The MLB Postseason is set, the NHL Regular Season starts this week, Errol Spence escaped Shawn Porter while Clemson escaped North Carolina, and Bama rolled to another easy win. Check out what happened this week in sports!
Weekly Sports Update – Sep 30th Edition
MLB Postseason is Set
The Houston Astros secured homefield advantage throughout the MLB Postseason. That means the Stros will enter as a massive favorite to win their second World Series title in the past 3 years. How big of a favorite are the Houston Astros? At +190, the Stros are 60 points lower than the L.A. Dodgers at +250. The third choice in the World Series future book are the New York Yankees at +350.
Houston is favored for the same reason they offered lower odds, +180, to win the Fall Classic right at the trade deadline. The Stros managed to acquire ace Zack Greinke. Greinke is the third best starting pitcher in the rotation behind Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. Few teams can enter an MLB Postseason with three ace pitchers. Almost no team can back up those 3 ace pitchers with the second best bullpen in baseball based on ERA.
Houston is also the top hitting team in baseball, which means if any squad has their sights on upsetting the Stros, they had better be well-rounded. Are the Dodgers that team? Maybe. The problem with Hollywood is that their bullpen fell off towards the end of the season. That could kill L.A.’s chances of taking the title.
The Yankees’ rotation must step it up to have any shot while every other team has at least one flaw that Houston can expose. The one team with the best shot to score the upset might be the Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta has a decent rotation led by Mike Soroka, Dallas Kuechel, and Max Fried. They play in the weaker NL, which means if they can get past St. Louis in the first round they’d have a shot at the pennant. Brian Snitker could manage the Braves to an upset win over the Dodgers. The ATL would be favored over the wildcard team in the NLCS, either the Nationals or Brewers.
Boxing News: Spence Garners Split Decision Win over Shawn Porter
Boxing’s huge matchup between Errol Spence and Shawn Porter didn’t disappoint. Porter is a tough, strong, fighter. He out pointed Spence early on. The favored fighter knocked down his inspired opponent in the eleventh to secure the split-decision victory.
By unifying the welterweight division, Errol proved that, yes, he is one of the best boxers on the planet. Spence is now 26-0 with 21 knockouts. He wants to fight Terence Crawford or Manny Pacquiao. Both would give Spence a tough fight.
The last time the welterweight division was this loaded was back in the early 1980’s when Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, and Robert Duran all fought at 147 lbs. We can even include Porter in this group, which means this crew of welterweights include 4 fantastic fighters, not three like in the Ronald Reagan era.
If, or when, Keith Thurman returns to the ring, that would make it 5 awesome welterweights. Exciting? Absolutely, but only if all 5 provide fight fans with a round robin of action. For his part, Spence isn’t afraid of anyone. The champ is willing to battle any opponent most definitely helps to make great boxing matches.
Clemson Barely Escapes While Bama Solidifies It’s Beset in College Football Status
Dabo Sweeney’s top-ranked Clemson Tigers almost fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels over the weekend. The Tar Heels scored a final minute touchdown, and could have tied the game. But, Mack Brown, who won a championship as the head man at Texas, decided to go for 2 instead of kicking the extra point.
UNC failed and Clemson beat the Heels 21-20. No doubt, Clemson got away with one. It’s going to be hard for anybody who watched Clemson play to think they’re better than the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Tide dominated the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday. They didn’t cover, but that’s because, like he often does, Nick Saban pulled his starters once the Tide got up big. The problem any team in college football will have facing Alabama is that not only do they field the top quarterback in college football in Tua Tagovailoa, but they also field the best group of wide receivers.
Bama’s wide receiver unit goes 4 deep: Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith. All 4 could be taken in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Bama, like always, also fields a top defense.
Who will beat Alabama? Right now, it’s hard to say. Opponents must play the perfect game because Tua’s got 4 wideouts who can catch the football from him, juke, and sprint to the end zone.
NHL Stanley Cup Odds Remain Overlaid
No matter who you like to win the 2020 Stanley Cup, right now, today, is the moment to back your team. The favored Tampa Bay Lightning offer +675 odds. That makes them an overlay if you believe they repeat last season without the unexplainable loss in Round 1 of the playoffs to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Don’t like the Lightning? You can get the Bruins for +940. How about the Carolina Hurricanes, who battled the Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals, for +2000. What about backing the defending champion St. Louis Blues at +1400?
No matter who you like, the odds will be great. So, get on board right now before the odds change.
NFL News: Browns Offense Breaks Out, Bridgewater and Saints Do It Again
Let’s start with the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland entered their Week 4 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens a +7 road dog. Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb finally broke out with a huge offensive output, dominating the Ravens 40-24. What gives? Perhaps, everything just gelled for Cleveland. One thing to note is that Baker threw the pigskin 10 times to Jarvis Landry. Landry caught 8 of those passes for 167 yards. Landry might skip this week’s contest due to a concussion. If he’s back soon, though, that could be the blueprint. Throw more to Jarvis and use Odell as a decoy.
Also, Nick Chubb rumbled for 165 yards and 3 TDs off 20 carries. If Baker to Landry becomes the connection in Cleveland and Chubb continues to blast for huge days, the Browns might get back into the AFC North race. Heck, they could turn into a top AFC Championship contender.
The New Orleans Saints hosted the Dallas Cowboys as a +2.5 home dog. They left the game with a 12-10 victory. New Orleans is getting by with decent play from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and excellent play from their defense. The naysayers are claiming the Saints have a QB issue.
Uh, yeah, they do. How can you not when your hall of fame quarterback is out with an injury? However, New Orleans is 2-0 without Drew Brees. Their next four games are at home versus Tampa Bay, on the road against Jacksonville, on the road against Chicago, and at home versus Arizona. Are you telling me that Teddy “The Problem” Bridgewater can’t help New Orleans go 2-2 if not 3-1 during that stretch?
Brees should be back for the Nov. 10 battle against Atlanta. By then, the Saints might be 7-1. Not bad for a “problem” at quarterback.
Have a great week!
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