2013-14 NFC Championship Lines For the 49ers @ Seahawks

Arguably the NFL’s most fierce rivalry will culminate in Sundays NFC championship when the Seattle Seahawks (14-3 SU, 11-6 ATS) host the San Francisco 49ers (14–4 SU, 11–5-2 ATS) from CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The two teams split the season series, with Seattle winning in week 2, 29-3. San Francisco returned the favor in week 14, winning 19-17. Both teams boast top tier defenses as each team was ranked in top 3 in total defense in the regular season. Since the 2012 season, both teams have held serve at home with Seattle’s wins being a lot more convincing. Seattle comes into Sunday’s game winners on three out of their last five, while San Francisco has been the league’s hottest team, winning eight in a row. Seattle advanced to the championship game defeating New Orleans 23-15. San Francisco advanced by winning at Carolina 23-10.

Current NFC Championship Line (Moneyline) @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 1/13/13):
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San Francisco 49ers Win NFC Championship Game +170
Seattle Seahawks Win NFC Championship Game +185

Current NFC Championship Game Spread @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 1/13/13):
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San Francisco 49ers +3.5
Seattle Seahawks -3.5

2013 Super Bowl Odds (Odds To Win the NFC & The Super Bowl) @ WagerWeb Sportsbook (as of 1/13/13):
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San Francisco 49ers Win NFC Championship Game +300
Atlanta Falcons Win NFC Championship Game +180

The 2013 NFL playoff picks are going to be difficult to make, and in this one, the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons are set to do battle with one another. Check out our 49ers vs. Falcons predictions and the NFC Championship Game keys to the game for San Francisco vs. Atlanta.

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#2 San Francisco 49ers @ #1 Atlanta Falcons
49ers vs. Falcons Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
49ers vs. Falcons Date/Time: Sunday, January 20th, 3:00 p.m. (ET)
49ers vs. Falcons On TV: FOX
Key #1: Vernon Davis has to be a factor for the Niners
We know that the 49ers have been a remarkable team all year long, and they put up an outstanding effort against the Green Bay Packers last week. However, if there has been a knock on QB Colin Kaepernick, it is that he just hasn’t really figured out how to get a great rapport consistently with any of his receivers. Last week, the Falcons were just destroyed by TE Zach Miller, who finished the day with eight receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown. Miller isn’t the only tight end this year to light up the Falcons. Five tight ends since November 29th have put up at least 50 receiving yards against this Atlanta defense. Davis was expected to have a heck of a season, but he only had 41 receptions for 548 yards with five TDs. He also had just one catch against the Packers, but it did go for 44 yards. That now gives Davis just seven receptions in his last seven games dating back to Week 12 against the New Orleans Saints. If Davis isn’t going to be able to figure out how to get the job done, Kaepernick might have a tough time trying to get together with his receivers. Only WR Michael Crabtree had more than two receptions against Green Bay, and with DB Asante Samuel matched up with Crabtree all day on Sunday, someone else will have to step it up. Davis is the perfect man to do just that.

49ers @ Falcons Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
San Francisco 49ers -3.5
Atlanta Falcons +3.5
Over/Under 47
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Key #2: The Falcons have to get some pressure on Colin Kaepernick
DE John Abraham spent most of the game on the sidelines with an ankle injury in the Divisional playoff game, and as a result, QB Russell Wilson was able to run all over the field. Wilson finished with 385 passing yards and 60 rushing yards, and a lot of what he created over the course of the game came on the move. QB Colin Kaepernick has proven that he has ice water in his veins, and he isn’t going to be worried about playing on the road in this situation. He beat the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints on the road in the regular season, and in his first playoff start, he rebounded from throwing a pick six on the first drive of the game by rushing for 181 yards and two TDs and throwing for 263 yards and two TDs. Atlanta did get two sacks on Wilson, but that just wasn’t good enough, especially in the second half. With Abraham certainly in doubt for this coming week’s game, someone else is going to need to get into the backfield and force Kaepernick to throw the ball, because if he gets on the run like Wilson successfully did time and time again on Sunday, it is going to be a long day for this defense.

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Key #3: Atlanta absolutely has to run the football
Sure, you can pick on what the Falcons had done in the past in the playoffs and you can say that QB Matt Ryan and Head Coach Mike Smith had never won a playoff game since coming to Atlanta. However, the real NFL expert handicappers that disliked the Falcons did so because they didn’t run the ball well all season long, and they really didn’t play great defense. In the first half against the Seahawks, they did both of those items. They held twice on defense in the red zone, and they rushed the ball for 133 yards. In the second half, they allowed three touchdowns on the first three drives of the half on defense, and they only rushed for 34 yards. Needless to say, with as close as the Seahawks came to winning on Sunday, the Falcons are lucky to be here. If they don’t find a way to run the ball against a San Francisco defense that allowed just 94.2 yards per game this year on the ground, this game won’t be even close, as Matty Ice proved last week that he probably isn’t winning the NFC by himself without the help of RB Jacquizz Rodgers and RB Michael Turner.

While most of the world focuses on the new start of the Major League Baseball season and the NBA playoffs, the guys of the grid iron are hard at work during the off-season. Nearly two weeks after teams wrapped up the 2009 NFL Draft, teams are now holding the customary mini-camp and other off-season festivities. Betus.com has officially released the new odds to win the NFC Championship following the draft and we will take a look at some teams to consider in 2010. Take advantage of off-season odds at our sponsored sports books and consider placing a wager for next year’s Super Bowl contender. We break down who to watch out for in the NFC in 2010 and will follow up with a breakdown of the AFC during the middle of the week.

NFC East

Odds to win the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys +300
New York Giants +150
Philadelphia Eagles +160
Washington Redskins +700

The NFC East is possibly the most unpredictable conference of all-time. Last year all four teams had legitimate chances to win the division throughout the season. The Giants were the most consistent team finishing with a record of 12-4. However, New York really faltered down the stretch after Plaxico Burress was apart of the off the field trouble. The Giants either never got back focused mentally or suffered offensively from not having Burress. The Giants lost 4 of their last 5 games of the season due to the flat offense. New York is a team with a lot of question marks heading into 2010. Could Hakeem Nicks be the spark they need back at wide out to get the offense rolling again? One thing is for sure is that the Giants defense did play solid all year and should be a force again in 2010. Philadelphia caught fire during the 2nd half of the season after Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career. The Eagles defense was another strong unit that played very well. The question this year will be again surrounding the offense and quite possibly McNabb. Will the veteran quarterback have his act together early or will he show more signs of inconsistency? The Eagles top pick Jeremy Maclin could make an immediate impact especially if he gets the chance to help out the special teams. Philadelphia has strong possibility to be strong again as they fell one game short of the Super Bowl last season losing to Arizona. The Dallas Cowboys landed a lot of depth through the off-season, but there are still a lot of question marks in the air. How will the defense play and will the offense be better or worse after Terrell Owens? The Cowboys definitely have the ability to be a front runner, but they late season stumbles have become an unwanted tradition. Washington first round pick Brian Orakpo has a bright future in the NFL. The Redskins simply had problems moving the ball last season and will need more explosiveness. The defense like the rest of the division had its bright spots, but the offense still needs some work. Clinton Portis had strong start to the season running the ball, but that dwindled away towards the end of the year. The Redskins were 5-1 when Portis reached the 100 yard mark and 3-9 when he was held to less than 100 yards.

Pick – Philadelphia +160

NFC North

Odds to win the NFC North:
Chicago Bears +200
Detroit Lions +1500
Green Bay Packers +160
Minnesota Vikings +150

The NFC North is another division that could be wide open in 2010. The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers are both moving in the right direction with their franchises, but how long will it take them to truly get there? The Bears landed a big fish during the off-season with Jay Cutler. Cutler should finally end all the question marks behind center and put the focus on another aspect of the field. The offense lacks the playmakers needed for them to be among the best in the NFC, but things could see an upswing with Cutler at quarterback. The Packers made some moves to fill the defensive side of the ball with the 2009 draft. The Packers were on the verge of having a great year last season. In their 10 losses, 7 of those defeats came by less than 4 points. Turn just half of those around and Green Bay would have been in the playoffs easily. With most of the offense returning and some more depth on defense, look for Green Bay to turn some losses into wins this time around. In this division, 10-6 could win the division again. Minnesota won the North last year behind the legs of Adrian Peterson. Peterson posted 1760 yards on the year and Minnesota developed into an offensive threat during the closing weeks. Percy Harvin could add to the explosiveness or could become a let down as well. The Vikings main concern may be behind center. Gus Frerotte threw 15 picks last season and Tarvaris Jackson just has not been what they have hoped. However, the Vikings will still grind out some wins through a talented running game and a defense that matured at the end of the year. As far as Detroit is concerned, do we really have to consider them for winning the division? The question for this team is how many games they will win this year. Better days are ahead for the Lions, but 2010 would be a success with as little as 4 victories.

Pick – Green Bay +160

NFC South

Odds to win the NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons +180
Carolina Panthers +200
New Orleans Saints +180
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +600

The Carolina Panthers closed out the 2009 regular season out very strong led by one of the best running back duos in the league. DeAngelo Williams had 1515 yards for the season while Jonathan Stewart added 836 yards as well and the two combined for 28 touchdowns. Carolina went out on a limb to draft Everette Brown as Julius Peppers made it public that he was exploring options out of Carolina. The offense will be another similar Panthers offense with Steve Smith at wide out and strong rushing attack. However, Jake Delhomme still has not convinced anyone that he is a true winner. Also, the Panthers will have to defend their NFC South crown from some talented up and coming teams. The New Orleans Saints could be one of the surprise stories this season. The Saints offense is a lot like the Cardinals offense that shined in 2009. However, New Orleans had one of the worse defenses in the league last year that allowed 24.6 points per game. The Saints drafted Malcom Jenkins in the first round that could start from day one in the weak secondary. If the Saints defense could just come together and improve, New Orleans offense could have the Saints marching again. Atlanta will be looking for superstar sophomore quarterback Matt Ryan to lead the Falcons back to the playoffs. The Falcons possess a solid balanced passing and rushing attack that keeps defenses on their hills. If Ryan can continue to impress the world, there is not much reason to bet against the Falcons as they are solid in all aspects of the field. Tampa Bay has finished at 9-7 the past two seasons and mediocrity appears to be the future. The Buccaneers drafted Josh Freeman with their first round pick who they hope can be the Matt Ryan type lottery pick. However, Freeman will need time to develop and nothing looks to immediately impact the struggling offense.

Pick – Atlanta +180

NFC West

Odds to win the NFC Wtst:
Arizona Cardinals +140
San Francisco 49ers +260
Seattle Seahawks +180
St Louis Rams +800

The Arizona Cardinals were the biggest surprise story of 2009. Kurt Warner return to the main stage was a great feel good story, but for the possibly Hall of Fame quarterback it will be another work in progress in 2010. The Cardinals had 3 receivers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau in that impressive offense last season. If Kurt Warner could just hook up with Larry Fitzgerald like they did in the playoffs that could be enough to win the division. After all, the Cardinals won the NFC West last season with only a 9-7 record. The St. Louis Rams completely fell apart last year as they lost their last 10 games of the season. The Rams drafted Jason Smith at the number 2 overall pick to try and help Steven Jackson at running back. Unfortunately, the Rams defense gave up 29 points per game last season which was among the leagues 2nd worse defense. The Rams just have not made enough changes to see a big difference this fall. Seattle sported another weak defense in 2009 that gave up 24.5 points per game. However, Aaron Curry was the best defensive pick in the draft and should give some help in the heart of that defense. The offense needs some playmakers as well before they can contend with the rest of the NFC. However, the Seahawks may have what it takes already to contend in this division. San Francisco actually finished the year fairly well despite only having a 7-9 record for the year. The 49ers lost 6 straight games through the middle of the season, but did finish winning 5 of their last 7. Michael Crabtree should add excitement at wide receiver and Glen Coffee is a downhill runner who may be very under rated. The 49ers could just focus on the NFC West wins and make some noise in the division race next season.

Pick – Arizona/San Francisco

In the midst of the Arizona Cardinals first ever trip to the Super Bowl and NFC Championship last Sunday, star wide receiver Anquan Boldin had a melt down on the sidelines with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. In case you haven’t heard or seen, Boldin is very unhappy with the way he has been used during the postseason for Arizona despite the Cardinals success. Call me crazy, but if my team was going to the Super Bowl I would not care near as much if I was not catching every touchdown on the field. I know Boldin has been a huge factor this season for the Cardinals and he is a tremendous player I just think these actions could have been avoided. When this argument ignited, the Eagles had the ball with a little under 6 minutes to play and the Cardinals were facing the idea of suffering defeat from a big come back from Philadelphia. Still Arizona would end up making a game winning drive and earning their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history.

Boldin’s actions come at a time that was not only surprising considering the magnitude of position of the game, but during a time that would have more likely hurt the time rather than helped. Anquan Boldin is a stellar wide receiver that has never been in any type of off the field issues. Boldin’s presence in the Arizona lineup means everything to the Cardinals success. Perhaps Boldin just is not happy that all the touchdowns and catches are going to the other playmaker on the other side of the field in teammate Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has been unstoppable during the playoffs with big play after big play. Fitzgerald broke a playoff record with 419 receiving yards over the last 3 games including the first ever player to score 3 touchdowns in the first half of the NFC Championship Game. Boldin and Fitzgerald were dynamic forces together on the field this season. Both star receivers had over 1,000 yards and combined for an outstanding 23 touchdowns for the year. The numbers were fairly split with Fitzgerald catching a few more yards, but with nearly identical touchdown numbers. However, since the playoffs Fitzgerald has stolen the spotlight.

Anquan Boldin only caught 4 passes for 34 yards in the Cardinals NFC Championship win last Sunday and by those numbers you might understand why the star player was upset. However, when your teammate is constantly breaking open and making big plays to put your team ahead I do not see where the conflict comes in. Boldin only has 119 yards during the playoff this season, but I believe with the actions of last Sunday he actually hurt his Super Bowl performance before the game takes place and here is why: The Steelers are going to have to lock down on Larry Fitzgerald possibly not only with a cornerback, but with a safety coming in for doubling support. You would have to think that would be priority number one. This would have likely played into Boldin’s advantage giving him the opportunity to make some big plays. Do not get me wrong there is no defense in the NFL that is going to forget Boldin’s amazing talent and simply not cover him. However, with the outburst on the sideline and the media frenzy the Steelers are much more likely to give even extra attention to the ball coming Boldin’s direction during the Super Bowl.

It is just hard to understand Boldin’s actions last Sunday. Sure I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he was caught up in the heat of the moment, but still if the Cardinals lose the game there would have been a lot more fingers pointing to Anquan for the sidelines controversy that was going on. These Terrell Owens type antics are not expected from a player as respected as much as Anquan Boldin is by teammates and friends. I would not go as far as to say Boldin is not happy for the success that Larry Fitzgerald has had in recent games, but I would not hold back from saying there is a bit of jealousy there as well. What makes the scenario even worse, is that after the game Boldin was no where to be found. Big deal many might think, but this was after his team had just won the NFC Championship and they were all celebrating together. All the hard work that goes into the off-season and the painful workouts are what makes those moments with teammates so special when everyone feels rewarded together. Except one of the biggest players that helped get them together was headed back to the locker rooms instead of celebrating on the field with his team. Hopefully and likely this will not affect the Cardinals chances of winning a Super Bowl, but still the actions and timing were a little bit out of line.