The 2015-16 NFL Playoffs are moving on to the Divisional Round and in the upcoming NFC Championship around the corner we have some 4 teams remaining Seattle Seahawks, the Carolina Panthers, the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals with the two games being played on the 16th and 17th of January 2016. On Saturday the 16th at 8:15 PM ET on NBC we have the Packers playing at the Cardinals and on Sunday at 1:05 PM ET on FOX we have the Seahawks playing at the Carolina Panthers.
For those that Bet on NFL football at SBG Sportsbook, yes the Super Bowl 50 is just around the corner, but let us not get ahead of ourselves as we still don’t know which of the 5 teams will win in the Divisional Round, and move on to the Division Title. Thus, we will take a look at the remaining NFC Teams.
Yes the Arizona Cardinals presently are the top dog at +165 to win the NFC Title. The Cardinals had a rookie RB in D. Johnson whom they did not know is worth, but after the injury to RB C. Johnson that ended his season, thus in Week 16 they found out the value of rookie D. Johnson as he ran through the Packers defense for some 128 yards and 1 TD, and he also compliments their passing game as competent receiver, as the team averaged some 289 yards passing per game this season. Thus, the rookie will be playing in his 1st ever NFL playoff game on Saturday the 16th against the Pack.
The Cardinals defense has been playing very solid as of late, as they surprised the Packers in that previous game allowing them a total of 176 yards offensively in the game and sacked QB Rodgers some 8 times in that game, and that is one reason they are expected to prevail in this Divisional Round over the Packers. With the previously struggling Packers, the Cardinals appear to have the easiest route to the NFC Championship Title game which they seek to win.
Then we have the Carolina Panthers at +195 who is 15-1 in regular season play and they seek to continue their winning way in these playoffs, as they prepare to take on the 2015 NFC Champs the Seattle Seahawks. Yes the Panthers are the No. 1 seed in this NFC Championship Conference, and have home field advantage in this game, and that should allow them to relax a bit as they take on the playoff experienced Seahawks, who actually are lucky to be playing in this game after their 20-19 win over the Vikings as Minnesota missed an easy field goal with remaining seconds left in that game.
The defense of the Panthers is said to be the toughest in the conference as they have only allowed their opponents this season some 323 total offensive yards each game. In this game they are looking to their defensive pass rush to make a difference as it did in Week 6 when the beat the Seahawks 27-23 at Seattle.
Next come the Packers whose odds are + 700 to win the NFC Title and at +1,500 to win Super Bowl 50. News for the Packer fans is that the NFL Network will televise a replay of the 1st ever Super Bowl 1 and the first time ever this has been replayed and for the Packer fans, the way the team has struggled this replay maybe the only time the Pack is seen in Super Bowl play this season.
The Packers have had a struggling second halve of their season, and had a comeback win in the Wild Card game as the beat the Redskins of Washington, and now face off against the Cardinals who beat the Pack 38-8 a short time ago in Week 16. If the Packers are to win this game they will need their passing defense to improve or they will get scorched again by Cards QB C. Palmer who in the Packers Week 16 loss he passed for 2 touchdowns and some 266 yards passing in that game, and only with 1 interception.