Career playoff starts ...
Marcus Mariota -1
Tom Brady - 34
Blake Bortles -1
Ben Roethlisberger - 20
Matt Ryan - 9
Nick Foles - 1
Drew Brees - 12
Case Keenum - 0
Career playoff starts ...
Marcus Mariota -1
Tom Brady - 34
Blake Bortles -1
Ben Roethlisberger - 20
Matt Ryan - 9
Nick Foles - 1
Drew Brees - 12
Case Keenum - 0
Since 2003, NFL favorites have been profitable ATS during the regular season in:
2005
2007
2013
2017
Underdogs are now 24-12-1 ATS in the playoffs of those four seasons.
Rest is overrated in the playoffs
Favorites with more than a week between games are 36-51-1 ATS since 2003
Patriots -13.5
Steelers -7.5
Vikings -3.5
Underdogs of 10 or more points in the playoffs are 3-12 (20%) straight-up since 2003
Without Wentz, Eagles have gone from 28.3 ppg to 15.7 ppg
Not a big edge but home underdogs are 19-13-2 ATS in the NFL playoffs since 2000.
Since 1990, backup quarterbacks are 11-21 straight up and 13-17-2 against the spread in the playoffs. On average, second-string quarterbacks in the playoffs have been 3.5-point underdogs and lost by 5.8 points. The results are worse this century with backups going 2-11 (15.4%) straight-up and 4-8-1 (33.3%) ATS since 2000.
Currently, 34% of spread bets are on the Eagles at home. Casual bettors want no part of Philly.
Since 1991, teams favored by 10 or more points in the divisional round are 12-6-1 ATS.
Saturday Divisional Round Games
The total has gone Over in 12 of the last 14 ... home team has won 9 straight.
DeMarco Murray officially out as expected.
Something to keep an eye on ...
Steelers CB Artie Burns left practice after suffering a non-contact right knee injury.
The Steelers lost to the Jaguars 30-9 in Week 5
Since 2012, there have been 13 teams to face a team in the playoffs after losing to that team by 20+ points in the regular season
Those teams went 1-12 in the postseason rematch (2014 Ravens avenged 20-point loss to Steelers)
It's calling for 17 degree F temps in Pittsburgh Sunday.
The Steelers are 9-1 SU, 7-2-1 ATS the last 4 seasons in 32F or colder. Best in the NFL in freezing temps over that time period.
The Vikings had the NFL’s #1 scoring defense and #10 scoring offense this season
In the Super Bowl era, there have been 26 previous teams to have the #1 scoring defense, as well as a top 10 offense for that season
Over half of those teams made the Super Bowl (14 of 26, 53.8%)
Marcus Mariota will make his 2nd career playoff start Saturday against the Patriots
Since 2001, quarterbacks making their first or second career playoff start are 0-7 against New England
Drew Brees: 12 career playoff starts
Case Keenum: 0 career playoff starts
The last quarterback without a playoff start to beat a QB with 10+ playoff starts
in a postseason game?
Tim Tebow over Ben Roethlisberger in the 2011 Wild Card Round
Tom Brady is 6-0 in his career against Mike Mularkey-coached teams.
Brady is 6-1 (including playoffs) against the Titans with 13 pass TDs and 1 INT in those games.
That is his best TD-INT ratio against any opponent in his career.
The Falcons have an all-time record of 4-9 SU in January road games. BUT, they're just 1-5 SU when playing on the road outdoors in cold weather climates in January.
The one win was in 2003 in Green Bay.
Tom Brady has faded in recent seasons ...
THIS YEAR
First 10 games: 1 INT
Last 6 games: 6 INTs
2016
Entire regular season: 2 INTs
Playoffs (three games): 3 INTs
2015
First 14 games: only TWO w/Passer Rating below 90
Final 4 games: THREE w/Passer Rating below 90