It all comes down to this as the #1 ranked Tigers face the #2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the BCS National Tournament Game at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA on January 9th. Alabama head coach Nick Saban is no stranger to this match, winning the national championship in 2009 and furthermore winning it with LSU as a head coach in 2003. LSU head coach Les Miles is furthermore no stranger at this instant as he has won the national championship in 2007. 2 great squads and head coaches coming together on a collision course in what will certainly be an awesome game. The sportsbooks presently have this at Alabama (-1) with the over-under set at 40 points.
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The LSU Tigers come into play unbeaten at 13-0 with an 8-0 record in the SEC. They have furthermore gone a staggering 8-0 against ranked squads with victories over #3 Oregon, #25 Mississippi State, #16 West Virginia, #17 Florida, #20 Auburn, #2 Alabama, #3 Arkansas, and #14 Georgia. This game is a rematch of the classic November fifth game at Alabama with the LSU Tigers winning in overtime over the Tide 9-6. With 38.5 ppg landed, the LSU Tigers have an awesome offense ranked 12th in the country. LSU’s actual weapon is their defense which is ranked second in the country with merely 10.5 ppg given up. Senior Qb Jarrett Lee with 1,306 passing yards as well as a 152.0 rating mans the LSU Tigers passing attack. The team of sophomores Michael Ford and Spencer Ware pace the LSU running attack with each adding up over 700 yards on the ground. CB Tyrann Mathieu ended fifth in the Heisman contest whilst nabbing 6 picks and attaining 173 yards off of those picks which rate 1st in the country.
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The Alabama Crimson Tide come into this match trying to avenge their loss to LSU back in November. With a 7-1 record in the SEC, the Tide has gone 11-1 total. They have gone 4-1 against the Top 25 this year with victories over #23 Penn State, #14 Arkansas, #12 Florida, and #24 Auburn. Their merely loss was the aforementioned game against LSU in November. The Tide has averaged 36.0 ppg on offense with an outstanding running game. As great as LSU is on defense, the Tide are even greater at it ranking 1st in the country merely giving up a mindboggling 8.8 ppg. The CrimsonTide place the offense in sophomore Qb AJ McCarron’s hands, McCarron has 2,400 passing yards and a 149.8 passer rating. Junior RB Trent Richardson ended second in the Heisman whilst attaining 1,583 rushing yards and 20 td’s on the ground.
The Falcons pray that slipping into the playoffs undetected in 2012 will give them better results, after finishing with the best record in the league a year ago, and getting sacked in the 1st round by the Green Bay Packers. Atlanta finished 10-6 this year, earning them a 1st round wild-card game with the NFC East winning New york giants (9-7).
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For the Jan 8 – Falcons vs Giants game, however, New York appears to have the traction proceeding into the playoffs. Odds makers have recognized this, and made New York a 3-point fave. This is perhaps a astonishing position for a team that lost 4 games in a row in November-December. The Giants had to depend on huge blunders by their division foe Dallas Cowboys to give them an chance to reach the playoffs. A win over Dallas in week 17 secured them the division championship.
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New York competitors could contend that their losing streak this year came when starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw was wounded. Which is a legitimate argument, as 3 of 4 losses in that streak came when Bradshaw was on the sideline. Now that he’s back the Giants have appeared as if a different team, winning two must-win games in a row over challenging competition (New York Jets and Dallas).
Atlanta has had trouble all year versus winning teams, though Atlanta won 3 of their last 4 games arriving into the playoffs. Atlanta is just 2-4 versus teams that finished over .500. Just two weeks ago, they were completely destroyed by the New orleans saints, 45-16.
Both teams are directed by quality qbs, the Giants by Eli Manning and the Falcons by Matt Ryan. The difference in this game, however, could be in qb stress. The Giants defensive line can get to the qb, and recorded 48 sacks this year, excellent for 3rd in the nfl. The game will be dependant on how well Matt Ryan and the Falcons offensive line can withstand the stress of the Giants’ defensive front.
The Pittsburgh steelers are matched up against the Broncos in the nfl Playoffs. The Pittsburgh steelers concluded as a wild card with an outstanding record of 12-4 in the AFC North division, whilst the Broncos ended up with an 8-8 record narrowly claiming winners of the AFC West. The Steelers will be visiting Denver to face off against them at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
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Denver has relished some success this season and a huge amount of press buzz encircling quarterback Tim Tebow after he took over the starting position with the loss of Kyle Orton. They were able to grab some intriguing comeback wins as his play in addition to their reliable defense has kept them in contention in plenty of competitions this year.
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Tebow will need to have confidence and keep calm under pressure to move forward in the playoffs and maybe cement himself as the team quarterback for the Broncos. Former Broncos quarterback and current VP of operations John Elway has supplied Tim Tebow some words of encouragement for the forthcoming game. If the Broncos find themselves falling behind early in this playoff match up, then it will likely be very tricky to turn it around against the reliable defense of the Pittsburgh steelers. Both teams will depend on their defense to keep themselves in the game and allow their offense a shot to step up and perform. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has proven himself this season and looks to carry on that success in the first round of the playoffs. As Rashard Mendenhall is tending to a knee injury, furthermore look for running back Isaac Redman to improve.
The Broncos are not going to have an easy time against the juggernaut Pittsburgh steelers, which is why the Steelers are slated as 8 point favorites to move forward in the playoffs. The over/under on total points in this game is 35.5.
When it comes to scheduling, maybe the Lions just are unlucky. First, they complete their regular season versus their division rival Green Bay Packers, who also boast the league’s best record. Then they follow that up by drawing the New orleans saints in the first round of the playoffs.
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The Jan 7 – Detroit Lions against New orleans saints game will be the 2nd meeting of the two teams this year. New Orleans won the first matchup in New Orleans 31-17. This is perhaps part of the reason New Orleans is a 10.5 point favorite to beat Detroit this week.
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Another is that New Orleans is on a roll. They have won 8 contests consecutively coming into this week’s competition with Detroit, beating three other playoff teams during that stretch. After kicking an opposing player with his cleats, defensive star Ndamukong Suh was suspended for two contests, but Detroit managed to pull things together. Only losing a tight game to 15-1 Green Bay, they won 3 from their last 4 contests of the year. When they last confronted New Orleans, they were devoid of Suh, and Detroit is praying the return of his existence to the defensive line will be the difference they have to stop Drew Brees and the strong New Orleans offense.
Unfortunately for Detroit, that Saints offense has been amazing for the 2nd half of the year. They have obtained more than 40 points in their last three contests, and gone over 40 in four of their last 6. They are 8-0 in their home stadium this year and earlier this year in New Orleans they slipped 62 points on Indianapolis.
Detroit has had trouble this year versus higher caliber competition, going 1-5 versus playoff teams (merely beating Denver). Their offense has the potential to be high-flying, and thus it’ll be up to their defense to keep them in this game. If Suh is likely to make up for his two-game suspension, this is the time.
The Bengals will be competing vs the Houston Texans in pro football playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Reliant Stadium in Houston for the game. Cincinnati finished their year with a record of 9-7 and reached the playoffs this year as a wild card in the AFC North division. Houston finished with a record of 10-6 and came out ahead as the leading squad in the AFC South this year.
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With the Houston Texans having serious injuries to qbs Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart and the Bengals losing each game vs playoff powered teams, both teams have still had their fair share of battles this year. Both qbs were lost for the year with their injuries and rookie T.J. Yates has taken control. Houston has furthermore seen major injuries to linebacker Mario Williams and also wide receiver Andre Johnson. The 2 teams have already faced each other during the regular season and the Houston Texans made a last effort comeback attempt with a match winning touchdown pass caught by wide receiver Kevin Walters with mere seconds left on the clock.
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The Cincinnati Bengals will have to try and stay with what has worked for them this year which has been their outstanding run game with running backs Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott. If they might achieve this they could have the advantage and at last beat a playoff squad and move forward past the first round for the first time in just over twenty years.
This is going to be a tight one and could come down to the wire yet again. The Houston Texans are minor faves even with several injuries to plenty of essential star competitors. The over/under for total total points for this specific game is 38. The line is established with the Texans as 3 point faves at their home turf to the longshot Cincinnati Bengals.
This game between the Pittsburgh steelers and the Browns will offer 2 teams who have distinct goals for the last 2 contests of the season. The Steelers are now in the playoff race and are basically only getting set for the playoffs. The Cleveland browns alternatively have had a quite bad season and are only attempting to salvage their season with a couple of more victories. Both teams however will be competing hard even with the difference in their records. If both teams play hard, it will likely be a quite close game.
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The Steelers are now 11-4 and have only come off a huge win versus the St. Louis Rams. The Cleveland browns have lost 5 straight contests whereas the Steelers beat the Rams 27-0 and shown incredible defense. The Cleveland browns last game versus the Ravens revealed just how tough it is for the Cleveland browns to score and they are definitely going to have a difficult time with the Steelers defense. Nevertheless, a great portion of the game will rest on the team’s stars and how they’re going to play under strain. Since the regular season is almost done, look to see both teams finish with a flurry.
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The Cleveland browns will trust that Hardesty will control the ground game whereas the Steelers are focusing on Big Ben to drive the team for major passes that will lead to several touchdowns. The Cleveland browns however will need to come together as a unit to be able to eliminate the Steelers as the expertise is definitely on Pittsburgh’s side. Both teams will look to play hard and keep it a low scoring game but look to see a prominent performance by Big Ben and the Steelers. The Cleveland browns will only have a chance if the Steelers entirely break down offensively but this is very dubious.
The Seahawks (7-8) are going to be traveling to challenge the Cardinals (7-8) in an NFC West divisional contest. Each individual team has fallen just shy of playoff competition this year as they were looking for a wild card spot, but there is a little bit of motivation that a win will grant either team a winning record. Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has yet to lose a match vs the Arizona Cardinals in his tenure, but Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb could return and start for his team after recuperating from a concussion.
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Arizona must stop the formidable run game from the Seahawks with top rusher Marshawn Lynch trying to continue to add to his extraordinary career high of 1,118 yards. Lynch has additionally landed a td in a team record 11 contests.
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Both teams are preparing as if this were every other game and would love to finish strong with a winning record. Both of them have prospective bright gambling odds ahead with many competitors being obtained to the Pro Bowl lineup including Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive competitors Adrian Wilson and Patrick Peterson. Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was additionally picked for the Pro Bowl team and all these top competitors ought to be participating in this final battle with the exemption of Peterson who is questionable with an injury to his left Achilles’ tendon. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch probably feels he ought to have been picked for the Pro Bowl honors as well and after being omitted probably will need to demonstrate why he really does belong there.
This contest will be an interesting one to see who can end on a solid note and claim a winning record for the 2011 year. The Cardinals are a favorite over the longshot Seahawks with a spread of -3. The over/under for in total points in this match is 40.5.
The Philadelphia Eagles (7-8) will be visiting the Redskins (5-10) in an NFC East divisional match in their final game. Both squads have been eliminated from playoff competition this year and are at the bottom of the division rankings. Philadelphia had a huge amount of press buzz prior to the start of the year being labeled the dream team with their impact in the free agent market.
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However, they have not quite lived up to the tremendously high anticipations and have had their fair share of struggles this year with injuries to essential competitors such as quarterback Michael Vick. Because Eagles head coach Andy Reid is potentially on the hot seat for remaining the squad’s coach next year, they still have something to play for.
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Redskins running back Roy Helu is sketchy to play one time again with an injury to his toe. With essential Eagles defensive competitors doing well such as defensive ends Jason Babin and Trent Cole, their deficiency of depth at the running game combined with their vulnerable offensive line will be challenging to triumph over. It will be up to Washington Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman to have an excellent passing game for them to have any kind of chance. The Eagles are averaging around 400 yards on offense per game and you can anticipate them to do just as well with the team of a well Michael Vick at quarterback and running back LeSean McCoy. Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel isn’t likely to play with a hamstring injury.
Despite both squads not earning a playoff berth for the 2011 year, they still would like to end on a good note and come out at the top for the final game of the year. The Philadelphia Eagles are faves in this particular game to the underdog Redskins with a line of -9. The over/under for points is at 46.5.
The Jan 01 – Carolina Panthers at Saints match-up is an appealing one for Nfl supporters and bettors. The Saints come into week 17 at 12-3. They have already finished up the third seed in the NFC, and the only way they’re able to strengthen that seeding is if San Francisco loses to 2-13 St. Louis, which does not seem probable. Therefore, New Orleans might not play their starters for the entire game and there’s the probability qb Drew Brees will sit for most, if not all, of the game.
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Needless to say if Drew Brees and also other New Orleans starters sit will have a big impact on the game. New Orleans is liked in the game by 8. These 2 teams last met on October ninth this season. Brees led the Saints to a game-winning td with 50 seconds left and the Saints pulled out a 30-27 victory, although it seemed as though the Carolina Panthers would eke out a win.
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Although the Carolina Panthers (6-9) don’t have a shot at the playoffs this season, they’ve got a lot to be thrilled about for next season. Their rookie qb, Cam Newton, has set a rookie record for passing yards and an Nfl record for rushing touchdowns by a qb. The Carolina Panthers have won 4 of their last five.
Despite the fact that the Saints might rest some competitors, this is an crucial game for the Carolina Panthers. They’d appreciate to finish their season one game below .500, and with a win over their division foe Saints, in New Orleans. As they came within a td (and one minute) from defeating New Orleans earlier this year, it would seem that 8 points is a manageable spread for the Carolina Panthers to cover. The Saints have been hot recently, however, and are undefeated at home this season. Thus, it will all boil down to who winds up on the field for the Saints on Sunday, and who spends time regenerating for the playoffs.
Week 17 of the nfl Season is constantly full of trap matches. The match between the Detroit Lions and Packers in Green Bay is one of this sort of game.
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The Detroit Lions have had a renaissance year. They’ve already qualified for the postseason with a win over the Chargers this last week, on top of already having a winning record. Having said all that, nonetheless, the Lions pale by comparison to the Green bay packers who are 14-1 and already defeat the Lions 27-15 in Detroit earlier in the year. It all says this ought to be a Green bay packers win, but one has to wonder why odds makers are making the Lions a 3 point fave in the game. The reason is…
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The Green bay packers come into this game with the seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The Green bay packers have nothing to play for since win or lose, they’re going to be the seed. Given this, all clues are the team will rest major competitors on its offense and defense. For example, stud quarterback Aaron Rodgers could play simply the first quarter. As the team tries to get rest for its battered offensive line, this is specifically correct. Overall, the Green bay packers seem to be ready to sleepwalk through this game.
The Lions take a different approach. Even though the team has qualified for among the two wild cards in the division, it’s now seeking to get the greatest seed [5th] feasible. The advantage of this higher seed will mean the Lions would play a weaker pick of division champions depending on the results of the other matches in week 17. That could be the distinction between being one and done in the playoffs or going for a deep run. All and all, the Lions will be really determined for this game.
