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2014 Wild Card against the spread preview & handicapping tips

Betting on 2014 NFL Playoffs?

Capperspicks Wild Card Round ATS Angles

Let the playoffs begin! It is a bittersweet time for football fans – we get to see who the best in the land is – but we only have four games this weekend to obsess over. At least all the games are filled with intrigue.

Let’s take a brief glance into all four games, how Vegas sees these games going and what could play out in each.

Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at Indianapolis Colts (11-5) -2.5, 4:35 p.m., NBC

This is a rematch of a Week 16 game in which the Colts easily won at Arrowhead 23-8. The Chiefs enter having lost five of their last seven games while the Colts have won three straight ahead of Saturday’s clash. It definitely is a case of two teams going in totally different directions.

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Both the Chiefs and the Colts registered over 40 sacks this year – both teams have formidable defenses that can impose their wills on the opposition and both have QBs that take care of the ball. So who wins?

In the first meeting between these teams Jamaal Charles was all-but silenced. I can’t see that happening again. If you ask me who the more talented team is – it is KC. I think they make a statement and beat the hotter team this weekend and set up another date with the Broncos next week. I like the Chiefs at +2.5 to escape Indy with the win.

New Orleans Saints (11-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) -2.5, 8:10 p.m., NBC

All the talk ahead of this game has been the Saints miserable road record this season and rightfully so. The Saints went 3-5 away from the Superdome this year and averaged 18 points in those games – unreal. The Eagles on the other hand enter having won four straight on home turf after failing to register a win in 14 months at home. Phili has their home mojo going at precisely the right time.

This game will come down to Drew Brees – period! He amassed over 5000 yards passing again this year but has his issues on the road. Brees gets a crack at the league’s worst pass defense Saturday – the same one that allowed Kyle Orton 358 yards last week. I think Brees rises to the occasion, uses all of that playoff experience and guides his team to a nice win Saturday. Take the Saints +2.5 to be the second road dog to win Saturday.

San Diego Chargers (9-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) -7, 1:05 p.m., CBS

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The Cincinnati Bengals who were perfect at home this season will be after their first playoff win in 24 years – 24! Their opponent – the uber-lucky San Diego Chargers who benefitted from a blown call and the fact that their Week 17 opposition Kansas City rested 22 of 24 starters to qualify for the playoffs.

The Bengals certainly are a different team at home than they are on the road. They score 430 points this season – 3rd in the AFC and they averaged 42 points in their last five home games. The Chargers enter having won four straight games and riding Ryan Matthews who has averaged 25 touches and 120 yards per game since Week 11.

Both teams have good defenses and well-rounded offenses but I can’t get past Cinci’s ability to get it done on home turf. I also have a hard time supporting a team that should have lost to a bunch of backups just to get into the postseason.

I like the home team to win big here. Take the Bengals -7 to score at will and send San Diego to the golf course – where they should be already!

San Francisco 49ers (12-4) -3 at Green Bay Packers (8-7-1), 4:40 p.m. FOX

The hottest team in the NFL the San Francisco 49ers will try to make it three straight wins over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday but they have to go to the frozen tundra to do so. Winners of six straight overall, the 49ers are finally getting contributions from their offense to compliment their insane defense.

Both teams experienced injuries this season but all the major players except for Clay Matthews will be back for this one – Michael Crabtree being the biggest for the 49ers and Aaron Rodgers being the key returnee for the Packers.

Forget all the history and the recent success of the 49ers in the series – those games were played under sunny skies and balmy California temperatures, This game is going to come down to execution and perhaps who can run the ball better. Who do you like – a banged up Eddie Lacy or Frank Gore who rushed for over 100 yards again this year?

Remember Colin Kaepernick ran for a record 181 yards and two touchdowns last January against this team. Kaepernick`s QB rating is 108 in his last six games, he has thrown 10 of his 21 TDs and run for over 20 yards in each of his last six games.

San Francisco`s (-3) winning formula is fully intact – take them to continue their hot streak in the frigid cold Sunday.

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By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.