NFL Key Trends for Wild-Card Weekend from NFLOne.com

AT FIRST GLANCE...there are games that always look ‘Tasty’ ATS in many publications as a ‘Bullet’ trend only to ‘trap’ upon further review. In 2006, The Director looked for the first time to clear the way for you to understand which team has the real ‘ADVANTAGE’ against the ‘Trend’.

As you look to take action, Steve Makinen starts the day with one of the most interesting statistics in that Home teams that gain more than 7.4 yard per pass attempt are most recently 7-15 ATS; an uphill climb for the Cardinals, Dolphins, and Chargers.

Sunday's matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and SAN DIEGO CHARGERS is one of the checkered matchups of this Wild Card weekend. With both teams on a run by outscoring their opponents by over 18 points, and 3-1 ATS in January over the last three years, this one is a real question mark.

While the Chargers are 2-1 ATS in their last three matchups, and 6-2 ATS versus the AFC South over the last three years, the Colts arrive 2-0 ATS on Saturday, and 10-3 ATS where the line is +3 to -3 over the last three years.

Although the Chargers are 1-0 ATS versus the Colts in the playoffs, and 3-1 ATS in their last four matchups, weighing on this game is the last minute three-point victory the Colts produced in Week 12.

If there were every two teams that are streaking into the playoffs, it is the Ravens and the MIAMI DOLPHINS. With the series standing at 1-1 SU and ATS, the Ravens enter 6-1 ATS as Favorites this season while the Dolphins enter 6-17 ATS at Home and 3-4 ATS after two consecutive victories over the last three seasons.

Many reporters pointed to the Raven victory over the Fish in Miami in Week Seven as the coming out party for Flacco, whose 232 passing yards helped snap a seven-game SU Road losing streak for the Ravens. The Ravens looking to continue the 17-11 streak ATS for Road teams allowing 17 points per game on defense.

The question everyone has is whether McNabb will show up this weekend. Like an episode of The Hills, or at least I hear because my age far exceeds the demographic, McNabb, and the Philadelphia Eagles, 0-4 ATS as a Road Favorite and 0-1 ATS in the Wild Card round over the last three years take on the Minnesota Vikings, who are 2-4 ATS versus the NFC East, and 0-5 ATS as a Home Underdog of three or less points.

Having been held to 70 rushing yards in losing ATS and SU here in 2007, the real question is whether the Vikings' Jackson can succeed where Bollinger and Holcomb could not. Having held the opposition to only 10 points per game in outscoring them by 14 points per game in the last four, Jackson will have to step up to beat the Eagles.

FIRST LOOK

With the NFC Wild Card games going UNDER the total in seven of the last eight games, the Atlanta Falcons head to Arizona to face off with the ARIZONA CARDINALS. Jaded by the 2007 season, the Falcons enter 0-8 ATS after two wins. 2-0 ATS in their last two games versus Arizona, the Falcons, who in losing SU in their last trip to Arizona will be counting on Turner to make the difference.

With Redman piling up 315 passing yards last November versus the Cardinals, look for Ryan, who is projected to only have 209 passing yards to surprise the crowd. The Cardinals will have trouble attempting to escape the 1-5-2 record ATS that 9-7 teams have piled up most recently in the Wild Card round.

ADVANTAGE FALCONS

KING TRENDS
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