The 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)

The 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.

Click Here For The 2013 NFL Playoff Bracket, the 2013 NFL Playoffs Schedule, and all of our NFL Playoff Game Previews

#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
Click Here to Bet Your Packers vs. 49ers Picks!

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.

Purchase Via Credit Card	Purchase By Paypal

The New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 15 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Sunday Night Football matchup.

Colin Kaepernick Over/Under 47.5 Rushing Yards: This is a really tough one, but we think that the moment is going to really get to Kaepernick in this one. That means that he is probably going to throw the ball less and run it more. The former Nevada QB has rushed for at least 53 yards in three out of five games since taking over as a starter, and there is a good chance that he is going to take off at least a half dozen times, if not a heck of a lot more against a New England defense that tends to be pretty darn aggressive. This could work against us this week, but we think that it is a sound investment to play on the ‘over’. More often than not, it looks like Kaepernick has the ability to bust a big run, as he has three rushes this year of at least 30 yards, and we’ll take our chances. Colin Kaepernick Over 47.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Tom Brady Over/Under 23.5 Pass Completions: This is a pretty high number for a Brady completion total, but we expect that this is going to be a heck of a lot more of a game than some of the games that he has played in lately. Remember that over the course of the last several close games, Brady has completed 24 passes against Miami, 23 against Buffalo, 26 against New York, 36 against Seattle, and 23 against Denver. It’s really tough to run the ball against this San Francisco defense, so we expect to see a lot of these short passes to the various inside options to make up for what RB Stevan Ridley and the gang probably won’t be able to find. In the end, we think that this will be a day when the Brady Bunch comes up with at least 25 pass completions. Tom Brady Over 23.5 Pass Completions (-125)

Wes Welker Over/Under 7 Receptions: Did you read the last paragraph that we just wrote? Who do you think is going to be catching all those passes? Welker has caught 95 balls this year, and that includes five games this year with more than seven catches (and two other games with exactly seven catches). Sure, a bum ankle could be problematic for Welker, but this could be (and likely is) nothing more than a typical Patriots injury distinction, declaring an injury just for the sake of letting us in the media talk about it. The 49ers play bend but don’t break defense as well as any team in football, and though Welker might get a ton of receptions, he might not get all that many yards. We don’t care though, whether Welker gets 50 yards or 250 yards as long as he gets his eight receptions. Wes Welker Over 7 Receptions (+100)

Stephen Gostkowski Over/Under 9 Points: It’s really tough to score 10 points in a game if you’re a kicker, even if you’re the Patriots’ kicker. That means that Gostkowski is going to need to come up with either two field goals and three TDs to push (two field goals and four TDs to win) or three field goals and a TD to push (three field goals and two TDs to win). Sure, Gostkowski has had a great year and has averaged 9.85 points per game this year. However, he has also had no field goals in two of his last three games, and he still has a ton of misses this year. The 49ers aren’t going to give anyone in the opportunity to score six or seven times in a game as will probably be required for him to get there, so by default, we have to bet against Gostkowski in this one, especially at even money. Stephen Gostkowski Under 9 Points (+100)

San Francisco 49ers vs. New England Patriots NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 12/16/12):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at JustBet.cx When Using This Link)
Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -120
No Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -110

49ers Score First +125
Patriots Score First -155

First Score a Touchdown -180
First Score Not a Touchdown +150

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

Colin Kaepernick Passing Yards Over 230.5 -115
Colin Kaepernick Passing Yards Under 230.5 -115

Colin Kaepernick TD Passes + INTs Over 2.5 +140
Colin Kaepernick TD Passes + INTs Under 2.5 -180

Colin Kaepernick Rushing Yards Over 47.5 -115
Colin Kaepernick Rushing Yards Under 47.5 -115

Colin Kaepernick Scores a Rushing Touchdown +120
Colin Kaepernick Does Not Score a Rushing Touchdown -150

Frank Gore Rushing Yards Over 70.5 -115
Frank Gore Rushing Yards Under 70.5 -115

Frank Gore Scores a Touchdown +100
Frank Gore Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -130

Michael Crabtree Receptions Over 5.5 -105
Michael Crabtree Receptions Under 5.5 -125

Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Over 69.5 -115
Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Under 69.5 -115

Michael Crabtree Scores a Touchdown +140
Michael Crabtree Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -180

Vernon Davis Receptions Over 3.5 +100
Vernon Davis Receptions Under 3.5 -130

Vernon Davis Scores a Touchdown +160
Vernon Davis Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -200

NaVorro Bowman Total Tackles Over 8.5 -115
NaVorro Bowman Total Tackles Under 8.5 -115

Patrick Willis Total Tackles Over 7.5 -130
Patrick Willis Total Tackles Under 7.5 +100

David Akers Points Over 7.5 -130
David Akers Points Under 7.5 +100

Tom Brady Completions Over 23.5 -125
Tom Brady Completions Under 23.5 -105

Tom Brady Passing Yards Over 280.5 -115
Tom Brady Passing Yards Under 280.5 -115

Tom Brady Throws an Interception -160
Tom Brady Doesn’t Throw an Interception +130

Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Over 70.5 -115
Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Under 70.5 -115

Wes Welker Receptions Over 7 +100
Wes Welker Receptions Under 7-130

Wes Welker Receiving Yards Over 83.5 -115
Wes Welker Receiving Yards Under 83.5 -115

Wes Welker Scores a Touchdown +115
Wes Welker Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -145

Brandon Lloyd Receptions Over 4.5 -105
Brandon Lloyd Receptions Under 4.5 -125

Brandon Lloyd Receiving Yards Over 56.5 -115
Brandon Lloyd Receiving Yards Under 56.5 -115

Aaron Hernandez Scores a Touchdown -110
Aaron Hernandez Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -120

Jerod Mayo Total Tackles Over 8.5 -140
Jerod Mayo Total Tackles Under 8.5 +110

Stephen Gostkowski Points Over 9 -130
Stephen Gostkowski Points Under 9 +100

The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 7 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Thursday Night Football matchup.

Zach Miller Receptions Over/Under 2.5: It’s not often that we really like to use fantasy football stats to tell us how to make our bets, but in this case, we’re going to make an exception. Miller has had eight targets over the course of the last three weeks, and he has caught all eight passes. The likelihood of that continuing really is slim to none, especially against a San Francisco defense that ranks eighth in the entire NFL at defending the tight end. Miller is really looked at in short yardage and goal to go situations, but there don’t figure to be all that many of those when push comes to shove. As a result, we have to think about going with Miller’s ‘under’ as a sharp play. Zach Miller Receptions Under 2.5 (-115)

Will Alex Smith Throw an Interception?: Smith was picked off three times last week, and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh did as much as admit the fact that some plays were called that were asking Smith to do more than what he really should have been comfortable doing. This is a team that prides itself on taking care of the ball and playing good defense, and though the sledding could be tough on the ground and Smith is going to have to throw the ball some, we don’t think that he is going to be in a position where he ends up getting picked off more often than not in this game. Remember that Smith only threw five interceptions, and three of his four picks this year came last week. It’s ridiculous that Smith is an underdog to not throw an interception. Alex Smith to Not Throw an Interception (+130)

Will Vernon Davis Score a Touchdown?: This is another one of these percentage props that we love to play, though we know that more often than not, we are going to end up losing them. When they win, they win big. Davis hasn’t had a touchdown now in three straight games, and that’s after getting four trips to the end zone in his first three games this year. However, his targets aren’t down, his receptions are only down a hair, and those are largely in games that have been over by halftime that haven’t required all that many passes coming off of the arm of QB Alex Smith. Davis is still going to be a huge threat against a defense that is aggressive, and not only do we like his chances of getting some love near the red zone, but he could break a long one as well. Vernon Davis to Score a Touchdown +130

David Akers Over/Under 7.5 Points: Akers has consistently been one of the best kickers in the NFL over the course of the last several years, though over the course of the last few weeks he has struggled, making just 4-of-8 attempts. Still, the 49ers are a team that play it close to the vest, and that means quite a few field goal attempts. We’d like to think that tonight, against a sound Seattle defense, that will be the case once again when push comes to shove. Take Akers to get to at least eight points in this one, as that means that the 49ers will get to at least 20 points. David Akers Over 7.5 Points (-130)

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 10/18/12):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at JustBet.cx When Using This Link)
Score in the First 7 Minutes of the Game -115
No Score in the First 7 Minutes of the Game -115

Seahawks Score First +145
49ers Score First -175

First Score a Touchdown -130
First Score Not a Touchdown +100

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 37.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 37.5 Yards -115

Russell Wilson Completions Over 17 -130
Russell Wilson Completions Under 17 +100

Russell Wilson Longest Completion Over 34.5 Yards -115
Russell Wilson Longest Completion Under 34.5 Yards -115

Russell Wilson Passing Yards Over 200.5 -115
Russell Wilson Passing Yards Under 200.5 -115

Russell Wilson Total Touchdown Passes + Interceptions Over 2.5 +160
Russell Wilson Total Touchdown Passes + Interceptions Under 2.5 -200

Russell Wilson Rushing Attempts Over 5.5 +100
Russell Wilson Rushing Attempts Under 5.5 -130

Marshawn Lynch Rushing Yards Over 75.5 -115
Marshawn Lynch Rushing Yards Under 75.5 -115

Marshawn Lynch Scores a Touchdown +130
Marshawn Lynch Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -160

Golden Tate Receptions Over 3 -115
Golden Tate Receptions Under 3 -115

Golden Tate Scores a Touchdown +170
Golden Tate Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -220

Sidney Rice Receptions Over 3.5 -115
Sidney Rice Receptions Under 3.5 -115

Sidney Rice Receiving Yards Over 51.5 -115
Sidney Rice Receiving Yards Under 51.5 -115

Doug Baldwin Receptions Over 2.5 +100
Doug Baldwin Receptions Under 2.5 -130

Doug Baldwin Receiving Yards Over 33.5 -115
Doug Baldwin Receiving Yards Under 33.5 -115

Zach Miller Receptions Over 2.5 -115
Zach Miller Receptions Under 2.5 -115

Steven Hauschka Total Points Over 6.5 -130
Steven Hauschka Total Points Under 6.5 +100

Alex Smith Completions Over 19 -130
Alex Smith Completions Under 19 +100

Alex Smith Longest Completion Over 35.5 Yards -115
Alex Smith Longest Completion Under 35.5 Yards -115

Alex Smith Passing Yards Over 222.5 -115
Alex Smith Passing Yards Under 222.5 -115

Alex Smith Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 +130
Alex Smith Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 -160

Alex Smith Throws an Interception -160
Alex Smith Doesn’t Throw an Interception +1330

Frank Gore Rushing Yards Over 67.5 -115
Frank Gore Rushing Yards Under 67.5 -115

Frank Gore Scores a Touchdown +120
Frank Gore Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -150

Michael Crabtree Receptions Over 4.5 -115
Michael Crabtree Receptions Under 4.5 -115

Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Over 60.5 -115
Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Under 60.5 -115

Michael Crabtree Scores a Touchdown +140
Michael Crabtree Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -180

Randy Moss Receptions Over 2.5 +110
Randy Moss Receptions Under 2.5 -140

Randy Moss Longest Reception Over 22.5 Yards -115
Randy Moss Longest Reception Under 22.5 Yards -115

Vernon Davis Receptions Over 4.5 -125
Vernon Davis Receptions Under 4.5 -105

Vernon Davis Receiving Yards Over 56.5 -115
Vernon Davis Receiving Yards Under 56.5 -115

Vernon Davis Scores a Touchdown +130
Vernon Davis Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -160

Mario Manningham Receptions Over 3.5 -130
Mario Manningham Receptions Under 3.5 +100

Mario Manningham Receiving Yards Over 47.5 -115
Mario Manningham Receiving Yards Under 47.5 -115

Navorro Bowman Total Tackles Over 8.5 -130
Navorro Bowman Total Tackles Under 8.5 +100

Patrick Willis Total Tackles Over 8.5 +100
Patrick Willis Total Tackles Under 8.5 -130

David Akers Total Points Over 7.5 -130
David Akers Total Points Under 7.5 +100

For the second time this year, the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers are going to square off against one another, and the action should be intense. Here are the keys to the game for the NFC Championship Game, complete with our Giants vs. 49ers predictions and odds analysis.

NFC Championship Matchup: New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers
Giants vs. 49ers Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Giants vs. 49ers Date/Time: Sunday, January 22nd, 6:30 p.m.
Giants vs. 49ers Television Coverage: FOX

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012 NFL Playoff Bracket And Other NFL Playoff Previews

Key #1: The Giants have to take care of the football
It really seems as though the Giants keep good care of the pigskin when they are at their best. QB Eli Manning was picked off 16 times this season, including twice in the first go around between these two teams. That being said, the day that Manning had against the Green Bay Packers last week was remarkable. Sure, he threw that one INT on the day, but he also threw for three TDs and did a great job spreading the football all over the field. Green Bay might have had the worst ranked pass defense in the league, but it also led the league in forcing turnovers. San Fran played a game a lot like that against the New Orleans Saints last week. The Saints had almost 500 yards of total offense, but they turned the ball over five times in the teeth of a San Francisco defense that didn’t play nearly as badly as it seemed on the scoreboard. The 49ers have a nasty, nasty defense, and they picked off Manning twice in the first meeting of these two teams. That’s why the Giants were beaten by a TD the last time around.

Giants @ 49ers Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
New York Giants +1
San Francisco 49ers -1
Over/Under 41.5
Click Here to Bet Your NFL playoffs Picks!

Key #2: The 49ers need to keep their attitude and their swagger
The 49ers have had a certain aura around them all season long. No one has really believed in them, and you can see that on the NFL betting lines as well. They were 1.5 point dogs against the Cincinnati Bengals, 9.5 point pups against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, were just 2.5 point favorites at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers… and the list goes on a on. Even last week against the Saints, they were catching 3.5 from the oddsmakers. That’s why San Francisco isn’t just a great SU team, but is a team that has 13 covers on the season including the playoffs as well. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh came to the Bay Area and was determined to make his team nastier on both sides of the ball. It was about working harder and believing that they deserved to beat the team on the other side of the field because of it. We tend to think that that attitude would have looked a heck of a lot better at Lambeau Field than at home against the Giants, as San Francisco is favored in this game and is largely expected to win. As long as that swagger that the Niners deserve to be here, they should be fine, but if they lose that swagger, they could be in some trouble against a New York team that is thriving off of the fact that few figure that it has the capability to win the Super Bowl for the second time under Head Coach Tom Coughlin.

Key #3: Alex Smith doesn’t have to be better than Manning, but he has to not be significantly worse
This has been the “Year of the Quarterback” in the NFL. Names like Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger are all out of the playoffs, while Smith is still here in the NFL’s version of the “Final Four.” He didn’t always run a pretty pass offense, as the 49ers only ranked No. 29 in the league in passing at 183.1 yards per game through the air. However, what Smith did this year was believe in himself, believe in his receivers, and take care of the football. What we saw last week is that he has the ability to win games if he needs to, as he stood toe to toe with Brees and the best offense, maybe in the history of the league. That being said, we don’t think that he has to do that again this week against the G-Men, but he can’t be significantly worse than Manning if the team is going to win this one.

Click Here to get the best football picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our NFL playoffs picks and the NFL picks for the rest of the playoff game odds.

No one believed that the San Francisco 49ers were really good enough to win the NFC this entire season, but on Saturday, they have a chance to beat the NFL betting odds against one of the best teams in the league, the New Orleans Saints with a spot in the NFC Championship Game on the line.

NFL Playoffs Matchup: New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers
Saints vs. 49ers Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Saints vs. 49ers Date/Time: Saturday, January 14th, 4:30 p.m.
Saints vs. 49ers Television Coverage: FOX

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012 NFL Playoff Bracket And Other NFL Playoff Previews

Key #1: The Saints’ secondary cannot let Drew Brees go wild
It seems like the understatement of the century, but it is true. Brees has now thrown for nearly 6,000 yards in 17 games this year, and he just keeps racking up 400+ yard performance after 400+ yard performance. The 49ers did a great job this year on the ground, as they didn’t allow a rushing touchdown in the first 14 weeks of the season, but their secondary at times was suspect, allowing 230.9 yards per game and ranking No. 16 in the league. Rookie LB Aldon Smith did have a team best 14 sacks this year to help bring a lot of pressure off of the corner, and others like LB Ahmad Brooks, DE Justin Smith, and DE Ray McDonald had great years as well. When Brees has been slowed this year, it has been with great pass rushes. That’s what the Detroit Lions had going last week for a half of football, but in the end, it was Brees that got the last laugh with a clinic in the second half. Brees is probably going over 300 yards, and he is probably going to get a couple scores, but much more than that is bad, bad news for the Niners.

Saints @ 49ers Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
New Orleans Saints -3.5
San Francisco 49ers +3.5
Over/Under 47.5
Click Here to Bet Your NFL playoffs Picks!

Key #2: San Francisco cannot get overtaken by the pressure in this game
It has been almost a decade since the 49ers have played in the playoffs, and no one like RB Frank Gore and QB Alex Smith were around at that point. We already saw the Lions fail against the Saints in their first playoff game in ages, and though the Texans won in their first ever playoff game, it came against a Cincinnati team that also had absolutely zilch in terms of playoff experience on the team. Playing at home is at least going to give a level of comfort for the 49ers, especially since they are playing against a New Orleans team which was beaten last year on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Smith and Gore are really the two cogs that have to hold up in this one, as they have to make the most of their opportunities against a sometimes suspect New Orleans defense. Even though you would like to think that San Francisco can’t afford for this game to become a shootout, consistently scoring and putting the pressure back on Brees and the gang is the right way to try to go about this game. Going conservatively isn’t going to get the job done.

Key #3: Whichever team gets a few big plays on the ground will have a major upper hand
The one thing that Head Coach Jim Harbaugh brought to the Niners this year was a level of toughness. They play fantastic rush defense because they aren’t losing those battles up front in the trenches. That being said, the Saints, who aren’t known for their ground game, do have the backs to make plays happen on the ground, while Gore could have a big day against the Saints as well. New Orleans only allowed a total of 32 yards on the ground to the Lions on Saturday night, but that came against a team that just doesn’t run the football. The 49ers are a significantly different team for sure. RBs Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and Chris Ivory all have the ability to bust off some big runs as well for New Orleans. Whichever team can establish the line of scrimmage and get its ground game off to a great start is going to have a major advantage in this game.

Click Here to get the best football picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our NFL playoffs picks and the NFL picks for the rest of the playoff game odds.

The NFC West was one of the worst divisions is football last season, as all four teams finished below .500. This year, there has been a ton of change from top to bottom, and it could make handicapping the NFC West odds incredibly difficult.

The favorites of the bunch this year are the St. Louis Rams (Current NFC West Odds: 1.85 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), who are just two years removed from having the worst record in football. St. Louis could have won the division title last year at 8-8, but it failed to do so on the last week of the season. QB Sam Bradford is already the best signal caller in this division bar none, and it is clear that Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo has the goods to do some tremendous damage. The Rams aren’t a Super Bowl team quite yet, but they are definitely heading in the right direction and could be a postseason team with a division title.

A change at head coach is only the beginning of the flipping around for the San Francisco 49ers (NFC West Lines: 1.85 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). This is the third straight season in which they were really supposed to be the breakout team, and only time will tell whether new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will pay dividends for the squad. QB Alex Smith is going to have a new weapon to play with in WR Brayton Edwards, but the real key is the defense for this squad, which massively underachieved a season ago.

Watch out for the new look Arizona Cardinals (Odds to Win the NFC West: 4.50 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) in 2011. Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt just didn’t have a quarterback to work with last year, and he remedied that situation by taking QB Kevin Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles. We tend to believe that Kolb can play, as he really did look good in his limited action with the Eagles over the last few seasons. This is a team with the talent to win it all, but after badly being outperformed by virtually everyone in the division a year ago, we can’t blame the skeptics who are calling for this to be a last place team once again this season.

The team with the biggest change is the Seattle Seahawks (2011 NFC West Odds: 6 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook). It’s not often that a team sneaks into the playoffs with a losing record, but this was the case for the Seahawks last year. QB Matt Hasselbeck and QB Charlie Whitehurst were able to get this team into the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs, but it just wasn’t good enough for either man to end up with the starting signal caller job this year. Hasselbeck was let go and is now a member of the Tennessee Titans, while Whitehurst is apparently just going to be stuck with backup duties. QB Tarvaris Jackson never really got a fair shot with the Minnesota Vikings, but now that he has taken his trade to Seattle, he’ll have a chance to shine.

2011 NFC West Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5Dimes.com When Using This Link)

Odds To Win NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 3.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.85 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 4.25 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.85 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Arizona Cardinals 65 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 52 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 85 to 1
St. Louis Rams 45 to 1

NFC West Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
(Get a EXCLUSIVE 100% Bonus at JustBet.com When Using This Link)

Odds To Win NFC West Division
Arizona Cardinals 4.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1 to 1.10
Seattle Seahawks 6 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.50 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Arizona Cardinals 70 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 42 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 95 to 1
St. Louis Rams 40 to 1

NFC West Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at Oddsmaker.com When Using This Link)

Odds To Win The NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 3.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.75 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 5 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.75 to 1

NFC West Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Arizona Cardinals 75 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 40 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 65 to 1
St. Louis Rams 40 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
(Get a UNLIMITED 10% Bonus at BoDog.com When Using This Link)

NFC West Odds
Arizona Cardinals 2.75 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.85 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 5 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.85 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Arizona Cardinals 60 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 45 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 75 to 1
St. Louis Rams 45 to 1