HERE. WE. GO. Super Wild Card Weekend has to be up there with the best weekends in Football, after the Super Bowl and the first Sunday back in September. Great football on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, hitting us with that well needed fix of Pig Skin Rough N’ Tumble. The Saturday double header is shaping up really interesting, but I think the real drama will happen on the Sunday slate of games.

Before cracking into the Saturday schedule, a little housekeeping. I would like to congratulate my Fantasy colleague, Eoin Lombard on taking home our coveted Super Bowl Ring. Unfortunately, he absolutely dominated me in the Fantasy final. I’m really only coming to terms with the loss now.. but well done I guess…

My final records for the year can be seen below. Not the worst ending to the season, after the disastrous first half. Next Year Finna be lit. I also have to give a shout out to my auditor, Conor Barry who caught a one-game miscalculation I made in week 17. That’s why I have him on the big monthly retainer over in the Caymans.

NAP: 10 – 5.

FINAL REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 104-104.

Fresh record starting for the playoffs, so let’s get locked and loaded.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Cincinnati Bengals: Bengals -4.5

Raiders:

• End of Season Record: 10-7 (5-3 away)
• Offence (Yards Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 363.8 (11th) // Passing – 268.6 (6th) // Rushing – 95.1 (28th).
• Defence (Yards Allowed Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 337.2 (14th) // Passing – 222.9 (13th) // Rushing – 114.3 (19th)
• Points Per Game Stats, ESPN: PPG Scored – 22.0 (18th) // PPG Allowed – 25 (26th).
• Turnover Differential: -9 (27th).
• Injury Report (Out): N/A.
• Against the Spread: 8-9-0.

Bengals:

• End of Season Record: 10-7 (5-4 home)
• Offence (Yards Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 361.5 (13th) // Passing – 259.0 (7th) // Rushing – 102.5 (23rd).
• Defence (Yards Allowed Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 350.8 (18th) // Passing – 248.4 (26th) // Rushing – 102.5 (5th)
• Points Per Game Stats, ESPN: PPG Scored – 27.1 (7th) // PPG Allowed – 22.1 (17th).
• Turnover Differential: 0 (16th).
• Injury Report (Doubtful): Josh Tupou – DT.
• Against the Spread: 10-7-0.
• Weather Report (YR Weather): O*C with a gentle breeze.

Now this is an interesting one. The Raiders are coming off what can only be described as the most exciting/outrageous game of the season, last week against the Chargers. As much as I would love to see Justin Herbert in the playoffs, I am delighted for Derek Carr & Co., who have had a tough year with all the controversies. They are also entering into the playoffs on the back of a four-game winning streak, which is sure to be putting interim Head Coach Rich Bisaccia’s name in the ring for the full-time gig. In that four-game stretch, they have beaten the Chargers and Broncos at home, and the Colts and Browns away. While Carr hasn’t been as hot as he was in the early parts of the season, Josh Jacobs has certainly been getting moving. Jacobs rushed for 132 and 129 yards respectively against the Chargers and Broncos. WR Hunter Renfrow is also establishing himself as an elite ball catcher and route runner, nabbing four TDs in his last three games. On the defensive side of the ball, DEs Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue have been leading the charge, making life difficult for opposition QBs, helping the Raiders defensive unit rank 13th against the pass. They’ll need to be at their best, if they are to slow down one of the best passing threats in the league.

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are quickly becoming the new Mahomes and Hill, or Rodgers and Adams. Burrow finished the regular season with a league leading completion % of 70.4, helping the Bengals take home their first AFC North title since 2015. Chase broke Justin Jefferson’s rookie receiving yards record, recording 1455 yards during the 2021 regular season. But it’s not just Burrow and Chase that Las Vegas need to worry about. The Bengals have two other studs in their wide receiving group. Higgins and Boyd have been dominating this season, and look like they have good mismatches here in this game. Casey Hayward is Vegas’ best corner and will look to mark Chase or Higgins, but whoever he isn’t marking, will certainly have the upper hand. To make matters ever worse for the Raiders defence, we haven’t even mentioned the Bengals offensive weapon that steamrolled them in their November match-up, which the Bengals took 32-13. Joe Mixon ran all over Vegas in Allegiant Stadium, logging 123 yards rushing and 2TDs.

While the Raiders are on a massive high after last week’s victory, I don’t see them having the capabilities to contain Joe Burrow and his boys. Burrow is a big-time player and he’ll likely step up once again in front of his home crowd. The Raiders are also in a short week after a brutally tough final regular season game. I could see this being very similar to their previous match up this year. The Raiders will hang around for three quarters, but then Cincinnati will pull away. Bengals take it and cover the spread.

• Side bet: First half under: 24.5.
• Player Prop: Tyler Boyd +3.5 receptions.

*These bets to be included in the record.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills: Bills -4.5

Patriots:

• End of Season Record: 10-7 (6-2)
• Offence (Yards Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 353.4 (15th) // Passing – 226.9 (14th) // Rushing – 126.5 (8th).
• Defence (Yards Allowed Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 310.8 (4th) // Passing – 187.1 (2nd) // Rushing – 123.7 (22nd)
• Points Per Game Stats, ESPN: PPG Scored – 27.2 (6th) // PPG Allowed – 17.8 (2nd).
• Turnover Differential: +7 (8th).
• Injury Report (Out): Isaiah Wynn – OT, Jalen Mills – CB.
• Against the Spread: 10-7-0.

Bills :

• End of Season Record: 11-6 (6-3)
• Offence (Yards Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 381.9 (5th) // Passing – 252.0 (9th) // Rushing – 129.9 (6th).
• Defence (Yards Allowed Per Game, ESPN): Overall – 272.8 (1st) // Passing – 187.1 (1st) // Rushing – 109.8 (13th)
• Points Per Game Stats, ESPN: PPG Scored – 28.4 (3rd) // PPG Allowed – 17.0 (1st).
• Turnover Differential: +8 (7th).
• Injury Report (Out): N/A.
• Against the Spread: 9-6-2
• Weather Report (YR Weather): -18*C with a light breeze.
• The Bills are 3-2 in freezing temperatures.

The last rookie QB to win a playoff game was Russell Wilson. Tonight, Mac Jones will look to add his name to that illustrious list and nail himself down as a certified young stud in the league. However, the Alabama QB has had a difficult time of it playing against the Bills this season. While their first match-up in early December was defined by the extreme weather and Patriots running game (Jones threw three passes), Mac Attack couldn’t get much going at home on St. Stephen’s Day. Jones completed 14/32 for 145 and 2 INTs. To be fair to the young man, the Bills have the number one passing defence in the league and have been dominating QBs and their passing games all season. The one chink in the Buffalo armour is their running defence, and luckily enough for the Patriots, that’s what they do well, day in and day out. Damien Harris averaged 107 yards rushing per game in his two games against the Bills, while also collecting four TDs. To compliment Harris’ powerful running skillset, OC McDaniels, likes to utilise rookie RB, Rhamondre Stevenson in all aspects of the running attack. With the strong Bills passing defence and extreme cold weather predicted, this could be another heavy lean on the running attack by the Patriots, although Mac Jones will have to have a better game, in order to bring home the W.

Focusing our attention on the Bills, this is their big playoff opportunity to get one over on their AFC East rivals. They were shook after the first loss to the Patriots in early December but bounced back well, away from home in their second match-up. Josh Allen had a much better game, throwing for 314 yards and three TDs, while adding another 64 yards on the ground. While, it’s going to be insanely cold tonight, it’s not looking too windy, so I would expect Allen to have a better game than he did in their first match-up. If he can get his body circulation right, even better. Former NFL Pro Bart Scott had some tips and tricks on Get Up this week, so hopefully Allen listened…

The Bills have won their last four, conceding over 15 points once in that stretch. Their defence is dominant, Devin Singletary had a massive finish to the season, and Josh Allen has some really good playoff experience over Mac Jones. While Belichick has been there and done that much more that Sean McDermott, I like the Bills to take this one and cover the spread. If Allen can’t get it done with his arms, he’ll use his legs, and I can see their hometown defence gobbling up the Patriots’ rookie. Bills by 9.

• Side bet: Under 44.
• Player Prop: Damien Harris Anytime.

J.