Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Saturday 1/12/19
Indianapolis at Kansas City (NBC, 4:35 p.m. ET)
Line Movement: BookMaker.eu opened Kansas City -4 and the number was quickly pushed up to 5 (-115). The Las Vegas Westgate SuperBook sent out the Chiefs -5 ½ and the number has held steady at their property. Both outfits opened the total at 55 ½ and early ‘over’ wagers have pushed it up to 56.
Indianapolis Road Record: 5-4 SU, 6-3 ATS
Kansas City Home Record: 7-1 SU, 4-4 ATS
Head-to-Head: The last meeting between the pair took place in the 2016 regular season when Kansas City captured a 30-14 road win over Indianapolis as a 2 ½-point underdog. Prior to that outcome, the Colts had won three straight games over the Chiefs which included a 45-44 comeback victory at home in the 2013-14 AFC Wild Card round. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck owns a 3-1 all-time record versus the Chiefs and that includes a pair of wins at Arrowhead Stadium, when Indy stifled Kansas City in the 2012 (20-13) and 2013 (23-7) regular seasons.
Playoff Notes: The Colts improved to 4-3 in the playoffs with Luck under center after the club defeated the Texans 21-7 in last Saturday’s Wild Card win. Indianapolis has played five road games during this span and it’s gone 2-3 while averaging 16.6 points per game.
Going back to the 1994 postseason, the Chiefs are 1-10 both straight up and against the spread in their last 11 playoff matchups. During this span, Kansas City is 0-6 in its past six home playoff games dating back to a Wild-Card win in the 1993 playoffs against the Steelers. Last season, they dropped a 22-21 decision to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card round, failing to cover as 8 ½-point home favorites.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid owns an 11-13 all-time record in the playoffs. He went 10-9 during his 14-year run with the Philadelphia Eagles but is just 1-4 in five games with the Chiefs, and the lone win came on the road. Colts head coach Frank Reich is 1-0 in the playoffs, the first win coming last Saturday.
Total Notes: Including last week’s result versus Houston, the Colts have watched the ‘under’ go 5-4 on the road this season. The defense has only allowed 12.8 PPG during this span and that’s resulted in a 3-1 lean to the low side. The Colts have seen the ‘under’ go 5-2 in seven playoff games during Luck’s tenure.
Kansas City watched the ‘under’ go 5-3 at home this season despite solid numbers from its offense (32.4 PPG). Those results were helped by the Chiefs defense, which allowed 34.6 PPG on the road and just 18 PPG at home. The Chiefs have watched the ‘under’ go 4-2 in their last six playoff games, dating back to 2011 and that includes a 3-0 mark at Arrowhead.
Dallas at L.A. Rams (FOX, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Line Movement: The Westgate Las Vegas Super Book sent out Los Angeles as a 6 ½-point home favorite with a total of 49 ½. The early money pushed the Rams quickly up to -7. BookMaker.eu also opened the Rams -6 ½ and they moved up to -7 as well. The offshore outfit sent out a total of 50 before quickly dropping to 49 ½.
Dallas Road Record: 3-5 SU, 4-4 ATS
Los Angeles Home Record: 7-1 SU, 3-3-2 ATS
Head-to-Head: The pair met in last year’s regular season and the Rams defeated the Cowboys 35-30 as five-point road underdogs. The ‘over’ (50 ½) cashed easily. Prior to that matchup, the previous meeting took place in the 2014 regular season when the Rams still played in St. Louis. Dallas won that game, a 34-31 decision as a 1 ½-point road favorite while the ‘over’ (45) connected.
Playoff Notes: The Cowboys improved to 1-1 in the playoffs under QB Dak Prescott on Saturday as it defeated Seattle 24-22 as a 2 ½-point home favorite in the Wild Card matchup. Under head coach Jason Garrett, Dallas has gone 2-2 and the two wins came at home. During this span under Garrett, all four outcomes were decided by five points or less.
The Rams lost to the Falcons 26-13 in last year’s Wild Card round as a six-point home favorite. Prior to this result, the franchise’s previous trip to the postseason came in 2005.
Total Notes: Dallas has watched the ‘under’ go 9-8 this season and could easily be 10-7 if Seattle didn’t score a late touchdown in last Saturday’s playoff matchup. On the road, the Cowboys saw the ‘under’ go 6-2 and the offense (17.2 PPG) didn’t travel well. If you take away the 36-35 meaningless win at the N.Y. Giants in Week 17, Dallas averaged 15.5 PPG. Against playoff teams on the road, the Cowboys averaged 12.4 PPG and the ‘under’ went 4-1 in those games.
The Rams saw their total results end in a stalemate (8-8) this season but they produced a 6-2 ‘over’ mark at home. The offense averaged 37.1 PPG in Los Angeles, which was the top mark in the league for all hosts.
The defense for Los Angeles (28.1 PPG) struggled at the Coliseum this season and it was diced up by quality opponents. Versus playoff teams, the Rams allowed 33.8 PPG and the ‘over’ cashed in all four of those games.
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs
This NFL season was one that was filled with surprises. It seemed that we saw an upset every single week, which in turn led to a few surprise omissions from the playoffs.
Did anyone really believe that the Steelers or Vikings would miss out on the postseason this year, or that the Indianapolis Colts would suddenly emerge as a dark horse, especially given the manner in which they started the season?
The Wild Card Weekend is now over, which means that it’s time for the survivors to move on and face the teams that earned a bye in the first round after landing in the top two in their respective conferences.
The Colts were one of the teams to win last weekend, going into Houston and delivering a solid defensive performance that led them to a comfortable win.
The defense is going to need to be at its very best again this weekend, as they will be facing a Kansas City Chiefs offense that has been a juggernaut this season. The Chiefs are 5 ½ point home favorites, with the point total set at 57. Let’s get to our expert betting prediction right now thanks to our YouWager.eu friends.
Indianapolis Colts (11-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
When: Saturday, January 12 at 4:35 PM EST
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
TV: NBC
YouWager.eu Odds: Kansas City Chiefs -5½ -110 | -240 | U 57 -110
Why bet on the Indianapolis Colts
It’s very easy to forget that the Colts started the season with a 1-4 record, which, if truth be told, was exactly where most of us expected they would be. They had struggled badly without Andrew Luck in the fold, and even with his return this season, there were questions about the strength of his shoulder.
It’s more than fair to suggest that he is fine, as the Colts have been among the most consistent teams in the league over the last 10 games, going 9-1 SU, which included that impressive 21-7 win over the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Game. With that win, the Colts are now 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games, and they are also now 4-2 ATS as the road underdog this season. Overall, the Colts are 4-5 O/U on the road.
Why bet on the Kansas City Chiefs
This has been a season to remember for the Chiefs, with their decision to replace veteran QB Alex Smith, who was traded to the Washington Redskins, with first year starter Patrick Mahomes now looking like a stroke of genius. Mahomes broke all sorts of record on his way to a 50 TD season, leading the Chiefs offense to an average of 35 PPG.
While there is a lot to be positive about, there are still some concerns. The Chiefs D has been leaky at times this season, and let’s not forget that KC lost 2 of their last 3 games, with both losses coming against teams bound for the playoffs. The Chiefs covered the spread just once in their last 5 games and were just 4-4 ATS as a home favorite this season.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
It is the Colts who have had the better of this match-up of late, winning 7 of their last 10 meetings with the Chiefs. This promises to be a great game that I believe is going to be very close. I have the Chiefs edging it, but I like the Colts to cover.
Pick: Kansas City Chiefs 29, Indianapolis Colts 26
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
When it comes to the NFL postseason, there are usually two types of teams that make the final 12. The first group are the ones that are considered to be the elite, which are usually the 4 teams that get the first-round bye. Those teams are the ones that are considered to be the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
The second batch are the division winners that couldn’t quite do enough to get into the top two, as well as the teams that made it in via the Wild Card. Every team has a shot at winning, but this group needs to do more, and get a little bit of luck along the way, if they are to make it all the way to the Super Bowl.
The Divisional Round in the playoffs throws these two groups together. Over in the NFC, we have the L.A. Rams, who had a bye last week, going against the Dallas Cowboys, who won a thriller against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round.
It does look like a bit of a mismatch, but the Dallas Cowboys are a team on a roll right now. Dallas will head to L.A. as a 7-point underdog, with the point total set at 49 ½. Let’s get to our expert betting prediction right now thanks to our YouWager.eu friends.
Dallas Cowboys (10-6) at Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
When: Saturday, January 12 at 8:15 PM EST
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, L.A.
TV: FOX
YouWager.eu Odds: Los Angeles Rams -7 -115 | -340 | U 49½ -110
Why bet on the Dallas Cowboys?
It’s easy to forget that the Cowboys were sitting a game below .500 after 9 weeks of the season. They were a team that was struggling to get the job done on the offensive side of the football, but a move to bring Amari Cooper to Dallas seemed to light a fire under the entire offensive unit. From that point forward, the Cowboys have posted a 7-1 record, winning the NFC East and beating the Seattle Seahawks, 24-22 in the Wild Card Game during that run.
The Cowboys have been a very solid bet against the spread over the last couple of months, going 6-2-1 ATS over their last 9 games. They have also had success on the road against the Rams, going 4-1 SU and ATS in their last 5 visits.
Why bet on the Los Angeles Rams?
It was made very clear during the offseason that the Rams were going all in to win the Super Bowl this season. They had a good season last year, but they came up short in the playoffs. That led management to invest a huge sum of money to get the pieces they believed would take them over the top. A 13-3 record and the #2 seed in the NFC suggests that it was a very good investment.
That said, the Rams had a little bit of a hiccup in the final month of the season, losing back to back games to a pair of teams that ultimately ended up in the playoffs, before closing out the regular season with a pair of dominant wins against struggling teams. At home this year, the Rams went 7-1 SU and 3-3-2 ATS.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
There have been few teams as hot as the Cowboys over the last couple of months, and while they have been on a great run, this looks like the end of the road for them, at least as far as the playoffs go.
Pick: L.A. Rams 33, Dallas Cowboys 21
Total Talk - DP Saturday
January 10, 2019
By Chris David
The 'under' run in the Wild Card round continued last week as the low side produced a 3-1 mark and it could've easily been 4-0. For bettors playing the 'over' in the Seahawks-Cowboys, accept our congratulations and the same time we offer apologies to those who played the 'under' in the Saturday night tilt. Including those results, the 'under' is now 20-7-1 (74%) in the Wild Card round over the last eight postseasons.
Divisional Playoff History
The 'over' went 3-1 in the Divisional Playoff round last season and is on a 6-2 run (75%) the previous two years in this round. There were certainly a couple lucky tickets to the high side, which included last year's Mircale in Minnesota, plus the Titans tacked on a meaningless score in their loss to New England. Speaking of the Patriots, they will be making their eighth straight appearance in this round while both the Saints and Eagles are back for the second consecutive postseason. Looking below, the 'over' has connected at 62.5 percent (15-9) over the past six seasons.
For the playoffs, I'm going to break down every game and offer up my quick handicap and predictions for all the matchups. For those keeping track, we split last week (3-3) and while I was fortunate to cash the 'over' in the Seahawks-Cowboys, that Colts Team Total 'over' (24) was tough to stomach. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end - Good Luck!
Saturday, Jan. 12
Indianapolis at Kansas City (NBC, 4:35 p.m. ET)
The Divisional Playoff round is expected to begin with a shootout from Kansas City. BookMaker.eu sent out this total at 55 ½ and it was quickly pushed up and sits at 57 as of Thursday. These teams met in the 2013-14 postseason and the Colts rallied past the Chiefs for a 45-44 win at home and the ‘over’ (47 ½) was never in doubt. Coincidentally it was the first season for Kansas City head coach Andy Reid and his first playoff game with the club. Fast forward to 2019 and Reid still hasn’t found success with the Chiefs in the postseason with the club going 1-4 during his tenure.
Will that change this Saturday? You have to think they get over the edge sooner or later and fortunately they come into this matchup with an explosive attack. Kansas City finished the regular season with the top-ranked scoring offense at 35.3 points per game and it also led the league in total offense too with 425.6 yards per game.
Second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes had an incredible season, throwing for 5,381 yards and 50 touchdowns. The KC offense is loaded and it certainly needed to be since the defense (26.3 PPG) remains to be an issue. To put things in perspective, the Chiefs scored 37.5 PPG in their four losses.
Those high scoring numbers led to a 10-6 ‘over’ mark for Kansas City but the ‘under’ went 5-3 at Arrowhead Stadium. While the Chiefs defense wasn’t strong overall, they had solid numbers (18 PPG) at home but of the eight opponents that visited KC, only two made the playoffs (Ravens, Chargers) and they averaged 26.5 PPG.
Including last Saturday’s 21-7 result at Houston, the Colts have seen the ‘under’ go 9-8 this season. The Indianapolis defense (20.6 PPG) has put up strong numbers this season, especially down the stretch. In their last eight games, the defense has surrendered 14 PPG and that’s led to a 6-2 ‘under’ record.
VegasInsider.com senior handicapper Paul Bovi wasn’t as high on the Colts unit. He explained, “The Colts have been very poor at times this season, most notably against the pass. (Sam) Darnold, Eli (Manning) and (Blake) Bortles combined to complete 75-of-100 for 900 yards along with five touchdowns and two picks. Here they face the top-ranked offense in the AFC led by the MVP favorite.”
Mahomes should win the honor as the top player but will he succumb to the pressure in his first playoff start? In the Wild Card round, three QBs making their playoff debut went 0-3 and they combined to score 39 points and only six of those points came in the first-half. Just like Mahomes, all of those guys (Watson, Jackson, Trubisky) all had the benefit of playing at home.
Colts QB Andrew Luck has plenty of playoff experience and last week’s win over Houston improved his overall record to 4-3 in the postseason, which includes a 2-3 mark on the road. The ‘under’ has gone 5-2 in those games.
It’s been noted this week that Kansas City hasn’t won a home playoff game since 1994 and it will be looking to snap a six-game postseason skid at Arrowhead. During this losing streak, the Chiefs have averaged 15.3 PPG and that’s led to a 5-1 ‘under’ mark. The expectations have certainly changed with this Kansas City squad, evident by this week’s team total on the Chiefs (30 ½).
Fearless Prediction: While some pundits believe defenses plays a factor in the playoffs, be aware that the last five NFL playoff totals that closed in the fifties or higher saw the ‘over’ go 5-0. Luck and the Colts made a statement early last week with a quick 21 points and then they milked the clock. I don’t see the same scenario playing out in this spot. Kansas City will score and my guess is at least five times. I believe the Colts can match that number as well. Barring an inordinate amount of field goals, both teams should get in or close to the thirties and my lean is the game Over (57).
Dallas at L.A. Rams (FOX, 8:15 p.m. ET)
This total opened 50 at BookMaker.eu and the number has dropped to 49 ½ as of Thursday at the offshore book and most Las Vegas betting shops as well. Even though the ‘over’ luckily connected last week for the Cowboys, the club has leaned to the ‘under’ this season (9-8) and the majority of those tickets have come on the road.
The Dallas offense didn’t travel well (17.2 PPG) this season and that resulted in a 3-5 record and 6-2 ‘under’ mark. If you take away the 36-35 meaningless win at the N.Y. Giants in Week 17, Dallas averaged 15.5 PPG. Also, the Cowboys averaged 14 PPG against playoff teams on the road and they went 1-3 in those games while the ‘under’ went 3-1.
While the Dallas away trend could have you leaning low on Saturday night, the Rams angle at home would make you think otherwise. Los Angeles has seen its total results end in a stalemate (8-8) this season but they produced a 6-2 ‘over’ mark at home. The offense averaged 37.1 PPG in Los Angeles, which was the top mark in the league.
Defensively, the unit for Los Angeles (28.1 PPG) struggled at the Coliseum and it was diced up by quality opponents. Versus playoff teams, the Rams allowed 33.8 PPG and the ‘over’ cashed in all four of those games. Plus, signal callers Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers helped the Vikings and Packers to put up 31 and 27 respectively at Los Angeles.
Do I think Dallas QB Dak Prescott is in that class? No and in last week’s installment I mentioned that he’s (Dak) not the key to the Cowboys offense rather running back Ezekiel Elliott. Including the Wild Card win over Seattle, Dallas is 7-1 this season when he gets 20-plus carries and the lone loss came by three points in overtime. In those games, they’re averaging 25.1 PPG and the ‘over’ is now 6-2.
Last Saturday, Elliott had 26 carries for 137 yards last week in the win and Dallas ended up with 24 points and they left some off the board as Prescott was picked off in the endzone. Knowing the Rams are ranked 23rd against the run (122.3 YPG), a heavy dose of Elliott should be expected.
In last year’s playoffs, the Falcons executed that plan perfectly and they upset the Rams 26-13 in the Wild Card round as six-point road underdogs. Atlanta ran the ball 39 times for 124 yards and dominated the time of possession (37-23 minutes). It was a humbling loss for the Rams, especially for head coach Sean McVay.
Will he turtle up again if this year’s Rams get punched in the mouth again? That Atlanta defense was one really good last season and this Dallas unit has certainly shown the ability to launch haymakers. The Cowboys were ranked seven in total defense (327 YPG) and eighth in scoring (22 PPG).
These teams met in the 2017 regular season and Los Angeles captured a 35-31 win at Dallas and the ‘over’ (50 ½) cashed easily.
Fearless Prediction: McVay’s name has been tossed around all week, largely due to his apparent influence in recent NFL coaching hires. Even though this is only his second playoff game, it’s a big one for him and there will be deserved criticism if they lose and the offense lays another egg. I don’t see that happening, actually the opposite. Los Angeles has dominated teams at home and I believe the extra week will be key. In two games after the bye, the Rams have scored 51 and 30 points under McVay. I believe Los Angles will get in the neighborhood again and I’m buying the Rams Team Total Over (28 ½). I would’ve leaned to the ‘over’ in the game as well but I don’t have as much confidence in the Dallas offense on the road.
NFL
Long Sheet
Division Round
Saturday, January 12
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INDIANAPOLIS (11 - 6) at KANSAS CITY (12 - 4) - 1/12/2019, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games in January games since 1992.
KANSAS CITY is 2-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) in playoff games since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-0 against the spread versus INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS CITY is 1-0 straight up against INDIANAPOLIS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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DALLAS (11 - 6) at LA RAMS (13 - 3) - 1/12/2019, 8:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA RAMS is 191-239 ATS (-71.9 Units) in all games since 1992.
LA RAMS is 191-239 ATS (-71.9 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
LA RAMS is 137-189 ATS (-70.9 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
LA RAMS is 20-38 ATS (-21.8 Units) against NFC East division opponents since 1992.
LA RAMS is 67-102 ATS (-45.2 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
LA RAMS is 68-102 ATS (-44.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
LA RAMS is 41-63 ATS (-28.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA RAMS is 1-0 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
LA RAMS is 1-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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NFL
Division Round
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Trend Report
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Saturday, January 12
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Indianapolis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Indianapolis's last 8 games
Indianapolis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Indianapolis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Indianapolis is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Indianapolis's last 13 games on the road
Indianapolis is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Kansas City
Indianapolis is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Indianapolis's last 8 games when playing Kansas City
Indianapolis is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Indianapolis is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Kansas City is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games
Kansas City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Kansas City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Kansas City's last 13 games at home
Kansas City is 4-12 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Indianapolis
Kansas City is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing Indianapolis
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games when playing Indianapolis
Kansas City is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Indianapolis
Kansas City is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Indianapolis
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Dallas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Dallas's last 12 games on the road
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing LA Rams
Dallas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing LA Rams
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Rams
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Rams
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Rams
Los Angeles Rams
LA Rams is 4-7-2 ATS in its last 13 games
LA Rams is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
LA Rams is 1-3-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
LA Rams is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Rams's last 7 games at home
LA Rams is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
LA Rams is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
LA Rams is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
LA Rams is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Rams's last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
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Preview: Colts at Chiefs
History does not favor the Kansas City Chiefs entering Saturday's AFC divisional round matchup versus the sixth-seeded Indianapolis Colts, but that does not concern the overwhelming favorite for league MVP honors. Second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL's most prolific offense as the top-seeded Chiefs look to secure only their second win in 12 playoff appearances since 1994.
Mahomes, the driving force behind an offense that ranked No. 1 in total offense (425.6 yards) and points per game (35.3), bristled at the revelation that Kansas City went one-and-done in 10 of its last 11 trips to the postseason, including four losses to the Colts. "I know the history and stuff like that, but at the same time, we're a different generation," said Mahomes, who threw a league-high 50 touchdown passes. "I'm ready to go out there and win a football game at Arrowhead." Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck finished second to Mahomes with 39 scoring passes after missing the entire 2017 season, but Colts coach Frank Reich pointed to the other side of the ball as the reason for his team's success. "There's no doubt the defense is a huge part of the reason that we are where we're at," Reich said. "The reason, I think, is because, No. 1, we have good players. You can have a great scheme, but if you don't have good players, it doesn't matter."
TV: 4:35 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Chiefs -5.5. O/U: 57
ABOUT THE COLTS (11-6): Indianapolis overcame a 1-5 start by winning nine of its last 10 regular-season games and carried the momentum into the playoffs by knocking off No. 3 seed Houston 21-7 as Luck threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to stake his team to a 21-point lead. Running back Marlon Mack did the bulk of the heavy lifting by rushing for 148 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, his fifth 100-yard effort in 11 games. Dontrelle Inman has caught a scoring pass in each of the last three games, giving Luck another target opposite top wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who had five catches for 85 yards last week after amassing 1,270 yards during the regular season. The Colts' defense allowed a league-low 16.4 points over the final 10 weeks of the regular season.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (12-4): Mahomes joined Peyton Manning as the only players with at least 50 TD passes and 5,000 passing yards (5,097) while also finishing second to Drew Brees with a 113.8 passer rating in his first season as a starter. Mahomes threw for 13 scoring passes against two interceptions over the past five games following the release of star running back Kareem Hunt, which provided an increased role for Damien Williams (four rushing TDs in the last four games). Speedster Tyreek Hill had 87 catches for 1,479 yards and 12 touchdowns and is a threat to scoring from anywhere on the field while tight end Travis Kelce hauled in 103 receptions for 1,336 yards and 10 scores. The Chiefs tied for the NFL lead with 52 sacks but were 31st in yards allowed (405.5).
EXTRA POINTS
1. The 89 TD passes by Mahomes and Luck are the most by any quarterbacks in an NFL playoff game.
2. Mahomes threw for at least 300 yards 10 times and had at least four scoring passes in seven games.
3. Indianapolis allowed the fewest sacks in the league with 18.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 31, Colts 30
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Preview: Cowboys at Rams
Star running backs will be entrenched in the spotlight on Saturday as two-time league rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys visit the defending NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley and the Rams in an NFC divisional round playoff game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Elliott, who had a league-best 1,434 rushing yards this season, added 137 more and scored a touchdown in Dallas' 24-22 win over Seattle last weekend.
"Both big-time players who can do everything you want them to do on the field, and embrace carrying the burden for their team," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said of Pro Bowl selections Elliott and Gurley. The 23-year-old Elliott will bid to become the fourth player in NFL history to record three consecutive postseason games with at least 125 rushing yards when he squares off against Los Angeles, which has been gashed for a league-worst 5.1 yards per rush. Gurley finished with 1,251 rushing yards and NFL-best 21 total touchdowns despite sitting out the Rams' final two games because of knee inflammation and soreness. The 24-year-old will need to overcome the injury as well as a Cowboys' rush defense that permitted an NFL fifth-best 3.8 yards per carry and limited the Seahawks' run-heavy offense to just 3.0 yards per rush.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Rams -7. O/U: 49.5
ABOUT THE COWBOYS: Quarterback Dak Prescott downplayed any lingering concerns about his health despite being added to the injury report after he came up a bit gimpy following a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter against Seattle. "Knee's good. I'm great," said the 25-year-old Prescott, who threw a touchdown pass to rookie Michael Gallup and also rushed for a score last week. In-season acquisition Amari Cooper followed up his third 1,000-yard campaign in four years with a team-best seven receptions for 106 yards versus the Seahawks, although he may find the going tough while lined up against cornerback Aqib Talib. Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who led the team with 10.5 sacks, has collected two to go along with two fumble recoveries in four career postseason games.
ABOUT THE RAMS (13-3): Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff (4,688 passing yards, 32 touchdowns) had his name being whispered among the NFL Most Valuable Player candidates before a pronounced three-week slump silenced that talk. The excitement circling the Coliseum hasn't dimmed, however, as Goff expects the noise to be ratcheted up and said the atmosphere will be "fun, fun and electric." Robert Woods posted career highs in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,219) and receiving touchdowns (six) while fellow wideout Brandin Cooks had 80 catches for 1,204 yards. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald received the 2018 Deacon Jones Award after leading the league in sacks (20.5) and could join Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor (1986) as the lone players to collect at least 20 sacks and advance to the conference championship in the same season since 1982.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Los Angeles led the NFC in points per game (32.9) and total yards per contest (421.1) and ranked third in turnover differential (plus-11).
2. Dallas would match Pittsburgh (36) for the most postseason victories all-time should it win on Saturday.
3. Rams Pro Bowl LB Cory Littleton, who leads the team in tackles (125), recorded two of his three interceptions this season in a 48-32 win over San Francisco in Week 17.
PREDICTION: Rams 34, Cowboys 21
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Colts @ Chiefs- Chiefs lost their last six home playoff games, with last win in ’94. KC lost two of its last three games after a 11-2 start; Chiefs are 7-1 SU at home this year, but covered only one of last five at Arrowhead. Mahomes has been great this year, but this is his first playoff game. Indy won 10 of its last 11 games after a 1-5 start; they’re in playoffs for first time in four years. Indy won won four of last five road games,; they’re 4-2 vs spread as a road underdog this year. Colts won six of last eight games with Chiefs, beating them 45-44 in ’13 playoffs (Colts are 4-0 vs KC in playoff games). Six of last eight Indy games stayed under the total; five of Chiefs’ last six games went over. #1 seeds are 9-1 SU in this round the last five years (6-4 vs spread).
Cowboys @ Rams- Rams haven’t won a playoff game in 14 years (0-1); there is added amount of pressure on them here. LA is 7-1 at home this year, 3-3-2 as HF. Dallas won eight of its last nine games, winning last two by total of 3 points; Cowboys are 3-5 on road this year but won three of last four road tilts; they covered six of last seven games as a dog. Rams scored 31-48 points in winning last two games, with backup RB Anderson running ball. Dallas won three of last four games with LA, but Rams won 35-30 in Dallas LY, rallying back from 24-13 first half deficit; Gurley had 215 total yards (94 YR), Cowboys ran for 189. Dallas hasn’t won a playoff game since 2014 (1-2). Last five years, #2-seeds are 2-7-1 vs spread in this round, 6-4 SU.