The NFL has reached the final 8 with a pair of rematches. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Denver while the Green Bay Packers head west to take on the San Francisco 49ers
All the talk is over! My favorite weekend of the football year has arrived and the Denver Broncos are a part of it. It feels light-years away that the Broncos were in New England on this very weekend. That team didn't have the feel of a champion. This version? Absolutely!
The temperatures are going to dip into the teens during the game. Much has been made of Peyton Manning's record in outdoor playoff game. What hasn't been mentioned with those stats are the fact that every one of those games, obviously, was a road game. It's hard to win on the road in the playoffs. The greatest quarterbacks of all time struggled on the road in the playoffs. The difference today will be 80,000 Broncos Maniacs. That has a way of making it feel warm for the home team - cold for the road team.
Joe Flacco was one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL this season on the road. His Total QBR this season away from home was an awful 29.8 - lower than Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jake Locker. Peyton Manning, on the other hand, was #1 in the NFL at home in Total QBR(87.3) higher than Matt Schaub and Aaron Rodgers.
Advantage Broncos.
Where the Broncos really have the advantage is their defense going up against the Ravens offense. Ray Rice is the one guy that scares me, but the Broncos will likely do all they can to stop him, forcing Flacco to be the difference. He usually is - but not to the benefit of Baltimore.
It's close early, but the Broncos pull away late, 30-16.
The late game features a rematch of Week 1. The Niners traveled to Green Bay that day and dominated the Packers 30-22. Things have changed since then. Colin Kaepernick is now the quarterback in San Francisco and the Green Bay Packers found a running game. They are also as healthy as they have been all season.
The same cannot be said for San Francisco. Justin Smith is attempting to return from an elbow injury. He'll be fitted with a similar brace to that used by Ray Lewis. Will he be effective? While Aldon Smith gets all the publicity, it's Smith that opens the rushing lanes for him.
That should scare Niners fans. The Packers are clicking and they remember what happened that day at Lambeau Field. Playing on the road in the playoffs doesn't scare Green Bay either and even though he's talented, it is still Colin Kaepernick's first game.
Advantage Green Bay.
Here is all the important info for today's games!
AFC Divisional round: Ravens vs. Broncos
SB Nation blog: Baltimore Beatdown | Mile High Report
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 12, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
TV Schedule: CBS
NFL odds: Broncos -9.5
NFL picks: Broncos, 30-20; Guru's Pick - Broncos 30-16
NFC Divisional round: Packers vs. 49ers
SB Nation blog: Acme Packing Company | Niners Nation
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
TV Schedule: FOX
NFL odds: 49ers -3
NFL picks: Packers, 30-27; Guru's Pick - Packers 27-20
***
NFC Divisional round: Seahawks vs. Falcons
SB Nation blog: Field Gulls | The Falcoholic
Game Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m. ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
TV Schedule: FOX
NFL odds: Falcons -2.5
NFL picks: Seahawks, 24-20
AFC Divisional round: Texans vs. Patriots
SB Nation blog: Battle Red Blog | Pats Pulpit
Game Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 13, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
TV Schedule: CBS
NFL odds: Patriots -9.5
NFL picks: Patriots, 35-20
***
More reading:
Mile High Report: The Broncos historical run
Baltimore Beatdown: Predicting the Ravens to lose
Acme Packing Company: 5 questions with the enemy
Niners Nation: Harbaugh talks Packers, kickers and mullets
SB Nation: The Pats are doomed
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
bridge to nowhere primary results dale earnhardt jr michigan primary daytona 500 winner cleveland plain dealer barry sanders
No comments:
Post a Comment