Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports DeAngelo Williams (foot) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Bengals.
Rapoport said there is a chance Williams could play in the Divisional Round if the Steelers make it that far. Fitzgerald Toussaint will handle most the backfield duties with Williams sidelined, but Jordan Todman should have a role as well.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Packers RCB Sam Shields remains in the concussion protocol.
Shields has not practiced this week and is extremely unlikely to play Sunday against the Redskins.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Marshawn Lynch "looks really good in practice."
"He’s practiced as hard as he ever has throughout the week just to prove to himself that he was right, I think, as well as everybody else," Carroll said. "So he’s ready to go and we are anxious to see him fit in." OC Darrell Bevell has said there is "no reason" Lynch cannot have 20-25 carries. In bad weather, Lynch could have a big workload Sunday.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Chiefs face Texans in Wild-Card round Saturday
By Zach Cohen


KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) at HOUSTON TEXANS (9-7)
Kickoff: Saturday, 4:35 p.m. ET


‘AFC Wild Card Playoffs’


Line: Kansas City -3.0, Total: 40.5


The NFL postseason begins with the Texans hosting a Chiefs team that has won 10 straight games entering Saturday’s win or go home battle.


The Chiefs are the hottest team in the league entering the postseason, as their 23-17 home victory over Oakland in Week 17 was their 10th straight victory. Kansas City has not been blowing teams out, though. In fact, the Chiefs have covered in just one of their past four games. The Texans, meanwhile, won-and-covered in their final three games and they needed all of those wins to come away as the winner of the AFC South. These two teams have already met this season and the Chiefs were the winners in that Sep. 13 game. Kansas City went into Houston that day and won 27-20 as a one-point road favorite. The team has won the only two meetings in this series over the past three seasons. There are trends that work both ways in this game, as the Chiefs are 8-0 ATS off two or more consecutive Unders over the past two seasons. They are also, however, a miserable 1-10 ATS in playoff games since 1992. LB Justin Houston (Knee) is listed as questionable for the Chiefs in this one and WR Cecil Shorts (Hamstring) and LB Jadeveon Clowney (Foot) are questionable for the Texans.


The Chiefs have been playing insanely well, but none of that matters if the team can’t pick up a win on Saturday. Kansas City will lean heavily on its defense in this one and it is for good reason. The Chiefs have allowed 17 or less points in four straight games and have not allowed more than 22 points in a single game since a Week 4 loss to the Bengals. Offensively, Kansas City will lean on a running game that has churned out 127.8 yards per game (6th in NFL). The Chiefs have had no problem dealing with the loss of Jamaal Charles, as Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware have run the ball extremely well in his place. They will need to find a way to be effective on Saturday. As for Alex Smith, the quarterback must avoid making any costly errors on Saturday. He has thrown for 3,486 yards with 20 touchdowns and just seven interceptions this year, but one of those picks was against the Raiders in Week 17 and it went the other way for a touchdown. That type of error could be the difference in whether or not his team can advance.


The Texans were a long shot to make the postseason before the year, but the team was able to surprise people en route to doing so. Houston’s defense was remarkable during a three-game winning streak to finish the season. The Texans allowed just 22 points over the final three weeks of the year and that play on the defensive end is what ultimately got the team into the playoffs. Brian Hoyer was also a revelation for the Texans, throwing for 2,606 yards with 19 touchdowns and just seven picks this season. He’ll look to keep the ball out of the Chiefs’ hands for as long as he can on Saturday and should be able to do that as long as he is targeting DeAndre Hopkins often. Hopkins emerged as one of the best receivers in football this season, hauling in 111 catches for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. He should have no problem finding success against the Chiefs, as he had nine receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns when they met earlier in the season.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Bengals host rival Steelers in playoffs Saturday
By Zach Cohen


PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-6) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (12-4)
Kickoff: Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET


‘AFC Wild Card Playoffs’


Line: Pittsburgh -2.5, Total: 45.5


Saturday’s second AFC playoff game will feature the Bengals hosting the division rival Steelers.


Pittsburgh needed a win over Cleveland plus a Jets loss to the Bills in Week 17 or the team was not going to make the playoffs, and the Steelers got just that. The team went into FirstEnergy Stadium and defeated the Browns 28-12 as 12.5-point favorites and the Jets lost 22-17 in Buffalo. The Steelers now face a Cincinnati team that they are 4-2 both SU and ATS against over the past three seasons. Each team won-and-covered when playing in the other’s stadium this season, but the Steelers are an impressive 20-5 SU and 19-6 ATS when playing in Cincinnati since 1992. This is, however, a different Bengals team. Cincinnati was extremely impressive throughout the regular season and comes into this one after having gone 4-2 both SU and ATS over the final six weeks of the season. Some trends to keep an eye on are that the Bengals are just 3-12 ATS in January games since 1992. They are also, however, an impressive 8-1 ATS after covering the spread in two of their previous three games this season. RB DeAngelo Williams (Ankle) is questionable for the Steelers coming into this one. For the Bengals, QB Andy Dalton (Thumb) got his cast removed this week but A.J. McCarron is being prepped as the starter.


The Steelers have one of the most explosive offenses in football, scoring 26.4 PPG (4th in NFL) thanks to 287.7 YPG passing (3rd in NFL) and 107.8 YPG rushing (16th in NFL). This team can get it done in any way necessary offensively, but the injury to DeAngelo Williams complicates things. If he can play, he must run the ball effectively. It would really hurt Pittsburgh if he is forced to sit out or just doesn’t perform the way he is capable of. With the uncertainty in the running game, Ben Roethlisberger is going to have a lot more on his plate. As usual, the Steelers quarterback piled up numbers with 3,938 yards, 21 touchdowns and 16 picks in just 12 games this season. He did, however, struggled against Cincinnati on the year. In two meetings with the team, Roethlisberger threw for just one touchdown and was picked off four times. He will need to take care of the ball in this one. Antonio Brown will need to help his quarterback by getting open in this game. He had just 13 catches for 144 yards and no touchdowns in two meetings with the Bengals this season and that is very unlike him, as he had 1,834 yards with 10 touchdowns on the season. Defensively, the Steelers will need to put pressure on whoever is playing quarterback for the Bengals. Dalton has struggled in the playoffs and will be nervous coming into this one and the same will be the case for McCarron, who has never started a playoff game.


The Bengals had a very good season, but they will unfortunately be dealing with a bad situation at quarterback in this game. Andy Dalton, who threw for 3,250 yards with 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 13 games this year, is just getting over a fractured hand and is unlikely to play in this one. That leaves AJ McCarron as the starter and he will certainly be nervous in his first postseason start. McCarron has already faced the Steelers in Cincinnati this season and Pittsburgh won that game 33-20. McCarron was 22-for-32 with 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in that one. He will need to be more careful with the ball, as he can’t be handing it over to Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense on Saturday. If the Bengals are going to win this game then the team is going to really need to play a good game defensively. With a young quarterback starting, this game will need to be won in grind-it-out fashion. This should not be a problem for a Cincinnati defense that allowed just 17.4 PPG (2nd in NFL) this season. The team also allowed just 18 passing touchdowns (2nd in NFL), which really bodes well considering Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown will be in town on Saturday.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (+3, 45.5)


The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in familiar territory, squeezing into the playoffs as the sixth seed and challenging the AFC North-champion Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round. The Steelers made the most of that situation 10 years ago by winning the Super Bowl, and it’s a path they’d like to travel again when they visit Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday.


Pittsburgh’s high-octane offense looks to lead the way as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday in a 28-12 victory over Cleveland. Antonio Brown (career-high 136 receptions and 1,834 yards) had 187 yards versus the Browns on 13 catches, but he totaled that many receptions as the Steelers and Bengals each claimed a road contest in the series. While Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have won four of five to enter the playoffs, the Bengals are making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance with a question under center. While second-year backup AJ McCarron is expected to play on Saturday, Andy Dalton is inching toward a return – perhaps as early as next week should Cincinnati advance – after fracturing his thumb in the Bengals’ 33-20 loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 13.


TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS.


LINE HISTORY:
Books opened the Bengals as 2.5-point home pups but that has moved to +3. The total opened at 46.5 and is down to 45.5.


INJURY REPORT:


Steelers – WR Sammie Coates (Questionable, illness), CB Doran Grant (Questionable, groin), RB DeAngelo Williams (Out, foot), RB Le’Veon Bell (I-R, knee), CB Cortez Allen (I-R, knee), T Kelvin Beachum (I-R, knee), TE Rob Blanchflower (I-R, ankle), C Maurkice Pouncey (I-R, ankle), QB Bruce Gradkowski (I-R, hand), K Shaun Suisham (I-R, knee), T Mike Adams (I-R, back).


Bengals – WR Mario Alford (Questionable, personal), HB Ryan Hewitt (Questionable, knee), QB Andy Dalton (Out, thumb), DT Brandon Thompson (I-R, knee), LB Emmanuel Lamur (I-R, knee), CB Darqueze Dennard (I-R, shoulder), WR James Wright (I-R, knee).


WEATHER:
Temperatures will be in the high-40s with a 69 percent chance of rain.


POWER RANKINGS:
Steelers (-3.5) + Bengals (-3.0) + home field (-3.0) = Bengals -2.5


WHAT CAPPERS SAY:
“After losing stud RB LeVeon Bell earlier in the season, Mike Tomlin just lost his replacement DeAngelo Williams. New starting RB Fitz Toussaint has 24 career carries. The Bengals defense has been the best in the NFL against the deep ball, ranked #1 in the NFL against passes that travel at least 16 yards from the line of scrimmage.” Covers Expert Teddy Covers.


ABOUT THE STEELERS (10-6 SU 9-6-1 ATS, 6-10 O/U):
While Pittsburgh’s vaunted aerial attack is raring to go, its rushing game could be a sore spot as veteran DeAngelo Williams’ ankle injury may play a major role on Saturday. Williams (team-leading 907 yards, 11 touchdowns) is listed as day-to-day while coach Mike Tomlin reportedly is considering Fitzgerald Toussaint (42 yards) and journeyman Jordan Todman (22 yards) in the gameplan. The Steelers only have to look to their first-round contest last year, when the absence of Le’Veon Bell led to a limited ground attack – and an early exit at the hands of arch-rival Baltimore.


ABOUT THE BENGALS (12-4 12-3-1 ATS, 7-9 O/U):
A.J. Green reeled in a season-high 11 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati’s 16-10 win over Pittsburgh on Nov. 1 before adding six catches for 132 yards and a score in the latter meeting. While Green led the team with 86 receptions and 1,297 yards, his 10 touchdowns were only eclipsed by tight end Tyler Eifert (13). Jeremy Hill overcame a sluggish start to record six touchdowns in his last seven games, but he was limited to just 76 yards on 22 carries collectively in two meetings with the Steelers.


TRENDS:


* Steelers are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 meetings in Cincinnati.


* Steelers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games.


* Bengals are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. AFC.


* Bengals are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games in January.


CONSENSUS:
Fifty-seven percent of Covers users are backing the Steelers.


PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Bengals 17

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (+3.5, 40)


The two hottest teams in the NFL kick off the AFC wild-card round on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs look to extend their franchise-best 10-game winning streak when they visit the AFC South-champion Houston Texans. Kansas City rebounded from a horrid 1-5 start to run the remainder of the regular-season table and push Denver to the limit before the Broncos claimed the AFC West title on Sunday.


Spencer Ware rushed for his team-leading sixth touchdown in Kansas City’s 23-17 victory over Oakland on Sunday, but the 24-year-old was on the practice squad when the Chiefs posted a 27-20 victory over Houston on Sept. 13. Jamaal Charles’ season-ending ACL injury a month later expanded the workload of Charcandrick West and Ware while Alex Smith’s conservative passing game helped Kansas City advance to the postseason for the second time in three years. While the Chiefs are favored on the road, the Texans have won three straight to unseat Indianapolis as the AFC South champion. Brian Hoyer, who was benched in the Week 1 loss to Kansas City, threw for 249 yards and a touchdown on Sunday as Houston claimed its first division title since 2012 with a 30-6 rout of Jacksonville.


TV: 4:35 p.m. ET, ESPN.


LINE HISTORY:
Books opened the Chiefs as 3-point road faves but that is now -3.5. The total is down to 40 from the opening 40.5.


INJURY REPORT:


Chiefs – LB Tamba Hali (Probable, thumb), LB Justin Houston (Probable, knee), WR Jeremy Maclin (Probable, hip), DB Husain Abdullah (Questionable, concussion), T Jah Reid (Questionable, knee), LB D.J. Alexander (Questionable, concussion), OL Mitch Morse (Questionable, concussion), LB Dee Ford (Questionable, concussion), WR De’Anthony Thomas (I-R, concussion), OL Ben Grubbs (I-R, neck), TE James O’Shaughnessy (I-R, foot), RB Jamaal Charles (I-R, knee), DB Phillip Gaines (I-R, knee), OL Paul Fanaika (I-R, undisclosed), QB Tyler Bray (I-R, knee), LB Justin March (I-R, knee).


Texans – WR Cecil Shorts (Probable, hamstring), WR Nate Washington (Probable, hip), S Rahim Moore (Questionable, illness), LB Jadeveon Clowney (Questionable, foot), DE Jeoffrey Pagan (Questionable, illness), T Duane Brown (I-R, quadriceps), DB Charles James (I-R, foot), QB T.J. Yates (I-R, knee), C Greg Mancz (I-R, knee), RB Arian Foster (I-R, Achilles), S Lonne Ballentine (I-R, knee), LB Carlos Thompson (I-R, wrist), T Jeff Adams (I-R, knee), QB Tom Savage (I-R, shoulder), LB Reshard Cliett (I-R, knee), T David Quessenberry (I-R, illness).


WEATHER: N/A


POWER RANKINGS:
Chiefs (-3) + Texans (+1.5) + home field (-3.0) = Chiefs -1.5


WHAT CAPPERS SAY:
“Trend bettors take note: Teams riding a winning streak of eight games or more coming into the playoffs (like the Chiefs) are on a 1-14 ATS slump in their first postseason game since 2004.” Teddy Covers.


ABOUT THE CHIEFS (11-5 SU, 8-8 ATS, 8-7-1 O/U):
Smith tossed two of his three touchdown passes to Travis Kelce in the win over Houston, with the tight end making six catches for a season-high 106 yards. Jeremy Maclin was limited to five receptions for 52 yards in that contest but has settled in as Smith’s go-to receiver after finding the end zone six times in the last six games – including once in each of the past three weeks. Maclin suffered a bruised hip versus the Raiders but returned to finish that contest and is expected to play on Saturday.


ABOUT THE TEXANS (9-7 SU, 9-7 ATS, 8-7-1 O/U):
Stud defensive end J.J. Watt shed the cast on his broken left hand and registered three sacks versus the Jaguars on Sunday to finish the season with an NFL-best 17.5. Whitney Mercilus tied a career high with 3 1/2 last week and set a personal best with 12 this season for Houston, which recorded a franchise-best 45 sacks. Pro Bowl wideout DeAndre Hopkins (career-high 111 catches, 1,521 yards, 11 touchdowns) began his breakout season with nine catches for 98 yards and two scores versus the Chiefs.


TRENDS:


* Road team is 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings.


* Chiefs are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings in Houston.


* Chiefs are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.


* Texans are 5-1-2 ATS in their last eight games in January.


CONSENSUS:
Sixty percent are backing the Chiefs.


PREDICTION: Chiefs 24, Texans 16

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

AFC Wild Card Notes
By VI News


AFC – Kansas City at Houston
4:35 p.m. (ABC)


Opening Line: Chiefs -3, 40 ½


Kansas City Road Record: 5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS
Houston Home Record: 5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS


Head-to-Head: These teams met in the opening week of the season as the Chiefs held off the Texans at NRG Stadium, 27-20 to cash as one-point favorites. Kansas City jumped out to a 27-9 halftime lead and never looked back as quarterback Alex Smith threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns, including two touchdown strikes to tight end Travis Kelce.


Playoff Notes: Houston returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2012 when the Texans were eliminated at New England in the divisional round, 41-28. The Texans have won both of their home playoff games in franchise history, beating Cincinnati in the Wild Card round in 2011 and 2012. Kansas City last appeared in the postseason in 2013, blowing a 28-point lead in a stunning 45-44 defeat at Indianapolis in the Wild Card round. The Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since 1993, losing eight straight in the postseason, including three in a row on the road.


Total Notes: Kansas City posted an 8-7-1 record to the ‘over’ this season, including five ‘overs’ away from Arrowhead Stadium. Houston also put together an 8-7-1 ‘over’ mark, even though the Texans went 4-2 to the ‘under’ in the final six contests. The Texans cashed five ‘unders’ at NRG Stadium, while allowing three of their final five opponents at home to six points.


AFC – Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
8:15 p.m. (CBS)


Opening Line: Steelers -2, 46 ½


Pittsburgh Road Record: 4-4 SU, 5-3 ATS
Cincinnati Home Record: 6-2 SU, 4-3-1 ATS


Head-to-Head: The road team won each of the two meetings this season, as the Steelers knocked off the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Week 14 by a 33-20 count. Andy Dalton’s season ended that day as the Bengals’ quarterback broke his right thumb attempting to make a tackle following an interception. Steelers’ running back DeAngelo Williams scored two touchdowns in that victory, but he is listed as questionable for the Wild Card game with a sprained ankle.


Playoff Notes: The Bengals have lost four Wild Card games in each of the past four seasons, although three of those defeats came on the highway. Cincinnati lost to Pittsburgh in the 2005 Wild Card round at home, 31-17, as the Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl that season. The Bengals are mired in a long postseason drought, last capturing a playoff win back in 1990. The Steelers are back in the playoffs for the sixth time in Mike Tomlin’s coaching tenure, as Pittsburgh was tripped up at home by Baltimore last season 30-17 in the Wild Card round. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2010, while losing its last road postseason contest at Denver in overtime in 2011.


Total Notes: Cincinnati cashed the ‘under’ nine times this season, including an 8-2 mark to the ‘under’ in the final 10 games. The Steelers began the season at 7-2 to the ‘under’ the first nine games, followed by a 4-2 run to the ‘over’ to finish the season. Pittsburgh compiled a 6-2 mark to the ‘under’ away from Heinz Field, while cashing the ‘over’ in five of the last seven visits to Cincinnati.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

NFL Wildcard Weekend opens with three of four road teams favored
By ANDREW CALEY


The NFL regular season has come to a close, the playoff field has been set and the Wildcard matchups open with three of the four road teams as favorites.


Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans


Wildcard weekend opens in Houston with the Texans hosting the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs, who have won 10 straight games and opened as three-point road favorites in both the Westgate LV Superbook in Las Vegas and online sportsbook Bookmaker. The total opened at 41.


The Chiefs were 7-3 ATS during their 10 game win streak, but were just 1-3 ATS in their last four games. Meanwhile the Texans were 5-3 ATS at home and closed the season going 3-0 SU/ATS.


“We’ve already seen some bettors hit the under as everyone is anticipating a defensive slugfest. Kansas City deserved to be a road favorite here, and we may have been too conservative on that side. This spread could climb quickly,” Scott Cooley of Bookmaker.


Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals


In the second AFC Wildcard matchup, Cincinnati hosts rival Pittsburgh and with Bengals’ starting quarterback Andy Dalton’s status uncertain, the Steelers have opened as 2.5-point favorites. The total opened at 46.5.


“Even though it looks as if Pittsburgh will be down to its third-string tailback, we felt comfortable making the road team chalk because at the end of the day, it’s Ben Roethlisberger vs. A.J. McCarron (if Dalton can’t go),” Cooley said.


The AFC North foes split the two games this season with Cincy winning in Week 8 16-10 in a game that closed as a Pick and Pittsburgh taking the Week 14 33-20 as 1-point dogs. The games went 1-1 O/U.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

NFL Playoffs betting stats: The good, the bad, the ugly
By Marc Lawrence


Don’t look now but the 2015 NFL season is in the rear view mirror and with it the start of the Wild Card playoff games begins this Saturday.


Let’s take a look at some of the best, and worst, trends surrounding this weekend’s card. Here’s a brief capsule of the teams and noteworthy trends…


The Good, the Bad and the Ugly


Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans


Good: Texans are 6-2 ATS as home dogs in games with both teams off a win


Bad: Chiefs coach Andy Reid is 2-9 SU and 3-8 ATS vs playoff foes off BB wins


Ugly: Chiefs are 2-8 SU and 0-10 ATS in last ten Wild Card Round games


Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals


Good: Steelers 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS L10 non Super Bowl postseason games


Bad: Wild Card Round road favorites are 6-15-1 ATS


Ugly: Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is 0-6 SUATS in playoff games


ATS Diabetes


Like kids in a candy store, NFL Wild Card teams playing off huge regular season wins tend to crash-and-burn in these playoff openers.


That’s because Wild Card teams, off a season-ending SU double-digit win as an underdog win, are just 5-15 SU and 4-15-1 ATS.


The Redskins and the Seahawks could be up against it this weekend.


Stat of the Week


The straight-up winner in NFL Wild Card Round playoff games is 111-12-4 ATS since 1980.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

Football bettors must react quickly to these NFL Wild Card odds
By AAA SPORTS


Each week during the pro football season, Art Aronson of AAA Sports looks at the NFL odds and tells you which spread to bet now, which one to bet later and and which total to watch as the week plays out.


Spread to bet now


Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (+3)


The Texans are a home dog, as well they should be. Kansas City is – on paper anyway – the most dangerous Wild Card team in the field. The Chiefs come in with 10 wins in a row (cautionary note: they were just 1-3 ATS in the final four games of the regular season) and still somewhat under the radar.


Most importantly, over the second half of the season, the Chiefs dominated teams when they go on the road: 20-point win at Baltimore, 14-point win at Oakland, 30-point win at San Diego, 16-point win at Denver.


Early betting is heavily on the Chiefs in this one, so if you can grab Kansas City and have to lay only the field goal, it could be a smart move. Books are cautious about adding that extra half point, but may have no choice in this one.


Spread to wait on


Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (+2.5)


Reputation could be one factor as bettors have jumped hard on the Steelers in this one in early wagering. The Bengals always seem to find a way to lose playoff games and the foundation of the team came crumbling down in mid-December when franchise QB Andy Dalton suffering a thumb fracture trying to make a tackle. A.J. McCarron is 1-1 as the replacement, and McCarron brings oodles of confidence and zero experience into the biggest game of his pro life.


Home field might not be of much help in this one, because the road team won both games this season: the Steelers winning that Dalton/thumb game only a few weeks ago, 33-20. The Steelers scored a lot of points over the final half of the regular season, averaging almost 32 points per game in their final eight games. That production is appealing to public bettors.

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

JOE GAVAZZI


Kansas City Chiefs (-3-) at Houston Texans
4:35 ET
A very rare situation has evolved in the 2016 NFL Playoffs. All 4 home teams are underdogs in the contest. This is notable because all Wild Card home dogs are 13-9 SU, 15-6 ATS. To kickoff this year’s playoffs, the KC Chiefs travel to play the Houston Texans as a (3-) point road favorite. Somewhat ironically, these 2 met in Week 1 of the regular season. In that game, the Chiefs led 21-0 in the 2nd quarter, before settling for a (27-20) victory on this field. Each of these teams finished at 9-7 SU last season leaving no recent experience edge in the playoffs.


That KC Week 1 victory was meaningful because it would not be until October 25th, when the Chiefs won at home vs. Pittsburgh that they would crack the victory column again. But after that 1-5 SU ATS start, the Chiefs would reel off 10 consecutive victories with a (+16) net TO margin leading the way. Before you get excited about that, note that in those 10 victories, they only outgained the opposition by an average of 11 YPG. And for the season, they held a narrow 331-329 yardage edge. That 10-game season ending win streak was a bit misleading, as the last 7 of those victories were all against non-playoff teams. Nonetheless, true to HC Andy Reid form, the Chiefs would finish 4-0 SU ATS on the road. Last week, KC closed out the regular season with a (23-17) win no cover vs. the Raiders. They did hold a 39/189 to 16/48 overland yardage edge. In that regard, we note the fact that teams who outrushed their opponent by 30 yards or more in a game this season were 128-47 ATS. Teams who ran the ball 30 times or more in a game, while their opponent did not, were 130-17 ATS this season. And, teams who ran the ball 22 times or less in a game, while their opponent did not, were 122-20 ATS PLAY AGAINST.


Houston was also finishing the 2nd half of the season on a strong surge. After beginning the year 2-5 SU ATS, Houston would finish on a 7-2 SU ATS run, losing only at Buffalo and to New England. But much like KC, they faced only New England as a playoff opponent (a 27-6 loss) in the final half of the season. Much like the Chiefs, Houston closed the season with a dominating overland win against Jacksonville. They outrushed the Jags 31/160 to 14/32 and prospered from a (+3) net TO margin in a (36-6) victory. With that pointspread victory, we note that teams who had a (+3) or more net TO margin in any NFL game this season went 42-2 ATS, good for 95% winners. Keying that closing stretch was the superior play of QB Hoyer, whose team had just 10 giveaways in their last 11 games. Unlike KC, they were a bit more dominant in the yardage column with a 348-310 edge for the season.


Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Cincinnati Bengals
8:15 ET CBS
Noting that all Wild Card home dogs are 13-9 SU, 15-6 ATS for the playoffs, we must note that the record improves to 9-3 ATS, if our home dog has the better record. As a result, there is a definitive value edge when the division rivals (Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals) meet at 8:15 ET on Saturday night in this playoff game televised by CBS. For, while Pittsburgh authored a solid 10-6 SU season, the Bengals were 12-4 SU for the year. These teams met twice this season with the Bengals winning (16-10) in Pittsburgh before the Steelers returned the favor with a (33-20) victory at Cincinnati on December 13th. That was the game in which Bengals’ QB Dalton was injured. He has not played since and is not expected to play in this contest.


Dalton was replaced in the starting lineup by Alabama 2nd year QB McCarron, who led the Bengals to a 2-1 SU ATS mark down the stretch. Unfortunately for the Bengals, making the playoffs is no guarantee of success. For, they have gone 0-5 SU ATS the last 5 years when making the promised playoff land. In last week’s (24-16) win, no cover, vs. Baltimore, the Bengals went to their strong ground game, outrushing Baltimore 27/145 to 21/59. With a (+2) net TO margin aiding the victory, I must note that any NFL team who had exactly a (+2) net TO margin in their game this season was 43-14 ATS for the year. Much like his time at Alabama, McCarron has been a successful “game manager.” Again today, he will look to hand off the ball to RBs Hill and Bernard, while controlling the line of scrimmage. Once that has been established, McCarron has lethal weapons in TE Eifert, who has 13 TDC and WR AJ Green, one of the best wide-outs in the league. If the Bengals are to win, it will most probably be in a workmanlike fashion, as the Cats have yet to crack the 300 yard mark on offense in any of McCarron’s starts. They will also be aided by the No. 2 defense in the league that allows just 17.4 PPG.


The Steelers have injury concerns of their own, as RB Williams, who filled in quite ably for RB Bell, is listed as questionable for this contest with an ankle he injured last week in the Steelers’ (28-12) victory against Cleveland. In that contest, however, the Steelers rushed just 19 times for 30 yards. With Williams at less than full strength, the Steelers will revert to a strong passing game, behind QB Roethlisberger, throwing to one of the best WR corps in the NFL, including Brown, Bryant, Wheaton and TE Miller. Ben completed 66% of his passes for the season, leading the Steelers to 6.5 offensive YP play (the most prolific offense among teams playing this weekend). Unfortunately for the Steelers, Ben has not been as careful with the ball, as was necessary. This resulted in the fact that Roethlisberger enters the playoffs with a humbling 24/18 ratio for the season.


It is looking more and more that this will be an offensive matchup of the Bengals’ ground game against the Steelers’ passing game. An additional note regarding the selection shows us that when these teams last met on this field, the Bengals were a 3 point home favorite

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Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

StatFox Super Situations – FoxSheets


NFL | PITTSBURGH at CINCINNATI
Play On – Road teams (PITTSBURGH) after having won 2 out of their last 3 games, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) in the second half of the season
41-15 over the last 10 seasons. ( 73.2% | 24.5 units )
2-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 2.0 units )


NFL | KANSAS CITY at HOUSTON
Play Against – Underdogs vs. the money line (HOUSTON) in a game involving two mistake-free teams (<=1.25 turnovers/game committed), after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers 84-26 over the last 10 seasons. ( 76.4% | 0.0 units ) 10-4 this year. ( 71.4% | 0.0 units )

[TheGame]

Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

NFL
Long Sheet


Saturday, January 9


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KANSAS CITY (11 - 5) at HOUSTON (9 - 7) - 1/9/2016, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in playoff games since 1992.
KANSAS CITY is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 1-1 against the spread versus KANSAS CITY over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS CITY is 2-0 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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PITTSBURGH (10 - 6) at CINCINNATI (12 - 4) - 1/9/2016, 8:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
CINCINNATI is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points this season.
CINCINNATI is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest this season.
PITTSBURGH is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 68-94 ATS (-35.4 Units) versus division opponents since 1992.
CINCINNATI is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in January games since 1992.


Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-2 against the spread versus CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 4-2 straight up against CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[TheGame]

Re: Wildcard Weekend Betting Info.

NFL
Short Sheet


Wildcard Round


Saturday - Jan, 9


Kansas City at Houston, 4:35 ET
Kansas City: 8-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive unders
Houston: 16-4 OVER as a home underdog of 3 points or less


Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 8:15 ET
Pittsburgh: 21-8 OVER in playoff games
Cincinnati: 13-4 ATS as an underdog