NFL Payoffs Week One

Jan.09, 2010 in Liz's Picks

I must admit this is the first time since I’ve been watching football that 3 games pit the same 2 opponents against each other in the playoffs. I also find it difficult to come up with different results. I know, there has never been a weekend where I liked more underdogs than favorites. With that being said here are my picks for this weekend’s playoff games.

My first playoff pick this weekend is the New York Jets on the road at Cincinnati getting 2½ points. I just don’t see how the Bengals are going to be able to regroup enough to beat the Jets this weekend. They still can’t stop the run, which the Jets do very well, and they still aren’t going to have enough time to throw to Ocho, as the Jets defense is awesome. So unless they were really playing to sucker the Jets into a false sense of superiority, I have to go with the hot team and that’s the Jets AND they are getting points, now that’s a bargain. Go with the Jets and take the 2½ points. I also like the over 33½.

My second pick on Saturday is the Dallas Cowboys at home giving the Philadelphia Eagles 4 points. This is probably the toughest game for me to pick as I know Andy Reid will come back with a game plan that will keep this game a whole lot closer than last week’s game. But with that being said, and the fact that we all know that Tony Romo is a choke artist I still have this feeling that the Boys are playing with a purpose right now because that game last week did mean something to both teams and the Boys played like it and the Eagles didn’t. So I am going to stick my neck out here and take the Cowboys at home minus the 4 points. Once again I like the over 45 in this game.

On Sunday I must admit if this wasn’t a home game for the Pats and a road game for the Ravens it would be a much easier pick, but with the Pats having a perfect 8-0 record at home and the Ravens with a 3-5 road record, it makes it a lot more difficult. We know Welker is going to be out for the Patriots and that hurts, but how much is the question. The line on this game opened at 4 and I’ve seen a line as low as 1½, the current line is 3½ so it seems that the betting public think the Ravens will keep this close and I must admit so do I. The Patriots will win this game but the score won’t be a blowout. I like the Baltimore Ravens with the 3½ pts. I am leaning toward the over in this game, according to the weather report it will be sunny and in the low 20′s with very little wind, so with an over of 43 I think it is doable.

The last game of the weekend is my best bet. I love the Green Bay Packers to win this game outright and the point they are getting, is just a small added bonus. Whether or not the Cardinals cared about last week’s game or not, they will find it hard to turn it back on against these Packers. The Cardinals are only 4-4 at home this year while Green Bay is 5-3 on the road. The Cardinals are also hurting in the secondary where Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is listed as questionable and their outstanding wide receiver, Anquan Boldin, is also listed as questionable. Green Bay is definitely the hungrier team here and they are my best bet of the weekend. As for the over/under I am leaning toward the over, which of course should not surprise anyone, who reads my picks.