CarlSpackler
01-13-2006, 05:42 PM
COLTS -9.5 over steelers
I really like the Colts here. I think that home field advantage is worth 4.5 points for Indy, as the RCA Dome and the crowd really got into the Steelers' heads earlier this season, and it should be even louder and more chaotic this Sunday. I'm also giving a 1/2 point advantage to Indy due to the bye week, because some of their key players have been able to get healthy (Simon and Diem), and I think that extra work is really advantageous in terms of getting everyone refocused on the current task at hand.
I think Indy is at least a td better than Pittsburgh if they were playing on a neutral field. The Steelers defense doesn't match up well with the Colts offense. If you blitz Manning, he's usually going to make you pay. I love the advantage that the Colts' WR/TE have over the Pittsburgh secondary. There is a great probability that Indy gets a lead early, forcing the Steelers to play catch up. This will be disastrous for the Steelers. The only shot Pitt has at winning is to run the ball well, bleed the clock, and win the turnover battle. I just don't see the Steelers' offense functioning any better in the dome than they did earlier in the season.
All the pregame talk I'm hearing from the Steelers (Joey Porter, etc.) doesn't bode well for them, IMO. They sound like a team that knows it's outmatched, and is hoping to get some bounces going their way in order to win.
I think a more accurate line for this game is the Colts by 12.5.
My prediction: Colts 34 Steelers 17
BRONCOS -3 over patriots
I like Denver to win at home. Shannahan hasn't won a playoff game since Elway retired, but this will be his first playoff game at home. I think home field advantage is worth 4 points for the Broncos, due to the elevation and the raucous crowd.
Denver will shut down the Patriots running game, making them one-dimensional, which means Brady is going to have to win this game for the Pats. While Brady is definitely capable of taking the team on his shoulders, I don't see him doing so on the Saturday night, in what's probably the toughest playoff road game of the Belichik era.
Everyone points to Plummer as the reason why the Broncos will lose this game, but I think he's going to be the reason they win this game. Plummer's ability to move out of the pocket and avoid the pass rush is one of the main reasons I like Denver to win. I've watched just about all of Denver's games this year, and this is a new Jake Plummer -- one who makes smart decisions and doesn't make many mistakes. He's been very consistent. I expect Denver to able to run the ball well enough to set up their playaction.
The bottom line is that the Broncos are a better and deeper team. On a neutral field, I would favor the Broncos by 2.5 or 3 over NE. With home field advantage factored in, I have Denver favored by 6.5 or 7.
My prediction: Denver 23 Patriots 17
I really like the Colts here. I think that home field advantage is worth 4.5 points for Indy, as the RCA Dome and the crowd really got into the Steelers' heads earlier this season, and it should be even louder and more chaotic this Sunday. I'm also giving a 1/2 point advantage to Indy due to the bye week, because some of their key players have been able to get healthy (Simon and Diem), and I think that extra work is really advantageous in terms of getting everyone refocused on the current task at hand.
I think Indy is at least a td better than Pittsburgh if they were playing on a neutral field. The Steelers defense doesn't match up well with the Colts offense. If you blitz Manning, he's usually going to make you pay. I love the advantage that the Colts' WR/TE have over the Pittsburgh secondary. There is a great probability that Indy gets a lead early, forcing the Steelers to play catch up. This will be disastrous for the Steelers. The only shot Pitt has at winning is to run the ball well, bleed the clock, and win the turnover battle. I just don't see the Steelers' offense functioning any better in the dome than they did earlier in the season.
All the pregame talk I'm hearing from the Steelers (Joey Porter, etc.) doesn't bode well for them, IMO. They sound like a team that knows it's outmatched, and is hoping to get some bounces going their way in order to win.
I think a more accurate line for this game is the Colts by 12.5.
My prediction: Colts 34 Steelers 17
BRONCOS -3 over patriots
I like Denver to win at home. Shannahan hasn't won a playoff game since Elway retired, but this will be his first playoff game at home. I think home field advantage is worth 4 points for the Broncos, due to the elevation and the raucous crowd.
Denver will shut down the Patriots running game, making them one-dimensional, which means Brady is going to have to win this game for the Pats. While Brady is definitely capable of taking the team on his shoulders, I don't see him doing so on the Saturday night, in what's probably the toughest playoff road game of the Belichik era.
Everyone points to Plummer as the reason why the Broncos will lose this game, but I think he's going to be the reason they win this game. Plummer's ability to move out of the pocket and avoid the pass rush is one of the main reasons I like Denver to win. I've watched just about all of Denver's games this year, and this is a new Jake Plummer -- one who makes smart decisions and doesn't make many mistakes. He's been very consistent. I expect Denver to able to run the ball well enough to set up their playaction.
The bottom line is that the Broncos are a better and deeper team. On a neutral field, I would favor the Broncos by 2.5 or 3 over NE. With home field advantage factored in, I have Denver favored by 6.5 or 7.
My prediction: Denver 23 Patriots 17