NFL Wild Card Weekend

[equinoxx]

I am on my way to work but had to quickly tell you that I did my bet for the Wild Card Weekend already before the lines change. I decided to do a Lucky 15 on these selections; Washington v Tampa Bay Over 36 New England -7 (I twiddled with the line as I didn't want the extra .5 just in case) New York Giants -3 Pittsburgh -3

[TazaD]

Re: NFL Wild Card Weekend Tough week imo. Washington @ Tampa....2 months ago this game went 35-36!!...Why is the total ~37 for this one?? Whatwas interesting in that game was that Washington out-rushed TB big-time despite TB allowing just 3.5 ypc over the season (2nd best). Can they do it again? Really, you'd have to say that both teams are limping in...Washington had a very lucky win on the weekend....4-4 on the road, but wins @ Philli, Zona, St. L., and Dallas in wk. 2, don't fill me with much confidence. TB had a lucky escape over NO on the weekend, scraped by Atl at home...and you'd have to say that their only 'good' win in their last10 weeks was @ Carolina. Couldn't pick a side....don't like the total. NE will win, but can they cover more than a TD? I don't think Jax has the passing capabilities to hurt NE's suspect secondary. Pats run D continues to be solid (3.6 ypr) which should be able to contain the Jags. But, having said that, you have to hand it to Jax...6-2 on the road, av. 23.3 ppg, inc. a 23-17 win @ Pittsburgh. Gerrard 5-1...only loss to Indi Maybe the over, but weather could be a factor.....tease NE-2 to over 31? NYG -2.5?? How fishy is this?? An 8-1 team at home laying less than a FG? I don't like it one little bit. NYG limping in personel-wise, with their entire starting LB corp out...& Shockey ?? Carolina can't run the ball, which makes them totally inconsistant...in fact if you look at their schedule most (if not all) of their wins have come against teams that either can't stop the run (Atl, NO, Buff) or who couldn't run it themselves (Jets, Det, Zona, GB, NE)...and throw in a win against Minni who were in turmoil at the time. Giants allow 3.9 and gain 4.7 ypc!! NYG's only home loss was 21-24 to Minni, who's 3 TD's ALL came from special teams. But, as I said, injuries in the Washington game have left the NYG defense under-manned, and they've allowed 35 to Washington and 21 to Oakland (which should have been 28, but Oak couldn't get 1 yard in 4 tries...Collins threw for 331 yards with 3 TD's) There should be some scoring both ways...and maybe the 43.5 is a decent sign for the over. *** NB. For the trend-concious....For 23 years straight now, the NFC team to make the SuperBowl has had a winning record on the road!!...Irrelevant? Maybe...But if we go with it, it means that either Tampa or Carolina will win this week. (or both obviously) I think Pittsburgh is the right play, but not sure I taking them as a road fav is a great idea. (Although it probably is!) But, it is a Steeler game, and in every game they have played this season the team who controls the ground game has won. In ALL of their 11 wins they have out-rushed their opponents...in the 5 losses they haven't! Simple as that! Cinci won the last meeting 38-31 @ Pits...Gained 102 yards on te ground to 95...BUT, it was Rothlesberger's second game back from knee surgery, and he threw 3 INT's...one on his own 22 (Cinci TD on the 22 yard drive)...one on the Cinci 44 (Cinci punt)..and one at half way, which Cinci turned into a TD... ...Cinci also got a cheap TD from a 94 yard KO return. Pittsburgh were never able to control the game, and Big Ben threw it 41 times...his highest previous was 28!!! I can't see them getting into that kind of game again. Pitssburgh won the first meeting @ Cinci 27-13....Ben threw the ball just 14 times! They ran 43 times for 226 yards and held Cinci to 91.