Only three of Sunday’s NFL early kickoffs figure to have any bearing on the postseason picture, and even still, nothing will be decided yet regardless of the outcome of those games. Let’s take a quick look at those three games from a betting perspective,

2010-01-04

Only three of Sunday’s NFL early kickoffs figure to have any bearing on the postseason picture, and even still, nothing will be decided yet regardless of the outcome of those games. Let’s take a quick look at those three games from a betting perspective, then head on over to the LIVE ODDS page on Sportsbook to see the latest prices, then the BETTING TRENDS page to see where your fellow bettors are entrusting their bankroll to.

(311) NEW ENGLAND at (312) HOUSTON
With the AFC East title in hand, New England looks to secure the #3 seed for the AFC playoffs. The Patriots advanced to 10-5 with their win over Jacksonville, but face the challenge of a Houston team still hopeful for a wildcard spot itself. New England also needs to prove it can play better on the road, as HC Bill Belichick’s team is just 2-5 SU & 2-4-1 ATS away from home in ’09. However, in Belichick’s tenure, they boast an incredible 18-5 ATS record vs. prolific passing teams gaining >=260 YPG. The Texans are potent on offense, particularly late in the season at home. They have won eight straight post-Thanksgiving weekend games as hosts, scoring 27.5 PPG. HC Gary Kubiak’s team is looking for its first ever win vs. the Pats (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS).

(313) PITTSBURGH at (314) MIAMI
Pittsburgh’s win over Baltimore kept its slim playoff hopes alive. At 8-7, the Steelers need a win at Miami and some help to get in. At 7-8, the Dolphins need even more help in order to secure a second straight postseason spot. Winning is something the Dolphins have had trouble with in recent years when it comes to Pittsburgh, just 2-6 SU & 3-5 ATS in the L8 h2h meetings. However, with the Steelers gaining a lofty 6.2 yards per play, it should be noted that Miami is 8-1 ATS vs. teams gaining >=5.65 YPP under Tony Sparano. Pittsburgh hasn’t done much well for bettors this year, including 2-5 SU & ATS on the road. The last time these teams met was the quagmire in Pittsburgh in ’07, a 3-0 Steelers win, the UNDER going 5-1-1 ATS in the L7 h2h showdowns.

(315) NY GIANTS at (316) MINNESOTA
The Vikings are playing for a first round bye in the NFC playoffs when they host the Giants. They are facing a New York team whose own postseason desires were blown up in a humiliating home loss to Carolina. Recent series history is on the side of the Giants, as they are 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS in their L4 visits to the Metrodome, and the visiting team has covered six straight overall. The Giants haven’t played well on the road this season as they normally have under Tom Coughlin, having lost three of their L4 away games by 20 points or more. They are also just 1-7 ATS in ’09 vs. teams with a winning record. Minnesota has endured its own internal problems of late and had has gone under the total in six of its L7 games.

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