Shifting into the post-season means faster, tougher football and with 50-percent of this year’s field coming off at least a one-year absence from the playoffs we can expect to see a couple teams raise the bar in Week 1.

BetRepublic.com finished the regular season with two solid best bet plays on Pittsburgh and Atlanta and for the Wild Card round we’ve offered a selection from each matchup to consider.

NEW YORK JETS (9-7) AT CINCINNATI (10-6)
Line: Bengals -2.5
Over/Under: 34
While it’s been only three years since Gang Green appeared in the post-season and four for Cincinnati, the Bengals are still taking some getting used to. Cinci was demolished 37-0 last week in New York, looking more like the team whose previous appearance before 2005 was in 1990. The question is whether they will be able to jump start the attack that stunned everyone this year by sweeping the AFC North and winning the division.

RB Benson returns after sitting last week out and while his overall numbers were good, they waned as the year progressed. Since Week 10 the only opponents Benson could get untracked against were Detroit and Kansas City, who rank 25th and 31st against the run respectively.

New York’s CB Revis is the best in the game and short of the odd bomb; Cincinnati had trouble with anything beyond intermediate routes. Failure to move the chains will translate into long shifts for the Bengal defenders and in cool conditions they will wear down.

Sending rookie QB Sanchez into a hostile environment is asking a lot but O-Co Schottenheimer is aware of his strengths and New York’s attack will be based on the ground game. Cincinnati was without two of their four starting linemen (Domata Peko and Robert Geathers) last week and one of their backups (Pat Sims) went out early in this game. Peko and Geathers should return for this rematch and it looks to us as if this will be a low scoring affair.
BetRepublic.com Pick: Take the "Under" 34


PHILADELPHIA (11-5) AT DALLAS (11-5)
Line: Cowboys -4
Over/Under: 45
Dallas has shown consistent improvement on both sides of the ball; fighting through injuries to the three-deep RB corps and bolstered by the emergence of WR Miles. On defense the edge rush from the Cowboys has been relentless and Philadelphia will need to be creative and work quickly to avoid sacks. QB McNabb was hauled down seven times this year against the Cowboys, including four in the 24-0 loss last Sunday.

Philadelphia was forced to turn to its bench this year and found success with RB McCoy, allowing RB Westbrook time to recover from a concussion. Both will be ready for this game but Dallas is fourth against the run and comes into the game with a defensive front seven at 100-percent. Dallas is also sixth at time of possession while the Eagles rank 28th and that promises to be a factor if the Cowboys get out in front and turn to their ground game.

The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1996 and are in a prime position to do so right now. The way these teams match up, we lean on the home side to cover the spread.
BetRepublic.com Pick: Take the Cowboys


BALTIMORE (9-7) AT NEW ENGLAND (10-6)
Line: Patriots -3 (-120)
Over/Under: 43
The Ravens will try and put an end to New England’s dominant streak of 8-0 SU at home in the playoffs but must do so coming off back-to-back road games. WR Welker (knee) is out and Julian Edelman takes his place. Edelman is tied with RB Faulk for third most receptions on the team.

Baltimore will try to rattle Brady and force mistakes but it’s easier said than done. Brady is one of the most cerebral QBs in the game and we expect him to have success against a mediocre pass defense.

On offense, the Ravens rushing attack worked exceptionally well when Baltimore had the lead but New England’s D got stronger all season and with NT Vince Wilfork (ankle) and DE Ty Warren (ankle) expected to return this week near 100-percent, it takes away from Baltimore’s strength.

We don’t feel that the Ravens have the ability to go into Foxboro and defeat the Patriots with an offense based on passing and are willing to lay up to -3 points on New England moving onto the next round.
BetRepublic.com Pick: Take the Patriots


GREEN BAY AT ARIZONA
Line: 'Pick em'
Over/Under: 47
True to his form, HC Whisenhunt shrugged off the Week 17 matchup vs. this same Packers team and allowed Green Bay to waltz into University of Phoenix Stadium and have their way. Prior to that the Cardinals had scored 30-plus points in three-straight home games and although two of the opponents were divisional door mats (SEA, STL); they were games the Cards needed to win. The other was against a normally dominant Vikings defense, too, and this versatile Arizona attack that ranked 11th in scoring will challenge the Packers D.

Pass protection for QB Rodgers has improved and it’s been helped by the emergence of RB Grant in the second-half of the season. Grant has been the top rusher from either side in nine of the past 12 Green Bay games, attracting attention from the outside linebackers and helping free up coverage for Rodgers underneath. Without throwing picks or tossing the ball away, Rodgers has sped up his release and could benefit this week from the absence of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (knee).

Oddsmakers have reduced the total on this game from an opening number of 48.5 and betting has stabilized at 47. Regardless of who ends up winning this contest, it is likely going to take a lot of points to do so. At a reduced number, we like this game to climb "Over" the posted total.
BetRepublic.com Pick: Take the "Over"

Last Week: 2-0
Overall Record: 45-38 (54-percent)
Sides: 32-28; Totals: 13-10

For final comments on all the games come join us Sunday at the BR Bullboard. It gets going 45 minutes before kickoff with injury updates, line moves and best bets from all the guys at BetRepublic.com.