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Superbowl Predictions 2009
By Matt Foust
January 7, 2009
The second weekend of NFL Playoffs action is rapidly approaching, and, with that in mind, it is a good time to look at Superbowl Predictions 2009 at online bookmaker BetUS.com. In the AFC the Chargers, Steelers, Titans, and Ravens are still vying for the Lombardi Trophy; the NFC's combatants include the Giants, Eagles, Cardinals, and Panthers.
San Diego Chargers Superbowl Predictions 2009: The Chargers squeaked into the post-season as winner of the AFC West, but they scored an overtime win last weekend to get by the Colts and advance to this weekend's divisional playoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. They have rattled off five straight wins and are currently a +900 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
Pittsburgh Steelers Superbowl Predictions 2009: Pittsburgh closed out the regular season with a 12-4 record and earned a first round playoff bye as the AFC's number two seed. The Steelers have won seven of their last nine games and feature the league's top-rated defense. They are a +400 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
Tennessee Titans Superbowl Predictions 2009: Tennessee secured the AFC's number one seed and home field advantage throughout the Playoffs as a result of their 10-0 start. They went 3-3 in their final six contests, but finished a game ahead of the Colts to win the AFC South. The Titans are a +550 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
Baltimore Ravens Superbowl Predictions 2009: Baltimore completed an amazing turnaround this season under first year Head Coach John Harbaugh. The Ravens went 11-5 in the regular season and finished second to the Steelers in the AFC North. Last weekend, Baltimore dominated the Dolphins in Miami, winning by a score of 27-9, to earn a showdown with the Titans this Saturday at LP Field. They are a +750 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
New York Giants Superbowl Predictions 2009: The Giants wrapped up the NFC East and the NFC's number one seed by going 12-4 in the regular season. New York won 11 of their first 12 games, but they closed out the year by dropping three of their last four. However, they come into this weekend's game with the Eagles well rested as a result of their first round bye. They are currently a +275 money line bet to win their second straight Super Bowl.
Carolina Panthers Superbowl Predictions 2009: Carolina did not get a lot of press before the season kicked off, but they are on everyone's radar now. The Panthers went 12-4 to win the NFC South and the number two seed in the NFC. John Fox's club did not lose back to back games all year long and is currently a +450 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
Philadelphia Eagles Superbowl Predictions 2009: The Eagles earned a playoff birth in the season's final weekend by punishing the Cowboys in Philadelphia. They carried that momentum into last weekend's game with the Vikings and left the Metrodome with a 26-14 win in their pocket. McNabb and company will now face the Giants for the third time this season. The Eagles are a +750 money line bet to win Super Bowl XLIII.
Arizona Cardinals Superbowl Predictions 2009: Arizona floundered down the stretch, but they did enough to secure a playoff birth by winning their miserable division. Last weekend they surprised a number of people by beating the upstart Falcons 30-24 in Glendale, AZ. Now they will hit the road to face a tough Panthers team. The Cardinals are a +3000 money line bet to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.
Visit BetUS.com for the latest Superbowl Predictions 2009 as well as odds on all of this weekend's NFL Playoff action. BetUS.com is currently offering a 50% bonus on your intitial deposit, so, there is no better time than now to get down on your Super Bowl XLIII favorite.
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Ravens-Titans a defensive struggle
By Dave Goldberg
January 7. 2009
Baltimore and Tennessee played one of the stranger playoff games in NFL history eight years ago, a 24-10 win in Nashville by the Ravens in which they had just 134 yards of offense.
Trent Dilfer was for Baltimore in that game what Kerry Collins is for Tennessee now, a steady veteran hand for a team built for running and defense. The Ravens scored TDs by returning a blocked field goal attempt and an interception by Ray Lewis, went on to beat the Raiders the next week in the AFC title game, then shut down the Giants (with Collins at quarterback) in the Super Bowl.
Look for more of the same in Nashville on Saturday in a game in which sixth-seeded Baltimore is a 3-point underdog to top-seeded Tennessee — the home-field advantage.
There are three Ravens left from that 2001 game: Lewis, kicker Matt Stover and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.
"The guys who were part of that can draw on that," Ravens coach John Harbaugh says. "Rex has talked about that with me, and I've talked to Ray about that. I know they talk to different guys about it. It's neat. I think it's something that's positive. But this is a new year. That's a long time ago. This is two new football teams."
The Titans won 13-10 in Baltimore earlier this season and this should be the same type of game.
Both teams are built the same way: defense first, the running game next, and then passing. Give the much more experienced Collins the edge over rookie QB Joe Flacco, just as Kurt Warner demonstrated his playoff experience last week for Arizona against Atlanta rookie Matt Ryan.
But give Lewis, Ed Reed and the rest of the Ravens' defense the ultimate edge. And bruising running back Le'Ron McClain was used a lot less the first time they met.
RAVENS, 15-10
Arizona (plus 10) at Carolina (Saturday)
The Cardinals lost 27-23 in their first trip to Charlotte. But that was one of their better road games this season — they didn't have an away win outside the weak NFC West. And while they were impressive in shutting down Michael Turner in their upset of Atlanta last week, it's not likely to happen this week against DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
It's nice to see a historically downtrodden franchise win a postseason game.
It won't happen again this weekend.
PANTHERS, 27-12
Philadelphia (plus 4) at New York Giants (Sunday)
The Giants finished the season 1-3. The Eagles are on a 5-1 run, including a victory over the Vikings in the playoffs last Sunday. And, of course, a 20-14 win over New York at the Meadowlands on Dec. 7.
What does it mean?
"I don't think this team really looks at it like we've lost three of the last four," says center Shaun O'Hara. "We're done with last year. That was 2008. This is 2009."
Actually, 2008 was pretty good to New York.
GIANTS, 24-21
San Diego (plus 6) at Pittsburgh
The Chargers are a better team now than the one that lost the only 11-10 game in NFL history at Heinz Field on Nov. 16. And Ben Roethlisberger sustained a concussion in the final regular-season game for Pittsburgh.
But the Steelers' defense should be good enough on its own to win this game. LaDainian Tomlinson may not play and his replacement at running back, Darren Sproles, might be worn down a bit from 328 all-purpose yards last week. Beyond that, the footing might not be as good.
STEELERS, 20-17
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