The four teams in the AFC West are probably separated by about as many miles as you could reasonably have going into the 2013 NFL season. Below, you’ll find the odds to win the AFC West, as we put together our 2013 AFC West preview.

The Denver Broncos (2013 AFC West Odds: 1 to 5 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) won this division by the biggest margin of any division winner last season, and there really is little reason to believe that won’t be the case again this season as long as QB Peyton Manning stays healthy. Manning is going to have the entire offseason completely healthy to get ready for the campaign, and he could be insanely lethal, especially now that he has a very talented receiver at his disposal in WR Wes Welker. Most NFL expert handicappers are focused in on Welker and what he brings to the table as a third receiver in the slot with WR Demaryius Thomas and WR Eric Decker. We know that this is a great offense for sure, but we still question the other side of the football. The Broncos lost LB Elvis Dumervil in the offseason, and this is an aging unit that could have some holes at the back. Head Coach John Fox and the crew still have to be haunted by the pass that magically fell into the hands of WR Jacoby Jones that forced the overtime period that was ultimately lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, and the secondary hasn’t done anything major to fix those types of gaffes. That’s the only concern that we have with the Broncos going forward this season, though.

The big question mark team that most think can contend for a playoff spot this year is the Kansas City Chiefs (2013 Odds To Win AFC West: 6.50 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Chiefs have really hit the reset button at this point. They have a new franchise offensive lineman in OL Eric Fisher, they have a new coach in Head Coach Andy Reid, and they have a new quarterback in QB Alex Smith. If Smith has anywhere near the level of success that he had with the San Francisco 49ers over the course of the last two seasons, KC could be alright. Yes, the defense was bad last year, and not a lot of measures have been done to change all of that, but the offense was really the embarrassing unit. This crew scored just 211 points for the season. The next closest team in the AFC was the Jacksonville Jaguars, who scored 44 more points than that. Kansas City could be alright this year, but it isn’t good enough to compete with Denver.

Beyond Kansas City is another team with a new look this year, the San Diego Chargers (NFL Odds to win the AFC West: 6.50 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Chargers decided to finally get rid of Head Coach Norv Turner and install Mike McCoy as the man in charge, and he is at least going to come with a firm knowledge of the Denver offense. QB Philip Rivers has underachieved really for his entire career, and he is going to have the opportunity to once again put together a decent season this year. RB Ryan Mathews and the rushing game should be helped out with McCoy calling the shots for the offense, which was respectable as it was last season at 21.9 points per game. The Bolts are going to need to do more than that if they are going to win the AFC West this year. This probably isn’t a team that, on paper, is as good as Kansas City, but it is the team with the greater upside in terms of a boom. If Turner was just that bad of a coach (and trust us, he was), the opportunity is going to be there for Rivers and his teammates to bust out and ultimately get back to where the perception is that this team should be at.

The most dysfunctional team in the NFL though, is the Oakland Raiders (Current AFC West Odds: 20 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). The truth of the matter though, is that we would at least consider this 20 to 1 price when push comes to shove, but for nothing more than the price of a lottery ticket. QB Matt Flynn might ultimately turn out to be the real deal. Unfortunately, we just don’t know yet thanks to the fact that he has been a backup quarterback everywhere that he has gone, including to two great quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Every now and again, we have seen this team of dysfunction put together some great games out of nowhere. Heck, it was only two years ago that Oakland ran the table in the AFC West and was right on the verge of getting into the playoffs! Raider Nation is still a ways away at this point, but we still think that this is a team that has at least a degree of talent that could turn out to be golden.

2013 NFL Odds to Win AFC West Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 6/13/13):
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Denver Broncos Win AFC West -500
Field Wins AFC West +400

Kansas City Chiefs Win AFC West +650
Field Wins AFC West -900

San Diego Chargers Win AFC West +650
Field Wins AFC West -900

Oakland Raiders Win AFC West +2000
Field Wins AFC West -3000

The Houston Texans were expected to run away with the AFC South last season. They did beat the odds to win the AFC South, but they didn’t win the division comfortably, and they definitely have some company now to challenge for the division’s automatic bid into the playoffs. The AFC South odds are a case of the haves and the have nots this year though, and we’re here to break it all down at Bankroll Sports!

There’s no doubt that the Houston Texans (AFC South Odds: 1 to 2.50 SportBet Sportsbook) remain as one of the top teams in the AFC this year, and this might be the season that the team gets over the hump. Anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl would be considered a disappointment for a team that has made it to the postseason and won a playoff game in each of the last two seasons. The offense should be a heck of a lot better now that there is a legitimate second receiver flanking WR Andre Johnson in WR DeAndre Hopkins, who has a great chance of being the Offensive Rookie of the Year this season. The defense will get back LB Brian Cushing once again this year, and that should help out, though the loss of LB Connor Barwin will definitely hurt the defense off the edge. S Ed Reed brings a swagger to the team that it just hasn’t had on the defensive side of the ball in franchise history, and if he can get this team believing that it should win games, it will be a very, very dangerous squad. Still, the team is only going to go as far as QB Matt Schaub and RB Arian Foster take it, and last year, that was only good enough to get into the second round of the playoffs.

Last season, the Indianapolis Colts (Odds To Win AFC South: 2.50 to 1 SportBet Sportsbook) stormed out of nowhere to win 11 games and get into the playoffs. We know that QB Andrew Luck is probably going to be the best quarterback of his generation, and the opportunity is there for him to throw for 5,000 yards, believe it or not. The whole offense was sort of rebuilt through the NFL Draft last year, and as a result, there isn’t much that this team has had to do much but build its core. Head Coach Chuck Pagano will hopefully remain healthy and get a chance to lead his team into battle for all 16 games and the postseason this year. The problem that Indianapolis has though, is that it probably isn’t quite as good as Houston is quite yet. Give it one more year though, and the men in white and blue should be back in command. Perhaps the Colts will arrive a year ahead of schedule, but we think they are destined for a slight drop from last season’s 11 wins.

Those were the haves. Now we’re at the have nots. The Tennessee Titans (2013 AFC South Betting Lines: 7.50 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook) just don’t feel like a team that is all that close to doing anything remarkable. The club was definitively no better than the 6-10 mark that it put up last season, as it was outscored by 141 points and went just 2-6 on the road. QB Jake Locker just isn’t a refined passer, though at least this year, he has a lot of weapons to choose from, starting of course with WR Kenny Britt. Can the Titans stop anyone, though? They ranked dead last in the NFL last year in defense at 29.4 points per game allowed, and there were some tremendously ugly games that won’t leave the memory bank any time in the near future. RB Chris Johnson would have to run for 2,000+ yards again just to even remotely get the Titans to a discussion to get to .500.

For as bad as the Titans are, the Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL AFC South Division Odds: 25 to 1 SportBet Sportsbook) are nowhere near winning. We do give the club some credit, knowing that it made some good moves in the offseason. The team didn’t panic to make a move for a mediocre quarterback, and it passed on all of these quarterbacks in the NFL Draft as well. The addition of OT Luke Joeckel might have been the best pick in the NFL Draft, as he can be a franchise cornerstone. That could help put together the rushing attack again for RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who does seem like he is running out of tread on his tires. WR Justin Blackmon has been suspended for the first four games of the season after failing a drug test, and he might be on his way out of the league if he can’t shape up. It’s a shame too, because drafting him gave the team a consistent weapon on the outside that could have been one of the more explosive players in the league. It will be another frustrating year for the Jaguars, but another Top 5 pick in the NFL Draft might get this team to where it really needs to be going forward in 2014.

Latest 2013 Odds to Win the AFC South @ Sportbet Sportsbook (as of 6/26/13):
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Houston Texans Win AFC South -250
Field Wins AFC South +210

Indianapolis Colts Win AFC South +250
Field Wins AFC South -300

Tennessee Titans Win AFC South +750
Field Wins AFC South -950

Jacksonville Jaguars Win AFC South +2500
Field Wins AFC South -4000

Our 2013 AFC North preview is probably one of the more interesting ones that you’ll have to pay attention to if you want to beat the NFL Futures odds. This is the toughest division in the league, and odds to win the AFC North are as tight as could be, as at least three of the four teams are expected to challenge for the division title.

Normally speaking, the year after winning the Super Bowl, you’re an overwhelming favorite to win your division. In the AFC North though, you’re barely a favorite, and at many online sportsbooks, the Baltimore Ravens (2013 AFC North Odds: 1.80 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) aren’t even the definitive choice. QB Joe Flacco had one of the best postseasons that any quarterback has ever had, and he was paid in the offseason as a result. However, GM Ozzie Newsome had a lot of tough decisions to make after winning the Super Bowl, and the purge was certainly on right away. WR Anquan Boldin was traded for virtually nothing to the San Francisco 49ers, LB Ray Lewis retired, and S Ed Reed was allowed to walk to the Houston Texans. LB Paul Kruger was a salary cap casualty as well. Now, FB Vonta Leach, who paved the way for RB Ray Rice and RB Bernard Pierce to have great seasons last year, has been cut. Granted, there are some new faces to help fill the gaps, namely LB Elvis Dumervil, who should be a prototypical mean and angry Baltimore defender. This unit should be good once again, but will it be nasty? If so, it needs a bona fide leader that can strike fear into opponents like Reed and Lewis used to. We aren’t optimistic that the Ravens are going to get back to the playoffs to have a chance to defend their Lombardi Trophy.

The team to watch out for is the Cincinnati Bengals (2013 Odds To Win AFC North: 2 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Bengals have been growing over the course of these last two seasons, and they should be proud of the fact that they have gotten to the postseason twice in that time in spite of the fact that it was beaten in both games by the Houston Texans. QB Andy Dalton is quietly a very good young quarterback, and the Bengals have a good combination along the front with RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis and WR AJ Green. The defense is improving, and bringing in LB James Harrison will only help build the intensity of this very underrated defense. We think that the Bengals could be a team to watch out for this year, and if we had to guess between the three best teams in the North, this is the team.

It’s odd to see the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL Odds to win the AFC North: 2 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) as the third choice in the division title race in the AFC North. This team though, was all sorts of average last season. Going 8-8 wasn’t going to cut it for a team that was expected to do well, but that might be the end result again this year. The team cut ties with both WR Mike Wallace and LB James Harrison, and though the core is still good, it is younger than you would think and might take some time to gel. The offensive line is going to be the key for this season. QB Ben Roethlisberger can’t be forced into errant throws time and time again, and he is going to need some help from his rushing attack, something that he just didn’t get at all last season. We aren’t worried about filling the voids of the players that are gone, but we are worried about finding a running back that can really carry the load for 1,000 yards. Perhaps RB Le’Veon Bell could be that man if he has himself a good summer.

Rebuilding is still the key for the Cleveland Browns (Current AFC North Odds: 7.50 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). However, we really do like what Cleveland has started to assemble. QB Brandon Weeden probably isn’t the long term answer at the quarterback position, but the team didn’t panic in the NFL Draft and is staying the course. Instead, the club has built a defense that all of a sudden looks pretty darn formidable. The receivers are okay, but they aren’t overwhelming by any stretch of the imagination. We know that there is a lot of work to do for RB Trent Richardson and company to become one of the best teams in this division, but with a new coach, new ownership, and essentially a totally new direction to travel in, the Browns might be ahead of schedule. We don’t think that Cleveland can win this division, but to finish 8-8 isn’t out of the question with a relatively easy schedule to work with.

2013 NFL Odds to Win AFC North Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 6/13/13):
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Baltimore Ravens Win AFC North +180
Field Wins AFC North -200

Cincinnati Bengals Win AFC North +200
Field Wins AFC North -230

Pittsburgh Steelers Win AFC North +200
Field Wins AFC North -230

Cleveland Browns Win AFC North +750
Field Wins AFC North -950

They didn’t take the easiest road in the world to get here, but the Baltimore Ravens have made it to the Super Bowl for the second time in their franchise’s history. They’ll get a chance to claim their second ever Lombardi Trophy on February 3rd, but they have a long road to climb to be able to get to that point. Check out our Super Bowl keys to the game and what the Ravens needs to do to beat the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans.

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#4 Baltimore Ravens vs. #2 San Francisco 49ers
Superbowl 47 Location: Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Superbowl Date/Time: Sunday, February 3rd, 6:30 p.m. (ET)
Superbowl TV Coverage: CBS

Key #1: Joe Flacco has to come up with one more “elite” game
We’ve had this one drilled down our throats for weeks, months… and heck, even years! QB Joe Flacco isn’t an elite quarterback. We know this. All we have to do is look at the way that he stands in the pocket, the way that he ultimately plays under pressure from time to time, and his numbers, and we know that he isn’t the second coming of John Elway or Joe Montana. However, what Flacco is, is a winner. He has brought his team to the playoffs for five straight seasons, has won at least one playoff game for five straight seasons, has made it to the AFC Championship Game three times in the last four years, and now, he has his team just one game away from the Lombardi Trophy. Something different has happened this time around, though. Flacco is actually outplaying some of these truly “elite” quarterbacks. QB Tom Brady looked like a chump in the second half of the AFC Championship Game in comparison to Flacco, while the week before, Flacco was throwing big time passes, while QB Peyton Manning was busy getting picked off in overtime. The former first round pick of the Ravens has thrown for 853 yards and eight TDs over the course of his last games here in the postseason. Sure, some of it was luck, and sure, had that 70-yard floating pass not found its way into the hands of WR Jacoby Jones, we’d probably still be talking about Flacco as the man that has never won the big game in his career. But now, Flacco can say that he is a winner. He has been in the Super Bowl. And with one more game with the stats of an elite quarterback, there might be no way to avoid putting Joe Cool in the same discussion with Brady and Manning.

Key #2: Torrey Smith has to find space deep in the San Fran secondary
The 49ers can be had in their secondary, and we have seen it time and time again over the course of the last few weeks. They allowed WR Julio Jones to catch 11 passes for 182 yards and two TDs against the Atlanta Falcons, and he hasn’t nearly been the only receiver of late to make some big plays happen against these 49ers. Roddy White did it (7 catches, 100 yards). James Jones did it (4 catches, 87 yards, 1 TD). Michael Floyd did it with Brian Hoyer throwing him the football (8 catches, 166 yards, 1 TD). Brandon Lloyd did it, too (10 catches, 190 yards). Four of these five names all share the same thing in common: They aren’t No. 1 receivers on their own teams. In fact, short of the NFC Championship Game, there really aren’t any top targets that have beaten up the Niners. It’s always been the No. 2 or No. 3 guy in the pecking order. Smith is that type of receiver, and he is a man that can get up the field in a hurry. It isn’t a prerequisite for him to score, and he doesn’t even have to have one of these games where he catches 10 passes for 130 yards. Smith just needs to break through the 49ers in the back end a time or two over the course of the game, and the passing game could really open up.

Superbowl 47 Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
Baltimore Ravens +4
San Francisco 49ers -4
Over/Under 48.5
Click Here to Bet Your Ravens vs. Ravens Picks!

Key #3: The offensive line has to keep Aldon Smith out of the backfield
The best games that the 49ers have had this year have seemingly all involved big outings from LB Aldon Smith. The man from Mizzou had 19.5 sacks this year, and in games in which he logged at least one sack, the team allowed 13.1 points per game. In games in which Smith doesn’t get a sack, which now includes five games in a row, the Niners have conceded 24.6 points per game, and they certainly have looked beatable. Of course, we know that there are some fallacies in there, as Smith is getting more attention and room is opening up for some of the other members of the front seven to get to the quarterback. However, this is a real key in this game. When the Ravens were struggling at their worst this year, they were allowing men like DE JJ Watt or DE Von Miller wreak havoc on Flacco and the offense. If the offensive line and the combination of tight ends and FB Vonta Leach can figure out how to put a hat on Smith, it’s going to make life a heck of a lot easier for this offense for the whole game.

Key #4: The defense has to confuse Colin Kaepernick
It is clear that the more time that QB Colin Kaepernick has to throw the ball and get into space, the more likely he is to make the big time play to burn the Baltimore defense. We have seen that time and time again. Teams just underestimate how fast this guy really is, and in the end, he has blown just about every unit he has faced up, especially here in the playoffs. However, Kaepernick isn’t without his struggles, and he has made some young mistakes. There isn’t a defense that has more ornate schemes than this Baltimore ‘D’, especially with two weeks to game plan for the mobile quarterback. Though the Atlanta defense didn’t end up having the most success in the world, it was clear that it had a better chance to get off the field when Kaepernick was in the pocket than when he was out of it, but that doesn’t have to remain the case when push comes to shove. Remember that the pick six that Kaepernick threw against the Green Bay Packers at the outset of that game came while he was on the move, and he made a poor decision. Whatever it takes to make Kaepernick make some of those bad decisions, as rare as they are, is what will be the key factor here for Baltimore defensively.

Key #5: The emotion just can’t run out
If you really look at the talent level that the Ravens have been playing with and playing against over the course of the last several weeks, you have to think that they have just been overmatched. They certainly weren’t a more talented team than either New England or Denver, but they were able to persevere in spite of the fact, largely because of the emotions that are coming from the squad in purple. Oh sure, LB Ray Lewis’ pending retirement is helping the team ride that wave, as is the fact that the team has that “us against the world” mentality to it. However, there is always a danger, especially with the long layoff before this one kicks off, that any team is going to fall flat. The Ravens have to keep this intensity up for the next two weeks, because they are running into a very businesslike team in the 49ers that are going to be in the Bayou for business and business only, not a party. If that intensity isn’t high from the start of practice on Monday through the very last second of the Super Bowl, the Ravens are going to be in some trouble for sure, and they run the risk of getting their doors blown off.

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The San Francisco 49ers became the first team to lock up a spot in Super Bowl 47 when they knocked off the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 at the Georgia Dome. Now, they’re playing in the biggest game of the season, and we are set to make our Superbowl predictions and picks.  In this article we’ll discuss the keys to the game; as in what the 49ers need to do to win the Super Bowl.

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#2 San Francisco 49ers vs. #4 Baltimore Ravens
Super Bowl 47 Location: Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
When is the Super Bowl?: Sunday, February 3rd, 6:30 p.m. (ET)
Super Bowl TV Coverage: CBS

Key #1: 49ers have to come out firing & let C.K. orchestrate the offense from the start.
Early in the Falcons game, it appeared that Jim Harbaugh & Greg Roman were trying to out-think Atlanta defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan.  It seemed as if the 49ers assumed that all the focus would be on Kaepernick’s running ability out of the pistol formation.  On the very first play, the 49ers came out of the huddle, showed the pistol formation, and than quickly switched to a power-i before running their first play.  Perhaps this was their way of saying, “We’ll do what we want”.  But, it didn’t fool Atlanta’s defense at all.  A hand-off to Gore resulted in Falcon defenders filling holes and swarming to the football.  Everyone knows the 49ers intend to run the football between the tackles, regardless of how well Kaepernick slinging the rock.  If the Niners coaching staff really wanted to throw the Falcon defense off-guard, a 5-wide receiver set along with a no-huddle offense from the start really would have done the trick.  The Falcons were playing the run on every play in the first quarter, and the 49ers were playing right into their hands.  Due to the quick three-and-outs, Kaepernick wasn’t able to get comfortable orchestrating the offense until he was allowed to hit some receivers in stride and make some check downs.  Baltimore is going to do everything they can to show that San Francisco’s highly touted offensive front isn’t going to push them around in the running game (and they are going to try to rattle the young gunslinger).  The Ravens will be very aggressive  in doing so.  Therefore, making sure C.K. gets into a rhythm throwing the football early is important.  Not only will it surprise the Ravens defense, but it will also open things up for the Gore/James/Kap running attack trifecta.  It will also allow them to use the Pistol more often later on in the game.  Making the older Ray Lewis run around a little bit, so that he’s huffing and puffing, rather than screaming, will do wonders for the 49ers offense.

Key #2: 49ers secondary has to communicate and avoid allowing big plays down the field.
The one knock against the 49ers over the course of the last few weeks is that they’ve been giving up some big plays down the field.  Early in the Falcons game, a blown assignment by the 49ers secondary allowed Julio Jones to catch a wide open TD.  The Ravens proved in the AFC Championship Game that they can score using the big play, as they got off quite a few big plays in the second half against the Patriots. Baltimore likes to run a modified hurry up, and it has the potential to get a heck of a lot of snaps off if the defense can’t get off the field. Keeping a close eye on WR Torrey Smith down the field and Anquan Boldin over the middle will be very important.  When playing against any elite defense, most teams that have a big arm quarterback are going to take their shots down the field; hoping they can either make a play or get a flag.  If the 49ers can bat these deep ball shots down, they will force the Ravens into some early 3rd and longs and some mistakes.

Super Bowl Betting Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook
San Francisco 49ers -4
Baltimore Ravens +4
Over/Under 48.5
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Key #3: Someone has to get in the face of quarterback, Joe Flacco
Though we know that QB Joe Flacco has a history of being cool in the pocket, he has also had some games in which he has folded as well when he is under a lot of pressure. Matt Ryan was very comfortable early in the NFC Championship.  However, in the second half, they were able to get to him a little bit and force him into some mistakes.  Clearly the talent is there to get to Flacco.  DE Aldon Smith is one of the best pass rushers in the game and DT Justin Smith is a monster up front as well.  However, DT Isaac Sopoaga managed to get the only sack of the game against Atlanta. Two weeks ago, LB Patrick Willis had the only sack against QB Aaron Rodgers and the Pack. Aldon Smith, had 19.5 sacks in his first 13 games of the season, but has not recorded a single sack in his last five games.  He seems to get them in bunches as he recorded 11 sacks over a 4 game span in the midway point of the season. Regardless, it doesn’t have to be Smith, but someone had better get a hand in Flacco’s face and knock him around a little bit.

Key #4: Other receivers have to step up aside from Michael Crabtree
Head Coach John Harbaugh isn’t a fool by any stretch of the imagination. He knows that WR Michael Crabtree is going to get the ball thrown his way quite a bit, as Crabtree really is the only outstanding receiver that the team has at its disposal. The Texas Tech Red Raider caught 15 passes for 176 yards and two TD in the playoffs thus far.  He was largely blanketed by a bevy of Atlanta defensive backs in the NFC Championship (opening things up for a big game from Vernon Davis). No matter what the Baltimore defense throws at Crabtree, he’ll get his catches, but someone else has to step it up. Don’t discount guys like WR Randy Moss and TE Delanie Walke. Though the two only combined for four catches and 66 yards, they were all in clutch spots for the offense. It’s not a matter of getting 100 yards out of Davis, Moss, or anyone else in the lineup, it’s just that a few guys need to make a few big plays to help Kaepernick win his first Superbowl.

Key #5: The 49ers’ front seven absolutely cannot miss tackles
RB Ray Rice is going to be coming and coming strong at the San Francisco defense, and he forces as many missed tackles of linebackers as any running back in the league with his low center of gravity. TE Dennis Pitta and WR Anquan Boldin also have the ability to bowling over unsuspecting members of the secondary to boot. San Fran is one of the best tackling teams in football, and it comes all over the field. This is the second straight year that Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has had his 49ers in the Top 5 in the league in tackles, and that has to hold true in the Super Bowl. If Rice is shaking tackles left and right, the Niners are going to be in some trouble. They have to continue to wrap up at the point of attack no matter who has the football. If they do that, Baltimore is going to have a heck of a time just trying to move the pigskin.

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The 2013 NFL playoff picks are going to be difficult to make, and in this one, the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots are set to do battle with one another. Check out our Ravens vs. Patriots predictions and the keys to the AFC Championship Game for Baltimore vs. New England.

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#4 Baltimore Ravens @ #2 New England Patriots
Ravens vs. Patriots Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Ravens vs. Patriots Date/Time: Sunday, January 20th, 6:00 p.m. (ET)
Ravens vs. Patriots On TV: CBS

Key #1: The Ravens need to figure out how to keep from being on the field for 80+ snaps
There are only so many snaps that a defense can be on the field for. The Baltimore defense has been on the field for exactly 87 plays over the course of the last two weeks against the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. The team only allowed three field goals against the Colts, and though there were 35 points allowed to the Broncos, 14 of those points were allowed on special teams. Conceding 21 points in over five quarters on the road to the No. 1 team in the AFC is nothing to be ashamed of. Though emotion has gotten this team thus far, and LB Ray Lewis has been tremendous in his farewell tour, there is still only so much that can be asked of for a team that allowed 350.8 yards and 21.5 points per game this year. QB Tom Brady is the master of running play after play and taking advantage of a tired defense. He did it all last week against the Houston Texans, and he might be able to take advantage of that against the Ravens as well. New England ran 77 plays when these two teams met the first time. If it does that again, Baltimore is going to be in a heck of a lot of trouble. If the Ravens can get the job done on defense and keep control of the ball on the ground with RB Ray Rice, this could be a very interesting game.

Ravens @ Patriots Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
Baltimore Ravens +9
New England Patriots -9
Over/Under 51
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Key #2: The Patriots have to get over all of their injuries
Brady might be healthy and ready to get back to the Super Bowl for the second straight year, but he doesn’t quite have the healthiest team in the world around him. TE Rob Gronkowski is out for the rest of the year with his second forearm injury of the campaign, and RB Danny Woodhead might be out of the lineup as well. Granted, last week, we saw RB Shane Vereen step up with three total touchdowns, and RB Stevan Ridley had himself a great game, too. Ridley only had 37 yards on 13 carries when these two teams met the first time around, and both Woodhead, RB Brandon Bolden, and WR Julian Edelman were the three offensive touchdown scorers. Bolden will likely have to suit if Woodhead sits, and Edelman’s season is said and done with. All of a sudden, there is a huge difference from entering last week’s game when the Pats were as healthy as they have been all season long, and now when they have a few vital injuries that could prove to be costly. Just about everyone is going to be on notice this week to get into the lineup for New England, and whomever it is that is out there is going to have to be at his best beat the Ravens.

Key #3: Joe Cool has to stay calm and continue to deliver the big time throws
QB Joe Flacco ended up with a raw deal last year. He is still looked upon as the man that is never going to take his team to a Lombardi Trophy, yet in the AFC Championship Game, he still played his heart out. On a day when RB Ray Rice and RB Ricky Williams combined for just 89 yards on 27 carries without a touchdown, and on a day where the weather was awful and the New England defense was swarming, Joe Cool threw for 306 yards and two TDs against one pick. What’s worse for Flacco is that he delivered the ball right on the money that would have won the game if it weren’t dropped by WR Lee Evans, and it’s anyone’s guess as to whether he would have won the game in overtime had K Billy Cundiff not missed that chip shot of a field goal attempt. Over the course of the last two weeks, Flacco has thrown for 613 yards and five TDs without tossing a pick, and the argument could be made that it is the best stretch of football that he has played in his entire career in the postseason. If that continues, the Ravens will have a shot at winning once again. If it doesn’t continue and Flacco resorts back into the quarterback that is largely known for blowing it when the games count the most, Baltimore has no chance.

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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.