NFL Playoff Picks: Over/Under Locks for Wild Card Weekend

This is going to be a fun Wild Card Weekend for everyone. Whether you like offense or defense, you will get a few games that meet your needs. 

The people who set the over/under numbers seem to agree, although they're leaving room for disagreement. 

Take at look at the numbers:

(Over/Under according to Sportsbook.)

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (O/U 38)

The defenses in this one are too good, and neither offense will quite do the trick. While 38 isn't a massive number by any stretch of the imagination, this is a safe one to go under on. 

The winner of this game will be the team that makes a big play or two. This will not be a shootout. Either team will do well to get above 20, and that's certainly not going to threaten 38 total points. 

A.J. Green will make the big plays when he needs to, but it won't show with a terribly impressive stat sheet.

Over/Under: Under

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints (O/U 59)

You can live a long time and not see an over/under as big as this one in a playoff game. Still, I am going with the over. 

The Lions are going to be faced with a choice. Do we rush Drew Brees and let the Saints' three-headed running attack and screen plays beat us, or drop back and let Brees beat us downfield? That sounds bleak, but it's true. The only way the Lions will win this game is in a shootout. 

Make no mistake, the Lions will score plenty of points on their own, but they won't win. Still, they will put up more than enough to make up the difference on the over/under. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are way too good to be shut down.

Lovers of offense will have a fun time watching this one. 

Over/Under: Over

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants (O/U 47.5)

I must be on a different wavelength from the people setting these odds, because I see a shootout here. It won't quite be like the Lions vs. Saints, but we'll get plenty of points in this one. 

While both teams have strong defensive fronts, their secondaries leave a lot to be desired. That's what will push this one over the number. 

The Falcons will win the game because their team has a little more balance. But Matt Ryan and Eli Manning will both have strong offensive days.

Over/Under: Over

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (O/U 33.5)

You're not going to see an over/under much bigger than 59 in a playoff game, and you're not going to see one lower than this. Like the Lions vs. Steelers, I am betting with the extreme. 

Pittsburgh's offense is going to have a hard time moving the ball. Ben Roethlisberger has not been himself since a Week 14 injury, one of his better blockers is out and the team's leading scorer will not play. 

Despite all of that, the Steelers will emerge victorious. They have a defense that will give Tim Tebow a lot of trouble when it comes to moving the ball. Fans of defense/poor offense will get their treat in this clash. 

Over/Under: Under

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