Saturday, August 28

7 Free Picks, all backed by In-Depth Analysis, plus more Rated Selections from the nation’s premier sports analysts, are available daily at PickNation.com

NY GIANTS at BALTIMORE

Scott Delaney, Featured Handicapper

First Eli Manning got blasted in the forehead during the annual Giants-Jets game, which this season took place in Week 1 of the exhibition campaign, rather than this week; then he sat out so the stitches could heal better, and the wound wouldn’t get irritated with a helmet on.

Now he’s taking the field in what is supposed to be dress rehearsal, but against one of the most aggressive defenses in the league.

And quite frankly, I don’t believe the Giants have had enough continuity this preseason, and will be ready this week with their starting rotation, which normally is supposed to play about three quarters.

I know Manning is a Super Bowl MVP and veteran in this league, but he still needs his reps, and he simply hasn’t gotten them so far. Not like he should have.

And then you have backup Jim Sorgi, who is sidelined due to a shoulder injury, and he’s still listed as out. That means third- stringer Rhett Bomar will
take the bulk of the second- half snaps.

Additional injuries leave me convinced this team isn’t ready to tangle with a Ravens defense that has allowed a mere 7.5 points per game in the preseason.

Love the Ravens here.

2* BALTIMORE RAVENS (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

SEATTLE at MINNESOTA

By Karl Garrett, Featured Handicapper

G-Man with a Friday comp play winner on the Phillies +125.

For Saturday night in the NFL look for the Seattle Seahawks to stay inside of the generous impost at Minnesota.

The Vikings have a boatload of issues they are working through right now, as Brett Favre has played just one series thus far this preseason, and his favorite targets of Rice and Harvin are both sidelined.

This is Minnesota’s home opener this preseason, and you have a case of an “inlfated” line being thrown out there by the linemakers.

Seattle has gotten some positive reps in this preseason for both Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst, and they do own a phenomenal 20-7 spread mark on week three of the preseason their last 27.

A closer look shows the Seahawks at 6-1 the last 7 years when playing game three in the month of August.

Minnesota did clobber Seattle during the regular season last year at the Metrodome, so look for Seattle to save a little face in this preseason affair.

G-Man grabbing the points as Seattle keeps it close.

1* SEATTLE (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

JACKSONVILLE at TAMPA BAY

By Bobby Maxwell, Featured Handicapper

I just delivered a FREE winner on the gridiron on Friday night when the Saints scored a win and cover over the Chargers in New Orleans. Tonight, I’ll hand you another NFL comp winner as I go with the Jaguars on the road in Tampa Bay.

Admittedly, Jacksonville has not looked good this preseason, playing poorly on both sides of the ball. But don’t you know coach Jack Del Rio has been all over these guys for their effort the last week and they will come out tonight against the Bucs and make some things happen?

QB David Garrard has been criticized heavily this exhibition season as backup Luke McCown has looked just as good as the starter, if not better. And the running game has been non-existent so far, managing just 68 total yards in two games, against the Eagles and Dolphins. Some injuries on the O-line are partly to blame for the low number, but that should improve tonight with the return of tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton.

And expect Del Rio to put an emphasis on the running game against Tampa Bay tonight as he is a “run first” kind of coach. RB Maurice Jones-Drew is healthy for this one and should get between 5 and 8 carries and backup Rashad Jennings will get a nice long look in this one.

The Jags have made some moves to try and strengthen their defense with Rod Wilson coming in with his 36 NFL games under his belt with the Bears and Bucs.

Tampa has backup QB Josh Johnson playing tonight’s contest with starter Josh Freeman sidelined with his broken thumb. Johnson went 0-4 in his opportunities as a starter last season and completed just 54 percent of his throws. He did complete 6-of-10 passes for 113 yards and a TD against the Chiefs last week but his inconsistency will show up against the hungry Jags defense.

I’ve been a fan of Del Rio’s since he took over the Jacksonville team and think he will get that team straightened out and headed in the right direction this season. They are farther along than the Bucs and they’ll win tonight’s Florida battle by two TDs. Play the Jags.

2* JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

MINNESOTA at TEXAS

By Chuck O’Brien Featured Handicapper

Saturday’s complimentary selection comes in NFL preseason action, as I’ll take the Bengals on the road at Buffalo.

The Bills’ 34-21 rout of Indianapolis last week looks far less impressive now after that 59-24 beatdown the Packers put on the Colts the other night, doesn’t it? Perhaps the Bills team we saw in Week 1 (a 42-17 loss at Washington) is a lot closer to the one we’ll see tonight. And unlike last week, when the Bills faced Peyton Manning and the Colts’ starters for a little more than a quarter, tonight they’ll go up against Carson Palmer and Cincy’s starting offense – not to mention a very underrated defense – for the entire first half, if not longer.

The Bengals have looked great since losing the completely meaningless Hall of Fame game to the Cowboys, as they’ve taken down the Broncos (33-24) and Eagles (22-9) in comfortable fashion. Cincinnati outgained both opponents by a combined 197 yards, with the defense forcing seven turnovers. (Now that defense goes up against the Bills’ pathetic QB trifecta of Trent Edwards, Brian Brohm and Ryan Fitzpatrick.)

Although Cincy’s two wins this summer both came at home, it has been a solid preseason road entrant in recent years, going 6-4 SU and 7-3 ATS since 2005. Meanwhile, Buffalo – which played in Toronto last week – has lost seven of its last nine preseason games in Orchard Park (both SU and ATS).

4* CINCINNATI BENGALS (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

NY YANKEES at CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Stephen Nover, Featured Handicapper

I am now on a 61-40-2 run with my baseball free picks, after my hot streak continued last night with the underdog Orioles beating the Angels. Tonight I’m going to lay the favored Yankees on the road against the Chicago White Sox.

Only four times all season have the Yankees lost three games in a row. Don’t look for it to happen a fifth time. The proud Yankees will be in a bounce back mode after being embarrassed by the White Sox last night.

The price is fair enough to back CC Sabathia, the American League leader in wins and winning percentage. Sabathia hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in a game since May 29. He is 15-4 lifetime against the White Sox.

White Sox starter John Danks has been good, but he’s not in Sabathia’s elite level. Danks has allowed at least five earned runs during three of his past 10 starts. He has just one win this month. Danks has a 5.48 career ERA versus New York.

The White Sox bullpen is extremely vulnerable. Bobby Jenks has worked once in the last seven days and Matt Thornton, who leads AL relievers in strikeouts, and J.J. Putz both are on the DL.

There’s a huge class difference between these two teams. The Yankees’ powerful AL East Division is 44 games above .500 versus non-division foes. The White Sox’s AL Central Division is 14 games under .500 against non-division opponents. The Yankees are 45-18 in their last 63 games versus AL Central foes.

Since July 4, the White Sox have played only 11 games against teams with a winning record going 4-7. Class will prevail here. That means Sabathia and the Yankees.

2* NY YANKEES (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

NY GIANTS at BALTIMORE

Scott Delaney, Featured Handicapper

The Cardinals couldn’t have picked a better weekend to visit our nation’s capital as the they desperately need to get out of this funk they’ve been in to maintain their pace in the National League Central.

And I’m of the belief that yesterday’s devastating news about Stephen Strasburg was enough of a blow to the Nationals; the entire franchise was deflated with word that their ace is going to be on the shelf for quite possibly the next year and a half.

St. Louis had lost 3 in a row and 8 of 11 prior to prevailing 4-2 on Friday night. The Cards have won 14 of the last 17 in the series while the Nats have dropped 14 of their last 18 overall, including five of six.

I want you to list both Kyle Lohse and Livan Hernandez in this one, as I feel I’m getting an incredible price at +100 with Lohse.

I know he has a 7.85 road ERA, but he’s won his last three starts against the Nationals, including a win back in May. He’s given up just two earned runs in those games, for an ERA of 1.00.

As for Hernandez, he comes in after laboring through 4 1/3 frames in a loss against the Cubs, allowing seven runs on 10 hits. And get this: the right-hander needed 121 pitches just to get that far! He’s 0-2 in his last three starts, having given up 12 earned runs along the way.

I suspect Hernandez could be in trouble against Albert Pujols, who has raked the past two nights. He belted his 400th home run on Thursday, and then blasted No. 401 last night, his 35th of the season and fifth in seven career games at National Park.

Take the Cardinals tonight; they’re a steal.

3* ST. LOUIS (on a 1* to 5* Scale)

Al DeMarco, General Manager of PickNation.com, is a 25-year veteran of the handicapping industry who is a frequent guest on sportstalk radio stations across the country. He’s also a regular contributor on Fox Sports and MSNBC. Watch his Free Pick Daily Video report – available weekdays by 2:00 P.M. Eastern and weekends by 10 A.M. Eastern – at PickNation.com