Our 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.

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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The Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts are set to continue the 2013 NFL playoffs, and as a part of our analysis of the Wild Card betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial clash.

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over/Under 44.5 Yards: Six of Indy’s last seven games have featured at least one touchdown of at least 45 yards, and it’s tough to think that there won’t be at least one really long score in this one. Of course, it’s tough to get these big ones in Ravens’ games. There has only been one TD of at least 45 yards in their games since November 18th against the Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Andrew Luck takes shot after shot down the field though, and he is inevitably going to connect with one of his big men, whether it be WR Reggie Wayne, WR TY Hilton, or WR Donnie Avery for the big play that results in six points more often than not. Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 44.5 Yards (-115)

Andrew Luck Longest Completion Over/Under 37.5 Yards: Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just get Luck’s longest completion out of the way with the longest touchdown of the game right away in this one? Luck has hit at least one 60+ yard pass in three of his last five games, and he had eight games this year where he completed a pass for at least 40 yards. Six of those came since Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins though, and it is clear that he is going to be taking his shots. Luck doesn’t complete a slew of passes, but he does go after a lot of receivers, especially right down the middle of the field, and he often averages over 12 yards per pass that he completes in games. The Baltimore defense will be hard-pressed to keep Luck from completing any pass for more than 37 yards. Andrew Luck Longest Completion Over 37.5 Yards (-115)

Joe Flacco Over/Under 255.5 Passing Yards: This is a whole bunch of passing yards to ask for a quarterback to get in a game like this one. The Indy secondary clearly isn’t all that bad, and ever since Jim Caldwell has taken over as the team’s offensive coordinator, Flacco has been asked to do less and less. He has seven games since Week 5 (Week 17 not counting in there) in which he has thrown for fewer than 255 yards, and we’re really not all that sure where the oddsmakers are getting this one from. Flacco only averaged 252.2 yards per game this year (again, not counting Week 17), and he had a lot more games this year with way over 255 yards (382 vs. New England, 356 vs. Cleveland, 341 vs. Oakland) than he did falling way under 255 (147 against Houston, 153 against Cleveland). This is a line that just doesn’t make any sense to us. Joe Flacco Under 255.5 Passing Yards (-115)

Ray Rice Over/Under 97.5 Rushing Yards: Rice really didn’t have a great year, but he did run for at least 100 yards in two of his final three legitimate starts this year. Caldwell has been calling upon his rushing game more with both Rice and RB Bernard Pierce, both of which could be in for great games against an Indy defense that has historically been very weak up front against the run. We really don’t see any reason why the Ravens won’t rush for at least 150 yards in this game, and if they do that, Rice should get at least 100, if not more of them when push comes to shove. Bank on the little big man to come up in a big time way for the Ravens on Sunday. Ray Rice Over 97.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens NFL Props @ Diamond Sportsbook (as of 1/6/13):
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Score in the First 6:30 Minutes of the Game -140
No Score in the First 6:30 Minutes of the Game +110

Colts Score First +130
Ravens Score First -160

First Score a Touchdown -170
First Score Not a Touchdown +140

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 44.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 44.5 Yards -115

Longest Field Goal of the Game Over 44.5 Yards -110
Longest Field Goal of the Game Under 44.5 Yards -120

Shortest Field Goal of the Game Over 25.5 Yards -130
Shortest Field Goal of the Game Under 25.5 Yards +100

Total Field Goals Made by Both Teams Over 3.5 +110
Total Field Goals Made by Both Teams Under 3.5 -140

Total Punts by Both Teams Over 9.5 -115
Total Punts by Both Teams Under 9.5 -115

Total Sacks by Both Teams Over 4.5 +100
Total Sacks by Both Teams Under 4.5 -130

Game Will Be Decided By Exactly 3 Points +400
Game Will Not Be Decided By Exactly 3 Points -600

Defensive Or Special Teams Touchdown Scored +135
No Defensive Or Special Teams Touchdown Scored -165

Largest Lead of the Game Over 16.5 +100
Largest Lead of the Game Under 16.5 -130

Andrew Luck Throws a Touchdown First -145
Andrew Luck Throws an Interception First +115

Andrew Luck Completions Over 20.5 -115
Andrew Luck Completions Under 20.5 -115

Andrew Luck Longest Completion Over 37.5 Yards -115
Andrew Luck Longest Completion Under 37.5 Yards -115

Andrew Luck Passing Yards Over 262.5 -115
Andrew Luck Passing Yards Under 262.5 -115

Andrew Luck Rushing Yards Over 15
Andrew Luck Rushing Yards Under 15

Andrew Luck Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 +110
Andrew Luck Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 -140

Andrew Luck Throws an Interception -260
Andrew Luck Doesn’t Throw an Interception +200

Vick Ballard Rushing Yards Over 63.5 -115
Vick Ballard Rushing Yards Under 63.5 -115

Vick Ballard Scores a Touchdown +220
Vick Ballard Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -300

Reggie Wayne Receptions Over 5.5 -115
Reggie Wayne Receptions Under 5.5 -115

Reggie Wayne Longest Reception Over 22.5 Yards -115
Reggie Wayne Longest Reception Under 22.5 Yards -115

Reggie Wayne Receiving Yards Over 78.5 -115
Reggie Wayne Receiving Yards Under 78.5 -115

Reggie Wayne Scores a Touchdown +170
Reggie Wayne Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -220

TY Hilton Receptions Over 3.5 +100
TY Hilton Receptions Under 3.5 -130

TY Hilton Scores a Touchdown +150
TY Hilton Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -180

Adam Vinatieri Points Over 7.5 -115
Adam Vinatieri Points Under 7.5 -115

Joe Flacco Completions Over 20.5 -115
Joe Flacco Completions Under 20.5 -115

Joe Flacco Longest Completion Over 40.5 Yards -115
Joe Flacco Longest Completion Under 40.5 Yards -115

Joe Flacco Passing Yards Over 255.5 -115
Joe Flacco Passing Yards Under 255.5 -115

Joe Flacco Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 -145
Joe Flacco Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 +115

Joe Flacco Throws an Interception -200
Joe Flacco Doesn’t Throw an Interception +160

Ray Rice Rushing Yards Over 97.5 -115
Ray Rice Rushing Yards Under 97.5 -115

Ray Rice Yards on First Rushing Attempt Over 3.5 -130
Ray Rice Yards on First Rushing Attempt Under 3.5 +100

Ray Rice Receiving Yards Over 35.5 -115
Ray Rice Receiving Yards Under 35.5 -115

Ray Rice Scores a First Half Touchdown +160
Ray Rice Doesn’t Score a First Half Touchdown -200

Ray Rice Scores a Touchdown -140
Ray Rice Doesn’t Score a Touchdown +110

Anquan Boldin Receptions Over 4.5 +105
Anquan Boldin Receptions Under 4.5 -135

Anquan Boldin Receiving Yards Over 66.5 -115
Anquan Boldin Receiving Yards Under 66.5 -115

Torrey Smith Receptions Over 3.5 -130
Torrey Smith Receptions Under 3.5 +100

Torrey Smith Receiving Yards Over 63.5 -115
Torrey Smith Receiving Yards Under 63.5 -115

Torrey Smith Scores a Touchdown +140
Torrey Smith Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -180

Dennis Pitta Receiving Yards Over 45.5 -115
Dennis Pitta Receiving Yards Under 45.5 -115

Dennis Pitta Scores a Touchdown +135
Dennis Pitta Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -170

Jacoby Jones Receiving Yards Over 22.5 -115
Jacoby Jones Receiving Yards Under 22.5 -115

Ed Reed Intercepts a Pass +260
Ed Reed Doesn’t Intercept a Pass -340

Ray Lewis Tackles Over 8 -115
Ray Lewis Tackles Under 8 -115

Justin Tucker Points Over 7.5 -140
Justin Tucker Points Under 7.5 +110

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 10 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Thursday Night Football matchup.

Josh Scobee Over/Under 6.5 Points: There aren’t many situations where we are going to want to back Jacksonville’s kicker, but this very well could be one of those times when it really pays off to go for the gold. Scobee has a rich history of just killing the Colts, including booting a number of game winners from 50+ yards out to crush the then QB Peyton Manning led bunch. Scobee already has 30 field goals made in 16 games against Indy in his career, and that includes 15 from outside of 40 yards. There’s no doubt that, in the end, Scobee is going to get his opportunities, and as long as he manages to sneak two between the uprights, there’s no reason to think that he won’t tack on either a PAT or a third field goal when push comes to shove. Remember that when these two teams met the first time, Scobee put up 10 total points. Josh Scobee Over 6.5 Points (+100)

Dwayne Allen Over/Under 46.5 Receiving Yards: If there is a quarterback that knows how to stretch out the field by using his tight ends, it’s Andrew Luck. He did so in college with so many fantastic tight ends, and he is doing the same here at the NFL level as well. Allen was the second rookie tight end taken by Indianapolis in the NFL Draft this past year, but he has really turned out to be the better of the two when push comes to shove. Now, Luck’s roommate, TE Coby Fleener is hurt, and that really just leaves Allen to pick up the slack. Luck is throwing the ball more now that the running game for the Colts is disintegrating, and that means less blocking and more pass catching for Allen. He has 12 targets over the course of the last two weeks, and if he hauls in just three or four of them, he should be able to get to this yardage total without all that much in the way of hassle. Dwayne Allen Over 46.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

Andrew Luck Passing Yards Over/Under 278.5: As much as we think that it is a square play to take Luck going ‘over’ 278.5 yards, we just have to do it, knowing that he is going to do so more often than not. Acting Head Coach Bruce Arians just loves letting Luck air it out, and he is going to connect on a few of those long ones up the field for sure. He is throwing the ball over 40 times per game now with just RB Vick Ballard left to carry the load in the backfield, and that includes a lot of the check down passes that made the Manning-to-Faulk (then James, then Addai) combination oh so good. The Jacksonville defense can’t get out of its way for the most part, and it already allowed 300+ yards to Luck once this year. There’s just no reason to think that this won’t be the second time that he pulls that feat off. Andrew Luck Over 278.5 Passing Yards (-130)

Will Either Team Score in the First 6 ½ Minutes of the Game?: We’re really a bit puzzled as to why this number is 6 ½ minutes and not at least seven or 7 ½ minutes. These two teams both have a tendency of running some slower drives when push comes to shove, and if the Jags get the ball first, we all know just how long it takes them to get going at times, especially without RB Maurice Jones-Drew in the fold. There is just a real question where the Jacksonville offense is coming from if it isn’t coming from RB Rashad Jennings, and that makes it quite believable that there won’t be a score in the first half of the first quarter. No Score in the First 6 ½ Minutes of the Game (-110)

Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 11/8/12):
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Score in the First 6 ½ Minutes of the Game -120
No Score in the First 6 ½ Minutes of the Game -110

Colts Score First -130
Jaguars Score First +100

First Score a Touchdown -155
First Score Not a Touchdown +125

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 41.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 41.5 Yards -115

Andrew Luck Completions Over 22.5 -130
Andrew Luck Completions Under 22.5 +100

Andrew Luck Longest Completion Over 37.5 Yards -115
Andrew Luck Longest Completion Under 37.5 Yards -115

Andrew Luck Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 -145
Andrew Luck Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 +115

Andrew Luck To Throw an Interception -150
Andrew Luck To Not Throw an Interception +120

Reggie Wayne Receptions Over 6.5 -125
Reggie Wayne Receptions Under 6.5 -105

Reggie Wayne Receiving Yards Over 88.5 -115
Reggie Wayne Receiving Yards Under 88.5 -115

Reggie Wayne Scores a Touchdown +120
Reggie Wayne Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -150

TY Hilton Receptions Over 3.5 -105
TY Hilton Receptions Under 3.5 -125

TY Hilton Longest Reception in Yards Over 25.5 -115
TY Hilton Longest Reception in Yards Under 25.5 -115

Dwayne Allen Receptions Over 3.5 -135
Dwayne Allen Receptions Under 3.5 +105

Dwayne Allen Receiving Yards Over 46.5 -115
Dwayne Allen Receiving Yards Under 46.5 -115

Jerrell Freeman Total Tackles Over 8.5 -115
Jerrell Freeman Total Tackles Under 8.5 -115

Adam Vinatieri Total Points Over 7.5 -115
Adam Vinatieri Total Points Under 7.5 -115

Blaine Gabbert Completions Over 19.5 -130
Blaine Gabbert Completions Under 19.5 +100

Blaine Gabbert Longest Completion Over 34.5 Yards -115
Blaine Gabbert Longest Completion Under 34.5 Yards -115

Blaine Gabbert Passing Yards Over 215.5 -130
Blaine Gabbert Passing Yards Under 215.5 +100

Blaine Gabbert Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 +160
Blaine Gabbert Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 -200

Blaine Gabbert Throws an Interception -150
Blaine Gabbert Doesn’t Throw an Interception +120

Cecil Shorts Receptions Over 3.5 +105
Cecil Shorts Receptions Under 3.5 -135

Cecil Shorts Receiving Yards Over 58.5 -130
Cecil Shorts Receiving Yards Under 58.5 +100

Marcedes Lewis Receptions Over 3 -115
Marcedes Lewis Receptions Under 3 -115

Marcedes Lewis Receiving Yards Over 30.5 -115
Marcedes Lewis Receiving Yards Under 30.5 -115

Justin Blackmon Receptions Over 3.5 -130
Justin Blackmon Receptions Under 3.5 +100

Justin Blackmon Receiving Yards Over 40.5 -115
Justin Blackmon Receiving Yards Under 40.5 -115

Laurent Robinson Receptions Over 3 -150
Laurent Robinson Receptions Under 3 +120

Russell Allen Total Tackles Over 7.5 -105
Russell Allen Total Tackles Under 7.5 -125

Josh Scobee Total Points Over 6.5 +100
Josh Scobee Total Points Under 6.5 -130

As of this posting (12/3), the Indianapolis Colts are 0-11 and are five steps away from pulling off the dubious distinction of an 0-16 season. We take a moment to look at the odds the Colts finish 0-16 this year. They are +160 to pull off the bad feat, and we are set to take a look at their chances.

Indianapolis went from having one of the best passing games in the league to one of the worst. The team is averaging just 181.0 yards per game passing this year, No. 28 in the game. A lot of the problem is that QB Curtis Painter just isn’t ready to play in the NFL. He is only completing 54.3 percent of his passes with six scores against nine picks. He replaced the ineffective QB Kerry Collins, who led the team to three losses in a row before being benched and eventually put on injured reserve. Now, the ball will be turned over to QB Dan Orlovsky.

The problem with Orlovsky is that he has already had his hand in an 0-16 team, doing so with the Detroit Lions last decade. That being said, the former Connecticut Husky probably has the best chance of leading this team to a victory.

However, if you look at the schedule over the course of the next two weeks, you see a road game at the New England Patriots and a road game against the Baltimore Ravens in back to back weeks. We already know that the Pats and their potent passing game are three touchdown favorites, and especially if Indy doesn’t figure out how to cover this spread this week, it will probably be a three TD dog again next week when the Ravens come to town.

To wrap up the season, the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans pay a visit to Lucas Oil Field, and the Colts will finish up with a road game at the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Let’s look at a brief comparison between these Colts and the 2008 Lions. Orlovsky led a passing game that averaged 206 passing yards and 83.3 rushing yards per game. These Colts are basically on par with that, and they are actually scoring fewer points per game. Those Lions were averaging 16.8 points per game against the 13.6 points per game for these Colts. Defensively, Indy has the worst defense in the league at 29.7 points per game. Those Lions averaged 32.3 points per game allowed, a mark that the Colts still have plenty of time to catch up to.

There are two more factors that we have to take into consideration. The first is that Head Coach Jim Caldwell could become a lame duck coach. There are grumblings that an 0-16 season would see Caldwell get fired, which might become important for his team to put together their biggest efforts.

The second, of course, is whether the Colts try to get QB Peyton Manning back on the field or not at the end of this season. Manning has been cleared to start to practice once again, though he hasn’t made any notions that he is going to get back on the field at any point. That being said, if he does get back on the field, we will see just how important he is to this team, and he could possibly lead the squad to a victory or two.

The AFC South might be the most intriguing division in football this year, as there are a slew of teams that think they are going to be playoff bound with a ton of new faces in place. Take a look at how we see things shaking out with our 2011 AFC South picks.

The team that everyone is buzzing about is the Houston Texans (Current AFC South Odds: 1.75 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). This is always the team that is the “Yeah, but” team in football, as it has never been to the playoffs in team history in spite of the fact that the talent level is seemingly always improving. Head Coach Gary Kubiak knows that this is the year that he has to get it right, or he will be out of a job. The defense was terrible last season, but bringing in DE JJ Watt, DB Johnathan Joseph, and DB Danieal Manning, along with new Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips should push this team to the next level as long as QB Matt Schaub and the offense continue to put up points at a torrid pace.

This might be a do or die year for Head Coach Jack Del Rio and his Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South Lines: 6 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), too. QB Blaine Gabbert is going to take over for QB David Garrard at some point in all likelihood, and we know that that probably won’t be good enough to take this team to the postseason. The defense has some major holes in it, and there won’t be so many last second wins in all likelihood like this team got last year. There are major health questions about RB Maurice Jones-Drew this year, and if he doesn’t stay healthy, the Jags are in big trouble, especially with backup RB Rashad Jennings already out for the season.

The Tennessee Titans (Odds to Win the AFC South: 9 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook) just have to be happy that they resigned the face of their franchise, RB Chris Johnson just before the final week of the preseason started. Johnson is the only thing that the Titans have going for them, as QB Jake Locker and QB Matt Hasselbeck don’t exactly scare the wits out of the other defenses in this division. This is the first time in over a decade that the Titans franchise is going to run on the field without Head Coach Jeff Fisher, who was dismissed after a relatively dismal season in 2010.

And yet the team that is still favored in this division is the team that has dominated it for the last decade, the Indianapolis Colts (2011 AFC South Odds: 1.15 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Many think that this is the year that the Indianapolis dynasty comes crashing down, especially if QB Peyton Manning has any serious lingering issues with his neck injury. The offense is getting older but should still be able to put up some points, but the defense has never really been addressed. Head Coach Jim Caldwell will have to do a yeoman’s job coaching up this unit to get this team back into the playoffs in the stacked AFC this year.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC South
Houston Texans 1.33 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 1.15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 6 to 1
Tennessee Titans 7.50 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Houston Texans 26 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 23 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 125 to 1
Tennessee Titans 165 to 1

AFC South Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC South Division
Houston Texans OTB
Indianapolis Colts OTB
Jacksonville Jaguars OTB
Tennessee Titans OTB

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Houston Texans 25 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 60 to 1
Tennessee Titans 60 to 1

AFC South Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at Oddsmaker.com When Using This Link)

2011 AFC South Odds
Houston Texans 1.75 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 1 to 1.20
Jacksonville Jaguars 7 to 1
Tennessee Titans 9 to 1

AFC South Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Houston Texans 35 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 65 to 1
Tennessee Titans 55 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
(Get a UNLIMITED 10% Bonus at BoDog.com When Using This Link)

AFC South Odds
Houston Texans OTB
Indianapolis Colts OTB
Jacksonville Jaguars OTB
Tennessee Titans OTB

Super Bowl Odds
Houston Texans 25 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 18 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 75 to 1
Tennessee Titans 75 to 1

Saturday marks the first day of 2011 NFL playoff betting action, as four teams begin their quest to win the Lombardi Trophy. Check out some of the best props on the board for today’s NFL betting action!

Reggie Bush Rushing + Receiving Yards Over/Under 77.5
We’re taking a bit of a gamble here on Bush, as we know that he could be in a position where he just doesn’t touch the ball all that much. However, we do have a few things on our side in this one. First off, we tend to believe that the Saints are going to be winning this game the whole way, which really should prompt a tremendous amount of carries for someone in this backfield. The second thing on our side is that we know that there aren’t really any healthy rushing options for Head Coach Sean Peyton to turn to, as all of his top backs are on the shelf in this one. Will it be RB Julius Jones, or Bush getting the rock more often than not? We tend to believe that the answer is Bush, and if that’s the case, he should easily get to this number. Especially when you consider the fact that you know the former USC Trojan is good for at least three or four catches on the day as well, we have to go with Bush Over 77.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) in Wild Card Weekend.

New Orleans Saints Margin of Victory
This is the type of prop that we only like to play in certain situations. However, knowing that the Saints are already laying 11 points in this game, it seems like a good conclusion that they are going to be winning this one by at least double that more than one out of seven times. The Seahawks have already been railroaded by lesser teams by this many points at home this year, and there is a decent chance that the wheels could just fall off of the train at some point for the hosts. No, we’re not saying that New Orleans is a lock to win this game, or that we necessarily think that they are beating the NFL odds in this one more often than not, but we do think that we are getting a fantastic price here on them to win this game by at least 22 points. New Orleans Saints Margin of Victory 22 Points or More (+700 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Mark Sanchez Longest Completion Over/Under 31.5 Yards
This is perhaps the strongest prop on the board, as it is the weakest number that the oddsmakers have put up there. Sanchez has a number of weapons at his disposal that can stretch the field, namely WR Santonio Holmes and WR Braylon Edwards. He takes his fair share of shots down the field over the course of the game, and here, we are just asking him to pull the trigger for one shot of at least 32 yards. That’s something that Sanchez has already done ten times this year in just 15 starts. Yes, we know that we are factoring into the equation getting hurt and all of that, but without any unforeseen circumstances, especially in a game in which we know that Head Coach Rex Ryan is pulling out all of the stops, there is no reason to think that Sanchez’s longest completion won’t be Over 31.5 Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) against the Colts.

Peyton Manning First Pass Complete Or Incomplete
C’mon Hollywood… Give us a break. Manning completed right around 2/3 of his passes this year, completing 66.2 percent of all attempts, and that doesn’t even include all of the times that he spiked the football. Sure, the Jets have a fantastic defense, but this is a gimme. We know that this is cashing at least two out of three times, and if that’s the case, we’re going to make quite a good bit of money on this NFL prop bet. Manning’s first pass will be Complete (-190 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Adam Vinetiari Over/Under 7.5 Points
You don’t see us try our hand at the various kicker props all that often, but this is a great situation to be in right now. We really probably only need Vinetiari to kick two field goals in this game for him to get past the 7.5 point mark, and we tend to think, especially in the playoffs, that this is going to happen at least 60 percent of the time. Sure, we know that Vinetiari only reached this point eight times on the season, and we know that he doesn’t have a leg that can boot the ball 50+ yards anymore, but we also know that this is playoff time, and there isn’t a kicker that has nailed more clutch kicks in his career than this man has. Especially kicking in absolutely perfect conditions in the dome, there’s no reason to believe that Vinetiari can’t go Over 7.5 Points (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) at least six out of ten times.

The Indianapolis Colts might be on life support. The Tennessee Titans certainly are. These two teams are going to have to fight tooth and nail on Thursday Night Football to be able to save their seasons, as one will be able to make up some ground on the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the other is probably going to be in a boatload of trouble, if not eliminated from playoff contention.

Peyton Manning Over/Under 28.5 Completions
We know that Manning is going to have to throw the ball a whole boatload of times to be able to beat the Titans, and it does make a ton of sense for him to have to complete upwards of 30 passes against a team that doesn’t have the greatest secondary in the world. However, Head Coach Jim Caldwell has to be able to run the ball against a defensive line that loves to get after the quarterback on a regular basis, just to slow it down. It doesn’t seem all that likely that we’re going to see No. 18 complete 29 or more passes, in spite of the fact that he is averaging over 29 per game. We think that this is a case of the oddsmakers overreacting upon the number of times that Manning had to put the ball in the air last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. This week, he’ll put up tamer numbers. Manning will stay Under 28.5 Completions (-105 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Thursday Night Football.

Will the Colts Score a Rushing Touchdown Against the Titans?
They might have to. We hate betting on props like this because the oddsmakers are constantly trying to hook us in with the “yes” bet. However, we realize that Indy is probably scoring three TDs in this game at bare minimum, and there have already been ten rushing scores on the season against 24 passing TDs. That’s a bit over a 3-1 ratio, meaning for every rushing TD, there are 2.4 passing TDs by Manning. RB Javarris James has reached pay dirt five times this season on the ground, and if Indy gets close to the end zone, he’ll be called upon to get the job done and finish things off. Again, we have to remember that this is a Tennessee team that isn’t built on the inside the same way that the Dallas Cowboys and other teams that the Colts have faced are. Indy Will Score a Rushing Touchdown (-130 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Blair White Over/Under 34.5 Receiving Yards
The more we see White in the lineup, the more that we like. White is consistently another one of these guys that Manning has that just runs great routes, finds ways to get to where he needs to be, and has pretty good hands. With features like that, Manning can make you a Pro Bowler in a heartbeat. White has been called upon for at least four receptions in three straight games, and though we think that Manning is going to have to do some more running of the football to get the job done in this one, White could still get his looks, particularly if he is lined up in the slot. This could be a really nice spot against a secondary that doesn’t go particularly deep to take advantage of the situation. White should go Over 34.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) against the Titans.

Chris Johnson Over/Under 107.5 Rushing Yards
Alright CJ, now is your time! After a pair of lousy weeks, we know that Johnson is chomping at the bit, particularly in a nationally televised game, to be able to get going once again, and he knows that the Colts are the perfect matchup for him to do so. Johnson should be able to slow down the Indianapolis offense, as the Colts allowed 100 yards on the ground to RB Tashard Choice, a man that hadn’t touched the ball but a handful of times on the season coming in. Now, Johnson is all revved up after a couple of lousy games. If he can’t figure out how to get going in this one, the Titans are going to be dead in the water, especially with QB Kerry Collins calling the shots under center. Historically, this is one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL that Johnson is going again, and for that reason alone, he busts his streak and goes Over 107.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).