Colts are 7.5-point underdogs at New England
Published on Sunday, 1/5/14, at 10:15 p.m. Eastern.
By Brian Edwards
The survivors of Wild Card Weekend include San Francisco, San Diego, Indianapolis and New Orleans. The road teams went 3-1 straight up, while the ‘under’ cashed tickets at a 3-1 clip.
The road teams nearly went unbeaten, but Indianapolis pulled off the second-biggest comeback in NFL postseason history. The Colts rallied from a 38-10 third-quarter deficit to win a 45-44 decision as short home underdogs.
Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes and added another TD run on a play that was nearly disastrous. RB Donald Brown coughed up a rare fumble, but Luck scooped it up and then plunged into the end zone in jaw-dropping fashion.
The win by the Colts sets up yet another playoffs showdown with arch-rival New England. The Patriots were listed as 7.5-point home favorites as of Sunday night. The total is 53 for ‘over/under’ wagers. Indy is +270 on the money line (risk $100 to win $270).
With its walk-off field goal from Phil Dawson, San Francisco beat Green Bay 23-20 on the frozen tundra. The Packers have been one-and-done in the playoffs in three consecutive seasons since winning the Super Bowl. They have been sent into vacation by Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers the last two years.
San Francisco has been installed as a 1.5-point road favorite at Carolina in the NFC semifinals. The total is 43 and the short home underdogs are +110 on the money line.
New Orleans needed a walk-off FG to escape Philadelphia with a 26-24 win as a three-point underdog. The 50 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 54.5-point total. The Saints hooked up money-line supporters with a +140 payout (risk $100 to win $140).
Sean Payton’s team now travels back to Seattle as an eight-point underdog. The Seahawks mashed the Saints 31-13 as three-point home ‘chalk’ on Dec. 8.
The Seattle-New Orleans total is 48. Gamblers can take the Saints to win outright for a +320 return (risk $100 to win $320).
Cincinnati was 8-0 both straight up and against the spread at home during the regular season. But the Bengals went into Bunguls form Sunday in a 27-10 home loss to the Chargers as seven-point home favorites.
Cincy QB Andy Dalton was atrocious as his record in the postseason fell to 0-3. After the game, he refused to take ownership of his abysmal performance, repeating the tired old mantra that “QBs get too much blame” in defeat.
The Chargers, who won outright at Denver last month, ventures back into the Mile High City. Denver is favored by 9.5 with a total of 55.
Peyton Manning is searching for his first postseason victory since joining the Broncos. He’ll also be trying to avoid a ninth career dismissal from the postseason in the first game for his club.
