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Welcome to Against All Odds: NCAA/NFL Picks- NFL Divisional Playoffs! From the opening weekend of the NCAA football season through Super Bowl LII, Mike Drakulich (PSN), the man behind Pittsburgh SportsNation, takes on his father, Michael J. Drakulich (MJD), in picking NCAA and NFL games against the Vegas spread.
Mike Drakulich covers both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers during the season for NGSCSports.com!
To appease the taste buds of Pittsburgh’s local coverage area, Pitt, Penn State, and West Virginia, when they are playing, will always be on the docket among the NCAA games chosen, as will the Pittsburgh Steelers for NFL games.
Once Bowl Season arrives, we’ll bring you ALL 40 games and then continue throughout the conclusion of the NFL Playoffs.
Itchy vs Scratchy. Black Spy vs White Spy. Cheers vs Gary’s Old Towne Tavern. History is full of rivalries, but none are better than father vs son! Who will rise above the other this season and become the 2017-18 Against All Odds Champion?
Lines as of 1/12/2017
NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
Saturday, January 13th
#6 Atlanta Falcons (11-6) at #1 Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
4:35 pm | Line: Atlanta -3.5
Pick- PSN: Atlanta | MJD: Atlanta
How many times have you ever seen the #1 seed play their first game of the playoffs as an underdog in the NFL? With Carson Wentz out for the season, it will be difficult to envision the Eagles going very far, if anywhere, especially against an Atlanta team that seems to have found it’s feet at the right time of the season. The Falcons are notorious for choking, but this one is there for the taking for the Dirty Birds and Matt Ryan to leave the Philly crowd in a stupor and another championship-less year in the books.
#5 Tennessee Titans (10-7) at #1 New England Patriots (13-3)
8:15 pm | Line: New England -13.5
Pick- PSN: New England | MJD: Tennessee
Tennessee surprised everybody, including their own fan base by storming back to defeat the Chiefs last week at Arrowhead. Now they face the unenviable task of heading to Foxboro as huge underdogs to Tom Brady and the Patriots. New England and their fans had better enjoy this night, for it will be their last time heading home with smiles on their faces till next September.
Sunday, January 14th
#3 Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6) at #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
1:05 pm | Line: Pittsburgh -6.5
Pick- PSN: Pittsburgh | MJD: Pittsburgh
Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are looking to avenge an earlier defeat to the Jaguars in the most brutal fashion possible. If Pittsburgh doesn’t turn the ball over and keeps Leonard Fournette under wraps, they will be heading to New England next week for the AFC Championship Game.
#4 New Orleans Saints (12-5) at #2 Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
4:40 pm | Line: Minnesota -5.5
Pick- PSN: New Orleans | MJD: New Orleans
I really like what I see out of Minnesota. They have a very solid team and will be playing at home. They are in the running to become the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium, but… there is something about New Orleans that is hard to go against. Drew Brees has become more of a game manager with the vaunted rushing attack they possess. I like the Saints to not only cover, but to face the Falcons next week for the rights to advance to Super Bowl LII.
Pick Results
PSN: Last Week: 2-3 | Overall: 102-93 — .523
MJD: Last Week: 1-4 | Overall: 85-110 -17 .435
Author Profile
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
There's nowhere on earth that is more dedicated to its sports teams like Western Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The passion and pride of Pittsburgh's fan base is second to no one. From the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, to W.P.I.A.L. high school sports, "The City of Champions" has it all!
As Editor of Pittsburgh SportsNation, Mike Drakulich provides top notch opinions and coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt Panthers football & basketball, Robert Morris Colonials basketball, and Duquesne Dukes basketball, as well as all sports teams that represent Western Pennsylvania, including WPIAL High School Football.
For a refreshing view of sports, mixed with humor and uncensored opinions, check out Pittsburgh SportsNation today on Facebook, Twitter @PghSportsNation and videos with over 1,000,000 views on YouTube!
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