NFL News and Notes Saturday 1/8

Saturday Wild Card Games
By Kevin Rogers

Wild Card weekend kicks off this weekend with a pair of intriguing matchups that have drastically different storylines. Very few people would have thought that the playoffs would start in Seattle, much less with a below .500 team welcoming in the defending Super Bowl Champs.

Saints at Seahawks

In by far the biggest mismatch on paper this weekend takes place at Qwest Field in Seattle as the Saints begin their title defense against the 7-9 Seahawks. New Orleans was forced to travel across the country after the Seahawks knocked off the Rams to claim the NFC West championship.

Sean Payton's club finished the season at 11-5 after winning seven of their final nine games. The Saints had an outside shot of winning the NFC South title, but needed to beat the Buccaneers and have the Falcons lose to the woeful Panthers in Week 17. Neither happened, as New Orleans hits the road in the Wild Card round for the first time since a 16-6 defeat at Chicago in 1990.

Some may feel that the Seahawks stole a playoff spot for more deserving teams like the Giants or Bucs, but Seattle found a way to come out of its division despite losing seven of its last 10 games. The Seahawks have a major dilemma at quarterback as veteran Matt Hasselbeck is fighting a hip injury, while Charlie Whitehurst led Seattle past St. Louis last Sunday with a 192-yard effort in a 16-6 win.

Pete Carroll will make his decision later in the week on who will be under center for the Seahawks, who compiled a 5-8 ATS mark as an underdog. One of those losses came at the Superdome in Week 11, as the Saints rolled the Seahawks, 34-19 as 11-point 'chalk.' The game easily sailed 'over' the total of 44 ½ with a 43-point spot put up in the first half alone. Drew Brees tossed four touchdown passes, but Hasselbeck looked good with 366 yards through the air and one touchdown toss. The only problem for Seattle is it traded field goals for touchdowns with New Orleans as the Seahawks received four field goals from Olindo Mare.

New Orleans put together a pedestrian 6-8 ATS mark when laying points, while going 2-2 ATS as a 9 ½-point favorite or more. Playing as road 'chalk' wasn't profitable as the Saints finished 2-4 ATS with the lone covers coming at Tampa Bay (Week 6) and Carolina (Week 9). New Orleans won five of those six games straight-up with the only loss handed to them at Arizona, 30-20 as 6 ½-point favorites in Week 5.

Seattle's monster 'over' streak came to a halt in last week's win over St. Louis, ending eight straight games with an 'over.' Much of that came thanks to horrible defensive efforts by the Seahawks, who allowed 34 points or more six times in this eight-game stretch. Totals were a toss-up for New Orleans this season, splitting in 16 games. The 'over' cashed in three of the Saints' last four road games, as New Orleans tallied at least 24 points or more three times.

The Seahawks are 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in playoff franchise history at Qwest Field, while the Saints own a 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS mark under Payton in the postseason since 2006. New Orleans is listed as a 10½-point favorite at most spots with several books pushing the number up to 11. The total is set at 44½ across the board, as the forecast is setting up for temperatures in the low 40's and possible rain. The game kicks off at 4:30 PM EST and will be televised nationally on NBC.

Jets at Colts

The rematch of last season's AFC Title Game takes place in the Wild Card round this time as Indianapolis looks to march back to the Super Bowl. The Jets were the "it" team in the preseason thanks to their run to the AFC Championship in 2009 as well as their much-talked about appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Can New York duplicate its pair of road playoff victories at Cincinnati and San Diego last season again this January? The Jets didn't slide through the back-door of the playoffs as Rex Ryan's team finished 11-5, even though New York lost three of its final five games. New York excelled on the highway with a 6-2 mark on the road, as the two losses came at New England and Chicago as short underdogs.

The Colts hit a wall in the month of November by dropping four of five games, including a pair of home defeats to San Diego (Week 12) and Dallas (Week 13). Indianapolis rebounded with four consecutive victories to wrap up its seventh division title in eight seasons. The clincher was a 23-20 home triumph over Tennessee with a last-second field goal in Week 17, even though the Colts failed to cash as 9 ½-point favorites.

The Jets have been a solid road play in Ryan's two-year tenure by putting together a 12-7 ATS mark, including a 5-3 ATS ledger this season. Even though the defense didn't play great in defeats to the Patriots and Bears, the Jets grabbed a 22-17 underdog win at Pittsburgh in Week 15 despite accumulating 276 yards of offense. New York had a nice propensity for 'overs' by hitting it 12 times, including a perfect 8-0 on the road.

In last season's conference championship, the Colts rallied for a 30-17 victory over the Jets as eight-point favorites. New York built a 17-6 lead late in the second quarter before Peyton Manning hit Austin Collie for a 16-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-13 at the half. From there, the Colts blew the doors off the Jets in the final two quarters with a 17-0 spurt, including two more touchdown tosses from Manning to lift Indianapolis to its second AFC Championship in four seasons.

The running game will be a huge key on Saturday as the Jets rank fourth in the league on the ground (148.4 yards/game), while the Colts are near the bottom by averaging just 92.7 yards/game (29th in league). However, that number has improved for Indianapolis by rushing for 155, 191, and 101 yards the last three games (149 yards/game), thanks to the emergence of Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes.

The Colts are listed as 2½-point 'chalk,' while that number may close at three by Saturday night. The total is set at 44½, as Indianapolis was just 3-4-1 to the 'over' this season at home. The game kicks off at 8:05 PM EST from Lucas Oil Stadium, while the game can be seen nationally on NBC.

vegasinsider.com

NFL Poolies' Cheat Sheet: Wildcard Weekend
By Shawn Hartlen

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (+10.5)

Why Saints cover: Seattle limped into the playoffs losing seven of their last 10 games both straight up and ATS and will either go with a banged-up Matt Hasselbeck or inexperienced Charlie Whitehurst at quarterback. The Seahawks lost 34-19 and failed to cover against New Orleans as 11-point underdogs in Week 11. At 15 points, that was their closet margin of defeat this season. The favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.

Why Seahawks cover: With both Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory hitting injured reserve this week and Ladell Betts already lost for the season, New Orleans is down to Reggie Bush and Julius Jones to shoulder their rushing attack. The problem is, Bush is not a primary ball carrier and the declining Jones was brought in off the street after Week 5 as insurance. Neither player has carried the ball on a regular basis this season, with Bush rushing more than five times only twice and never hitting double-digit carries in a game and Jones maxing out at a season-high 10 rushes against Dallas in Week 12. New Orleans struggled this year when their offense became one-dimensional.

Total (44): Over is 5-1-1 in the Saints' last seven playoff games and 4-1 in the Seahawks' last five home games.

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)

Why Jets cover: The Colts offense has been hit hard by injuries this season, their running game has been ineffective and Peyton Manning has uncharacteristically been throwing interceptions at inopportune times. All of these things will have Rex Ryan and the Jets' third-ranked defense salivating. If Indy can't get some semblance of a rush attack going to take pressure off the passing game, expect a heavy dose of blitz packages from New York to try and force Manning into making a mistake.

Why Colts cover: The biggest question for this tilt will be Mark Sanchez's sore shoulder versus Indianapolis' resurgent defense. In their last four games, the Jets were 1-3 both straight up and ATS with Sanchez throwing only one TD pass and five interceptions, while his average yards per completion dropped a full yard during that span. Combine that with the fact that the Colts defense held Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden and Chris Johnson to 130 yards rushing yards combined over their final three contests and you can see why it could be a long day for New York's offense. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.

Total (44.5): Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings and 4-0 in the last four meetings in Indianapolis.

NFL Playoff Odds: Saints huge chalk at Seattle
By: Stephen Nover

It’s not often a home team in the NFL playoffs is a 10 ½-point underdog. But the Seattle Seahawks aren’t just any team. They are the worst division winner in NFL history.

The Seahawks, the league’s first sub-.500 division winner, is plus 10 ½ hosting New Orleans in a wild-card matchup Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT on NBC. The ‘over/under’ is 44 ½.

It’s not just that Seattle took advantage of a terrible NFC West to win the division with a 7-9 mark. It’s how bad the Seahawks are.

The Seahawks are 3-7 in their last 10 games. They’ve yielded at least 33 points in seven of those 10 games.

Only one of the Seahawks’ victories this season was against a playoff team and that was Chicago in Week 6 before the Bears got hot.

Opponents outscored Seattle by 97 points and outgained them by 885 yards. Seattle’s nine defeats were by an average of three touchdowns.

New Orleans coach Sean Payton may say all the right things about not taking Seattle lightly, but a joke going around was that Payton might be tempted to rest his starters treating this game as a bye week.

Except for special teams, the NFC South Division champion Saints rate huge edges on the Seahawks.

Drew Brees is in the MVP discussion again after finishing third in passing yards with 4,620 and second in touchdown throws with 33. Brees should light up a Seattle defense that finished 27th in yardage and 27th in pass defense.

The Saints are banged-up at running back with Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory each ‘questionable’ with ankle injuries. Ivory was on crutches at Saints headquarters on Monday. The Saints signed journeyman running back DeShawn Wynn this week perhaps an indication Ivory won’t play.

Brees could get Marques Colston, his top wide receiver, back, though. Colston missed Week 17 after getting his knee scoped.

The Saints have failed to cover six of the past eight times they’ve been favored on the road. The Seahawks, though, are 1-5 ATS the last six times they’ve been an underdog.

Seattle was 31st in rushing and 28th in total offense. Pete Carroll has yet to decide on whom to start at quarterback, banged-up Matt Hasselbeck or career backup Charlie Whitehurst. Hasselbeck missed last Sunday night with a hip injury.

The 35-year-old Hasselbeck clearly is on the downside of his career. He had a 12-to-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 10 turnovers in his last four games before getting injured in Week 16.

Whitehurst has made only two starts in his six-year NFL career. The Seahawks do not pass protect well and Whitehurst has been criticized for having happy feet in which he breaks out of the pocket too soon when feeling pressure.

The Seahawks’ offensive line has been unsettled all season due to injuries and they’ll be missing Chester Pitts (concussion) on Saturday along with backup tight end Chris Baker. Pitts started five games.

Brees and the Saints’ high-powered offense, which ranks sixth in yards averaging 372.5 per game, draw most of the attention. But New Orleans’ defense surrendered the fourth fewest yards and was seventh in points allowed at 19.2 per contest.

The two teams met on Nov. 21 and the Saints defeated the Seahawks, 34-19, covering as 11-point home favorites. The combined 53 points went ‘over’ the 44 ½-point total. Brees was 29-for-43 passing for 382 yards and four touchdowns as the Saints rolled up 494 yards. Colston had eight receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

The ‘over’ has covered in eight of Seattle’s last nine games.

There’s a 40 percent chance of rain with temperatures in the low 40s and little wind.

NFL Playoff Betting: Jets, Colts meet again
By: Adam Markowitz

Last year, the New York Jets came out of nowhere to make it to the AFC Championship Game, where they were defeated by the Indianapolis Colts for the right to go to Super Bowl XLIV. This year, on the first day of the tournament to win the Lombardi Trophy, the teams will lock horns in NFL betting action once again at the exact same venue, Lucas Oil Field.

NBC has the broadcast for this wild-card matchup that kicks at 5 p.m. PT.

The story is basically the same for the Jets at this point. The team had a fantastic season at 11-5, but is stuck as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs once again. Their defense isn't exactly sneaking up on teams any longer, nor is the play of Pro-Bowler Darrelle Revis. But this remains a unit that is absolutely going to try to make life a living hell on the Indy offense for the third time over the course of the last two seasons.

Head coach Rex Ryan's 'D' only allowed 291.4 YPG this year, ranking No. 3 in the NFL, and the team ranked in the Top 7 in the league in every major defensive category.

Where the Colts might find themselves getting a tad surprised is thanks to the New York offense this year. Assuming that QB Mark Sanchez really is healthy and that this sore shoulder isn't going to threaten his level of play this week, the Jets really do have a solid offense with plenty of stars. "The Sanchise" had a rock solid season, throwing for 3,278 yards and 17 TDs against just 13 picks, all numbers of which he improved from his rookie campaign.

It also helps that he has had a significantly better crop of receivers to throw the pigskin to. Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller all had at least 52 receptions this year, and the three combined for over 2,200 yards between them.

LaDainian Tomlinson also caught 52 passes for 368 yards out of the backfield in his resurgent 2010. "LT" also had 914 yards and six TDs on the ground, and though his season wasn't quite that of what we used to expect, it was a marked improvement from what the San Diego Chargers thought he was capable of when they let him go following last season.

The Colts have really fought every trial and tribulation in the book this year. Yet when push came to shove, they were still the AFC South champs and are still in a prime position to make a run at the Super Bowl once again.

Quarterback Peyton Manning set the NFL record for most completions in a season with 450, throwing for 4,700 yards and 33 TDs against 17 picks in the process. The amazing part about these numbers for the perennial Pro-Bowler is that he did it this year with only one receiver or running back playing in all 16 games. Reggie Wayne caught 111 passes for 1,355 yards and six scores, but he was the only man to play in even 15 games for the men in white and blue.

The running game has found its way again all of a sudden, which looks eerily similar to the situation the Colts were in when they won their first Super Bowl out of this very same No. 3 seed. Dominic Rhodes has suddenly provided 172 yards on the ground in just three games back with his old mates, while Joseph Addai is healthy again and has a respectable 89 yards in two games since coming back in Week 16 from a shoulder injury that cost him half of his season.

These two teams split the battle on the NFL odds last year, with New York ending the Colts' perfect regular season with a 29-15 triumph in Week 16, and Indy snaring the 30-17 victory when it counted most in the playoffs. Last year though, the upstart Jets were eight point underdogs of the oddsmakers in the AFC Championship Game.

This season, the NFL lines reflect New York having a lot more of a chance to win this one, as it is only a 2½-point underdog at Bookmaker.

Saturday Wild Card Games

Saints (11-5) @ Seahawks (7-9) - Seattle is first team with losing record to get in NFL playoffs, but they're also 5-3 at home-- all nine of their losses are by at least 15 points. Seahawks are just 3-7 in last ten games, 5-8 vs spread as dog, 3-3 at home. Seattle (+11.5) lost 34-19 in Superdome seven weeks ago, but it is noted that Seahawks gained 424 yards vs Saint defense that was coming off its bye but also had Turkey Day game with Dallas four days away. Saints scored five TDs on nine drives in that game- defending champs ae 6-2 on road in '10, with four wins by four or less points.

Jets (11-5) @ Colts (10-6) - Indy beat Jets in LY's AFC title game, making this 23rd time teams have met in playoffs two years in row; home side was 14-8 in first 22 games, with those 14 winning teams 11-3 in rematch following season. Indy won last four games behind sheer greatness of QB Manning, winning by 5 or less points in three of those four games. Jets are 2-3 in last five games, have a banged-up QB in Sanchez (unsure how bad his shoulder is)- they're 3-2 as an underdog this season. Indy scored 30+ points in four of last five games.

Saints at Seahawks: What Bettors Need to Know

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (+10, 44)

THE STORY: The Seattle Seahawks have sparked quite a debate just by being in the playoffs - qualifying by virtue of winning the NFC West despite a 7-9 record - and they would love nothing more than to create an even greater buzz Saturday by knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in their NFC wild card matchup.

Despite being the first NFL team to win its division with a losing record, the Seahawks have their share of playoff seasoning. This is their sixth postseason appearance in the past eight years. But they've also had their share of problems against the pass, ranking 27th in the league, which doesn't bode well against Drew Brees and the NFL's third-best passing offense.

TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, NBC

OPENING LINE: Saints -10, O/U 44

The line has been bet down half a point since post. The total has also dropped from 45.5 to 44 points.

WEATHER: The game-time temperature is expected to be in the low-40s with a 40 percent chance of rain.

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (7-9, 7-9 ATS): Seattle limped into the playoffs, losing three straight and five of six before Sunday's 16-6 home win against St. Louis clinched the Seahawks' fifth NFC West title in seven seasons. The Seahawks rank 28th among 32 NFL teams in total offense, and their running game was particularly punchless, averaging just 89 yards. The ground game was slightly more effective against the Rams, with Marshawn Lynch's 75 yards leading a 141-yard effort, and Seattle might have to lean on its backs against New Orleans' fourth-ranked pass defense, even with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck returning from a one-game absence due to injury.

ABOUT THE SAINTS (11-5, 7-9 ATS): The defending Super Bowl champions continue to see their backfield ravaged by injuries, as their top two rushers. Rookie Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas were placed on injured reserve this week. That leaves former Seahawks back Julius Jones and versatile Reggie Bush to carry the load, but it more likely means the Saints will lean heavily on Brees and the passing game. But everything isn't rosy there, either. Brees has thrown a career-high 22 interceptions this season, including at least one in 12 consecutive games, and top target Marques Colston might not be 100 percent after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee Tuesday. The Saints are also thin at tight end, with Jimmy Graham, Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas all listed as questionable.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: As bad as the Seahawks are against the pass, the Saints still need to keep them honest, and Bush could be the guy to do it. New Orleans needs to get him involved in the offense however it can through screens and draws to keep the Seahawks from pinning back their ears and blitzing Brees.

To that end, defensive end Chris Clemons, who leads the Seahawks with 11 sacks, has to wreak havoc for Seattle to have a shot at slowing down the Saints' passing attack. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Seahawks, they need Lynch to turn in another solid game. If they can get the running game going, they can control the clock and keep the ball out of Brees' hands.

RECENT HISTORY: The Saints lead the all-time series 6-5 and have won the past two meetings, including a 34-19 home win in Week 11 of this season in which Brees passed for a season-high 382 yards and four touchdowns — two apiece to Colston and Robert Meachem. It's the first time the teams have met in the postseason.

KEY INJURIES: New Orleans — RB Chris Ivory (foot), RB Pierre Thomas (ankle), CB Malcolm Jenkins (knee), TE Jimmy Graham (ankle), DT Anthony Hargrove (knee), TE Jeremy Shockey (groin), TE David Thomas (knee), WR Marques Colston (knee). Seattle — OT Chester Pitts (head), OT Russell Okung (ankle), CB Kelly Jennings (leg), WR Brandon Stokley (head), QB Matt Hasselbeck (hip).

LAST WORD: The Seahawks' postseason life span might hinge on the sore hip of Hasselbeck, who was named the starter on Thursday. He threw for a season-high 366 yards in the Week 11 loss to the Saints, and his top two passing yardage totals over the past six seasons have come against New Orleans. Add to that the fact that he has won his last four home playoff starts, and it’s clear the Saints would have preferred to see Charlie Whitehurst, who has started only two games in his career and never seen action in the postseason.

TRENDS:

- Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
- Saints are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games as road favorites.
- Seahawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as underdogs.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Saints’ last seven playoff games.
- Over is 8-1 in Seahawks’ last nine games overall.

Jets at Colts: What Bettors Need to Know

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-2.5, 44.5)

THE STORY: Both the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets might have expected to see each other in the playoffs – just not this soon. It’s a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship game, which the Colts won 30-17 after erasing a 17-6 deficit. Injury-ravaged Indianapolis has taken a step backward from the juggernaut that won its first 14 games a year ago before losing to the Jets – after coach Jim Caldwell decided to pull his starters at halftime with the Colts in front. That was the only time Jets coach Rex Ryan beat Peyton Manning in six career matchups. Still, the same brashness that led Ryan to declare the Jets as Super Bowl favorites heading into last season’s playoffs hasn’t waned. Ryan vowed to get revenge and said beating Manning and the Colts this time around is “personal.”

TV: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

LINE: Colts -2.5, O/U 44.5

The spread has fallen from a field goal to -2.5 while the total has remained steady at 44.5 points.

WEATHER: Dome

ABOUT THE COLTS (10-6, 8-7-1 ATS): The Colts were in danger of missing the playoffs before reeling off four consecutive wins, capped by last week’s 23-20 victory over that Tennessee Titans that gave them nine straight 10-win seasons. Both Indy’s receiving corps and running backs were decimated by injuries throughout the season, forcing Manning to carry an even bigger load. The strain showed at times with Manning throwing 17 interceptions – his highest total since the 2002-03 season. RB Joseph Addai returned for the final two games following a seven-week absence and Dominic Rhodes has provided a spark to the ground game since he was signed from the UFL. The Colts’ defense has not held an opponent under 20 points since Week 10.

ABOUT THE JETS (11-5, 9-7 ATS): The Jets were cruising along with a 9-2 record until absorbing a 45-3 beating by New England – starting a stretch of three losses in four games. They may have saved their season with a 22-17 victory at Pittsburgh in Week 15. QB Mark Sanchez has been bothered by a sore throwing shoulder, but made just a cameo appearance in last week’s season finale and said he’s good to go. New York has shown a propensity for falling behind away from home. The Jets were able to overcome road deficits to notch overtime wins against Cleveland and Detroit, but coming from behind against Manning will be a different story.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: For the Colts, it all starts and ends with Manning. He seems to have overcome a midseason swoon that saw him get picked off 13 times in four games, including back-to-back four-interception outings. Manning threw for 4,700 yards, becoming the third QB in league history to have consecutive 4,500-yard seasons. Pierre Garcon torched the Jets in last season’s AFC title game, sharing 11 passes for 151 yards and a TD. Tight end Jacob Tamme also has emerged as a favorite target after Dallas Clark was lost for the season. He had 67 receptions and four touchdowns. On defense, bookends Dwight Freeney (10) and Robert Mathis (21) combined for 21 sacks.

Sanchez has regressed as the season progressed. He threw at least one interception in eight of his last nine games and had a passer rating above 87.2 just once after Week 4. Unlike a year ago, the Jets arrive in Indy with some playoff-tested veterans, including RB LaDainian Tomlinson and wide receiver Santonio Holmes, the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII. Tomlinson has not surpassed 57 yards since Week 5, and the Jets need to get production from him and RB Shonn Green to keep Manning off the field. … Cornerback Antonio Cromartie could play a pivotal role, matching up against either Garcon or Reggie Wayne.

RECENT HISTORY: Indianapolis has won seven of the last 10 meetings – and one of those losses came with backups on the field.

KEY INJURIES: Jets: Questionable – DE Trevor Pryce (hip), DB James Ihedigbo (knee), DE Shaun Ellis (back); Colts: Questionable: LB Clint Session (elbow), DB Kelvin Hayden (neck), RB Mike Hart (ankle) S Al Afalava (ankle), DT Daniel Muir (chest), G Jaimie Thomas (ankle).

LAST WORD: “We are not going to Indianapolis to lose, we are going there to win. That’s our mentality and always will be. I believe in our football team. I know that’s an excellent football team we’re going to play but they’re getting our best shot. This will be a great game and as long as the Jets win, I’ll sign up for it.” – Jets coach Rex Ryan.

TRENDS:

- Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
- Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
- Jets are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 road games.
- Colts are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as favorites.
- Over is 4-1 in Jets’ last five playoff games.
- Under is 8-3 in Colts’ last 11 playoff games.

Tips and Trends

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks

SAINTS: (-10.5, O/U 44.5) The defending Super Bowl champions begin their defense in the playoffs on the road tonight. New Orleans is 11-5 SU and 7-9 ATS overall this season. The Saints aren't exactly firing on all cylinders, as they have lost 2 of their last 3 games SU entering tonight. The Saints have already beaten Seattle once this season, so they will enter tonight with confidence. The Saints are 6-2 SU and 3-5 ATS on the road this year. New Orleans is 1-2 ATS as a double digit favorite this year. The Saints are led by QB Drew Brees, as he's having another NFL MVP type season. Brees has thrown for 4,620 YDS and 33 TD's this season. THe Saints are averaging 24 PPG this season, while averaging 277 YPG through the air, 3rd best in the NFL. Defensively, New Orleans is allowing just 19.2 PPG this year, 7th fewest in the NFL. The Saints are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss. New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. The Saints are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games following a SU loss. New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against the NFC. The Saints are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a road favorite. The Saints are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games. New Orleans is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played in January.

Saints are 1-8 ATS against a team with a losing record.
Over is 20-9 last 29 games as a road favorite.

Key Injuries - WR Marques Colston (knee) is probable.

Projected Score: 24 (UNDER-Total of the Day)

SEAHAWKS: Seattle beat St. Louis last week at home to win the NFC West. The bad news is that they clinched a playoff despite a losing SU record of 7-9 SU. The Seahawks also finished 7-9 ATS, as they had the same exact result both SU and ATS in each game this year. Seattle was 5-3 both SU and ATS in home games this year. Seattle was the home underdog in 6 games this year, ultimately going 3-3. Today will be just the 2nd time this season the Seahawks will be a double digit underdog. QB Matt Hasselback will make the start tonight, and he's thrown for more than 3,000 YDS and 12 TD's this season. The Seahawks averaged 19.4 PPG this season despite the worst rushing offense in the NFL. Defensively, Seattle allowed 25.4 PPG this year. The Seahawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played in January. Seattle is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall. The Seahawks are 6-19-1 ATS against a team with a winning record. Seattle is 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games following a SU win. The Seahawks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win.

Seahawks are 1-5 ATS last 6 games as an underdog.
Over is 5-0 last 5 games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - QB Matt Hasselback (hip) is probable.

Projected Score: 13

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts

JETS: New York lost 3 of their final 5 games this season, but they still enter with a solid 11-5 SU record. The Jets have been in the headlines all season long, making them quite popular. New York went 9-7 ATS this year, quite a feat considering their popularity. The Jets were 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS on the road this season. New York is 3-2 ATS as the listed underdog this season. New York has a dominant running game, as they average nearly 150 YPG rushing, 4th most in the NFL. The Jets will look to run the football often today to keep the high powered Colts passing game on the sidelines. RB LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 914 YDS and 6 TD's this season. WR Braylon Edwards had 904 receiving YDS and 7 TD's this year. Defensively, New York allowed just 19 PPG, 6th fewest in the NFL. The Jets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game. New York is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog up to a field goal. The Jets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games. The Jets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played in January. New York is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against the AFC. The Jets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game. New York is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games played on fieldturf. The Jets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS win.

Jets are 10-4 ATS last 14 road games.
Over is 7-0 last 7 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.

Key Injuries - DB Antonio Cromartie (groin) is probable.

Projected Score: 24 (SIDE of the Day)

COLTS: (-2.5 O/U 44.5) Indianapolis enters the playoffs with a 10-6 SU and 8-7-1 ATS overall record. QB Peyton Manning appears to be vulnerable this season, as his Colts team doesn't appear to be as dominant as past seasons. Regardless, Indy is hosting a playoff game against a coach they've had great success against. The Colts are 6-2 SU and 4-4 ATS in home games this year. Indy was 6-7-1 ATS as a single digit favorite this season. Manning threw for 4,700 YDS and 33 TD's this season. Manning led an offense that averaged 27.2 PPG this season, 4th most in the NFL. The Colts allowed 24.3 PPG this season, something they must improve on now that the playoffs are here. The Colts are 18-7-2 ATS against a team with a winning record. Indianapolis is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss. The Colts are 35-16-3 ATS in their last 54 games following a SU win. Indianapolis is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as the listed favorite. The Colts are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

Colts are 1-4 ATS last 5 games as a home favorite.
Under is 7-0 last 7 Saturday games.

Key Injuries - T Ryan Diem (back) is questionable.

Projected Score: 20

Tech Trends - Wild Card
By Bruce Marshall

NEW ORLEANS at SEATTLE...Seahawks "over" 11-4-1 this season, Saints "over" 5-3 on road in 2010. New Orleans just 6-13-1 vs. number its last 20 as chalk, although it did cover in 34-19 win over Seattle at Superdome back on November 21. Saints have never won a playoff game as a visitor. Tech edge-"Over" and slight to Seahawks, based on "totals" and team trends.

NY JETS at INDIANAPOLIS...Jets "over" 12-4 this season and "over" 16-5 last 21 since late ‘09. These two also "over" both meetings in 2009 and "over" 6-0-2 in matchups since 2000. Jets also 12-7 vs. line away under Rex Ryan since LY, and 8-5 as dog for Rex since ‘09. Colts "over" 4 of last 5 this season. Tech edge-"Over," based on "totals" trends.