2015 NFL Divisional Round Odds and Free Picks: Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos Predictions – Free NFL Playoff Picks 1/11/15: The NFL playoffs roll on with two Divisional Round matchups Sunday that will finalize both the AFC and NFC championship games. In the first game, the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys will travel to Lambeau Field to take on the NFC North champion Green Bay Packers, and in the final game of the weekend, the Indianapolis Colts will head to Mile High Stadium to face the Denver Broncos. Here is a closer look at both matchups.
NFC Divisional Round Game: Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
Something has to give in his Divisional Round matchup. After all, the Cowboys haven’t lost on the road all year as they head to Lambeau Field to face a Packers team that hasn’t lost at home this season. The game is also a battle of powerful offenses. Led by QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Eddie Lacy, the Packers own the top-ranked scoring offense in the league. For their part, the Cowboys rank fifth in the league in scoring with RB DeMarco Murray leading the second-ranked ground game and QB Tony Romo completing a league-high 69.9 percent of his passes.
Not only do both teams own stout offenses, but both teams have been horrible at defending the other team’s strength. Green Bay must try to contain the NFL’s leading rusher, Murray, with the 23rd-ranked run defense. On the flip side, Dallas will be trying to stop the MVP frontrunner, Rodgers, with the 26th-ranked pass defense. Needless to say, this game is likely going to be a high-scoring shootout.
Somewhat fittingly, the final score when these teams met last season was 37-36 in favor of Green Bay. However, it is worth noting that the quarterback under center that day for the Packers was Matt Flynn, who threw four touchdowns. Now, Rodgers is going to be under center facing a Dallas secondary that is still porous, and eight starts at home this year, he has 25 touchdowns and no interceptions to go along with a 133.2 QB rating. Meanwhile, Romo owns an ugly 26.0 Total QBR in three starts when the temperature is below freezing. The Cowboys aren’t going to keep pace with the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Prediction: Green Bay Packers (-6) Cover the Spread
AFC Divisional Round Game: Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos
As far as storylines go, they don’t get much better than this. Denver QB Peyton Manning will face his former team and the quarterback that was largely responsible for him leaving Indianapolis in the first place, Andrew Luck, with a spot in the AFC title game on the line. For Manning, a win would move him one step closer adding one more title to a Hall of Fame career. On the flip side, Luck is gunning for his first title and trying to prove that he deserves to be considered the next great QB in the game.
These teams have squared off in each of the last two seasons with Luck and the Colts winning at home by six in 2013, and the Broncos winning 31-24 earlier this year.
While the quarterbacks are no doubt the headliners for both teams, it is Denver’s newfound balance on offense that could decide the outcome. Yes, Manning still threw for 39 touchdowns, including three in the team’s Week 1 win over the Colts, but RB C.J. Anderson ran for more than 80 yards in five of the team’s final six games. On the flip side, Indianapolis’ already underwhelming ground game was dealt a blow when RB Ahmad Bradshaw was lost in November to a broken leg.
Luck has done a more than adequate job shouldering the load for Indianapolis this year, but he is facing a tough task Sunday. The Colts’ lack of a ground game is going to allow Denver to turn pass-rushers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware loose early and often. Meanwhile, Indianapolis is missing its top pass-rusher, Robert Mathis, and a Colts’ defense that struggled to contain Manning and company early in the year is likely going to struggle even more to contain the team’s more balanced attack. The Broncos are just a more complete team.
Prediction: Denver Broncos (-7) Cover the Spread
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