In the NFL ..
Did Jayden Daniels win the Rookie of the Year Award with one pass this past Sunday?
Daniels’s game-winning heave on the last play not only jolted the odds and made him the -400 favorite in the ROY category, it moved the surprising Commanders into first place in the NFC East at 6-2 and shortened the team’s Super Bowl odds.
Lots of cash changed hands when Daniels’s pass from the other side of the 50 was tipped and landed in the hands of Noah Brown in the end zone, enabling Washington to win 18-15 and cover the spread after entering the game a slight -1.5 favorite.
But Daniels probably would not have been able to even reach the end zone on the last play if he had not completed a 13-yard pass on the previous play (yes, the Bears were in soft coverage, but still). Receiver Terry McLaurin got out of bounds with just two seconds left, allowing Daniels and the Commanders close enough for one final, successful, shot.
Besides being the ROY front-runner, there is even talk about a possible ROY/MVP sweep if the Commanders can somehow keep the train rolling, win the division, and get a high seed in the playoffs.
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In the NBA ..
Speaking of winning two awards in the same season, Anthony Davis has to be on the early-season shortlist for both the Defensive Player of the Year AND MVP awards. Through four games Davis was averaging nearly 33 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and shooting 55 percent from the floor. He’s flat-out dominating defensively. Through it all the Lakers were off to a 3-1 start (ok, the schedule hasn’t been that demanding) and the NBA is salivating at TV ratings if LA remains relevant. Just a few games in, the returns are the equivalent of Dixville Notch, but no one is still questioning LeBron bringing on his buddy JJ Redick as HC of the LAL.
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In Politics ..
The betting markets and mainstream polls continued to tell a different story as the presidential race entered its final week.
Former President Donald Trump led in every major betting site, as high as -200 on BetOnline. There was not a lot of variation in Trump’s numbers. Vice President Kamala Harris was at +170 at the same site. Harris, however, had a 4 percentage point edge in the last major mainstream poll (Newsweek), while all the Battleground state polls showed the two neck and neck and within the margin of error.
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In the WNBA ..
The champion New York Liberty are the favorites to repeat in the WNBA next season, at +175, after defeating the Minnesota Lynx (+350) in the finals. The Las Vegas Aces, who lost to the Liberty in the playoff semifinals, are also at +350 as they face major roster decisions. The Connecticut Sun, who finally have taken a major step forward and now can hang with the top teams in the league, could have real value at +550. Caitlyn Clark’s presence in the WNBA this past season brought a boatload of more betting action in the league.