Monday Night Football’s two-for-one tonight evokes some strong “be careful what you wish for” vibes…
while MLB serves up an intriguing last day of regular season action.
The Good and Bad of MNF
What Happened: Well that didn’t take long.
Having to forecast what NFL games deserve national attention months before they are played seems like a tough job. Unfortunately, ESPN only went 1-for-2 on tonight’s slate.
The 0-3 Titans are one of two NFL teams without a win, and truthfully, we don’t think there was much optimism about them even before the poor start. Tonight, they play the Dolphins, a team that is electrifying to watch with Tua Tagovailoa under center. But with the QB down because of another concussion, Miami is a team that can maybe tread water, but probably not much more.
Why It Matters: Luckily, the later game of tonight’s slate holds plenty of promise. Everyone’s favorite group of kneecap-biters, the Detroit Lions, are 2-1 thanks in part to an improved defense. However, a team that many penciled back into the NFC title game are now in danger of slipping two games behind the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) in the standings. Detroit’s odds to win the NFC North are +175 at FanDuel, trailing Minnesota’s +110. Falling to .500 would evoke an outsized level of concern this early.
Seattle hopes to maintain its unblemished 3-0 record in an NFC West that isn’t looking like pundits expected so far. The 49ers are 2-2 with injury woes that only seem to be worsening, the Rams have the third-worst point differential in the league, and the Cardinals have dropped two straight.
Oddsmakers still like, no love, the Niners though. San Francisco is still -110 to win its division, with Seattle trailing at +165. But moving to 4-0 under new head coach Mike Macdonald would put the league on alert, so if you believe in Geno Smith and this defense, you’ll wanna move before those odds potentially shorten.
What We’re Watching Today
Mets at Atlanta (1:10, 4:40 PM ET) – What a wonderfully wacky scenario we have here. New York and Atlanta will play a doubleheader today with the fate of the NL Wild Card race on the line; if the teams split, they both get into the playoffs. If one team sweeps, then that team is in, the swept is out, and the Arizona Diamondbacks sneak in. These NL East rivals have no desire to help one another, but count on the team that wins game no. 1 to start looking towards its playoff matchup, and bet accordingly.
Seahawks at Lions (8:15 PM ET) – You can start with the Titans-Dolphins at 7:30, but make sure to switch over to this one. It’s tonight’s premium matchup, the substantial entree to the AFC matchup’s sad but necessary salad vibes.
The Look Ahead
Tony Pollard ANYTIME TOUCHDOWN – It’s not easy to trust a Titans offense that ranks bottom-10 in DVOA. But considering the weekly boneheaded play Will Levis makes, perhaps it’s time to lean on the run a little more Brian Callahan? Also, with Tyler Huntley taking snaps for the Dolphins, we don’t expect this one to turn into a track meet. Tennessee should lean on the run if for no other reason than to minimize the damage Levis can do, so expect a strong dose of Pollard throughout.
