Giants at Packers: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers (-8, 52.5)
THE STORY: It's no secret the road to the Super Bowl goes through Green Bay. That hardly seems to faze the New York Giants, who are fairly confident they know how to navigate that route – again. The Giants will look to avenge a 38-35 loss to the Packers last month when they visit Green Bay in an NFL divisional round matchup on Sunday. The stakes are considerably higher this time, much as they were four years ago in the last postseason game at Lambeau Field, when the Giants outlasted the Packers in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl in what was Brett Favre's last game with Green Bay. It promises to be an emotional game for the reigning Super Bowl champs following the drowning death of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son earlier in the week.
LINE: This spread opened as high as -9 in favor of the Packers but has been bet down as low as 7.5 with action on the Giants. The total has climbed from 51 to 53.5 points.
WEATHER: Temperatures will dip into the mid 20s while winds will reach speeds of up to 11 mph, blowing SSE.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (10-7, 9-7-1 ATS): Talk about peaking at the right time. New York won its third consecutive game, manhandling the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 – yes, 2 – in last week’s wild-card round. Eli Manning continued his stellar season by throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns – two to Hakeem Nicks – to secure a rematch with Green Bay. Manning has had to carry the load this season due to the Giants’ league-worse ground game, but even that changed last week as Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 155 of New York’s 172 rushing yards. WR Mario Manningham, who missed the last two games due to injury, had four receptions for 68 yards and a TD. New York’s defense has permitted a total of 30 points in the three-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (15-1, 11-5 ATS): While the Giants are eager for another shot at Green Bay, they need to figure out how to stop Aaron Rodgers from carving up their defense. Rodgers threw for 45 TDs against only six interceptions while sitting out the season finale. He burned the Giants for 369 yards and four scoring passes last month, and threw for 404 yards with four TDs in a 45-17 rout of New York in December 2010. Rodgers gets his top target back in WR Greg Jennings, who missed the last three games with a knee injury. Jennings has 14 receptions for 236 yards and a TD in his last two games against New York. Despite ranking last in overall defense, the Packers had an NFL-best 31 interceptions.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Road team is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last fiev meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Green Bay went 8-0 at home this season and has won 13 consecutive games at Lambeau Field.
2. The stakes are usually high when the Packers and Giants meet in the postseason. The first five meetings decided the NFL Championship, and the last one was for the NFC title.
3. New York is in the postseason for the 31st time, a league record. Green Bay is seeking to become the third team (Pittsburgh, Dallas) with 30 playoff victories.
PREDICTION: Packers 34, Giants 27. Well-rested Green Bay wins an emotional game to move one step closer to a return trip to the Super Bowl.
Sunday Divisional Round Action
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The final two spots for the NFL conference title games are up for grabs on Sunday with a pair of divisional playoff matchups. The Ravens are playing their first home playoff game since the 2006 season, as Baltimore hosts Houston. The late game features the defending Super Bowl champion Packers entertaining the feisty Giants at Lambeau Field.
Texans at Ravens (-7½, 36)
For the first time in John Harbaugh's four seasons as head coach of the Ravens, his club is the champions of the AFC North. Baltimore has won a postseason game in each of the last three years, while taking on a Houston team coming off its first playoff victory ever. The Texans will look to ride the momentum of last week's home triumph over the Bengals, thanks to a strong defensive performance.
Houston intercepted Cincinnati rookie quarterback Andy Dalton three times in a 31-10 victory as four-point favorites, including a pick-six by J.J. Watts in the final minute of the first half. Dalton's rookie counterpart, T.J. Yates threw for just 159 yards in his playoff debut, but Arian Foster rushed for 153 yards and two scores to lead Houston to the win. The cover by Houston was its first since rallying at Cincinnati in Week 14, pulling out a 20-19 stunner as 2½-point road underdogs.
The Ravens took care of their business at M&T Bank Stadium this season with a perfect 8-0 record. However, Baltimore finished 4-3-1 ATS at home, including three ATS losses as double-digit favorites. The good news for the Ravens is the 4-0-1 ATS when laying a touchdown or less, as Baltimore took care of Houston in Week 6 with a 29-14 rout.
In that mid-October meeting, the Ravens scored the final 16 points of the game to knock off the Texans as seven-point 'chalk.' Baltimore needed three Billy Cundiff field goals, while the Houston offense was able to muster only 293 yards and one touchdown in the loss. Joe Flacco became only the second quarterback all season (Drew Brees in Week 3) to throw for at least 300 yards on this Texans' defense, who has played extremely well despite the loss of standout defensive end Mario Williams. The former top pick suffered a torn pectoral muscle in a Week 5 loss to the Raiders, as Houston has allowed 19 points or less in nine of the last 11 games.
Baltimore has compiled a 4-3 SU/ATS record the last three postseasons, including a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS in its first game. In spite of being on the road for all seven contests, the Ravens dominated the Dolphins ('08) and Chiefs ('10) as favorites, outscoring the two opponents, 57-16. Baltimore is just 1-2 SU/ATS in the divisional round under Harbaugh, including a 31-24 defeat at Pittsburgh last January as 3½-point 'dogs.
Since 2006, this is the 16th playoff game with a total listed at 40 or less. The 'over' has hit 10 of the previous 15 times, including in the two AFC Wild Card games last weekend. The divisional round saw plenty of high-scoring games last January with all four games eclipsing the 'over,' as the Ravens easily cashed the 'over' of 37 in the loss to the Steelers.
Giants at Packers (-7½, 53)
Green Bay opens up its title defense following a 15-1 regular season as the Packers welcome in the Giants to Lambeau Field. New York took care of its business in a Wild Card blowout of Atlanta for the franchise's first playoff victory since Super Bowl XLII. However, there's several storylines from off the field that could turn into a potential distraction for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Packers' offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has been dealing with the tragic loss of his son, who drowned last week in Wisconsin. On the field, Green Bay rebounded from a surprising defeat at Kansas City that snapped a 19-game winning streak by beating Chicago and Detroit at home to finish with the best record in the NFL. The Packers scored a league-high 560 points, while eclipsing the 30-point mark in 11 games this season.
The domination at Lambeau Field was evident, as Mike McCarthy's squad won all eight home games, while covering seven times. The lone ATS loss came in a 35-26 victory over the Buccaneers in Week 11 as 14-point favorites, but the Packers own an amazing 11-2 ATS record at home since October 2010. This is the first playoff game in Green Bay since the 2007 NFC Championship, when the Giants came into the frozen tundra and stunned the Packers.
In Brett Favre's final game as a Packer, the legendary Green Bay quarterback threw an interception in overtime, leading to a game-winning field goal by the Giants in a 23-20 stunner. New York captured the NFC Championship as 7 ½-point underdogs, en route to knocking off the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl two weeks later as double-digit 'dogs. Prior to this season's playoffs, the Super Bowl upset was the last postseason win picked up by Eli Manning.
The Giants' quarterback bounced back from a disappointing end to the previous three seasons with a strong performance in a 24-2 pounding of the Falcons last Sunday. Manning tossed three touchdown passes, including a pair of scores to Hakeem Nicks, who racked up 115 yards on nine catches. New York's defense held Atlanta's explosive offense to just 247 yards and 14 first downs, while cashing easily as three-point favorites.
Tom Coughlin's club has quietly done well against the number recently by compiling a 5-1 ATS record the last six games. The only setback in this stretch came as 5½-point favorites against the Redskins, falling at home, 23-10 in Week 15. Since that loss, the Giants have outscored their opponents, 84-30 in the last three wins over the Jets, Cowboys, and Falcons.
The first ATS cover in this span came against the Packers in Week 13, a 38-35 shootout defeat at Met Life Stadium as seven-point underdogs. The game easily finished 'over' the total of 53½, thanks to seven combined touchdown passes by Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Both teams accumulated nearly 450 yards of offense, but it was Mason Crosby's 30-yard field goal at the gun that gave the Packers their 12th victory of the season.
Green Bay ran through the gauntlet of four wins in four weeks away from Wisconsin during its Super Bowl last season, with three victories coming by seven points or less. The divisional round turned out to be the biggest scoring output for the Packers by putting up 48 points in a blowout of the Falcons at the Georgia Dome, including three touchdown passes from Rodgers.
I just rembered something about 49ers roster wow do they have an edge ! Thier all pro center Johnathan Goodwin was on the Saints Superbowl Championship team !
SO he sure knows thier front 4 very well and i'm guessing his playoff and champion experience is helping the other players on San Fran
Even tho 49ers had a weak schedule they beat some darn good teams on the road and at home totally demolished the AFC champ steelers 20-3 !
Also the Saints have never won a road playoff game plus they lost to TB again which is the kisss of death in NFL history !
Rember Last Year saints lost to TB and wound up losing at the 7-9 Seahwks ?Seahawks also lost to TB and bowed out at the Bears
yeah yeah i know Saints lost to TB in 09 when they didnt play final 3 games of year but they needed help in Finals vs Vikings the refs had to Swallow lots of Flags for late rember me hits on Farve ! They got away with highway robbery in that game and squeaked a 3 point win as a 3.5 or 4 point home favorite
BUT IF Vikings won that game and played The Colts i dont know who would win that Superbowl
49ers win this game either way it goes they have put up points away and at home ! IF saints play shootout 49ers will match them and stop them with defense which saints cannot do
especially on Natural turf ! Maybe 49ers use heavy watering before game day make it nice and wet n thicker !
HEY why not it';s your house gotta keep the lawn pretty !
ON TO Giants at Packers after handicapping this game Vegas is trying to trick you with 8 point on giants ! Look at giants games even at end of year who have they beaten ?
bunch of failing rejects
and THEY lost @ redskins theeeeee worst team in DIV yeah the REX Grossman redskins the 4 - 12 losing redskins
I can understand a lil let down not covering the spread but to lose to them week 15 when your trying to make a run at playoffs !
SO everyone is thinking wow they almost Beat GB at home lost by 3 points now i get 8 points and they are healthy now !
SUCKER bet of Playoffs ! ONLY thing is the depression of Packers OC losing his son in the lake maybe heavy Hearts during game plus he will not be there having to deal with funeral and all family stuff !
Maybe Giants hang within a TD or maybe the Troops rally and play thier hearts out and destroy this Weak NYG team like many others who came in thier house
helllo perfect at home 8-0
ON ward Broncos + 13 1/2 at Patriots well the broncos didnt win thier div. they got in at 8-8 because raiders lost !
8-8 team do not go far in playoffs yeah sure they won at home over the multi injured steelers but @ Patriots trying to stop Brady and his crew for 4 quaters takes one strong defensive effort only the Giants pulled it off and that was close NYG won 24- 20 had a stop late in game to get ball back from Pats trying to go in to win the game
NOW this 8-8 team with basically a rookie in his first starting year have to try and Beat a BILL bellichick team with an extra week to prepare for YOU !
BYIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 52 - 24
Teaxns at ravens well for sure HC Kubiak is a moron going in with a 3rd string rookie QB and losing final 3 games of year is no way to to get to a bowl !
Funny this team is only real superbowl contender way over the PLUS 35 yds per game of 16 games at + 110 yards per game and plus 24 in the turnover catergory
all other teams in playoffs are smal pluses or negative yards per game and minus in the turnover catergory
Ravens at home vs an inexperienced rookie QB seeeeeeee yaaaaaaa Texans
so theres YUR [playoff winners folks GB 49ers Patriots and ravens
superbowl will either BE packers Ravens or 49ers ravens Patriots defense will be thier undoing vs Ravens
FORKING Pefect i'am forking perfect but darn it i i said Patriots 52 - 24 atlaest was close with Patriots score 45
NEW qb Chant starts now BRADY BRADY BRADY