It's playoff time and we're hoping to end the season on a winning note. Those who have been following the Vegas handicapping contests in the ViewFromVegas Forums know I finished tied for 2nd in the Leroy's Pro Challenge and in 14th place in the Hilton SuperContest. It's been a great season for yours truly as well as many other posters in the forums. If you're not a regular there, you're missing out on a lot of winners and great discussion.

If you want to get in the game, we're having a free NFL pointspread/totals contest during the playoffs. The deadline is noon Saturday VFV Time (aka Pacific Standard Time). You just pick either the side or total in each playoff game. Once you lose two games, you're eliminated; however, all lines in the contest are full numbers so if you get a push you stay alive. Check out all the details in the OFFICIAL ViewFromVegas NFL Contest Thread. This is also a great chance to invite your family and friends to check out ViewFromVegas.com and to get them to sign up in the forums. There's a good chance they'll thank you!

OK...here were my leans in the NFL wild-card games that I posted early in the week:

Cardinals +2.5 over Falcons...over 50
Colts -1 vs. Chargers...over 51
Ravens -3 (up to -120, pass at 3.5) vs. Dolphins...under 37
Vikings +3 EV vs. Eagles...under 42.5

I haven't change my mind on any of those recommendations. The lines have stayed pretty solid all week except for the lines in the Falcons-Cardinals game coming down slightly and the Colts-Chargers total dropping from 51 to 50 at most books.

Here are my writeups from Saturday's editions of Daily Racing Form (note: with the holiday, I had to file this past Tuesday):

Cardinals +2 vs. Falcons: The Cardinals were the first team to win their division and they showed it the past month with several lackluster performances. However, I liked what I saw last week vs. the Seahawks and believe they will be ready for a playoff run. I think the Cardinals' unheralded defense will contain Michael Turner and pressure Matt Ryan.
PLAY: Cardinals for 1 unit.

Colts -1 vs. Chargers: While the Chargers won eight games all season, the Colts have won nine straight, including a 23-20 win over San Diego in this same stadium in Week 12 when it was a playoff atmosphere and a must-win for both teams. I see a repeat here. Philip Rivers has played great recently, but I don't trust him in crunch time, and the same goes for Chargers head coach Norv Turner.
PLAY: Colts for 1 unit.

Ravens-Dolphins UNDER 37 1/2: Ravens won here, 27-13, back in Week 7. I think they are the right side again but if you missed the -3 then I wouldn't lay the -3 1/2. Instead, I will look to the total and expect both defenses to dominate. The two quarterbacks, Chad Pennington and Joe Flacco, will probably be forced to make their reads quicker and not go as deep as they have lately. With the conservative nature of the playoffs, I'm expecting teams to settle for field goals instead of trying to make big plays and risk turnovers. I will call it Ravens, 17-13.
PLAY: Under 37 1/2 points for 1 unit.

Vikings +3 vs. Eagles: This could be another low-scoring game because both teams have highly ranked defenses and offenses that rely on the run (Vikings) or short passing game (Eagles). I'm not a fan of Tavaris Jackson, but he can get the job done if he's not asked to do much, and with Adrian Peterson being fresh (thanks to platooning with Chester Taylor throughout the regular season) the Vikings will be at least one home team that wins this weekend.
PLAY: Vikings for 1 unit.

Last week: 1-1 for a net loss of 0.1 units (based on risking 1.1 units to win 1). Season DRF record: 26-14-2 (65 percent), including 2-2-1 on 2-unit plays, for a net profit of 10.4 units.


P.S. If you have any questions or comments about these games, it's easier to address them in the VFV Forums. The thread for these picks is: http://forums.viewfromvegas.com/user/Discussion.aspx?id=143289