-usual hitting numbers.

— Los Angeles Angels have a payroll of $215,490,192, but Mike Trout is hurt, Anthony Rendon has been a complete bust and the Halos are 45-46, losing nine of last 10 games. Shohei Ohtani is a free agent after this season; the Angels are 5 games out of the last playoff spot. 

Angels are 37-29 vs righty starters, 8-17 vs lefties. 

Would they trade Ohtani and if they wanted to, what could they get for a guy who will be a free agent three months from now?

— Tampa Bay Rays started the season 13-0, then 29-7; since then, they’re 29-28 and lead the AL East by only two games over Baltimore. Tampa’s starting rotation has been ravaged by injuries; would they make a move at the trade deadline?

—- Toronto Blue Jays are 50-41, seven games behind the Rays— they’d be a Wild Card team right now. Blue Jays are 7-20 vs their AL East rivals, 43-21 against everyone else.

— Teams that are struggling in one-run games:
San Diego 5-15
St Louis 9-19
Minnesota 9-15
Seattle 10-16
Texas 5-12

— Movie of the Day— Rounders (1998)— A young gambler returns to playing high stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks, while balancing his relationship with his girlfriend and his commitments to law school.

Matt Damon is the gambler; Edward Norton plays his friend. John Malkovich is a Russian mobster who runs a poker room, John Turturro plays Joey Knish, e veteran gambler who is a mentor of sorts. Martin Landau is a law professor.

This movie helps propel the poker boom in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Very good movie, written by the same guys who write the Showtime series Billions.

— College football bowl trend of the day— In the Reliaquest Bowl, SEC teams are 6-2 SU vs Big 14 teams the last eight years.

— If the baseball playoffs started today (they don’t)
NL: Braves, Reds, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Arizona-Marlins-Giants
AL: Rays, Guardians, Rangers. Wild Cards: Orioles, Astros, Blue Jays. 

— Las Vegas
Raiders were 6-11 last year, 4-9 in games decided by 8 or less points.
Last three years, over is 17-7-1 in Raider home games.
Las Vegas is 8-15 ATS in last 23 games as a home favorite.

— LA Chargers
Chargers are #1 in NFL in salary spent on defensive players.
12 of their 17 games LY (7-5) were decided by 8 or less points.
Chargers ran 41 plays inside opponents’ 5-yard line; 21 of them were passes.

— Rams
Rams lost four games last year that they led at halftime.
Rams were outscored 176-111 in second half, 107-63 in 4th quarter.
Four different quarterbacks started a game LY; the subs were 2-6.

— Miami
Last three years, Dolphins are 18-7 ATS at home, 10-4 when favored.
Last three years, Dolphins are 16-10 ATS as an underdog.
Miami played 11 games LY (6-5) decided by 8 or less points. 

— Minnesota
Vikings were 11-0 last year in games decided by 8 or less points.
Minnesota outscored opponents 150-81 in fourth quarter.
Last three years, over is 18-7 in Minnesota home games. 

— New England
Since Brady left Foxboro, Patriots are 25-25 SU in regular season.
Last three years, New England is 8-14 ATS as an underdog.
Last year, Patriots were outscored 162-138 in 4th quarter. 

— New Orleans
Saints were minus-11 in turnovers LY, with only 14 takeaways.
New Orleans is 6-10 ATS in its last 16 sixteen home games.
Last two years, under is 21-13 in Saints games. 

— Giants
Giants were 9-7-1 LY; they were favored in only five games.
Big Blue were 8-4 in games decided by 8 or fewer points.
Giants ran 31 plays inside opponents’ 5-yard line; 28 of them were runs. 

— Jets
Last three years, Jets are 7-18 SU at home.
Jets scored only 41 first quarter points last year (60-41)
Gang Green was minus-7 in turnovers LY (23-16)

— Philadelphia
Last two years, Eagles are 12-5 ATS at home.
QB Hurts ran ball 44 times in red zone last year, 20 times inside 5-yard line.
Eagles lost both of last year’s coordinators to head coaching jobs.

— Pittsburgh
Last three years, Steelers are 14-9 ATS as an underdog.
Last two years, under is 11-5-1 in games at Heinz Field.
LY, Harris ran ball 42 times in red zone; next highest was 13.

— San Francisco
49ers were 13-4 LY; only four of their games were decided by 8 or less points.
Niners were 10-5 ATS as a favorite LY (9-13 ATS in 2020-21)
49ers were +13 (30-17) in turnovers last year.

— Seattle
Underdogs are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 home games.
Seahawks were 4-6 LY in games decided by 8 or less points, 3-0 in games decided by 3 or less.
Since 2016, Seattle has drafted nine running backs, most in the NFL.

— Tampa Bay
LY, Bucs won four games they trailed at half, lost three games they led at half.
Last two years, Tampa Bay is 5-10 ATS as a road favorite.
With Brady gone, Bucs are #32 in NFL in salaries spent on QB’s,

— Tennessee
Last two years, Titans were 11-5 ATS as an underdog.
Tennessee was outscored 184-94 in second half last year.
Henry ran ball 40 times in red zone LY; next highest was 7 rushes.

— Washington
Last three years, Commanders are 9-6 ATS as a favorite.
Last three years, Commanders are 10-15 SU at home.
Washington was 5-3 LY in games decided by 8 or less points. 

— Of the last 24 quarterbacks drafted either #1 or #2 in the NFL Draft, only Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl for the team that drafted him.

Matthew Stafford has won a Super Bowl, but for the Rams, not the Lions. Manning later won a Super Bowl for Denver, after he won one with the Colts.

Eli Manning won two Super Bowls for the Giants, but he was drafted by the Chargers, and then traded to the Giants. 

— Arizona— Last three years, Cardinals are 7-12 ATS vs NFC West opponents.
Arizona lost its last seven games LY, going 3-4 ATS.
Right now, Cardinals are an underdog in every game this season.

— Atlanta— Last three years, Falcons are 3-8 ATS as a home favorite.
Falcons were 6-0 ATS in first six games LY; they were 3-8 ATS after that.

— Baltimore— Last two years, Ravens are 3-10 ATS as a home favorite.
Last three years, Ravens are 6-2 ATS as a road underdog.
In 2021, under was 5-3 in their last eight games; LY, under was 5-2 in their last seven.

— Buffalo— Last four years, Bills are 13-7-2 ATS as a road favorite.
Last year, Buffalo was 4-1-1 ATS in first six games, 4-8 ATS after that. 

— Carolina— Last four years, Panthers are 5-12 ATS as a home favorite.
Last three years, Panthers are 12-8 ATS as a road underdog.
Last year, Carolina started out 1-5 ATS; after that, they were 8-3 ATS.

— Chicago— QB Justin Fields has started 25 games for the Bears (8-16-1 ATS)
Bears lost their last ten games in 2022 (2-8 ATS).
Chicago’s last win in a playoff game was in 2010.

— Cincinnati— Last two years, Bengals are 27-13 ATS, 13-4 as an underdog.
Bengals covered 16 of their last 19 games outside the AFC North.

— Cleveland— Last four years, Browns new 3-7-1 ATS as a road favorite.
Last three years, Cleveland is 7-13 ATS as a home favorite.
Under was 6-1 in their last seven games last year.

— Dallas— Last two years, Cowboys are 24-13 ATS, 18-9 as a favorite.
Dallas averaged 13.2 yards/point last year, the best figure in the league.
Despite that, OC Kellen Moore was canned, and now works for the Chargers.

— Denver— Last four years, Broncos are 6-18 SU/10-14 ATS vs AFC West rivals.
Last four years, Denver is 11-6 ATS as a home underdog.
Last year, Broncos averaged 19.3 yards/point, worst in the NFL.
New HC Payton’s presence should ramp up Denver’s offense.

— Detroit— Last two years, Lions are 19-8-1 ATS as an underdog.
Detroit started out 1-6 SU last year, wound up going 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Lions averaged 6.3 ppg in first quarter last year, best in the NFL.

— Green Bay— Obviously, Packers have a new QB this year, first time since 2007.
Last four years, Green Bay is 13-5 ATS as an underdog.
Since 2019, Packers are 15-9 ATS in divisional games.
Under LaFleur, Green Bay is 42-29 ATS.

— Houston— DeMeco Ryans is Houston’s fourth head coach in four years.
Texans have been favored in only four of their last 25 home games.
Houston was 3-13-1 SU LY, but they did cover four of last five games- they competed.

— Indianapolis— Last four years, Colts are 5-13 ATS in divisional games.
Last three years, Indianapolis is 7-11 ATS as a home favorite.
Colts lost 10 of last 11 games last year (3-8 ATS).

— Jacksonville— Jaguars were 10-9 SU last year; from 2019-21, they were 10-39 SU
Underdogs covered all eight of their home games last year.
Jaguars started out 4-8 SU last year, then won six of last seven games.

— Kansas City— Last three years, Chiefs are 6-12 ATS in divisional games.
Kansas City is 23-30-1 ATS in its last 54 games as a favorite.
Right now, Chiefs are favored in all their games this coming season.