posted January 8, 2009 at 18:57 EST in NFL Articles
NFL Playoff XBOX Simulation - Baltimore vs Tennessee
by Mike Rose
NFL Betting – XBOX 360 Simulation
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans 4:30 ET CBS
Weather: Cloudy with a chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon; highs in the mid to upper 40s with Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
The final Divisional Round of the NFL sports betting season has arrived, and a trip to the AFC Championship game will be on the line when the Baltimore Ravens (12-5, 13-4 ATS) lock horns with the Tennessee Titans (13-3, 12-4 ATS) at LP Field; kick-off is slated for 4:30 ET and the game can be seen nationally on CBS.
Baltimore advanced to the second round of the playoffs after easily disposing of the Dolphins in Miami last week. The defense forced five turnovers in the game, and set its offense up with a number of short fields to help allow HC John Harbaugh’s group advance to this afternoons NFL playoffs betting match-up with the Titans.
The Titans licked their wounds throughout last week’s bye, and come into this contest very confident knowing they won 7 of 8 in this venue during the regular season.
These clubs last met back in Week 5 of this season where the Titans escaped M&T Bank Field with a 13-10 road win and cover as short one-point road favorites. Neither field general was sharp that day as both Collins and Flacco each threw a pair of interceptions. Baltimore stonewalled the Titans potent ground attack limiting it to a total of 47 yards on 22 carries, but Tennessee managed to find the end zone in the closing moments of the 4th quarter to claim victory. Baltimore has failed to cover the spread in each of its L/4 meetings with Tennessee, but the Ravens are 6-2 ATS its L/8 trips to Tennessee and this series has seen the underdog bite in 13 of the L/17 overall meetings. This has been a very low scoring series as well with the ‘under’ cashing in five of the L/6 meetings with the average combined points coming in at a hair over 33 points per game.
1st Quarter:
Each club went three and out on their initial possessions of the game. Tennessee managed to move the chains once before punting its second possession away.
Baltimore set up shop at its own 34-yard line and got off to a great start when QB Joe Flacco hit TE Todd Heap in stride for a solid 12-yard gain. RB Willis McGahee was swallowed up by the Titans defense on the next two plays, but Flacco hit WR Derrick Mason for a huge 20-yard gain to move the chains. McGahee moved the chains with a 4-yard gain and a 9-yard reception on the next two plays, and then Mason did the rest to complete the TD drive by hauling in 3 passes for a total of 26 yards. His 10-yard grab in the right corner of the endzone saw Baltimore get on the board first unlike last week in Miami.
Neither club did anything else the remainder of the quarter, but Tennessee was driving to start the 2nd quarter.
BALTIMORE 7 TENNESSEE 0
2nd QUARTER
QB Kerry Collins hooked up with WR Justin McCareins for a huge 22-yard gain on 3rd and long to get the Titans into Baltimore territory for the first time in the game. He followed that pass up with a 21-yard strike to WR Justin Gage, and then rookie RB Chris Johnson did the rest rushing two times for a total of 16 yards before plunging in from one-yard out to tie the game up at seven apiece.
After allowing one first down, the Titans defense buckled down on 3rd and 5 at the Baltimore 31 and sacked QB Flacco for a seven-yard loss to force the punt.
Tennessee took over at its own 18 and QB Collins looked like a man possessed completing a number of passes against the Ravens stout “D”. Amidst tons of pressure, Collins connected with WR Justin Gage for 10, RB Johnson for 8, and then hit Gage again for a huge 18-yard pass and catch to get back into Baltimore territory. RB Johnson picked up a solid 8-yard gain before Collins connected with TE Alge Crumpler for a 12-yard catch. He then hit McCareins deep once again for 21-yards which allowed the Titans to enter Baltimore’s red-zone for the second time in the game. Baltimore’s defense stepped up on all three plays to keep them out of the endzone, but K Rob Bironas nailed the 20-yarder to give the home team its first lead of the game to close out the half.
BALTIMORE 7 TENNESSEE 10
3rd Quarter
The 3rd quarter started out horribly for Baltimore backers when QB Flacco’s 3rd down pass was intercepted at their own 44. The defense surrendered one 1st down, but buckled down to force the FG attempt of which Bironas nailed from 48 yards out.
The offense did nothing on its next drive, but the special teams pinned the Titans deep in their own territory which allowed the defense to get the ball back to the offense with solid field position after a Tennessee three and out.
The quarter closed with Baltimore driving….
BALTIMORE 7 TENNESSEE 13
4TH QUARTER
Already passed midfield, the Ravens picked up another 1st down when RB LeRon McClain busted the left side of the Titans defense for 13 yards, but the rookie made a costly mistake on 3rd down by forcing one where he shouldn’t have which resulted in him throwing his second interception of the day.
The Ravens “D” looked like it was going to save Flacco’s hide once again forcing a 3rd and long, but QB Collins connected with his favorite target of the day, McCareins, for a 23-yard pass and catch that set them up 1st and 10 at the Ravens 31 yard line. RB Johnson failed to move the chains on 3rd down, but Bironas was true from 42-yards out to increase the Titans lead to nine.
Needing nothing short of a TD to get back in the game, the Ravens offense sputtered on their first two plays from scrimmage before Flacco connected with WR Mark Clayton for a huge 26-yard gain to get past midfield. Staring at third and 2 from Tennessee’s 39-yard line, Flacco and McGahee had an altercation in the backfield that saw the pigskin slip from the rookie’s grip. Tennessee pounced on it and then looked to milk as much clock as possible.
With the clock Baltimore’s worst enemy, the Titans went on a spectacular time consuming drive that took close to five minutes off the clock and ended with another Bironas field goal.
Baltimore reclaimed possession of the ball with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Looking to make up for his poor afternoon, Flacco started slinging the ball all over the field with much success. He connected with WR Mason for 26 yards, Heap for 15, and then RB McGahee for a 26 on a short little dump off. With just 16 ticks remaining on the clock, Tennessee was called for pass interference in the endzone which set the Ravens up 1st and goal from the one-yard line. RB McGahee plunged in to cut the lead to five, but there were only nine seconds left in the game. Baltimore needed a “Music City Miracle” of their own to win this game.
They didn’t get it! Tennessee recovered the onside kick and HC Jeff Fisher and his club are now just a win away from going to the Super Bowl.
FINAL SCORE: BALTIMORE 14 TENNESSEE 19
This game simulation calls for a Tennessee cover and for the game to go under the posted ‘Total’. You can get TEN (-3) -105 and the under 34.5 –110 at BetUS.com right now!!!
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL |
BALTIMORE |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
TENNESSEE |
0 |
10 |
3 |
6 |
19 |
QB Joe Flacco: 17/35 220 yards 1 TD 2 INT
QB Kerry Collins: 20/41 200 yards 0 TD 0 INT
RB Willis McGahee: 15 carries for 33 yards 1 TD Long of 6
RB Chris Johnson: 23 carries for 92 yards 1 TD Long of 8
WR Derrick Mason: 6 receptions for 87 yards 1 TD Long of 21
WR Justin McCareins: 4 receptions for 74 yards 0 TD Long of 23
|
BAL |
TEN |
TOTAL OFFENSE |
258 |
301 |
RUSHING YARDS |
38 |
101 |
PASSING YARDS |
220 |
200 |
1ST DOWNS |
12 |
16 |
TOTAL YARDS |
289 |
353 |
TURNOVERS |
3 |
0 |
3RD DOWN CONV |
5/16 31% |
5/16 31% |
PENALTIES |
11-91 |
10-78 |
TIME OF POSSESSION |
28:52 |
31:08 |
