The Mets beat the Braves 7-2 on Saturday night, meaning they’ve now won three of their last four and are just 1.5 games outside of the postseason. I saw some fans on Twitter talk about how they don’t want to get sucked in again or how they don’t want to believe in the Mets and I don’t understand. What is this crazy journey we’re on with the Mets but a test of faith? If you don’t want to believe then what is this last week of the season even for?
New York got help from the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics, who beat the Reds and Giants, respectively, to help move the Mets up in the standings. The biggest helper, though, was David Peterson, who pitched his best game as a major league hurler when the team needed him most. Peterson struck out a career-high 10 batters through six innings while allowing just one run on an Adam Duvall home run.
Robinson Cano got New York out to an early lead when he hit a two-RBI single off of Atlanta starter Ian Anderson. Robinson Chirinos put the Mets up 3-0 with an RBI double in the fourth, but the Braves drew close when Travis d’Arnaud hit a solo shot off of Jeurys Familia to make it 3-2 in the eighth.
Just like on Thursday night in Philadelphia, the Mets refused to settle in their final turn at bat. Dominic Smith and Robinson Cano victimized Shane Green with back-to-back bombs before Brandon Nimmo finished off the Braves by driving in two more runs with a bases-loaded single.
Woooooo this team is so much fun when it’s clicking. Maybe, just maybe they can keep this going for one more week and bless our hearts with a Jacob deGrom postseason start. Who doesn’t want to see that? The Dodgers are going to be so pissed.
Is it possible for football to also be fun? My New York Giants will try to discover the answer when they take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Monday night was frustrating, but the Bears are way more inconsistent on offense than Pittsburgh is. Then again, Mitch Trubisky is coming off a heroic performance against Detroit in which he rallied Chicago to 21 unanswered four-quarter points and a 27-23 victory. The Giants’ defense is great at allowing unanswered points, but if Big Blue can pressure Trubisky like they pressured Roethlisberger in Week 1, maybe some turnovers will fall into its lap.
Besides forcing Trubisky into mistakes, the other key will be to get some semblance of a ground game going. Saquon Barkley is the most dangerous playmaker on offense and he should be getting positive yardage every time he touches the ball. In order to accomplish this, the Giants need to pass to set up the run and allow Barkley to run into fronts that have linebackers subbed out for defensive backs.
The Giants’ upcoming schedule is pretty brutal, so I’m going to predict a win in Chicago. I think this team can win seven or eight games, and if that is to happen, they gotta beat Trubisky and the Bears. Giants 19, Bears 17
The rest of the picks for Sunday:
Early games: Dallas -3.5, Buffalo -5.5, Carolina +8.5, Denver +7.0, Green Bay -6.0, Tennessee -7.5, Philadelphia -1.5, Indianapolis -3.0
Late games: Jets +7.0, Arizona -7.0, Baltimore -7.5, Kansas City -8.5
Waiting all day until Sunday night: Seattle -4.0
Three-team moneyline parlay: Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Tennessee +125
Lots of favorites. Maybe too many favorites, but the Chiefs and Ravens look like juggernauts and I’m laying points with them until they are exposed. I’m a little worried about overreacting to the Packers spanking the Vikings, but I’m also sticking to my guns by picking the Eagles and picking against Washington despite their Week 1 result.
I’m also a little worried about putting the Buccaneers in the parlay despite picking against them on the spread, but it’s a pretty big needle to thread with the Panthers getting more than a touchdown. Have a fantastic Sunday, everyone.
Inside Yolk 