The Monday Night Football schedule graces us with a pair of great games this weekend. We are going to be taking a look at some of the NFL prop picks for the two clashes on the gridiron, so join us here at Bankroll Sports for our San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders predictions and our Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens picks.

Will Ray Rice Score a Touchdown?: Rice is a man on a mission right now, and this year, he doesn’t have RB Ricky Williams in his way to pillage touchdowns. Sure, rookie RB Bernard Pierce can take some carries, but we know that Rice can get the job done both as a rusher and as a receiver. If this hurry up offense really is going to be a crucial part of the system for the Ravens this year, Rice is probably going to see the ball a heck of a lot more and might be able to break some big time runs on some tired defenses. Rice is one of the best backs in the league, and the truth of the matter is that he is going to score in at least two out of three games over the course of this year. Ray Rice To Score a Touchdown (-160)

Will Joe Flacco Throw an Interception?: This is an NFL line that just doesn’t make all that much sense to us. Flacco would need to be picked off in 10 of his 16 games to make this NFL prop profitable to us, and we think that that will be the case. The Bengals do have a heck of a secondary, and they should be able to get some pressure into Flacco’s face. If this turns out to be the case, we should see at least one mistake made by the former member of the Delaware Blue Hens. Flacco To Throw an INT (-140)

Carson Palmer Longest Pass Completion Over 35.5 Yards: Palmer has to be ready to grip it and rip in on Sunday night, and he is going to be the man of the hour in this game against the Chargers. He’ll take his shots down the field to the likes of WR Denarius Moore, and we expect to see some big time plays out of this offense. The San Diego defense is consistently overrated, and it is likely to be prone to the big time play this year. We only need one, but we think that we’ll get a few bombs out of Palmer and the passing game in this one. Palmer Longest Completion Over 35.5 Yards (-115)

Total Punts Between Chargers and Raiders Over/Under 10.5: Over the course of the first week of the season, what we have seen is a heck of a lot of points and not a heck of a lot of punts. The Chargers and the Raiders both have offenses that can put some points on the board, just as we saw at the end of last year when these teams got into the 60s combined in Week 17. Oakland didn’t have RB Darren McFadden in that one either. The question is whether there will be more than 15 drives or so in this game, and we think that that is a viable question to ask as well. But asking these two teams to combine to punt the ball 11 times is just too much for what could be an offensive shootout of a game. Total Punts Under 10.5 (-130)

The Missouri Tigers are moving into the SEC this year, and they are going to have a heck of a battle right off the bat when they take on their first foe from the SEC East, as they will fight it out with the Georgia Bulldogs. Both of these teams are going to hope to challenge this year in the conference, but both know that this is going to be the start of a heck of a year that could prove to be difficult for both clubs. Don’t miss out on our Georgia @ Missouri picks in the first SEC game of the season for both clubs.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Picks & Info
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Date: Saturday, September 8th
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Location: Farout Field, Columbia, MO
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Spread: Georgia Bulldogs -4.5

The Bulldogs started off the year at 0-2 last season, only to go on a great run to get all the way to the SEC Championship Game. They ended up losing their last two games of the year though, and they aren’t going to want to be in that situation once again in 2012. This is a very tough game though, as Georgia is becoming the first team in the SEC to take a trip to Columbia. Fifteen starters return, but the man of the hour is going to be QB Aaron Murray. Murray is just a junior, but he already is showing the promise of being one of the best quarterbacks, not just in the SEC, but in the nation as well. He is really doing well following the footsteps of QB Blaine Gabbert, and that’s a great sign moving forward for the Dawgs. This defense could really be tested though, as the nine starters that return are going to be facing the type of task that they haven’t really had to deal with in recent years. It’s been quite some time since Georgia has had to play a team out of the Big XII, and this is going to be a totally different contest from the normal SEC games.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Missouri Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
None

The Tigers are going to have to win this game with their offense. We just don’t think that their defense is going to be able to stop the Georgia offense, especially this early in the year with just six starters returning. Offensively, the keys are really in place for something special. QB James Franklin is in his second year under center, and RB Henry Josey might be able to poke some holes in that Georgia defensive line. WR TJ Moe is back as well, as are three of the offensive linemen from last year. Senior and junior leadership is all over the place this year for Mizzou, and this is the unit that is going to have to step it up if there is going to be a victory over the Bulldogs in the first game of the team’s time in the SEC.

Georgia @ Missouri Free Picks^^: It’s going to be a challenge, but we think that Missouri is going to figure out how to make this a very, very close game. Georgia might have been a tad overrated last year, knowing that it got to dodge the best teams in the SEC West. We aren’t so sure how the Tigers are really going to stack up when they have to take on Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU, but we do think that they have the ability to win this game, especially in front of the hometown crowd here at Farout Field.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here

Our college football expert handicappers will have their Georgia @ Missouri picks ready on Saturday, 9/8.

Defensive linemen in the trenches always have a tough job, as they know that they are going to get beat up play in and play out in the quest to take down the man with the football. Here’s our list of the Top 10 defensive linemen in the NFL in 2012 that can’t be missed here at Bankroll Sports.

1: Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings: It almost seems like it was really quiet last year when Allen had 22 sacks. It goes without saying that he is one of the best pass rushers in the game, knowing that he can get off the edge with a fury. Knowing how little teams really had to pass against the Vikes last year seeing how bad they were, it is amazing that Allen was able to get this many sacks. He clearly isn’t a one-trick pony either, as he had 66 total tackles, many of which came in the running game.

2: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens: Being in the middle of a 3-4 is usually not a very sexy position, but Ngata plays it well and feels like he is always in the middle of the action. This is a huge monster of a man, and Ngata is a man that draws all sorts of attention from interior offensive linemen. Quite frequently, at least two of the three interior offensive linemen are thinking about Ngata, and that opens up the rest of the defenders in an aggressive defense to come in for pressure on the quarterback as well.

3: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions: Suh might be overrated, but he is still a beast. He gets to the quarterback, and he has a massive mean streak about him. Sure, it gets him into trouble sometimes, but if he can ever just channel that rage on positives instead of all of the excess stuff, Suh will be the best in the game. He had just four sacks last year, but Suh is a game changer. And heck, he can even kick extra points for Detroit if needed, too!

4: Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants: Remember when George Selvie was considered one of the best pass rushers in the game, yet it was his teammate, Pierre-Paul that ended up being a first round pick in the NFL Draft? The Giants know that they got a steal with JPP, and he has really turned out to be a monster off the edge. Pierre-Paul has size and strength, and he is also a suitable run stopper along the defensive front as well.

5: Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills: For what the Bills are paying Williams, he had better turn out to be one of the best defensive linemen in the league this year. The former Houston Texan suffered a brutal injury after just five games last year and was never heard from again, but he is healthy now and should be as quick as ever off of the line of scrimmage. Williams is a terror in general, and he routinely was amongst the sack leaders in the league before getting hurt. There’s just no reason to think that that is changing any time in the near future.

6: Justin Smith, San Francisco 49ers: There are a heck of a lot of great defensive players on the 49ers, but this is one of the best of the bunch. Smith is a defensive tackle that can line up all across the 3-4 front and still be effective. He had 58 tackles last year and tied for the league lead for defensive tackles in sacks with 7.5. Smith is a veteran and knows what he is doing, and he was quietly one of the leaders for what turned out to be a remarkable defense in 2011.

7: Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions: Avril doesn’t get a lot of respect on this Detroit defensive line, but perhaps he should. He had 11 sacks last year, but more importantly, he forced six fumbles and had four pass deflections. Avril scored two touchdown as well, proving once again that he has a great nose for the football. Suh is the big name, but Avril gets the stats and is an incredibly talented lineman.

8: Jason Babin, Philadelphia Eagles: Here we do have a one-trick pony, as Babin really is totally useless against the run. However, he can get off the end in a hurry for the Eagles, and quite often, he is the fastest one into the backfield to get after opposing quarterbacks. Babin has been wildly inconsistent over the years, but he turned in a great campaign in 2011 with 18 sacks, and it is hard to leave him off of this list.

9: Elvis Dumervil, Denver Broncos: When we talk about linebackers, Von Miller’s name will come up for the Broncos, but here, we have a man in Dumervil that really has turned himself into a beast all over the defense. He can be a down linemen or an up man in a 3-4 outside rush and be just as effective either way. Denver knows that it has a real stud on its hands here with Dumervil, as he was the perfect man to start to build this defense around.

10: Chris Long, St. Louis Rams: Howie Long’s little boy had a lot of expectations in his career when he came out of the University of Virginia to the Rams four years ago. He only has 31 sacks for his career, but he had 13 of those last season and nine the year before. Long might finally be in a system in which he can succeed, and he has a nose for the football in general. He has a long way to go to really live up to that No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft that St. Louis spent on him, but Long is at least in the discussion as one of the Top 10 defensive linemen in football right now.

The tight end position has been one of the most talked about positions over the course of the last few years, especially in fantasy football. However, it takes a lot more than just pass catching abilities to be one of the best tight ends in football, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are taking a look at the Top 10 tight ends in the NFL for 2012.

1: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots: There is simply no denying just how good Gronk is. He has huge hands, he is quick off the line of scrimmage, and he is impossible to jam. He’ll be out in the route in a hurry, and if QB Tom Brady gets the ball anywhere near him, Gronkowski is going to get it. It can’t be expected that Gronk is going to be the league leader in touchdown grabs every single year, but as long as the rapport between him and Brady remains strong, there’s no reason that he shouldn’t be one of the best tight ends in the league.

2: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints: Graham has already told the media that he is never going to be catching passes from a quarterback not named Drew Brees in his career. That’s a bold statement to make considering just how much younger Graham is than his quarterback, but it is also a testament to just how well these two work together. Graham was one of the least heralded tight ends out of Miami in the most recent wave of tight ends to come from “The U,” but he has already eclipsed what any of the others have been able to do. This is one of the best receivers in the whole league, and he is built like a linebacker, not a receiver.

3: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: The big problem that Gates has in his career is that he just can’t stay healthy. However, he is a basketball player by trade, and he is still a true power forward when he is in the middle of the field. Gates has lined up on the outside as well at receiver, and he has the speed to be able to get the job done out there as well. With WR Vincent Jackson now gone, if Gates can stay on the field (and yes, we know that that is a big, big “if”), he could easily be a 1,200-yard receiver once again.

4: Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers: Finley is often overlooked as one of the best tight ends in football because of the offense that he plays in. Yes, Finley doesn’t get the looks of WR Jordy Nelson or WR Greg Jennings, but there are still plenty of passes that come his way. He had eight touchdowns and 767 receiving yards last year, but in terms of talent, the sky truly is the limit. There is no challenging what Finley can do for the Packers if QB Aaron Rodgers looks his way more.

5: Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers: When Davis was drafted by the Niners, he was brought into be a physical monster. There have been moments that he has done some things that just make you go, “Wow!” He has had some spats with his coaches though, most notably the one with Mike Singletary a few years ago. However, Davis had 792 yards and six scores for the 49ers last year, and he was the favorite target at times of QB Alex Smith. In a safe offense, you need a good safety valve, and it doesn’t get much better than what Davis brings to the table with his huge hands and ability to leap out of the building.

6: Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons: Gonzalez is the standard for what tight ends have to live up to in their career. He is a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer, and he is still producing, even at the age of 36. Gonzo has caught nearly 1,200 passes, and he’ll get to 14,000 receiving yards this year for his career in all likelihood, not to mention the 95 trips to the end zone. Even last year, Gonzalez had 80 catches, 875 yards, and seven scores, proving that he can still be a threat. His speed is down, and his leaping abilities aren’t what they once were, but Gonzalez is still an athletic freak of a tight end.

7: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions: Part of Pettigrew’s success has been because of the offense that he is in, and part of the reason that the Lions throw the ball so much is because he can’t block. But as a receiver, we just can’t deny how good Pettigrew really is. He is a red zone threat because he is 6’6″, but more importantly, he is used as a short option in the middle of the field or on the sidelines when WR Calvin Johnson isn’t available for QB Matt Stafford. Pettigrew knows his role, and he knows it well, and he’ll have another 700+ yards this year for sure.

8: Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots: Hernandez was picked in the same draft as Gronkowski was, and though he hasn’t quite paid the same type of dividends, he is a different type of player. Hernandez is a better blocker than Gronk is, and he is a better threat around the line of scrimmage. The former Florida Gator has no problems carrying the ball or being a lead blocker, and to top it all off, he has great hands and solid speed as well. Without Hernandez on his opposite side, Gronkowski wouldn’t be so open, because linebackers and safeties have to pay attention to Hernandez as well.

9: Owen Daniels, Houston Texans: Daniels fell off the face of the earth last year as a receiver in Houston, but what we have to remember is that QB Matt Schaub was out for quite some time, and TE Joel Dreessen and FB/TE James Casey stole a lot of his touches. Still, in Houston, they’ll tell you that this is a man that blocks like there is no tomorrow, and he has a tendency of just finding ways to get open for Schaub. There’s a certain knack to Daniels that we like, and he could be in for a great year in 2012.

10: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers: Apologies go out to Dustin Keller, Brent Celek, and Fred Davis, all of which were left off this list, but we still think that Miller is a tight end that is always overlooked. The former Virginia Cavalier set all sorts of records for receptions and receiving yards in college, and he came to the pros and became a vicious blocker as well. Miller can block in space, and on the line of scrimmage, and it isn’t his fault that he is utilized this way. Now that Todd Haley has taken over the offense though, we think that Miller could again become a big part of the passing game. Remember that this is a man that caught 76 passes just three years ago.

Whether it be the art of the interception, the thrill of the corner blitz, or the style involved with coming up to defend the run, defensive backs have to do just about everything in the NFL. Here’s our list of the Top 10 defensive backs in the NFL, including some of the best defensive players in the entire league.

1: Darrell Revis, New York Jets: Being on Revis Island definitely isn’t a place that you want to be. It happens to be that Revis’ numbers keep going down year after year, but that’s a testament to the fact that no one is throwing the ball his way. It is legitimately impossible for even the best quarterback to get the job done with his best receiver, and Revis really takes half of the field away. This is definitely one of the best corners in the league, and it is most certainly one of the most explosive defensive players in the NFL as well.

2: Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia Eagles: Asomugha is another one of these players that just doesn’t get the stats that you would figure thanks to the fact that he just doesn’t get thrown at. It was a bit of a frustrating first season last year in the City of Brotherly Love for Asomugha, as he is under a lot more pressure now than he was when he was with Oakland. Still, this is a great corner that has massive shutdown skills, and he has a chance to become the best corner in the league with some more work.

3: Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns: There aren’t a lot of these draft picks that have worked out for the Browns over the course of the last few years, but Haden is most certainly one of them. The former Florida Gator is quietly becoming one of the best cover corners in the league, and he tends to have a nose for the football. We might be overrating Haden just a bit, but we think that he is one of the best kept secrets that the league has to offer.

4: Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens: Reed is probably at the tail end of his career, but quarterbacks still think twice when they throw the ball in his direction. The former Miami Hurricane still has this uncanny ability to jump the snap count, and it feels like five or six times per year that he gets into the backfield before a quarterback is even able to take three steps. He’ll help in the run and the pass, and he has this swagger about him. Reed is still absolutely one of the best defensive backs in the NFL.

5: Johnathan Joseph, Houston Texans: For years and years, the Texans really struggled to get cornerbacks to be able to stick with some of the big receivers in the AFC South. Now, they finally have one. Joseph was a Pro Bowler last year, and he is already the best defensive back that Houston has ever had. Joseph had four interceptions last year, and though that wasn’t one of the best marks in the league, his corner skills are definitely out of this world at this point.

6: Kyle Arrington, New England Patriots: The New England secondary is a gambling unit, and it is a unit that has been taught to do whatever it can to get the ball back in QB Tom Brady’s hands. Not only did Arrington end up with 88 tackles last year, but he also tied for the league lead with seven picks to boot. In terms of sheer talent, Arrington might not quite bit there at this point. However, he is a gambler and really can change a game, and often times, he does just that.

7: Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers: The Green Bay defense had a brutal year in 2011, and part of it might have been Woodson’s transition from corner to safety. Still, the Packers know that they are going to have to get the job done on this side of the ball at some point, and Woodson is likely the man that can turn the whole thing around. He is aging for sure, but his covering abilities are still outstanding, especially for a safety.

8: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Pittsburgh defense isn’t quite as good as it has been over the course of the last few years, but Polamalu is still the MVP of this unit, which is still one of the nastiest in the league. Just like Reed, Polamalu is a future Hall of Famer, and he is really one of the emotional cogs of this unit. The argument could be made that Ryan Clark is the best DB of the bunch, but we still think that Polamalu is the most important player this year for the Steelers.

9: Carlos Rogers, San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers took a massive jump last year to be one of the best defenses in the league. Rogers has been around now for a few years, but it looks like he really has a home now in San Francisco. He never really found a home with the Redskins, but playing next to a ferocious front seven, the former Auburn Tiger really has had the ability to get the job done.

10: Drayton Florence, Detroit Lions: The Lions haven’t had a great corner over the course of the last several years, but bringing in Florence is the hope that this franchise has to get the job done. He had 17 picks over the course of the first seven years of his career, and Florence is still one of the best cover corners that the league has to offer. He’ll be a key cog for Detroit this year, and if he doesn’t end up getting the job done, this could be yet another year in which the Lions really have no choice but to outscore everyone in shootouts.

The ACC Coastal Division is always one that is tight all season long, and college football matchups like this one tend to go a long way in deciding which team is going to go to the ACC Championship Game later in the year. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Virginia Tech Hokies might be decided right at the outset of the season, as they are going to be duking it out with one another on the first Monday night of the season, as the two get started on Labor Day. Don’t miss our Labor Day NCAA football picks for this crucial clash in the ACC!

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Picks & Info
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Date: Monday, September 3rd
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Spread: Virginia Tech Hokies -7

The Ramblin’ Wreck averaged 316.6 yards per game last year on the ground, and obviously with the triple option attack, they’ll be up there again this year. They got 243 yards last year against the Hokies, but that wasn’t nearly enough, especially in the fourth quarter when the offense was just totally shut down. Bud Adams’ defense clearly learned what it was doing, and now, Virginia Tech has really had the entire offseason to prepare for facing this defense. QB Tevin Washington is back, and it’s always good to have the leaders of a triple option offense returning to your lineup. Even better is the fact that all five starting offensive linemen from a campaign ago are going to be back as well. Sure, WR Stephen Hill is gone, but G-Tech has always been able to make due with whatever receivers it has had to work with in the Head Coach Paul Johnson era.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Virginia Tech 37 – Georgia Tech 26
2010: Virginia Tech 28 – Georgia Tech 21
2009: Georgia Tech 28 – Virginia Tech 23
2008: Virginia Tech 20 – Georgia Tech 17
2007: Virginia Tech 27 – Georgia Tech 3
2006: Georgia Tech 38 – Virginia Tech 27
2005: Virginia Tech 51 – Georgia Tech 7
2004: Virginia Tech 34 – Georgia Tech 20

That defense that we spoke about for Head Coach Frank Beamer and Coach Adams is returning a whopping nine players, and there is a lot of NFL talent in that bunch. Like we said, the Hokies figured out the triple option at the end of last year’s game, and with the full offseason to work, especially with the majority of the players back from that team that did so well in the fourth quarter last year, we are looking for good things. QB Logan Thomas is going to be the leader of an offense that only returns three players. The big question is going to be at tailback, as gone are both the team’s leading rusher from a season ago, RB David Wilson, and his backup from last year, RB Josh Oglesby. There is only one member left from the offensive line and just one receiver out of the four that were regularly in the rotation. Needless to say, offensively, it could be a slow start to the season if the running game can’t get going.

Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech Free Picks^^: This is a tough, tough game to handicap. We know that we want the ‘under’ for sure. But, given what we know about both of these teams, we think that the Georgia Tech offense is going to do the more struggling of the two teams. Again, it’s a heck of a lot easier to defend this triple option when you have the whole offseason and a longer week of preparation to get the job done, especially when the game is at home, then when you have to go on the road during a short week to prepare. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ramblin’ Wreck stuck in the high-teens in this one, and if that turns out to be the case, we just don’t see how they are going to be able to cover a TD of a spread.

^^Please Note: The Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech picks from our experts on Monday, 9/3

Give the Los Angeles Dodgers this much. At least they are going for the gold right now. Now that there is new ownership and new financial backing behind them, they are out to spend all of the money that they can to try to beat the World Series odds in Tinseltown. Join us at Bankroll Sports, as our expert baseball handicappers make their case for why this team should be favored on the odds to win the World Series a day after pulling off the massive trade to bring Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez to Dodgertown.

Manager Don Mattingly has always been looked at as one of the best potential managers in baseball, and now, he has a team at his disposal that could ultimately prove him to be a star. General Manager Ned Colletti has pushed all of the buttons that he has needed to push this year to get his team to the top, and he has done so by amassing just a slew of payroll. Shane Victorino first came from the Philadelphia Phillies, and then Joe Blanton was right behind him in a post-July 31st trade with the boys from the City of Brotherly Love. Hanley Ramirez was a disgruntled member of the Miami Marlins before he was dealt out to the West Coast to be with the Dodgers. But now, in the coup of coups, Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez are in Los Angeles after being sent here in an August 25th trade with the Boston Red Sox, who clearly needed to hit the self-destruct button. Carl Crawford is on his way as well, and that means that next year, someone that is in this crowded outfield is going to be pushed out.

Star power doesn’t always translate into wins, especially in the playoffs, but in this case, we think that there is a real chance for the Dodgers to shine and to beat the World Series betting lines. When you think of the teams in the National League, you see a lot of squads that can pitch. However, what you don’t see a lot of are teams that truly are dangerous from 1 to 8 in their batting order. The Dodgers, when they are totally healthy, are now arguably baseball’s most dangerous team.

When Dee Gordon returns from his wrist injury, he figures to return to the leadoff role and playing shortstop, while Ramirez will likely shift over to third base on more of a full-time basis. Luis Cruz will be pushed out, but the middle of the order will feature the likes of Ramirez, Gonzalez, Kemp, and Ethier in some sort of order. Victorino is likely going to be shoved down towards the bottom of the lineup as well, and that leaves just Mark Ellis and AJ Ellis as the other two batters in the fold. Mark Ellis has done a nice job this year at second base, and he has done a yeoman’s job leading off for this team while Gordon has been out of the lineup. AJ Ellis has very quietly batted .284 this year with 10 homers and an OPS of .815, numbers that most teams would kill for out of their catcher.

It’s not like the cupboard is bare in the rotation either. Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young under his belt, and though he isn’t going to win the honor this year, he is still going to be amongst the best pitchers in the league in terms of ERA. This will be another season where his ERA ends with a two in front of it, and behind him, there are three other starting pitchers in Chris Capuano, Chad Billingsley, and Aaron Harang that all that winning records and sub-3.70 ERAs. Ted Lilly might be able to make a comeback for the playoffs, and Beckett and Blanton will prove to be the wild cards.

Blanton hasn’t pitched all that well this year, going a combined just 8-12 with a 5.02 ERA, while Beckett has been a disaster and a half in Beantown. Still, both have playoff success and tons of it, and both are going to bring that experience into this staff in one form or another.

It’s not like the bullpen is slacking either. Kenley Jansen has gone 25-of-31 in save chances this year, and he has a 1.93 ERA. Scott Elbert, Randy Choate, and Ronald Belisario are the go-to men out of the pen, and that’s a great combination to parlay with guys like Blanton and potentially Harang from the starting staff for the second season.

In the end, the only question that is left in our eyes is whether the squad is going to gel quick enough to get the job done. There are still two games separating the Dodgers from the San Francisco Giants for the top spot in the NL West, and if the playoffs started today, the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals would be in, while the Dodgers would be a half-game out.

The schedule though, is relatively easy. These next 11 games are against Miami (finishing this weekend series), Colorado, Arizona, and San Diego, and there should be at least seven wins in the bunch. From there, the Dodgers embark upon their toughest stretch of schedule. They take on the Giants on the road for three, the D’Backs on the road for two, then get the Cardinals at home for four before going east one last time for six games with the Nationals and Reds. The season finishes with three in San Diego, three at home against the Rockies, and three at home against the Giants, the last three games of the season that could prove to be the difference in the season for both teams.

In the end, if the Dodgers are one of the five teams in the National League that get into the playoffs, watch out! They are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and we think that they have the best team in baseball. The oddsmakers, as you can see, have adjusted their World Series lines (all Los Angeles Dodgers World Series odds listed above), but we don’t think that any of them have adjusted far enough. The Dodgers are here to stay, and they could be the team that goes all the way to win the Fall Classic.