Larry Hartstein
PITTSBURGH @ KANSAS CITY | 01/16 | 8:15 PM EST
KANSAS CITY -12.5
ANALYSIS: The Chiefs were dealing with a COVID outbreak, and didn't have Travis Kelce, when they hosted the Steelers in Week 16. Kansas City still raced out to a 30-0 lead en route to a 36-10 win. This game should be more competitive, but I'll take the Chiefs to cover because of their matchup advantages. Their defense is fully healthy. During Kansas City's 9-1 finish, the team showed it can clamp down on any limited offense. The Steelers have a pedestrian attack and were fortunate to escape Baltimore with a win. Lay the points.
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
TAMPA BAY -8.5
ANALYSIS: Locking this in at -8.5.
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO +3
ANALYSIS: Some books opened higher but I doubt we'll see 3.5 again. The 49ers' weakness has been their secondary, but Emmanuel Moseley is healthy again and his impact is obvious. He had an interception and six tackles in San Fran's overtime win over the Rams. Dallas is inflated because the Cowboys spent the final stretch of the season beating up on the NFC East. Since Week 9, Dallas has lost to the Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs and Cardinals while beating division foes, the Falcons and the Taysom Hill-led Saints. With the Cowboys allowing 4.5 yards per carry, which ranks 23rd, look for the 49ers' balanced attack to carry the day.
+1615 67-45 IN LAST 112 NFL PICKS
__________________
Mike Tierney
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
DALLAS -3
ANALYSIS: This number is influenced by San Francisco's phenomenal comeback on Sunday,. But its pass defense remains unreliable, so Dak Prescott and company could thrive. Aside from its clunker two weeks ago against Arizona, Dallas has been plowing over foes. Its strong pass coverage will force the 49ers to stick to the ground, limiting their options. The Cowboys’ health has taken a positive turn, with RB Tony Pollard and LB Micah Parsons, the potential Rookie of the Year, expected back. The 49ers must recover from their exhausting five-quarter win over the Rams.
PITTSBURGH @ KANSAS CITY | 01/16 | 8:15 PM EST
OVER 46.5
ANALYSIS: Patrick Mahomes has owned the Steelers — lock, stock and barrel. In two games, the Chiefs QB has touchdown nine touchdown passes while completing 46-of-58 attempts. The Chiefs piled up 78 points in those contests, even while easing off the pedal in the third quarter of this season's meeting. Ben Roethlisberger is often at his best when Pittsburgh trails considerably, and that is a plausible scenario for Sunday's matchup. The soon-to-be retiree will go out with a bang, throwing the ball all over the field, and could notch a few late TDs to assure an Over.
ARIZONA @ L.A. RAMS | 01/17 | 8:15 PM EST
L.A. RAMS -4
ANALYSIS: For a team pulling out all the stops to win now, as indicated by the Wednesday signing of retired safety Eric Weddle, it’s almost inconceivable to imagine the Rams going down in the opening round. While QB Matthew Stafford has been all over the map and the star-studded defense has displayed inconsistency, this is a No. 4 seed to be reckoned with. The Cardinals are a road threat, but WR DeAndre Hopkins’ absence has led to a 1-4 straight-up slump. RB James Conner is banged up (again). The surprisingly quick return of Rams RB Cam Akers from injury is a welcome bonus. I'm on L.A.
+55 4-3 IN LAST 7 NFL PICKS
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
UNDER 47
ANALYSIS: Philly, the NFL's top-ranked rushing team, will not abandon its approach even though the Bucs’ run defense is No. 3 in the league. The past three games in which the Eagles deployed their starters (i.e. not Week 18) resulted in combined points scored of 36, 44 and 44. Tampa Bay’s offense is more productive than those opponents, but rain and projected wind speeds of at least 20 mph in Tampa on Sunday could impair the passing even of Tom Brady.
+300 3-0 IN LAST 3 NFL O/U PICKS
__________________
Tom Fornelli
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
UNDER 46
ANALYSIS: If the Eagles struggle and fall behind -- and there's a strong possibility it happens -- that'll put them in a position where they're forced to throw the ball, and they aren't good at it. Of the 14 teams to reach the postseason, only Pittsburgh has a lower passer rating than the Eagles. Still, while I don't have the highest of hopes for the Philadelphia offense, I'm not ready to lay 8.5 points with Tampa, either, so instead the under seems like a smarter play. The fact current forecasts are calling for winds of 20-plus mph in Tampa on Sunday doesn't hurt my confidence, either.
+1000 24-13 IN LAST 37 NFL PICKS
__________________
Jeff Hochman
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
PHILADELPHIA +8.5
ANALYSIS: The Eagles have a top-four offensive line, which helps lead Philadelphia to a 4.9 yards per rush average. The Eagles also own the better special teams unit, which could be a factor in the rain/wind. A cold front is scheduled to sweep across Tampa right about game time. The forecast calls for rain (0.50 inch) and very windy conditions (20-30 MPH, with gusts near 40 MPH) so the underdog gets the call in this one. Tampa Bay went 1-5 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the regular season. Down to the wire!
__________________
Matt Severance
PITTSBURGH @ KANSAS CITY | 01/16 | 8:15 PM EST
PITTSBURGH +12.5
ANALYSIS: I'm obviously well aware the Steelers were just pounded in Kansas City a few weeks ago, but are you aware there were five fumbles in that game combined and Pittsburgh didn't recover any of them? That's just bad luck. Plus, star pass-rusher TJ Watt wasn't 100 percent healthy then. KC star wideout Tyreek Hill isn't 100 percent healthy now (heel) and frankly hasn't looked quite the same since returning from COVID. Do I think the Steelers win here? Obviously not, but they are playing with house money and can stay within 10 if not 7. I'd hold out if I thought this would return to +13 but don't think it will.
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
UNDER 49
ANALYSIS: I certainly didn't expect to be writing about the weather in Tampa this week -- I live not far from there -- but yep, it's going to rain all day Sunday apparently with winds between 20-30 mph and higher gusts possible. That's pretty unusual this time of year. The Eagles will want to chew clock as it is with their No. 1 rushing attack and keep Tom Brady off the field. This total is starting to dip already, presumably due to the weather, so we will grab it now.
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
DALLAS -153
ANALYSIS: Perhaps it would be smart to wait on this game to see if it gets under -3, but I doubt it does because the Cowboys are the most public team in the NFL so it probably only goes back to -3.5 if it moves at all. The Niners obviously can win this game but they are really banged up from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trent Williams to Elijah Mitchell to Azeez Al-Shaair to even punter Mitch Wishnowsky and a few others. The 49ers had to go all-out to win Sunday in Week 18, while Dallas pretty much took it easy Saturday in Philadelphia and will get running back Tony Pollard back this week. Have to go with the healthier home team.
+810 11-2 IN LAST 13 NFL PICKS
__________________
R. J. White
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
PHILADELPHIA +8.5
ANALYSIS: The Eagles are a tough team to trust; they have just one win over a team with a winning record (Saints) and this will be the playoff debut for both Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni. The Bucs are of course the defending champs with the GOAT at QB. But this shapes up to be a close game. The Bucs had no trouble beating the Panthers twice down the stretch but were shut out by the Saints and barely topped the Jets as they deal with key absences on offense. Bad projected weather could make this a favorable game for the Eagles rushing attack, and the vaunted Bucs rush D ranks just 15th in yards per rush allowed. Philly might be a live 'dog here.
+669 20-12 IN LAST 32 NFL ATS PICKS
__________________
Adam Silverstein
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
DALLAS -3
ANALYSIS: The 49ers enter the playoffs with a ton of momentum coming off their road win over the Rams, but they are a bit overvalued in this spot. Dallas was unlucky to draw San Francisco here given, against different opponents, I'd likely have taken both teams to win in this round. The Cowboys have advantages at quarterback, overall at the playmaking positions and up front defensively. If the Dallas line gets the type of pressure it can when at full strength, that should help the at-times problematic play action defense. While Kyle Shanahan will surely outscheme Mike McCarthy on the sideline, I can't side with QB Jimmy Garoppolo (2 TD, 4 INT over his last two games) at a spread this meager. There's a couple points of value with the Cowboys.
+1209 56-40 IN LAST 96 NFL PICKS
__________________
Brett Anderson
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO +3
ANALYSIS: The Cowboys have the NFL's best ATS record at 13-4 and enter the playoffs having won five of six. But unless you're counting last week's beatdown of the Eagles' backups, Dallas hasn't defeated a playoff team since Week 6 (an OT win over the Pats), and the only other playoff team it beat all season was Philly. Only seven teams have allowed more yards per carry this season than the Cowboys, and now they're facing a 49ers squad that can run it and has heated up considerably down the stretch. Grab the points.
+935 17-7 IN LAST 24 NFL ATS PICKS
__________________
Hank Goldberg
PHILADELPHIA @ TAMPA BAY | 01/16 | 1:00 PM EST
TAMPA BAY -8.5
ANALYSIS: This is a mismatch. Tom Brady and the reigning Super Bowl champs are just too good for Philadelphia. They're experienced, they have the greatest quarterback of all-time and they have the pieces on defenses to slow the Eagles' run game. This one won't be close.
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO +3
ANALYSIS: This is one of my best bets this weekend. I think the 49ers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They are so unique in the way they pound and pound the ball. Their running game will help diminish one of the Cowboys' biggest strengths: the pass rush. I also like the way Jimmy Garoppolo is playing. I love San Francisco.
+460 9-4 IN LAST 13 NFL PICKS
__________________
Micah Roberts
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO +3
ANALYSIS: The 49ers have won seven of their last nine and come in with the momentum after winning at the Rams last week. The Cowboys are the best cover team in the NFL (13-4 ATS) and will be popular with the public this week after a 51-26 win at Philadelphia last week. The 49ers fit the profile of a team the Cowboys have had trouble with. The 49ers’ defense allows only 310 ypg, No. 3 in the NFL. The No. 1-ranked Dallas offense will have struggles. I’m eager to know the status of 49ers tackle Trent Williams, but I’ll move forward with expectations he will play. Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are good to go, so I’m in. Take the 49ers to cover and likely win.
+265 7-4 IN LAST 11 NFL ATS PICKS
__________________
Emory Hunt
PITTSBURGH @ KANSAS CITY | 01/16 | 8:15 PM EST
KANSAS CITY -12.5
ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh scratched and clawed its way through the backend of the season and into the playoffs. TJ Watt will give the Steelers a chance defensively, but it's the Steelers offense that worries me the most in this game. Look for the Chiefs to slowly start to pull away in the 2nd half.
SAN FRANCISCO @ DALLAS | 01/16 | 4:30 PM EST
DALLAS -3
ANALYSIS: This game will ultimately come down to whether or not 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo can make plays consistently with his arm. You have to figure that the Cowboys will be hell- bent on stopping the run game and making the Niners one-dimensional. On the other side of the coin, this Dallas offense seems to be peaking at the right time.
+90 2-1 IN LAST 3 NFL PICKS
__________________
Cardinals vs. Braves Prediction The Braves hammered the Cardinals in back-to-back games the last two nights in Atlanta. Will the Cards respond with an upset win tonight when the two teams meet at 7:20 p.m. ET or is there a[…] 
Rays vs. Red Sox Prediction The Rays and Red Sox split the first two games in their series, with one game turning into a pitcher’s duel and the other into a high-scoring affair. With Wednesday night’s matchup scheduled for 7:10[…] 
Twins vs. White Sox Prediction The Twins won their first two games against the White Sox and will now go for a three-game sweep in Chicago at 2:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Will Minnesota complete the sweep or will the[…] 
Cubs vs. Brewers Prediction The total for Wednesday afternoon’s rubber match between the Cubs and Brewers at 2:10 p.m. ET is currently listed at 8 runs. With Adrian Sampson set to oppose Corbin Burnes in the pitching matchup, what’s the[…] 
Cubs vs. Brewers Prediction The Cubs couldn’t pull off the upset in Milwaukee on Monday but with Kyle Hendricks set to oppose Jason Alexander in Tuesday night’s matchup at 8:10 p.m. ET, is Chicago a good value play as the[…] 
Twins vs. White Sox Prediction The Twins beat the White Sox on Monday night in their series opener with Chicago but will they make it two straight upsets when these AL Central rivals meet at Guaranteed Rate Field again on[…] 
Cardinals vs. Braves Prediction The Braves took the series opener versus the Cardinals on Monday night but will St. Louis respond with a victory on Tuesday night when these two teams meet again at 7:20 p.m. ET? 
Rays vs. Red Sox Prediction The Rays and Red Sox have typically played in high-scoring games but the series opener on Monday was more of a pitcher’s duel. Will these two teams break out the bats in tonight’s matchup at[…] 
Cardinals vs. Braves Prediction The struggling Cardinals have dropped six of their last 10 games, including two of three in Philadelphia over the weekend. Will their struggles continue against another NL East opponent when they visit the Braves at 7:20[…] 