1-22-12

[Mr. IWS]

JACK HOWARD

NYG +2 Over San Francisco 50 Dimes
Of the four teams left in the playoffs, the Giants are by far the hottest and most dangerous team. Eli Manning has been playing brilliantly, as he threw for 330 yards with three touchdowns in their 37-20 win over Green Bay. Defensively, the Giants might be even better. They held Atlanta to only two points two weeks ago, and last week they held the best offense in the league to only 20 points.
Prediction: 24-20 NYG

Baltimore +7 Over New England 25 Dimes
Call me crazy, but I like the Ravens in this match-up. I do not think the Patriots are as invincible as everyone perceives they are. Both Pittsburgh and the NYG gave the Patriots more than they can handle back in November, and I think the Ravens will do the same with their ability to put pressure on Brady.
Prediction: 27-24 Baltimore

[Mr. IWS]

CAL SPORTS

NBA 4* Nets

CBB 4* Youngs St.

[Mr. IWS]

Scott Rickenbach (updated)

10* NE Patriots -7
10* SF 49ers Under 42

8* Penguins Over (NHL)
10* Flyers Over (NHL)
8* Wizards Over (NBA)
10* Lakers Over (NBA)
10* Wisconsin (CBB)

[Mr. IWS]

James Jones Premium

5* Baltimore Ravens +7.5

[Mr. IWS]

Vegas Nightmare Private Club

8* NE Patriots Over 50

[Mr. IWS]

Harry Bondi football

4* NY Giants+2
3* Baltimore +7

[Mr. IWS]

Mike neri
3* new england
3* 49ers

[Mr. IWS]

David Malinsky

Ravens +7.5

REASON FOR PICK: 5* #301 BALTIMORE

We know where we are going to be in this one, so let’s get to market early and create plenty of shopping opportunities – because some of the key precincts are in their “Anti-Teaser” mode, it means some soft opportunities can be floating around.

To view this line shows just how little sex appeal Baltimore brings, which tells us how public perceptions never do fully change. The Ravens are a team that partially wins because they do some things well, but also because there is almost nothing that they do poorly. That simply is not “sexy”. But what should jump off the charts is that they went a perfect 7-0 SU against playoff teams this season, with only one of the wins by fewer than a full TD. And that the old axiom of being “Hard to Kill” is absolutely in play here in terms of talent, coaching style, and experience.

When you have talent, and do things well, you win games. But when you also have no real weaknesses, and play both conservatively and with savvy, you are rarely going to be out of a game. In the John Harbaugh years the Ravens are 63-8 with a +7.5 attached, and have won playoff road games at four different venues, including that dominating shellacking by a 33-14 count on this field two years ago. They are not going to be pushed around in the trenches by anyone, and when Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are in the locker room, they are not going to be intimidated by any setting.

So to be favored by this amount, the favorite must bring something special. New England does not. Ton Brady is at a truly unique level. The rest of the team is simply nothing more than average. The WR corps lacks a deep threat. None of these RB’s will sniff a Pro Bowl any time soon. And what can we say about a defense that is favored by more than a TD despite the fact that they have given up nearly 2,000 more yards than the underdog! How about 1,955 to be exact. In the annals of NFL history, can we ever find a playoff favorite in this range that has allowed 1.6 more yards per pass and 1.1 more yards per rush than the underdog? And note the schedule this came against - not a single victory against a team that finished with a winning record.

The Patriots do it with Brady, and with precision. They went +17 in TO margin this season, after that amazing +28 of LY. But what happens when the opposition does not give the ball away? The Pats become mere mortals. That is the key here. Baltimore beat Houston without a single TO or penalty, and for the full season the Ravens rated #4 in the league for fewest penalty yards. They will play with physical tenacity and poise here to force the Patriots get earn everything they can get, and we are not sure that New England wins this game, much less covers the artificially high spread that has been set.

[Mr. IWS]

Alatex CBB
15 Ill +1

[Mr. IWS]

Hiesman Trophy

over NY/SF