CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY NFL MONEYLINE MONEYBALL!
(NFL) Tampa Bay vs. Green Bay, 01/24/2021 3:05 PM, Score: 31 - 26
Money Line: -194.00 Green Bay (Home)
Result: Loss
I'm playing GB on the moneyline. Many shy away from the moneyline in football and basketball but it can often be the way to go. In this case, I believe that the Packers are peaking at the right time and they've got a lot of things going in their favor. I like the fact that Brown was offiically ruled out for Tampa. Talk about an epic showdown. Brees vs. Brady was good but a Rodgers/Brady showdown is even better. Playing at an extremely high level and playing at home, when its all said and done, I expect the younger Rodgers to emerge victorious. While Brees was still dangerous, he was also clearly past his prime. The same cannot be said of Rodgers. The season that Rodgers just delivered was simply remarkable. He enters the playoffs at the very top of his game. If you listened to Rodgers after last week's win, you would have heard him comment on how much having some fans at Lambeau gave the Packers a lift. I expect that to be the case once again. While the Bucs benefitted greatly from winning the turnover battle against the Saints, the Packers manhandled the Rams. That was a defense that made Wilson and the Seahawks look terrible. Yet, Rodgers was absolutely comfortable. Of course, the Packers three-headed rushing attack (Jones, Williams, Dillon) played a pivotal role. The offensive line was fantastic. In addition to the huge advantage of playing at home, I like the fact that he Packers have had an extra day of preparation than the Bucs. (They played last Saturday, while TB played Sunday.) Rodgers has recently started to receive the accolades which he deserves. However, for much of his career, he's been playing second fiddle. First, to Favre in Green Bay. Then, to guys like Manning and Brady. Those days are over. Expect Rodgers to get the better of Brady, the Packers punching their ticket to the Super Bowl.