2012 Baltimore Ravens New England Patriots Pick ATS

2012 Playoffs Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots Pick Who Will Win

AFC Championship Game Betting Preview

Ravens Patriots Betting Odds: -7.5 O/U 50.5

Saturday January 22, 2012 8 PM EST CBS

By: Barrett Kazmerzack of Coopers Pick CALL NOW for a Parlay Play: 1-888-730-COOP

New England was dominant last week in their win over the Broncos and they not only lit up the scoreboard on offense they held Tim Tebow and the Broncos to only 10 points. However, to make it back to the Super Bowl they will have to beat a Ravens’ team that has one of the best defenses in the league. Baltimore may have to rely on their D in this game if Joe Flacco and Ray Rice put up weak numbers like they did last week facing Houston. If this game is a high scoring one it definitely gives the edge to the Patriots.

Last week in the divisional playoff games the Patriots had no problems at all beating the Denver Broncos 45-10 and the Ravens needed their D to come up big late in the game to beat the Houston Texans 20-13.

On the season the Patriots are 10-7 ATS with an O/U record of 12-5 and the Ravens are 8-8-1 ATS and they have an O/U record of 10-7.

Tom Brady had 6 TD passes last week, which tied a playoff record, and he has no lack of targets in WR Wes Welker and the TE combo of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Brady and company got off to a very fast start in the Denver game and the Ravens cannot let that happen this Sunday. Baltimore came up with 3 INT last week and Ed Reed and the secondary can really give their team a lift if they can come up with some in this game.

LB Terrell Suggs, LB Ray Lewis, and DT Haloti Ngata lead a great Ravens’ pass rush and they have to harass Brady in the pocket and not let him have time to find his targets.

Stopping Brady is obviously the main objective, but the Ravens and their 2^nd round D still have to stuff the run. Last week even in the win Baltimore gave up 131 rushing yards and in their win over Denver the Pats rushed for 146 yards.

Flacco passed for 2 TD last week, but only had 176 yards in the air and Rice only rushed for 60 yards averaging a paltry 2.9 yards per carry. However, last week they faced a legit Houston D while this week that is not the case.

The Pats kept Tim Tebow in check through the air last week, but they still gave up 144 yards on the ground. Rice may be the key, as if he can run the ball well the more Brady and the dynamic New England will be on the sidelines.

In some betting trends for this AFC title game Baltimore has only covered the spread 1 time in their last 5 games facing a team with a winning record, are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, and in their last 5 road games the posted total has gone Over 4 times.

New England is only 1-5 in their last 6 home playoffs games, but that 1 game they covered was last week. In the Pats last 5 home games against teams with a winning road record the posted total has gone Over 4 times.

The home team is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games between the Pats and the Ravens.