2011 AFC Conference Championship Game: Jets vs. Steelers Free Pick
By Anthony Rome
Bet AFC Conference Championship
Pittsburgh, PA (The Spread) - Do the New York Jets have another upset in their back pockets or are the Pittsburgh Steelers destined to play in yet another Super Bowl? Continue reading for odds, picks and trends on the 2011 AFC Conference Championship Game.
View Current AFC Conference Championship Odds
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com, the Steelers are 3.5-point favorites over the Jets on Sunday. The over/under total for this game is currently 38.5 points.
After upsetting the Colts and Patriots over the past two weeks, the Jets are now 13-5 on the year. According to latest NFL trends, they’re 11-7 against the spread, which includes a 7-3 ATS record on the road. The over is 9-1 in their 10 road games this season, although the one time the under covered was two weeks ago in Indianapolis.
The Steelers improved to 13-4 with their win over the Ravens last Saturday and they’re now 11-6 against the spread. They’re 6-3 at home this year and 6-3 against the number at home, although one of those losses came against these very Jets in Week 15.
AFC Conference Championship Free Pick:
The Jets have proved over the last two weeks that you cannot underestimate them. Rex Ryan beat two of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady with essentially two different defensive game plans. If you don’t think that the Jets can pull off another upset, then you haven’t been paying attention the past two weeks. That said, this has to be one worn out crew. Traveling during the regular season is tough enough. Try traveling for three straight weeks in the playoffs, where a Super Bowl is on the line every weekend. If you’ve noticed, the Jets haven’t done a lot of talking this week like they did while preparing for the Colts and Patriots. That’s because Ryan and his players don’t have an axe to grind with Mike Tomlin’s team like they did Manning, Brady and Bill Belichick. One would think that they’ll be up for the conference championship game, but the Jets feed on being the underdog. Granted, they’re underdogs this week but not in the way they were against the Colts or Patriots. No, some actually believe that they can pull it off this weekend and therefore, they’ve lost some of their edge. Mike Wallace torched Antonio Cromartie in the first matchup and with the amount of speed that the Steelers have in their receiving corps, I think New York might give up a big play or two. I’m going with the fresher team with the better quarterback. Our pick is the Steelers –3.5, although buy the point down if you can.
2011 AFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP FREE PICK: PITTSBURGH STEELERS –3.5