Battle of the Bay – Oakland Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers

Oakland Raiders (1-0 SU & ATS) at San Francisco 49ers (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS)

NFL Pre-Season Football Betting

Saturday, August 22

BetOnline NFL Football Odds: SAN FRANCISCO -3, Total 36

Here are some of the NFL pro football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* OAK has lost four of its last six pre-season games SU

* OAK has played five of its last seven pre-season games UNDER the total

* OAK has lost its last five pre-season road games SU

* OAK has covered one of its last five pre-season road games

* SF has played five of its last eight pre-season games OVER the total

* SF has won five of its last seven pre-season home games SU

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The 49ers got three gifts in the form of interceptions from Kyle Orton in the first half of last Friday’s game and converted the mistakes into nine points but still could just barely get by the Denver Broncos, and that’s because they simply don’t get enough out of their quarterback play. Damon Huard was the star under center, completing seven of nine passes, and throwing for the winning touchdown, but he may wind up being the odd man out as Alex Smith, the former #1 draft pick, and Shawn Hill, who "manages" the game the way Mike Singletary likes, will be battling it out.

Michael Crabtree, the wide receiver who was chosen tenth overall in the draft, still has not signed a contract, and he is prepared to sit out the entire season and go into next year’s draft if the Niners can’t come to terms with him on a deal. The absence of Crabtree would be a major flub for Niners’ management, because they simply need a lot of help at the wideout spot. That he is not here hurts their chances in the pre-season too, since these quarterbacks – whoever wins the job – will have to develop a connection with him.

Randy Hanson, an assistant with the Raiders, is going to turn over medical records in relation to the jaw injury he suffered, perhaps at the hands of head coach Tom Cable, which allegedly happened as a result of an altercation where Hanson was told he was being demoted on the staff. Apparently there has been a lot of trouble with Hanson, who was hired personally by owner Al Davis, and the defensive backs are not too unhappy to see him not invited to practice. If there has been a distraction, it did not manifest itself in last week’s 31-10 victory over the Cowboys. What the latest developments, however, it appears that Hanson is going to "out" Cable, after which there will be punishment from the NFL.

The distractions may start now, as more information comes out and Hanson prepares a civil suit against somebody. Quarterbacks Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye are certainly not an improvement over Smith and Hill, although Jeff Garcia, who’s been nursing a calf injury, might just see some action. Receivers are a problem, because Chaz Schilens (five catches in the opener) and Javon Walker are out, and others, including Darius Heyward-Bey, may not be ready.

My instincts point to the 49ers, the three-point favorite in the BetOnline NFL pre-season football betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: SAN FRANCISCO -3 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)