The first weekend of the NFL playoffs was exactly everything I wanted it to be.
Yes, there were some terrible picks, including Eagles vs. Buccaneers, Cowboys vs. Packers, and Browns vs. Texans for Rock of the Week.
At 5-13-1 against the spread this season, I'll keep Lock in the divisional round for the benefit of those who want to bet on him. I hope I was able to help some people win money this way as well.
But beyond that, the wild card round was good, especially for New York football fans who were able to enjoy the Dolphins' demise, the Cowboys' demise, and the Eagles' demise.
This column finished with a 7-5 record, including a 5-1 over/under, and placed me first in the Post's standings (I want to thank my father for giving me the last name that breaks all ties). The tiebreaker is alphabetical, and even before that (I entered the rankings 30 years ago).
Now we move on to the divisional round, which I always think is the best weekend of the season. He still has four games left and two days of wall-to-wall football, but the fraud team is already all gone. All we have left are serious Super Bowl contenders, other quality teams that could advance if all goes well, and some very fun upstarts that made it through here.
Saturday
Baltimore Ravens (-9.5) vs. Houston Texans. 43.5 or above
This is the game with the most interesting quarterback matchup, at least after Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen. C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 draft pick out of Ohio State University, turned heads in his rookie year. Lamar Jackson was almost named regular season MVP.
Stroud had a great game against the Browns, throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns, not even needing the help of Joe Flacco's pick-six. Stroud's career began with a game in Baltimore. The Ravens won the game 25-9, but Stroud had 242 passing yards and Jackson had 169 passing yards, giving the Texans a three-yard lead over the Ravens. This is the basis for supporting Houston as a major underdog.
But there are several reasons why I'm making the point here. 1. The Texans will play many games indoors or in near-perfect conditions. Winds will be near 20 mph in the Inner Harbor and temperatures will be in the low 20s. The crowd in Baltimore will be louder and meaner than Stroud remembers from September.
2. The Ravens have won 10 of Jackson's last 11 games. That includes big losses to the Lions (38-6), Dolphins (56-19) and 49ers (33-19), but that doesn't tell the whole story.
and 3. The Texans lost to the Jets 30-6. Yes, Stroud was hit and left with a concussion, but the fact remains. The Texans defense allowed his 30 points to the Jets in the first half.
Ravens, 30 wins, 17 losses.
Green Bay Packers (+9.5) vs. San Francisco 49ERS; less than 50.5
Let's hope the Packers don't waste too much energy basking in the praise of fans of the 30 other teams that defeated the Cowboys so decisively. After giving away a huge spread in the first game, he took it in Saturday's nightcap.
I faded on the Packers last week because I wasn't too impressed with the end of the season. They finished 6-2, but that span included a three-point win over Carolina and a loss against the Giants.
Apparently I was paying attention to the wrong games and should have been watching the victory at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day and the win over Kansas City at Lambeau Field the following week. And they were accomplished without the incredible Aaron Jones, who currently has 127-120-111-118 yards rushing.
Do you want to bet on the NFL?
Jordan Love is an eye-pleasing quarterback who stands tall and moves fluidly, having no trouble getting open to Jaden Reed, Romeo Doubes, Christian Watson, and other under-appreciated receivers. Throw darts. But I'm under. Because I don't believe the 49ers' defense will turn Love's successful pass into a jailbreak like the Cowboys do.
The 49ers certainly won big, but they didn't have the same sparkle they once had against the Cowboys, Jaguars and Eagles. San Francisco will likely find a solution, but this will be an uphill battle.
49ers, 27-21.
