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[Note by JasonB, 01/13/13 10:56 AM EST ] If you are looking for info on the Sunday games, we've got them covered here.
We pause from our nonstop coaching search news for a little bit of football. The Broncos will host the Ravens and 49ers will host the Packers in the first divisional round matchups today.
In the first game, the Broncos come heavily favored against a Ravens team that could very well be seeing the end of an era. Ray Lewis has announced that he will retire after this season, Ed Reed kicks around the idea of hanging them up seemingly every year and Joe Flacco is set to be a free agent. While it would seem very unlikely the Ravens would just let him walk, another playoff dud from him could certainly put a little doubt in their mind about paying him big money.
For the Broncos, we may very well be looking at the best team in the NFL. Peyton Manning is coming off an MVP season, they've got the #2 offense in the league and the #4 defense. They've also got home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
In the late game, the Packers head to San Francisco in a rematch from the first game of the season. San Fran won that game in Green Bay and really got the Packers off to a slow start. It's also a bit of a "what if" matchup for the 49ers, who passed on Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 draft in favor of Alex Smith, who is currently riding the pine for the Niners.
The game also features a classic great offense vs great defense matchup. The Packers bring the 5th highest scoring offense while the Niners own the league's 2nd stingiest defense.
AFC Divisional round: Ravens vs. Broncos
SB Nation blog: Baltimore Beatdown | Mile High Report
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 12, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
TV Schedule: CBS
NFL odds: Broncos -9.5
NFL picks: Broncos, 30-20
NFC Divisional round: Packers vs. 49ers
SB Nation blog: Acme Packing Company | Niners Nation
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
TV Schedule: FOX
NFL odds: 49ers -3
NFL picks: Packers, 30-27
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NFC Divisional round: Seahawks vs. Falcons
SB Nation blog: Field Gulls | The Falcoholic
Game Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m. ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
TV Schedule: FOX
NFL odds: Falcons -2.5
NFL picks: Seahawks, 24-20
AFC Divisional round: Texans vs. Patriots
SB Nation blog: Battle Red Blog | Pats Pulpit
Game Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 13, 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
TV Schedule: CBS
NFL odds: Patriots -9.5
NFL picks: Patriots, 35-20
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More reading:
Mile High Report: The Broncos historical run
Baltimore Beatdown: Predicting the Ravens to lose
Acme Packing Company: 5 questions with the enemy