DIVISIONAL ROUND 2013 SAUCY PICKS

I clearly stole that image from somewhere (sbnation.com). Suck me if you actually care.

I will do my best to write more, but I don't think I'll have the time and I'm technically not allowed to use internet at work.

On to the lines, from topbet.eu:

BALTIMORE +10 @ DENVER

Man. More of this giant lines. Ok...just looking at this, I like Denver. I hate Baltimore this year and last week didn't really do much to sway me otherwise. Denver, on the other hand, has been mowing people down throughout the second half of the season. There is one thing, and ONLY one thing, that gives me pause, and that's the potential presence of BAD PLAYOFF PEYTON MANNING (ghost noises and echos and stuff).

But....I'm not expecting him this game. Maybe not this year. Old Peyton didn't have a team as good all-around as Denver is since...well, maybe ever. Plus, these early round games against a team that is severely over-matched are where we get those patented Playoff Manning blowouts before a collapse the following week against the Patriots (he also did it against the Ravens in their Super Bowl year, but the Colts managed to hang on and win thanks to some penalties and the Ravens going full-Raven). So...maybe next week.

But not this one. Denver rolls.

And the Denver rollsssss....the lightning strikes. Ravens loseee by thirtyyyyyy

Meat's Pick: Denver -10, $25 ($25 on every bet this week for Meat)
Heat's Pick: Denver -10, $25

GREEN BAY +3 @ SAN FRANCISCO

As easy as the previous game was to rationalize in my head, this one is as difficult. I don't know who to go with here.

If I don't know, do I go with the team getting three? Does it matter that San Francisco has been kind of spotty lately? Orrrrr that they are at home and relatively easily beat Green Bay in Wisconsin earlier in the year? Or does their young QB hit a bit of a wall, like he may have been showing in past weeks?

I have no idea. What I do know is that, in pick 'ems, I've been picking Green Bay to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year against Denver. So, if I think that, why wouldn't I take them when they are actually getting points? Answer: there's no reason for me not to take them. Green Bay it is. I'll take the relative consistency they've shown outside of that beatdown in New Jersey against whatever the fuck we may end up getting from San Francisco. And, I know it's in the Bay Area, but Green Bay's players hate playing in the cold as much as everyone else. They are probably happy to go out to San Francisco.

Meat's Pick: Green Bay +3, $25
Meat's Pick: SF -3, $25

SEATTLE +2.5 @ ATLANTA

Well, Seattle started slowly last week, but I hate Atlanta. I'm surprised that Seattle is actually getting 2.5 here. I thought everybody hated Atlanta.

Seattle has, for the most part, been wrecking teams. Atlanta has been scraping by all year against the worst schedule in the league, on the strength of their turnover machine of a defense. The star-studded Atlanta offense has faltered for much of the year. Now throw in ol' playoff Matty Ryan? This could be a blowout.

I don't care if Seattle is "bad on the road". They lost those games early in the year. And, Atlanta has no home field advantage. Look at their home games. Oakland almost beat them there. Arizona jumped on them there and only lost because Dora the Explorer is their QB. Drew Brees threw 5 picks and was in the game until the end. Tampa Bay just wrecked them in their own home. There is no dome-field advantage in Atlanta. None. And there never has been. Give me the better team AND the points. Just as in the above scenario, I picked Seattle to win this game straight-up when the playoffs started. Why change now?

 Meat's Pick: Seattle +2.5, $25
Heat's Pick: Atlanta -2.5, $25

HOUSTON +9.5 @ NEW ENGLAND

Same as the first game, although not as pronounced. I don't like Houston anymore. They started out on fire but then Cushing went down in that blowout loss to Green Bay and the bottom fell out of that defense. Combine that with an offense that has shit out of it's dick for much of the season and Matt Schaub having taken a step or two back, and I can't see them winning a playoff game in New England. They have a nice O-Line but that don't mean ish if Schaub is throwing 4 yard curls on 3rd and 12.

Houston had a chance to win me back last week, and then they went and did that. The defense looked nice but....every defense has looked nice against Cincinnati recently. The offense looked terrible, though. They kept the Bengals in that game. I know the Bengals have a stout defense, but...it wasn't all them. Schaubbers was throwing some bad passes at some bad reads and settling for bad field goals and generally continuing to be bad. You think that's going to get it done against a Patriots team that has a healthy Gronk back and generally puts 30+ on everyone? My fake money says no.

Meat's Pick: New England -9.5, $25
Heat's Pick: Houston +9.5, $25