Sam Panayotovich
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
At some level this week, you in all probability heard somebody say that the majority video games between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are “shut.”
You cannot keep away from the narrative.
In the ten conferences between the Ravens and Steelers this decade, just one has been determined by a couple of landing. And 5 of these 10 video games had been determined by three factors or fewer. The solely incident in latest reminiscence got here three weeks in the past, a 34-17 Baltimore win at Crab Cake on Dec. 21.
That sport closed the Ravens -7.5.
Fast ahead to this week, the place a number of Las Vegas oddsmakers opened Saturday night time’s sport at Baltimore -9 with a complete of (O/U) 46. Respected play introduced the road as much as Ravens -9.5 and even -10 in some shops.
Maybe the quantity is correct the third time.
“I feel it is the precise quantity,” John Murray, Westgate SuperBook vp of racing and sports activities, advised FOX Sports. “The Ravens have a really excessive energy score. We would make them the favorites at Arrowhead within the AFC Championship in opposition to the Chiefs. Also, Russell Wilson appears to be like horrible.
“There’s additionally the teaser ingredient. You wish to hold that line up and make individuals pay the tax to get the sport below three (factors).”
Power scores do not at all times pay the invoice within the playoffs, and so they definitely did not for Ravens supporters in opposition to Kansas City in final 12 months’s AFC title sport. The Sharps guess Baltimore fingers down, consuming -3, -3.5 and -4 right down to -5. Of course, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs received outright.
Not that Pittsburgh mirrors Kansas City or something like that.
I haven’t got a single greenback extra or complete, however I picked up some tickets on Lamar Jackson at 47-1 to guide the wild card spherical in speeding yards.
Ten {dollars} will get you $470.
In the NFC, we now have an ideal sport on FOX on Sunday afternoon. The Philadelphia Eagles host the Green Bay Packers and nobody actually is aware of how wholesome quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love are.
Hurts missed Weeks 17 and 18 after a concussion and Love sat out Week 18 with an elbow damage in opposition to the Bears. He was seen throwing balls down the sideline late within the fourth quarter, however the Packers let Malik Willis end.
Should the Eagles be on excessive alert in opposition to the Packers?
This level differential has bounced between Philadelphia -4 and -5 during the last two days in Las Vegas and the entire hasn’t actually moved from the opening of (O/U) 45.5.
“We’re continuing as if each quarterbacks are leaving,” Murray mentioned.
“We took some huge cash from the Packers at +5.5, which put us at 5, the place we maintain proper now. This is certainly the perfect sport of the opening spherical, and we’re writing it that method.”
Love raised eyebrows in his first two playoff video games final 12 months. He threw three touchdowns to guide Green Bay to a 48-32 victory at Dallas. The following week, Green Bay led San Francisco 21-17 within the last minutes of the divisional spherical. Christian McCaffrey scored the game-winning aim with 1:07 left.
Everyone is aware of what the Eagles offense is able to when its weapons are all in tow. Hurts, Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and a strong five-lineman bundle spotlight that aspect of the ball, however there is a distinct risk Philadelphia is best defensively.
“The protection is legit,” Murray admitted. “Their protection and operating sport make them a crew that has each alternative to make the playoffs.
“It’s all about that coach. If (Nick Sirianni) sticks with the sport and trusts the protection, the Eagles must be again within the NFC Championship Game with all that expertise.”
Sam Panayotovich is a sports activities betting analyst for FOX Sports and BetQL Network. He beforehand labored for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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