On an average NFL Sunday you have 15 games to choose from when looking for wagering opportunities. On conference championship Sunday you only have two. Here are two suggestions to help you think outside the box of side and/or total, and give you more betting options to choose from – team totals and props.

Team totals are simple – they work just like the game total. You wager on either Over or Under, but rather than for a combined score you are focusing on just one team. Let’s take a look at the team totals for this week’s games and some relevant numbers to see if anything looks like an attractive wager.

Team totals: Jets 16 ½, Colts 23 ½.

First, let’s compare the numbers the bookies hung on this one to season averages, starting with the Jets. New York scores an average of 21 per game, so we get a number that is 4 ½ points higher than the set number; a possible Over play? Let’s see what Indy surrenders per game: 18. Both season averages favor a play on Over 16 ½.

But let’s dig deeper. What is the Jets road average for PPG (points per game): 23. How about the Colts defense at home, how many do they surrender: 17. Over the 16 ½, but barely.

Let’s look at it another way. In how many of their games did NY score more than the 16 ½ we need to hit with the Over here. A check of their schedule shows that in 13 of 18 played they surpassed this number. How many times did the Colts surrender more than this number?

In the playoffs, NY surpassed 16 ½ both games, scoring 24 vs. Cincy and barely getting by with 17 at San Diego. In their lone playoff game, the Colts gave up only 3 points, far Under what we would need here. 

In summary, almost every category favors a play on the Jets to go Over 16 ½. But the one that doesn’t - the Colts defense, at home in the playoffs - is a huge factor, as they held the Ravens offense, ranked 11th in the league, to only 3 points. NY is rated 17th.

Those are the basics of how I break down team totals. They’re not the only factors I use. Emotion, momentum, injuries, history and other considerations are just as valuable to handicap properly.

Here are the numbers for the other team totals you can look at:

Indy averages 26 PPG. NY gives up 15 PPG. At home, Indy averages 23 PPG. NY on the road gives up 15. During the regular season, Indy has scored 24 or more in 10 of 17 games (but discount two of those as the Colts held out started in the final two games.) NY gave up 24 or more in only 5 of 18 games (again, factor in that two of those that came against opponents who held out starters.) In the playoffs, NY has given up 28 points combined, for an average of 14 per game. In their only playoff game Indy scored 20 and gave up only 3. Almost all factors favor a play on Indy Under 23 ½.

Team totals: Minnesota 24, New Orleans 28

Minn. averages 30 PPG. NO gives up 21 PPG. On the road, Minn’s PPG drops down to 26. NO at home gives up the same as their overall average, 21 PPG. During the regular season, Minn. has scored 24 or more in 14 of 17 games. NO gave up 24 or more in only 6 of 17 games.

In the playoffs, Minn. scored 34, but that was at home. In their home dome playoff game, the Saints only gave up 14.

The Saints offense averages 33 PPG, Min gives up 18. At home the Saints score 33, on the road the Vikings give up 23, five points higher than at home. The Saints have scored 28 or more in 11 of 17 games. In the playoffs, Minn. gave up only 3 points, but that was at home. NO scored 45 at home in their playoff spot.

If team totals don’t appeal to you I’ll give you a player prop to consider. It’s a given that Rex Ryan is going to rely heavily on the blitz vs. Manning. When putting together a game plan to offset the blitz, a common tactic is to have your quarterback roll out to avoid the pressure. Manning is not a mobile quarterback, so that is not an option in this game. Instead, he will call a lot of audibles at the line of scrimmage, looking to use screen plays and short dump offs on quick out patterns and slants over the middle.  

This means extra work for Pro Bowl tight end and favorite target Dallas Clark. As of this writing, the books have not assigned a number to the number of catches by Clark, but I am waiting on it and if they give me a number I like I will jump on the Over. If I do, I’ll send a PUBit to my teammates at www.BetRepublic.com