Handicapping the NFL Championship Games
All eyes will be on the NFL today, as the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet in the AFC Championship game, while Philadelphia travels to Phoenix to face the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game. The two winners will meet in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, 2009, in Tampa.
Philadelphia at Arizona
The Eagles will face the Cardinals in the first game of the day, beginning at 3 p.m. EST. Philadelphia opened as a 3-point favorite with a total of 49, but the Eagles have been bet up to 3.5-point favorites at nearly every sportsbook, while the total has dropped to 47.
The two teams met earlier this season and the Eagles posted a convincing 48-20 victory in Philadelphia, as Brian Westbrook tied a team record with four touchdowns and the Eagles' defense intercepted Kurt Warner three times.
Things probably won't be as easy on the road, however, and the game was essentially meaningless for the Cardinals, who had pretty much wrapped up their division title by then.
Both teams enter the game on high notes, as the Cardinals have scored 97 points in their last three games, while the Eagles have put up 93.
Defensively, however, the Cardinals have allowed 58 points over that stretch, with the Eagles just allowing 31.
Have to believe the Cardinals will score some points in this one and don't have a lot of confidence in their defense to repeat last week's performance against Carolina.
Will give the nod to Arizona and the over in this one.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh
These teams met twice during the regular season, with the Steelers grabbing a pair of close victories. Pittsburgh won the first game 23-20 in week four and came back with a 13-9 road victory towards the end of the season.
In the first game, which the Steelers won in overtime, the Steelers did score a defensive touchdown and the total yardage was virtually identical, with the Ravens holding a 6-yard advantage.
Pittsburgh out-gained the Ravens by 100 yards in the rematch.
Pittsburgh is favored by six points and the total has gone up slightly to 34.
Joe Flacco has been a great story since taking over as the Ravens' quarterback, but have a hunch that it will have an unhappy ending today, as Pittsburgh advances to the Super Bowl.
Will give the nod to Pittsburgh and the over.
Good luck with your wagers today.
