Last weekend’s NFL matchups was one full of surprises and upsets, as underdogs rose to the occasion. Things are sure to heat up as only four teams remain - who will survive? Let’s find out now with this week’s free football picks.
Both conference championship games take place this Sunday. The first matchup of the day features the smoking hot San Diego Chargers vs. the 17-0 New England Patriots. The Chargers come in having won eight straight games - their most impressive victory being last week over the defending champion, Indianapolis Colts. As predicted, both teams put it on the line and then some. San Diego started the game off in fierce fashion by taking an early lead. Things quickly turned bleak when two of their biggest players left the game with injuries. Peyton Manning and the Colts were able to fight their way back into it without L.T. and Phillip Rivers to power the Chargers offense. Surprisingly, it was San Diego backup running back, Michael Turner and second string QB, Billy Volek that kept things rolling. Overall it was the Chargers impressive “D” that kept the high powered Indianapolis offense out of sync all day. Regardless of how bad the Colts played, San Diego silenced all critics and predictions by pulling out the win - the team now faces its toughest challenge yet.
What more can you say about the New England Patriots? Last week, the Jaguars matched them play for play, appearing to be equally, if not more dominant than the undefeated Pats - that is until the second half rolled around. From there, it was all Patriots with Tom Brady putting on one of the most amazing performances of all time, going 26-28 in pass completions. Though the Patriots path to ultimate perfection seems to be inevitable, the Chargers are sure to give it their all.
So just how do these two teams matchup? Well, if recent history has any indication, the results may not be too favorable for the Chargers. The fact that they were completely destroyed by the Patriots in week two is enough to make the Pats an easy selection. Aside from that, the Chargers stagger into New England with major injuries. With a hyper-extended knee, L.T. is questionable, while Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates are still listed as day to day. If San Diego does not have any of these three guys available for Sunday’s game, look for New England to easily cover the 14 point spread and then some. In addition, with the predicted freezing temperatures in New England’s turf, the Chargers from sunny Southern California will also have to battle an environment outside of their comfort zone.
The late game on Sunday is one to definitely watch. After going down 14-0 to Seattle in the first two minutes of the game, it looked as if the Packers’ season had come to an abrupt halt. Green Bay miraculously weathered the storm in snowy conditions behind the footwork of running back Ryan Grant and the ageless arm of Brett Favre. It is incredible to think how Favre went from contemplating retirement last year to being just a game away from the Super Bowl. The only thing standing in his way is the New York Giants.
It is hard to figure how a heartbreaking loss can lead to momentum - when it comes to the New York Giants, that’s just the case. Every since losing a close one to the Patriots in week 17, the Giants have been on a roll. All of the predictions had them losing to the NFC-leading Cowboys, but New York prevailed with a last minute interception that sealed the victory. All of a sudden, Eli Manning’s critics have become supporters, and his recent play leads us to believe that the Giants will give Green Bay everything they have.
The Giants are rolling, but it’s hard to bet against Brett Favre at this point, and the predictions agree, as Green Bay is favored to win by a touchdown. It would be great to see this living legend going up against future Hall-of-Famer, Tom Brady - a Super Bowl matchup featuring two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Four teams walk in this Sunday - only two will walk out. Make the most of these free NFL picks as things are coming to an end. Until then, happy sports betting!
