| The NFL expanded its playoff-field to 12 teams in 1990. | | | | 'under' the total. All four losing teams featured QBs |
| Heading into last year's wild card round, home teams | | | | making their first-ever postseason start and that may |
| had DOMINATED this round of games, winning 42 of | | | | bear watching when Chicago (Rex Grossman makes |
| the 56 previously played. However, the Colts were the | | | | his first-ever playoff start) hosts Carolina next Sunday |
| only home team to win in last year's opening round of | | | | (pun intended!).Speaking of next weekend's games, all |
| the postseason and for the second straight year, just | | | | four matchups involve teams that played each other |
| ONE home team was able to prevail in this year's wild | | | | during this year's regular season. Washington is at |
| card round.The two-time defending champs, the New | | | | Seattle (Seahawks are favored by nine with a total of |
| England Patriots, beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on | | | | 41) and New England is at Denver (Broncos are a |
| Saturday night, 28-3. In the three other games, | | | | three-point favorite with a total of 43 1/2), on Saturday. |
| Washington won at Tampa Bay 17-10, Carolina won at | | | | Sunday's games feature Pittsburgh at Indianapolis |
| New York 23-0 and Pittsburgh won at Cincinnati 31-17. | | | | (Colts are favored by 9 1/2 points with a total of 47 1 |
| The Redskins won despite gaining just 120 yards, the | | | | 2) and Carolina at Chicago (Bears are a three-point |
| fewest-ever for a playoff winner in NFL history. | | | | favorite with a total of 30 1/2).Tonight's sports |
| Carolina handed the Giants the team's first playoff | | | | schedule features a five-game NBA card, a |
| shutout in 20 years and the Giants became the first | | | | four-game NHL slate and 15 games in college hoops. |
| team to be shut out in a playoff home game since the | | | | While not a marquee game, Toronto at Chicago offers |
| Rams beat the Bucs 9-0 in Tampa, in the 1979 NFC | | | | some interesting history. The Bulls will be trying for their |
| Championship Game (was played in January of | | | | 11th consecutive win over the Raptors. Prior to winning |
| 1980).My free play tonight is on the Toronto Raptors | | | | 10 straight over Toronto, Chicago had lost 16straight to |
| over the Chicago Bulls (see reference below). In | | | | the Raptors. Prior to Toronto's 16-game winning streak |
| college hoops I'm featuring a rare triple 10* report | | | | over the Bulls, Chicago had won EIGHT straight over |
| (most recent was a winner on 12/21). Don't miss this | | | | the Raptors (confused yet?). In tonight's game, |
| combination of QUALITY and QUANTITY that I feel is | | | | Chicago is a 5 1/2-point favorite (surprisingly, the Bulls |
| the "best value in the industry!"Heading into the | | | | have been favored in just three of their previous 10 |
| weekend's action, home favorites were 28-23-3 ATS | | | | wins!) with a total of 202 1/2.In college hoops, it's "Big |
| in the wild card round with home 'dogs' going 5-1 ATS | | | | Monday." ESPN starts with Cincinnati at U Conn at |
| (since 1990). This past weekend's results saw home | | | | 7:00 ET (Huskies are favored by 7 1/2 with a total of |
| favorites go 1-2 ATS and the lone home dog | | | | 156 1/2) and then it's Texas at Iowa State at 9:00 ET |
| (Bengals), also lose. Home dogs had been 8-1 ATS in | | | | (Longhorns are favored by 4 1/2 with a total of 144 1 |
| wild card history (began in 1978), but following a | | | | 2). At midnight ET, ESPN2 carries Gonzaga at Santa |
| season-long trend that's seen road favorites cash 62.3 | | | | Clara (Bulldogs are favored by 8 1/2 with a total of |
| percent of the time, the Steelers won and 'covered' as | | | | 143).Ness Notes is available Monday through Friday by |
| a three-point road 'chalk'.Of course, it's hard NOT to | | | | 1:00 ET and on Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 ET.Larry |
| speculate "what might have been", if Carson Palmer | | | | Ness is a documented member of the Professional |
| hadn't been lost for the game on his first pass | | | | Handicappers League. |
| attempt? Three of the four games this weekend went | | | | |