Money Makers – Super Bowl Props Edition:

by Mike De Marco… With a week off before the Big Game we take a look at some of the best proposition bets you might find in next week’s game. Here are my favourites:

1st Sack of the game – Pittsburgh -130
I strongly believe that the Steelers game plan will be to rattle Warner early, and that is done by blitzing. The Steelers will probably try to establish the run on the opening drive where as the Cards will pass. Warner is very much less mobile than Roethlisberger.

Player to score first TD of the game – Anquan Boldin +750
The Steelers will be double and triple teaming Larry Fitzgerald, this leaves Boldin with a ton of one on one coverage. All though he will not be the target of choice for Warner, it won’t prevent the savvy veteran from throwing to single coverage. Warner wants to win period.

Longest completion of the game:  Over under is 39.5 yards – Over
The Cards will be throwing all game long and the Steelers have hit big plays in both of their playoff games. Both quarterbacks might hit this and it would not surprise me to see more than two plays go above this total. Take a look at the NFC Championship where there FOUR plays above this number.

Kurt Warner pass completions: 22.5 – Over (Power Prop)
For Arizona to win Warner will have to air it out all game.  The Steeler D will be coming all game, but Warner is a tough cookie who will stand in the pocket and take a hit to make a throw. This number is way too low for my liking.

Will the game go into overtime? Yes +800
The Super Bowl has never had an overtime game. It is due.

Money Makers Championship Weekend

by Mike De Marco… Many people are in agreement that championship Weekend is the most entertaining of the entire NFL season, including the Super Bowl. I am one that agrees with that assumption, and am greatly looking forward to this weeks match-ups. There are many possible Super Bowl story lines that will come to fruition Sunday night. An all Pennsylvania Super Bowl? Ray Lewis or Donovan McNabb back in the show?  Ken Wisenhunt against his former employer? Thing is, you can’t bet on story lines.

Arizona +4 over Philadelphia:
For the first time in NFL history a road team is favored by more than 3 points in a Championship game. I am totally against the notion that the Eagles are favored in this one. This line has been posted on nothing other than Public perception. You see, the Eagles are the Chic pic after road wins in New York and Minnesota. The Cards have been very  impressive in disposing the Falcons and Panthers. The home crowd will be very very loud in Arizona and I for see Arizona lighting up an Eagles secondary that has not been tested at all in the Post Season. Kurt Warner nows how to attack a secondary and will be dangerous if the Eagles decide to blitz too much as they have been guilty of in the past. Home Cooking prevails here as the Cards make their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

Baltimore +6 over Pittsburgh:
To be honest I like the Steelers to prevail in this game, just not by 6 points. This will be heck of a physical contest where defense will prevail for both sides. The Raven defense has been exceptional down the stretch, and the Steelers D ranked number 1 in the league against both the run and the pass so as you can see points will be at a premium. These teams have met twice this season with the Steelers winning both. One in Overtime, and the other on a last second touchdown that is still being questioned. Can it be “Third times a charm” for the Ravens? In my opinion it will come down to which quarterback makes the play to win the game and I know Ben Roethlisberger has been there before. Joe Flacco? Not sure if he will handle the pressure of playing a road Championship game. I am calling an Arizona-Pittsburgh
Super Bowl.

Make sure to check in next week where I will have all my Prop selections for you.

MONEY MAKERS – Divisional Weekend

by Mike De Marco… 64-57-3 (Power Picks 15-4)

The Power Picks continue to roll having won seven straight, but as last week proved, it’s not always easy to pick ‘em in the post season.  I had the Vikings to use screen passes to beat the Eagles last week and they were there for the taking but for one reason or another not one was called. Ironically, it was the Eagles who scored on a screen midway through the fourth that sealed the deal.

This week we break down the divisional matchups.

San Diego +6  over Pittsburgh (Power Pick)
Not having L.T in their line-up kind of scares me a little bit, but just not this week. I know the Steelers boast the games number one run stopping units, but I know the Chargers wil use Darren Sproles in many different ways to counter the Steelers aggressive style. I am not sold that Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is going to be 100 percent in this one and you can bet San Diego will try to rattle him early. Philip Rivers is on a mission and he will have his team close enough in the fourth quarter to maybe pull out the outright victory!

Baltimore +3 over Tennessee:
This is such a simple game to handicap. The Ravens are probably the hottest team in football right now, and the Titans were just 3-3 over the last six weeks of the season. The Ravens D will pose many problems for a Titans offense that is the most one dimensional offense of all playoff teams.  Kerry Collins will be put in a position to have to win the game through the air and I don’t think he can do it. The Ravens will score just enough on offence to WIN this game outright!

NY Giants -4 over Philadelphia:
I don’t give two hoots if the Eagles are hot, or that they won a playoff game in Minnesota, or that they have beaten the Giants in New York already this year. Fact is; the Giants are a better football team then the Eagles. The key in this match-up will be how well the Eagles play in the trenches. If they can stop the pass rush of the G-Men and stop Brandon Jacobs on defense then they have a chance, thing is….I don’t think they do either. This game cries Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb, but the reality is they don’t have as much impact on this game as you might think.  G-Men reastablish themselves here.

Caroplina -10 over Arizona:
Yeah so the Cards win their first playoff game in a Jazillion years big whoop! Fact is Arizona is horrible on the road, and even worse on the East Coast going 0-5 this season. Couple that with the fact the Carolina run game poses huge mismatches for the Cards it’s becomes really clear to why I like the Panthers so much. I know the Panther secondary is suspect, and Kurt Warner disected them for 381-yards in an earlier loss to Carolina, but I have a very good feeling the Julius Peppers and co. will not be affording Warner the time he had in that meeting.  This game is the lone blowout this week.

MONEY MAKERS – Wild Card Weekend

by Mike De Marco… 62-54-3 (Power Picks 14-4)   

Money Makers - Week 14

by Mike De Marco… 46-38-3(Power Picks 10-4)

Baltimore -5 over Washington: (Power Pick)

All seems to be lost for the Redskins as their once mighty West Coast offense has gone by the wayside. Jason Campell has struggled the last four games as the Skins are averaging just 11 points per game over that span. Baltimore on the other hand is heading in the opposite direction. The Ravens offense has been putting up numbers not seen in over two decades while the defense has remained one of the leagues better units. I don’t think the Redskins offense will have much success moving the ball as the Raven secondary matches up tremendously with the Redskins receivers. The Ravens have thoughts of catching Pittsburgh for the division lead, and just might find themselves there after this weekend.

Dallas +3 over Pittsburgh:

NFC East rivals Philly, and the Giants have already beaten the Steelers this year, and when you look at the film you see they both did it by sending everything but the kitchen sink at Ben Roethlisberger. Look for the Cowboys to do the same with DeMarcus Ware rushing on every single passing situation. I strongly feel that Dallas might be peaking at the right time, and if they play the way they did against Seattle last week, there in not a team in the league that will beat them. THAT’S RIGHT… ISAID IT!!! WHAT??? Pittsburg defense will need to play the game of the seasonto slow down the Dallas offense, and I don’t think they get it done. They have played too many good teams, and this is one they will not win. Dallas wins the game outright!!

Indianapolis/Cincinnati Over 42

The Colts have not had a good game of offense since their dismantling of Baltimore a month and a half ago. This is the perfect spot to see the Colts roll up some big numbers; they are at home, against one of the most porous defenses in football. Cincinnati’s season is done, but they will try to match the Colts on offense.

Other Selections:

Denver -8.5 over Kansas City:

Denver will do everything in their power to not let this one get away a la Oakland. They remember what happened week three.

New Orleans -3 over Atlanta:

The Saints must win or their season is over.

Dallas/Pittsburgh Over 38.5:

The Cowboys will score points forcing the Steelers to throw more than usual. This number is extremely low.

Chicago -6.5 over Jacksonville:

The Jags are a lost group right now. The Bears are still fighting for the Central Division crown and the playoff berth that comes with it.

32 Questions:

by Mike De Marco…
New England: So are you more smoke and mirrors than we though?
New York Jets: Was that an aberration?
Buffalo: Are you ready for Toronto?
Miami: See above. Happy the roof will be closed?

Indianapolis: Are you looking ahead of your next two opponents?
Jacksonville: How long does Jack get to stay? And what in the world are you doing dressing like a pimp on the sidelines?
Tennessee: Was your running game that good, or was the Lions D that bad?
Houston: Can someone tell me why Slaton wasn’t drafted earlier?

Pittsburgh: Can I safely say that if you beat Dallas, you are the AFC’s best team?
Cleveland: Ken Dorsey? Is that who Romeo Crennel wants saving his job?
Baltimore: Is this the best offense you have had since Kosar, Newsome, and Slaughter?
Cincinnati: You haven’t been kicked out of the league yet?

Denver: Is this the best draft class in team history?
San Diego: Have you just packed it in?
Oakland: Win in Denver, lose at home to the Chiefs. Can we get 2 complete games from you?
Kansas City: Do you inquire about a certain Browns quarterback now? Or do you wait?

Dallas: You finally put them together, offense and defense. Can you put together back to back games?
Philadelphia: What message were you trying to send Donovan?
NY Giants: Will Domenik Hixon make Giant fans forget Plax?
Washington: Can I safely say your offense was a fraud?

Green Bay: Does Mike McCarthy have any consequences for that brutal play-calling?
Minnesota: Can you survive without the Williamses?
Chicago: Minny is in trouble. The Packers are in trouble. What are you waiting for?
Detroit: YOU DON’T DESERVE A QUESTION!

New Orleans: So does Brees have to score 40 points a game now for you to win?
Tampa Bay: Is the cover-2 not the most underrated defensive scheme of all time?
Carolina: Does DeAngelo Williams not belong in the M.V.P talk?
Atlanta: Is your bubble ever going to burst?

Arizona: You have a huge lead in the division. Do you play out, or go into cruise control?
San Francisco: That was spunky. Does Mike Singletary not earn another shot next year?
Seattle: You’re healthy on offense, so what’s your excuse now?
St. Louis: Is Haslett prepared to re-haul this team?
See you next week!

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