A Look at the 2010 NFL Divisional Playoffs
The second round of the NFL playoffs take place Jan. 16-17 and bettors are surprisingly siding with the underdogs in the early going. As of Thursday night. three of the underdogs were receiving more bets than the favorites, with the Colts and the Ravens evenly split down the middle.You can't blame the public for taking the underdogs, as underdogs and the unders have historically done well in this round, but the unders had done well in the Wild Card playoffs, and we all saw every one of the four games go over the total last weekend.
Arizona at New Orleans
The first game of the day on Saturday will be Arizona at New Orleans and the Saints are favored by 7 and the total is 57. The Cardinals are receiving 66 percent of the bets, but the line has not moved, nor has the total.Phoenix is probably the sentimental choice for some bettors, as Kurt Warner may call it quits after this season.
New Orleans cruised through the end of the regular season, so it's a little hard to get a read on their scoring troubles at the end, but an Arizona defense that struggled at times this season could be just what Drew Brees needs to regain his previous form.
As much as I'd like to take the Cardinals, I hate having two-thirds of the betting public on the same side, so will just watch this one, as the total is a bit tricky.
Baltimore at Indianapolis
The Colts are favored by 6.5 points and the total is 44. The betting public is evenly split on this game.The Ravens' defense may not be what it used to be, but is still one of the better stop units in the league. The Ravens are a bit better against the rush than the pass, although that won't help much against the Colts.
Indianapolis has a fair defense itself, with the numbers a bit skewed after the Colts went ahead and tanked at the end of the season.
Both quarterbacks take care of the ball, combining for 30 turnovers (interceptions and fumbles) on the season, which is crucial in a game of this magnitude. If both teams are forced to drive the length of the field, it could bode well for the under, which is the way I'll lean.
Dallas at Minnesota
The Vikings are favored by 2.5 points and the total on the game has dropped slightly to 45.5 or 46. The betting public was obviously impressed with the Cowboys last week and Dallas is attracting 56 percent of the wagers.The key to this game is which Vikings team shows up? If it's the team we saw prior to December, Minnesota should win this one by double digits. If it's the Minnesota team we saw down the stretch, expect the Cowboys to advance.
The Vikings will benefit greatly from the bye week, as a number of key players were banged up, and I believe they'll rise to the occasion and get the job done here. Would lean to the under, but will likely stay with just the side wager.
New York Jets at San Diego
Mark Sanchez returns to Southern California, this time as a 7-point underdog against the Chargers. The total on the game is 42 and 55 percent of the wagers have been coming in on the Jets.Sanchez has done a wonderful job the past few weeks, playing well beyond his years, but the Jets' run will likely come to an end here in San Diego.
I can't lay a touchdown in this spot, but again don't want to side with the public, so I'll lean to the under once again.
