January 15 - On Saturday the NFL divisional playoffs will kick off
with what should be a 'sizzler' of a game when the Arizona Cardinals face the
New Orleans Saints in New Orleans in a frenzied showdown, the winner of which
will play either the Dallas Cowboys or the Minnesota Vikings next weekend.
As such NFL playoff betting fans have their work cut for them deciding who to
back on Saturday, as there seems to be compelling evidence to back both teams.
Interestingly, the game will mark only the 11th time the Cardinals have played
the Saints in New Orleans, with 6 of those games going to the home team.
So it should be interesting to see how Arizona fares in Louisiana this time
around, especially considering they'll still be recovering from their tough game
against the Green Bay Packers. The Saints, meanwhile, have had a far easier
route to the playoffs having earned their berth weeks ago, so they'll be
well-rested.
But fatigue and rest aside, the Cardinals may find themselves in a little
trouble if their talented wide receiver, Anquan Boldin, is not on the field on
Saturday. The star player has reportedly suffered from knee and ankle injuries
and may have to miss the game, although he is reportedly very 'optimistic' about
playing.
I said a 'little' trouble, because even if Boldin is benched, the Cardinals
should be in good shape as per their stats. Since the start of the season, the
Cardinals have gone 17-13 SU averaging about 24 points a game with Boldin.
However, without him they have gone 6-1 SU averaging almost 34 points a game.
The Saints, meanwhile, were second in the NFL in turnovers gained (39) and third
in turnover margin (+11) this season. Safety, Darren Sharper, leads the team
with 9 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns. In fact,
Sharper's 376 interception return yards broke the NFL single-season record.
In addition, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed over 70 per
cent of his passes this season for a cool 4,388 yards and 34 touchdowns, while
at the same time his rating as a passer was the 7th highest in a single season
in NFL history. So overall, the Saints could have the edge on Saturday.
Here are the
NFL playoff betting odds laid by online sportsbook Bodog on Saturday's
game between the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints:
| |
Spread |
Money Line |
Total |
| A Arizona Cardinals |
+7 1.91 |
3.30 |
o57 1.91 |
| H New Orleans Saints |
-7 1.91 |
1.33 |
u57 1.91 |
|
