Mad Bets: NFL Wild Card Round Prop Bets
Minty Bets, Jared Quay & Matt Harmon debate a few prop bets for the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs.
Video Transcript
MINTY BETS: It's wildcard weekend, everyone. Let's start with prop number one. Over or under 359 and 1/2 combined rushing yards for the Ravens and Titans. Harmon, let's start with you.
MATT HARMON: I'm going to go under on this one not because I don't think that these are two of the best offenses in the NFL. I expect there to be plenty of points in this one. I think this is going to be a high flying type of game. That being said, I think the Ravens can rush for over 200 yards on their own, right? Because they're rushing attack is on fire right now. At this point, they look like the same dangerous team that they were in 2019. They've got Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins, especially Dobbins just absolutely rolled in the backfield. You've got Lamar doing his thing.
However, I think that there's a pretty good chance they could also throw the ball really well on this Titans' defense. This Titans' defense is terrible. So because of that, I know that they always keep Derrick Henry involved on the other side, but I think if Tennessee is going to win this game, if they're going to be the ones to take down Baltimore, I think they're going to have to do it with their passing game. I think the Ravens' defense will make a pretty good priority to stop Derrick Henry.
JARED QUAY: That was a lot of talk from Harmon and just to be wrong. (laughs) I'm just going to go over here, and it's not even hard. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the teams alone did it. Whoever wins probably can get that much. Both teams want to run the ball. They have a good run of games and running quarterbacks, and that's their plan. The only thing that can stop them from going under on this, is if they just let the clock run out on this like a 7 to 10 game. They maybe goes under but I just see easy, both teams trying to pound the ball. And the weakness of both teams is their rusty fits. So I just think this goes over easy.
MINTY BETS: Well, I actually agree with Harmon here as the Ravens are averaging about 190 rushing yards a game time's about 170 there. That puts us right over this total here. But it would be very off brand of me to say over, so I'm going under, I think. The next couple of games, of course, are really important. Defense has to step it up and just like Harmon said, I think they're going to rely on a pass game a lot as well. Prop number two, will Antonio Brown score a touchdown against Washington this week? Jared, what do you think?
JARED QUAY: Yes, Antonio Brown is coming alive. He got his bonus because of Tom Brady. And without Mike, we don't know what's happening with Mike Evans. I don't know, I'm not sure yet. We're early here, but I just feel like he's going to have to step it up a bit. Antonio Brown is the guy you need in the playoffs, like the regular season doesn't matter. They didn't get him so they could have a good record in the regular season. They got Antonio Brown so when the playoffs come, he could come to play, and I think he does. I think he has his little five catches, 50 yards, and a touchdown.
MATT HARMON: Yeah, I'm also going to go with Jared on this one too. I think he does catch a touchdown. Over the last three games, Brown actually leads these wide receivers with 27 targets. Now some of that is obviously Mike Evans got hurt in week 17. As Jared mentioned, Brady's trying to juice that target total so that Brown can get his bonus. But I think it just goes to show they have integrated Brown into the offense, especially as a vertical asset. That was really where they were struggling to get him going when they first brought him in.
So yeah, I think he's a guy that they have to rely on. I mean, I think Tampa Bay cruises in general in this game, but I think Brown will be a big part of that.
MINTY BETS: We are all in agreement. I say yes as well. I think this Washington defense is good, but I think Brown can slip this one in. Prop number three, which veteran quarterback will have the most passing yards? Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, or Philip Rivers. Harmon, let's start with you.
MATT HARMON: It is very tempting to go with Brady. Like I mentioned, I think that they roll in this spot. I think the passing game can get going, but it's such a tough match-up against that Washington defense, so I'm actually going to go with Ben Roethlisberger here. I think, number one, the week off will probably do Roethlisberger well from a rest standpoint. We're talking about all these old men quarterbacks. Roethlisberger might have looked the oldest. Anyway, he's not the oldest. He might have looked the oldest this regular season.
But I also believe in what we saw in that second half against the Colts, and also what we saw in week 17 with Mason Rudolph back there. Those wide receivers, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypoole, and even JuJu, we're all making plays downfield. I think this is a good receiver corps. I think they're all finally starting to click as we hope that they would for many parts during the regular season. So I think the Steelers passing game, especially with all the issues that Cleveland's having, I think they can roll in this spot. So I'm going to go with their quarterback.
MINTY BETS: Jared, who's your quarterback?
JARED QUAY: I mean he was right at the beginning of his statement then he changed his answer. Brady is easily here. I'm not a Brady fan. I'm not going to act like I'm a Brady fan, but let's be honest, Bruce Arians love to chuck the ball. And on top of that, I feel like Chase Young and those guys can't get after Brady, but I feel like their secondary is very skeptical to these short passes that they have, and I just thank God I went in. Brown even without Evans could still take off and have a great game. So let's go Brady here. Old man, 40. What is he now? 44?
MINTY BETS: 41? No.
MATT HARMON: He's 43. He's like your age, right, Jared?
JARED QUAY: What's his birthday though? Yeah, I'm definitely not 43, but you know if you want to put me and him. We both have a lot of similarities. I can see why you think that, you know. We both just win. (laughs)
MINTY BETS: All right, Jared, I agree with you completely. Brady has been on fire his last three games passing for over 345 yards in all three of those games. I can see Drew Brees handing the ball off a lot. I can see Ben Roethlisberger limiting himself to shorter passes, and Philip Rivers just kind of exploded in that 250 passing yardage range. So Tom Brady is the only correct answer here. If you want in on the action, head over to BetMGM.com/Yahoo. New users get 100% match up to $1,000 for the first time deposit and a $25 registration bonus. Available in New Jersey, Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Iowa.
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