NFL

Antonio Brown Recruiting Cam Newton for Arena League Game

Published

4 months ago

May 29, 2023

darragh

Antonio Brown drew headlines recently (how surprising) when he revealed that he’s planning his return to professional football.

Of course, most (if not all) pro teams would be hesitant to bring Brown into their locker rooms. After all, he didn’t exactly leave the NFL on the best terms.

There’s one team where Brown assuredly does have a ready-made roster spot waiting for him: his own. Brown owns the National Arena League’s Albany Empire and is reportedly planning on suiting up for their next home game.

Antonio Brown Playing in the Arena Football League

Brown had eyes on playing this past Saturday, May 27, but ultimately said he couldn’t because his physical paperwork did not come through on time. But he assured NewsChannel 13’s Roger Wyland that he’d be suited up for the Empire sooner than later.

“Stay tuned, AB’s coming. There’s proper procedures you’ve got to do to play football,” Brown told NewsChannel 13. “You’ve got to pass the coach, the commissioner. You’ve got to be in physical condition. You can’t just pop up, so I’ve got to get my feet wet. We’ve got to get the proper equipment. We’ve got to do the right thing.”

“But I am going to be playing. You didn’t lie. Everything is going to fall in place,” he added.

MORE: Should Antonio Brown Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

4,500 fans showed up to Saturday’s Empire game in hopes of seeing Brown retake the field. That’s nearly double their typical average attendance of 2,500. Say what you will, but Antonio Brown is showing some business savvy by letting the anticipation build.

If he happens to pull off the next special guest he’s clamoring for, the Empire might triple or even quadruple their attendance.

AB Recruiting Former NFL MVP, Cam Newton

Brown took to Twitter recently to lobby for long-time Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to join him for a game with the Empire. He offered Newton $150,000 for a one-off appearance.

That’s not a bad game check. Especially considering the average NAL player makes around $200 per game.

Of course, Newton isn’t the average arena league player. The 2015 NFL MVP accounted for 269 touchdowns in his career (194 passing, 75 rushing) and is second to only Michael Vick for all-time rushing yards gained by a quarterback.

Newton and Brown made a combined 10 Pro Bowls in their careers. Both are just 34 years old and only a single year removed from football at its highest level. Arena games are like track meets, to begin with, and Brown and Newton going even half-speed would still probably threaten 100 points on the scoreboard in that setting.

But that, of course, is dependent on whether or not Newton accepts the invitation. The money is enticing, but Newton banked well over $100 million in his career, according to Spotrac. We also know that Newton’s interested in playing again, per CBS Sports. He could view playing in this game as a needless injury risk.

Or he could view it as a chance to put himself on tape, have a little fun, and make a little cash (relatively speaking). The football-loving people of Albany are certainly hoping he leans that way.

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NFL

What Time Is the NFL Game Tonight? Eagles vs. Buccaneers Channel, Live Stream Options for Monday Night Football in Week 3

Published

20 mins ago

September 25, 2023

darragh

Who’s ready for the second Monday Night Football doubleheader of the 2023 NFL season courtesy of ESPN? The Philadelphia Eagles head south to Raymond James Stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first Monday night matchup.

As many predicted, the Eagles have gotten off to a 2-0 start. However, the Buccaneers have surprised many as they also enter Monday Night Football undefeated. Who will keep their streak alive tonight? Here’s the Monday Night Football start time, TV channel, and live stream options.

What Time Does the First Monday Night Football Game Start?

Is there another Monday Night Football doubleheader this week? For the second week in a row, ESPN airs two NFL games on Monday night, with the first kicking off at 7:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will head to Tampa Bay to handle commentating duties for tonight’s first NFL game. Here’s how to watch the Eagles and Buccaneers matchup.

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Start time
7:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ABC, ESPN+
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

While Philadelphia enters Week 3 with an unblemished record, the wins haven’t come as easy as they did in 2022. RB D’Andre Swift exploded for 175 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries after a disappointing season opener.

The Eagles get RB Kenneth Gainwell back but need some support in other areas. QB Jalen Hurts and the Eagles passing offense continue to struggle to start the season.

Hurts hasn’t crossed the 200-yard passing mark yet in 2023. However, the Tampa Bay defense could be a matchup that allows Hurts to open things up. The Buccaneers defense has allowed 4.8 yards after the catch since Week 13 of 2022, tied for the second-worst in the league.

WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith should find plenty of room to run against the Buccaneers’ secondary. Smith has averaged 5.9 yards after the catch in the same span, tied for third-best.

MORE: NFL Standings

Not only is Tampa Bay allowing opposing WRs to find space after the catch, but they are also allowing a lot of touchdown receptions. Since 2022, the Buccaneers have allowed 32 receiving touchdowns, tied for the second-most in the NFL.

Brown has caught 11 during that time, tied for third-most, and Smith hauled in nine, tied for seventh. If there was a game for Philadelphia to put everything together offensively, it’s tonight.

2023 Monday Night Football Schedule

With the Eagles and Buccaneers kicking off the first of two Monday Night Football games tonight, what does the rest of the 2023 Monday Night schedule look like? With no doubleheaders for the foreseeable future, here’s the lineup for the rest of this season.

Week 4, Oct. 2

Seattle Seahawks at the New York Giants

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 5, Oct. 9

Green Bay Packers at the Las Vegas Raiders

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 6, Oct. 16

Dallas Cowboys at the Los Angeles Chargers

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 7, Oct. 23

San Francisco 49ers at the Minnesota Vikings

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 8, Oct. 30

Las Vegas Raiders at the Detroit Lions

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 9, Nov. 6

Los Angeles Chargers at the New York Jets

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 10, Nov. 13

Denver Broncos at the Buffalo Bills

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 11, Nov. 20

Philadelphia Eagles at the Kansas City Chiefs

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 12, Nov. 27

Chicago Bears at the Minnesota Vikings

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 13, Dec. 4

Cincinnati Bengals at the Jacksonville Jaguars

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 14, Dec. 11

Tennessee Titans at the Miami Dolphins

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
Youtube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Green Bay Packers at the New York Giants

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ABC
Live stream options
ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 15, Dec. 18

Kansas City Chiefs at the New England Patriots

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Week 16, Dec. 25

Baltimore Ravens at the San Francisco 49ers

Start time
8:15 p.m. ET
Channel
ESPN
Live stream options
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

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NFL

Same Game Parlay Picks and Predictions

Published

1 hour ago

September 25, 2023

darragh

The Philadelphia Eagles have a pair of one-possession wins, but it is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the better point differential to go along with their 2-0 start. Is there an upset brewing? There are many ways to attack this game, so let’s take a look at some same game parlay picks as a way to maximize our edge!

Our Betting Lines page has the freshest lines and promos to get BANG for your buck. PFN’s FREE Parlay Calculator and Betting Odds Calculator are also available for your betting process! New to sports betting? Check out our guide on How to Bet on the NFL. Visit our Sports Betting Legal Tracker on how to bet legally in the U.S.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds

Spread
Eagles -5
Moneyline
Eagles -218, Buccaneers +180
Total
46

We here at Soppe HQ like to encourage responsible gaming, and in that vein, I’ll always offer you a trivia question off the top of these articles. Pose this question to a buddy you are watching the game with.

Answer correctly, and you pay for the SGP. Misfire and he/she is on the hook.

Trivia Question: How many players have more rushing touchdowns than Jalen Hurts since he entered the league in 2020? Bonus points if you can name at least three players on that list!

This is an interesting matchup that pits a dominant run game against a limited defense whose primary strength is stuffing the run. I’m of the belief that the Eagles, with extra time to prepare after playing on Thursday night, scheme up creative ways to attack through the air. Instead of going strength on strength with the Bucs, they trust their MVP candidate to exploit a weakness.

Did you know that WR1s have accounted for 45.8% of receiving yards against Tampa Bay this season? It’s a fact. They are struggling against the opponents’ top target, and that leads us to the question: Who is that player in Philadelphia?

AJ Brown on the Jalen Hurts sideline “incident”: “Sometimes emotions run high.. That doesn’t mean I’m beefing with Jalen. *laughs* And no, it was not about targets. I’m sure everybody thought that because he threw me the ball 3x in a row afterwards. But no, I was not over there… pic.twitter.com/BpaVAX5xBH

— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) September 21, 2023

You could argue that it’s DeVonta Smith (touchdown in both games this season, including a game-breaking 63-yarder last week), but I still side with size and label Brown as the WR1.

Brown has more targets this season than Smith. Sportsbooks have Brown projected to hold the edge in both receptions and receiving yards, so I’m not alone here.

MORE: Eagles vs. Buccaneers Player Prop Bets for Monday Night Football

On the other side, I’m not 100% sure the Buccaneers want to run the ball. Rachaad White offers more upside as a pass catcher than a between-the-tackles runner, and they have a pair of proven receivers more than capable of moving the ball down the field.

Not only is that their desire, but as a 5-6 point underdog against a top-10 run defense, the odds are good that the game script pushes them toward the passing game.

Mike Evans has lit up fantasy football scoreboards through two weeks, and that’s great. But it does offer us a nice buying spot in a strong matchup for Chris Godwin. The Nittany Lion has caught at least five passes in 17 straight games, and his aDOT is less than half of that of Evans’ since the beginning of last season.

That’s a role to fall in love with against an Eagles secondary that is banged up. Philadelphia is operating a bend-don’t-break defense these days, and while I expect that to lead them to a victory, it plays right into the hands of what Godwin does.

Godwin career when getting 5+ catches

Over 50 receiving yards: 90.9%
Over 60 receiving yards: 72.7%

Godwin career when getting 6+ catches

Over 50 receiving yards: 97.5%
Over 60 receiving yards: 92.5%

Trivia Answer: Six players have more rushing scores than Jalen Hurts since he entered the league in 2020 (Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Jonathan Taylor, Nick Chubb, Dalvin Cook, and James Conner).

Conservative Same Game Parlay Pick: Eagles moneyline, A.J. Brown over 64.5 receiving yards, Chris Godwin 5+ catches, and Chris Godwin over 49.5 receiving yards

Odds: +425 (at DraftKings)

Aggressive Same Game Parlay Pick: Eagles alt line (-2.5), A.J. Brown over 94.5 receiving yards, and Chris Godwin over 59.5 receiving yards

Odds: +800 (at DraftKings)

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NFL

Same Game Parlay Picks and Predictions

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2023

darragh

Making same game parlay picks can be tricky for a game like this, but due to the surprise nature of both teams, that opens us up to some favorable betting lines. Are the Los Angeles Rams as competitive as they seem? Is this Cincinnati Bengals team not nearly as good as we thought they were? Let’s take a look at some of the options for Rams vs. Bengals!

Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals Odds

Spread
Bengals -2.5
Moneyline
Bengals -142, Rams +120
Total
43.5

Trivia Question: At his current pace, how old will fantasy football God Puka Nacua be when he breaks Jerry Rice’s all-time receiving yardage record?

Good thing there are two MNF games this week. This one could be a tough watch. That said, even tough watches come with avenues to make a little bit of noise in the betting markets, and this is how I plan on doing just that tonight.

The Rams have not seen more than 10 total points scored in the first quarter in any of their past six games. On the flip side, only one of the Bengals’ past eight regular-season points fit that bill, making that a decent spot to start building in a game with banged-up stars.

The story we are telling, clearly, is one of skepticism. Is Joe Burrow going to play? How impactful will Nacua’s injury be? We, the bettor, have the ability to take a side with conviction in a game like this, where the books are forced to take a conservative route in an effort to account for all possible outcomes.

With the primary health concerns impacting both past games, I’m projecting a run-heavy script that keeps the clock moving.

It took scoring on every possession in the second half, not to mention the Seahawks failing to pick up a non-penalty aided first down for those final 30 minutes, for the Rams to score 30 points in Week 1, the only time either of these teams reached even 25 points in a game this season.

MORE: Live Betting Odds and Newest Promos

These point total unders are great, but it’s 2023, and there will be some offense, even if it’s limited. We know that Nacua is battling an oblique injury, so I’m going with the over-surprising receiver that has flown a bit under the radar through two weeks.

Tutu Atwell has 11 receptions gaining 10+ yards this season (3rd in the NFL) 💪 pic.twitter.com/BrDm9QGEVm

— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) September 22, 2023

Tutu Atwell has 17 targets thus far to go along with a 14.4-yard aDOT (Nacua: 7.8 yards). That gives him the quantity/quality target profile that we love to back.

The Bengals have allowed a 30-yard catch to the secondary option in the opponent’s passing game in both contests this season (Elijah Moore in Week 1 and Zay Flowers in Week 2), a fact that only solidifies my confidence in Atwell if Nacua suits up.

Trivia Answer: At his current pace, Nacua would break Rice’s receiving yardage record this week in 2033. He would be 32 years old.
Same Game Parlay Pick: Neither team to reach 27 points, Under 10.5 first-quarter points, Tutu Atwell 50+ receiving yards.
Odds: +310 (at DraftKings)