2016 NFL Divisional Round Preview

Results: 3-1, 1-3 vs. spread

Picks:
Top Attraction:

Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1) @ Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
Time: Sat 14 JAN 2017 4:35p FOX, Indoors, Georgia Dome
Line: Atlanta -5
The Scoop: The Falcons may have gotten the best year yet out of Matt Ryan. Or maybe because all of the good quarterbacks have under-performed and the spotlight has been almost entirely on Dak Prescott and (later on) Aaron Rodgers, more on them later. Seattle meanwhile put the beat in beat-down of the Lions last week. This week's opponent, however, is much more formidable than that.
Outlook: Dirty Birds, 34-27.

Best of the Rest:

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
Time: Sun 15 JAN 2017 8:20p from 1:05p NBC, Rain 31°F Wind 8 E, Arrowhead Stadium
Line: Kansas City -1.5
The Scoop: The better of the two running games won last week between the Steel City and Miami. But the focus moving forward is the adjustment of when this game will be played. The inclement weather expected for the afternoon now means that it will follow Green Bay/Dallas with the hope that the field will be somewhat playable at game-time. Kansas City has the strength of their division to their advantage and will be a great tool moving through the playoffs.
Outlook: KC, 21-17.

Green Bay Packers (10-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
Time: Sun 8 JAN 2017 4:40p FOX, Fog 44°F Wind 7 N - Likely Indoors, AT&T Stadium
Line: Dallas -4.5
The Scoop: If Jerry Jones decides that Tony Romo needs to be a part of this run that the Cowboys are on, they will lose. Not because of Romo, but rather Jones' love of him as the face of the franchise. Green Bay may just win the Super Bowl this year given who their last opponent was. The winner of that fixture (home and away) in the playoffs has won the big game in each of those seasons.
Outlook: Packers, 24-21.

Dog of the Day:

Houston Texans (9-7) @ New England Patriots (14-2)
Time: Sat 7 JAN 2017 8:15p CBS, Partly Cloudy 26°, CenturyLink Field
Line: New England -17
The Scoop: Is it safe to say 6 straight AFC Championship appearances for New England? One would think, although teams are not who we thought they were when Weeks 1-4 were upon us. But the real test is the winner of the other matchup where Kansas City is my AFC pick and New England have yet to beat a Steelers team in the playoffs in the Brady/Belichick era. Houston may just as well book tickets back home for their exit physicals.
Outlook: Pats, 40-14 - best bet

-Ricky