The Super Bowl 46 odds are now out, and the New England Patriots are the decided favorites over the New York Giants. Check out the keys to the Super Bowl for the Patriots and see what they have to do to make sure that they beat the Super Bowl betting lines.

Super Bowl Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
Super Bowl Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Super Bowl Date/Time: Sunday, February 5th, 6:30 p.m.
Super Bowl Television Coverage: NBC

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012 NFL Playoff Bracket And Other NFL Playoff Previews

Key #1: Tom Brady has to figure out how to beat a brutal pass rush
Some of the best teams in the game this year have had a remarkable pass rush this year, and the teams that have been able to beat the Pats have gotten to Brady and put him under some remarkable pressure. That includes the pair of sacks that the G-Men got in the first go around of these two teams. The Baltimore Ravens were able to get in his face last week, and though he was only sacked one time, Brady did throw two picks and only found the end zone one time, and that was on the ground. This is the same type of defense that the Giants are going to throw New England’s way again with some ferocious pass rushers like DE Jason-Pierre Paul. Whether it is more draws, more quick plays, extra blockers, or whatever the case is, Head Coach Bill Belichick and Brady have to design ways to be successful and to keep the likes of Pierre-Paul and these other remarkable defensive linemen out of the backfield.

Super Bowl 46 Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
New York Giants +3.5
New England Patriots -3.5
Over/Under 56
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Key #2: The threat of the big play has to be there
Brady threw for 5,235 yards this year, but the one knock that he has had about his passing game is that there really wasn’t all that much of a vertical passing game. WR Chad Ochocinco might have the ability to stretch the field, assuming that he is back in the lineup for the Super Bowl, while WR Deion Branch is probably the next best option. He caught a deep ball against the Denver Broncos in the Patriots’ first playoff game, but that was a severely different defense than what New England will see in this game. Brady has to be able to have the time to take some shots down the field, no matter who it is that is getting the passes thrown his way, and though we don’t think that he necessarily has to connect on those big time passes, he at least to have to have that threat to keep the New York corners from playing bump and run coverage. We have seen teams hit the deep ball against these defensive backs before, and the Giants have to be taken off the line of scrimmage with the threat of the long pass from one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

Key #3: New England has to become a hardnosed team
With apologies to the football players on the field, all of which have to be tough guys to a certain extent, this New England team is basically soft. The Patriots don’t run the ball right up the gut all that often and have to get cute running the ball with gimmicks and odd formations. They tend to get gashed when teams run hard at them, and their corners really don’t like playing bump and run coverage. Case in point for how soft this team looks: New England needed three shots to get into the end zone from 2nd and goal against the Ravens’ 1-yard line to get in the end zone, and in the end, it was just a jump from Brady got the ball in on fourth down. This is a tough New York team that has taken the emotion from its winning streak and its history of winning the Super Bowl in the past. New England has to match that intensity if it wants to avoid another terrible disappointment in the Super Bowl.

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In order to make the most successful Super Bowl picks this year when the New England Patriots meet the San Francisco 49ers, we really have to look at the past and pick out some of the best Super Bowl trends that are on the board. Here’s a glance at all of the Super Bowls in the past and some of the most notable things that we can point out heading into the biggest duel of the season.

Note: Teams highlighted in yellow were Super Bowl favorites

The first thing that we notice right away is that there are a ton of favorites on the Super Bowl odds that have taken down the biggest game of the year outright. Favorites are 33-12 SU over the course of the 45 Super Bowls coming into this season. There are seven Super Bowls in which the favorite has won the game outright, but has failed to cover the number, three of which have ended in a push. Half of the last six favorites that won the Super Bowl didn’t beat the Super Bowl betting lines, something that didn’t happen once for the first nine championship games.

Of course, we know that the Patriots and Giants have played in their share of Super Bowls. The Pats are playing in their fifth Super Bowl since 2002, and they are searching for their fourth win in that stretch. Interestingly enough, the underdog is 4-0 ATS in these four games in the QB Tom Brady era, but the Patriots, who were favored in two of the four, only have one cover in that stretch. They were the second biggest underdogs to ever win a Super Bowl outright when they beat the “Greatest Show on Turf,” the St. Louis Rams in the first of two Super Bowls that K Adam Vinatieri ended with a game-winning field goal. All told, New England is 4-2 SU and 1-5 ATS in its six Super Bowl appearances.

New York first won Super Bowl 21 against the Denver Broncos, and it got the job done against the Buffalo Bills in 2001 thanks to K Scott Norwood’s wide field goal attempt at the gun to hang on for a victory. The Giants went on to lose Super Bowl 35 against the Baltimore Ravens, but they came back in their most recent Super Bowl appearance four years ago to beat these Patriots 17-14 in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Super Bowl. In the end, the G-Men are 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in their four Super Bowls.

The Giants and Patriots have met nine times in their histories, and these two teams are knotted at five games apiece SU. Earlier this year, the G-Men were able to score a 24-20 upset at Gillette Stadium, where they ended Brady’s personal winning streak at home that dated back to before the perfect regular season in 2007. Ironically, the last time that these two teams played in the postseason was in 2007, which was just a month before taking out the Patriots in the Super Bowl. New York is 6-2 ATS in the nine games that these two have played since 1987.

It was four years ago that the New York Giants were lifting the Lombardi Trophy at the expense of the New England Patriots. This year, they are back in the big one once again, and if they are going to beat the Super Bowl betting lines in Super Bowl 46, these are the Giants keys to winning the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
Super Bowl Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Super Bowl Date/Time: Sunday, February 5th, 6:30 p.m.
Super Bowl Television Coverage: NBC

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012 NFL Playoff Bracket And Other NFL Playoff Previews

Key #1: Eli Manning has to continue to get the job done in the clutch
Call it whatever you want to call it. Eli has guts. The younger Manning brother was sacked six times and nailed countless others by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, but even though he was in a position where he was absolutely brutalized, when his back was against the wall, he got the job done. In fact, that “back against the wall” mentality is what brought the G-Men their first Super Bowl in the Manning era, and it will be what has to happen again this year. It is clear that QB Tom Brady has the better passing game in our eyes with the flexibility at the tight end spot. However, in the end, when the going gets tough, it is Eli that is going to have a shot with the ball in his hands to make something special happen. It might be to lead a comeback. It might be to preserve a lead. It might be to make the big throw in a seemingly impossible position. Yet at some point, Manning is going to need to make a play, and regardless of how well or not well he has played in the game to that point, he is going to have to find some way, against all odds, to make the play that helps New York win this game.

Super Bowl 46 Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
New York Giants +3.5
New England Patriots -3.5
Over/Under 55.5
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Key #2: The ground game cannot be stuck in neutral
The first time that these two teams played this year, 25 carries combined from RBs Brandon Jacobs and Danny Ware needed 95 yards on the ground. It wasn’t enough to consider the New York offense even remotely balanced, as the team threw it 39 times on the day, but it was just enough to win the time of possession battle and give Manning the ability to throw the ball around the field. RB Ahmad Bradshaw was out of the lineup in that first meeting of the year, as was WR Hakeem Nicks. The addition of these two is crucial to say the least, but if Bradshaw and Jacobs can’t get the ball going on the ground, these three fantastic wide receivers that Manning has at his disposal could effectively be taken out of the game. These two had a combined 23 carries for 87 yards in the Super Bowl four years ago, but there was a lot more pressure on them to carry the offense with the very young Manning under the gun.

Key #3: Blitz, blitz, and blitz some more
Actually, we probably don’t have the right terminology for this. The Giants don’t necessarily need to blitz, but they absolutely have to get in the backfield on defense and get the ball out of QB Tom Brady’s hands in a heartbeat. If Brady can hold onto the football in the backfield for long periods of time, TEs Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski will have plenty of time to get open and find seams in the defense. That just isn’t going to cut it to say the least. All of a sudden over the course of the last few weeks, men like DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DE Osi Umenyiora are finding ways to get around the corner and into the backfield in a hurry. Penetration is going to have to come straight at Brady as well, as it was when the pass rush was in his face that he made mistakes all season long against some of the best defenses in the game. Sure, generating that pass rush with just four or five guys will make life a lot easier on some suspect corners, but running bump and run and getting guys in the backfield in a hurry will do wonders as well. If the Giants can’t dial up some blitz packages and knock down Brady, they aren’t going to have success in this game.

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After weeding through 30 other teams, there are just two that remain for the right to battle it out for the Lombardi Trophy. The New England Patriots will take on the New York Giants in the biggest game of the year, and here at Bankroll Sports, we have all of the essential information for Super Bowl 46, including the date, time, and television station for the Superbowl.

Super Bowl Date: Sunday, February 5th

Super Bowl Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. (ET)

Super Bowl Television Station: NBC

Football fan in the Northeast really couldn’t have asked for anything more, as teams from the two biggest markets in the area are going to square off against one another in what has become a true rivalry of teams across conferences. Anyone who was around four years ago remembers just how epic the Super Bowl was between the Giants and the Patriots, as they fought for the full 60 minutes tooth and nail before WR David Tyree made the catch that might go down in the history of the game as the best football play ever, and WR Plaxico Burress caught the touchdown pass that led to one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history as well. It was the first championship and the true coming out party for QB Eli Manning, who is now four years older and wiser. Now, he is considered one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the game, standing right beside the man that he is going to face once again in this title game, QB Tom Brady.

There really is no reason that you wouldn’t want to watch this game. Obviously, both of these teams have tremendous offenses that chuck the pigskin all over the field. Brady and Manning threw for over 10,000 yards between them this year, making them the first tandem of quarterbacks to throw for over 10,000 yards in a Super Bowl matchup. WR Victor Cruz came out of nowhere to be one of the top receivers in the league this season, while both WR Hakeem Nicks and WR Mario Manningham have the ability to do some real damage as well. When Brady played in the Super Bowl four years ago, he and WR Randy Moss were breaking a ton of passing and receiving records. Now, it is Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski that are rewriting the record books. Gronkowski had one of the best seasons that a tight end ever had in the NFL, and he is flanked by another tight end that would be a tremendous stud on virtually any other roster in the game, TE Aaron Hernandez. WR Wes Welker led the league in receptions once again this season, and he is always the dependable target, while WR Deion Branch was more or less the forgotten man in the offense. Remember, of all of the wide receivers in this game, it is Branch that is the only one to already have a Super Bowl MVP award to his credit.

The teams both were flawed this year as well, but both have figured out how to work past their flaws. The New England defense, which ranked second to last in the league this season, has come up with two sturdy games in a row, and the team’s secondary is finding ways to do just enough thanks to an improved pass rush. The Giants had the worst rushing attack in the NFL this year, but all of a sudden, RBs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are taking on the form that they used to have when they combined to make one of the most vaunted ground games in the league. A much maligned secondary has come up with some big games, including shutting down QB Matt Ryan, frustrating QB Aaron Rodgers, who might be the league’s MVP this year, and halting the momentum built by QB Alex Smith this season.

Needless to say, this Super Bowl has the potential to be remarkable, and it is surely going to be a game that you don’t want to miss. Be sure to tune into Super Bowl 46 between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, February 5th on NBC

The 2012 NFL Playoffs are just about set, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are dissecting the NFL playoff bracket and the NFL playoff possibilities for the road ahead, as we head towards the 2012 Super Bowl 46.

Current NFL Playoff Picture (AFC Playoff Bracket)
1: New England Patriots (13-3)
2: Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
3: Houston Texans (10-6)
4: Denver Broncos (8-8)
5: Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
6: Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)

AFC Playoff Game Previews

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans Predictions

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos Predictions

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens Predictions

Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots Predictions

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots Predictions

New England Patriots Keys To Win The Super Bowl

The New England Patriots were the team that survived the NFC. It wasn’t all that much of a surprise, as they were the favorites to win this conference from the get go this year. One would have to admit that it wasn’t the hardest road to reach the Super Bowl, as the Pats ended up beating a Denver Broncos team that probably had no business being considered as one of the 12 teams fighting for the Lombardi Trophy. The argument could have been made that they weren’t the better team against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, knowing that the game ended on a missed field goal by one of the best kickers in the game in K Billy Cundiff. Still, with home field advantage on their side, the Patriots took the utmost advantage, and in a conference where the home team won all five playoff games, it was New England that was left standing to compete in the Super Bowl for the seventh time in team history.

Current NFL Playoff Picture (NFC Playoff Scenarios)
1: Green Bay Packers (15-1)
2: San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
3: New Orleans Saints (13-3)
4: New York Giants (9-7)
5: Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
6: Detroit Lions (10-6)

NFC Playoff Game Previews

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints Predictions

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants Predictions

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers Predictions

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers Predictions

New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers Predictions

New York Giants Keys To Win The Super Bowl

Many made comparisons between this version of the New York Giants and the one that won the Super Bowl four years ago. And yes, we would have to admit that the comparisons are scary. In both instances, New York proved that it could beat the best teams in the league, in both instances it had to go through the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and in both instances, it had to kick a field goal in overtime in a game that probably could have been won several times before that just to get into the Super Bowl. And guess what? In both instances, no one really believed that this team had a shot at doing the ultimate deed of lifting the Lombardi Trophy. However, after virtually pitching a shutout in the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Falcons, taking out the Packers, the team that was almost certainly the best in the league this year on their home turf and bouncing the San Francisco 49ers in the Bay Area in a driving rain storm in overtime, the Giants have proven to be battle tested, and they are certainly going to make a formidable foe in Super Bowl 46 even though they were the No. 4 seed in the NFC at the outset of the playoffs.

It is strange to think that we are at the quarter pole of the 2012 NBA schedule, but most teams are through right around 16 of their games. Here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to try to capitalize on some of the up to date 2012 NBA championship odds by picking out some of the teams with the best value.

We still think that this is the world belonging to the Miami Heat (Current 2012 NBA Finals Odds: 1.75 to 1 at SportBet Sportsbook) and that the rest of the world is just playing in it. Dwyane Wade has been out of the lineup at times, and the combo of LeBron James and Chris Bosh has still been able to carry the load against some of the best teams in the league. Come playoff time, there will be a whole new set of pressures placed on men like rookie Norris Cole, but considering the fact that he was able to come right in and produce, we are optimistic that the team is really in a lot better shape now than it was a year ago, assuming that the Big Three are ready for the playoff push and fully healthy in the summer.

If there is a team that is knocking off the Heat in the East, it is the team that they beat soundly in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, the Chicago Bulls (Odds To Win the NBA Finals: 5.65 to 1 at SportBet Sportsbook). The Bulls have already played 10 road games this year, and they have already survived one major West Coast swing. They are undefeated at home, and they clearly play in one of the inferior divisions in the NBA, and unless the Indiana Pacers do really prove to be that legitimate of a contender, there is no way that this team won’t be at least the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Derrick Rose and the gang have another year of playoff experience though, and that might make all the difference in the world and give the boys from the Windy City the edge needed to win the whole enchilada.

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Out West, we think that the Oklahoma City Thunder (2012 NBA Championship Odds: 6 to 1 at SportBet Sportsbook) are the very deserving favorites in the conference. They inked Russell Westbrook to a long term deal this week, guaranteeing to keep he and Kevin Durant together for quite some time. The Thunder have looked great both at home and on the road this year, and though they do play in one of the tougher divisions in the league, they are clearly the best team in the bunch. As long as Durant and Westbrook stay healthy, this is team that is a true force to be reckoned with.

We’re still not ruling out the consummate underdogs in the West though, the Los Angeles Clippers (2012 NBA Finals Odds: 18 to 1 at SportBet Sportsbook). There is no doubt that this is the best team in the city of LA this year (in spite of the fact that, for some unknown reason, the Lakers still have the shorter odds to win it all). Dwight Howard has put Lob City on his list of potential trade destinations, and if he ends up combining forces with Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and Chauncey Billups, look the heck out! This all of a sudden could go from a team that has been the laughing stock of the league to one that wins the whole enchilada in a hurry.

List Of Past NBA Finals Champions
2011 NBA Champions: Dallas Mavericks
2010 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2009 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2008 NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
2007 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2006 NBA Champions: Miami Heat
2005 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2004 NBA Champions: Detroit Pistons
2003 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs
2002 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2001 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
2000 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers

We aren’t that sure that it is going to last, but we think that it is worth taking a flyer on the Philadelphia 76ers (Odds To Win The 2012 NBA Finals: 70 to 1 at SportBet Sportsbook) right now. The Sixers are leading the Atlantic Division by four games, and neither the New York Knicks nor the Boston Celtics really feel like they are going to be challenging for the league title this year. Philadelphia ranks No. 3 in the league in total offense and No. 2 in total defense, and for as long as that keeps up, this is a team that is going to contend. Challenging in the playoffs might be a different story when it is all said and done, especially with the Bulls and the Heat in this conference, but if the 76ers do end up as the No. 3 seed in the East as they would be right now, they would certainly be worth the bet at these odds.

Up To Date 2012 NBA Finals Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 1/20/12):
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Miami Heat 1.75 to 1
Chicago Bulls 5.65 to 1
Oklahoma City Thunder 6 to 1
Los Angeles Lakers 8 to 1
Dallas Mavericks 16 to 1
Los Angeles Clippers 18 to 1
Boston Celtics 26 to 1
New York Knicks 26 to 1
Portland Trail Blazers 26 to 1
San Antonio Spurs 26 to 1
Orlando Magic 33 to 1
Memphis Grizzlies 40 to 1
Atlanta Hawks 44 to 1
Denver Nuggets 50 to 1
Indiana Pacers 66 to 1
Philadelphia 76ers 70 to 1
Houston Rockets 125 to 1
New Jersey Nets 150 to 1
Utah Jazz 150 to 1
Golden State Warriors 200 to 1
Milwaukee Bucks 200 to 1
Phoenix Suns 200 to 1
Minnesota Timberwolves 250 to 1
New Orleans Hornets 250 to 1
Cleveland Cavaliers 300 to 1
Charlotte Bobcats 500 to 1
Detroit Pistons 500 to 1
Sacramento Kings 500 to 1
Toronto Raptors 500 to 1
Washington Wizards 500 to 1

2011-12 Odds To Win The NBA Finals @ BetRevolution Sportsbook (as of 1/20/12):
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Miami Heat 1.25 to 1
Chicago Bulls 4.25 to 1
Oklahoma City Thunder 4.55 to 1
Dallas Mavericks 15 to 1
Los Angeles Lakers 9 to 1
Portland Trail Blazers 25 to 1
New York Knicks 16 to 1
Orlando Magic 25 to 1
San Antonio Spurs 25 to 1
Atlanta Hawks 35 to 1
Memphis Grizzlies 60 to 1
Boston Celtics 25 to 1
Phoenix Suns 125 to 1
Houston Rockets 105 to 1
Los Angeles Clippers 14 to 1
Denver Nuggets 45 to 1
Golden State Warriors 150 to 1
Utah Jazz 60 to 1
Indiana Pacers 48 to 1
Charlotte Bobcats 250 to 1
Philadelphia 76ers 24 to 1
New Orleans Hornets 150 to 1
Milwaukee Bucks 125 to 1
New Jersey Nets 125 to 1
Detroit Pistons 250 to 1
Washington Wizards 350 to 1
Sacramento Kings 150 to 1
Toronto Raptors 250 to 1
Minnesota Timberwolves 250 to 1
Cleveland Cavaliers 250 to 1

And then there were four… There are only two games on the NFL schedule that are left before the Super Bowl, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re taking a close look by doing our NFC Championship Preview and odds breakdown, and our AFC Championship Game preview and odds breakdown.

The first game on Sunday is the AFC Championship Game, pitting the Baltimore Ravens up against the New England Patriots. These two teams were the top two seeds in the conference, and save for a few weeks when the Houston Texans were in the fray, these were the top two teams in the AFC all season long.

Baltimore has taken the very, very tough road to reach this point, as it has had to play a number of tough games both at home and on the road this year. The Ravens are a perfect 7-0 in games against playoff teams this year, and they have to hope that they can keep that up when they go into Foxboro on Sunday.

The Patriots certainly have the talent to do some real damage though, and with the amount of just raw skill that they have out there on the field, they are deserving favorites. Sure, the schedule has been weak this year, and sure they don’t have a single win against a team that finished above .500 since last December, but the Pats can score on anyone. QB Tom Brady just torched the Denver Broncos for six TDs, and he is clearly the most talented and most playoff-experienced quarterback left in the bunch.

QB Joe Flacco has a history of winning playoff games on the road in big time spots, but it seems when push comes to shove, he just can’t get his team over the hump in the games like this one. The oddsmakers don’t have a lot of confidence that he can get the job done in this one, though. Baltimore is a 7.5 point underdog, while the ‘total’ is set at a rather lofty 50.5 in the AFC Championship Game.

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On the NFC Championship Game odds, we have two teams that hardly anyone saw coming. The New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers were always considered good teams this year that were probably going to be in the playoffs, but in the end, no one really, truly thought that either was going to really have the goods to play in the Super Bowl.

The 49ers must admit that they caught a break when the Giants beat the Green Bay Packers. Not only do they probably end up getting the easier game, but they also avoid the trip into Lambeau Field and force the G-Men to travel across the country for their second trip to the Bay Area this season.

You aren’t going to find a hotter quarterback right now than QB Eli Manning, who has tossed six TDs in his two playoff games thus far in the postseason. The defense has gotten the job done for the Giants as well, as the pass rush has been all over the place against both the Falcons and the Packers. QBs Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers have to be thrilled that they aren’t going to be dealing with these pass rushers like DE Jason Pierre-Paul again this season.

That being said, the Niners are the hot commodity right now. No one believed that they could get the job done against QB Drew Brees and the mighty New Orleans Saints offense, and though they did allow 32 points and almost 500 yards of offense, they forced five turnovers and were largely the more aggressive of the two teams on both sides of the ball. They feel like they deserve to be here, and for the first time in his career, QB Alex Smith is getting the respect that he deserves after being a No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft all those years ago.

Smith has a chance to fulfill his destiny if he can just hold serve at home in this game. The Giants are up against it, as San Fran has now gone 8-1 SU and 8-0-1 ATS this year when playing by the Bay. The 49ers are favored by a field goal, while the ‘total’, which was set at the same 47 that this game landed on the first time these two teams met, has since dropped to 45.

2012 NFL Divisional Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 1/16/12):
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AFC Championship Game Odds (1/22/12)
301 Baltimore Ravens +7
302 New England Patriots -7
Over/Under 50

NFC Championship Game Lines (1/22/12)
303 New York Giants +1
304 San Francisco 49ers -1
Over/Under 41.5

The Current NFL Week Divisional NFL Odds @ Bovada Sportsbook
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The AFC Championship Game odds are out, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are set to take a look at what should be a fantastic duel in Foxboro between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. Check out our New England vs. Baltimore keys to the game for the AFC Championship Game.

NFL Playoffs Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots
Ravens vs. Patriots Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Ravens vs. Patriots Date/Time: Sunday, January 22nd, 3:00 p.m.
Ravens vs. Patriots Television Coverage: CBS

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012 NFL Playoff Bracket And Other NFL Playoff Previews

Key #1: The Patriots have to prove that they are tough
It’s hard to challenge a team’s toughness, but we have to wonder just how good these Patriots are. They played against two teams that finished above .500 this year, and they were beaten by both the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve got their hands full now with a Baltimore team that is as tough as nails. What we have seen from the Patriots is the ability to throw the ball, and there is no doubt that they can do that as well as anyone ever has been able to in the history of the league. However, running the ball is a severely different story. The team ranks No. 20 in the NFL with 110.2 rushing yards per game, and a heck of a lot of those yards have come on finesse runs to the outside. The Ravens are going to challenge New England the entire game by slamming it right up the gut both on offense and on defense, and if this game gets ugly, QB Tom Brady and the gang are going to be tested against a team that absolutely relishes playing in these types of games.

Ravens @ Patriots Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Baltimore Ravens +7
New England Patriots -7
Over/Under 50
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Key #2: Brady is going to have to find some receivers aside from the tight ends
The combination of TEs Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski is as good as it gets in the NFL, and these two had right around 250 yards from scrimmage against the Denver Broncos last week, but we just don’t know whether the Ravens are going to be allowing that type of production with all of the speed that it has in the middle of the field. Remember that last week, Baltimore played against one of the few teams that utilize the tight end as much as New England does, and the three Houston tight ends combined for just two receptions and 26 yards. The Ravens also didn’t allow a pass that went for more than 19 yards in the whole game, and it is a wonder how Brady is going to find holes in this defense if he can’t work the ball up the field and can’t get it inside to his tight ends. WR Wes Welker could be in for a big time day, as could WR Deion Branch, who is more or less the forgotten man in this offense in spite of the fact that he had a fantastic season as the No. 2 wide out.

Key #3: Joe Flacco has to make some plays to win
There really wasn’t all that much that Flacco did last week against the Texans. He took advantage of three turnovers to score 17 first quarter points, but he only had a field goal for the rest of the game. Quite often, Flacco has found himself rushed against some of the best front sevens in the game, but with the Patriots missing DE Andre Carter and possibly playing without their top sack man, DE Mark Anderson as well, the pocket might not be a problem for the former Delaware Blue Hen. Flacco went 14-of-27 against Houston’s stout defense, but a lot of the passes that he completed were products of great plays by the wide receivers and tight ends, several of which were one-handed snares on balls that weren’t necessarily thrown the greatest. Flacco has found ways to win playoff games for his whole career, but right around this juncture, he needs to make the big time play to get his team to the Super Bowl, and he just hasn’t been able to do it. There is a point that there have to be some questions asked of Flacco, and eventually, he is going to have to win a game like this to validate that he indeed can take this team to the Super Bowl.

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