'TNF' best bets: Commanders D-line will put Fields on the run

This writer is going to sit down with our Wednesday Bark Bets lead Jack Dougherty and ask him why he jumped the gun on so many great "Thursday Night Football" looks when there was playoff baseball to be had that night. Totally not bitter that we had many of the same looks. Well, no point in repeating the same plays — check yesterday's BB in case you missed it for a juicy +457 SGP. 

There is another way to play tonight's game, built around a very simple narrative.

Washington's defensive line could wreck this 'TNF' matchup

If you focus in on the trenches, there's a potentially devastating advantage in the Commanders' favor that could make this a long evening for Justin Fields and the Bears. Washington's strength on the defensive side is clearly its pass rush. The unit is packed with first-round talent and dynamic pass-rushers. 

Washington is currently tied for seventh in total sacks, and that's even against a few strong offensive lines over the first month of the year. Meanwhile, Chicago (read: Fields) has been pressured at the 11th-highest rate, and this line is just a disaster waiting to happen.

There's a world where Fields can't find any time to throw tonight, and it's that string we'd like to build our SGP around.

When the heck is Fields going to just start running it like he did last season? Through four games, Fields is averaging a paltry 33.5 rushing yards per game, going for 50+ just once. Last season, he ended the year on a tear, averaging 94.9 yards on the ground in his last 10 games.

That included a game against Washington in which he finished with 88 yards.

It's time for Fields to get back to being that player, and if he's consistently under pressure, we like our chances of that being his only choice.

Betting:

• Washington moneyline
• Justin Fields 50+ rushing yards
• Fields TD

Together, that comes in at +600 on DraftKings. Here's to a running night from Chicago's quarterback!

In the news ...

All four MLB wild-card series end in two games — Well, guess we have to wait for the divisional rounds for some intrigue! All four wild-card series ended on Wednesday night with a quartet of 2-0 sweeps. Our darlings we highlighted on Tuesday, Philadelphia, advanced with ease over Miami. Another team we highlighted for some value in Minnesota dispatched of the Blue Jays thanks to that strong pitching edge we called out and a weird managerial decision. Hey, we're not trying to pat ourselves on the back too much, but maybe we're on to something here? Arizona took down Milwaukee, and Texas beat Tampa Bay. Updated World Series odds are as follows on DraftKings:

• Braves (+310)
• Dodgers (+425)
• Astros (+425)
• Rangers (+650)
• Orioles (+700)
• Phillies (+700)
• Twins (+1000)
• Diamondbacks (+1400)

We're still liking Philadelphia and Minnesota.

ESPN launching RedZone-like program for NHL — You may not realize, but the NHL season starts in just five days! We'll have some futures looks in the market next week, but we're excited for another year on the ice. Things are potentially going to be even more fun this year, as ESPN has announced it's launching a "RedZone-like" NHL program dubbed "Frozen Frenzy" hosted by John Buccigross. How can this not be good? Obviously, the concept of the red zone does not translate to hockey, but we're imagining a program that will hop around to the various games that night and show all the exciting moments. Buckle up!

Giants OT Evan Neal's comments about fans makes us want to fully fade New York — Winning organizations do not have first-round pick tackles complaining about the fans and calling them sheep, and here we are with the Giants in that exact situation. 2022 seventh overall pick Evan Neal told fans to "boo louder" and stated he sees no reason to "concern himself with the opinion of a sheep." Yeah, things are definitely going well in East Rutherford. New York looks horrible, and it could be a long few seasons for the Giants with Daniel Jones's new contract not even yet hitting the books. The Giants' win total is set at just 5.5 for the entire year, and it's hard to see them getting there at this point. We also set a reminder on our phones to bet New York's win in August 2024. Don't worry, we'll remind you.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll, the guy who won $8K on a $20 NFL parlay. Follow him on Substack: griffybets.substack.com.