Chiefs will be on the Hunt Saturday
Titans have slim NFL playoff hopes
We’re heading into the NFL postseason with an incredible record straight up, 70 games over .500. A coach would have a lifetime contract for such an impressive showing.
The key to picking NFL games, of course, is winning against the point spread. In that area, well, we need a rally, three games under the break-even mark thanks to a particularly damaging Week 16.
A strong playoffs served us well last year. So let’s do it again.
Tennessee (plus 7½) at Kansas City, Saturday
While the Chiefs have not exactly recaptured their form from early in the schedule, when they were the NFL’s best, they are on the rise. The dynamic offence has been rekindled, particularly sensational rookie running back Kareem Hunt.
“We look at it right around Game 12, you kind of see where they’re at and if they have a bad play you say, ‘Whoop! There’s the rookie wall,’ ” coach Andy Reid joked — yes, Reid has a very good sense of humour, folks.
“Sometimes I think that gets a little overrated.”
This is the 17th game and the trend for the Titans hasn’t been good lately. They lost three in a row down the stretch and needed to squeeze past AFC South winner Jacksonville to make the field. The Titans won’t last long in it. Best bet: Chiefs, 23-10
Carolina (plus 6½) at New Orleans, Sunday
This is the best looker of the four playoff openers, a confrontation between two of the league’s strongest teams out of the NFL’s top division. The Saints or the Panthers are as capable as any NFC squad to get to the Super Bowl.
New Orleans knocked off Carolina twice in the regular season and is the more balanced side. It’s also the more explosive team.
But if any of the road teams are going to spring an upset, it’s Ron Rivera’s Panthers, who have a much more recent record of postseason success than Drew Brees and the Saints.
Upset special: Panthers, 27-26
Atlanta (plus 6½) at Los Angeles Rams, Saturday
So here come the more experienced Falcons, ready to surge back to the Super Bowl, and this time finish it off after building a big lead?
We don’t buy it.
These aren’t even close to being the same Falcons.
Rams, 27-19
Buffalo (plus 7½) at Jacksonville, Sunday
The feel-good story throughout Western New York — there are college football players who might not have been born when the Bills last made it this far — ends rapidly.
Barring a stunning recovery from his ankle injury by LeSean McCoy, the Bills will be one and done.
Jaguars, 19-13
2017 RECORD
Last week: Against spread 9-7, straight up 9-7
Season totals: Against spread 117120-10, straight up 162-92
Best bet: 9-8 against spread, 10-7 straight up
Upset special: 9-8 against spread, 9-8 straight up