2018 NFL playoff odds picks Vikings outlast Eagles Patriots top Jags

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Championship weekend is filled with unexpected party-crashers.The New England Patriots were widely predicted to be here before the season began, but nobody thought the Jacksonville Jaguars would even make the playoffs, let alone advance to the NFL semifinals. Neither the Philadelphia Eagles nor the Minnesota Vikings were considered inner-circle contenders in the NFC coming into the year, but they proved throughout the season that they were the cla s of the conference, and they earned their spots in the league's final four.As a result of three teams exceeding expectations, we will be treated to a pair of wildly intriguing matchups on Sunday.The Pats are heavy favorites in the AFC title game, of course, but their opponent bears a lot of resemblance to teams that have pulled off shocking upsets against them in the past. Like the Giants and Broncos teams that knocked the Pats out of the playoffs unexpectedly, the Jaguars have a strong pa s rush with the ability to get pre sure on Tom Brady and force him into mistakes. They also have a strong enough secondary to play pre Austin Corbett Jersey s coverage on the outside and get away with it if they do feel the need to blitz. Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue, Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Bouye and the rest of the Jacksonville defense are certainly confident in their ability to stop (or at least slow down) any offense -- and with good reason. And if Brady's thumb injury affects his ability to deliver the ball on-time and on-target, things could get pretty interesting.Of course, the Jaguars will still need to figure out a way to score in order to keep pace with the Pats. Leonard Fournette is the backbone of the team's offense, but he's not quite as good on the road as he is at home, and he's not a fan of cold weather. And we know Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia will be doing everything in their power to take Fournette out of the game and thrust the Jags' chances to win entirely onto Blake Bortles shoulders. Can he figure out a way to minimize mistakes and make big plays down the field?In the NFC, we'll be treated to a battle between two teams with inner-circle Coach of the Year candidates that will have a chance to expre s their creativity on their respective sides of the ball. Doug Pederson crafted an offense in Philadelphia that was nearly unstoppable this season with Carson Wentz at the helm. The ceiling has been dramatically lowered since Nick Foles replaced Wentz after his torn ACL, but Pederson knows how to scheme his players into position to succeed. He can still lean on the running game featuring Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement, and he can give Foles quick, easy throws that minimize his risk against one of the NFL's best defenses. The Vikes have one of the best defensive fronts in football, led by Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter, and their secondary is top-notch. They fly all over the field and make you hit extremely tight windows in order to advance the Genard Avery Jersey ball downfield.It's high time we stop considering the Minnesota offense any more of a surprise than the defense, given how good it's been all year. Case Keenum's breakout season was helped along by Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, and he still gets sloppy when under pre sure, but he's shown throughout the season that he can handle anything that's thrown his way. And the Eagles will have plenty to throw his way. They have an excellent defensive front in their own right, and they can get pre sure and force pa sers into mistakes as well as anybody else in the league. The Philly defense controlled the game last week against the Falcons, and will be looking to do the same on Sunday.By this time just a few days from now, we'll know the identity of both Super Bowl contestants. Who will it be? Let's find out. Sunday, Jan. 21 AFC:Jacksonville Jaguars (3) at (1), 3:05 p.m. ET on CBS NFC:Minnesota Vikings (2) at Philadelphia Eagles (1), 6:40 p.m. ET on Fox Jaguars at Patriots (-7.5) The Patriots were nine-point favorites on MondayTom Brady mi sed practice due to a thumb injuryThe Patriots are 12-5 against the spread. They've been favored in every single game this season.The Jaguars are 10-8 against the spread and 4-2 as the underdog. Vikings at Eagles (+3.0) The Eagles were 3.5-point underdogs on MondayThe Vikings are 11-6 against the spread and 8-5 as the favorite.The Eagles are also 11-6 against the spread and 4-2 as the underdog. Patriots (-7.5) Better than any team in the NFL, the Patriots force their opponents to play to their weakne ses in order to win football games. Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and Matt Patricia know Austin Seibert Jersey how to zero in on what an opponent does best and neutralize it entirely, forcing them to play a completely different game than they're used to. Without question, we will see them do that once again on Sunday. The Pats are going to take away the Fournette-led running game and make Bortles win the game on his own through the air. Bortles has performed far better this season than anyone expected, but the idea that he is Eric Murray Jersey going to go into Gillette Stadium and out-duel Tom Brady is just a bridge too far. The Pats have some matchup advantages against the NFL's best defense (Gronk, Dion Lewis), and in the end, the Jags just can't keep up with them. Patriots 24, Jaguars 13 Vikings (-3.0) The NFC title game features two wildly similar teams. Both the Eagles and Vikings feature top-10 units on both sides of the ball. They have excellent pa s-rushes, great run defenses, diverse running games, and creative pa sing games. The difference between the two teams is that the Vikings' backup quarterback has been their starter for most of the year, and has grown into the role and played extremely well. Nick Foles has only been in the top job for a few weeks, and he is still prone to too many mistakes. Either team's defense could easily win this game for them, but I have more confidence in Minnesota's ability to withstand the best the Philly defense has to offer and still put points on the board than vice versa. The Vikes pull off a feat that has never been accomplished before, and advance to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium.Vikings 20, Eagles 13
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