Last Monday morning while eating my second coffee roll before 10 am I…Last Monday morning while in the middle of my 8 mile jog, I was reflecting on some moments from the weekends NFL playoff games.  What another wild weekend in the NFL.

I almost threw a chair into the TV watching the Titans Steelers game.  Watching the Steelers play down in Tennessee was the start of a most exciting weekend.  Up 14 nothing and the worthless Titans can’t hold on to a lead?  The game that featured everything from momentum switches to a drive in the final minutes for a game tying field goal.; Stop the Titans on that drive and you wouldn’t be complaining about an officiating call in OT.  including the controversy in OT of the running into the kicker, and Nedry getting a second chance at a field goal and making good on it.  I wish Cower would quit his whining.  I can empathize with how frustrating it must be for those players and coaches.

Can you imagine having the over in the San Francisco, Tampa Bay game?  Especially if its what ruined your 4 play parlay!  37 points scored in the first 3 quarters and that no good kicker Gramitica can’t hit a 45 yard field goal? neither team could find a way to get more points on the board.  Like Garcia throwing the ball into the stands on the last 3 plays of the game.  I’m begging you to throw a catchable pass. 

Well enough about last week, hmm not bad all said and done I was 3 for 4 on the weekend and just missed on a parlay lets look a head to this week.

The first matchup is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4-0) at the Philadelphia Eagles (12-4-0).  The Eagles are 4.0 point favorites. The total for this game has been set at 34.  Looking at the ATS numbers I really like Philly in this one.  from LasVegasSportsLine.com both teams appear almost identical.

Both defenses are well respected.  Tampa Bay is the toughest team in the league and that’s just the cheerleaders to score on, allowing just 12.3 per game which means McNabb will have no where to hide and Philly has the second stingiest defense in the league at 15.1 per game.  If the ATS numbers scare you off a little bit why should they, Tampa Bay is going to pound the ball all day long and keep it away from McNabb then maybe a few prop bets might be a good call.  SportingBetUSA has a number of good prop bets available including an over under on the total amount of punts by both teams.

A big deal is being made out of Tampa Bay’s success, or lack there of in cold weather horse poop this stat means nothing.  The Bucs, who travel to Philadelphia for Sunday's NFC championship game, are 1-21 in temperatures below 40. They've lost three times at Veterans Stadium since 2000, twice in the playoffs.

Then in the night cap the Titans of Tennessee travel to the Nursing Home Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland to play the puppy kicking always competitive Raiders.  Again the teams numbers appear to be almost identical except the Raiders should be getting social security checks not pay checks.

The Titans have a pretty stingy run defense giving up 89.0 yards a game, good enough for second in the league.  Looking at some of the prop bets to play off of this, Charlie Garner, the reason to like the Raiders for instance, SportingBetUSA has an over under of 57.5 yards rushing on the day for Garner.  Eddie George Garner who could be the leagues most underrated back.  As a threat out of the back field to catch and run make him the wild card in this Sunday’s battle.

Not sure what calls the officials will screw up is going to happen this weekend, but I am sure it will be equally as profitable fun.

Nick Rizzo

Questions and comments can be directed to NickR@LasVegasSportsLine.com