NFL Props: Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers Predictions 1/12

January 10th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Colin KaepernickThe San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers are set to continue the 2013 NFL playoffs, and as a part of our analysis of the Divisional betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial clash.

Will Either Team Score in the First 6:30?: We really think that there is going to be a heck of a lot of defense in this game, knowing that both of these teams have the ability to do some real damage. The 49ers are going to come out of the blocks running for sure, right into the teeth of a defense that has had a very difficult time stopping the big time rushers this season. Green Bay has to come out firing through the air, but it’s not like there is a question about that to the 49ers. This is a matchup that both of these teams have been working towards for weeks, and we think that the outcome could be a slow start. That’s not to say that there won’t be plenty of points on the board as the game wears on, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the first quarter went by without a score. No Score in the First 6:30 (-115)

Longest Field Goal Made Over/Under 43.5 Yards: It’s tough to think that these two field goal kickers, once stars of the league, are now two of the biggest goats playing in these playoffs. K David Akers nearly got released in between the end of the season and now, and K Mason Crosby has missed as many field goals in big time situations as any kicker in the league this year. That being said, both of these defenses are very hard to break, and there has to be a situation where, just outside of the red zone, one of these two clubs falters. The number that we’re used to seeing for this prop is around 45.5 or 46.5 yards, but 43.5 is just far too low. Last season, had these two teams played, this number would have easily been at least 45.5, as Akers and Crosby were booming them in from all over the place. Kickers are weird, but they’re not that weird. Expect at least one long field goal tonight. Longest Field Goal Made Over 43.5 Yards (-115)

Green Bay Packers Rushing Yards Over/Under 95: Look, this is a bad team on the ground, but it’s not THAT bad of a team on the ground. Green Bay does average over 100 rushing yards per game this year, and though we know that we aren’t getting all of the rushing yards from one back, we do get to add everything in there, and that does include whatever QB Aaron Rodgers ends up with. Forget about the fact that Green Bay hasn’t even gotten to 75 rushing yards over the course of the last two games. This is a much different situation, and unlike against Arizona and Seattle, if Green Bay doesn’t run the ball effectively in this game, Rodgers is going to get killed standing in the pocket. Green Bay Packers Over 95 Rushing Yards (+100)

Colin Kaepernick Over/Under 16.5 Pass Completions: When you look back at the course of the last several games that Kaepernick has played, you see a lot of interesting numbers. He completed 19 against Seattle, 18 against Miami, and 21 against St. Louis, whereas he had 14 against New England and 16 against Arizona. There were also a couple of 16-completion games prior to that as well. Odds have it, the 49ers aren’t going to be blowing away the Packers like they were to the Patriots for the whole second half of the game, and odds have it, they aren’t going to end up getting two defensive touchdowns like they did against the Saints. Factor those games out, and all of a sudden, it becomes clear that, more often than not, Kaepernick is going to end up getting to at least 17 or 18 completions, and we think that he’ll do that again in this one. Colin Kaepernick Over 16.5 Pass Completions (-115)

LaMichael James Over/Under 36 Rushing + Receiving Yards: Head Coach Jim Harbaugh likes to mix it up with his backs, but this is the time of year that he has been doing all of that for. The only way that James is going to end up getting at least 37 yards in this game is either if he busts a big one, or if something happens to RB Frank Gore. We expect to see Gore carry the ball at least 20 times in this game, and that might not leave a heck of a lot for James to do when push comes to shove. We know that the rookie from Oregon is explosive and has the ability to do a lot of damage, but he just won’t get more than five or six touches of the ball in all likelihood, and that just isn’t enough. LaMichael James Under 36 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-115)

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NFL Prop Picks: Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons Tips 1/13/13

January 8th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Seahawks vs. FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks are set to continue the 2013 NFL playoffs, and as a part of our analysis of the Divisional betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial clash.

Russell Wilson Over/Under 16.5 Completions: When you really think about what Wilson has had to do over the course of the last few weeks, there hasn’t been a whole heck of a lot. The defense has done a ton, the offense has relied upon RB Marshawn Lynch, and in the end, that has been enough to get the job done in comfortable fashion. Still, Wilson knows that he is going to have to make some plays as the postseason wears on, and this is going to be a much tougher task than advertised. That being said, he is going to have no choice but to throw it, and if he knows what’s good for him, he won’t be taking nothing but those long shots right down the field. That means some shorter completions, and that should mean that he is going to average more than four completions per quarter. Especially if the Seahawks have to play this game from behind late, as the oddsmakers are insinuating, this could ultimately be a slam dunk of a play. Russell Wilson Over 16.5 Completions (-115)

Marshawn Lynch Over/Under 101.5 Rushing Yards: Same concept. Sure, Lynch has five straight games with at least 100 yards (one of which didn’t get beyond 101.5 rushing yards, just for the record), and sure, he is going against a defense that routinely allows a ton of rushing yards per game. But these are the playoffs, and the Falcons have been preparing to stop the run now for two full weeks, knowing that they were going to have to go against either Adrian Peterson, Alfred Morris, or Lynch in their first playoff game. Don’t be shocked if Atlanta puts eight in the box, or maybe even more, just to stop Lynch, and that would force Wilson to put the ball in the air. If the Falcons succeed, the Seahawks could end up getting blown out. If they fail, odds have it, it’s Wilson that’s beating them. We’ll take our chances that the Falcons do everything that they can to stuff up the run. Marshawn Lynch Under 101.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Will Richard Sherman Intercept a Pass?: We hate playing props like this one, but the odds are definitely on our side for Sherman to pick off a pass in this game. He did so in seven games this year (eight total INTs), and he is going to be matched up with a receiver that is going to get at least 8-10 targets when push comes to shove, regardless as to whether he is dealing with WR Julio Jones or WR Roddy White. Sherman picked off a pass in three of his final four regular season games, and now, he gets to go against a quarterback in QB Matt Ryan who has thrown five interceptions in his three career postseason games. It’s just too nice of a price to pass on for what might be a 50/50 proposition. Richard Sherman To Intercept a Pass (+220)

Tony Gonzalez Over/Under 5.5 Receptions: Gonzalez caught 93 passes this year, averaging 5.8 per game, and this is a nice matchup for him. The Seahawks have been weak in the slot this year, as they have kept Sherman and DB Brandon Browner matched up on the outside with wide receivers for the mass majority of the season without shifting them into the slot. We have to figure that those two are going to stay blanketed on WR Julio Jones and WR Roddy White for the whole game, and that’s going to leave a safety or a linebacker to cover Gonzalez. Gonzo knows what he is doing here in the second season, and he has still got the abilities to be one of the best tight ends that football has to offer. We wouldn’t be shocked to see him log six receptions by halftime in this one, as he is going to often times act as the security blanket when White and Jones aren’t open. Tony Gonzalez Over 5.5 Receptions (-115)

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Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons NFL Playoff Predictions 1/13/13

January 6th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Matt RyanOur 2013 NFL playoffs predictions continue on Sunday, January 13th with the Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons. We are set to make our Seahawks vs. Falcons predictions, tips, and keys to the game for this crucial duel in the first round of the playoffs.

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#5 Seattle Seahawks @ #1 Atlanta Falcons
Seahawks vs. Falcons Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Seahawks vs. Falcons Date/Time: Sunday, January 13th, 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Seahawks vs. Falcons On TV: FOX

Key #1: The Seahawks have to keep up this mojo against playoff teams
You really don’t think of the Seahawks as an outfit that ultimately did tremendously well against playoff teams this year, but when you go back and look at it, this is a team that did a heck of a lot better than you would think against the best teams in the league. Granted, we know that the win over the Green Bay Packers should have never happened, but the club ultimately went 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS, including last week’s 24-14 win over the Washington Redskins to conclude Wild Card weekend. There’s more than that, too. Seattle also beat the Chicago Bears on the road and the Dallas Cowboys at home this year, and those were both wins that, had they not been had, would have cost the team a spot in the second season. This Seattle outfit also ultimately didn’t lose a game this year by more than seven points on the campaign. This team is a heck of a lot better than your average 11-5 team, and it has the longest winning streak of any team in the NFC right now at six games.

Seahawks @ Falcons Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
Seattle Seahawks +2.5
Atlanta Falcons -2.5
Over/Under 46
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Key #2: The Falcons have to get back to the fundamentals of football
Teams that win championships run the ball and play good defense at this level. Even when the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl a few years ago, they managed to find their way to make some big time defensive plays en route to the title. The Falcons do neither of these things well. They didn’t have anywhere near a 1,000-yard rusher this year, and they ultimately ranked 29th in the NFL in rushing at just 87.3 yards per game, and they allowed 365.6 yards per game. They did the job by allowing just 18.7 points per game, but anyone that has watched this team this year knows that this is a team that is just waiting to implode and allow 40 points in a game if it isn’t careful. But back to the ground game for a second. RB Michael Turner only rushed for 803 yards and 10 TDs this year, and he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. We understand that Turner is coming up towards the end of his career and he is more of a plodding back right now, but the fact that RB Jacquizz Rodgers averaged just 3.9 yards per carry as a spunky, change of pace back doesn’t speak well for this offensive line. If all of this doesn’t improve, it will be a year of disappointment for the Falcons.

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Key #3: The Georgia Dome can’t turn on Matty Ice
It’s easy to see why the fans of the Falcons are frustrated at this point. They have never won a championship, and they haven’t won a playoff game under the direction of Head Coach Mike Smith and QB Matt Ryan. Don’t get us wrong, as Atlanta is lucky to have Ryan under center as opposed to QB Chris Redman and whatever other garbage the team had before. However, at 0-3 SU and ATS in three playoff games, it is easy to dismiss Ryan as a quarterback that just can’t play in the big time game in his career. He has never thrown for even 200 yards in a playoff game in three tries, and he has just 584 yards with three TDs and four picks in those games. Last year against the New York Giants, he didn’t even get a single point on the board offensively in a game that was ultimately lost 24-2. That just doesn’t cut it, and it won’t get the job done in the playoffs against any team, especially one that is as hot as the Seahawks ultimately are.

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Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos NFL Playoff Predictions 1/12/13

January 6th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Broncos vs. RavensThe 2013 NFL playoff picks are going to be difficult to make, and in this one, the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos are set to do battle with one another. Check out our Ravens vs. Broncos predictions and the keys to the game for Baltimore vs. Denver.

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#4 Baltimore Ravens @ #1 Denver Broncos
Ravens vs. Broncos Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
Ravens vs. Broncos Date/Time: Saturday, January 12th, 4:30 p.m. (ET)
Ravens vs. Broncos On TV: CBS

Key #1: The Ravens need another inspired effort defensively
The statistics on the win against the Indianapolis Colts weren’t the prettiest in the world for the Ravens, but when push came to shove, they got the job done against a very good offensive unit. The Colts did move the ball quite a bit, getting 25 first downs and 419 total yards, but the defense managed 12 pass defenses over the course of the day and picked up three sacks, 2.5 of which came from DT Paul Kruger. LB Ray Lewis, playing in his final home game of his career, had nine tackles and four assists, and he looked like his old self. QB Andrew Luck only completed 51.9 percent of his passes and was picked off once, and a lot of his yards came after the game was a bit out of reach. The Ravens aren’t going to be able to afford allowing over 400 yards to the Broncos if they want to win, but they do need to play with that same sort of intensity, especially when Denver gets down in the red zone if they want to have a chance of pulling off the upset against the top seed in the AFC.

Ravens @ Broncos Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
Baltimore Ravens +9
Denver Broncos -9
Over/Under 45.5
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Key #2: The General has to continue to command the field
There aren’t many quarterbacks like QB Peyton Manning out there. Manning came back this year after missing the entire 2011 season with a neck injury, and he really is as good as he has ever been. Manning completed a whopping 400 passes and finished with 4,695 yards and 37 TDs against 11 picks. Manning averaged 297.5 passing yards per game over the course of his last 14 games of the season after getting his feet wet with his brand new team. He has posted 13 straight games with at least a 90 quarterback rating and has had nine games in his last 14 with at least three touchdown passes. The bugaboo on Manning though, is that he really hasn’t been able to win the biggest games of his career. Little brother, Eli has one more Super Bowl title than does the elder Manning brother, and little Eli has beaten QB Tom Brady twice, something that has always plagued Peyton. This isn’t the biggest game in the world that Manning has ever played, but it comes against a team that has a defense that really can frustrate him. That being said, in nine games against the Ravens in his career, Manning has averaged 275.2 passing yards per game, has completed 64.7 percent of his passes, and has an 18/5 TD/INT ratio. With a suspect running game, Manning needs to keep that up if he is going to lead his team to the AFC Championship Game.

Key #3: Ray Rice has to hold onto the football
Over the course of his entire 77-game career, RB Ray Rice had only fumbled the ball seven times and lost six of them. He had never had a game with two fumbles ever, but he was stripped twice last week by the Colts, and the team lost both fumbles. Granted, that paved to way to a 100+ yard day for backup RB Bernard Pierce, but this time around, we know that it is going to be Rice that has to be the dynamic one to win this game. The Ravens have run for 396 yards in their last two serious games (forget about a Week 17 loss that meant nothing to the Cincinnati Bengals), but in Week 14, they only ended up with 19 carries for 56 yards as a team against these very same Broncos. Rice had just 38 yards on 12 carries, and he really hasn’t looked totally the same since that point. We’re going to go out on a limb and say that the Ravens need to account for at least 120 yards on the ground to have a chance in this one, and means that Rice has to not only hold onto the football, but continue to rumble through this stout Denver defense to have a chance at the upset.

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Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers NFL Predictions 1/12/13

January 6th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Green Bay PackersThe 2013 NFL playoff picks are going to be difficult to make, and in this one, the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers are set to do battle with one another. Check out our Packers vs. 49ers predictions and the keys to the game for Green Bay vs. San Francisco.

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#3 Green Bay Packers @ #2 San Francisco 49ers
Packers vs. 49ers Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Packers vs. 49ers Date/Time: Saturday, January 12th, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Packers vs. 49ers On TV: FOX

Key #1: Green Bay absolutely has to get a running game going
We have talked about this all season long for the Packers. They absolutely have to find a running game in the playoffs, or they aren’t going to win the Super Bowl. In the first meeting of the year between these two teams, Green Bay’s leading rusher was QB Aaron Rodgers, who rushed for 27 yards on five carries. RB Cedric Benson had just nine carries for 18 yards and was the only running back that touched the football. It was unbelievable to think that the team threw the ball 44 times (and was sacked three times) against just 14 runs. Rodgers has proven that he can get the job done against some of the elite defenses in the league, but in the end, all of the games that were won included a rushing attack. Against the Chicago Bears, Green Bay rushed for 113 yards in spite of the fact that no one had more than 35 yards on the ground. Against the Houston Texans, though Rodgers threw for six TDs, the ground game accounted for 99 yards on 31 carries. The average wasn’t great, but the yards were what was key. Same thing against the Bears the first time around this year. Green Bay had 106 rushing yards on 28 carries. Last week, Green Bay got away with not having a rushing game thanks to the fact that QB Joe Webb looked like a fish out of water. It won’t get that benefit this week against the 49ers.

Packers @ 49ers Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
Green Bay Packers +3
San Francisco 49ers -3
Over/Under 46.5
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Key #2: The moment can’t be too big for Colin Kaepernick
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh made one of the most controversial decisions that a coach has made this year when he benched QB Alex Smith and started QB Colin Kaepernick. Now, the franchise rests in Kaepernick’s hands. The team has had a mixed bag of results since the change. The club lost to the St. Louis Rams and was blown away by the Seattle Seahawks, but on the other hand, Kaepernick orchestrated road wins against both the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints. Still, what Kaepernick hasn’t seen much of this year is a truly elite defense. He did put up a 32-7 victory over the Chicago Bears, and granted, he has stood toe to toe with some fantastic offensive teams. However, the only great defense of a playoff team that he faced was that of the Seahawks, who beat him 42-13. The question here? Will we see the Kaepernick that really stunk up the join against St. Louis for a game and a half, or the one that tore apart the Patriots for four touchdowns a few weeks ago? It has to be the latter, not the former, or the Packers will sneak up on this team.

Key #3: The offensive lines have their work cut out for them
Both of these teams can rush the passer for sure, and what this game might come down to is which team can stop the other team’s superstar on the defensive side of the ball. LB Clay Matthews was a monster against the Minnesota Vikings last week, picking up two sacks and generally making life a living hell for backup QB Joe Webb. He now has 15 sacks in 13 games played this year. LB Aldon Smith picked up 19.5 sacks in his 16 games this year for the 49ers. When these two teams met the first time, about the only thing that kept Green Bay in the game is the fact that Matthews logged 2.5 sacks. Of course, on the other side of the ball, Smith had his first sack of the season, and that was one of the three sacks that the 49ers managed to pick up against Rodgers. These two offensive lines have some great potential, but they both have their hands full for sure to stuff up some of the best pass rushers that the entire NFL has to offer. Whichever does the better job protecting their quarterback will clearly be on the inside track to victory.

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2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl Picks: Kent State vs. Arkansas State 1/6/13

January 6th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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GoDaddy.com Bowl2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl picks are going to be entertaining to make this year, as we have two teams that are going to be going at it against each other in what could be an unpredictable game in the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Kent State Golden Flashes. Join us for our GoDaddy.com Bowl keys to the game and our Kent State vs. Arkansas State predictions.

2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl: Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Kent State Golden Flashes
2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl Location: Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl Date/Time: Sunday, January 6th, 9:00 p.m. (ET)
2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl On TV: ESPN

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Key #1: The Red Wolves have to figure out how to run their offense without Gus Malzahn
Gus Malzahn has always been able to run a fluid offense no matter where he has gone, but his system often takes some time to install in the most efficient form. This year, the Red Wolves struggled for a few weeks, but over the course of their last seven games, they scored at least 36 points in all of those games. Of course, some of that is a matter of the fact that these games were all Sun Belt outings, and this conference really isn’t the greatest in the country. But that being said, Malzahn is now gone, and the team is going to have to run its offense without him. QB Ryan Aplin has had a heck of a lot thrown his way over the course of his career. But can he really figure out how to pass this last test without his head coach calling the shots? That might be the most important question in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

GoDaddy.com Bowl Odds at BetGuardian Sportsbook
Arkansas State Red Wolves -3.5
Kent State Golden Flashes +3.5
Over/Under 63
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Key #2: Dri Archer and Trayion Durham need to be monsters
It was a real miracle that the Golden Flashes were even able to stick around in the MAC Championship Game against the Northern Illinois Huskies. QB Spencer Keith only threw for 190 yards with a TD and two picks, but more importantly, RB Dri Archer and RB Trayion Durham only combined for 32 carries and 87 yards. Needless to say, that just isn’t going to cut it for a team that relies on running the ball to move up and down the field. These two combined for 29 TDs and 2,600 total rushing yards this year, not to mention the fact that they combined for over 3,000 total yards from scrimmage on the campaign. The Arkansas State defense can be had, but so too, could the NIU defense. Instead, the Huskies put together 524 total yards in the MAC Championship Game, which kept the ball away from the Flashes. Not only did that provide fewer opportunities for the two main rushers to do damage for Kent State, but when the rushing game failed to even average 2.0 yards per carry, the defense was put into some horrible spots. Kent State has to get back to its old ways to have a chance to win this game.

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Key #3: Kent State’s secondary has to challenge Ryan Aplin
The one thing that the Malzahn offense did this year was keep control of the football. QB Ryan Aplin only threw four picks all season long. He wasn’t always tested by the Sun Belt defenses, but this is going to be a game where he gets his fill for sure. The Kent State defense was second in the nation in interceptions this year with 23 picks, led by DB Luke Wollet, who had four picks. The only team that had more INTs this year was the Oregon Ducks, and they have some NFL defenders, unlike Kent State. The Golden Flashes really did a remarkable job this year of thievery, as they led the MAC in total turnovers forced (38), total picks (23), and turnover margin (+21). The problem is that Arkansas State only turned the ball over a total of 14 times on the season and were a +8 for the year. The second for KSU has to figure out how to force some turnovers in this one, or it is going to be brutally tough to pull off the upset.

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Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens NFL Playoff Predictions 1/6

January 6th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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Andrew Luck ColtsOur 2013 NFL playoffs predictions continue on Sunday, January 6th with the Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens. We are set to make our Colts vs. Ravens predictions, tips, and keys to the game for this crucial duel in the first round of the playoffs.

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#5 Indianapolis Colts @ #4 Baltimore Ravens
Colts vs. Ravens Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Colts vs. Ravens Date/Time: TBD
Colts vs. Ravens On TV: TBD

Key #1: The stage can’t be too big for Andrew Luck
You’re not going to find a rookie quarterback that put up a better year in 2012 than QB Andrew Luck. The highly touted No. 1 pick of last year’s NFL Draft immediately came in as the starter for the Colts, and he is clearly the face of the franchise and looks like a future Hall of Famer. Luck finished the year with 4,374 passing yards, the most ever for a rookie, and he had 23 TDs against 18 INTs. Yes, those 18 picks were clearly far too many, but he has five scores without a pick in his last three games. The problem that Luck has though, is that he really didn’t play well in the biggest games of the year. He hasn’t completed more than 54 percent of his passes in any game that he has played since Week 12, and he tossed three picks in games both against the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears. The Ravens don’t have the same type of defense that they have had in the past, but they are still going to be revved up for this one and could put a heck of a lot of pressure on the rookie to get the job done, something that is rare at this level.

Colts @ Ravens Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
Indianapolis Colts +6.5
Baltimore Ravens -6.5
Over/Under 46.5
Click Here to Bet Your Colts vs. Ravens Picks!

Key #2: The Baltimore defense has to be fierce
When you look at the stats of the Baltimore defense this year, you have to be underwhelmed to say the least. The team finished by allowing 350.8 yards and 21.5 points per game, and the squad allowed 25.0 points per game against teams that finished .500 or better this year. However, when you really look closer at it, S Bernard Pollard missed three games, LB Ray Lewis missed 10 games, DT Haloti Ngata missed two games, LB Terrell Suggs missed eight games, and LB Jameel McClain missed three games. It’s still early in the week, but as of Sunday night, it seems as though all of these players are going to be able to give it a go in the playoffs. Suggs is the most suspect right now with a bicep injury. It’s not about the yards, or even so much the points as much as it is the fact that the team has to be intimidating. It has always been a nightmare for an offense to go into Baltimore to play a game, especially with men like Lewis and S Ed Reed waiting in the wings to get the crowd and the rest of the defense fired up. When Luck gets under center, Lewis needs to look him square in the face and strike some fear into him and the rest of these young offensive players for the Colts. If that turns out to be the case, everything should be just fine for the Ravens. If Luck and the gang get some confidence right away though, there could be some real problems.

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Key #3: Baltimore has to pound the ball on the ground
When the Ravens have been at this best over the years, they have always been able to run the ball in the most crucial of situations. Recently though, they have put more on the back of QB Joe Flacco, and this year, the team actually threw the ball 35.0 times per game, as opposed to the 27.8 rushing attempts per game. That’s why it really didn’t feel like the greatest year in the world for RB Ray Rice, who only finished up the campaign with 1,143 yards and a total of 10 TDs. Whether it be Rice or RB Bernard Pierce, it is clear that the Ravens are going to need their rushing offense to get the job done in this one. The Colts had a rush defense that was absolutely atrocious at times this year, and this has really always been the soft underbelly that this club has brought to the table in the playoffs. Indy’s rush defense ranked 28th in the league this year at 137.5 yards per game allowed, and the team allowed 352 rushing yards against the Kansas City Chiefs just two weeks ago, proving that it is a team that can still be had for sure.

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