As both the college football and NFL season press on, Doc’s Sports Service continues to maintain its place atop the sports selection industry with a number of weekly winning picks that have our loyal customers cashing in on a regular basis. We have been at this for well over four decades, and our ability to establish ourselves as the premier selection company in the sports gaming industry can be attributed a long-standing relationship with some of the best handicappers in the business. One of our shining stars for the past seven years has been Raphael Esparza. Previously he was known as the Vegas Sports Informer during a long and illustrious career working behind the counter for some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas. Raphael decided to retire from the sportsbook industry, but he is still hard at work using his vast network of contacts in Las Vegas to maintain his insider’s edge. This edge remains a huge part of his ongoing success at coming up with winning selections for a wide array of sports.

Doc’s Sports has been tapping into this insider’s edge by sitting down with Raphael on a weekly basis to gain insight into some of the hottest trending topics in the sports gaming industry today. He is living proof that working and living in Las Vegas, which is the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world, has helped him become one of the best handicappers in the business. The following is this week’s discussion.

Doc’s Sports: We are a quarter of the way into a new NFL regular season, so can you give me your personal power rankings for the top three teams in the league?

RE: The team at the top of the list would have to be the Denver Broncos. Granted, they have yet to face a really strong defense in their first four games, but right now with Peyton Manning playing at such a high level they appear to be unstoppable. My next team would be New Orleans based on how well its defense has been playing this year. Everyone expects Drew Brees to light up the scoreboard, but this team is winning games by shutting the other team down. The third team would have to be Seattle, mainly because of its defense as well, although it was lucky to get by Houston last week.

Doc’s Sports: Week 5 in the NFL provides some opportunities for a few teams to create even more distance in a couple of division title races. Which matchups on this week’s schedule stand out as must-win games for one team or the other?

RE: I have to start with the Eagles verses the Giants in what is truly a must-win for both teams. The Texans may be in serious trouble if they lose to San Francisco this Sunday night with Indianapolis making some serious noise in the AFC South. Another team that could find itself in a pretty big hole in the division is Green Bay, if it loses to Detroit this week. The Lions are the type of team that can beat anyone as long as they do not shoot themselves in the foot with miscues and stupid penalties.

Doc’s Sports: There is a big showdown in the Big Ten this Saturday between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 16 Northwestern. Do the Wildcats have any shot at pulling off the upset as 6.5-point underdogs at home, and is this game a potential preview of this season’s conference championship?

RE: Ohio State is such a complete team on both sides of the ball, but Northwestern is still a very difficult place to win a game. The Wildcats are clearly the class of the Legends Division, and the Buckeyes should waltz to the Big Ten Championship from the Leaders Division after getting by Wisconsin last week, so there is a very good chance that these two teams will meet again this season. As far as Saturday’s game, I would take Ohio State straight up, but giving 6.5 points on the road makes this contest too close to call.

Doc’s Sports: The MLB playoffs get underway in full this weekend with the start of the best-of-five division series in both the American and National League. Of the four wild-card teams that square off this week for a spot in these series, do any have a shot at making a serious run in the postseason?

RE: I am leaning towards Cleveland in the wild-card game, but if Tampa Bay wins it has the kind of team that can get hot and do some damage in the American League. I like Pittsburgh in the NL wild-card, but whichever team wins that game will have a very difficult time getting by St. Louis in the NLDS.

Doc’s Sports: You are probably still celebrating the Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Championship last season, but with the 2013-14 NHL regular season getting underway this Tuesday night, can they repeat as champions this year?

RE: Given the brutal nature of the NHL in terms of injuries, it is very difficult for any team to repeat as champions. The Blackhawks certainly have a decent chance, especially with Detroit playing in the Eastern Conference now, but I would not necessarily bet on them. The team to watch in the West this season is the Los Angeles Kings behind some of the best goaltending in the league.