[aeneas1]

divisional round home teams have gone 3-1 in each of the last 4 seasons, i.e. divisional round home teams own a 12-4 record dating back to 2011. for the 6 years prior to 2011, which rounds out a decade, divisional round home teams posted a 12-12 record...

chiefs @ patriots (-4.5):

the chiefs rank 6th in road offense (offensive points scored) and 8th in road defense (offensive points allowed).
the pats rank 3rd in home offense and 3rd in home defense, again offensive points scored and allowed.

the chiefs posted a 3-4 record against teams with a winning record, average score 23-24, and a 5-3 road record, average score 27-20.
the pats posted a 4-2 record against teams with a winning record, average score 26-19, and a 7-1 home record, average score 32-18.

overall the chiefs rank 10th in offensive points scored, 9th in qb rating, 12th in yards per pass attempt, and 3rd in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 3rd in offensive points allowed, 2nd in qb rating allowed, 3rd in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 16th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

overall the patriots rank 2nd in offensive points scored, 4th in qb rating, 9th in yards per pass attempt, and 29th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 7th in offensive points allowed, 13th in qb rating allowed, 11th in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 11th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

NOTE: this will mark the 11th time in the last 15 years that the patriots have advanced to the divisional round, the 11th time since the year the pats met the rams in the super bowl, unfriggin' believable... conversely, this will mark the 1st time in 12 years that the chiefs have reached the divisional round.


packers @ cardinals (-7):

the packers rank 10th in road offense (offensive points scored) and 9th in road defense (offensive points allowed).
the cardinals rank 8th in home offense and 17th in home defense, again offensive points scored and allowed.

the packers posted a 3-4 record against teams with a winning record, average score 22-26, and a 5-3 road record, average score 23-23.
the cardinals posted a 4-2 record against teams with a winning record, average score 26-25, and a 6-2 home record, average score 28-20.

overall the packers rank 16th in offensive points scored, 13th in qb rating, 28th in yards per pass attempt, and 11th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 11th in offensive points allowed, 7th in qb rating allowed, 12th in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 29th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

overall the cardinals rank 3rd in offensive points scored, 5th in qb rating, 1st in yards per pass attempt, and 12th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 12th in offensive points allowed, 8th in qb rating allowed, 10th in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 9th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

NOTE: vegas tabbed the packers road dogs against the redskins last week, and the rodgers-led pack answered by hanging 35 offensive points on cousins-led darlings, the second most points the packers scored all year... arizona is clearly tougher than the in-by-default redskins team, but you have to wonder about the thorough arse whippin' the seahawks dealt the cards in arizona to close out the season, especially so considering the pack defense has played tough all year, and the very real possibility of rodgers taking over a game.


seahawks @ panthers (-1.5):

the seahawks rank 5th in road offense (offensive points scored) and 1st in road defense (offensive points allowed).
the panthers rank 1st in home offense and 3rd in home defense, again offensive points scored and allowed.

the seahawks posted a 3-4 record against teams with a winning record, average score 30-23, and a 5-3 road record, average score 27-15.
the panthers posted a 4-0 record against teams with a winning record, average score 33-21, and a 8-0 home record, average score 33-17.

overall the seahawks rank 6th in offensive points scored, 1st in qb rating, 2nd in yards per pass attempt, and 7th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 1st in offensive points allowed, 3rd in qb rating allowed, 5th in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 4th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

overall the panthers rank 1st in offensive points scored, 7th in qb rating, 8th in yards per pass attempt, and 10th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 6th in offensive points allowed, 1st in qb rating allowed, 2nd in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 7th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

NOTE: friggin' seahawks... they started the season by giving up a whopping 27 offensive points in 4 of the of the first 6 games they played en route to a 2-4 start, yet they still finished first in fewest offensive points allowed, and fewest offensive points allowed on the road. in fact after giving up 27 offensive points in each of their first 3 road games, they followed it up by allowing just 3, 12, 0, 6, 6 and 9 offensive points on the road, which includes the 9 they held the vikes to last weekend, and the meager 6 they held the potent cards' offense to in arizona to close out the season. this could be a great game.


steelers @ broncos (-7):

the steelers rank 16th in road offense (offensive points scored) and 12th in road defense (offensive points allowed).
the broncos rank 20th in home offense and 10th in home defense, again offensive points scored and allowed.

the steelers posted a 3-4 record against teams with a winning record, average score 24-24, and a 4-4 road record, average score 22-21.
the broncos posted a 5-2 record against teams with a winning record, average score 25-23, and a 6-2 home record, average score 22-19.

overall the steelers rank 5th in offensive points scored, 14th in qb rating, 3rd in yards per pass attempt, and 8th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 13th in offensive points allowed, 17th in qb rating allowed, 18th in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 6th in rush yards per attempt allowed.

overall the broncos rank 23rd in offensive points scored, 31st in qb rating, 22nd in yards per pass attempt, and 13th in rush yards per attempt. on defense they rank 4th in offensive points allowed, 4th in qb rating allowed, 1st in pass yards per attempt allowed, and 1st in rush yards per attempt allowed.

NOTE: steelers 16th ranked road offense, sans brown and williams, against that defense, manning probable, wish the steelers were healthy.

[aeneas1]

pretty surprising to me that the panthers are the slimmest favorite this weekend, that they're only favored by 2 in their house, dogs on a neutral field, against a wildcard team that finished 10-6, after the impressive season they had... seattle is a dangerous team, even in an "off" year (their worst record in the last 4 seasons), and the spread reflects that... if russell gets going, the cats could very well be one and done.

[RamsFanSince82]

Straight up winners: Pats, Cards, Panthers, Broncos.

Against the spread winners: Pats, Packers, Panthers, Steelers.

[Elvis]

I went 2-2 taking the home teams last week, guess i like Chiefs, Packers, Panthers and Steelers this week...

[OldSchool]

Straight up winners: Chiefs, Cards, Panthers Broncos

Spread winners: Chiefs, Packers, Panthers Broncos

[aeneas1]

straight up i'm thinking it could go pats, pack, hags and donkeys...
spread pats, pack, hags and steelers...

assuming good weather.

[aeneas1]

arians seemed pretty confident during the quick interview at the break....

[Stranger]

I'm still holding out hope for KC.

[OldSchool]

Idiot sends the onside kick right at Gronk are you kidding me?

[aeneas1]

appears the pats will win and cover...