GREAT COLUMN OFF ESPN
TITANS (-3) over Ravens
I have two issues with the Ravens and only two: They looked a little too good this past week in a nice matchup against Miami (dropping this line to 3, and yes, this violates Rule No. 2D of the Playoff Manifesto); and the thought of backing a rookie QB, on the road, against a really good (and finally healthy) Titans defense just doesn't seem smart. At all. Flacco stunk in Week 5 and helped blow a winnable game. Fourteen weeks have passed, he's definitely in a better place, he's definitely more confident … but he's still a rookie. Take a rookie QB in the playoffs, on the road, against a really good team, and you are asking for trouble. You just are. Take it from a guy who got stuck with Taint Jackson at home in wild-card week.
The Pick: Titans 19, Ravens 10.
PANTHERS (-10) over Cardinals
Something wacky is happening with these Saturday night playoff games. The NFL didn't start having them until January 2002, the month when the Raiders traveled to New England for the "Snow Game" (what Pats fans call it) or "Tuck Rule Game" (what Oakland fans call it). Either way, it was one of the 10 most memorable playoff games ever played and the most famous "push" of the Double-Ohs. We've seen at least one memorable Saturday nighter every January since; the underdogs covered the past five in a row; and 10 of those 17 Saturday nighters were memorable in some way. Here's the complete list:
2004, Round 2 (N.E. by 6 at home): Pats 17, Titans 14. Two degrees, minus-11 wind chill. Brrrrrrr. Adam Vinatieri somehow kicks a rock of a football 46 yards for the winning points (his greatest non-"Snow Game" kick).
2005, Round 1 (S.D. by 6 at home): Jets 20, Bolts 17 A classic Schottenheimer playoff collapse. Just classic. Can't somebody hire him again? Please?
2006, Round 2 (Denver by 3 at home): Broncos 27, Pats 13. An atypical Brady stinker combined with Champ Bailey's bizarre 99-yard interception TD in which Ben Watson stripped him at the goal line but the refs ruled it a score. I'm still bitter.
2007, Round 1 (Seattle by 2 at home): Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20. The Romo Game (if you're from Dallas) and the Babineaux Game (if you're from Seattle). Regardless, this was a Pancreas Punch Game for Cowboys fans.
2007, Round 2 (N.O. by 5 at home): Saints 27, Eagles 24. A rollicking semi-shootout with a fantastic post-Katrina Superdome crowd.
2008, Round 1 (Jax by 2.5 on road): Jaguars 31, Steelers 29. The game that earned David Garrard $60 million.
John David Mercer/US Presswire
If you like DeAngelo Williams and the Panthers this weekend, you'd better really like them.
2009, Round 1 (Indy by 1.5 on road): Chargers 23, Colts 17. The Mike Scifres Clinic, as well as the game that probably will get the OT rules (thankfully) overturned in some way.
So that's 10 memorable Saturday night playoff games. What's the reason? I couldn't possibly tell you. You got me. I'm stumped. Now throw this in …
Thanks to a tip from Mike Wilkening (an editor at Pro Football Weekly), we're also working on a streak in which three straight double-digit Round 2 favorites failed to cover: the '05 Colts (gave 10 to Pittsburgh, lost by three); '07 Colts (gave 10.5 to San Diego, lost by four) and '07 Patriots (gave 13.5 to Jacksonville, won by 11). Since 1990, double-digit favorites in Round 2 are 9-7-1 against the spread and 12-5 straight up. Of those nine covers, the favorite won by 17-plus in every game. Of the six favorites favored by between 10 and 11 points since 1990, four of them ('95 Niners, '95 Chiefs, '05 Colts, '07 Colts) lost outright; the other two ('91 Bills, '01 Rams) won by a combined 62 points.
Here's why I'm telling you all of this: If you like the Panthers, you'd better really like them.
Well, I really like them. The weekend couldn't have worked out better, actually: A limited Arizona team broke two big plays, got a fluke fumble-return TD and took advantage of a deafening home crowd to overachieve against a young team that never caught a break. Now the Cardinals are on the road -- where they went 3-5 this season and got blown out by the Jets, Pats and Eagles by the combined score of 151-62 -- and playing 2008's best home team (8-0), a well-balanced, well-coached team that will run it down their throats. What am I missing?
Yes just like the Chargers the Cardinals are another team that has not lost ATS when getting 10 or more points since 2003. With that being said it would be crazy not to take the 10 points and hope for a Delhomme meltdown which is very possible. But not probable. Maybe Warner has one more game left in that old arm and gets that 0-5 Eastern time zone monkey off his back.
Upset Special Game 
Arizona - 27 Carolina - 24
Cardinals +10 
over 48.5
Party time in the land of the SUN........
Boldin MAY see a limited number of plays at best. AZ is DONE. Love this game
35-17
Panthers
Yes just like the Chargers the Cardinals are another team that has not lost ATS when getting 10 or more points since 2003. With that being said it would be crazy not to take the 10 points and hope for a Delhomme meltdown which is very possible. But not probable. Maybe Warner has one more game left in that old arm and gets that 0-5 Eastern time zone monkey off his back.
Upset Special Game
Arizona - 27 Carolina - 24
Cardinals +10 over 48.5
Party time in the land of the SUN........
Jim this is a playoff game throw that trend out of the window bro.
Panthers 38-10
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, each of the five previous trips have resulted in losses. In fact, they lost those five games by an average of 20.0 points per game. Even worse, ‘Zona is 2-20 SU in its last 22 trips into the Eastern time zone.
Carolina ML HUGE
VEGAS INSIDER
On the flip side, Carolina (12-4 SU, 9-6-1 ATS) has been perfect at home this season, posting an 8-0 SU record to go with a 5-2-1 ATS mark. The Panthers have taken the cash in back-to-back home games with wins by 15 points or more over Denver and Tampa Bay.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Carolina as a 10-point favorite with a total of 48. As of Thursday morning, the line had seen little movement for the side or total.
“I really see this game as a shoot-out,” VegasInsider.com handicapper Bill Marzano said. “And Carolina should cruise to an easy cover. The Panthers have had a week off to get healthy and let’s face it, Arizona is horrible on the road, especially when it come into the Eastern time zone.”
AZ goes to the east coast = big loss
CAR @ home = big win
Last time they played CAR comes back in the second half to win by 4
Warner sucked the last 4 or 5 weeks of the season
AZ played great defense against ATL
CAR has a great run game
CAR will pressure Warner who use to fumble a lot (what happened to that by the way)
I like the over and I am leaning toward CAR especially since the spread dropped to 9.5
CAR 34 - AZ 24
Carolina in a big way 34-10 or 41 - 7
How many shutouts have there been in the playoffs? Where is Lee Remmel when I need him?
But what do i know 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, each of the five previous trips have resulted in losses. In fact, they lost those five games by an average of 20.0 points per game. Even worse, ‘Zona is 2-20 SU in its last 22 trips into the Eastern time zone.
Carolina ML HUGE
DUDE YOU KEEP ON POSTINGCarolina ML HUGE!!! BUT HOW HUGE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE ?? 5K ? 10k? 15? DAM IT SEEMS LIKE YOU MIGHT JUST BET YOUR WHOLE HOUSE ON THIS ONE...I DONT BLAME YOU ...I THINK CAROLINA IS GONNA BLOW THE LIGHTS OUT OF THE CARDS..NE PATS KILLED THE CARDS BY 40 PTS IN WEEK 16 WITH THIER RUNNING GAME...I THINK CAROLINA HAS A BETTER RUNNING GAME THEN NE. BUT ANYWAYS HOPE YOU WIN MANG...CAUSE IT SEEMS YOUR ABOUT TO LAY EVERYTHING ON THE LINE WITH THIS PATHERS GAME...I THINK IMMA PLAY CAROLINA ML..TOO...GOOD LUCK
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