Xam’s Gem(s):
Blue Jays Money Line -156
Good teams rarely lose 4 straight times to the same team at home. The Blue Jays turn to Kevin Gausman, who’s given up 3 earned runs or less in 5 of his last 6 starts. Meanwhile, Nathan Eovaldi has only gone 3.2 innings in 2 starts since his return from the injured list. The Rangers figure to be careful with him as they get ready for the postseason, especially with the recent injury to Max Scherzer. The Blue Jays need tonight’s game more than the Rangers do, and they have the better starting pitcher in this game.
Vikings/Eagles Over 48.5 Points -115
Both the Vikings and Eagles have elite offensive units, and the Eagles have several injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Kirk Cousins had a almost 350 passing yards last week, and should be able to dial up things to his weapons tonight as well. The Eagles struggled a little bit last week, but they’re at home and we all remember how bad Minnesota’s defense was last year. Giving up 20 points to Baker Mayfield at home doesn’t inspire confidence, either.
Twins/White Sox Over 9 Runs -118
Both Kenta Maeda and Jose Urena have struggled this year. Maeda comes into tonight with a 4.65 ERA and Urena has a whopping 8.46 ERA. Urena has given up 4 runs or more in 4 of his last 6 starts. In his last 5 starts, Maeda has given up 17 runs in just 23.1 innings. Both lineups should be able to score some runs tonight.
Xam’s Prop(s):
Jalen Hurts Anytime Touchdown Scorer -110
Hurts ran for an incredible 13 touchdowns in 2022, and ran for another 5 in their 3 playoff games last year. The leading rusher for the Eagles from last week, Kenneth Gainwell, is out tonight, which should give Hurts more chances near the redzone. Hurts will do whatever it takes tonight, and that includes putting his body on the line.
Kirk Cousins Over 262.5 Passing Yards -110
We all know Cousins has struggled mightily throughout his career in primetime games. When the Vikings traveled to Philly in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football last year, he was awful. However, in a game where nothing went right for them, he still threw for 221 yards. An extra 42 yards isn’t much to ask for. The Eagles have some key defensive players missing as well. Passing lanes should be open for Minnesota to exploit, and Mac Jones repeatedly gashed the Eagles last week with significantly less talent to throw to.
Alexander Mattison Over 68.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards -114
Mattison showed off his versatility in Week 1. He ran 11 times for 34 yards and caught 3 passes. Sure, the receptions only went for a combined 10 yards, but 3 catches shows he can catch the ball and shows the trust Kirk has in him in the passing game. The Vikings are missing their center for tonight’s game, and the unit struggled last week against a weaker defensive line in Tampa Bay. Short passes and potentially screen passes to Mattison can be used to offset this mismatch. In addition, the best way to keep the Eagles offense in check is to keep Hurts on the sidelines. Running the ball effectively will be key if the Vikings want an upset win tonight.
D’Andre Swift Over 53.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards -114
Swift was virtually nonexistent in his 1st game as an Eagle. It was so apparent that head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about it and commented on it during the week. So, there will be motivation to get Swift involved early and often. The leading rusher from last week, Gainwell, is out for this game as well. Swift has the ability to catch passes, so there’s plenty of room for Swift to operate in what should be a high scoring game.