Wildcard Weekend

[RockLobster]

Heres where the fun begins! Four quality games to look forward to:

Saturday, Jan 5th/Sunday, Jan 6th

Washington Redskins@ Seattle Seahawks 9.00pm (GMT)

Jacksonville Jaguars@ Pittsburgh Steelers 1.00am (GMT)

Sunday, Jan 6th

New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6.00pm (GMT)

Tennesse Titans@ San Diego Chargers 9.00pm (GMT)

How do you call them?

[RockLobster]

Well starting with the seattle game no matter how good the skins might be playing Seattle are at another level at home. A combination of a strong defence and the fans seem to be the key and they certainly won't keep quiet on Saturday night. The dual headed running offence with alexander and morris can be implemented at the start which will open up the passing and if Hasslebeck is on song this could be comfortable. The -3.5 handicap is generous and even just under 1/2 fo the match betting is worth a bet too.

Jacksonville are impressive in ability to adapt to others styles of play and I think they could prevail in Pittsburgh. They are a team with a lot of ability but that also likes getting into a scrap. This will not suit Pittsburgh if it happens. It will be a tight affair and the straight match betting of around 20-31 for Jacksonville looks the one to be with.

The first match on Sunday is very enticing. Tampa who had a great first half of the season haven't looked so impressive in their last couple while the Giants have been up and down all season; seems to be matching Mannings form! The one thing the Giants team have going for them is that they are all heart. To come against a team going fo 16-0 in a game that means nothing and push them all the way is something to be proud of especially after losing their leading man two weeks ago Jeremy Shockey for the season. I believe Giants can grind out a result and 5-6 +3.0 points is value as long as their exploits last week haven't taken their toll.

Vince Yong has the second worst quaterback rating in the league this season after being MVP last year. No one denies he is a talent and he can come up with brilliant plays by escaping the pocket. However going to the air he has been poor and a very decent San Diego pass defencr can capitilize on any Young errors. The Chargers can run all day and do not have to look for the bombs downfield like Brady does. Chargers should finish the game early.

Selections:

Seattle -3.5 points 20-21 (P.Powers)
Jacksonville match betting 20-31 (P.Powers)
Giants +3.0 points 5-6 (P.Powers)
Chargers -9.5 points 10-11 (P.Powers)
got the accum up

[Antony OLBG]

I strongly fancy the Redskins on the moneyline. The Seahawks have had an incredibly easy schedule and have made heavy weather of it. Redskins have had a tough schedule yet have come through winning their last 4 including road wins at the Vikings and Giants (both also needing the win).

[dmachine83]

aaarrrggghhh i had a big long post written but had forgotton to log in and lost it all.

Have to say the first part of it the washington game i had pointed out exactly what antony had said about seattle, they have only beaten one team with a winning record and that was tampa at home in week one. i completly agree that washinton on the moneyline is the way to go and is my bet of the week in any sport @ 2.78

i think ill come back later and do it in point form, im going off to sulk now haha.

[RussBradley2004]

have to disagree with the last 2 posts, you have not appreciated the influence of the home fans,

Seattle will win this football game through an effective pass rush from Kerney and Tapp, as loud crowd noise makes it very hard for the tackles and guards to hear the snap count.

Seattle are 7-1 at home, with a weak schedule granted but you can only beat what is in front of you. On the other hand, the Redskins are not a great outfit, they won in Minnesota due to Jackson having the worst game imaginable and had trouble beating the Dolphins in week 1!

Hasselbeck will throw all day long, with success, im sorry but Redskins do not win this game, dont let an over-rated Dallas teams' awful performance last week convince you otherwise.

scoreline, well it will be around the 24 - 17 to Seahawks, so take them on the handicap, in my opinion of course.

Bucs vs NYG is too risky, depends if NY are knackered, TB defense is solid

Jax will cover against Pittsburg, they simply run the ball down your throats and Garrard is calm and collected, no mistakes.

Titans +9.5 is worth taking as Tennesse may be able to restrict the rushing exploits of LT, this one went to OT a few weeks ago. Expect SD to win but by less than 10

good luck all

[Kingsdyke35]

Washington at Seattle

Two strong defences , wet and WINDY forecast, vegas says 39.5/40

I'm going UNDER 40.5

Good Luck!

KD

[lee cufc]

i fancy seattle bigtime on straight and handicap betting in the other match i feel that steelers @2.29 (great price) will be too strong for jacksonville
_________________
LUCK CAN ONLY BE WHAT YOU MAKE IT, SO MAKE PLENTY

[dmachine83]

Saturdays games:

washington @ seattle

- washinton defence is superior to seattle
- seattle defence very much overrated due to the poor quality of opposition faced
- todd collins has added a veteren feel to washingtons offence
- clinton portis has looked rejuvinated in the second half of the season
- washinton 4-4 on the road but only losing to new england, green bay, dallas, and tampa all teams better than seattle imo
- Seattle beat one team with a winning record all season
- home lost v new orleans
- alexander looks old and ineffective
- Crowd may be benificial for a few points but at the moment washington look a fair bit superior

call - Washington moneyline @ 2.78


Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh

- Jacksonville two pronged run offence will again be too much for pittsburgh
- Pitts defence starting to struggle in recent weeks after great start.
- Pitts worse record with slightly easier scedule
- jacksonville dominated in week 15 in pittsberg
- Jacksonville defence improved throughout the year and is approachin pitts level
- pitts now have to rely on najeh davenport
- they have a seriously long injury list
- Garrard has show how good and controlled he can be this season.

call - Jacksonville -2.5 @ 1.91

[RussBradley2004]

nice points dmachine, can i just add in a little bit to defend my pick

1. Seattle defence is a better outfit than the Redskins defence, after the loss of key players, esp. Taylor, they have to drop their MLB (London Fletcher) into coverage to help a poor secondary which means running on them up the gut is possible. On the other hand, Seattle get pressure all day long up front without blitzing Tatupu....just look at the pro bowl selections from Seattle defence....Tatutpu, Peterson, Trufant (without Tapp and Kerney mentioned), they are strong.

2. The loss to New Orleans was due to that stupid muffed punt which NO recovered for a TD and Seattle having injuries at wideout, they came back in the 2nd half and still nearly won

anyway, looking forward to a great game, low scoring as the weather looks wet and windy but Hasselbeck does not really throw deep balls so should not affect Hawks too much.

[dmachine83]

good points. i can't not respect well argued points. i have to say im really looking forward to these games now we are at the business end of the season. whichever way it goes im hoping for some great well fought game.

[Antony OLBG]

Russ I too agree with much of your points I just dont think theres enough there to make them such short favourites - I think its pretty even hence why Im favouring the Redskins at much superior odds

[RussBradley2004]

oh no i hate the odds if im honest ant, i was looking forward to backing seattle -2.5 but the bookies have gone -3.5 which makes me nervous as seattle like to win close games at home with josh brown field goal!

im intrigued to see both games tonight, i cant wait. Both games are very hard to call, i know ive picked seattle and jacksonville but many will pick washington and pittsburg, so we will both have to wait and see.

Can washington turn around off a short week and travel to the north west? If they were home i would probably take Redskins but i think its too big an ask, all that 12th man stuff is not just a myth, i think seattle are 23-4 or something ridiculous in last 27 home games...including play-offs.

Just one other bet that might have a bit of value in is 1st TD WILL HELLER @ 22/1 (Bet365)

This guy is the Seahawks tight end in the red zone and since Seahawks dont have a running back who can power the ball into the end zone effectively, Hasselback often does play often fake, roll out and throw to Heller on the right side, i think there was even one week when Heller scored twice from this play. Long odds for what i feel is something Seattle will try when they get close to the Skins endzone

good luck to everyone one of you tonight, bookies beware