Le Fleur and LA Rams +6.5 @ Green Bay –It's a matchup pitting the NFL's top-scoring offense against the No. 1 scoring defense. It also has a pair of head coaches who are very familiar with one another. The Packers' Matt LaFleur served as OC under Sean McVay during his first year as HC of the Rams. McVay and LeFleur also worked together as offensive assistants for four years on Washington's staff. Now they will face off for the first time ever as opposing head coaches.
The Packers' high-powered passing attack will be put to the ultimate test against the NFL's top-ranked pass defense (190.7 ypg) and the league's best lockdown cornerback in Jalen Ramsey. Adams will likely be shadowed by Ramsey in this pairing of first-team All-Pros in what could be the best one-on-one matchup of the season.
The Rams defense may be lacking a bit though. All Pro Aaron Donald is suffering from a rib injury and might not be quite himself. Nothing like the cold to make everything hurt just a bit more.
The Packers' high-powered passing attack will be put to the ultimate test against the NFL's top-ranked pass defense (190.7 ypg) and the league's best lockdown cornerback in Jalen Ramsey. Adams will likely be shadowed by Ramsey in this pairing of first-team All-Pros in what could be the best one-on-one matchup of the season.
The Rams defense may be lacking a bit though. All Pro Aaron Donald is suffering from a rib injury and might not be quite himself. Nothing like the cold to make everything hurt just a bit more.
McVay are well acquainted But it’s when the Rams have the ball that will decide the game. Jared Goff is dinged up with a surgically-repaired thumb. If he can’t go or struggles in the frozen tundra, the atrocious Blake Bortles serves as Goff's backup. Cooper Kupp (knee) is also banged up as well so moving the football through the air could be challenging against the Packers' seventh-ranked pass defense.
That means will can expect a run first offense by LA. Rookie running back Cam Akers, needs to replicate his game from last week when he racked up 131 rushing yards and a touchdown against a Seattle
The Rams' offense will have a difficult time keeping up on the scoreboard. The Green Bay defense isn't as potent as the Rams', but the Packers are very solid on that side of the football, ranking ninth in the NFL this season in total defense.
Green Bay also has home-field advantage in a game that is expected to see temperatures in the high 20s, not exactly what the boys from sunny Los Angeles are accustomed to. The Rams' defense will keep it interesting, but they don't have the firepower on offense to come away with the upset.
I still like the Rams defense to keep it within a TD. I’ll take the points and enjoy watching the Green Bay offense go against the Rams defense. No quatloos though.
That means will can expect a run first offense by LA. Rookie running back Cam Akers, needs to replicate his game from last week when he racked up 131 rushing yards and a touchdown against a Seattle
The Rams' offense will have a difficult time keeping up on the scoreboard. The Green Bay defense isn't as potent as the Rams', but the Packers are very solid on that side of the football, ranking ninth in the NFL this season in total defense.
Green Bay also has home-field advantage in a game that is expected to see temperatures in the high 20s, not exactly what the boys from sunny Los Angeles are accustomed to. The Rams' defense will keep it interesting, but they don't have the firepower on offense to come away with the upset.
I still like the Rams defense to keep it within a TD. I’ll take the points and enjoy watching the Green Bay offense go against the Rams defense. No quatloos though.
Lamar comes to Buffalo having never played in snow Buffalo -2.5 vs Baltimore – It used to be that the NFL was an old man’s league while the AFL was for the younger folks. It looks like that cycle is about to repeat. While the NFC matchups feature 3 QBs in their forties, the NFC has three QBs drafted in 2018. The “old guy” is Mahomes who was drafted in 2017.
Fresh off his first playoff win, Lamar Jackson faces a new challenge this week. It looks like there is a 40 percent chance of snow showers at Bills Stadium, which means there could be an inch of snow on the field come game time. Jackson said he has “zero” experience playing in the snow.
The Bills’ biggest question mark this week will be their ability to stop the run. Buffalo gave up 163 yards on the ground in the win over Indianapolis and surrendered 120 YPG on the ground during the regular season, which ranked 17th in the NFL.
One of the big storylines of the weekend will be how the Ravens’ defense decides to defend Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen. Entering Saturday’s AFC Divisional Round showdown, the Ravens had blitzed a league high 41% of the time. However, Allen has thrown a league-high 19 touchdowns when facing pressure this season. Baltimore isn’t expected to back down from blitzing Allen, who is fresh off of a Pro Bowl season.
Fresh off his first playoff win, Lamar Jackson faces a new challenge this week. It looks like there is a 40 percent chance of snow showers at Bills Stadium, which means there could be an inch of snow on the field come game time. Jackson said he has “zero” experience playing in the snow.
The Bills’ biggest question mark this week will be their ability to stop the run. Buffalo gave up 163 yards on the ground in the win over Indianapolis and surrendered 120 YPG on the ground during the regular season, which ranked 17th in the NFL.
One of the big storylines of the weekend will be how the Ravens’ defense decides to defend Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen. Entering Saturday’s AFC Divisional Round showdown, the Ravens had blitzed a league high 41% of the time. However, Allen has thrown a league-high 19 touchdowns when facing pressure this season. Baltimore isn’t expected to back down from blitzing Allen, who is fresh off of a Pro Bowl season.
Josh had one of his worst outings ever the last time he faced the Ravens The last time Allen faced the Ravens he had one of his worst outings of the year. He completed just 43.6 percent of his passes, the second-lowest mark of his career, and was sacked six times.
Baltimore was outplayed on both sides of the ball early in the Wild Card loss against the Titans, and if the Ravens get off to a slow start in the Divisional Round. Lamar was sacked five times by the Titans, threw for only 179 yards, and produced a costly interception on the game's second drive. He eventually settled in, rushing for 136 yards, including a 48-yard burst for a touchdown in the second quarter as the Ravens were able to overcome an early 10-0 deficit.
But if he gets off to another slow start, in his potentially first game in the snow, I’m not sure that they will be able to keep Buffalo off the board for long enough to stage a comeback. Buffalo moved the ball with relative ease against the Colts’ defense and Allen’s improved accuracy was on full display in the Wild Card Round.
I’ll take the Bills and lay the points for a quatloo.
Baltimore was outplayed on both sides of the ball early in the Wild Card loss against the Titans, and if the Ravens get off to a slow start in the Divisional Round. Lamar was sacked five times by the Titans, threw for only 179 yards, and produced a costly interception on the game's second drive. He eventually settled in, rushing for 136 yards, including a 48-yard burst for a touchdown in the second quarter as the Ravens were able to overcome an early 10-0 deficit.
But if he gets off to another slow start, in his potentially first game in the snow, I’m not sure that they will be able to keep Buffalo off the board for long enough to stage a comeback. Buffalo moved the ball with relative ease against the Colts’ defense and Allen’s improved accuracy was on full display in the Wild Card Round.
I’ll take the Bills and lay the points for a quatloo.
Nick Chubb looks to keep Mahomes on the sidelines Cleveland +10.0 @ Kansas City – What happened to the Steelers last week? For a vetern playoff team, they looked like a bunch of bumbling idiots. The first play was a fumble into the endzone, then a pick. By the time the first quarter was over it was 28-0 Browns. Even then Chris was nervous. The Browns are a lot like the Lions that way. No lead is big enough for them to blow. But they held on to win and cost me what would have been a very profitable money line parlay. Damn.
It was the first Cleveland playoff win since Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were in the theatres. Now they take on the Chiefs and once again are huge dogs.
What is the best way to beat Patrick Mahomes? By keeping him off the field of course. Cleveland has the best dual-headed monster at running back with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to smash Kansas City’s suspect defensive front. The Chief’s front is allowing an average 122 rushing YPG this season. The Browns can change the entire tempo of this game by running the football, extending drives and taking precious time off the clock.
Andy Reid is the master of the bye week. Between his time in Philadelphia and Kansas City, he's gone 24-5 after a week off if you include the playoffs. Now he is coming off two weeks Kansas City has been off for two weeks, considering all the starters that didn't play in Week 17. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) and Sammy Watkins (calf) are getting some extra time to heal.
It was the first Cleveland playoff win since Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were in the theatres. Now they take on the Chiefs and once again are huge dogs.
What is the best way to beat Patrick Mahomes? By keeping him off the field of course. Cleveland has the best dual-headed monster at running back with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to smash Kansas City’s suspect defensive front. The Chief’s front is allowing an average 122 rushing YPG this season. The Browns can change the entire tempo of this game by running the football, extending drives and taking precious time off the clock.
Andy Reid is the master of the bye week. Between his time in Philadelphia and Kansas City, he's gone 24-5 after a week off if you include the playoffs. Now he is coming off two weeks Kansas City has been off for two weeks, considering all the starters that didn't play in Week 17. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) and Sammy Watkins (calf) are getting some extra time to heal.
There really is no stopping a player like Mahomes when he has so many weapons. He can dice up a defensive secondary like an onion and leave them in tears after doing so. The Browns can generate pressure with Garrett up front, but they have a tendency of giving up big plays on the backend of their defense. They are currently ranked 25th against the pass with teams averaging 262.5 passing yards per game against them.
On the other side, you've got a Browns team that has been on the road for six of their last eight weeks and has been dealing with COVID-19 issues. Will there be any sort of emotional letdown following last week's long-awaited playoff victory against their hated rival?
That said, one player is sure to be pumped up. Kareem Hunt will be gunning to get back at the Chiefs after they released him following an assault incident back in 2018. The Browns were the ones that stepped up and gave him an opportunity after the incident, and it has obviously paid off big for both sides.
Ten points is way too much in a playoff game. It’s easier to get to the top than to stay there. Chiefs will win but not cover. I’ll put a quatloo on the Browns and the points.
On the other side, you've got a Browns team that has been on the road for six of their last eight weeks and has been dealing with COVID-19 issues. Will there be any sort of emotional letdown following last week's long-awaited playoff victory against their hated rival?
That said, one player is sure to be pumped up. Kareem Hunt will be gunning to get back at the Chiefs after they released him following an assault incident back in 2018. The Browns were the ones that stepped up and gave him an opportunity after the incident, and it has obviously paid off big for both sides.
Ten points is way too much in a playoff game. It’s easier to get to the top than to stay there. Chiefs will win but not cover. I’ll put a quatloo on the Browns and the points.
Brady has really struggled versus the Saints Tampa Bay +3.0 @ New Orleans – The old saying is – it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season. New Orleans swept the Bucs in the regular season now goes for a third win. But is it really? Playoff teams are 5-2 SU when going for a third win. But this is the first time New Orleans and Tampa have faced each other in the post season.
Brady has struggled in both of his matchups with New Orleans. His passer rating fell below 80 in only three contests during this season, with two of those coming against the Saints. He has thrown just 12 interceptions this season, with New Orleans accounting for five of those. He has only been sacked 21 times with the Saints getting him to the ground six times.
The New Orleans pass defense is playing fantastic. No Saints opponent has exceeded 300 yards through the air since Week 14 of the 2019 season. Brady's troubles against New Orleans can be directly attributed to Tampa Bay's meager running game. In the season-opener in New Orleans, running backs Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette together had 22 carries for 71 yards and no touchdowns. During the rematch in Tampa, the duo combined for just four rushing attempts for nine yards and no scores.
And it wasn’t just against the Saints. The Bucs finished the regular season ranked 28th in the NFL at 94.9 rushing yards per game. Making matters worse, #1 RB Ronald Jones exited last week's game with a quad injury and is considered questionable.
Brady has struggled in both of his matchups with New Orleans. His passer rating fell below 80 in only three contests during this season, with two of those coming against the Saints. He has thrown just 12 interceptions this season, with New Orleans accounting for five of those. He has only been sacked 21 times with the Saints getting him to the ground six times.
The New Orleans pass defense is playing fantastic. No Saints opponent has exceeded 300 yards through the air since Week 14 of the 2019 season. Brady's troubles against New Orleans can be directly attributed to Tampa Bay's meager running game. In the season-opener in New Orleans, running backs Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette together had 22 carries for 71 yards and no touchdowns. During the rematch in Tampa, the duo combined for just four rushing attempts for nine yards and no scores.
And it wasn’t just against the Saints. The Bucs finished the regular season ranked 28th in the NFL at 94.9 rushing yards per game. Making matters worse, #1 RB Ronald Jones exited last week's game with a quad injury and is considered questionable.
But he is developing quite a rapport with Antonio Brown The Saints' victory in the Wild Card Round served as a reunion of the stars among New Orleans' offense. That game marked the first time that Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas all played together for an entire game since Week 9. Oh yeah, that contest ended in the Saints' 38-3 demolition of the Buccaneers in Tampa. Alvin Kamara was able to rush for 99 yards against the Bears, however, the Bucs rush defense is the best in the NFL.
I'm still going to take the Bucs to cover. Brady has been developing a strong rapport with his WRs, Evans, Godwin and now Brown. Antonio Brown wasn't available in the first matchup, and he played his initial game with the Buccaneers in that second loss to New Orleans. He wasn't fully integrated into the offense then, so having him play a larger role will be imperative because Marshon Lattimore routinely locks down Mike Evans. Thus, it'll be up to Brown and Chris Godwin to help Brady prevail.
Godwin had a severe case of the dropsies against Washington last week and yet the Bucs still prevailed. I expect him to have a much better game this week.
No quatloos though. I will put a Mini Mega on the over 52.0 though. Should make for a very fun game.
I'm also going to go with a money line parlay on Green Bay over LA and Kansas City over Cleveland for a little over 3/2 payback
I'm still going to take the Bucs to cover. Brady has been developing a strong rapport with his WRs, Evans, Godwin and now Brown. Antonio Brown wasn't available in the first matchup, and he played his initial game with the Buccaneers in that second loss to New Orleans. He wasn't fully integrated into the offense then, so having him play a larger role will be imperative because Marshon Lattimore routinely locks down Mike Evans. Thus, it'll be up to Brown and Chris Godwin to help Brady prevail.
Godwin had a severe case of the dropsies against Washington last week and yet the Bucs still prevailed. I expect him to have a much better game this week.
No quatloos though. I will put a Mini Mega on the over 52.0 though. Should make for a very fun game.
I'm also going to go with a money line parlay on Green Bay over LA and Kansas City over Cleveland for a little over 3/2 payback
