![\"Potential](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bigredsportsmachine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Cheifs-Colts.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a>Potential blackout looming???<\/p><\/div>\n
Kansas City at Indy (-1)<\/b><\/p>\n
Is anyone excited about this game?\u00a0 It seems not, as Indy is having a tough time selling tickets.\u00a0 How is it possible that this game (or any playoff game) would not be sold out???\u00a0 As it stands, the Colts have until 4:35 pm today<\/a>\u00a0to sell the remaining 3,000 tickets to avoid a blackout.\u00a0 How can you not sell out a playoff game?\u00a0 Is watching Alex \u201cGame Manager\u201d Smith that bad?\u00a0 Perhaps folks are still pissed at Trent Richardson for ruining their fantasy season.\u00a0 The Machine\u2019s guess:\u00a0 those tickets get sold, and no blackout.\u00a0 There are also unsold tickets in Cincy and Green Bay.\u00a0 Interesting\u2026<\/p>\n Anyway, back to the game.\u00a0 This is a repeat of a Week 16 matchup, where Indy played at KC and completely dominated the Chiefs, winning 23-7.\u00a0 The Colts are an interesting team.\u00a0 They\u2019ve had some inexplicable losses (blowouts to St. Louis and Arizona) and seem to struggle to find an offensive identity.\u00a0 However, winners of 4 of their last 5, they are getting hot at the right time.<\/p>\n While Andy Reid is a lock for coach of the year, he faces a tough task on Saturday.\u00a0 Injuries are starting to mount up for the Chiefs\u2026Tamba Hali and Eric Fisher are likely out, and the statuses of Dwayne Bowe, Justin Houston, and Brandon Albert are murky.\u00a0 Even if all (or some) play, they won\u2019t be at 100%.\u00a0 Notwithstanding, Jamaal Charles and Alex Smith will keep this game competitive, but Indy will be too tough.<\/p>\n Prediction:\u00a0 The Machine likes Indy to cover, and we\u2019ll take the over on crazy Irsay tweets.<\/p>\n Does Chip Kelly have special playoff smoothies?<\/p><\/div>\n New Orleans at Philly (-2.5)<\/b><\/p>\n For sure the marquee game of the day, Drew Brees and the Saints march into Philly to face the NFC East Champion Philadelphia Eagles.\u00a0 This is a really tough game to predict.\u00a0 All of a sudden, Chip Kelly is back to having a gimmicky<\/span> revolutionary offense.\u00a0 But is his defense enough to compete with the gun and gun offense of the Saints?\u00a0 Also, Philly was a dismal 4-4 at home this year.\u00a0 Fortunately for them, the Saints were even more atrocious on the road, going 3-5 (compared to a perfect 8-0 at home).\u00a0 The Saints are also 0-5 all-time in road playoff games.<\/p>\n The real equalizer here will be the weather.\u00a0 With gametime temperatures in the 20\u2019s, the weather will be the best player on Chip Kelly\u2019s revolutionary<\/span> gimmicky defense.\u00a0 Philly has shown that it can play in the cold, playing in that memorable snow game against Detroit earlier this year.<\/p>\n Also, they have Shady McCoy, the NFL\u2019s leading rusher, and the game\u2019s best offensive line.\u00a0 And Nick Foles\u00a0has been on fire, throwing for 21 tds\u00a0and only 2 ints in his last 8 games (not surprisingly, the Eagles were 7-1 over that stretch).<\/p>\n The Saints are an offensive juggernaut, and Rob Ryan has greatly improved their defense (do you hear that, Jerrah?).\u00a0 On paper, the edge goes to the Saints.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to think that, even with the weather, Drew Brees and co. will not find a way to exploit Philly 32nd<\/sup> (yes, dead last) ranked passing defense (told you it\u2019s gimmicky).\u00a0<\/p>\n Prediction:\u00a0 As much as it pains us to write this, The Machine likes the Eagles to prevail.\u00a0 Running will come at a premium, and Philly is the number 1 rushing team in the league (Saints are 25th<\/sup>).\u00a0<\/p>\n At 53.5 points, we\u2019re still fans of the over.\u00a0 Actually, for those betting enthusiasts, tease the Saints with the over.\u00a0<\/p>\n Enjoy the games, and check back with us for our analysis of Sunday\u2019s games.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Finally, the playoffs are here!\u00a0 College Bowl games have provided us a nice appetizer for the main event.\u00a0 If history tells us anything, your Super Bowl Champion is playing this weekend.\u00a0 The last three Super Bowl Champs (Baltimore, NYG, Green … Continue reading <\/a>