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Jim Feist's Bonus Play for Thursday, Sept. 24

(957) MILWAUKEE BREWERS VS (958) ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Take: UNDER THE TOTAL.

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Thursday, September 24, 2015 is in the MLB contest between the Brewers and the Cardinals in St. Louis. St. Louis is a big park, great for pitchers, and a pair of strong arms face off here. Taylor Jungmann (3.31 ERA) has won 9 games, but his offense is terrible, 18th in runs scored and 23rd in on base percentage. He faces a St. Louis team that is weak on offense, 25th in runs scored, 14-4 under the total at home against a team with a losing record. The Cards have great defense in the field and in the pen. Starter Michael Wacha (16-6, 3.08 ERA) is having a strong campaign and the under is 5-1 in his last six home starts. St. Louis is 34-14-4 under the total at home against a right-handed starter, and the under is 36-17-5 in the Cardinals last 58 home games. And when these teams clash the Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in St. Louis. Play Milwaukee/St. Louis Under the total.

Day made heavy TOUR 'chalk'

Tournament: TOUR Championship
Date: Sept. 24 - Sept. 27
Venue: East Lake Golf Club
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

The golfers head to East Lake Golf Club on Thursday, as they’ll all be looking to win the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. The TOUR Championship is the final event of the season and Jason Day will be looking to finish the year off as the No. 1 golfer. East Lake Golf Club features a course that runs 7,324 yards.

The course record was a 60 that Zach Johnson shot back in 2007. He did not win that tournament though, as Tiger Woods emerged as the winner that year. Woods, along with Phil Mickelson, has won two Tour Championships but did not qualify for this tournament. Woods did not even qualify for the playoffs at all this season. Last year, Billy Horschel won here with a score of 11-under.

Henrik Stenson won the year before with a score of 13-under and Brandt Snedeker was the winner in 2012 with a 10-under. Prior to those three tournaments, four straight Tour Championship winners shot in the single digits under par.

With all of that in mind, let’s now take a look at who could be coming away with a victory this weekend.

Golfers to Watch:

Jason Day (3/1) - In terms of making a suggestion on who to pick as the winner of this tournament, it’d be foolish not to mention Day. His odds really aren’t that great, but that’s because he’s just been so much better than everybody else the past few tournaments. Day was 18-under after two days at the BMW Championship last weekend and was really just playing against himself the final two rounds. Day has won four of the past eight tournaments he has played in and has finished in the top-12 in all of the others. He has an incredibly high floor and is worth putting a few units on before Thursday’s tournament begins.

Jordan Spieth (7/1) - Spieth is the only player on the tour who has had a stretch as dominant as Day’s most recent one. The 22-year-old won both The Masters and US Open before finishing tied for fourth at the Open Championship and in second at the PGA Championship. He seems to always come up big in the most important tournaments, but he did miss two straight cuts before tying for 13th at the BMW Championship last weekend. Regardless, Spieth shot an 11-under last weekend and showed flashes of regaining his form from the middle of the season. He has relatively good odds for a guy who is unbeatable when at the top of his game and is worth placing a unit or two on as he tries to reclaim his position as the best in the world.

Brandt Snedeker (70/1) - Snedeker has not been playing his best golf recently, finishing 43rd or worse in three of the past four tournaments and missing the cut in the other. He is, however, incredible on the greens and that makes him a threat whenever he is playing. Snedeker is seventh on the tour in total strokes gained putting with 41.9. He won this tournament back in 2012 and is familiar with the course. He’s a good play at 50/1 and should be able to perform at a high level here this weekend.

Jimmy Walker (140/1) - Walker looked like one of the best golfers in the world during the first half of this season, but he really struggled after finishing tied for second at the Byron Nelson on May 28. Walker did, however, shoot under par for the tournament at the BMW Championship. It was the first time he did that since July and he is trending in the right direction heading into this one. Walker is first on the tour in total putts gained at 46.0 and his ability to work the greens gives him a shot to win. He’s worth placing a unit on at 140/1 this weekend.

Odds to win TOUR Championship

Jason Day 3/1
Rory McIlroy 11/2
Jordan Spieth 7/1
Henrik Stenson 9/1
Rickie Fowler 9/1
Justin Rose 12/1
Dustin Johnson 15/1
Bubba Watson 18/1
Zach Johnson 21/1
Hideki Matsuyama 29/1
Matt Kuchar 35/1
Louis Oosthuizen 40/1
Patrick Reed 40/1
Jim Furyk 45/1
Charley Hoffman 55/1
Daniel Berger 55/1
Paul Casey 55/1
Brooks Koepka 60/1
J.B. Holmes 65/1
Bill Haas 70/1
Brandt Snedeker 70/1
Kevin Kisner 70/1
Robert Streb 70/1
Harris English 85/1
Danny Lee 100/1
Kevin Na 100/1
Scott Piercy 100/1
Jimmy Walker 140/1
Sangmoon Bae 140/1
Steven Bowditch 160/1

10 Players to Watch: Tour Championship
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Sports Xchange's 10 Players to Watch: Tour Championship

1. Jason Day, Australia -- After claiming his first major title at the PGA Championship and winning four of his past six tournaments to grab the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings, Day is the odds-on favorite to capture the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup. Included in his hot streak are six top-10 finishes in his past eight starts, with his only misses ties for 12th in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the Deutsche Bank Championship. The Aussie, who has won five times this season on the PGA Tour, has never finished out of the top 20 in the finale at East Lake, including a tie for fourth last year and a tie for sixth in 2011. Day can become the first player to win three times in the FedEx Cup playoffs in one season.

2. Henrik Stenson, Sweden -- The 2013 FedEx Cup champion can join Tiger Woods (2007, 2009) as the only players to win the title twice if he wins the Tour Championship for the second time. Two years ago, he led all the way after opening with a 6-under-par 64 at East Lake and wound up winning by three strokes over Steve Stricker and Jordan Spieth. Even though he has not won, Stenson has been very good in the playoffs, finishing second in both The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship before tying for 10th in the BMW Championship last week. The Swede, who is fourth in the point standings, has not won this year on the PGA Tour, but he has three runner-up finishes among his seven results in the top 10.

3. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- Despite losing his No. 1 ranking to Jason Day, McIlroy started playing the way he was before a left ankle injury in July when he tied for fourth in the BMW Championship last week. Even though he owns three wins this year, two on the PGA Tour, he is only ninth in the FedEx Cup standings and would need some help to take home the prize even if he wins the Tour Championship. McIlroy tied for second last year at East Lake, three shots behind FedEx Cup winner Billy Horschel, and he finished third in the points. Three years ago, he could have taken home the Cup with a victory in the finale, but he closed with a 74 to tie for 10th and finished second in the standings.

4. Jordan Spieth, United States -- Finally starting to play a little like the guy who won four times during the regular season, including the Masters and the U.S. Open, Spieth tied for 13th in the BMW Championship. However, he was right in the hunt with a 65-66 start before fading on the weekend with 72-70. Still, he remains second in the FedEx Cup point standings, meaning he is guaranteed to take home the Cup if he wins the Tour Championship this week. Spieth tied for second in his first appearance at East Lake two years ago as a rookie, finishing three strokes behind Henrik Stenson and winding up seventh in the point standings. Last year, he tied for 27th in the finale and was 15th in the points.

5. Bubba Watson, United States -- Holding down the final spot in the magic top five, Watson can claim the FedEx Cup with a victory this week in the Tour Championship. However, he has only one top-10 result in five appearances at East Lake, a tie for fifth in 2012, when he opened with 69-66 before falling back with 70-70 on the weekend. Last year, Watson was in line for another top-10 result, but he closed with a 73 and slid to solo 14th. He is enjoying a strong season, with victories in the WGC-HSBC Champions and the Travelers Championship among his career-high nine top-10 finishes. Watson has been solid in the FedEx Cup playoffs, too, finishing third in The Barclays and tying for 10th in the BMW Championship last week.

6. Rickie Fowler, United States -- A breakthrough season, with victories in the Players Championship and the Deutsche Bank Championship in round two of the playoffs, has Fowler third in the point standings with a chance to take home the FedEx Cup with a victory in the Tour Championship this week. He wound up solo eighth in his second appearance at East Lake last year. He had a chance to win before closing with a 71 that left him six strokes behind FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel and ninth in the point standings. Fowler, who tied for fourth in the BMW Championship last week, was in good shape four years ago at East Lake before closing with a 76 and sliding to a tie for 23rd.

7. Zach Johnson, United States -- Johnson is enjoying a strong second half of the season, including a win in the Open Championship at St. Andrews, but he still needs help to take home the FedEx Cup because he is seventh in the point standings. Only the top five are guaranteed the prize with a victory. Johnson finished outside the top 25 only four times in his past 17 tournaments, a stretch that includes a tie for fourth in The Barclays, a tie for 22nd in the Deutsche Bank Championship and a tie for 13th in the BMW Championship during the playoffs. He finished in the top 10 on three occasions in eight starts in the Tour Championship, including a tie for second in 2007, a tie for ninth in 2010 and a tie for seventh two years ago.

8. Justin Rose, England -- The Englishman could be something of a sleeper this week in the Tour Championship, as he comes in at 12th in the FedEx Cup point standings off a string of solid recent performances and a very strong history at East Lake. He finished no worse than a tie for fourth in his last three starts in the season finale and was tied for the lead heading to the final round in 2012 before Brandt Snedeker shot 68 to his 71 to claim both titles. Rose finished outside the top 16 only once in his past seven starts, and he wound up in the top 10 in seven tournaments this season, including a victory in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and a playoff loss to David Lingmerth in the Memorial.

9. Bill Haas, United States -- The 2011 FedEx Cup champion had a good week, being selected as a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup after finishing one spot out of the automatic berths, then tying for 19th with a closing 66 in the BMW Championship to qualify for the 30-man field in the Tour Championship at No. 26. Five years ago, he came from the furthest back in the point standings, No. 24, to win the FedEx Cup by beating Hunter Mahan in a playoff with the help of a shot out of the shallow water of a greenside lake. Haas captured the Humana Challenge early this season, one of his five top-10 finishes during the 2015-16 season, but once again he will need a load of help to join Tiger Woods as the only two-time winners of the FedEx Cup.

10. Brandt Snedeker, United States -- Another FedEx Cup champion in the field for the Tour Championship, Snedeker is simply glad to be back in the season finale after failing to qualify for the 30-man field last season. After winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am early this year, he battled a hip injury but still managed to finish solo eighth in the U.S. Open and tie for 12th in the PGA Championship. Three years ago at East Lake, he played the weekend in 66-68 to take home the double crown with a three-stroke victory over Justin Rose. Snedeker tied for 20th as the defending champion. His victory is the only time he finished in the top 10 in four appearances at East Lake.

Thursday's Top Action

CINCINNATI BEARCATS (2-1) at MEMPHIS TIGERS (3-0)

Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium - Memphis, TN
Kickoff: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Memphis -7

Memphis tries to begin the season 4-0 when it opens conference play Thursday at home versus Cincinnati.

The Bearcats fell to 0-3 ATS last week, but were able to escape at Miami Ohio with a 37-33 victory. The Tigers also struggled with a MAC opponent on the road last week, as they edged Bowling Green in a wild 44-41 affair.

Cincinnati is averaging 38.3 PPG this season despite turning the ball over 11 times already. Memphis has displayed an even more explosive offense with 54.0 PPG thanks to zero turnovers in two of the three contests.

These schools are playing for the third straight season as American Athletic Conference foes and the road team has won each of the first two meetings by double-digits. After the Bearcats cruised to a 34-21 away victory in 2013, the Tigers returned the favor last season with a 41-14 trouncing.

Part of that was due to Cincy QB Gunner Kiel leaving with a rib injury, and Kiel is listed as questionable for Thursday after suffering a head injury last week. The Bearcats have usually played well against good teams, going 35-16 ATS (69%) against schools winning by 10+ PPG since 1992.

But in this same timeframe, Memphis is a whopping 27-10 ATS (73%) versus great offenses averaging 425+ total YPG.

And while the Tigers have no significant injuries, Cincinnati saw two other players get hurt last week in RB Mike Boone (ankle) and DB Adrian Witty (leg), who are questionable for this matchup.

Cincinnati QB Gunner Kiel has had a pretty strong season with 805 yards on 63% completions, 8.05 YPA and 5 TD throws, but he has also tossed four interceptions. Backup QB Hayden Moore has a similar 8.04 YPA, but has completed only 54% of his throws for 225 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT.

Moore had four turnovers in the fourth quarter of last week's game (2 INT, 2 fumbles), but led his team on a game-winning drive capped by his own QB sneak with 1:13 left in regulation. Kiel had decent numbers versus Memphis last year, completing only11-of-27 passes, but totaled 216 yards (8.0 YPA), 1 TD and 1 INT.

Both Bearcats signal callers have done a great job spreading the wealth, as six players have more than 125 receiving yards, but none have more than senior WR Johnny Holton's 167 receiving yards (20.9 avg, 2 TD). Cincy has also done a great job of keeping its running backs fresh with three players having reached 220 rushing yards so far with junior RB Tion Green producing a team-high 252 yards (5.1 YPC, 3 TD).

Sophomore RB Mike Boone has been the standout with 9.6 YPC and 3 TD including a 74-yard run last week against Miami Ohio before he exited with an injured ankle.

The Bearcats defense allowed only 115 passing YPG in the first two contests, but the Redhawks threw for 228 against them last week and also ran for 220. These numbers may not improve, as Memphis had 610 total yards of offense in last year's win at Cincinnati, passing for 311 and rushing for 299.

Memphis QB Paxton Lynch has been on the mark so far this season, completing 77% of his throws for 818 yards (10.6 YPA), 6 TD and 0 INT. His numbers were even more impressive against the Bearcats last year when he connected on 18-of-25 passes for 311 yards (12.4 YPA), 2 TD and 0 INT.

Four Tigers have already topped the 100-yard mark, led by senior WR Mose Frazier, who has 17 grabs for 232 yards and 2 TD. The big-play receiver has been fellow senior WR Tevin Jones, who is averaging 23.8 yards per catch with a pair of touchdowns. Jones caught five passes for 70 yards and a score versus Cincinnati last year. Memphis has done a nice job running the football with 251 rushing YPG on 4.6 YPC, and four ball carriers have 135+ yards and 2+ TD already.

Sophomore RB Jarvis Cooper is the Tigers leader in rushing attempts (36) and rushing yards (174), while sophomore RB Doroland Dorceus has a team-high four touchdown runs.

Like Cincinnati, the Memphis defense also played well in the first two weeks (242 total YPG), but struggled to stop Bowling Green last Saturday in surrendering 579 total yards.

This included a hefty 443 yards through the air. The Tigers have failed to generate any turnovers in the past two contests, but will certainly have their chances on Thursday with the mistake-prone Cincy offense coming to town.

Cincinnati at Memphis
By Joe Nelson

The American Athletic Conference (AAC) lacks "Power 5" status but the conference has produced a couple of big wins this season with upsets over Penn State and Louisville.

The conference is in a division format this season and two of the three teams that tied at 7-1 on top of the conference last season will meet in this crossover game with Cincinnati and Memphis playing Thursday night to start the fourth week of the college season.

Matchup: Cincinnati Bearcats at Memphis Tigers
Venue: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Time/TV: Thursday, Sep. 24, 7:30 PM ET – ESPN
Line: Memphis -10½, Over/Under 64½
Last Meeting: 2014, Memphis (+3½) 41-14 at Cincinnati

After back-to-back 9-4 seasons under Tommy Tuberville the 2015 Bearcats looked capable of an even bigger breakthrough with most of the offense back in action. It has been a difficult start with Cincinnati’s comeback effort at home against Temple falling short in week 2 and the Bearcats nearly losing to Miami, OH last week across town.

The schedule is very difficult in the next few weeks with this big conference test and then non-conference games with Miami, FL and BYU in the following two games. The odds suggest Cincinnati will match the loss count of the past two seasons by the midpoint of the season before finishing with conference games that should propel the Bearcats at least back to bowl eligibility.

While Memphis will be playing its first conference game this week, Cincinnati cannot afford another defeat while staying in the AAC East division race having already lost to Temple in the division standings. Temple will also have to play Memphis but that game will be at home in November and the Owls look like they will be tough to catch in the division race.

Most of the teams in the West division have some question marks with significant roster turnover, three coaching changes, and a new entrant to the league in Navy. So far Memphis has looked like a team capable of playing for the division title even after losing 20 lettermen from last season’s 10-3 squad.

A quarterback injury will be the big story in the build-up to this game. Gunner Kiel threw for over 3,200 yards last season with 32 touchdowns and the junior that originally committed to Notre Dame was injured last week on a personal foul hit.

Backup Hayden Moore is a redshirt freshman and in his first action last week he had four turnovers in the fourth quarter but did wind up scoring the game winning touchdown for Cincinnati. With the short week and Kiel in possible concussion recovery it seems unlikely that he’ll be able to play this week and the line in this game has climbed.

Last season Cincinnati lost 41-14 at home against Memphis with the defense allowing 610 yards. It was 24-7 at the end of the first quarter and Kiel had an ugly game with just 11 completions. Memphis had a very good defense last season en route to a 10-3 season but the Tigers lost seven of the top eight leading tacklers from that team. Kansas and Bowling Green have both posted solid production numbers against Memphis the last two weeks but the Tigers have survived for a 3-0 start to the season with the offense looking like the strength of the team this season.

Kiel has received a lot more accolades but Memphis junior quarterback Paxton Lynch also threw for over 3,000 yards last season and he has completed nearly 77 percent of his passes this season with six touchdowns and no interceptions through three weeks.

Memphis has four running backs with over 130 yards already this season and the Tigers have 12 rushing touchdowns in three games as head coach Justin Fuente runs a very balanced offense in contrast to the pass-heavy attack for Cincinnati. If Kiel sits the make-up of the play-calling for the Bearcats is likely to be adjusted however and the total on this game seems to be dropping with that in mind.

Historical Trends: Cincinnati had covered in six straight meetings going back to 2000 before losing badly as a slight home favorite last season. In the last meeting at Memphis Cincinnati won 34-21 in 2013. Cincinnati is 1-4 ATS as a double-digit underdog in this series but most of those instances came decades ago. Since 2007 Cincinnati is 31-15 S/U on the road with a 25-20-1 ATS record but since 2010 Cincinnati is 1-9 S/U and 2-8 ATS as a road underdog. Cincinnati was has been a double-digit road underdog just twice since 2008 with both games last season, losing 50-28 (+17) at Ohio State and 55-34 (+15) at Miami, FL.

Memphis is on a 22-36-2 ATS run as a home favorite since 1993 but going back to 1984 Memphis is on a 21-11 ATS run as a home favorite of 10 or more points, covering in 10 of 12 instances since 2004. Memphis is just 14-23 S/U and 16-21 ATS at home since 2009.

Game of the Day: Cincinnati at Memphis

Cincinnati Bearcats at Memphis Tigers (-10, 66.5)

Two of the nation’s most prolific offenses meet in an American Athletic Conference showdown when Cincinnati visits Memphis on Thursday night. While Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch looks to lead the Tigers to their 11th consecutive victory, Cincinnati signal-caller Gunner Kiel suffered a shoulder injury last Saturday and is considered day-to-day.

“He’ll have a good chance to play,” Bearcats coach Tommy Tuberville told reporters Tuesday of Kiel, who has thrown for 805 yards and five touchdowns in three games. Freshman Hayden Moore is the backup for Cincinnati, which has six players with at least 128 receiving yards. The 6-7 Lynch has completed 76.6 percent of his passes with six touchdown strikes and no interceptions for Memphis, which has totaled 162 points in three wins as it prepares for its toughest test yet. “I think we have one of the best offenses in the country,” Tigers running back Sam Craft told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re just trying to prove it day in and day out.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Books opened Memphis as a 7-point fave but that has been moved to -9.5. The total opened at 67.5, but has come down to 66.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures expected to be in the mid-80s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow across the field at around four miles per hour.

INJURY REPORT: Cincinnati - RB Mike Boone (Probable, ankle), WR Shaq Washington (Probable, undisclosed), WR Mekale McKay (Probable, undisclosed), QB Gunner Kiel (Doubtful, head), OL Idarius Ray (Questionable, undisclosed), CB Leviticus Payne (Questionable, undisclosed). Memphis - OL Taylor Fallin (Questionable, undisclosed).

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Memphis won 41-14 in Cincinnati last season, and there’s a very good chance that the Tigers easily eclipse that point total in this game. Memphis’ offense has been unstoppable so far this season, and the Bearcats’ defense is reeling right now; they gave up 67 points combined to Miami (OH) and Temple in their last two games. Cincinnati also lost defensive captain Adrian Witty for the season to a broken ankle last week, and starting quarterback Gunner Kiel is listed as questionable with a head injury. If he can’t play, freshman Hayden Moore will start, and Cincinnati’s offense may be more conservative and try to control the clock by running the ball more often." Steve Merril.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS, 3-0 O/U): Kiel has completed 63 percent of his passes, but threw four interceptions in the Bearcats’ 34-26 loss to Temple on Sept. 12, and Moore had two picks in the 37-33 win over Miami (Ohio) last week. Cincinnati boasts three players with at least 220 rushing yards while Johnny Holton (eight catches, 167 yards) and Shaq Washington (17, 166) are the top receiving targets. The Bearcats, who are allowing a conference-best 152.3 yards per game through the air, lost senior cornerback Adrian Witty (ankle) indefinitely last week.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS, 3-0 O/U): The Tigers average 570.3 yards to rank eighth in the country – one spot behind Cincinnati (579.3) – and never have scored more points in a three-game stretch in team history after the 44-41 win over Bowling Green last Saturday. Jarvis Cooper (174 yards, three TDs) leads a deep running back corps that has accumulated 12 rushing scores. Mose Frazier is Lynch’s first option with 17 receptions and 232 yards to go along with two touchdowns while the Tigers have recorded eight sacks – led by lineman Donald Pennington’s 2.5.

TRENDS:

* Bearcats are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Bearcats last five games overall.
* Over is 6-0 in Tigers last six home games.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-seven percent are on the Bearcats.

Totals getting crushed in Memphis games thus far
Andrew Avery

If we've learned anything about the Memphis Tigers during the early stages of the 2015 college football season, it's that no total is safe.

Thanks to 162 points scored and an offense that is averaging 570.3 yards per game, the Over has gone 3-0 in three Tigers games this season easily surpassing the total by 15.5, 15.5 and 13.5 points in their first three games.

The Tigers will host the Cincinnati Bearcats in Thursday's college football game and books have dropped the total to 66.5 points after opening at 67.5.

NCAAF Tech Trends - Week 4
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday, Sept. 24

Matchup Skinny Tech Edge

CINCINNATI at MEMPHIS
Tigers 10-4-2 vs. line since LY including 41-14 win at Cincy. Tuberville only 3-4 as dog with Bearcats since 2013.

Memphis, based on recent trends.

NCAAF

Thursday's game

Memphis won its last ten games since midseason loss to Houston last October; Tigers are 5-6 as home favorites under Fuente. Cincinnati won five of last seven games with Memphis, with underdogs covering three of last four; Bearcats won three of last four visits to Liberty Bowl (4-0 vs spread), but Memphis is rising power, Cincy gave up 435 rushing yards, 67 points in its two games vs I-A teams; they're 4-7 as road underdogs since 2010, 2-2 in 2+ years under Tuberville.

NFL Week 3 Essentials
By Tony Mejia

Underdogs barked loudly in the second week of the NFL season, winning outright in nine of the first 15 games entering the Monday nighter between the Jets and Colts. Johnny Manziel was a winner. The Bucs, who were 2-14 last season, handed New Orleans its sixth consecutive Superdome loss as Jameis Winston won for the first time. To say it was a puzzling week would be an understatement. Let’s look ahead to Week 3:

Thursday, Sept. 24

Washington at N.Y. Giants: New York became the first team in NFL history to start 0-2 despite holding double-digit leads in the fourth quarter. The common denominator in both setbacks is Eli Manning making brutal decisions in the red zone, a development that no one could see coming considering one of his primary attributes is his decision-making and veteran influence. With a division rival coming into town, the opportunity is there to respond quickly and get back on track, but the Giants will have to contend with emerging rookie running back Matt Jones, a third-round pick out of Florida who appears to have displaced Alfred Morris as the starter. This will be the first run-first team New York has played.

Redskins head to New York

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (1-1) at NEW YORK GIANTS (0-2)

Line: New York -4, Total: 44

NFC East rivals take center stage on Thursday Night Football when the winless Giants host the 1-1 Redskins.

Kirk Cousins and RB Matt Jones led Washington to a surprising win over St. Louis in Week 2 while QB Eli Manning and the Giants were busy making history by becoming the first NFL team to start 0-2 after holding double-digit leads in each fourth quarter. But New York has a favorable matchup on Thursday having won four straight and five of the last six SU against the Redskins.

Since the beginning of 2008, the Giants have held their division foe to just 13.9 PPG over 14 meetings including four games in single digits, going 11-3 SU in those contests. In his 21 career games against Washington, Manning is 13-8 ATS and has covered the spread in each of the past four matchups. More good news for the Giants, is that in the past five seasons, teams coming off wins as a home dog win like the Redskins this week, are 43-82 ATS (34%) in the following contest. However, it's not all bleak for Washington, considering road underdogs (or pick) after allowing 5.5 or less YPA in two straight games against an opponent after allowing 7+ YPA in two straight games are a hefty 42-16 ATS (72%).

Injuries abound in this contest with New York missing DE Jason Pierre-Paul (hand) with several others listed as questionable for Thursday including starting LB Jon Beason (knee) and Pro Bowl CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (concussion). The Redskins have several players listed as questionable as well, including LB Perry Riley (calf), CB Justin Rogers (foot) and CB Chris Culliver who’s returning from suspension.

After a pair of home games to start the season, the Redskins hit the road for three of the next four, beginning with this all-important divisional matchup. They need to continue to value the football and feed their tandem of running backs to take pressure off QB Kirk Cousins. He hasn’t been spectacular thus far, but only Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers are ahead of Cousins in completion percentage league-wide.

Washington’s offense isn’t flashy, currently ranked 28th in scoring and 27th in passing, but this team can flat-out run the rock. Head coach Jay Gruden’s offense leads the NFL in rushing at 171.5 YPG, going for 161 and 182 in their first two games against what many thought would be two stout defenses (Miami and St. Louis). They’re the only team with a 100-yard rusher in both games this year, have the league's No. 3 scoring defense, No. 1 total defense, and sit second in time of possession thanks to the ground game. These are all great things for the quarterback on a team missing major weapons like WR DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and TE Niles Paul (leg).

RBs Alfred Morris and Matt Jones have been the backbone of the only offense, while WR Pierre Garcon will continue to see an increased workload with Jackson sidelined. Look for Garcon and TE Jordan Reed to have big games for Washington if they have success through the air against a suspect Giants pass defense.

The defensive unit is greater as a sum than its individual components might suggest. Washington starts only a pair of former first round picks for new defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who looks to take advantage of a reeling Giants’ squad.

New York’s start is a bit of a head scratcher, as the club has turned the ball over only once while forcing three miscues. The team ranks 3rd in fewest penalty yards per game, 4th in third-down pct., and boast the league’s 3rd-ranked rushing defense as well. The biggest problem for veteran defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit is the complete lack of a pass rush. Not too long ago, the Giants had such a dominant defensive front they had a fancy nickname and a Super Bowl ring to go with it. In that 2011 season, they were tied for 3rd in the league with 48 sacks, the next two seasons saw them plummet into the bottom-10 in the NFL. With only two sacks thus far in 2015, the team is tied for 24th in the league, and the trickle-down effect is staggering. The Giants are dead last against the pass and sit 31st in both total defense and first downs allowed.

Over the past three seasons, New York is 0-6 ATS the week after allowing 300+ passing yards, something it has done in both games of 2015. The lack of takeaways is also an issue. Since 2010, the Giants defense has been top-10 in takeaways every season, this year they sit in the middle of the pack at 15th. Forcing turnovers can mask your other defensive deficiencies and this team better get back to that style of football before it’s too late.

The offense is also affected by the lack of a pass rush, as the Giants are 29th in time of possession and tied for 24th in first downs (18.5 per game). Look for New York to try and get its own running game rolling again, as Washington is 1-5 ATS in the past three seasons when allowing 75-to-100 rushing yards. RB Rashad Jennings hasn’t looked like himself in the first two weeks, but talented backup RBs Shane Vereen and Andre Williams are more than capable of a quality effort.

TNF - 'Skins at Giants
By Tony Mejia

Eli Manning signed a four-year, $84 million extension earlier this month, guaranteeing him at least an additional $65 million going forward, including a $31 million signing bonus. Never mind the fact it actually reduced his 2015 salary, those numbers are being spewed out throughout New York City like a violent stream of your favorite curse words.

If Giants fans are the ones regurgitating the details, odds are great his new contract figures are quickly followed by a heavy volume of actual curses.

Outside of the pay day, it has been a pretty horrific month for Manning. The Giants quarterback has single-handedly blown a pair of winnable games at Dallas and against Atlanta after playing reasonably well to put his team in position to win in the first place. Red-zone miscues have doomed New York, now the first team in NFL history to start a season 0-2 despite holding double-digit fourth-quarter leads in both contests.

In the opener, he foolishly told RB Rashad Jennings not to score late and then exercised no common sense in throwing a pass out the back of the end zone on a third down instead of taking a sack or dumping the ball off to keep the clock running. Against Atlanta, he was oblivious to pressure when clearly holding the ball too long inside the 10, ultimately getting the ball knocked out of his hands for a crippling, game-changing fumble.

Despite their great collapses, Manning’s Giants have held fourth-quarter leads over teams that enter Week 3 a combined 4-0. Therefore, it’s understandable that oddsmakers expect New York to avoid a third straight loss, installing it as a four-point home favorite. The total is widely available at 44.

Washington enters Met Life Stadium fresh off its first victory, a 24-10 upset of St. Louis at Fed Ex Field highlighted by 182 rushing yards. The ‘Skins beat the Rams at their own game, employing a more physical brand of football that marked the emergence of rookie RB Matt Jones, whose 19 carries yielded 123 yards and two touchdowns. Kirk Cousins threw for another score and didn’t turn the ball over. Robert Griffin III was again inactive.

Cousins improved to just 3-8 as an NFL starter, but has lost in each of the last two seasons against the Giants, compiling ghastly stats as his Washington teams have been outscored 65-20. Cousins is a woeful 38-for-82 (46.3 pct) with one touchdown and six interceptions in the losses. He’s 0-1 in Thursday night games, losing to the Giants on Sept. 25 of last season in a game where he was picked four times. He’s 1-5 on the road, falling in each of his last five starts.

There’s seemingly nowhere to go but up for Cousins, who is armed with significantly more security now that head coach Jay Gruden has officially chosen him over RG III. His performance against St. Louis marked only the second time in his 11 starts where he wasn’t picked off. His QB rating of 110.3 was his highest-ever in a start, as was his completion percentage (23-for-27, 85.2).

New York’s defense has had to deal with Tony Romo and Matt Ryan, so even an improved Cousins’ presence will undoubtedly be a welcome sight, particularly given how banged-up the unit is. Although MLB Jon Beason will make his first appearance of the season after knee trouble, top corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been ruled out due to a concussion. DE Robert Ayers is questionable, while Jason Pierre-Paul remains away from the team following his July 4 fireworks accident.

Washington’s offense will be without top WR DeSean Jackson for the second straight week after straining a hamstring in the season opener. Backup offensive linemen Spencer Long, Arie Kouandjio and Tom Compton are also inactive, leaving the offensive line thin on depth. Expect a heavy dose of Jones and Alfred Morris who appear to be splitting carries as Gruden aims to ride the hot hand in the hopes of keeping both fresh. With Jackson out, Pierre Garcon will again be Cousins' top receiver. He and tight end Jordan Reed tied for the team lead with six receptions against St. Louis.

The Giants also have a major issue up front due to the likely absence of rookie left tackle Ereck Flowers, the No. 9 pick in this past draft, who is considered doubtful due to an ankle injury he originally suffered against Dallas in Week 1 and re-injured last week. Justin Pugh, who struggled at right tackle before moving inside, would start if Flowers can’t play.

Beyond the uncertainty up front with his offensive line, Manning also won’t have Victor Cruz back, as the veteran big-play wideout remains sidelined with a calf injury. The Giants also released Preston Parker after a few costly drops against Atlanta, leaving the team literally short-handed. Dwayne Harris and rookie Geremy Davis play will fill in the slow while Reuben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. start on the outside.

With Manning’s options limited, the responsibilities of Beckham Jr. and tight end Larry Donnell increase as top targets against a Washington pass defense that comes in No. 2 in the NFL through two games. Each had a three-touchdown game in last year’s sweep of the ‘Skins as the Giants enjoyed wins of 45-14 and 24-13. Beckham Jr.’s big rookie moment came on an unforgettable catch against Dallas, but arguably his biggest game came the only time he took the field opposite this secondary, as he was targeted 15 times, catching 12 balls for 143 yards and the three scores.

Washington has a new defensive coordinator in Joe Berry, so it will be interesting to see how he attacks the most explosive receiver his team has seen all season. Without Cruz active and the receiving corps short-handed, Berry could gamble with double-teams and challenge Manning to beat him via other options.

Manning is 15-6 against the ‘Skins in his career, which includes victories in the last four meetings. He hasn’t lost to Washington at home since 2011, winning six of the last seven in East Rutherford. He hasn’t been great on Thursday nights, winning three of five but tossing just six touchdowns against six picks.

Interceptions haven’t been an issue for Manning this season, which is ironic since every other type of miscue has been. The patrons aren’t likely to be patient if his first INT is part of these festivities, since there’s a chance he may hear boos from the opening possession. At 0-2, the Giants can’t afford mistakes of any kind as they look to avoid their second 0-3 start in three seasons. New York lost consecutive games to open 2014 before rattling off three straight wins. Starting a similar run will be the goal on Thursday night.

Thursday Night Football betting preview: Redskins at Giants

Washington Redskins at New York Giants (-3.5, 44)

The New York Giants are trying to avoid an 0-3 start - and second loss to an NFC East rival - when they host the Washington Redskins on Thursday night. The Giants have blown double-digit leads in the fourth quarter of each of their first two games but they have recent history on their side against the Redskins, winning the past four matchups.

Washington rebounded from a season-opening defeat to Miami with a 24-10 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday behind a running attack that produced 182 yards. "I think that they have gone ahead and decided to do exactly what they like to do there - run the football,” New York coach Tom Coughlin said of the Redskins. It will be a matchup of strength versus strength - the Redskins are averaging a league-high 171.5 yards rushing while the Giants ranked third against the run with 68.0 yards surrendered. The teams met on a Thursday night almost exactly a year ago in Washington and the Giants breezed to a 45-14 victory.

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Giants as 4-point home favorites but that has been moved to -3.5. The total has held at 44.

WEATHER: Temperatures expected to be in the low-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow across the field around four miles per hour.

INJURY REPORT: Redskins - T Tom Compton (Questionable, calf), CB Justin Rogers (Questionable, foot), LB Perry Riley (Questionable, calf), WR DeSean Jackson (Mid October, hamstring). Giants - DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (Questionable, foot), TE Daniel Fells (Questionable, foot), DT Markus Kuhn (Questionable, knee), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Questionable, head), T Ereck Flowers (Questionable, ankle), LB Jon Beason (Questionable, knee), WR Victor Cruz (Out indefinitely, calf), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Out indefinitely, finger).

POWER RANKINGS: Redskins (+3.5) - Giants (+2.5) + home field (-3.0) = Giants -4

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "The Redskins the early results from the Redskins defensive makeover have been impressive, with former Chargers LB coach Joe Barry paying immediate dividends as defensive coordinator. The New York media are primed to eat this team alive after the G-men blew double digit leads in the fourth quarter of each of their two losses to open the season." Teddy Covers.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, 0-2 O/U): After Alfred Morris rushed for 121 yards in the opener, rookie Matt Jones erupted for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week to make life easy for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who finished 23-of-27 for 203 yards and a score. Cousins, who will be without top wideout DeSean Jackson (hamstring), had a nightmarish performance against the Giants last September, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble. Tight end Jordan Reed has 13 receptions and a score through two games while Washington's defense ranks No. 1 overall, allowing an average of 234.5 yards per game, and fourth against the run (70.5 yards).

ABOUT THE GIANTS (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Coughlin on Monday admitted to being "frustrated" with the erratic play of quarterback Eli Manning, who has performed poorly and made some head-scratching decisions in the fourth quarter of both losses. Manning finally did connect with wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who had seven catches for 146 yards and a TD last week, but New York's running game has been inconsistent and could be without starting left tackle Ereck Flowers, who hurt his ankle Sunday. Conversely, the Giants could receive a big boost on defense as starting middle linebacker Jon Beason (knee) is expected to make his season debut.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Redskins are 0-4 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Redskins are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a ATS win.
* Over is 4-1 in Giants last five vs. NFC East.

CONSENSUS: Sixty-two percent are backing the Giants.