NFL Playoffs Betting - San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons Preview
San Francisco is back in the NFC Championship Game after a very tough loss in this game last season to the New York Giants. Can they get one step further this year? That is the big question. A lot can happen in one year. The 49ers are a different team with a different starting quarterback in Colin Kaerpernick . He brings a bit more to the table than Alex Smith as far as his running ability and his rocket of an arm. But he will not have the experience of playing in this game before.
Their opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, have not been this far, at least not with these players. How will they handle the pressure? Nobody really knows. One thing is for sure though. The Georgia Dome will be extremely loud this weekend. Matt Ryan got his first playoff win last week in dramatic fashion when he led them to a last second win over the Seattle Seahawks. That should be doing wonders for his confidence.
The Falcons lost three games this season. All three were to teams from their own division. The 49ers haven't seen the Falcons this year. Could this be an advantage? Maybe. Only the New Orleans Saints beat Atlanta the first time they played. But the fact that the Saints did it does give San Francisco some hope that it can be done.
The Falcons are so good at pulling out the close game it is scary. They are 8-2 in games decided by seven points or less, and one of the losses was in a game that had no bearing on anything as far as the standings were concerned. So if this game is tight, you have to love the Falcons chances. Last week they led the whole game, gave up the lead with 30 seconds to play, but calmly made plays to win the game on a field goal with eight seconds to play.
The Niners on the other hand have been looking very good. They shredded the Green Bay Packers defense for 45 points behind Kaepernick's running and passing. Even after he threw an early interception that was returned for a Packers touchdown, he was not fazed by it. He and receiver Michael Crabtree seem to be on the same page most of the time. Crabtree's production had gone up since Kaepernick was installed as the starting quarterback.
49ers and Falcons Odds
Sports Interaction has the 49ers -4.5 -115 or -220. Atlanta is +4.5 -105 or +180. Over/under is 49.5.
Atlanta is the top seed and has the home field advantage and yet is a 4.5-point underdog? Talk about getting no respect? The Falcons play in a lot of close games, but they do win them.
The 49ers have been very good all year, but not perfect by any means. They were hammered by the team the Falcons just beat in the second to last game of the regular season. The Seahawks pounded them 42-13.
It is easy to pick the team who as in this game a year ago over the team that wasn't. The 49ers may well win the game, but we will take Atlanta and the 4.5 points. We also will take the over.
Two-thirds of the action according to Sports Interaction is on the 49ers.
