Last week I won all four games against the spread , in the wildcard bracket.
ATLANTA (41.5) @ PHILADELPHIA (+3)
Many of the Sport shows, and the media, are jumping on the Falcon band wagon, to defeat the Eagles this Saturday. They report that Atlanta is hot, and playing better football, and denounce Philadelphia without QB Wentz. Las Vegas, made the Eagles 2 ½ point underdogs at home. With that given, I delved into the recent past games, and came up with is scenario. Let’s go back to 2014, when the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. I was always aware of the “Super Bowl” hex. Translated, that the losing team in the Super Bowl, flunks out in the next regular season. So Seattle in 2015, started out only 2-4, however, proceeded to win 8 of their last 10 games, and clinching a playoff spot. They also had a five games winning streak from weeks 10 to 15. The Seahawks, went on in the Wild Card playoff game, to defeat the Vikings away. However, as hot as they were, they lost the divisional game to Carolina, and trailed at halftime 31-0. Next, let’s look at the New England Patriots loss to the NY Giants in the Super Bowl. After the Patriots lost the SB, the following regular season was hexed. The Pats, won 9 out of their last 10 games, and proceeded to lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game at home. So don’t look at Atlanta, like they are going to roll over on the Eagles, regardless if Foles is at QB. Keep in mind, Atlanta’s offense is still struggling, and in last week’s Wildcard game, the Rams played terrible, made too many mistakes, and beat themselves. My experience with NFL teams, in games of this type, is called “edge”. The edge in this case, goes to Philadelphia. Psychologically, the Eagles feel disrespected as to being made a dog at home. The other, they can’t win without Carson Wentz at QB. This is the playoffs, and the team, and not just the quarterback, will step up their game. The cliché fits here, and the Eagles will give it a 110% effort. Lastly, here’s the kicker. Look at the entire 2017 Atlanta Falcon season, including last week’s playoff game in LA. The Falcons did not play one game in inclement weather, or in a temperature below 50 degrees. Well, this playoff game on Saturday, will change all that. Game time with the wind chill, will make it feel like 26 degrees at kickoff, with a wind of 13 mph. Warm weather teams, in these conditions, usually fumble, and turnover the football. PREDICTED SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 24 ATLANTA 21.TAKE PHILADELPHIA +3 POINTS, AND PLAY THE OVER 41 ½.
TENNESSEE (47.0) @ NEW ENGLAND -13 ½
Tennessee’s strength, is in their running game, and will rely heavily on RB Henry, to carry their offense. Coach Belichick’s game plan, is schemed to take away your strengths. So expect more eight in the box type defenses, deployed by the Pats.This will force Tennessee, to go to the air, and challenge New England’s suspect secondary. However, are they suspect against defending the pass? Just glancing at the statistics, the Patriots are one of the worst teams surrendering passing yardage. Look further, and you will see that the Patriot defense, bends, but doesn’t break. Once you enter their Red Zone, you are limited to field goals, and not touchdowns. The Patriots rank 5[SUP]th[/SUP] in points surrendered on defense, and ranked 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in the AFC. Last week, Tennessee defeated KC in the wildcard game. The Chiefs were winning 21-3 at halftime, and didn’t score a point after one of their offensive weapons, Kelce, went down. The Patriot offense is d,iversified, and rely on many weapons to attack you. The one mistake the Patriots won’t make, like KC did, is once they got the Titans down, they won’t back off, and let them back into the game. The Pats will simply step on their throats, once they have the lead. PREDICTED SCORE: NEW ENGLAND 37 TENNESSEE 20, TAKE NEW ENGLAND -13 ½, AND PLAY THE OVER 47.0.
JACKSONVILLE (41.0) @ PITTSBURGH (-7 ½)
The opening line immediately tells us something. Pittsburgh is not a Touchdown favorite, instead Jacksonville is a two score underdog. Watching QB Bortles last week, in the wildcard game against Buffalo, you can see he has returned to his old form. Bortles passed for 12-23-1 TD, and only 87 yards. Luckily, they played Buffalo, with a below average wide receiver corps, and a banged up Shady Mc Coy not at 100%. . Buffalo had no offense, and they managed to score only 3 points for the entire game. This week, they draw Pittsburgh. Forget about the regular season, and talk playoffs. The Steelers have an elite offense that are all basically healthy to play. They have Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell, Ans tonio Brown, and Ju-Ju Shuster. Combo this, with their outstanding offensive line, that can both run and pass block, will spell doom for the Jags. So immediately, let me point out, that Pittsburgh has the better QB, and the better offense. As for defense, both teams are formable on both sides. The stats scream how good the Jags defense is, and yet, Pittsburgh can be just as good. The most effective run game, and the least amount of turnovers, makes the difference. Fournette vs. Bell. So that brings us to experience. The Steelers in playoffs, have a ton of experience. Jacksonville, has lacked enough playoff experience. PREDICTED SCORE: PITTSBURGH 23 JACKSONVILLE 13, TAKE PITTSBURGH -7 ½, AND PLAY THE UNDER 41.0.
NEW ORLEANS (45.0) @ MINNESOTA (-5)
Let’s start off with addressing the New Orleans Saints offensive line, without their best offensive lineman, Andrus Peat. Minnesota, has a top defense in the NFL, and their outstanding front seven, can exploit the Saints offense. I am a firm believer, that a great defense, trumps any good offense, any day of the week. Minnesota, clearly has the edge in this regard. The other issue is, that the Saints offense, never faced a superior defense like the Vikings this season. Bottom line, the biggest difference can be found, by comparing last week’s Carolina Panthers poor secondary, to the elite cover guys in the Minnesota secondary. PREDICTED SCORE: MINNESOTA 27 NEW ORLEANS 21, TAKE MINNESOTA -5, AND PLAY THE OVER 45.0
ATLANTA (41.5) @ PHILADELPHIA (+3)
Many of the Sport shows, and the media, are jumping on the Falcon band wagon, to defeat the Eagles this Saturday. They report that Atlanta is hot, and playing better football, and denounce Philadelphia without QB Wentz. Las Vegas, made the Eagles 2 ½ point underdogs at home. With that given, I delved into the recent past games, and came up with is scenario. Let’s go back to 2014, when the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. I was always aware of the “Super Bowl” hex. Translated, that the losing team in the Super Bowl, flunks out in the next regular season. So Seattle in 2015, started out only 2-4, however, proceeded to win 8 of their last 10 games, and clinching a playoff spot. They also had a five games winning streak from weeks 10 to 15. The Seahawks, went on in the Wild Card playoff game, to defeat the Vikings away. However, as hot as they were, they lost the divisional game to Carolina, and trailed at halftime 31-0. Next, let’s look at the New England Patriots loss to the NY Giants in the Super Bowl. After the Patriots lost the SB, the following regular season was hexed. The Pats, won 9 out of their last 10 games, and proceeded to lose to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game at home. So don’t look at Atlanta, like they are going to roll over on the Eagles, regardless if Foles is at QB. Keep in mind, Atlanta’s offense is still struggling, and in last week’s Wildcard game, the Rams played terrible, made too many mistakes, and beat themselves. My experience with NFL teams, in games of this type, is called “edge”. The edge in this case, goes to Philadelphia. Psychologically, the Eagles feel disrespected as to being made a dog at home. The other, they can’t win without Carson Wentz at QB. This is the playoffs, and the team, and not just the quarterback, will step up their game. The cliché fits here, and the Eagles will give it a 110% effort. Lastly, here’s the kicker. Look at the entire 2017 Atlanta Falcon season, including last week’s playoff game in LA. The Falcons did not play one game in inclement weather, or in a temperature below 50 degrees. Well, this playoff game on Saturday, will change all that. Game time with the wind chill, will make it feel like 26 degrees at kickoff, with a wind of 13 mph. Warm weather teams, in these conditions, usually fumble, and turnover the football. PREDICTED SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 24 ATLANTA 21.TAKE PHILADELPHIA +3 POINTS, AND PLAY THE OVER 41 ½.
TENNESSEE (47.0) @ NEW ENGLAND -13 ½
Tennessee’s strength, is in their running game, and will rely heavily on RB Henry, to carry their offense. Coach Belichick’s game plan, is schemed to take away your strengths. So expect more eight in the box type defenses, deployed by the Pats.This will force Tennessee, to go to the air, and challenge New England’s suspect secondary. However, are they suspect against defending the pass? Just glancing at the statistics, the Patriots are one of the worst teams surrendering passing yardage. Look further, and you will see that the Patriot defense, bends, but doesn’t break. Once you enter their Red Zone, you are limited to field goals, and not touchdowns. The Patriots rank 5[SUP]th[/SUP] in points surrendered on defense, and ranked 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in the AFC. Last week, Tennessee defeated KC in the wildcard game. The Chiefs were winning 21-3 at halftime, and didn’t score a point after one of their offensive weapons, Kelce, went down. The Patriot offense is d,iversified, and rely on many weapons to attack you. The one mistake the Patriots won’t make, like KC did, is once they got the Titans down, they won’t back off, and let them back into the game. The Pats will simply step on their throats, once they have the lead. PREDICTED SCORE: NEW ENGLAND 37 TENNESSEE 20, TAKE NEW ENGLAND -13 ½, AND PLAY THE OVER 47.0.
JACKSONVILLE (41.0) @ PITTSBURGH (-7 ½)
The opening line immediately tells us something. Pittsburgh is not a Touchdown favorite, instead Jacksonville is a two score underdog. Watching QB Bortles last week, in the wildcard game against Buffalo, you can see he has returned to his old form. Bortles passed for 12-23-1 TD, and only 87 yards. Luckily, they played Buffalo, with a below average wide receiver corps, and a banged up Shady Mc Coy not at 100%. . Buffalo had no offense, and they managed to score only 3 points for the entire game. This week, they draw Pittsburgh. Forget about the regular season, and talk playoffs. The Steelers have an elite offense that are all basically healthy to play. They have Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell, Ans tonio Brown, and Ju-Ju Shuster. Combo this, with their outstanding offensive line, that can both run and pass block, will spell doom for the Jags. So immediately, let me point out, that Pittsburgh has the better QB, and the better offense. As for defense, both teams are formable on both sides. The stats scream how good the Jags defense is, and yet, Pittsburgh can be just as good. The most effective run game, and the least amount of turnovers, makes the difference. Fournette vs. Bell. So that brings us to experience. The Steelers in playoffs, have a ton of experience. Jacksonville, has lacked enough playoff experience. PREDICTED SCORE: PITTSBURGH 23 JACKSONVILLE 13, TAKE PITTSBURGH -7 ½, AND PLAY THE UNDER 41.0.
NEW ORLEANS (45.0) @ MINNESOTA (-5)
Let’s start off with addressing the New Orleans Saints offensive line, without their best offensive lineman, Andrus Peat. Minnesota, has a top defense in the NFL, and their outstanding front seven, can exploit the Saints offense. I am a firm believer, that a great defense, trumps any good offense, any day of the week. Minnesota, clearly has the edge in this regard. The other issue is, that the Saints offense, never faced a superior defense like the Vikings this season. Bottom line, the biggest difference can be found, by comparing last week’s Carolina Panthers poor secondary, to the elite cover guys in the Minnesota secondary. PREDICTED SCORE: MINNESOTA 27 NEW ORLEANS 21, TAKE MINNESOTA -5, AND PLAY THE OVER 45.0
