Sorry, Eagles fans, but I’m betting on the Bears | Vegas Vic

Home team in CAPS.

Yuge props to the Green and Nicky Foles for getting back to the tournament, but, now, and I’m ducking, gotta roll with the other side. Of course, many will hate me, and many mighta hated me if I picked the Birds, considering my less than stellar efforts in the NFL this season. So, go against Double V if you want, but here’s what I got. Yes, Foles has been amazing the last few games, but my real worry is, what if he goes down? Is anybody OK with Nate Sudfeld? I’m not! And if you don’t think that Chicago has paid attention to all the “nobody wants to play the Eagles” chatter, think again. The Bears wanna play the Birds. They’ll play anyone. They have won and covered nine of the last 10, and my wallet says that it’s tough to buck 90%. As the most hated man from Fairless Hills down to West Chester, calling for Da Bears to roll into the next round with a, let’s say, 24-16 W.

So, if Indy was able to rock the party down in Houston on Dec. 9, beating the Texans 24-21, why not another road win? Along with the Bears, no team is hotter coming in than the Colts. They have won nine of the last 10, and the winner-take-all W last Sunday night against Tennessee, 33-17, was very impressive. Back to the win at Houston. Andrew Luck lit up the Texans secondary, hitting 27 of 41 for 399 yards. And it was due to his amazing protection. The Horseshoes were the only team to allow fewer than 20 sacks during the regular season, the best in the league. On the other side of the field, Houston was the only team to allow more than 60 sacks. Yup, sixty sacks! Then we looked at the Texans’ work after coming back from the bye week, wins over the Jaguars, Washington, the New York Jets, Browns and the Titans, and my reaction was: so what? Just like last week, feeling (Andrew) LUCKy and will buy the dog.

All the early money is on Seattle, including mine. Why? Got some amazing spread stats to back it up. Since Pete Carroll took over, the Seahawks are pure perfection. They own a 6-0 straight up record in their opening-round playoff games, 4-2 against the spread. And the experience factor at the most important position, QB, is heavy in Seattle’s direction. Russell Wilson has stepped into the fire 12 times, while Dak Prescott has just one postseason outing. More spread stats? Sure. Don’t know what it is about Carroll and the NFC East, but the Seahawks have covered 10 of the last 12. And if you’re wondering, why not the Cowboys as a tiny home favorite, here’s why. In games that Dallas was favored at home by 3 points or less, the ’Boys have covered only five of the last 17. And if you’re wondering about Seattle’s last two trips to Jerry World, it was win (21-12) as a 4.5-point dog, and win (13-12) as a 4-point fav. Hawks fly.

Congrats to L.A. Chargers QB Philip Rivers on a fabulous season, and expecting his 9th kid. Gotta be a little tired, right? In any case, he ain’t the most mobile QB out there. Baltimore might have had trouble with Baker Mayfield’s legs in the season finale, but the last time these teams met, in Los Angeles, it was the Ravens in a breeze, 22-10. Rivers was not at his best, completing just 23 of 37 for only 181 yards, no TDs, and 2 INTs. Oh yeah, and four sacks. Speaking of mobility, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson is right up at the top. The only thing that prevents me from best-betting this is Jackson’s lack of playoff experience. And now for a couple of perfectos. The Ravens are 5-0 straight up and against the spread under John Harbaugh in the wild-card round. They come in on a 5-0 spread roll against the AFC West. And they have covered seven of the last eight postseason games. You know what, just talked myself into a BEST BET BABY!