The New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 15 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Sunday Night Football matchup.

Colin Kaepernick Over/Under 47.5 Rushing Yards: This is a really tough one, but we think that the moment is going to really get to Kaepernick in this one. That means that he is probably going to throw the ball less and run it more. The former Nevada QB has rushed for at least 53 yards in three out of five games since taking over as a starter, and there is a good chance that he is going to take off at least a half dozen times, if not a heck of a lot more against a New England defense that tends to be pretty darn aggressive. This could work against us this week, but we think that it is a sound investment to play on the ‘over’. More often than not, it looks like Kaepernick has the ability to bust a big run, as he has three rushes this year of at least 30 yards, and we’ll take our chances. Colin Kaepernick Over 47.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Tom Brady Over/Under 23.5 Pass Completions: This is a pretty high number for a Brady completion total, but we expect that this is going to be a heck of a lot more of a game than some of the games that he has played in lately. Remember that over the course of the last several close games, Brady has completed 24 passes against Miami, 23 against Buffalo, 26 against New York, 36 against Seattle, and 23 against Denver. It’s really tough to run the ball against this San Francisco defense, so we expect to see a lot of these short passes to the various inside options to make up for what RB Stevan Ridley and the gang probably won’t be able to find. In the end, we think that this will be a day when the Brady Bunch comes up with at least 25 pass completions. Tom Brady Over 23.5 Pass Completions (-125)

Wes Welker Over/Under 7 Receptions: Did you read the last paragraph that we just wrote? Who do you think is going to be catching all those passes? Welker has caught 95 balls this year, and that includes five games this year with more than seven catches (and two other games with exactly seven catches). Sure, a bum ankle could be problematic for Welker, but this could be (and likely is) nothing more than a typical Patriots injury distinction, declaring an injury just for the sake of letting us in the media talk about it. The 49ers play bend but don’t break defense as well as any team in football, and though Welker might get a ton of receptions, he might not get all that many yards. We don’t care though, whether Welker gets 50 yards or 250 yards as long as he gets his eight receptions. Wes Welker Over 7 Receptions (+100)

Stephen Gostkowski Over/Under 9 Points: It’s really tough to score 10 points in a game if you’re a kicker, even if you’re the Patriots’ kicker. That means that Gostkowski is going to need to come up with either two field goals and three TDs to push (two field goals and four TDs to win) or three field goals and a TD to push (three field goals and two TDs to win). Sure, Gostkowski has had a great year and has averaged 9.85 points per game this year. However, he has also had no field goals in two of his last three games, and he still has a ton of misses this year. The 49ers aren’t going to give anyone in the opportunity to score six or seven times in a game as will probably be required for him to get there, so by default, we have to bet against Gostkowski in this one, especially at even money. Stephen Gostkowski Under 9 Points (+100)

San Francisco 49ers vs. New England Patriots NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 12/16/12):
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Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -120
No Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -110

49ers Score First +125
Patriots Score First -155

First Score a Touchdown -180
First Score Not a Touchdown +150

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 44.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 44.5 Yards -115

Colin Kaepernick Passing Yards Over 230.5 -115
Colin Kaepernick Passing Yards Under 230.5 -115

Colin Kaepernick TD Passes + INTs Over 2.5 +140
Colin Kaepernick TD Passes + INTs Under 2.5 -180

Colin Kaepernick Rushing Yards Over 47.5 -115
Colin Kaepernick Rushing Yards Under 47.5 -115

Colin Kaepernick Scores a Rushing Touchdown +120
Colin Kaepernick Does Not Score a Rushing Touchdown -150

Frank Gore Rushing Yards Over 70.5 -115
Frank Gore Rushing Yards Under 70.5 -115

Frank Gore Scores a Touchdown +100
Frank Gore Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -130

Michael Crabtree Receptions Over 5.5 -105
Michael Crabtree Receptions Under 5.5 -125

Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Over 69.5 -115
Michael Crabtree Receiving Yards Under 69.5 -115

Michael Crabtree Scores a Touchdown +140
Michael Crabtree Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -180

Vernon Davis Receptions Over 3.5 +100
Vernon Davis Receptions Under 3.5 -130

Vernon Davis Scores a Touchdown +160
Vernon Davis Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -200

NaVorro Bowman Total Tackles Over 8.5 -115
NaVorro Bowman Total Tackles Under 8.5 -115

Patrick Willis Total Tackles Over 7.5 -130
Patrick Willis Total Tackles Under 7.5 +100

David Akers Points Over 7.5 -130
David Akers Points Under 7.5 +100

Tom Brady Completions Over 23.5 -125
Tom Brady Completions Under 23.5 -105

Tom Brady Passing Yards Over 280.5 -115
Tom Brady Passing Yards Under 280.5 -115

Tom Brady Throws an Interception -160
Tom Brady Doesn’t Throw an Interception +130

Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Over 70.5 -115
Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Under 70.5 -115

Wes Welker Receptions Over 7 +100
Wes Welker Receptions Under 7-130

Wes Welker Receiving Yards Over 83.5 -115
Wes Welker Receiving Yards Under 83.5 -115

Wes Welker Scores a Touchdown +115
Wes Welker Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -145

Brandon Lloyd Receptions Over 4.5 -105
Brandon Lloyd Receptions Under 4.5 -125

Brandon Lloyd Receiving Yards Over 56.5 -115
Brandon Lloyd Receiving Yards Under 56.5 -115

Aaron Hernandez Scores a Touchdown -110
Aaron Hernandez Doesn’t Score a Touchdown -120

Jerod Mayo Total Tackles Over 8.5 -140
Jerod Mayo Total Tackles Under 8.5 +110

Stephen Gostkowski Points Over 9 -130
Stephen Gostkowski Points Under 9 +100

The New England Patriots and Houston Texans are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 14 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial primetime fight.

Will Either Team Score in the First 6:00 Of the Game?: Though the Texans are averaging right near 30 points per game this year, and though the Patriots score 30+ (heck, sometimes even 50+) at home against virtually everyone, both teams tend to come out of the blocks a little more conservative. Houston especially, loves to get the ball rolling with RB Arian Foster and work on that stretch play that they run better than anyone in the league. They tend to take their time and be methodical. The defense is going to do what it can to make sure that QB Tom Brady doesn’t get the ball up the field in a hurry, and as long as WR Wes Welker and the deep threats all stay in front of the Houston DBs, Head Coach Gary Kubiak is going to be a happy man. There’s a reason that this prop is set at 6:00 and not at the 5:30 or 5:00 that we would be expecting for a game that has a ‘total’ that is posted this high. No Score in the First 6:00 (+105)

Matt Schaub Over/Under 260.5 Passing Yards: Though we know that we are going to see plenty of Foster in this game, we are going to see Schaub put the ball up in the air as well. When the props post on WR Andre Johnson, we think that he is going to be in for a huge game when push comes to shove. Johnson has had 28 catches over the course of the last three games, and he had solid games against both the Broncos and the Ravens this year when he was called upon, including catching a 60-yard touchdown pass against Denver. Schaub has already thrown for over 3,000 yards this year, though we probably should take out that 527 yard game against the Jaguars from consideration for this. Still, that’s three out of five games getting past the 260-yard mark, and if you believe that the Texans are going to play this one from behind at any point, this is a prop that you figure should be a winner in a big time game. Matt Schaub Over 260.5 Passing Yards (-115)

Arian Foster Rushing Yards Over/Under 92.5: Just because Schaub and Johnson could have a heck of a lot of fun on Monday doesn’t mean that Foster can’t as well. Remember that he has had at least 90 yards in five out of six games, and he is going to be up against a New England defense that has historically been weak against ground games. Look at Houston’s toughest opponents this year and see what Foster did to them. He ran for 105 on Denver and 98 on Baltimore, not to mention 102 on Chicago. That’s an awfully good indication, especially off of a week in which he only carried the ball 14 total times, that Foster is going to be in for a much, much better day when push comes to shove this time around versus New England. Arian Foster Rushing Yards Over 92.5 (-115)

Tom Brady Over/Under 1.5 Touchdown Passes: One might think that this is a bit of a trick play when looking at the NFL betting lines. After all, Brady should easily be able to throw for two touchdowns, even against this stout Houston defense, right? The truth of the matter is that the Texans only rank 19th against the pass this year, and Brady had played six games in a row with at least two touchdown passes before last week’s narrow escape from the Miami Dolphins. Brady now has 25 TDs against just four picks this year, and it is clear that he is going to have his opportunities to score in this game. Houston’s defense is good, but this is Brady at home. Sure, he only had one score against the Broncos at Gillette this year, but remember that we only have to win this one five out of seven times to make it worthwhile. There’s no way that Brady is going to have three games out of seven in which he doesn’t throw at least two TD passes. Tom Brady Passing Touchdowns Over 1.5 (-250)

Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots NFL Props @ Diamond Sportsbook (as of 12/10/12):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at BetDSI.eu When Using This Link)
Score in the First 6:00 Minutes of the Game -135
No Score in the First 6:00 Minutes of the Game +105

Texans Score First +105
Patriots Score First -135

First Score a Touchdown -210
First Score Not a Touchdown +165

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 50.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 50.5 Yards -115

Matt Schaub Passing Yards Over 260.5 -115
Matt Schaub Passing Yards Under 260.5 -115

Matt Schaub Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 -140
Matt Schaub Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 +110

Arian Foster Rushing Yards Over 92.5 (-115)
Arian Foster Rushing Yards Under 92.5 (-115)

Tom Brady Pass Completions Over 25 -115
Tom Brady Pass Completions Under 25 -115

Tom Brady Touchdown Passes Over 1.5 -250
Tom Brady Touchdown Passes Under 1.5 +190

Tom Brady Throws An Interception -130
Tom Brady Doesn’t Throw An Interception +100

The New York Jets and New England Patriots are set to continue the 2012 NFL season, and as a part of our analysis of the Week 12 betting lines, we are taking a look at some of the best NFL props on the board for this crucial Thursday Night Football matchup.

Will the First Score of the Game Be a Touchdown?: Odds have it, New England is going to be the first team to score, and if that turns out to be the case, you know that this is going to be a touchdown. The Pats have been hearing about it all week. They don’t have TE Rob Gronkowski, they’re going against a defense that ranks sixth against the pass, and QB Tom Brady really struggled against the Jets when they met several weeks ago. However, in the end, this is still the Patriots offense, and it is still flat out awesome even in spite of all of those issues. Brady isn’t going to want to see the field goal team out there, knowing that K Stephen Gostkowski has really flat out stunk for a good chunk of the year as well. It’s a gut shot play for sure, but we have to think that the first points on the board are going to be worth six, not worth three. First Score of the Game a Touchdown (-180)

Tom Brady Total Completions Over/Under 24.5: Asking for 25 completions in a game is going to be awfully tough. We really listed all of the reasons above why Brady is going to be facing some adversity, and though we do think that he is going to get through it all and get plenty of points on the board, he probably isn’t going to get to 25 completions. After getting Gronk injured last week, there’s a good chance that Brady won’t be playing late in this game if matters are out of hand, and that might make a difference as well. The Jets aren’t going to keep the points off the board, but they’ll at least keep Brady from getting to this prop. Tom Brady Under 24.5 Completions (-105)

Will Stevan Ridley Score a Touchdown?: The Jets have allowed nine rushing touchdowns this year in 10 games to opposing running backs, and there’s just no reason to think that Ridley won’t find his way into the end zone this week in some regard. Ridley has scored a touchdown in three straight games and in six out of 10 this year. Yes, we have to admit that it’s a bit scary to think that Ridley is going to get shafted by the fact that Head Coach Bill Belichick clearly hates fantasy football and loves sticking various running backs in there near the goal line. Still, the opportunities are going to be there at the goal line in all likelihood, and another one of the perks of not having Gronk out there is the fact that the ground game is going to be featured more at the goal line in all likelihood. Stevan Ridley To Score a Touchdown (-130)

Mark Sanchez Over/Under 229.5 Passing Yards: Oh sure, Sanchez threw for 328 yards the first time these two teams met, but let’s be realistic about him. The USC Trojan has thrown for 138, 103, 82, 124, and 178 yards in five of his games this year, and it is clear that QB Tim Tebow is getting at least more of a look in the offense. Sanchez just isn’t going to get to 230 passing yards in this one significantly more often than not, and the way that we see it, it isn’t even going to be remotely close. Mark Sanchez Under 229.5 Passing Yards (-115)

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets NFL Props @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 11/22/12):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at JustBet.cx When Using This Link)
Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -120
No Score in the First 6 Minutes of the Game -110

Patriots Score First -170
Jets Score First +140

First Score a Touchdown -180
First Score Not a Touchdown +150

Longest Touchdown of the Game Over 46.5 Yards -115
Longest Touchdown of the Game Under 46.5 Yards -115

Longest Made Field Goal of the Game Over 43.5 Yards -130
Longest Made Field Goal of the Game Under 43.5 Yards +100

Shortest Made Field Goal of the Game Over 25.5 Yards -115
Shortest Made Field Goal of the Game Under 25.5 Yards -115

Total Sacks By Both Teams Over 4 +100
Total Sacks By Both Teams Under 4 -130

Special Teams Or Defensive Touchdown Scored +150
No Special Teams Or Defensive Touchdown Scored -180

Tom Brady Pass Completions Over 24.5 -125
Tom Brady Pass Completions Under 24.5 -105

Tom Brady Touchdown Passes Over 2.5 +120
Tom Brady Touchdown Passes Under 2.5 -150

Tom Brady Throws An Interception +100
Tom Brady Doesn’t Thrown An Interception -130

Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Over 78.5 -115
Stevan Ridley Rushing Yards Under 78.5 -115

Stevan Ridley Scores a Touchdown -130
Stevan Ridley Doesn’t Score a Touchdown +100

Mark Sanchez Passing Yards Over 229.5 -115
Mark Sanchez Passing Yards Under 229.5 -115

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
Click Here to Bet Your Super Bowl Picks!

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.

Click Here to get the best football picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our Super Bowl picks and the NFL picks on the Super Bowl odds.

There are a tremendous number of ways to make money by betting on the Super Bowl, but here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to take some time to look at some of the props that you might find useful to bet on if you aren’t even a fan of football! Check out these Super Bowl halftime props and other exotic Super Bowl props that are available at SportBet Sportsbook!

How Long Will Kelly Clarkson’s National Anthem Be?
Virtually every single year, the ‘over’ is the right way to go on this one. These tremendous singers who are bona fide stars are still a bit struck by the whole situation of playing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and as a result, there are a few more seconds tacked on to what should be a song that takes about 75-80 seconds to sing. However, after last year’s debacle with the Star Spangled Banner, there is no way that Clarkson is going to do anything out of the ordinary by her own standards. She has obviously sung the anthem before, and even though she is on a bigger stage than she was on American Idol, she won’t let this pressure get to her. In the end, she’ll turn in a relatively tame number that should stay under this 1:34 mark offered at virtually every single online sportsbook.

What Color Will Madonna’s Hair Be For The Halftime Show?
This is a tricky one because you never really can tell what Madonna is thinking. This is certainly the most “risqué” act that any of the Super Bowl halftime shows in recent years, ever since the whole “wardrobe malfunction” incident. The Super Bowl prop here insinuates that Madonna is going to have at least more than one color in her hair. She has gone blonde (or at least some blonde) for quite some time, but for this event, we could see just about anything happening. There is no way that we would want to lay -530 that Madonna does the “normal” thing and at least has half of her hair as blonde, so we would recommend taking the +350 that she comes out with at least a few goofy colors in her locks.

Will The Word “Tebow” Be Said In The First Quarter By Al Michaels Or Chris Collinsworth?
Super Bowl props are always tricky, and SportBet gave us a bit of a curveball here in that only the two men in the announcing booth, not an interviewee or any of the sideline reporters must say the last name of the Denver Broncos’ quarterback. If either one of these signal callers were even the least bit mobile, we would say that the comparison to Tebow would come up. However, unless the New England defense is really harassing QB Eli Manning enough to the point to go back and show just how good it was against the Broncos either in the regular season or in the playoffs on tape, we just don’t see how this is happening. There is far too much going on for the NBC booth boys to be discussing the almighty Tebow, especially in the first quarter of the game.

Robert Kraft Times Shown On NBC vs. Peyton Manning Times Shown On NBC
Again, we have to read between the lines here. The rules specifically state that only kickoff through final whistle count for this prop and that halftime does not apply. This could be crucial, as halftime really seems like the only logical time to discuss the whole Peyton Manning situation. Sure, we think that we will see big brother Peyton a time or two cheering on his little brother (or sulking that his arch rival is winning a Super Bowl on his field), but in the end, the stories for Robert Kraft are just so much greater than those of Manning. Kraft is directly involved in the game as the owner of the Pats, and the story with his wife passing this year and all of the players wearing the patches on their uniforms commemorating her passing is too good not to talk about at least once or twice. The New England owner just has to get more face time on TV than Peyton, or there is something seriously wrong with the coverage of the Super Bowl.

What Will Barack Obama’s Super Bowl Pick Be?
For the time being, President Obama seems to be taking the neutral corner about who is winning the Super Bowl. However, he has made picks for Super Bowls in the past, taking the New Orleans Saints in 2010 and these Patriots in 2008 in their game against these same Giants. Our dear president seems to have some problems with the Manning boys, huh?!?! That being said, if he took the Pats the first time around and they were beaten in the big game, we just can’t see Obama making the same mistake twice. Go with him to take the Giants in a prediction that will probably be ultimately made at some point between now and Sunday’s kickoff.

Bovada Sportsbook is one of our favorite sportsbooks, as it has some of the best football props that you will find on the internet. Check out our Super Bowl prop sheet for the New England Patriots, as they get ready to try to exact some revenge in Super Bowl 46.

Tom Brady Passing Yards Over/Under 320.5: Brady is going to be under the gun in this one, knowing that he has a fantastic pass rush coming his way. He hasn’t historically played all that well in the playoffs of late, though he obviously has the pedigree of playing well enough to win in these big time games. Brady also has a set of receivers that has been banged up. TE Rob Gronkowski is the most notable injury concern, as he has an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice. If Gronk can’t give it a go or is limited for whatever reason, the man that Brady uses as his support over the middle won’t be as effective as always. That could really hurt him even though the secondary for the G-Men is somewhat weak. Play on the ‘under’ in this one for sure.

Danny Woodhead Over/Under 1.5 Receptions: You never really know what Head Coach Bill Belichick is thinking with his running backs. Woodhead was used quite a bit in the first meeting between these teams though, as he had seven carries and six looks as a receiver, totaling 60 yards. Woodhead did only have 18 receptions this year, but he had 34 a year ago in just 14 games, proving that he can get the job done as a receiver as well. If Gronkowski is limited, TE Aaron Hernandez will probably spend less time in the backfield than he has in the rest of these playoffs. That probably means more looks for Woodhead as well, especially with New England needing to find some way to slow down the New York pass rush. He seems to be a solid play to get at least two receptions on Super Sunday.

Rob Gronkowski Over/Under 6 Receptions: Again, we have to mention this injury that Gronkowski is dealing with. It really concerns us any time that we talk about ankle injuries, especially in games played on turf instead of grass. The former Arizona Wildcat has had some huge games, and he has all of the potential in the world, especially near the red zone. This seems like an easy ‘over’ play, knowing that he had eight grabs against the Giants in the first meeting in Foxboro. However, we just aren’t all that sure that Gronk is going to be the top tight end target in this one, as Hernandez could suddenly become the tight end du jour for Brady. Asking anyone to come up with at least seven receptions to beat us is a heck of a lot for the Super Bowl.

Rob Ninkovich Over/Under 5 Tackles + Assists: Every now and again, especially when you’re talking about the hundreds and hundreds of Super Bowl props that are available on an annual basis, the oddsmakers just get a line badly wrong. Ninkovich averaged 4.6 tackles + assists this year, which is why this number is probably relatively logical at five. However, in the playoffs, the Purdue production only has a grand total of six tackles + assists in two games. He hasn’t had more than four tackles + assists in a game since Week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs, and that came in a game in which the Chiefs ran the heck out of the football. The Giants are clearly going to throw it more than run in, and in the passing game, if Ninkovich isn’t getting sacks, he probably isn’t getting tackles. The ‘under’ is the better play for sure.

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
Click Here to Bet Your NFL playoffs Picks!

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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