Super Bowl Picks, Predictions & Odds
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVI is right around the corner, and so it’s time to evaluate the game, the teams, and of course, the betting odds and lines which are available. If the game looks familiar to you, it’s because it’s a rematch of the Super Bowl from a few years back. So it’s take two of the New England Patriots vs. the New York Giants for the NFL championship.
The Giants come into this game riding a huge streak of momentum. They have won two straight road games, including going into Green Bay and getting a win in Lambeau against the Packers, and then going to San Francisco and surviving overtime to beat the 49ers. Before that, they easily dispatched of the Atlanta Falcons at home in the Wild Card round. Eli Manning now has the most road wins in the playoffs for a quarterback in history, and coach Tom Coughlin is tied for the most road wins by a coach.
So this team is used to being in hostile environments and beating teams who are supposed to be better than them. They did it four years ago on their way to winning the Super Bowl, and now they want to do it again. Of course, while many things appear the same from that Super Bowl, many things are different as well. Consider that this time, the Giants all have experience from the last time. Also consider, that this time, the Giants beat the Patriots in the regular season as opposed to the other way around.
The Patriots might not be undefeated like they were in 2008 for Super Bowl XLVI, but still, they’re riding a 10 game winning streak. They narrowly beat the Baltimore Ravens at home to gain entry to the big game, and before that, they crushed the Denver Broncos, and enjoyed their number 1 seed status for a bye week in the opening round.
This team is all about Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick, of course. Brady leads a high-powered attack, and uses a number of different weapons, including the always reliable Wes Welker, and the tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They can beat you in a number of different ways.
The defense has been susceptible to the pass, and by yardage, rank amongst the all-time worst pass defenses in NFL history. But they are playing much better now, and they also create turnovers and then lock down on defense closer to the end zone, so don’t mistake the defense as being very weak.
Moving onto the official odds and lines for the game, the Patriots are 3 point favorites over the Giants. The over/under for the game is at 55 total points. For straight bets, you can get the Patriots at -140 and the Giants at +120. So who’s going to come out as the Super Bowl champion.
Eli Manning and the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago. They beat them in New England this season. They are riding a huge streak of momentum, and they know they can get the job done. The Patriots are out for revenge, but it’s not going to happen. Take the Giants in an upset to win Super Bowl 46 for the second time in five years.
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Super Bowl XLVI: New York vs New England Picks, Predictions & Odds
Super Bowl XLVI features a rematch from Super XLII, in case you somehow haven’t heard. For the second time in five seasons, the NFL season will wrap up with a match-up headlined by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Last time, the Giants won out and stopped the Patriots from an undefeated, perfect season. So who has the edge in the rematch, and which team will add another trophy to the mantle?
The game might be headlined by Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning, but of course, these two players don’t do anything against one another in the game. The quarterback that plays better, and leads his team better, will likely get a Super Bowl ring. But it’s not really Brady vs. Manning, even though that’s what all the hype, and all the talk about elite quarterbacks and so forth will lead you to believe.
The Super Bowl, of course, will not be decided by Brady vs. Manning, but instead, Brady vs. the Giants defense, and Manning vs. the Patriots defense. The Giants defensive line is their strength, as they can rush the passer from all angles and create lots of confusion and disruption. That’s how the Giants won the Super Bowl a few years ago against the Patriots, by staying in Brady’s face, hitting and sacking him, and so forth.
The line is just as dangerous now as it was then, so the Patriots will have their challenges. But Brady has a new look offense, featuring a tight end tandem the likes of which has never been seen before, with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, not to mention the seemingly ubiquitous Wes Welker. Brady will look to spread the ball and keep the Giants off balance, and get rid of the ball quickly, to prevent getting sacked.
On the other side of the ball, the Patriots defense will do its best to confuse and rattle Manning. Manning has been playing great in the postseason, and had an excellent season. But you know Belichick will have something in store for him in terms of confusing defensive alignments and fakes, unique blitzes and more. The Patriots will look to create some turnovers and then capitalize on them, and put up more points than the Giants can match.
The combined over/under for the game is at 55 points. Both teams have great offenses, but take the under, because defense clamps down on the biggest stage. The point spread has New England as a 3 point favorite, and the money line puts the Pats at -140 and the Giants at +120 for straight bets.
So, who’s going to emerge as the latest Super Bowl champion? Manning is 2-1 against Brady in his life, and 2-0 in his last two, including a Super Bowl, and a road game. Manning vs. Brady won’t decide the game, as mentioned, but the track record the Giants and Manning have will give them all confidence and added presence. Manning will keep his miscues limited, and rely on his defensive line for another super performance. Take the Giants to win the Super Bowl in a small upset, in very similar fashion to how they got the job done a few seasons back.
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NFL Playoffs: Baltimore vs New England Picks, Predictions & Odds
The AFC Championship game features the top two seeds from the conference, the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Of course, they two clubs have been mainstays in the postseason picture for the past decade. It’s no surprise to see the two of them here, as they were preseason favorites and appeared to be some of the strongest teams out there during the year. So who will emerge as the winner and end up Super Bowl bound when the final seconds tick off the clock?
The Baltimore Ravens just got a home win over the Houston Texans. The offense certainly didn’t look spectacular, and that has generated a great deal of talk from media members as well as from Ravens players. Quarterback Joe Flacco was criticized by safety Ed Reed, despite the fact that he played a statistically sound game and allowed the Ravens to get the win.
What’s lost in the debate is that the Texans had one of the best defenses in football, and that Flacco is undefeated with a stellar rating all season long when facing top opponents. Nevertheless, Flacco, and more importantly Ray Rice, will have to be able to produce some points and big plays in New England. The Patriots will be able to put points up, even against that Ravens defense, so Baltimore will have to be able to answer.
Meanwhile, New England looked absolutely sensational last weekend as they destroyed the Denver Broncos. Many people are chalking that up to the Broncos simply being overmatched and being lucky to be where they were. Tim Tebow had a terrible game, and New England just crushed them in every aspect. Tom Brady tied a record by throwing for six touchdown passes in the outing, and his tight end weapons, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, were both unstoppable.
Luckily for New England, the worst part of their game is the part of the game that the Ravens also struggle with. New England’s pass defense has been atrocious all season long, but as mentioned, Flacco has been criticized at every turn. The game may hinge on who wins that battle, Flacco and his receivers or the New England cornerbacks.
Looking at the official odds for the game, the Patriots are favorites by 7 points. For many people, that’s a very wide spread considering the history between these clubs, and the pedigree of these two teams as well. Don’t forget, the last time they met in the playoffs, the Ravens traveled to New England, and they got the win, in dominant fashion too. So Baltimore has been there done that, and is confident they’ll be able to do it again.
Having Tom Brady can mask a lot of flaws on your football team, so while the Patriots look like a juggernaut, that isn’t really the case. Baltimore is actually the more complete team top to bottom, and that defense is hungry for a chance at another championship. With a 7 point spread, you have to like Baltimore to beat that figure, and taking Baltimore to get the win isn’t a bad bet either.
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NFL Conference Championship Picks, Predictions & Odds
We’re down to the final four teams here, after a sensational weekend of NFL divisional playoffs. Now it’s time for the conference championships, and four great teams remain to compete for the Super Bowl and the championship. In the AFC, we have New England and Baltimore, and in the NFC, we have the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants. Here’s a quick look at both of those games, and the odds and predictions you’ll need to look ahead to the weekend.
At New England -7 Baltimore
In the AFC, the top two seeds of the postseason remain, each one of which had an opening round bye. The Patriots get to play host to the Ravens, and each team looks to be strong in some areas but potentially weak in others.
The Patriots looked great as they trounced the Denver Broncos last weekend, but you have to consider the competition. They had one of worst pass defenses in league history according to yardage, and that’s something that Baltimore will need to exploit. Meanwhile, that’s the Baltimore weakness, their passing game, and quarterback Joe Flacco has been under heavy criticism from media and even some teammates.
New England is a heavy favorite here thanks to Tom Brady and the high powered offensive attack. But remember, the last time these two teams met in the playoffs, the Ravens went into New England and they got an upset win. So they won’t be discouraged heading into Foxborough one bit.
In playoff football, the more physical team, and the team with the superior defense, often wins. Brady and company though might be able to stop that trend, but you should expect there to be a close game no matter what. That means you should take Baltimore against the spread, and if you’re adventurous, straight up to get the win.
At San Francisco -2.5 NY Giants
The New York Giants upset the defending Super Bowl champions, the 15-1 Green Bay Packers. Green Bay looked off all game long, and it took a few bad calls from the referees for the game to even be close. The Giants had a great pass rush, and Eli Manning put in another fantastic, clutch performance on the biggest stage.
Now the G-Men will go back to San Francisco for another rematch of a game they lost during the year. The 49ers outlasted the New Orleans Saints in a fantastic game which featured a ridiculous, seesaw ending. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis stepped up to the big stage too, and their defense and special teams created an astonishing five turnovers. If they can get that many turnovers again, of course you have to like them to win the game.
The Giants are an experienced team which has been in this situation before, as has their coach. That experience may prove to be the difference, as well as a more balanced offensive attack, and a defense which is peaking at just the right time. Take the Giants to pull off the small upset on the road over the 49ers.
Two great games and one great day of conference championship football in the NFL!
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NFL Playoff Picks, Predictions & Odds
The NFL playoffs continue this weekend with the two conference championships. The four teams remaining in the race are the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC, and the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants in the NFC. Each team has their own strengths, and each team has a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. Here’s a breakdown of the picks for the weekend, and the picks for the rest of the way in this year’s NFL playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
The Patriots are 7 point favorites over the Ravens. The over/under for the game is at 50 points, which is very high, considering Baltimore’s defense. However, New England’s offense is so good that the line has been pushed up. If you prefer a straight bet, you can get the Patriots at -320, and the Ravens at +260.
Baltimore has gone into New England and beaten the Patriots before in the postseason, they did it just a few years ago. Now, with Ray Rice has one of the best running backs in the league, and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed sniffing a championship, they’ll be looking to do it again. Even if you like the Patriots, take the Ravens against the spread here, and in a straight bet with +260, it’s good to pass up on Baltimore.
New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are smaller favorites, by 2.5 points. You can pick them straight up at -135, or pick the Giants outright at +115. The over/under for the game is at 42 points, a nod to the strong defenses of both teams. Of course, it should be noted that when they played earlier in the season, the combined points was 47, and each team was involved in a high-scoring match last weekend, so take the over here.
Alex Smith is playing the best he has in his career, and he’s finally getting some big wins. Jim Harbaugh has had a magical first season as an NFL head coach, and the 49ers are strong top to bottom. But Eli Manning has emerged as a true elite quarterback, and so many of his teammates, and his head coach Tom Coughlin, have playoff and Super Bowl experience. They’ll bank on that to get the job done, so take the Giants in an upset win.
Looking ahead, you can bet right now on each of the four team’s winning the Super Bowl. Heading into the conference championships, the Patriots are the overall favorite, at +110. Next is the 49ers at +350, the Giants at +350, and finally the Ravens at +600. The overall early line for the Super Bowl has the AFC winner being favored over the NFC representative by 4 points.
There’s no need to stop there though, as you can also make picks for next season’s Super Bowl winner too. For 2013, the Patriots are going off at +800, the Giants at +1,500, the 49ers at +1,500 and the Ravens at +1,200.
So as far ahead as you’d like to look, you can get in on the fun with some NFL playoff picks and bets.
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NFL Playoffs: New York vs Green Bay Predictions, Picks & Odds
The New York Giants head to Green Bay to play the Packers this weekend, and the game has been generating plenty of buzz and hype. That’s as much because of what these teams are capable of this year, as what has happened in the past between these two teams as well. So, do the Giants have another surprising run to the Super Bowl in them, or are the Packers simply too good to overcome?
The Giants looked great last weekend, dispatching of the Atlanta Falcons at home by a final score of 24-2. That means the defense put on a shutout, as the only points came via a safety. Atlanta looked overmatched, and the Giants pass rush was exceptional, as was their running game.
The performance immediately called to mind the Super Bowl champions from a few seasons past, and how they got the job done that year. They also squeaked into the playoffs and then got hot at the right time, and rode it all the way to a Super Bowl victory. During that run, they went on the road in the NFC Championship game to Green Bay, and were heavy underdogs. They beat the Packers though, and kept on going. So this is a rematch of that playoff game.
It’s also a rematch of their regular season match from a few weeks away. The Packers traveled to New York for that one and ended up winning via a last second field goal. It looked the Giants had pulled it out though, as Eli Manning led them to a touchdown drive and the lead, but the defense couldn’t hold off Aaron Rodgers and company. That game also brings back memories for Giants fans, as they barely lost to the New England Patriots in the regular season during their Super Bowl year, and the close loss gave them the confidence they needed to get to the rematch and then close out the win.
The Packers are favored in this game by 7.5 points. The over/under for the match is at 52.5 points, thanks to the strong offenses that both teams possess, and the suspect passing defenses that both teams have as well. It won’t be a surprise to see the score ending up well on the over side of the that line.
The talk has been about the Giants this week, and the Packers are probably basking in it. How can a 15-1 team, the defending Super Bowl champions, led by the likely league MVP in Rodgers, not be getting the attention? The Giants are looking more dangerous than ever right now, but Green Bay is too good and has too much at stake here after their great regular season. Green Bay will find a way to pull out this victory, but the Giants and Manning may have a bit of 4th quarter magic in them, so take them to beat the spread in the final divisional round match of the playoffs before next weekend’s conference championship games.
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NFL Divisional Playoffs: Houston vs Baltimore Picks, Predictions & Odds
The NFL divisional playoff game garnering the least attention this year is between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans will be visiting the Ravens in Baltimore, and they’ll be the underdogs to try to emerge with a victory. For Baltimore, it’s their first shot in a very long time to have a playoff game at home, so they’ll be cherishing that opportunity and looking to capitalize on their home field advantage.
The Ravens are used to being the road warriors in the postseason. Joe Flacco and coach John Harbaugh have not gotten to play at home in the playoffs yet, ever, before this game. They’ve had good success on the road too in past playoff appearances, but it’s simply much harder to get the job done. But they scratched and clawed all season long for the privilege, and beat the Steelers twice in order to lock up the AFC North division, as well as a first round bye.
So they’ll be at home in this game, and they were an excellent team at home all season long. Their work on the road was suspect, and they suffered several large letdown games as the road team this year. But at home, they were undefeated and went 8-0 during the regular season, something the Texans probably don’t want to be reminded about.
For guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, this season might be their best shot to win another Super Bowl. With Ray Rice being one of the most dynamic backs in the league, Terrell Suggs being a beast, and both of those guys still playing at a very high level, this is a Ravens team that is hard to match up with, and a dangerous team to face when they get things clicking.
The Texans meanwhile enjoyed their first playoff game ever, and of course their first postseason win in team history, last weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals. But beating the suspect Bengals at home is one thing, and heading into Baltimore with a third string quarterback is an entirely different thing.
The Ravens are 7.5 point favorites in the game, and the over/under has been set at an extremely low 35.5 points, thanks to the very strong defenses of both teams. So will Baltimore do as expected and take care of the Texans?
These two teams met in the regular season, in Baltimore, and the Ravens were able to win handily. That was when Houston had Matt Schaub in the lineup, and not number 3 QB TJ Yates. That doesn’t bode well for the Texans here. The Baltimore players, and the crowd, are going to be extremely fired up for this one and the rare home playoff game opportunity. They’ll come out firing on all cylinders, and they’ll lock up the win with strong play on both sides of the ball. Take Baltimore to win, although maybe Houston makes it interesting until the end and surprises a few folks by beating the spread.
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New Orleans vs San Francisco Predictions, Picks & Odds
The New Orleans Saints will head on the road to face the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC divisional round match-up Saturday afternoon. This game is a classic struggle between an offensive juggernaut and a stout defensive squad. It’s said that defense wins championships, but will the 49ers be able to shut down the Saints and continue advancing? Or will the Saints continue looking like they’ll be Super for the second time in three seasons?
Drew Brees and the Saints have had a fantastic season. Brees put up otherworldly numbers, broke Dan Marino’s long standing record for yards in a season – and crushed it, taking it out by about 400 yards.
He’s amazingly accurate, and he has a huge collection of targets to work with, from tight end Jimmy Graham to a talented and deep group of wide receivers, and of course, the always dangerous Darren Sproles, one of the best pickups of the offseason for any team. This team can light you up, but they’re not as dangerous on the road as they are at home, where they were 8-0 in the regular season and also trounced the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round last weekend.
The 49ers came out of nowhere this season behind new head coach Jim Harbaugh. With mostly the same cast of characters as the previous year, they managed to obtain a first round by in the playoffs, turn Alex Smith into a respectable quarterback, and put on a defensive display that is hard to match up with, as they almost didn’t allow any rushing touchdowns for the entire season.
According to the official lines, the New Orleans Saints are 3.5 point road favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. The over/under for the game is at 47.5 points, which seems pretty high when you consider how tough the 49ers are to score on, even if the Saints could seemingly put up that many against other teams in their sleep.
It’s easy to lose track of the Saints and what they’ve accomplished over a period of several years. They are just two seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl, and they had a strong team last year before they disappointingly lost early in the postseason. They almost got the first round bye instead of the 49ers, and then they’d be the home team here, not San Francisco.
Of course, that’s not the way this one turned out, but the point is that the Saints have a track record of success. For the 49ers, this is all new, and they’ll be going up against a team that knows how to get the job done. Drew Brees is just too good, and the Saints certainly aren’t concerned with scoring on the ground as opposed to through the air. In a tight, fun game pitting these two very different teams, the Saints will edge it out and get the win, advancing to the conference championship game and a potential rematch against the Packers.
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NFL Divisional Playoffs: Denver vs New England Predictions, Picks & Odds
The game with the widest point spread this weekend might be the one that garners the most attention. Everybody will want to tune in and watch as the Denver Broncos, and Tim Tebow, head to New England to take on the Patriots, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Nobody can get enough of Tebow and the Broncos and their whole magical run this season, and that’s true now more than ever thanks to last week’s win.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were heavy road favorites to take care of business against Denver. Nobody really gave the Broncos a chance. However, they controlled the game and had a huge lead, although they allowed the Steelers to come back and tie it up, forcing overtime. In the overtime session, we all know what happened by now. Tebow threw a perfect pass on the first play, and his wide receiver, Demaryius Thomas, took it 80 yards to the house for the game winning touchdown.
It’s the kind of thing you can’t make up, and Tebow threw for over 300 yards on the highly touted Steelers defense, which dared him to beat them through the air, and he obliged. Of course, Denver has been much more than Tebow. The unwritten heroes are the defensive players who have put up excellent efforts, the running game which helps Tebow to thrive on offense, and so forth. It’s been a crazy ride for Denver, and they’re hoping they can make something even crazier happen this weekend in New England.
The Patriots meanwhile are the top seed in the AFC, and look to be a very strong team, with Super Bowl potential. It’s hard not to like Tom Brady and his offensive attack, this year spearheaded by guys like Ron Gronkowski and Wes Welker. But the defense has had its issues, so the team isn’t invulnerable. In addition, it’s easy to still think of the Patriots as a dynasty. But in truth, since they lost that Super Bowl to the Giants, they haven’t had any postseason success, losing all of their games since.
The Patriots are the biggest favorites of the weekend, with a 13.5 point line heading into their Saturday night, primetime showdown. The over/under for the game is very high, at 50.5 points, thanks to New England’s high powered attack, as well as their defensive problems.
It’s hard to envision the Broncos coming into New England and getting a road win in the playoffs against a rested Patriots club, and a Belichick coached team coming off a bye week. But as mentioned, New England hasn’t been good in the playoffs lately, and there’s the “It” factor to consider with Tebow. Ultimately, the Patriots are going to get the job done, but you can’t take them with two touchdowns. Take the Broncos to beat the spread, but the Tebow magic to come to a close in this game as diehard fans and casual sporting fans all across the country tune in to see what goes down.
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