For the past 42 years and counting, Doc’s Sports Service has risen to the top of the sports information industry through the ability to provide winning picks to our loyal customers for all the major sports, especially during football season. We have been able to maintain this lofty status through a long-standing relationship with some of the best handicappers in the business. Raphael Esparza certainly belongs in that group as one of our top performers for the past seven years. His previous role as the Vegas Sports Informer came about during a long and illustrious career working behind the counter for some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas. Raphael has since retired from the sportsbook industry, but he is still working hard every day tapping into a vast network of contacts in Las Vegas to maintain his insider’s edge. This edge has been a big part of the reason he has been able to continually deliver winning selections for a wide array of sports.

Doc’s Sports has been tapping into this insider’s edge through a weekly series of discussions with Raphael covering some of the hottest trending topics in the sports gaming industry today. He continues to prove that living in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world has gone hand-in-hand with him becoming one of the best handicappers in the business. The following is this week’s discussion.

Doc’s Sports: The NFL is rapidly approaching the halfway point of the regular season, and while few would argue that Denver is the cream of the crop in the AFC, can you give us your top few teams in the NFC?

RE: Denver is clearly the best team in the entire NFL, but if we are just talking about the NFC then I would go with the New Orleans Saints as my top team with Seattle coming in second. Last week’s loss to New England was a heartbreaker, but it did not change my overall impression of just how good the Saints really are. While I may ruffle the feathers of a few readers, I would put the Dallas Cowboys as my third team on this list and rising with a bullet if they can continue to play mistake-free ball like they did last week against Washington.

Doc’s Sports: The biggest matchup of Week 7 in the NFL has the undefeated Broncos on the road against 4-2 Indianapolis, which is coming off a tough loss to San Diego this past Monday night. Is this the week that Denver’s winning streak comes to an end?

RE: This game opened with Denver favored by 6.5 points, but I see that climbing to seven by game time. Despite the crazy numbers that Peyton Manning has been putting out so far, look for the Broncos to take a page out of San Diego’s playbook by running the ball right at the heart of this Indianapolis defense. I have no problem with a touchdown spread as I see Denver covering by 10 points in this one.

Doc’s Sports: Turning to this Saturday’s college football slate, the big game of the day has No. 5 Florida State on the road against No. 3 Clemson as a three-point road favorite. Which team do you have coming out on top in this huge ACC showdown?

RE: The one thing I know for sure is that whichever team comes out on top will be poised to really shake up the BCS rankings if they can run the table the rest of the way. This game is just too close to call, but I would have to say that I am rooting for Clemson to pull off the mild upset. Tajh Boyd is the real deal, and he could very well be the best quarterback in college football this year.

Doc’s Sports: Both the Red Sox and the Dodgers were able to tighten up the MLB Division Championship Series with key wins in the past few days. Are these teams destined to meet in this year’s World Series, or will Detroit in the AL and/or St. Louis in the NL breakup this dream matchup for FOX?

RE: While great pitching is the backbone of any championship run, it is especially true in this year’s MLB Playoffs. That is why I see both the Tigers and the Cardinals advancing to the World Series. I rank Detroit’s overall rotation as the best of the four teams left, with St. Louis a close second.

Doc’s Sports: The Colorado Avalanche are off to a surprisingly fast start in the early going of the new NHL season. What are your thoughts on the long-term outlook for this team in the very competitive Central Division?

RE: I think stories like this are great for the NHL especially with someone like Patrick Roy leading the charge as Colorado’s new head coach. He has brought some genuine excitement to a great hockey town and definitely has his young guns playing at a high level so far. However, it is doubtful that the Avalanche can play at this elevated level all season long. They are still in a very tough division against the likes of Chicago and St. Louis, which will take its toll as time wears on.