Thanks to the doink turned block heard round the world, the NFC Divisional Round field was set Sunday night when the Philadelphia Eagles upset the Chicago Bears, 16-15, at Soldier Field.
Both NFC games this weekend are nightcaps, with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night at the L.A. Colosseum and the New Orleans Saints welcoming in the defending champ Eagles to the Superdome.
Here’s the thing about all these divisional round match ups in the NFC playoffs — the underdogs can win these games.
SATURDAY
Dallas Cowboys +7 +290 ov 49
Los Angeles Rams -7 -350 un 49
Odds Provided by BetDSI.eu
Dallas Cowboys 11-6 SU, 8-7-2 ATS, 8-9 O-U
Los Angeles Rams 13-3 SU, 7-7-2 ATS, 7-8-1 O-U
Broadcast: FOX
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. EST
The Rams desperately needed the first-round bye to get healthy. The good news for Los Angeles is both running back Todd Gurley and safety Lamarcus Joyner should be on the field and ready to go come Saturday night.
Related: NFL Betting Guide
After a three-game swoon, Jared Goff bounced back over the final two weeks of the season and looked a lot more like the quarterback that opened 2018 as a legitimate MVP candidate. How much did that have to do with Goff fixing his errors or the teams the Rams were facing (the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals)? We’ll probably know in the first quarter Saturday night.
While Goff stubbed his toe over the final month of the season, the defense finally looked like the unit we all thought they would in the preseason. Sure, the 49ers scored 32 points against them two weeks ago, but most of that came after L.A. called off the dogs and started subbing in back ups.
The Cowboys won by the skin of their teeth against a surging Seattle Seahawks team. The new Dallas triplets all showed up in a big way, with Amari Cooper catching seven passes for 106 yards, Ezekiel Elliott rushing 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown and Dak Prescott passing for 226 yards and a touchdown with a pick. Prescott added a TD on the ground.
Where the Cowboys have the advantage in this match up is in their linebacker corps. They’re quick and can close on the ball quickly. Don’t be surprised to see the Rams use plenty of C.J. Anderson in this game, in spite of Gurley being suited up.
When these two teams faced off last season in Dallas, the Rams won 35-30.
The Pick: Rams -7
SUNDAY
Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints (-8, O/U: 50.5)
Broadcast: FOX
Kickoff: 4:40 p.m. EST
Here’s the most important stat you need to know about this game. Since Drew Brees and Sean Payton joined the Saints, they have never lost a home playoff game. They are 5-0 in the Superdome. That’s what the Eagles are walking into Sunday.
But Philly is not without its own playoff statistical anomaly. Nick Foles is 4-1 in the postseason, with (of course) four of those victories coming in a row with some of the finest quarterbacking performances in history. Last year, Foles completed 72.6 percent of his passes in the tournament for 971 yards, six touchdowns and one pick. He wasn’t as efficient against the Chicago Bears Sunday night, but they were only the best defense in the league and he still won, including tossing a fourth-down touchdown pass for the come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter. Foles has lost two starts, total, since he returned to the Eagles.
I like the Saints to win, but it’ll be closer than eight points.
The Pick: Eagles +8
