Game : New Orleans @ San Francisco
Pick : SF 49ers + 3.5

A classic matchup featuring the high powered offense of the Saints vs the stout defense of the SF 49ers.

 A lot of the focus has been on offense and defense respectively, the somewhat overlooked special teams may be the difference here. The punting of Andy Lee has been a key factor all year long in the 49ers success, and Akers has had a great season.
 These two guys may be the key !

Good luck !

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Good day to you all !

Game : Detroit Lions @ New orleans
Pick : New Orleans - 10.5

Detroit Lions are in the playoffs for the first time since 1999 
These Lions will be an attractive underdog pick for a lot of people in this forum and across countless of sportsbooks all over.
Here is what we hear :
- It's hard to beat the same team twice in one year
( never mind , it happens ) 
- Detroit lost that regular season encounter because they shot themselves in the foot
( well, that's what inexperienced teams do, and even more so in the playoffs -11 penalties for 107 yards is not a recipe for success and certainly not an excuse for losing )
- Ndamukong Suh did not play in the first game 
( He did not, but he was in the lineup when Matt Flynn threw for nearly 500 yards and 6 touchdowns for Green Bay ! )

New Orleans is riding an 8 game winning streak in which they covered every one of those games winning last three heading into the playoffs by 28, 29, and 22 points.

You want momentum , you got it.

You just won't find a hotter team than these New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans lost 2 of their last 3 games heading into the playoffs last season and were shocked by the Seahawks in the wild card game.
This is the motivational tool to add the final ingredient for this matchup.
New Orleans defense has not given up more than 24 points to anyone outside of the shocker @ St LOuis in the last 10 games . By contrast, Detroit's defense has given up more than 24 points on seven different ocassions in their last 10 games .
Does it matter ?
I do believe New Orleans gets their 38 points+

Final score : New Orleans 41-17
no opinion on the over/under

 Best of luck !
RF

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Hey everyone...

The NFL playoffs get started today with a rare opportunity as the ( 7-9 ) Seattle Seahawks welcome the reigning  Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints ( 11-5 ) at Qwest field.

Let me make this plain and simple: This is a total mismatch

The idea that Qwest field is a serious advantage for Seattle today is quickly dispelled by virtue of the home team's record at this stadium and the visitor's record on the road.
Seattle has a predictable record at home ( 5-3 )  having beaten SF, SD, Ariz, Car, Stl ...all of which are out of the playoffs. The teams that Seattle has beaten finished with a combined 29-51 record .
On the other hand, the 3 losses at home by Seattle were against teams with a combined 33-15 record. Most importantly is the fact that Seattle was outscored by a combined 49-117 points at Qwest field against these opponents. In the closest game, they still lost by 16 points.
Home field advantage quickly evaporates when solid teams come marching in .
As the visitor, The NO Saints are a solid 6-2 SU having outscored their opponents 171-102 , an 11.5 point differential per game.
As the Saints began to hit their stride, they had to face Dallas, Cincinnati, Baltimore , and Atlanta on the road. now, they won 3 of those 4 games and some by the slimmest of margins.
However, Cincinnati played reasonably well towards the end of the season winning 2 of 3 and losing the last game by a slim margin. Dallas also played well down the stretch under Garrett's guidance .
Seattle lost 3 of 4 & 5 of 7 down the stretch...only beating Carolina & St Louis to finish with a losing record.
New Orleans finished the year strong winning 7 of 9 games.

This matchup involves a Super bowl champion that finished ranked 6th on offense and even better on defense with a 4th overall ranking on defense against a team with a losing record that finished ranked near the bottom on offense and defense with a 28th & 27th overall ranking .
We all know Seattle should not be in the playoffs and everyone is about to see why.
Drew Brees will spread the ball around all over the field , and a short precise passing game will compensate for injuries to the running backs. A versatile Reggie bush will have a good day running and catching the ball. 
Remember that Seattle gave up an average of 39 points in their 3 home losses this year.
Who do you think, it's going to win this game ?
New Orleans solid defense will do its job against an offense that in the last 4 games has averaged 17.5 points .
New Orleans is the right pick here .
Take advantage of a rare opportunity

Game : New Orleans @ Seattle
Pick : New Orleans - 10

RF
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Hey everyone,

Let's update the trend involving Favorites that are coming off a bye week >>>
San Diego is the last team to play a game following a bye this year .
Therefore , I'll take this opportunity to update on the results for favorites coming off a bye for the 2010-2011 season

Here is the update for favored teams coming off a bye >>

( For specifics about prior years , please refer to week 8's thread on the same subject ))

There have been 15 teams that have been favored coming off a bye in the 2010-2011 season ( there will be 16 )

The record stands at 8-5-2 ATS for the year...with one game left on the schedule.
Basically, we're looking at either 9-5-2 ATS or 8-6-2 ATS, unless there is a push> Covers final scores dictates the actual line

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Hey everyone ...

This game goes off at 1:00 pm Pacific time
This game is not only a bad matchup for one team , it is also a total mismatch.
Both teams are coming off solid wins while scoring almost the same amount of points against weak opponents.
One team managed its first road win, while the other made it
3 of 4 on the road with its victory last week .
Let's get down to the teams :

Seattle and New Orleans

New Orleans is coming off a bye week on the heels of two consecutive wins.
New Orleans might have been excused for playing down to its opponent after the tough primetime battle against a top AFC team : the Pittsburgh Steelers .
What they did instead is play like world champions and stomped on their weaker opposition .
This 2010 New Orleans of the last 2 games  is looking more like the team that steamrolled through the first 13 weeks of the season last year on their way to the top of the NFL.
While this year's team may never be as explosive as last year's team , the defense is playing better.
Think about it , New Orleans allowed 13 points combined in their last 2 games, while beating the Steelers 20-10.
In last year's version of the Saints, winning a game like that would have been nearly impossible.
The Saints of 2009-2010 allowed 20 points or more to 12 of 16 opponents.
In the meantime , the offense is getting healthier and I believe will begin to feast on the weaker defenses.
Don't be fooled by Seattle's act last week on the road .
This team does not have the capability of putting two solid games on the road.
Seattle feasted on Arizona's weak pass defense and scored plenty against the team that is ranked dead last in points allowed .
380 yards is what Arizona gave up in passing yards to Seattle . But, even then Seattle squandered opportunities , at one point settling four 4 consecutive field goals .
Ultimately , Seattle was 2 for 8 in red zone efficiency.

Against New Orleans, Seattle will simply be facing the # 1 pass defense in the NFL ...
When they take to the  ground , New Orleans 16th ranked rushing defense will hold its own against Seattle's 28th ranked rushing offense .
As I see this unfolding , Seattle's running game will not be a factor when they find themselves trailing going into the second half . Seattle is not a come from behind team .
When they have been behind going into halftime , they have lost .
Seattle has only lost 4 times , but when they lose, they lose resoundingly .
By 17 to Denver , By 17 to St Louis , By 30 to Oakland , By 34 to the NY Giants.
 In all of their wins, they have gone into halftime with the lead .

I do believe , New Orleans will be leading at halftime and this young Seattle team will not recover in the second half.

New orleans is in a serious battle in the NFC South and is hitting its stride at the right time.
This is a game , they must and will win and cannot take lightly. New Orleans is coming off its bye, where traditionally large favorites have enjoyed much success ATS .
With new Orleans , rested , healthier than they have been all season while Coming off the best B2B games this season , Seattle is way overmatched and the spread in this game is rather generous .
I see an easy 21+ point win for the defending Super Bowl Champions

Game : Seattle @ New Orleans
Pick : New Orleans - 12
Prediction : New Orleans by 21 +

RF

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