Odds Improving For Surprise Scenario In AFC Championship

NFL News - January 12th, 2010 - Written By John

Three of the four games during Wild Card weekend were rematches of Week 17 games, which kicked off the 2009 NFL Playoffs under unusual circumstances. So it would be fitting that all four scenarios for the AFC Championship would be a revenge game in some way or another, creating an early buzz despite still being two weeks away.

The prop bet page on BetUS is offering odds on what the conference championship match-up will be, obviously favoring the top-two seeds to meet in the final. But with the sudden surge of the New York Jets, along with a dominating performance by the Baltimore Ravens the longshot suddenly got a whole lot more feasible.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Colts v. Jets (+325)

If the Jets make it this far, Indianapolis only has itself to blame.

Although the teams were scheduled only three weeks ago, they haven't really played each other yet because their Week 16 match-up was muddied by Jim Caldwell's decision to protect his players. With Peyton Manning and Co. in the game, the Colts were winning 15-12. With him out, they lost 29-15, and paved the way for New York to win it's last two games of the year to get in.

If it were to come to fruition, that would mean the Jets beat the San Diego Chargers the week before in warm weather. That would probably pass "Baltimore over New England" as the stunner of the postseason because San Diego currently has the NFL's longest winning streak at 11.

New York looked good last week in it's win over the Bengals, especially with the improvement by Mark Sanchez. It will be interesting to see the NFL's best defense up against on of the most effortless offenses.

Colts v. Chargers (-175)

Although this would mean the conference's top-two seeds meet in the championship game, which is always good, it is still the second-best scenario.

Especially for the Colts.

San Diego has had their number for quite sometime, winning three of the last four, and reaching this game would mean it won 12-in-a-row. That is easily the highest mark in the league, and momentum would be on the Chargers side.

San Diego beat Indianapolis in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two years, and was the team that snapped the Colts' potentially perfect season in Week 14 of 2005.

The game would also ensure one of the league's two worst rushing offenses would make the Super Bowl, which has happened only once since 2002.

But if the New Orleans Saints hold serve and make it to the Big Game for the NFC, it would certainly be valuable for the AFC to have either Philip Rivers or Manning to counter the inevitable offensive fireworks.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Chargers v. Ravens (+250)

It could have been the most infamous fourth-down play this season if not for Bill Belichick's gaff against the Colts on Monday Night Football.

San Diego was driving late in the game against the Ravens in their Week Two meeting, but was facing a fourth-and-one play that essentially meant the game. It called on mighty mite Darren Sproles to take a handoff up the middle to move the chains, but he was mauled by 6-foot-1, 250-pound Ray Lewis at the line to end it.

Rivers was visibly upset with the call and said he believed he was still on the better team.

Baltimore hasn't forgotten, and is on a warpath right now to knock down the teams that have wronged them earlier in the year. That started with it's 33-14 mauling of the New England Patriots in a revenge game, and the Colts come in the second round. If the Ravens beat Indianapolis in a rematch of their Week 11 loss, they would get a chance to make it three-in-a-row in the conference championship.

Chargers v. Colts

See above.

NEW YORK JETS

Jets v. Colts

See above.

Jets v. Ravens (+900)

Rex Ryan said he thinks New York should be the favorites to win the league title because of it's top-ranked defense. Baltimore's Ed Reed said the Ravens still have the "swag", and never really lost it to begin with. The only real way to decide the AFC's best remaining defense would be here if the underdogs of both divisional games come up with upsets.

Although it is rightly labeled as the longshot, there is a growing belief that the Jets and Ravens could certainly shock the football world and meet in the conference championship. Baltimore is fresh of a 33-14 whipping of New England, which was the first time Tom Brady had ever lost a playoff game in Gillette Stadium, and the surge of Ray Rice has to be trouble for opponents. The Ravens have history on their side if this scenario comes to fruition because New York hasn't beaten them since Clinton was in office.

But the Jets have run the ball better than anyone this year, and has a league-high 172.3 yards per game on the ground.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Ravens v. Chargers

See above.

Ravens v. Jets

See above.