2011 NFL Wildcard Playoffs: Packers vs. Eagles Picks & Predictions
By Anthony Rome
Philadelphia, PA (The Spread) – In the final game of the NFL weekend, the Green Bay Packers will take on the Philadelphia Eagles at 4:30PM ET on Sunday. Continue reading for odds, picks and more on this NFL Wildcard matchup.
View Current NFL Wildcard Playoff Odds
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com, the Eagles are 2.5-point favorites over the Packers on Sunday. The over/under total for this game is currently 46 points.
The Packers finished the regular season with a 10-6 record and covered in nine of their 16 games. They were 3-5 on the road, which includes a 4-4 ATS record according to latest NFL trends.
The Eagles also finished 10-6, but failed to cover in nine of their 16 games. They went 4-4 at home this season but just 3-5 against the number. The over hit in 10 of their 16 games but the under covered in five of their eight games at home.
NFL Wildcard Playoff Free Pick:
The Eagles have home field advantage in this matchup but that’s about the only advantage they have. Their defense has been inconsistent this season and is allowing opponents to score over 76% of the time it reaches the red zone (which makes them the worst team in the league in that category). That’s not good with the pass-happy Packers coming to town, led by a quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who can shred Philly’s defense if he has time. On the other side of the ball, Michael Vick has been outstanding this year but he struggled in the first three quarters against the Giants in Week 15 and in a Week 16 loss to the Vikings. Granted, he also orchestrated the best come-from-behind wins in that New York game, but we think he’ll struggle after suffering a quad injury on the first play against Minnesota. Generally speaking, Vick doesn’t perform well in cold-weather games. Outside of the upset that he and the Falcons pulled off in 2002 at Lambeau Field, he has struggled throughout his career in cold weather. We think the Packers win this one outright and advance to face the Falcons in the Divisional Round. Our pick is Green Bay +2.5.
2011 NFL WILDCARD PLAYOFF FREE PICK: GREEN BAY PACKERS +2.5